THE Government has accused co-operating partners of shifting goal posts in the resumption of support to the Ministry of Health which was suspended after it emerged that some officials had stolen about K27 billion.
The governments of Netherlands and Sweden froze more than K100 billion in funding to the Ministry of Health and have not resumed the support.
Netherlands ambassador to Zambia Harry Molenaar said because of the global economic crisis, constituencies in donor countries had become much more critical of the case for continued support to developing counties in the form of government-to-government development assistance.[quote]
Mr Molenaar said over the past months, new mechanisms of consultation had emerged with a view to discussing measures to counter problems of governance and closely monitor the progress towards effective remedies against the abuse of disbursed resources.
Meanwhile Ministry of Health spokesperson Reuben Mbewe said the Zambian Government met all the conditions that the donors set in the first phase of the revised financial management action plan intended to ensure that resources were used for the intended purposes.
Dr Mbewe said it was amazing that the donors were now demanding that Government should even meet some of the conditions in phase two before funding to the ministry could be reinstated.
Dr Mbewe said the donors were not being sincere and had resorted to shifting goal posts instead of fulfilling their part of the obligation.
“The Government has met all the conditions in phase one which should allow for the resumption of support to the Ministry of Health. However, it is now surprising that the same donors who set the conditions in phase one are now insisting that they can only resume funding to the ministry if we meet the conditions of phase two of the action plan.
“We are wondering how they can start making such demands when they knew what they had given us in the first phase. We cannot meet the conditions in the second phase at this stage. It is now up to them to fulfill their part of the arrangement by releasing the first phase of aid to the ministry,” Dr Mbewe said.
Last month, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane urged co-operating partners to fulfill their commitments by ensuring timely disbursement of their monthly contributions.
Dr Musokotwane said there were a number of co-operating partners that deviated substantially from monthly commitments, leading to funding pressure on the national Budget.
He said the step taken by co-operating partners forced the treasury to seek more expensive sources of finance and urged them to adhere to their commitments since the Government was addressing the financial irregularities.
Dr Musokotwane said the disruption of monthly commitments by the cooperating partners was against the spirit of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed with the Government.
[Times of Zambia]
ichimona… you want their money but not addressing there concerns on governance issues.
you are busy stealing there money and buying ama x5 you think you can fool a white man ba *****,we need a new govt its the grassroots that are suffering bcoz of frozen donor funding.
Hello…It’s their moeny, they can refuse to give it to you if they want. Instead of crying victim here, the government needs to focus on addressing what got us to a point where we have to depend on others to survival. Offer solutions not complaints boma please.
If the government of RB continue ‘shifting the goal post’ in the fight against corruption, why should the donors who are accountable to their tax payers maintain the ‘goal post’ in the same spot? Let the continue shifting their goal post for as long as Bwezani’s government give lip service to fighting corruption, Yangu!
Even when you are just begging you want to be stubborn..kwaliba! It’s their money you want it meet the conditions period!
What these Zambian officials should know is that the donor community are accountable to their countries and this may be why it is becoming difficult to release the funds like before. It must be mentioned however that they are under no obligation to give you money.
The recent goings-on in Zambia is very discouraging for any donor to think of helping a country like Zambia. They have no confidence that the money they will give you will be used for the intended purposes and they cannot see a fight against corruption.So we should understand their apprehension now about releasing their money. I find it surprising how this officer,a Mbewe, has the guts to tell them off as if they own him anything.Zambia, let’s clean up our system before we can have confidence to challenge donors like Dr Mbewe…
Maybe the Ministry of Health should speak to Shikapwasha, Mangani and VJ about diplomacy. They think Kafupi is the answer to Zambia’s image
Our leaders really embarrass us.Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Donors don’t owe us anything. Thats the problem with being perpetual beggars.Govt should listen to Dambisa Moyos message. Dead Aid. No matter how much money is donated it will not help Zambias poverty.Lets make our own money.
Creative ways to minimise this cronic dependence on donor funds should be the basis upon which future Governments should be elected. What is that other countries have done and can do for their citizenry that you cannot?
Bamumange Chiluba the donors will start the funding
You have to fix your misleading behaviours then Donors will be more than willing to resume their fundings.Otherwise at the moment Zambia is a country that had it been a marriage…….it would have needed another to do the manhood thing cos the current ones are just too infertile
If only beggars where chosers, we would all have been cerebrating the aquittal of FTJ. As long as i give you my money, i depend that you spend it the way i want, how i want and when i want. It’s my money and i give conditions, so it’s either you meet my conditions or get da fck out here!
