WHY I PREVENTED MY BROTHER JOZE FROM ACCESSING MATERO CDF EMPOWERMENT MONEY.
By Miles B. Sampa, MP
Matero MP, APNAC Chairman & Pan African Public Funds Committee Chairman
I got a boloking (castigated) by about 99% respondents when I posted indicating I had made submissions to our Matero CDF committee that they remove my brother’s company on the list of approved CDF empowerment beneficiaries.
I then realized, “Been in the business of handling money that is not mine far too long” than most. Lucky to have been exposed directly or indirectly in my past to handling clubs, school, community, companies, banks, institutions, council, state, government or public monies.
At one of the Banks I worked for, actually my signature could authorize payments of $1M outside the Bank account in New York to a beneficiary. The only role maybe not done so far is Village banking treasurer but almost guaranteed would not disappears with member’s money given such stories I hear daily. Lol.
In all the above, never was I found wanting as it got embedded early in my mind that it’s only trust that had me that role and had to guard it jealously. It was also not the amount involved but act of “Can I or cannot I be trusted with money that is not mine”.
I am now Chairman of the Africa Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) and I have to not only walk the anti corruption talk but be seen to.
According to Oxford dictionary; Corruption is dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power and the five examples of corruption?
1. Bribery.
2. Embezzlement, theft and fraud.
3. Graft.
4. Extortion and blackmail.
5. Influence peddling.
6. Networking.
7. Abuse of discretion.
8. Favoritism, nepotism and clientelism.
For the topic in point will zero in on item 8 above (Favoritism & Nepotism).
According to Oxford dictionary ‘Favoritism’ is the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.
According to the Oxford dictionary ‘Nepotism’ is the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives, friends, or associates, especially by giving them jobs (or contracts or loans).
Reality is CDF is managed by a committee and the MP is just one of the members. In addition CDF projects are approved by the Ministry of Local Government and then managed or implemented by the local authorities (Councils).
In the minds of constituency residents and citizens in general however, area MPs manage CDF and the buck starts and ends with them.
The above highlighted and had my brother Joze managed to access and utilize the loan from the Matero CDF for his solid waste company, I could have easily been cited for corruption categorized above as nepotism and favoritism. By the time I would have had a chance to explain how was not in the country when the CDF committee sat, the case would have been way advanced and my name tainted and found guilt in the courts of public opinion.
Awe bane I have come far in the game and never have been summoned by the ACC. I don’t intend to risk it now, late in the day. My name is free of corruption innuendos and it’s potentially about the only asset on me that no one can fidget with whatever price or by use of whatever propaganda skills.
So in the same way I helped my brother with the first truck in his garbage pick up business as start up capital in 2014 and in the same way I gave him my canter last month to replace the red one broken truck by the Matero road side (guess chassis dissolved from garbage toxic acids), it’s the same way will assist him with operations funds he wanted from the Matero CDF.
It’s important for him and all that cares for me that my name remains corruption free from grande or petty types of corruption and in this case nepotism and favoritism corruption.
Together We Can
MBS01.04.2023
APNAC Chairman