Muyenga Atanga (second from right) addresses Zambia Railways Board
Chairperson Mark Chona (right), Managing Director Professor Clive
Chirwa (left) and Deputy Board Chairman Professor Oliva Saasa in
Lusaka
Details are emerging of a fierce power struggle at Zambia Railways Limited with board members demanding as much as K500 million in allowances.
The infighting has seen company Finance Director Regina Mwale sent on forced leave after she reported to Managing Director Professor Clive Chirwa,the harassment she was facing from board members over payment of allowances.
Sources at the firm say all is not well at Zambia Railways due to the high levels of corruption.
The sources said the announcement that government had released US$ 120 million from the Eurobond to aid the ailing railway firm has seen some board members start making exorbitant demands.
“Professor Chirwa was not aware of the demands by the Directors of the hefty allowances but Mrs Mwale reported to Professor Chirwa that she was been forced to pay K500 million each to the eleven board members and Professor refused to sign for that payment and all hell broke loose,” the sources said.
[pullquote]They haven’t done anything since they were appointed. Why should I pay them[/pullquote]
The sources said some board members had been phoning and frequenting Mrs. Mwale’s office demanding payment of allowances.
“The Finance Director is now on forced leave because the board felt she was frustrating them,” the source said.
The board is now reported to have resolved to suspend Professor Chirwa and have since appointed somebody else to act as Managing Director.
And in an interview, Professor Chirwa vowed never to sign off any payment to any board members for doing nothing.
“They haven’t done anything since they were appointed. Why should I pay them?”
“There is so much corruption going on at the company and I will get to the bottom of this. I will see to it that Regina is brought back to work. She has to start working because she not done anything wrong,” Professor Chirwa said.
Professor Chirwa however explained that not all the eleven board members are corrupt.
“Of the eleven, I can single out three people who are corrupt and I would like them out of that board.”
Professor Chirwa alleged that some board members are influencing the awarding of contracts for some consultancy services to companies they have an interest.
He vowed to report for work Monday and ensure that he continues with his plans of turning around Zambia Railways.
Thanks be to the proffesor Chirwa for his interagence for trying so hard to put back the company to its normal way of opperation.Shame on those pipo who only want to benefit them selves.Please Mr Chirwan make sure those BAD FISH are FISHED OUT THT BOARD.
So its those so-called Learned who are the most irresponsible and corrupt. can someone please kick out those Chona men!
Welcome to Zambia the real Africa. Prof sooner or later they are going to fire you. Watch this space.
hahahaha.the Bemba men you have in there Prof.Chirwa will bring you down..watch out..hahaha
Oh my goodness! How is the Railways to improve when there are so many leeches? Ravenous wolves!!! Lol!! And @LT, Correction! She is ‘Miss’ Regina Mwale, not ‘Mrs’ Regina Mwale!!
Regina is a very disciplined woman who has worked for ZR since she completed school. The PS should ensure that the Board members are ORIENTED so that they know their limits. To be a Board member does not mean that you have to interefre with managements running of the company theirs is to DIRECT AND CONTROL!!!
Prof. Chirwa, please report these corrupt chaps to the authorities! K500m each is a lot money.They will frustrate your turnaround plans for Zambia Railways.
Expose them, the public should know them. We always blame politicians for the failures of parastatal companies, here we are now, it the learned and educated who want reap where they did not sow. What a shame! Late Chiluba was blamed for the manner parastatal companies were disposed of, what people didnt know was that teams of profesionals comprising lawyers, accountants, engineers and others with industry knowledge were appointed to oversee the sale of these companies and were paid handsomely. But at the end of the day, all fingers pointed at Chiluba as being reckless and corrupt.
Its very funny to hear such shameful reports from just a revived company, especially when everyone is expected to be committed to the dream and goals of the company, and I will go straight to the point that the people demanding this reckless demands are sick and retards in their heads because they are trying to reap on a seed which hasn’t even germinated and due to this clueless attitude they have shown, they don’t deserve to carry on but to be dissolved. As a tax payer contributing to the government not less than Kr 3,000 from my salary I demand an immediate action against these thieves, who want to reap on nothing. I know very well that their plans is to see this company fail so that they may put a blame on the day to day management.
LT, I think there is a mistake in the figure. K500 million (US$100,000) each????? What is their rate per sitting and how many meetings have they sat over what period and for what?
Can someone please list their names here. The Board has just been constituted and already they are demanding k500million, am sorry but until all the likes of these hyenas die -preferably at once- poverty will never leave us. I hope His Excellence will move in very quickly and
If, hypothetically, they get $1,000 per sitting it means they have sat 100 times? Doing what. No please. Check the numbers again.
