Transparency International Zambia says Defence Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale must resign for allegedly involving himself in corruption.
TIZ Executive Director Wesley Chibamba said it is improper for Mr Mwale as a serving public official to continue rendering for public contracts using his company.
Mr Chibamba said reevaluations that Mr Mwale’s company was awarded a contract to build a Maternity Annex at Kabushi Clinic but failed to complete the works are saddening.
He was speaking on Tuesday when he featured on Frank on Hot, a radio programme hosted by veteran broadcaster Frank Mutubila.
“That issue makes very sad reading. It is sad that people in these privileged offices can abuse their authority and award themselves tenders, that shouldn’t be happening because they are using peculiarly advantage and the law is clear on that,” Mr Chibamba.
“In other jurisdictions, if you are a public official, you are not supposed to participate in public tenders for that very reason because you exert a certain level of influence over tender evaluation committees because if they see your company tendering for the contract, they will be thinking there will be repercussions if they don’t award it to you. Nigeria is one example, they have stopped public officers from tenders for public tenders but here in Zambia you find that a Permanent Secretary somewhere has a company and that the corruption and resource drain happens.” he said.
