2022 AG REPORT IS FOOLISH, DOCTORED TO HIDE THEIR FILTH – PF
…We have no confidence in the report says Leader of Opposition Brian Mundubile
Lusaka – Thursday, October 5 2023
LEADER of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile has accused the UPND government of “doctoring” the Auditor General’s Report for 2022 to hide their
“filth”
And Lunte PF MP Mutotwe Kafwaya has described the report as a “foolish” report done by an “illegal” Auditor General.
The Auditor General’s report on the Accounts of the Republic for the financial year ended December 31, 2022, revealed a 97 percent reduction in misappropriated funds from K5,171,854 in 2021 to only K135,207 in 2022.
The report however, indicated an increase in overpayments from K9,421,440 in 2021 to K110,384,888 in 2022.
Commenting on the revelations in an interview, Mundubile said the party had no confidence in the report because the audit was disrupted deliberately.
“We have no confidence in this Auditor General’s Report because the audit was disrupted deliberately so that the UPND can hide their filth. So, even what is being reported, we have no confidence, they will try by all means to paint a picture that there has been an improvement in efficiencies, in the management of resources and yet we know that there is a lot of things that we expect that report to reveal which will not be revealed. So, even what is being reported, we haven’t changed our position, we doubt the credibility of that report,” he said.
“They will try to paint a picture but the actual position is that there is a lot of filth that is being swept under the carpet. Why the overpayments then? Because if there are overpayments, it means somebody is taking away money which they didn’t want, why were they overpaying? It is one thing to say theft of funds has reduced but money left through other means.
When someone is owed K1 million and they are paid K2 million, money has been taken away, what is the difference? So, they are just playing with semantics. The truth of the matter is that there is a lot of filth in this government”.
He said the UPND government was afraid to look themselves in the mirror.
“I know that even as we look at it, we will be looking at a report that is doctored and that is adulterated. The moment you tamper with a constitution office like that of the Auditor General, it is a very important office, it is a watchdog institution, the moment you temper with it in the manner that it was, the confidence is lost. It is also a confirmation that the UPND government is not serious about the fight against corruption, if they were, we would have seen the removal of the PS of Agriculture, who resisted to supply documents to the Auditor General for an audit” said Mundubile.
“So, if I ask you, what audit has been done at Ministry of Agriculture when the PS refused to submit the documents within the stipulated time? The time with which he is supposed to submit is constitutional, it is given but when the documents are not submitted, what does that mean? Should we even bother to look at the figures that were submitted much later? So, it is a sad story that very earlier in the day, their very first report, UPND are not ready to look at themselves in the mirror. They were supposed to really wait to see how they are performing and how they are managing state resources but they have resisted to do that by frustrating the Office of the Auditor General”.
And Kafwaya described the report as
“nonsensical” and “foolish”
“That is a foolish report done by an illegal Auditor General. This is the only reason he is there to ensure that the government is cleaned up. Can you tell me that an audit report which does not contain the misappropriation or the mismanagement of the FISP programme at Ministry of Agriculture [can] be considered as an audit report? Can you tell me an audit report which does not consider the illegal cancellation of hunting concessions at Ministry of Tourism is a fair report for the Zambian people? Does that report talk about the payment of cadres in terms of compensation? That is a foolish report done by an illegal auditor. For me, I consider it as a foolish report! Zambians are being fooled, that is the only reason an illegal auditor is sitting in the Auditor General’s office, it is to fool Zambians,” said Kafwaya.
“That is a nonsense report, for me, that is a foolish report! The way forward is for Zambians to be the watchdog of their own country. I told you that there is nothing that will happen atAnti- Corruption now, the Anti-Corruption only does what they are told to do. This is why some of the arrests are announced, others are not announced. So, there is nothing for Zambians, Zambians have to be watchdogs by themselves. So, they need to open their eyes wide. Gold is being stolen and you come and tell me that thefts have reduced. Illegal mining is happening in KCM and you are telling me theft has reduced, are you sure? The only thing I can say it is a foolish report, it is an illegal report.”
(Credit:News Diggers)