By NATION REPORTER
AUDITOR General Dr Dick Sichembe and other selected civil servants is a victim of maladministration and regionalism, Mutotwe Kafwaya has said.
And Mr Kafwaya says Dr Sichembe’s credibility is hinged on his opinion as contained in the 2022 audit report which is constitutionally due on September 30, 2023, which seem to have been the cause of the victimisation of Zambia’s fourth Auditor General since independence.
Mr Kafwaya says he is aware that Dr Sichembe, was still going through a lot of unfair treatment from the UPND victimisation agenda.
Mr Kafwaya, the Lunte Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament said should the content of the 2022 audit report which is due on 30th, September this year be released, it would reveal whether the Office of the ASAuditor General was still independent and had retained its capacity to form credible opinions on the public financials.
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Mr Kafwaya said Dr Sichembe should be fired if he was going to fail to explain to Zambians on the alleged corruption involving the purchase of 50, 000 metric tons of fertilizer at US$1, 502 per tone while at the same time giving Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) a contract to supply 10, 000 metric tones at US$952 per tone.
He said the Auditor General should also explain why a newly formed company called MVC with no consultancy experience was believed to have been given a consultancy contract to the sum of K13 million to undertake and assess the fertilizer distribution.
Mr Kafwaya, one of the PF presidential candidates said it would be surprising if Dr Sichembe would not include the contracting of illegal audits by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in which private audit firms were engaged to undertake audits in the country’s Defence and Security Wings.
“Dr. Sichembe’s credibility hinges on his opinion as contained in the 2022 audit report which is constitutionally due on the 30 September, 2023. The content of this report will reveal to some of us as to whether the AG’s office is still independent and has retained its capacity to form credible opinions on the public financials going into the future.”
“Dr. Sichembe, let me remind you some of the highest risky areas which have been extremely contentious in the period under review. Such that if you failed to report on these issues, then your office would have in my view become moribund and you deserve to be fired…Sir, you should be fired if you fail to explain to the people on the alleged corruption involving the purchase of 50, 000 metric tons of fertiliser where it is believed that over $15 million dollars was stolen instant by the engagement of Alpha Commodities,” Mr Kafwaya said.
Mr Kafwaya said it was be saddening and disappointing if the Auditor General would fail to report on the perceived wasteful expenditure at the Cabinet Office because according to him, there were more than 400 civil servants including directors who had been shunted at Cabinet Office in holding position.
He said the civil servants who had been offloaded to Cabinet Office and were on holding position had continued receiving their salaries without working.
“Remember the minister of finance said on the floor of the house that you were consulted on the contraction of these illegal audits. While I continue with my support for your office, I would urge that you be fired if you failed to do the minimum.
And if like me, you studied risk management in your modules, these are open risky areas,” Mr Kafwaya said.
Mr Kafwaya said Dr Sichembe should also give out information on the VVIP travels, stating that there had been a lot of talk about President Hakainde Hichilema foreign travels.
He said while Zambians were questioning President Hichilema’s travels and tours, the head of State on the other hand was complaining about the frequent movements of his Ministers.
“Kindly show us whether the president gets no allowances too on travels and whether there is no imprest as has been declared. But also the general administration of the account,” he said.
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