Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Action Aid Zambia has called on the Government to address corruption in the public procurement system.
Action Aid Zambia Interim Country Director Kijala Shako has told QFM news in a statement that the revelation by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) that politically exposed persons were linked to reports of suspected corruption and theft amounting to over K3 billion related to public procurement contracts is worrisome and government must be quickly addressed the issue.
Ms Shako says the FIC 2016 Trends Report vindicates the concerns of many stakeholders regarding corruption in the procurement process but yet no strict measures have been put in place to address procurement in the public sector.
She says it is very disheartening that huge sums of money is misapplied while the country is struggling to maintain public facilities such as schools and hospitals that are in deplorable state and require urgent financing.
Ms Shako says her organization through its work in rural communities notes with sorrow the state of the infrastructure especially in the rural areas and yet public resources meant for service delivery in these sectors are being plundered by people entrusted to deliver these same services.
She notes that the commitment by President Edgar Lungu to fight corruption is long overdue as there is need for a serious overhaul and financing for the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to effectively carry out its mandate.
She has reminded President Lungu that the appointment of a substantive Director General at the ACC will strengthen the capacity to achieve its mandate and will avoid speculation on how corruption cases are handled.