Transparency International Zambia Chapter has described as annoying the attitude being portrayed by government and the Road Development Agency on the over commitment of over K1 trillion in expenditure revealed in the special Auditor General’s Report.
And Government has been called upon to stop politicizing the over Commitment revealed by the Auditor General.
TIZ president Rueben Lifuka said the Blame game by government and other stakeholders raises concern.
He said it is erroneous for Government to deny that the RDA did not commit government to expenditure in excess of K1 trillion in 2008 when the findings of the Auditor General’s report are a clear violation of both the Public Finance and Appropriation Act.
Mr Lifuka said government should come to terms that there are defects and weaknesses in the operations of the RDA when it comes to contracts and supervision.
He said any spending outside the budget is supposed to be approved by Parliament but that the act has not been the case with the colossal sums of money over committed to the operations of the Agency.
Meanwhile Mr Lifuka disclosed that overnment still owes the Zambians an explanation over the Carlington Maize Saga.
He said Transparent International Zambia will continue advocating for the conclusive of the Carlington Maize saga and seek the arrest of those found wanting.
[ QFM ]
This just like the 150 vehicles MMD bought with PUBLIC funds. Even after proof that the vehicles were bought with public funds, nothing was done. If anyone thinks the govt will take action on this one, think again. The whole ‘food chain’ benefits so who will sort out who?
Corruption can be good – Museveni
President Museveni has said that while corruption leads to wastage of public resources, it also has a good side to it.
Speaking in Masindi last week, Museveni virtually defended corrupt civil servants and politicians, saying they also greatly contribute to national development by investing in the country money they swindle from public coffers. By thus investing, the President said, the thieves build the national economy.
The President was presiding over the passing out of 238 Police officers who had completed a three-month operational commanders’ course at the Kabalye-based Police Training School. The graduands included 46 officers from Sudan.
The opposition and donors have often criticised the Museveni government over what they see as lack of political will to fight corruption. The donors in particular have cited the misuse of money meant for the 2007 Commonwealth summit (CHOGM), and the Global Fund, among others, to make their point.
In Masindi, although Museveni directed the Police to crack down on corrupt officials, it was ultimately not clear how much he meant what he said because, in the same lecture, he turned around and defended corrupt government officials.
“In 1986 we inherited a very small resource envelope for the country—the country was collecting Shs 5 billion from tax, today we are collecting Shs 5,000 billion but much of it is [stolen] by corrupt civil servants and politicians,” Museveni said.
The President added: “These thieves also build the country, but in a disorganised way; they swindle money and build houses; yes, they are also contributing to the development of the country but in a disorganised way.”
Later on Saturday, while presiding over the 2010 CNN Multichoice African Journalism Awards at Kampala Serena Hotel, Museveni said corruption was not one of the strategic bottlenecks to development. He said there were some African countries that were run impeccably – the Christian type – that were still underdeveloped.
Mr Idealistically…..whats your point my dear? that the money assumably looted through RDA is building the economy?
Certainly as long as there is no prove of it being externalized.Money used by Zambians is zambian.Suffice to say there is no proof in all these sensational hyperboles.What is substantiable from this hyperbole as far as the record 2006-2009? Don’t turn yourself into a victim of nkhani yamukachasu politics thrives on.
#6 We are talking about the Auditor General’s report here and not ‘nkhani yamukachasu’!!! When were you last in Zambia?
In zambia we talk so much, we are now in mid 2010 we are still failing to account for what we did in 2008
There are issues everywhere. The National Audit Office in the UK says 7 Billion Pounds worth of military equipment has not been accounted for by the Ministry of Defence(MoD)- UK Government
Is TIZ owned by Lifuka or not? The chap has been in the seat for far too long and has runout of ideas to articulate. If the office is elective they should hold fresh elections and chose other more capable leaders.This lack of change in TIZ is corruption in itself.