THE Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former director of finance at the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), Dean Chanda, over alleged misapplication of over K13 billion at the commission.
The committee, chaired by Chipangali member of Parliament Vincent Mwale (MMD), said it is disappointed that over K13 billion meant for empowerment programmes was allegedly misapplied with impunity, by officers who are mandated to manage public resources.
The committee said if the officers who were in charge of administering the economic empowerment funds are not prosecuted, it will be irrelevant for controlling officers to appear before it to answer queries of financial irregularities cited in the Auditor General’s report.
Mr Mwale said public funds are supposed to be used on improving people’s living standards and not for abuse by those entrusted to manage them.
He said this in Lusaka yesterday at Parliament buildings when Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Stephen Mwansa and his team appeared before the committee to answer audit queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2008-2009, involving CEEC.
“It is very depressing for a controlling officer to submit a report which is full of queries. People are complaining that only foreigners are doing business and that Zambians are failing despite the creation of the CEEC.
“Reports of financial misapplication amounting to over K13 billion cannot be condoned and the people behind the abuse of public resources should be brought to book,” he said.
Bweengwa MP Highvie Hamududu (UPND) said it is sad that some public service officers have continued to abuse public resources even when Government has put in place financial regulations to guide the administration of funds.
Mr Hamududu said officers abusing public funds at the expense of development should be arrested and prosecuted to promote transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
“We are very disappointed with what we have seen in this report where some officers abused over K13 billion empowerment funds. This is unacceptable,” Mr Hamududu said.
Meanwhile, Mpongwe MP Gabriel Namulambe (MMD) called on controlling officers to put in place effective interventions to curb abuse of public funds in all government institutions.
But Mr Mwansa assured the committee that his office is working out mechanisms to prevent abuse of public funds in future.
Mr Mwansa said his ministry has frozen the application of funds at the Commission to enable Government recover money from defaulters.
He also said the measures Government has taken will ensure that all financial irregularities cited in the Auditor General’s report are dealt with in accordance with the law.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Please King Cobra you have my backing and the backing of every Zambian, arrest these people immediately. They are the ones who make us a laughing stock because they plunder the money meant for our Economic Empowerment as Zambians. It’s not like we love it to be in the diaspora.
Marble mungomba also should be investigated ……… Mwame buses are connected to her and CEEC
It has been over three weeks since I heard of supporter of Musokotwane and the brains in Zed. I said brains stole from UBZ and stole from the mines. King Cobra you increase your poisonous vernom so that they can die quickly.
Chi marble mungomba MWAME BUS SERVICE,chi marble mungomba MWAME BUS SERVICE chi marble mungomba MWAME BUS SERVICE,please arrest this chi woman what she did was a crime get his relatives loans bought those chinese buses they have failed to run them and i can assure you those loans wont be repaid please arreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeest ba sata olo i don`1t support you but on corruption you have sent the signal at least than my bwezani,the man was a bum
Was yo bwezani also soft like doras bums??
Its a serious risk working for the Govt or anything related to it in that part of the world.
My President please arrest them and take them away to the gallows. Such people in China would’nt stand a chance against the death penalty. Its only here in Zambia, a very poor country, where such corruption is condoned. People like FTJ, Bulaya, Funjika, Musengule, etc etc. were supposed to have been jailed for at least 10 years – and thats too lenient.
No Bemba should ever be arrested because Bembas or anyone with a Bemba souunding name cannot be a thief you Chipata man!
Mutembo Nchito, are you listening? Dean Chanda and Marble Mungomba should start explaing to the courts. People applied for these CEEC loans but almost none was given
U yu ena ngatalongwe ninshi tusuleko fye.
Can someone explain Why Chinese don’t pay PAYE tax but they work on Zambian soil? Check ZRA payroll system, Check Huawei, zte and chambishi mine payroll systems at ZRA. Its unfair.
The law must take its’ course. You see why we remain poor?What kind of human beings are these?We cannot allow such nonsense to continue.That money should be recovered.Foolish people…you are enjoying when many starving Zambians keep on crying for help.
Permanent Secretary Stephen Mwansa says all applications for CEEC funding have been frozen pending investigations. That is the worst excuse to hear from a controlling Officer who is sacrificing hard working Zambians to be dinied funding on account of thefts and corruption at CEEC. It is not innocent Zambians who have caused that misappropriation of funds at CEEC. The Chief executive(related to Mung’omba) and Finance manager should be arrested. Another test case for PF govt to arrest and investigate corruption cases without a face.
there is no need to arrest the Bembas that will be tribal? So Zambia can not develop because of tribe period.
sort them out fast
Misapplication is not misappropriation so it is difficult to arrest this man. What that means is that money meant for one activity was used on a different activity e.g. funds meant for trainings used on buying fuel for field trips. Find better ways of ensuring that the AG does not cause unnecessary alarm on things like misapplication.
Bushe Dean Chanda mu bemba? How can he steal that money? The problem is that all northerners are Bembas.They are so many tribes in Northern province Dean is a Mbala Mafya together with Marble Mungomba. That is not true. Bembas the only Mainstream Zambians don’t steal they are generousness hard working people and their chief is Chtimukulu.
Just arrest them and if found quilty jail the hard..shaaaa
Misappropriation of Funds was fashion in MMD era. OOOH THANK YOU LORD THAT MMD has been VOTED OUT WE WOUL DHAVE REMAINED WITH NOTHING. These CEEC chups where Thieves we tried to apply for Loans, with proper Business Plans, they rejected our applications for their own benefits?? Cage them please, including their Director General
When you read the global competitiveness report, out of 140 countries, Zambia ranks top on theft of public resources. Its really sad for Zambia. If you can have a woman like Marble Mungomba being involved then where is the country going. Marble Mungomba is Nkandu Luo`s sister, so i doubt if she will ever be prosecuted.
Innocent Until Proven Guilty. You can’t be held without probable cause. The police are not allowed to arrest anyone without reason. The jury, not the judge, determines guilt or innocence.