Where is Senior Citizen and Bootlicker??? and VJ what is he commenting????
Do these people have shame??? kutiwaseka….
# 12, did you mean “Get the F.U.C.K out of here’? hahahahahahahaha. This country is a joke!!! they were talking about diplomacy, what diplomacy??? Office talk about diplomacy first…….
# 12, did you mean “Get the F@CK out of here’? hahahahahahahaha
You know, if you find yourself blaming everyone but yourself, it is time for some serious introspection. GRZ is at that point, it is everyone else’s fault but theirs …. time for introspection people.
These chaps really amaze me, how can donors help when if they advise you , you organize people to demonstrate at their door steps. The help is not a right Bwana, its a privilege.
Please can our so called cooperating partners continue to squeezeeeee the incopetent GRZ LEADERS ball until they burst!!!! hahahaha elo yawama bola.
If you know that you dont have enough money can you surely carry that large group of parasite to UN? including sakwiba sikota SC (solicited council). Even the political happenings in the country do no appease them to say the least.
it is amazing how we people in the diaspora never have anything good to say about our country. Yes they should honor their promises, do you know how imbalanced trade with those nations is? Go back and fix things instead of being blog intelectutals.
This Govt behaves funny! It’s arrogant for people like Musokotwane to be making such demands when he’s in the Govt which has extensively & repeatedly failed to hold to any of it’s promises and on top of that, violation of the rule of law. For Musokotwane to say that the disruption of monthly commitments by the cooperating partners was against the spirit of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed with the Government, is very sad indeed! He’s forgetting that in the same vein, for the RB Govt to acquit a thief simply because it would ve been costlt to jail him is against the spirit of rule of law & morality? These are issues of governance we’re talking about. Governance which concerns that nation. The nations which consists of over 12 million citizens plus non citizens
I think RB is very naive. He has started a fight he cannot win. He has stupidly turned against Zambians and donors in the name of ‘consolidating’ his power. Rather than seeking legitimacy from Zambians through honest governance he chooses to anchor his legitimacy in Chiluba one of the worst and corrupt leaders Zambia and Africa has ever had. RB guy is digging his own political grave. On Friday Musokotwane will be presenting the 2010 Budget. It is now all over the wires that the donors have flatly refused to fund the budget. Musokotwane will thus have to raise taxes. Zambians wont like this. A Boomerang it is called!
This is embarassing and shameful. The donors are right. Zambian leaders, please have a sense of shame. Even us Zambians cant trust you with our money. We support the donors. You are corrupt and thieves.
# 20 Chintomfwa, wachepa amasambililo!!!! So can’t clearly see that your country is a beggar??? Generally people in diaspora have learnt to be realist with issues, read the article again.
You know, I would forgive Reuben Mbewe coz he speaks from a a non political point of view, so he has no political will to see this country achieve certain things, but for Musokotwane to come out like that, it’s a tragedy! Take a look at Chiluba’s acquittal. The donor community has been following this issue with keen interest & when they voice their concerns u threaten them by telling them to shut up! Well, then let them shut up & stop asking them to leave their pockets open, but their mouths shut! You want them to give u & yet they shouldn’t speak out on the abuse of their money? Don’t be that dull Mr. Minister! It’s time u danced to their tunes & prove that RB & urselves can provide without their aid! without ‘tichekelenkoni’!
#20 Chintomfwa.
What does imbalance of trade got to do with stealing donor money? How about govt corruption and FTJ’s. Are these due to imbalance of trade?
It’s a litmus taste! U think issues of governance it’s to simply chase street vendors off the streets? Arrest those who’re protesting for a good cause & deny them medical attention? This is now real governance! Let’s see if the monkey’s ceremonial blessings or urinating on the big head, were truly blessings for good things! Blessings for wisdom! I shudder to know! When people voice their concerns (Genuine), you choose to ignore & issue threats, forgetting that the international community is watching, which happens to be the same platform you’ll later on go kneeling before asking for ‘nichekeleko’ (funds)! You don’t bite the same hand that feeds you. But since it’s a Govt full of thick heads, no lesson can be learnt from such! Netherlands & Sweden, just keep your monies, chaps…
Lameck Mangani is boasting that the Civil Society is being given so much money by the donors, so they’ll just start arresting their people so that they pay fines to the police & that way, the Govt will be making money! What a diabolical statement from a shallow mind! Apparently the whole govt system is in support of CHiluba’s acquital, yet 11 months ago the case was different! The question is, would chaps like Mulongoti issued blatant statements like ‘other pipo should be jailed while others let to go free’, if the late Levy was alive & still President? These are serious wolfs in ship skin we’re seeing. The best example ever to live of Judas Escariot! They pretended to ve supported the cause, yet not! Personal envoys of the devil as Mpombo called them…LOL!
