FIC Boss Laments: “I Sleep on Airport Benches Due to Budget Constraints”
By Shadreck Jere
LUSAKA — Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Director General Clement Kapalu has raised alarm over severe financial and operational challenges facing the institution, revealing that the centre is struggling with inadequate funding, limited office space, and poor working conditions that are affecting its operations.
Mr Kapalu disclosed that the FIC is currently operating from a residential house, a situation he described as unsuitable for an institution mandated to handle sensitive financial intelligence and national security-related matters.
He further lamented that due to budgetary constraints, the centre often fails to adequately support official travel for its senior management. As a result, he said, he has on several occasions been forced to sleep on airport benches when travelling outside the country on official duties..
“It is not easy to lead an intelligence institution under such conditions.
Sometimes when I travel for official engagements abroad, there are no resources for accommodation, and I end up spending nights on airport benches,” Mr Kapalu said.
He noted that the lack of funding has also affected the centre’s ability to effectively carry out its mandate of combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes.
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Mr Kapalu explained that inadequate office space has further constrained operations, as the institution requires secure and specialised facilities to process and store sensitive information.
“The nature of our work demands proper infrastructure, secure offices and sufficient resources. Operating from a residential house compromises efficiency and confidentiality,” he said.
The FIC Director General appealed to government and cooperating partners to consider increasing financial support to the institution, stressing that strengthening the centre is critical to safeguarding the country’s financial system and reputation.
He warned that continued underfunding could weaken the fight against financial crimes, potentially exposing the country to economic risks and international scrutiny.
The Financial Intelligence Centre plays a key role in analysing suspicious financial transactions and supporting law enforcement agencies in investigations related to financial crimes.
-Diggers
Hakainde’s government must have good reasons to under fund the FIC. Under Hakainde’s watch, the FIC has reported unparalleled corruption and embezzlement.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN AUGUST.
On social media, what do you solve? You are embarrassing yourself and the government. Can you follow the right channels, you know them.
If this is true then it alarming and shameful. Such neglect defeats the very purpose of fighting corruption.
This needs an immediate response from Government. May we be informed to whether this is true or false. Social media is full of all sort of crazy things. Director Thabo Is this true?
I can not believe the extent of lack of will to empower such an important organisation. This must be a joke. If not then something is seriously wrong and must be urgently addressed.
At least you have a house and a salary. You even travel.abroad at government expense. Farmers are sleeping in the cold on rainy nights for days on end outside banks waiting for their money.