Not every learned is corrupt as suggested by some fools. Its just the stupid and selfish *****s that need firing with immediate effect. Clive please do your job as required
Hehehe It is PROFESSOR OLIVOR SAASA. THIS MAN GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HIGHLY SCRUITINISE HIM ON EVERY BOARD HE SITS IN ZAMBIA. HIS A DRAIN ON ZAMBIA`S RESOURCES.
#4. Oooh!!!!! She is Miss Mwale not Mrs. Will check that out.
oh my! cry my beloved country. when are we as a country, people going to learn important virtures of intergrity, honesty, slef-lessness and patroitism? just when my Lord! nations that ve made it, did not just do so but because they learnt about this early enough. when are our people going to agree together that time to move the nation has come and set aside self interest. sure you want to bring chirwa down just like that, in this country all well meaning people are fought to ensure, the corrupt few continue to benefit at the expense of national development and the majority poor. just see how people continue to be in parliament, in and out, same people, ask them what difference or contribution they have made, they will point to nothing, its basically the same people, vicious circle, indeed
HELP..BEEN Something: I seem to have lost my English grammar. Can someone help. Is the use of ‘been’ where I presume ‘being’ would be more suitable, acceptable in current English usage. I see this verb being used in this manner in different media, and publications almost every day.
Fuseki with your english
It is very simple and straight forward, the Minister responsible for Railways, Hon. Taima has to sort out this guys, he appointed the Board and now they are intefering with the Presidential appointee Prof. chirwa??
What makes them think they deserve K500 million for allowances so soon, its barely a few months ago when they were appointed, its no full time job. If the Minister delays, can someone inform HEMCS that tax payers like myself want this Board dissolved before they frustrate Prof. Chirwa???
@ Hamsana Hanzili ( i won’t wait for 2021 to change my name)
daudi isabi says:
April 14, 2013 at 4:04 pm | Permalink
The board is made up of the following selfish ******:
1. Mark Chona – chairperson
2. Oliver Saasa – Vice chairperson
3. Muyenga Antanga – Communications and Transport Permanent Secretary (wants contracts)
4. Stephen Mwansa – Commerce and Trade counterpart Permanent Secretary
5. Pamela Chibonga – Finance Permanent Secretary in-charge of Budget
6. Musa Mwenye – Solicitor General (wants contracts)
7. Zindaba Soko – Road Transport and Safety Agency director (wants contracts)
8. Joram Mwansa – a consultant (wants contracts)
9. Irene Zeko Mbewe – a lawyer
10. Geoffrey Mulenga – a mechanical engineer (wants contracts)
11. Richard Chipanama – a former ZRL employee.
Thats too much mane! They are just worthy K1,500 each. Why all that amount. Someone dissolve that board now!
@Cheelo, which other boards has Dr Saasa been a member of and what did he steal?
Ifya bupuba pa ZED. Leave Miss Mwale and the Professor alone! We are not interested in corruption you thieves . We want to see development and don’t bewitch my next President ala!
No wonder Willie Nsanda ali pe ku roads. This is the kind of money all the boards in Zambia chew.
Most donor money ends up chewed by the board and little work.
It pays pa Zed to seat and DO nothing. U are rewarded with a hefty pay cheque……. All loafers nabo must be paid kanshi.
Guys how can our motherland develop with such people, let be a lesson to all boards across the spectrum, audits must be carried out and fire all those found wanting…
Of the eleven only 3 are not corrupt..? oh my word..can we please have the names of these greedy chaps ASAP.. Its not about how much money but the principle behind the money, if K 500 million = work done then am cool with it but not calling the finance dept like you are calling someone who owes you…FIRE THEM
Monkey in a banana tree
Must be a mistake somewhere!
K 500, 000 if we are talking rebased!!
Thats too much! Board allowances i usually see amount to about K 3, 500 each!
Can they bring back UBZ so that some of us can have permanent jobs? I have to work with different bus drivers every week. Not good.
For the people below 18yrs, UBZ was United Bus Co. of Zambia. Like Zambia Railways for Rail and Zambia Airways for Air transport and PTC for mails and telephony.
Lol. These guys are really a hungry bunch!
Sounds to me as if Prof Chirwa is not in control of the bloody thing.
These Guys are not Board Members They are thieves, Rip offs, Financial rapists, vouchers, looters, plunderers ………………………!!! Bwana President please ask the Minister in charge fire this thieving board immediately.
