As Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services, Lukulu Member of Parliament, Dr. Christopher Kalila led the committee to establish the availability of medicines, medical supplies and laboratory reagents in health facilities.
The committtee also looked at the deplorable state of hospital equipment and the issues affecting the local pharmacuetical industry.
As a former deputy Minister of Health and medical doctor of vast experience, he knew what needed to be done.
The Committee penned a fantastic report with over view issues and detailed recommendations.
The Committee comprised Hon. Marjory Nakaponda (Vice Chairperson), Hon. Paul Chala, Hon. Miles Sampa, Hon. Christopher Kalila (Chairperson) Hon. Leevan Chibombwe, Hon. Masautso Tembo and Hon. Heartson Mabeta, Hon. Joseph musanje and others.
I suspect, Hon. Silvia Masebo treated the report as a direct challenge to her troubled and continued stay at the Ministry and attacked it as a piece of work from the Opposition to scandalise government, even when the Committee was headed by a veteran and loyal UPND member.
She led a spirited fight to reject the adoption of the parliamentary report and its detailed recommendations. With the arrogance of numbers, the UPND managed to torpedoe the report and it was rejected.
However, the critical issues and challnges raised continue to plagque the health sector todate.
Masebo is now highly tainted with numerous scandals trailing her.
The $100 million scandal meant for the construction of infectious diseases hospital is a case in point.
In May 2022, the Ministry of Health awarded a contract for the construction and equipping of Infectious Disease Isolation Hospitals at a total cost of US$98,817,578 to a South African company.
The contractor wrote and signed a letter to President Hakainde Hichilema informing him that his Minister solicited for a bribe, and a high value car. The contractor also disclosed that he hosted Ms. Masebo in South Africa.
The Contractor also gave similar details to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Now we have the $65million scandal irregularly procured, and the medicines dispatched drom Egypt beginning November 2023.
The trucks could not be cleared for seven months due to small issues such as ZRA clearance, paying for transport and warehousing costs.
This week, the Ministry of Health finally paid transport costs and demurrage charges worth K9 million after details of lthe ong stranded trucks, were being discussed by the Opposition.
The goods have been stranded in 61 trucks parked at a Makeni Warehouse and have been in the elements, rain, sun, cold, dust, for seven months and this is a likely total waste of the $65 million procurement!
Masebo now wants to create a red herring and blame ZMMSA, like she did when she unfairly blamed the Permanent Secretary, George Magwende, who was later dismissed and subjected ro a humilating arrest and purported prosecution.
She is likely to put, whatever his weakness, ZMMSA Director General, Victor Nyasulu and subject him through the same mill!
It’s not Masebo to blame, its President Hakainde Hichilema who refuses to deal with Masebo,and fails to authorise her arrrest and prosecution.
Further President Hichilema continues to punish and remove Permanent Secretaries such as George Magwende and Professor Lackson Kasonka and other officials from the Ministry and its affiliated organisations at the expense and sacrificed to allow Masebo to stay in her portfolio.
Yet the UPND has able persons such as Dr. Christopher Kalila. Kalila is highly experienced and has been Minister at the Health Ministry before.
Kalila is also Chairman of the Zambian TB Caucus.
It is clear that President Hichilema has failed so far. But his Cabinet has become a danger to his own continued rule for its sheer incompetence, its failure to perform, and its silence in the face of critical sectoral challenges and crises threatening to collapse his government.
Infact Hichilema can appoint a new Cabinet from his back benchers as the Party has many capable men and women to replace the highly incompetent, negligent, inexperienced and in many cases part of a thieving bunch.
By Emmanuel Mwamba
Christopher Kalila can clean up the mess at MoH. Unfortunately, the prerogative to appoint lies with the President and he has his own reasons for the appointments that he makes. It was said that ECL gave Freedom Sikazwe a position because he was the supplier of herbs and mutototo. So we don’t know why HH has kept some people in his Cabinet despite falling out with the public and the evidence being overwhelming
I just wonder why HH wants Silvia Masebo to remain a minister. In opposition he was totally against her and celebrated when she was finally fired. It’s only in the Bible where you forgive seventy x seventy times not in government. Maybe he’s afraid of the Chieftainess?
These are politics of foolishness
LT why do you continue printing these loads of rubbish by Mwamba.
I’ve not seen any of writings worth publishing.
“President Hichilema must dissolve his Cabinet and make a new one from his back benchers” Ba Mwamba nabo, When did such a thing ever happen? When will this noisemaking competition end in PF? Organise a Kenya may be it can happen
Hakainde nafilwa (Has failed)! arrogance does not bring food on the table. If he cant work he must just resign. Micheal Sata fired this woman. We were also able to see MCS’s work within a short period of time when he came to power. But this Hakainde is a question of bad carpenter blames his tools or is it what bemba’s say ” Uwawa tabula kabepesho?”
Our biggest challenge is tribe and gender balancing. Also, UPND is an Alliance government, meaning firing some ministers can affect the party chances in the next elections.
Ambassador Mwamba, you’re quickly establishing yourself as one of the key voices airing concerns of the people and channeling many facts the government of the day wants suppressed! I had goosebumps listening to your podcast on Zambia Police abductions. Stay true to this mission and we will emerge stronger.
Is it not HH’s prerogative to dismiss or appoint Ministers?