The Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned former DMMU National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe to appear before the Commission on Monday morning for questioning.

According to a Call Out dated May 13, Mr. Kabwe has been requested to report himself to ACC offices for the purpose of an interview at 09:00 hours.

“Mr Chanda Kabwe, you are requested to report yourself to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) offices at ACC Headquarters (Anti-Corruption House) on Monday, 16th May 2022 for the purpose of an interview. Time 09:00 hours. You will not be kept longer than is absolutely necessary.”

The former DMMU National Coordinator faces investigative officers 48 hours after putting up a show of defiance at the Parliamentary Accounts Committee.

Mr. Kabwe had told the PAC hearing that DMMU adopted the best practices in the fight against Covid-19, a pandemic which has made the globe economically vulnerable.

The former National Coordinator said DMMU emergency procurement is within the law and that he spent sleepless nights to try and fight for the country amid the deadly pandemic.

“When Covid came, we had no plans. We were running like headless chickens both at a country level and a household level because it was a new thing that had come. However, working together within the SADC region and World Health Organization, we adopted some of the best ways to respond to the Covid,” he said.

“The institution is not about the individual but the system. The controls are the same. Zambia was rated red and a lot of things were dying. Businesses were closing and people were dying, people lost money. We had to adopt the best practices for us to fight Covid-19. We spent sleepless nights to try and fight for this country.”

And when he was earlier asked how suppliers for face masks were identified without the advert, the former National Coordinator said “I am at loss chairperson. I was here yesterday, I phoned Parliament to try and give me the documents that you want me to try to speak to. I don’t know if it was designed so that I have no information that was provided for, I don’t know. So I may not know what you may even be referring to,” he said.

“Firstly, the issue of identifying suppliers…..I as NC did not play any role in the finding of suppliers. I have no role in the identifying of suppliers. There is a department which deals with suppliers. I’m sure, from their responses, they are here, they can answer how they identified those suppliers. Then I can maybe come and conclude Hon Chairperson.”

“As you may be aware chair, when we have an emergency, we do not advertise because of the time factor. I am sure the Hon Members are aware that open bidding, which is the default procurement method takes time,” he said.

“When it comes to the identification of the suppliers, we have a data base of the suppliers that were picked.”

The Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services has called on the government to build pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity through the promotion of local drug production in the country.

Committee Chairperson, Christopher Kalila, has disclosed that during the period that the committee has been interrogating the subject of local manufacturing of medicines, it has come to its attention that out of six thousand types of medicines on the Zambian market, only 200 are produced locally.

Dr Kalila who is also a Lukulu East Member of parliament emphasized the need for the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to begin engaging local manufacturers by awarding them contracts to supply drugs.

“Currently there are only four local producers enjoying government support and the current situation is of concern to the committee that has been interrogating the issue and it shall propose to bring it to the attention of the executive,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Kalila said the committee during its tour of local manufacturers of medicines in the Kabwe district was saddened to learn of how International Drug Company is stuck with a stock of drips worth US$ 4.5 Million due to lack of market as the country is importing the items.

He has since appealed to the Ministry of Health to engage the company and procure the essential drug on merit as the gesture will support industries run by citizens.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Stanley Kakubo says the government is committed to ensuring that Zambia successfully hosts the 4th Africa Union Mid-Year Coordinating meeting slated for July 14 to 17, 2022.

Mr Kakubo says the successful hosting of the event will greatly contribute to uplifting the country’s image on the international map.

The minister said this when he officiated at the Private Sector breakfast meeting for the 4th Africa Union Mid-Year Coordinating meeting.

He explained that President Hakainde Hichilema has constituted an organizing committee comprising of cabinet ministers to spearhead the hosting of the event.

“Our President Mr Hichilema has constituted an organising committee comprising of cabinet ministers chaired by myself Minister of Foreign affairs and International Cooperation and deputised by the Minister of Tourism and Arts,” he said.

He pointed out that the hosting of the summit is an opportunity for the country to showcase her hospitality and readiness to receive high-level delegations.

“The President is extremely committed to hosting the summit as it gives an opportunity for Zambia to showcase our hospitality and our readiness to receive high-level delegations,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Mr Kakubo has appealed to the private sector to work closely with the government in ensuring that the upcoming summit is a success.

He stressed that government remains committed to working with the private sector and other key stakeholders in growing the country’s economy.

“Government remains committed to working with you in the private sector as you are our key strategic partners and other stakeholders such as the civil society,” he said.

Mr Kakubo also implored the private sector to consider supplementing government efforts in meeting some of the budget requirements for the successful hosting of the summit.

“My appeal to the private is for you to consider sponsoring some of the budget outcomes that we shall incur. Benefits to be accrued from the summit will include boosting tourism and uplifting of the country’s image,” he said.

He said the government’s desire is to make Zambia attractive and a preferred tourist destination.

“We want together with you, to make Zambia attractive for future events in different parts of the country, we are confident as the government that working with you will lead to the successful hosting of the event,” he said.

And speaking at the same event, Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba explained that the meeting was aimed at promoting interaction between the private sector and government on how best the summit can be successfully hosted.

He further said the summit is expected to resuscitate and boost the tourism sector which was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking earlier, Private Sector Zambia Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Officer, Florence Muleya, thanked the government for extending an olive branch to the private sector.

Ms Muleya said the private sector is ready to work closely with government in the successful hosting of the forth coming summit.

The summit is expected to attract 13 heads of state and 800 foreign delegates.

THE Patriotic Front (PF) party has charged that the trending saga of the FTJ Chiluba University in Luapula province is a ploy by the UPND Alliance government to divert people’s attention from real issues on the ground.

PF Acting Secretary-General MCC Hon Nickson Chilangwa said the UPND wants to use the abandoned project to paint the PF as a corrupt party whilst promoting selfish agendas like in the mining sector.

And Hon Chilangwa explained that his role in the project was merely that of administrative because he was the sitting Provincial Minister as everything else was centrally done in Lusaka. He however said it is no secret that successive governments had previously abandoned or suspended projects for various reasons and the FTJ Chiluba University is one of them.

In a press briefing yesterday, Hon Chilangwa said it is in the public domain that a lot of projects that were below 80 per cent completion rate were suspended in under the PF rule but wondered why the party in government wants to indict the party on one project. He has therefore urged journalists to probe the matter and find out whether the money for the FTJ Chiluba University was paid and to whom the money was paid.

“Ba Hon Charles Milupi is sitting next to Hon Situmbeko Musokotwane the Minister of Finance. He should tell him to ask Hon Felix Mutati whether the money was paid because he was our Finance Minister then,” Hon Chilangwa said.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Higher Education Professor Nkandu Luo said the much talked about $33m for the FTJ University is a figure that was split between two universities, FTJ Chiluba University and the Northern University.

Prof. Luo clarified that the money for the construction of the Universities was a loan from the Chinese government.

“If the then Minister of Finance was here, he would have given a proper explanation,” Prof Luo said.

She explained that the government had decided to slow down on all pipeline projects because there were concerns that it had overborrowed.

“FTJ University was still a pipeline project because it was just at no more than 5 per cent completion rate and that meant that it was affected by the decision by Cabinet to slow down on projects below 80 per cent,” Prof. Luo explained.

She said the contractor who had already moved on-site could not proceed because they were waiting for the government to clear the position so that money could be released for the construction of the two universities.

Prof Luo said the Ministry of Higher Education was not involved at any point to disburse funds or give legal opinions but in negotiating that the project should take place.

“Once the project is approved, the necessary paperwork is done through the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General’s office and the Ministry of Finance before the actual construction can begin,” she added.