We’re going to push, secure HH statement on $100m hospitals ‘scandal’ – Mundubile
Kombe Chimpinde MatakaMPOROKOSO PF member of parliament Brian Mundubile says the opposition will ensure they secure a statement from President Hakainde Hichilema over the alleged US $100 million hospitals contract scandal.
Mundubile, who is Leader of the Opposition in the House, told The Mast that PF was surprised that President Hichilema has been quiet when the name of his government was being tarnished.
He said there is more corruption under UPND than Zambia has ever witnessed before.
“We want the President to say something. We are going to push and ensure that we secure a statement from the President on this matter. He is the one who stood on a pedestal and say ‘we are going to act above board’. He came to parliament and urged us members of parliament to name and shame,” he noted. “We have done the whistleblowing. Why is he not pushing? We want the President to please find out from ACC, to find out what is happening. Why is his name is being tarnished on this particular contract? We are surprised that the President is not worried that the image of his government is being tarnished on this particular contract. Those are the questions to ask. The question that you must ask yourself ‘is there really a fight against corruption?’ Or is there just political persecution! Have we redefined corruption? Is alleged corruption under PF not corruption under the UPND? Have we redefined corruption? I mean clearly, the President shows that he was not committed to this fight.”
Mundubile said the law has got to be applied consistently.
“When there were allegations against the foreign affairs minister [Stanley Kakubo], the President simply called him. What procedure is that in the fight against corruption? Do we have a procedure in the fight against corruption where if some alleged corruption against a minister, the President just calls that minister and it ends there? I think those were the early warnings to show that the President would not be committed to the fight against corruption and the Zambians should have woken up then to realise that this whole thing is a hoax. There is really nothing going,” he said.
He said had it not been what he called vigilant PF members, the $100 million deal shrouded in secrecy would not have surfaced.
“This is not a personal fight. We have got to bring government to book. We want to know what has happened to that letter which was leaked to the media. We want to know what ACC has done. Has ACC instituted investigations? Has ACC summoned someone to South Africa to go and talk to that company (TFM)? They should not forget that private citizens, some of them have already spoken with the company in South Africa. They are just waiting to see. There are people who have spoken to this company in South Africa. They shouldn’t think this is the end. It is not a matter that we are going to leave unattended to,” he said.
Mundubile said there was something constant about UPND, which was not telling the truth.
“Even when the Vice-President was answering the question on the floor of the House, stating that the contract had been cancelled, I didn’t believe it. I don’t believe anything they say. We followed up through the media and told them (UPND) to tell us why they cancelled the contract if there was nothing. We have said that when people have schemed to scam government like we are seeing our friends in the new dawn government, they will go to great length. First of all, they could even award a contract that is dubious and when they are pushed to cancel, they will quickly pay compensation for breach of contract! Whichever way it goes, if the contract went ahead, government loses money from services that are procured in a fraudulent manner. If the contract is cancelled, they will still get their money because they get their 30 per cent out of the initial contract. So the central issue here is that there is no fight against corruption,” he said. “There is deception whilst the real corruption is going on under the UPND. If you look at the figures, honourable (Stephen) Kampyongo is being pursued over some overstated amounts because some figure was reported twice, but basically owning empty plots in Ibex Hill. Ok, but here we are taking about a $100 million. What will take Zambians to take ACC seriously, because this is a matter based on the floor of parliament? ACC cannot ignore members of parliament raising an issue to the Vice-President on the floor of the House. The issue of a minister soliciting for money and a vehicle is all over…”
Mundubile said it was unfortunate that a permanent secretary for health ended up being sacrificed.
“There is more corruption under UPND than Zambia has ever witnessed before. Look at the drama that has been there on these cases but cases with real money like the $50 million dollars for [fertiliser] stock which was worth $35 million dollars. $15 million dollars tax payer’s money gone just like that. That story has died a natural death,” noted Mundubile.
In a letter to their local representative Dr Jim Belemu dated 15 May 2022, TFM Holdings chairman Mcebisi Mlozi raised concerns on the alleged request for facilitation fees on contract MOH/SP/W/005/20.
“Dr Jim, we write to you to place on record that we have been approached by representatives of the Minister of Health to arrange facilitation fees and a vehicle for her. We are for obvious reasons very uncomfortable with this and wish to task you to place this on record in Zambia. Thank you very much for your assistance,” wrote Mlozi.
When contacted over the letter, Dr Belemu said: “I understand there is a social media buzz of their letter. I know them for many years and I deal with and it was easy for them to just ask me to act more or less like a link when they want something quickly but they do fly in. They got that contact and since they got that contract I am not active. I am actually trying to make contact but I am told they have the contract running.”
On July 8, 2022, Mundubile during the Vice-President’s Question Time raised the issue of the US $100 million contract.
“Madam Speaker, Zambians are concerned about the manner in which the President has started awarding contracts to his friends using the single-sourcing mode of procurement, a practice he has previously condemned, labelling it ‘corruption’ or ‘abuse of office’. Further, the President of this country promised to govern with transparency and accountability. […]there is a US $100 million contract to construct health facilities in three provinces, namely the Western Province, the North Western Province and the Southern Province under the Ministry of Health whose procurement was shrouded in secrecy,” said Mundubile. “Madam Speaker, with all these questionable dealings in which the President is awarding contracts to his friends, is the government still committed to the fight against corruption, whether past, present or future?”
In response, Vice-President Mutale Nalumango said to bring the President into “this matter today is extremely unfair”.
“The President is a friend of all Zambians. So to start picking on some Zambians as being friends and therefore try to exclude them from work is very difficult. What is important is to see that a transparent process is followed by everybody. Besides, some of the contracts he has mentioned began some time ago. For example, the medical facilities contract he referred to worth US $100 million or something like that has even been cancelled, my dear, oh sorry, hon. Member,” said Vice-President Nalumango. “Madam Speaker, that contract has been cancelled. The hon. Member should know that he can bring a case at a time and we will explain it to him. He can also go to the ministries and those who give contracts for proof of the right procedures, policies and laws of our country having been followed. So there is nothing like deviating the fight against corruption. People who are found corrupt will be convicted. That is all. Whether they are from here (indicating the right – government side) or there (left – the opposition), the law will follow them. After all, my book says that your sins shall find you out. One can run but one cannot hide and if one is innocent, one should feel innocent. If one is innocent, no matter how much one is followed, one will prove oneself innocent. So, we are here to fight corruption and provide an environment that will attract both local and foreign investment because that institution can do it well. No one needs to pay anybody, and that is why we want the regulatory bodies to work properly.”