Similar problem at ZCCM-IH except there it is the MD (Wila Mung’omba) who demands too much, massive Mercedes and moving all staff from Copperbelt and spending too much on hotel bills for them because he is too superior to fly on planes without First Class to Copperbelt. But nobody says anything. Apparently Board has not let him have everything but we still need to know what he gets and what they get of our money. And we need to know if those people have been froced to move from Copperbelt or are still staying in Lusaka hotels.
my heart ubaba, when i hear such nonsense, can someone fire, then prosecute who ever is demanding for that payment…
This is another board with more members that the required 7 or 9!
MAJORITY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS ARE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. I AM MEAN’T TO BELIEVE THE REASON WHY THE MINISTER APPOINTED GOVERMENT WORKERS ON THIS BOARD WAS TO CUT ON ALLOWANCES. IF ANYTHING NO BOARD MEMBER SHOULD BE ENTITLED FOR ANY ALLOWANCES ON THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS (ZR) BOARD UNTIL THE COMPANY STARTS MAKING IT’S OWN MONEY.
Mark Chona and his fellow THIEVES should be caged at once. It’s baffling and the reason we need all OLD RUGS OUT!!!!!!!!!
Indeed Pro you have shown quality leadership.O know the president will support you and dissolve the board for ZRL.Congratues and keep it up
it is that fake professor, chona and soko who are leading thieves fire them who evey appointed them please or else it is a fruit less revival for ZRL
This is pure corruption of the highest order, the government released US$ 120 million from the Euro bond to aid the ailing railway firm has seen some board members start making exorbitant demands. I am really ashamed that learned people are demanding hefty allowances of K500 million each to the eleven board members. My question is how is the loan going to be paid back, hence the government didn’t release that money for people’s allowances, it is meant to revamp the railway system in Zambia. Its sad that we always want to eat before we work, Zambians lets be serious with national issues and work for the common good of our welfare. I am sure the Republican President will intervene and fire the corrupt boarder members at Zambia Railways. Don’t they know that railway is cheap to do…
Remember Munkombwe said those in GRZ are there to fill up their bellies.
The problems emerging need the immediate intervention by the president otherwise forget abut the re-development of Zambia Railways. Most of the so-called educated Zambians in suits are crooked and selfish thieves and have no interest of the suffering of the people. K500 million is about £80,000, come on, not even in a developed country do you get this much sitting allowance.
For God’s sake, even before re-basing K500 million was around US$94,500. Multiply that by 11 board members and we are looking at $1.04 million in allowance… not salaries – allowances! How much does a hotel room and meal out cost when travelling anyhow? Sitting allowance my foot (…and if so then make them pay for those GD bottles of water!)
Serious – these board members should be ashamed and certainly have no right to say they are working for “national development”.
Still, if Mr. Sata were serious about fighting corruption (how can a sane man not be “allergic” to $94k allowance per board member?), his government should have done something by now to reform the system. This cr’ap is endemic throughout the GRZ system and GRZ parastatals including ZR, Zamtel, ZESCO, etc.
Apart from Chona and Saasa, the rest of the board members are from the family jungle whose sole purpose is to loot! This does not come as a surprise and from all indications, it is Chrwa, Chona and Saasa who are going to be fired. This is because there is a Bemba “kaca” thast says “ubomba mwibala emo alila.” In Lozi, they will say “mutendasilya ki busholi.” It’s a clash of cultures.
The tax payers will then pay the loan at the expense of few corrupt individuals. Professor Clive Chirwa is just okay and that’s how leaders should act, he lead a big institute in UK as far as technology is concerned. Zambians, do we have to go and stay abroad for us to learn how to do things? I think people who have stayed abroad are less corrupt than those who haven’t!!!
The President must fire that board and allow Chirwa to work while he has time and motivation on his side.
the way things are happening at our zambia railways more than half of the released money from eurobond will go towards the paying the board.
if they suspend clive let the minister disolve the board. a prcendent was set when some minister (General) disolved the Namboard board, some time back.
@Nkhosi Mzlikazi sir Africa, Zambia in this case, needs development and educated people like you, you can keep your tribalist comments to yourself. In 2007/8 I worked in kenya on a program funded the govt of Botswana my home country. I saw many people, who were apparently ‘friends’ kill each other just because one belongs to one tribal grouping and is against the other. So please desist from this tribal nonsense, Zambians hates it.
This is a viscous circle of corruption politicians appoint board of directors in turn the board of directors hand contracts to politician’s companies and in turn the companies do 50% for the work. It has been going on for decades and honest passionate individuals have been burn in the process. Very soon you will hear that Prof. Chriwa was having “Ugandan discussions” with this Miss Regina Mwale. (watch this space)
If gov’t was really serious about fighting corruption ACC would have moved in months ago but this is the norm in Zambia the rich get richer and the poor get f&*ked over.
