THE total expenditure of the Task Force on Corruption was higher than the recoveries made during the period of its operations, Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani has said.

Mr Mangani said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that colossal sums of money were spent on the operations of the Taskforce, particularly on the hiring of private lawyers within and outside the country.

“The nation did not get a good deal from the Taskforce. A lot of money was spent on private lawyers. The facts on the expenditure and recoveries speak for themselves,” Mr Mangani, who did not state the total amount of money spent said.

But sources said the Government spent $13 million on foreign lawyers and more than $900,000 on local private prosecutors.

The sources said $1.3 million was still outstanding for the foreign legal fees while $480,000 was still owed to local private lawyers.

The money raised from the sale of properties seized abroad has all gone towards settling the legal fees for the hired lawyers.

In 2004, the Government paid $85,000 to MNB, a firm where local private prosecutor Mutembo Nchito is a partner.

In 2005, $465,000 was paid out to MNB while $200,000 was paid in 2007. A further $120,000 was paid out to the law firm in 2008 with the last payment made this year of $80,000.

•Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga has challenged members of Parliament (MPs) alleging corruption in the fuel procurement process to prove their claims.

Mr Konga said in Parliament on Wednesday evening after several opposition MPs
repeatedly accused the Government of being corrupt in the importation of fuel that there was no such a thing because contracts were awarded on a competitive basis.

He said in response to Luena MP Charles Milupi (Independent) who alleged that the Government had awarded a contract to a small Kenyan company that there was no element of corruption in the whole process.

[Times of Zambia]

Veteran politician Grey Zulu’s family has appealed to politicians not to politicize the funeral of late Mr. Agrippa Zulu son to Mr. Grey Zulu.

Family Spokesperson and a cousin to the deceased, Fisho Mwale says contrary to assertions by some politicians, his family has received a lot of support from government.

He says government has supported the family by providing food and will transport the remains of the deceased back home from London where he died.

Mr. Mwale, who is also former Lusaka Mayor, said in an interview with ZANIS at the funeral house that President Rupiah Banda and government have been kind enough and taken interest in the matter.

Mr. Mwale said the President also appointed Lands Minister Peter Daka to co-ordinate and facilitate the funeral procession.

He further said the statement attributed to his uncle, Grey Zulu was and carried by the Post Newspaper in today’s edition was taken out of context.

Mr. Mwale said it was unfortunate that the reporter took advantage of his uncle’s emotions.

He stated that the late Agrippa should be mourned in dignity and respect without the involvement and influence of politicians.

“Only an insane person can celebrate and feast during mourning periods. It is very unfair to speak to a father with bereavement and take a statement that is heavily negative and misinterpreted. My Uncle did not utter such a statement. It was taken out of context taking advantage of Mr. Zulu who is emotional.

As a family, we had received a lot of assistance from the Government including from selfless Zambian citizens. As you know my uncle was actively involved in government as Vice President and secretary General of UNIP,” Mr. Mwale said.

The late Agrippa died in Britain after an illness.

Meanwhile, the body of the late Agrippa Zulu arrives in the country on Saturday.

Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.

ZANIS

has accused former Defence minister, George Mpombo and other former Government leaders of having launched a smear campaign against President Rupiah Banda and the ruling party through unsubstantiated statements.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the Government was extremely saddened by the behavior of the former senior Government officials who were reinforcing lies that the president’s sons were using State machinery to secure Government contracts.

He said it was disheartening that Mr Mpombo had repeated unsubstantiated allegations made by former vice-president Enoch Kavindele after State House and the Ministry of Defence denied any dealings with the President’s children.

He said Mr Mpombo’s incessant insults and accusations were part of his drive to misinform the public and ridicule the president.

In an interview with The Post Newspaper, Mr Mpombo is reported to have said that the president’s children should do business in a transparent manner and that they should not use State machinery to conduct business just because they were the president’s sons.

“These are serious allegations requiring a person of the experience and status of Hon Mpombo to have attempted to verify and so substantiate his public statement.

“If Hon Mpombo was making the statement in good faith, out of concern for this nation, he would have substantiated the allegations before making a statement,” Lt-Gen Shikapwasha said.

He said Mr Mpombo was by implication saying that the president’s children were involved in business in which they did not only use the State machinery but their father’s name.

He urged former leaders speaking out of bitterness to restrain themselves from making statements that endangered national peace and harmony.

Gen Shikapwasha also said Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba had chosen to play partisan politics in his discharge of duties as a chief.

He said Chief Nalubamba should realise that he was an official of the Government and had many channels to use if he wanted to advise the Government, including the president.

He said the Government had noted that the chief spoke ignorantly about the late president, Levy Mwanawasa’s policy on the future of the Task Force on Corruption.

Gen Shikapwasha said it was wrong for the chief to amplify allegations made by the opposition about the lack of benefit from attending meetings in foreign countries.

[Times of Zambia]

Zambia’s sole petrol refinery to the government in Lusaka for 5.5 million dollars. Until now, Total and the government had shared ownership of the 36-year-old Indeni refinery, which has the capacity to produce 24,000 barrels of fuel per day.

“The Government now owns 100 percent shares in Indeni after concluding the talks with Total. We have taken over the 50 percent shares previously owned by Total,” the Finance Ministry’s permanent secretary, Berlin Msiska told Reuters.

Msiska could not immediately state whether Zambia would look for another partner or hold on to all the shares in the plant.

Indeni has been plagued by technical problems and erratic supplies of late, causing acute shortages of diesel and petrol in the country threatening to reverse Zambia’s economic gains.

A fault at the plant brought production to a halt on October 15. The ministry of energy said it expects to resume processing on Friday.

The fuel shortages have affected the country’s critical copper mining operations, which rely on diesel for production.

Zambia is Africa’s largest producer of the metal, which accounts for about 70 per cent of export revenue

Indeni Petroleum Refinery was 50 percent each jointly owned by Total El Fina EIF and the Zambian government and latest market estimates indicate that the refinery needs $65 million for recapitalisation.

Total last year told Zambia of its intention to sell its shares to another company but authorities in Zambia objected and opted to fully own the refinery.

Reuters/Earthtimes