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It Is Difficult To Resist Corruption From Chinese Contractors -Chikwanda
Many fail to resist Chinese bribes, says finance minister Alexander Chikwanda.
According to a meeting Chikwanda recently had with his friends in his office, the finance minister said Chinese contractors are the masters of corruption.
He explained that his hands are tied when it comes to resisting corruption from Chinese companies because contractors allocate huge gifts to other government officials, who sign the contracts without treasury approval.
“The cost at which the Chinese are affecting these projects, especially the roads, is very worrying. They are allocating huge gifts. These Chinese, twaliba sana ntwenukani, etwaishiba sana corruption (The Chinese are very crafty, they are masters of corruption),” Chikwanda said.
He accused government officials in the road sector of being corrupt and signing Chinese contracts without due procedure, adding that it was difficult to resist corruption from them.
“Roads are very expensive bane, especially when you have corrupt people now doing these things. They are mounting pressure on the treasury. Even before treasury authority is given, you find they have already signed the contracts because of the huge gifts they are allocating. These Chinese etwaishiba corruption (The Chinese really know corruption),” Chikwanda said.
The finance minister further said the Link Zambia 8,000 road project was an ambitious undertaking which could not be achieved in 20 years.
“A number of these projects… these are projects which have very short lifespan over-inflated prices. The cost at which the Chinese are affecting these projects, especially the roads, is very worrying. Soon we will not be able to finance these things,” Chikwanda said.
“Neififine fi ntwenukani, fi Link Zambia 8,000 (Even this Link Zambia 8,000 road project), I doubt if even in 20 years we could have built 8,000 kilometres [of roads].”
He said because of the number of government officials involved in the corrupt scheme, even his hands had become tied on fighting the vice.
“Yes, it’s difficult to resist. We are trying to resist. We are trying to resist and tell them that there is nowhere where we can sign contracts minus treasury authority and confirmation of availability of funds but it is not working that way; there is pressure. You find your hands tied… That’s the reason why we have failed to progress in this country. It’s just leadership failure,” Chikwanda said.
He said the PF government had borrowed too much money from the Chinese and it would soon become impossible to pay them back.
“This money which we are now borrowing left, right and centre from the Chinese, soon we will fail to pay,” Chikwanda said.
He also admitted that there were divisions among government officials running different ministries and parastatals.
“You see, there are factions in this government, even when I prepared that statement [to explain my involvement with SIGMA enterprises], ZNBC were very frustrated because when they prepared it, they received a call to say ‘Don’t… ba [George] Chellah bali bakanya (Chellah stopped them)’,” Chikwanda said.
“So, there was no reference to my statement on ZNBC and I am your country’s Minister of Finance. I speak for the country, I run the economy.”
He boasted that he had many businesses which people did not talk about.
“We are doing many things. No one is talking about my farm, Apollo Agriculture Holdings, where we are producing 10,000 litres of milk per day.
So what are they talking about? They want someone to be a failure?” Chikwanda wondered.
He said he did not care even if he was outside government because he had enough connections with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the international community.
“For me, the connections I have in the international community, whether I am here or not, they will always ask me. Whether I am outside government, there is no World Bank or IMF who will not come seeking my views.
As for the World Bank, they have invited me to a lot of their functions from 1991,” said Chikwanda.
Posted by Kunda
on October 3, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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chisenga lumbwe
October 3, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Bwafya, ndelolesha fye!
Med(e)Enlarge
October 4, 2014 at 7:10 pm
ORDER HERE.
Laso
October 3, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Once again, theres nothing wronf with what Chikwanda has said here. Even his statement about his connections to the world Bank and IMF do not constitute boasting, they are facts….
Judge Joe Bidden
October 3, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Kapuli he’s very boastiful he has a point about rampant corruption pa Zed in construction industry but I think he marred it but his personal rants and rhetoric. He should know that these world bank and IMF are in contact with him because he’s in Govt. Get fired they disappear. Mark my words
visitor tombozi
October 3, 2014 at 5:17 pm
Mr Chikwanda the recording by the Post tells it all. The honourable thing for you to do is RESIGN to save your dignity. Leave the corrupt alone unless there is something else you are not telling us.
ONETIME RELOADED
October 3, 2014 at 5:36 pm
@VISITOR TOMBOZI KAMBWILI IS NOT A QUITER LIKE YOU,WHO ALWAYS THINKS OF RESIGININ AS A SOLUTION
kakolwe
October 3, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Ala!! Ngo musowa wakula Shani Mr Chikwanda? Yes, you can produce 200000litres of milk just as Hakainde can produce 50tones of beef & Nevers can collect K2million in tithes per Sunday!!! BUT, are those the credentials that are going to turn Zambia around? Simply state if you get the bribe or not.
Cholwe
October 3, 2014 at 5:46 pm
Its nice boss that you are trying to avoid the infinite vice.
Dorothy mulenga
October 3, 2014 at 8:57 pm
We indigenouls zambians must never accept any foreigner ruining the future of our generation throughout corrupt intruders. I can understanding Mr. Chikwandas hopeless frustraties, admitting our country to eternal destruction. Zambia nerds new generation of leaders who can openly deport these adventurists and cultures. My advise to Mr chikwanda and his UNIP adversaries is :: it is time you all have to retire. Ruling the country sincer 1964 is just top much. Even the great Fidel Castrol had to one time surrender power. As to the corrupt Chinese we have also to watch out that they do not use corrupt chefs to wiipe out rhinos and elephants to use.horns and tasks for theiir traditional medicinee against importent. We must realize that they are 1 billion of them. And we just have a few wild animale to preserveren for our children. Therefore we need good and courageous leadership.
Judge Joe Bidden
October 4, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Eish Dorothy lots of typographic errors in your piece
Stop addressing that fraudster tb joshua as 'prophet'
October 4, 2014 at 12:07 am
TB Joshua and 98% of pastors and those who call themselves prophets are fraudsters. Some have gangs of thugs,
Armed robbers, kidnappers and 419 working for them. This men of evil should be investigated and banned from civilazed countries of
The World.
Moses Mulauli
October 4, 2014 at 4:03 pm
This makes sad reading from our Minister of Finance. Zambia needs genuine Leaders. I have always believed that it’s the Leaders of Africa that have failed their People.
Paya Fresher
October 4, 2014 at 5:55 pm
Is ABC about to be fired?
He is slowly spilling the rotten beans!
He is equally unclean!
Who is tying his hands other than his own guilt?
Kenny G
October 5, 2014 at 10:34 pm
Pay back ba mopani copper mines da money u owe dem so dat da jobs and da lives of individual poor zambian citizens re saved.Again u want 2 create unemployment instead of creating employment.Dem GRZ.
Dorothy mulenga
October 5, 2014 at 10:41 pm
Can that gentleman, under the valse name called jugde Joe. Bidden elaborate on his arrogant statement.