What did you expect? All the money has been spent on supporting the honking and dark corner meeting sitting allowances. Just ask your colleague Mangani
#20 When elephants fight the grass suffers. Its a pity that the innocent people are suffering because of what Kapoko did. There is more to that scandal than the government is willing to admit. There’s a someone high up in the food chain who was also benefiting from the loot. So for you to say that most of the zambian people in diaspora have nothing good to say about our country is not fair. Those leaders made that mess so they need to fix it, they need to use their little brains and come up with a solution not just begging for money.
And you say you dont need donors in zed?the Government wants to play double standards, saying they dont need the donors on one hand and then get on their knees on the other asking for alms!
And where is VJ and his established diplomatic channels? Do they only apply when donors speak?
Zambia Zambia…………………maulesi
VJ who wanted diplomacy, this is diplomatic language for “we wont continue assisting you until you get your acts together. You are lucky that we are even assisting you in the midst of this global economic recession. Does our govt have any pride left? Its like a little boy crying “but daddy you promised…..”
# 34 i like that!!! “but daddy you promised…..” and Daddy says ” But i promised to give you sweets once behave at school and stop stealing chalks and pencils”
Dependency syndrome Dr Mbewe brings no resipectability. Tell RB to fund his Ministry of Health instead of begging from donors all the time. Norway and Sweeden do not us a penny. Stop complaining against donors and also stop sending Titus Mpundu and AIDS sufferers to South Africa as you beg from donors please. Prudence can also bring some resipectability. Rwanda is an example.
Norway and Sweeden do not owe us a penny, line 2.
The government is taking donor money because doing so is *safe*. I say tax the mines to the max, and fire anyone who objects. That will get the government off donor aid. And the government needs to start remembering who they work for. They have only one master, the Zambian people, and if they do not look out for their interests at all time, they are violating their oath of office. If they think they have ‘friends’ in the mining companies because they pay them bribes so they won’t have to pay taxes, they need to go to jail immediately for theft and defrauding the Zambian people of their taxes.
And that includes the corrupt present finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane.
tell the chaps to arrest chiluba and set free kapoko..
Seriously, how can anyone talk of the ‘rule of law’ or ‘fighting corruption’ when ministers are taking bribes so the mines won’t have to pay taxes?
HANDS UP TO THE DIPLOMATES, KEEP IT UP!!!!!! How come the ministry of health is crying to the diplomates for money and not to Kafupi for the money he has stolen which could have helped in solving these problems? Does the donors owe us any ngwee??
if the gov cares at all they should treat MoH the way they treat MoD. no donors there. health of a nation is as good as its security. lets be serious.
IT IS DIFFICULTY TO UNDERSTAND THE LINK BETWEEN FJT AND THIS STORY, AS SOME BLOGGERS APPEAR TO DO. THE QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE ANSWERED IS WHETHER “PUTTING” FTJ IN PRISON HAS BEEN A BENCHMARK SET BY THE DONORS. IF SO WHY DID THEY BOTHER TO FUND THE COURT PROCESS INSTEAD OF JUST INSTRUCTING GOVT TO JAIL HIM STRAIGHT AWAY SO THAT RESOURCES COULD BE SAVED FOR THE POOR ZAMBIANS? WHY ABUSE THE JUDICIARY? THE DISPUTED ASSERTIONS THAT PAGES PLUCKED OUT OF THE MoU TO SUPPORT TAST FORCE CONTAINED CONDITIONS TO THE EFFECT THAT FTJ SHOULD BE JAILED AT ALL COSTS TO SET E.G IN AFRICA ARE INCREASINGLY BEING GIVEN CREDENCE BY THE BEHAVIOUR OF SOME “DONORS” AND THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM THIS SAGA. SORRY, BUT IT HAS LOST MEANING!
