IMF rubbishes bribe claims

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 11:38:47 +0000

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

ALLEGATIONS that President Edgar Lungu bribed the International Monetary Fund (IMF’s) Mission Team Leader to Zambia, Tsidi Tsikata, as a way of improving Zambia’s chances of getting the missions package are outrageous, says the funds Communications Director, Gerry Rice.

Mr Tsikata was in the country recently as part of the Fund’s negotiations with the Zambian government for a bail out believed to be in the region of US$1.3 billion.

Mr Rice, during a press briefing in Washington on Thursday said such allegations were outrageous and rubbish.

“There’s one other thing I want to say on Zambia, and it’s not a question. But I’ve seen some news reports over the last 24 hours that have an outrageous allegation relating to a bribe being taken by an IMF staff member. It’s an outrageous allegation, as I say. It’s utterly false. It’s rubbish, actually,” he said.

Mr Rice was responding to allegations on social media.

Meanwhile, Mr Rice said the alleged US$17.2 billion Zambia’s external debt was a shocking statistics.

He clarified that Zambia’s external debt stood at US$7.2 billion and not US$17.2 billion.

Mr Rice said the actual statement delivered by Minister of Finance, Felix Mutati, in terms of the external debt stock at the end of May 20, 2017 was US$7.2 billion, not US$17.2, saying that was an important clarification.