This is Fraud. It stinks! If you get paid for doing nothing, it’s theft from employer and you can even go to jail because that is not your money.
Please Zambia Police move in and conduct an inquiry!!
To my fellow Zambians, don’t just complain through blogging, be involved, be pro-active and defend your resources. This is tax payers money, your money, our money as a nation, Zambia’s money that is about to be rooted. Start putting up demonstrations. Help Clive and his team to kick out these thieves. After all he knows them better.
Conduct peaceful demonstrations in front of Zambia Railways offices, Cabinet Office and even State house with the demand of dissolution of this Board.
Please organise and lead the demonstrations. We will surely join you. Father Bwalya did that during MMD and he was supported. Pity he was using it as a donchi kubeba!
Ba ma mbala thats why Rail Systems of Zambia used the same infrastructure and made a lot of money ,just put controls in place .An invoice produced by 10 people was reduced to 2 people,payments, all payments scruitinised from Tel aviv ,awarding of contracts Benjamin was there ,Pay the union allowances increase 10% for the workers ,identify a few heartless Zambians and pay them well they supervise others with less salaries very very well .
Now already even before yo board works ati KR500,000 each awe better give it back to the JEWS and the black Jews …….
Professor Chirwa please come back to the UK. We need you here.
Seriously people its our fault. Why do we recycle these people. For example Mark Chona was there during UNIP, MMD and now PF. You mean we can not find new people? Unfortunately this is also true in politics. They say you cant teach an old dog new tricks. Lets start participating in politics to run others we will be stuck with the Munkombwes and believe me progress will always elude us.
Set the example dear and we will follow you
They must be ashamed of themselves, they are there for allowances only, shame on you Mark and Sassa
Seriously people its our fault. Why do we recycle these people. For example Mark Chona was there during UNIP, MMD and now PF. You mean we can not find new people? Unfortunately this is also true in politics. They say you cant teach an old dog new tricks. Lets start participating in politics otherwise we will be stuck with the Munkombwes and believe me progress will always elude us.
Professor please come back to Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron needs your services on the £30 billion HS2 Project, you will never get anywhere with hungry hyenas, baboons and velvet monkeys shadowing your every move.
Breed your own! Chirwa is Zambian so he belongs here. Finish you ‘engineering studies’ and replace Chirwa in the UK
Bravo Prof Chirwa, this time fish them all out thieves now stealing is long gone. Please let Chirwa do his job abashi thieves..
Please come back to Bolton we need your input, so does Range Rover, Toyota, Network Rail, Vauxhall and the UK’s Department of Transport. Don’t waste your live professor!
Please come back to Bolton we need your input, so does Range Rover, Toyota, Network Rail, Vauxhall and the UK’s Department of Transport. Don’t waste your life professor!
Is it “had being” or” have being”somebody help me with the grammar.
Bane hold your fire, there is more to this story than what we are hearing. How can the board suspend a director of finance without the CEOs approval or knowledge? that is ridiculous!!!
We will soon here the news of what is happening at ZR. My inclination is that Clive Chirwa Ph.D is not telling the whole truth. He must be involved as well in some corruption of some kind. Did he award any of his companies any consultation gigs? We will patiently wait for the whole story to unfold…put your ears to the ground.
@Zaliya – you spend your tiny mind on minor things like english grammar instead of looking at at the bigger picture of communication. You understood what the person meant and that is what is important. After all the english dont even speak or write broken Tonga, Nyanja, Lozi, Bemba, etc so why are you possessed with English which you dont even speak properly with your deep African accent anyway! You will never be english you monkey!
# 30, what type of Board Chair is that at ZCCM-IH …. that is broad-day-light theft by the chair! Is he Executive Chair? What about the CEO … no no no someone investigate and cage this thief very fast
There should be NO NO Executive Chairman. That is why there is a CEO indeed. The Executive Chairman title was coined to facilitate STEALING of our tax money. This so called Executive Chairman gets more money than the CEO. The guy should be Chairman only and not Executive lol…
Is this what is happening in the parastatals ? I can now clearly see that FTJ was right with doing away with such schemes of appeasing some cadres.
We need all the parastatals to tell us of this evil schemes that are being pushed in the Board rooms. It is now common knowledge that most of the so called technocrats have briefcase companies which they have registered in case of any contracts that are being floated…..