Congratulations bloggers on your unanimity against the arrogance of Mbewe and VJ. Beggers cannot be choosers. I hope ba ngwele ba Mbewe and VJ read your views. LT, attract them to read please.
#43 cm. You cannot talk about corruption in Zambia without FTJ coming to your mind.
cm 43, FTJ Titus Mpundu Kafupi will always be in the Zed equasion because he has stolen from the people of Zed. That is the connection you want to know. Donors have helped us with their money all the time, but they can’t start instructing our judiciarry or our RB government to jail Titus Mpundu Kafupi. It is RB’s job and Sakala. cm, you will be the first one to complain against donors if they started instructing us.
Why should the government complain? They are the guilt party here. Somebody in their midst stole k27billion and they want the case to cool down. Thats not the way a white man works.
The government is killing its own citizen. I give the dutch government for withholding the funds coz the know its wont be put to good use.
Take for instance, the top-up allowances for Zambian students in Russia, the money arrived more than a week ago but the STUPD accountant is still keeping the money in the back so as to gain some %. Why should we suffer like this? New semester has began we need books and other necessities but they are turned a deaf-ear to our demands
In fact the money arrived more than 3 weeks ago. Students in Moscow had to fight the officials to get their money. Nowadays the embassy is like a “a state house”, we need permits to get in. Plz fire the accountant otherwise we will die
Mwefipuba, you want to chase foreign diplomats accredited to Zambia and yet you want their money? We will start petitioning our host governments to withhold all aid to Zambia. We have the capacity to do so. We will even petition the EU to stop all aid.
Bushe nga bakaanya impiya shabo mulandu? they have all the rights to say no to corrupt parctices. Show them you are a clean Govt, the donors will give you the cash.
If mugabe survived the white man’s sanctions and his economy is back on the mend,why can’t zambia do without dead aid?the white man must screw his ass.these NGO’s are just full of opportunist’s who can not bring any inspiration to this country.if there is any poverty stricken being out there looking up to these NGO’s to bring desired change in this hopeless country then you’ve got misery comming your way.asses each NGO and it’s leadership.how long have they been in those positions?whhat type of cars do they drive?are they staying in their own built mansions or rented and who sponsors their organisations.all these fools have set their eyes in coming into goverment so they can take the plunder of public resources to another level.
.Donors please hold on to your money. Let these MMD-thieves find other means of supporting their budgets. Tell them to use Chiluba’s money . Ala mwanya ba MMD-thieves
I urge the British gov not to give a single cent to these ungrateful MMD clowns. How can they insult donors, then beg for their money? What a disgrace. Let them get their funding from Kafupi’s account.
Diasporans, can yo please lobby you host governments to withhold aid to these “finkuula” masquerading as Zambian leaders? Let’s see if they will be parading naked in Mbabane and spend time gallivanting all over the world..
another freaking side show at the zambia circus.
how can a beggar have any complaints about the help rendered? check out our very esteemed dambisa moyo’s website for her take on foreign aid. we should not be getting any aid whatsoever. r.b and his team must WORK and do the job they were voted to do. run zambia for the benefit of EVERYONE. i know this is just the same as wishing pigs could fly.
sell zambia to taiwan!
#51 Akapondo. May be we should hear from Zimbabweans themselves. Not long ago Tsivangilai was here and USA begging for money.
The donors have not done anything wrong. They kept on supporting Zambia without any problem until Kapoko’s case surfaced. Even us Zambians are upset about it. What more the countries whose money Kapoko et al have stole. Mind you, Kapoko did not steal Zambia’s money. He stole money donated to MoH. What wrong have the donors done?
And whose money did Chiluba steal? Our money. Are Zambians happy about that. Would you be happy if a thief stole your TV?
Nensoni tamuli elo chilebosa! bukabwalala bwachila, mulefwaya muleibafye nokulashitilafye abantu vobapeleka kumanda?! tamwaimone bwino nomba! nefimafumo kwati muli batombolilo olo tuchula twamumainsa!!!!!!!!
tempiya shenu, tamushibombelanokushibombela, buti mulepontanokuponta! INSONI EBUNTU! Nsanya iwe
‘The Government has met all the conditions in phase one which should allow for the resumption of support to the Ministry of Health. However, it is now surprising that the same donors who set the conditions in phase one are now insisting that they can only resume funding to the ministry if we meet the conditions of phase two of the action plan’. Was stealing one of the conditions you were given to meet? Stupid *********!