Permanent Secretaries and Directors at the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Auditor General have been transferred to the Cabinet office and the Public Services Management Division as part of the ongoing investigations into allegations of irregular payments. The investigations were necessitated by a special audit of the Integrated Financial Management Information System for the period 2018 to 2021.
Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, issued a statement saying, “President Hakainde Hichilema has directed that the ongoing investigations must be conducted without any interference. The President is committed to ensuring that all government operations are conducted with the highest level of integrity and accountability.”
In response to reports that the officials had been fired, Mr. Kangwa dismissed the rumors saying, “No permanent Secretary or Director has been fired contrary to social media reports. The ongoing investigations require the cooperation and support of all parties involved, and the President is committed to ensuring that the process is conducted fairly and transparently.”
However, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba, the Patriotic Front Presidential Candidate, had a different take on the matter. He stated, “Another purge! In the midst of a comprehensive government audit of books of 2021 and 2022, President Hakainde Hichilema has purged staff involved in both internal and external audit of government funds. Does he want his own men, compliant officers that will hide information? What’s the purpose of these dismissals?”
President Hakainde Hichilema has reportedly fired the Accountant General, Kennedy Musonda, as well as the Deputies of the Auditor General, Clara Mazimba and Francis Mbewe, along with several Directors of internal Audit. Mr. Chibwe Mulonda, the Controller (Permanent Secretary level) of internal Audit was also affected.
In response to the allegations of corruption, Mr. Kangwa said, “The President is committed to ensuring that all public funds are used in a responsible and accountable manner. The ongoing investigations are part of this commitment, and we will continue to work with all parties involved to ensure that the truth is uncovered and that any wrongdoing is punished.”
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba concluded, “There is a high-level game at play. But what I can tell you is that corruption is as high or worse than it was before. The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and other reports are a testament to these assertions. We must ensure that the law takes its course and recovery be made.”
As the investigations continue, the public is urged to remain vigilant and to scrutinize the allegations being made, as the truth about the irregularities at the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Auditor General is slowly uncovered.
Would this be the onset of a programmed purging of professional technocrats in order to accommodate regional appointments? We are yet to witness an explosion of looting of national finances during the next three years.
That is all you think of because you are born a tribalist. The Person giving the details from the name Kangwa should be from Monze I think.
That is all you think of because you are born tribalists. The Person giving the details from the name Kangwa should be from Monze I think.
When investigations and arrests start the first snake to raise its head in the bushes to defend is as always that Emmanuel Mwamba (Not an Ambassdor)
We need convictions; enough of the talk!
We are not interested in Transfers of Key Officials. What we want are arrests of Key Officials
Ba Kangwa don’t be used. You haven’t given us the full story. What you see in social media is not always fiction. People from within send these messages to social media. Hope tomorrow you won’t give us a different story.
Poppycock from a bigot. Why is the truth hurting you? The loss of public funds doesn’t bother at all.
It’s time to haul Emmanuel Mwamba over the coals for spreading lies that are bound to cause needless tension in the country. They’re not in HH’s class in terms commitment to the well-being of the people.
Gunner how do you know who’s telling the truth Mwamba or Kangwa…Kangwa is standing on bottle top and can easily fall so he has to tread carefully. Mwamba has nothing to lose so he can say things as he receives them from the source.
No one has been sacked but Emmanuel Mwamba wanted the whole world to believe that dismissals had already taken place. Does Mwamba have the good manners to withdraw his
statement on this issue? Whose money has reportedly been stolen? Does the money belong to one tribe?
Upnd used to boast that they had informers within the previous government so it’s not surprising that they have this phobia.
Corrupt upnd hahaha fuseke
It’s diffucult to get anything meaningful in this jungle of Zambian politics to be able to make a qualified and fair assessment.
Truth hurts and confounds those with propensity to crime and their chief supporter of corruption Emmanuel Mwamba. Next Fortson Yamba too will be defended.
Mwamba states…”corruption is as high or worse than what it was….” Thanks for admitting that indeed high corruption during PF. Admittance is the first step to correcting wrongs.
They funneled GRZ money to PF for a cut for themselves……………
Because they were diverting GRZ money to PF , they were above reprehension……….
The PF wage bill for their thugs ran into the millions………….
I thought my friend Kaizar Zulu had left Dubai to take up his job of cleaning toilets.