Mbozi will be prosecuted for Hichilema’s Crimes
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
ALPHA Commodities, a company owned by an associate of the President was awarded a $50million contract signed on November 12, 2021 by Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Green Mbozi.
The contract was given under direct bidding procurement method.
It didn’t take long before it became apparent that the corrupt decisions at the Ministry were being made by State House and by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mbozi must be told that doing the bidding of State House has personal consequences as a Controlling Officer, he is personally answerable for audit crimes, theft and fraudulent cases that occur under his watch as forbidden under the Constitution and Public Finance Management Act.
Subsequent tenders at the Ministry have been cancelled or awarded by the directives of President Hichilema.
Now Mbozi is in big trouble.
He has refused to comply with the Constitution, the law, and financial regulations.
He has wilfully chosen to protect President Hichilema by refusing to comply with the constitutional public audit.
Whatever happens, he will be prosecuted now or in the future.
In this letter to Mbozi, dated February 24, 2023, the Auditor General complained that his office was having challenges to audit the ministry for the financial year ended 31st December 2022 because information was not forthcoming.
Section 83 (1) (k) of the Public Finance Management Act criminalises failure to provide requested information.
Among the requested information include suppliers’ ledgers for the supply and delivery of fertiliser, seed, army worms chemicals and protective clothing. Others are various contracts and their addenda, evaluation reports for the various procurements, payment ledgers, various solicitation and bid documents, various minutes, Farmer Input Support Programme files for all contract managers and for each province and reports on all claims or pay-out made per beneficiary clearly indicating the year the claim was made, amounts claimed, province, district and camp and reasons for payments.
The Auditor General cited Article 211 (2) of the Constitution of Zambia which requires his office to render an audit opinion on the financial report of the Republic not later than May 31 in each year.
He cited Article 211 (2) of the Constitution of Zambia which requires his office to render an audit opinion on the financial report of the Republic not later than May 31 in each year.
Reporys abound of many officials who have been in trouble for doing politicians and Presidents illegal favours and enabling corruption.
The law entrusts and guides controlling officers to protect and secure public money, promote transparency and accountability and for this purpose excludes politicians such as Ministers and Presidents who attempt to bring perversive and corrupt influences to the procurement process.
