Chieftainess Mwenda of Mazabuka in Southern Province has described the financial scam in the Ministry of Health as a genocide against the people of Zambia.

The chieftainess told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that the K10 billion scam unearthed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) was just a tip of the ice berg.

The traditional ruler said all culprits involved in the scam should face justice to serve as a warning to would-be plunderers.

She also urged the ACC to extend its investigations to Mazabuka where health workers are calling for investigations into alleged financial scandals at the district health office.

Chieftainess Mwenda said it is painful to learn that an individual can steal K 10 billion when most health services have deteriorated especially in her chiefdom.

She urged state security agencies not to treat suspects with kids gloves but ensure the law visits them.

Health workers in Mazabuka have since called on the government to send auditors to look into the books of accounts following alleged financial irregularities in which senior managers and programme offices paid themselves un authorised salary advances.

The health workers also called on the auditors to extend the investigations to the illegal payment of subsistence allowances paid to officers who did not spend nights during the cholera outbreak.

The workers who did not want to be named said funds released by the Centre for Infectious Disease for Research in Zambia was allegedly being abused.

ZANIS

THE opposition Patriotic Front in southern province is happy with government for embarking on developmental projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the people in the province.

PF provincial coordinator, Opper Hamiyanze, said in Choma today that the quick response by government to the needs of people in the area is a testimony that it is a ‘listening’ government.

He said it would be wrong to only criticize government on its shortcomings and not complement it when good projects meant for the well being of the public are being successfully implemented.

“It is important that we loosen a bit on criticizing government and give them time to complete projects they have stated,” he said.

Mr Hamiyanze said the PF is impressed with the quality of development projects being sponsored by government in the area.

He cited the tarrying of the Choma-Neiko road, which is expected to link the district to Namwala as well as the rehabilitation of the Monze-Neiko road.

Mr Hamiyanze said the Choma-Namwala road has always generated heated political debate due to unfulfilled promises by past governments.

Mr Hamiyanze also said works on the Zimba-Livingstone road are also encouraging.

He also expressed gratitude to government for listening to the cry of the people of southern province by lifting the livestock movement ban.

Mr Hamiyanze said the lifting of the ban has given the people an opportunity to raise income through the sale of their animals.

He said PF is now looking forward to the announcement of the maize floor price for this marketing season as the price will enable farmers sell their produce at competitive prices.

ZANIS

Government has released an additional K143 Million to Mazabuka district towards the payment of various outstanding allowances owed to teachers.

Mazabuka District Education Board Secretary, Darius Kaluba, who disclosed this in Mazabuka today,said the release of K143 Million brings the total funds released given to the district since January to K286 Million.

Mr Kaluba said the funds released are part of the K3.4 Billion owed to teachers in unpaid repatriation, settling in, leave terminal benefits and long service bonus allowances.

He said government deserves to be commended for the steady release of funds meant to dismantle the backlog of arrears.[quote]

Mr Kaluba said the debt owed to teachers is likely to swell because two months ago, 24 teachers retired from the public service in the district alone.

And Mr Kaluba has disclosed that funds for the payment of outstanding fixed band housing allowances have finally been released.

He said the funds would be disbursed to the district by the Office of the Provincial Education Office on Monday.

Mr Kaluba has since commended teachers in the district for giving government and the union ample time to complete the salary negotiations.

ZANIS

A United Party for National Development (UPND) Councilor has commended government for commencing the programme of electrifying rural communities in Sinazongwe district.

Malima Ward Councilor, Fisher Zimana, said in an interview that the electrification programme would fulfill government’s promise of lighting up rural communities which were displaced during the construction of Lake Kariba many decades ago.

Mr Zimana said people in the district were happy because they have for a long time now, waited for government to provide electricity to the rural areas.

He said the rural electrification programme should be extended to Malima area up to Chiyabi to boost the economic activities of the local people.

Mr Zimana said electricity would also attract investors to the area, adding that Malima ward was set to develop since most people in the area grew a lot of cotton in the district.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zimana also disclosed that people in the area were happy with the rehabilitation of the Bottom road from Sinazeze to Chabbobboma in Gwembe district.

He also appealed to government to find a contractor to rehabilitate major bridges on the same road since the Road Construction Company (RCC) that was working on the road did not work on the bridges because they were not part of the contract.

ZANIS

Chief Nsamba of the Bangweulu Swamps in Samfya has said, the theft of K10 billion by officers at the Ministry of Health is a sad development.

The chief has joined those calling for immediate arrest and prosecution of the officers involved in the K10 billion-scam.

He said those who will be found guilty of the corrupt act should be handed life jail sentences, because what they have done is tantamount to killing.

The traditional ruler said the K10 billion which the officers put in their pockets to serve their personal interests would have been prudently spent for the procurement of medicines to save lives, especially at the time when the country is grappling with the AIDS pandemic.

“In the Bangweulu swamps the situation is very bad in this era of HIV and AIDS, where people need better health services. There is need to have one of the health centres upgraded to stage II (two) clinic, where specialised health services can be provided ,” Chief Nsamba said.

He said he gets worried to understand that one of the officers identified to be behind the K10 billion-scam at the Ministry of Health has been transferred to the Ministry of Local Government.

He said leaving the said officer scotfree will afford him another opportunity to steal more public funds and urged the ACC to investigate deeper and arrest the officer.

“These people need to be handed harsher penalties, not simple sentences. Life sentence could be ideal, since what they have done is tantamount to killing,” the chief said.

ZANIS