Prof. Chirwa…You have the name for HEMCS and that of ACC, period.
iNkhosi Mzilikazi DiniZulu,
Why do you always want to demonize Bembas? Don’t you know that Professor Chirwa you are trying to glorify at the expense of Bembas is actually half-Bemba and half – Ngoni? His full names are Efford Clive Mulubwa Kondwani Chirwa. Clive Chirwa’s father, Eford Noah Chirwa Sr, was Ngoni from Nyanda Village in Chipata while his mother, Agatha Mwamba, is Bemba. In fact, one of Clive’s middle name, Mulubwa, is a Bemba name. For your own information, Clive speaks better Bemba than he speaks Nyanja. Clive is a proud product of Mufulira (Mafken) who wouldn’t tolerate the tribal nonsense you are spouting out. Like most of us – Copala born and bred- he is a mixed breed ethnically, very urbanized, and very cosmopolitan in his worldly outlook. He is not like you…
iNkhosi Mzilikazi DiniZulu,
Like most of us – Copala born and bred- he is a mixed breed ethnically, very urbanized, and very cosmopolitan in his worldly outlook. He is not like you tribal dinosaurs who perceive everything within a narrow tribalistic prism.
Good move Prof, please flash these mercenaries out of the system, are they not tired of eating
That’s education in Zambia.Mbala zekacabe.Even in their university they go to master stealing.ldiots! Where is HIE the President to frush out these vultures. lt is really sad to have pipo like these. There is more to this.
I ment to ‘flash them out’
This is how HH got rich now he boasts and wants to be prrsident funny is nt it
Lets support Professor Clive Chirwa.Acc move in and kick the rotten board members.
Those *****s dont care about Zambia, all they think about is their immediate families. I believe the President mistake. If Government want ZRS to function fully, there is need to reform its structure and attempt to make it a limited company with government with a different structure of board membership. those *****s are not looking at remaking ZRS a viable business. They are there for gains of being on the board. Sad state, when that is all you can get from such educated people, and who received their education for free from government and the people of Zambia. Let them be fired under Section … of presidential relieve in national interest. They are very disappointing and saddening and horrible example to many peoples of the country. I am saddened and hate this. Let Chirwa work alone
Just come back home to Bolton Clive, we miss you.
This is happening in all institutions in Zambia.Can you imagine how much that amounts to?
That is why Zambian managed companies fail, the managers are so greedy!
Demanding bonuses for zero work done and unexplained hefty allowances are just a tip of an iceberg. Many companies in Zambia can do well without Zambian managers, like most water companies, they are always complaining about broken old pumps being the reason why there is no water, while they are busy buying expensive company cars for themselves which costs more than the pumps. The board should be dissolved before it becomes a barrier to development.
Wish the man in state house was allegic to corruption. We await his loud mouthings on corruption what action will come out of it, since overwhelming evidence is before his own appointee.
At the rate of demand for allowances by the greedy and unpatriotic board members the bond funds will be blown in the twinkle of an eye. And Chirwa’s target will go up in a puff of smoke. A disgrace, this board.
If MARK CHONA is a thief, his thieving should have ended in Mwansawasa’s time. This is the time for accountability, and Bravo prof for this.
We are all behind you, we need accountability from all spheres of the economy, and that’s negotiate. If anything Mark Chona and this fake board should be fired.
This is very simple. Dissolve the board and appoint a new one that will work for allowances of maybe US$100.00 per sitting and there should be no more than 1 sitting in a month and every sitting should be productive and should be audited. We are sick and tired of lazy namby pamby people in Zambia. If you will still pay them that much please include me on the board, it’s high time I got to chew some of the money in Zambia but on second thought, nay, I will pass. I couldn’t be paid all that money and have a free conscious, I want a developed Zambia, that is my dream and I could even work for free because what matters most to me is to be remembered that I helped develop Zambia not that I got paid the most. Think of it, all the thieves in Zambia are not remembered as heroes are they? Shame!
like Frank Bwalya and other PF cadres appointed to Zesco and other boards
Ideal board meetings are supposed to be quarterly nomba aba bambuli they meet every week. Ok, even if they fire Clive, he has exposed the rot. Imagine that this happens in all parastatals, ala bwafya. KaOliver Saasa kapekula nemyona kwati lipenga.
@38 muzilikanyo, its mark chona together with HH that ve this toxic behavior. At task force same mark chona did it.
1. The genesis of development is now.
2. Pastors on your knees pls ,God wana heal Zambia.
3.Forgive the Board of Directors by dissolving it and replace it with youth,women and men respectively.
4.Clive is not a coward is gona stick on.I would want see him soon when l come.
5.Clive,pomba cave,let us see beyond the apex.
May Godbless.
Simple….
If it was in some previous regime Clive would have signed these allowances and demanded that each of the 11 board members gives him K100m.
And as fate would have it big man Chona is there as Chair. ..iyo mwandi