DICK SICHEMBE’S CREDIBILITY HINGES ON HIS OPINION CONTAINED IN THE 2022 AUDITOR GENERALS REPORT.
By Mutotwe Kafwaya
I know that the Auditor General has and is still going through a lot of unfair treatment. And this has been so for a few other selected victims of maladministration, regionalism and ethnic hatred.
We must all rise above these divisive evils. Let administration, unity and love beyond borders reign supreme in this land of the living.
MY issue today is that, I will always support the office of the Auditor General and it’s occupants for what the offices means to the country. But 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 the purchase of 50,000 metric tones of fertilizer where it is believed that over $15 million dollars was stolen instant by the engagement of Alpha Commodities.
It is believed that Alpha Commodities was given a contract to supply 50,000 metric tones of fertilizer at $1,502 per tone while at the same time Nitrogen Chemicals was given a contract to supply 10,000 metric tones at $952 per tone. Now this reasoning beats all manner of economic theory – not even economies of scale can justify this. Unless we were looking ahead from the rear mirror.
Please put this to rest.
It would be conclusive and a bonus to the country if you could also add as to why a newly formed company called MVC with no consultancy experience is believed to have been given a consultancy contract understood to be in the region of K13 million to assess fertilizer distribution.
In this regard, what tender process was followed would be good to understand and also whether there was a needs assessment pointing to the fact that the ministry of agriculture was unable to undertake this assessment. I think that the allegation of backdating registration will be determined by a computer audit, may be at a relevant time in the near future.
Dr. Sichembe, I will be extremely surprised if your report will have nothing on the contracted illegal audits by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning. I say so, because the law provides that all internal audit reports should be copied to the Auditor General. As such, even if in future you claimed not to have been involved, yet you should have received progress and or reports. Unless your illegal clients continue to act illegally.
Remember the minister of finance said on the floor of the house that you were consulted on the contraction of these illegal audits.
Sir, if you will not report on the perceived wasteful expenditure at the cabinet office, I will be sad and disappointed with you. It is alleged that over 400 officers are on holding position at cabinet office. These officers continue getting salaries without working at all.
Remember one of your directors who was recently replaced but still existing is getting a salary while the new old guy is also getting a salary creating an impression of a matrix salary structure.
If you will, kindly give out some information on the VVIP travel. You know there has been lots of talk about VVIP travels – people have questioned the presidents tours, the president has questioned the ministers tours. But interestingly for me, the president has declared no salary for him and no imprest for his travels.
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.
Do you remover the surrender of ownership of Kansashi mine? Do you recall the acrimony over AFRICOM? Do you also still remember the illegal cancellation of Hunting Concession Agreements? I hope you do.
While I continue with my support for your office. I would urge your firing if you failed to do the minimum. And if like me, you studied risk management in your modules, these are open risky areas.
God bless the Auditor General
Restoring EVERYTHING PATRIOTIC.
MK30.05.2023