Delayed Govt Support to Farmers Angers Members of Parliament PF
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No 65 www.diggers.news Friday November 24, 2017 Delayed govt support to farmers Eric Chanda angers members of parliament joins NDC By Zondiwe Mbewe And a Choma district farmer, I have joined NDC because I have seen Sata’s pro-poor Joseph Sichoza, says Siliya is policies in Chishimba Kambwili and the NDC, says Eric fooling farmers by promising Chanda. that one million beneficiaries Chanda has since told News Diggers! that he is no longer will receive e-voucher cards president of the 4th Revolution. by next week, saying such an “I’m a member of the central committee of the National undertaking was impossible Democratic Congress with a position. But let me not confirm and would be a miracle to it now, I will confirm at a later stage. I will be holding a press achieve. conference at some appropriate time . But what I can confirm During the questions for oral for now is that I’m an NDC member," Chanda said. answer session in Parliament "For now, ifyabu president nafipwa. For now, I’m no longer MPS today, Katuba UPND member a president [of the 4th Revolution]. All of us must live to of parliament Patricia support the cause of NDC to put a stop to the Edgar Lungu- led corrupt government." Mwashingwele asked Siliya By Mirriam Chabala And Chanda has already started fighting battles for the newly to explain why she had gone Agriculture minister Dora formed party, while encouraging citizens to join-in. back to Parliament for the Siliya this morning struggled On Wednesday, PF Copperbelt youth chairman Nathan second time to give farmers to explain why government Chanda who is also Luanshya mayor said Kambwili was a deadline for the activation has been making empty practicing childish politics because he kept insulting of e-voucher cards which she promises over the distribution President Lungu; a statement that did not go well with knew would not even be met. of e-voucher cards and Chanda. To page 6 GRILL farming inputs. To page 5 DORA PF cadres beat Max over car deal involving State House By Joseph Mwenda Kaizer Zulu and the Zambia PF cadres today beat Max Cooperatives Federation Chongu, a staunch supporter executive director James of the ruling party in bizarre Chirwa. circumstances involving According to Max, who car dealers, President Edgar narrated his beating to News Lungu, his political advisor Diggers! Chirwa gave some PF cadres US$150, 000 to buy him a Range Rover, which Businessman they never delivered. He said when Chirwa asked for the car, the named cadres in court after claimed that they bought and delivered to State House for President Lungu’s political advisor Kaizer Zulu shares a drink with State House Permanent Secretary Christah Kalulu while failing to clinch President Lungu as a gift. flying on the presidential challenger to Harare today. Zulu shared the photo on social media. Story page 3 Chongu claims that it was at that point that he got road contract involved to try and defend President Lungu’s name, a Those mocking Kaizer’s qualifications for his Chinese move that annoyed the State House political advisor, who See story today sent cadres to beat him. on page 4 risk being beaten, warns Mumbi Phiri associate To page 4 Story page 6 2. Local News Friday November 24, 2017 We are under siege from criminals – Financial Intelligence Centre By Joseph Mwenda were suspiciously owned and The Financial Intelligence not registered for tax. Centre (FIC) says it is under “We have also been siege from criminals who are monitoring the tenders trying to influence the shut awarded by statutory agencies down of the institution so and parastatal companies. that they can freely conduct It is rather disappointing to money-laundering activities. share with you the results And the FIC today disclosed of this analysis. It indicated that in the last nine months, that about 50 per cent of the the centre recorded a total contract awarded by these of about 35, 783 suspicious institutions, this year so far, cash transactions involving have been awarded to entities over US$ 1 billion, linked that are not registered for tax. to corporate and individual Others are not tax compliant. bank accounts. But being tax compliant is a Meanwhile, the FIC says 50 perquisite to be awarded a per cent of the companies public contract,” he said. investigated which got “So from what we analysed, government contracts are because we didn’t analyse not registered for tax while all the contracts, about 50 some belong to politically per cent are being awarded exposed individuals who to people who are not even front surrogates to conduct registered. Again about 50 business on their behalf. per cent of the companies On Monday, News Diggers had no capacity to contract; revealed that Lusaka lawyer in other words, some are Lewis Mosho had started companies that have just the process of removing because their illicit financial office. regards to cash transaction significant about this is that been registered. They just put FIC director general Mary activities were already on the In terms of officers of the reports, we established that they are based on people in a tender and they are given, Tshuma, by raising criminal institution’s database. FIC, including myself being there are a lot of transactions transacting in cash, which they have no track record of charges against her. It was “A weakened FIC will enable targeted for the work that which are happening in cash makes it difficult to trace the having been in operations. further reported that Mosho such elements to continue we do, when we entered where people from nowhere source of the money. And for Some companies were and some PF officials wanted to commit crimes without the Financial Intelligence go and deposits trunks of those who are paying, you even unregistered. So you to remove Tshuma so that anyone recording what Centre circle. We signed up money in an account or they don’t know who is being paid have public contracts being a more submissive director they have done, or putting for such kind of things. So will try and withdraw large from these withdrawals.” awarded to entities that are general could be appointed together the evidence our job comes with different amounts of cash. You don’t He said company owners not even registered. We also to replace her. required by law enforcement kinds of threats. Of course, know where that cash has were avoiding tax by established that a number of Speaking at a press agencies to prosecute them. the purpose of money come from and when they transacting with personal these contracts were based conference held at Grand But what these individuals laundering for criminals withdraw, you don’t know bank accounts. on single sourcing. Somehow Palace Hotel in Lusaka this don’t realise is that the is to hide who is behind it. who they are paying.” “Then we also pickedthey were just single sourced morning, FIC board acting FIC knows who they are And so when the criminals He said during the period up that there are a lot of and no one even new that director John Kasanga because their activities are feel threatened that you are under review, close to US$1 individual accounts that contracts had been awarded, confirmed the move, saying documented. What has getting to the bottom of what billion was suspiciously are linked to companies, people just started executing criminal elements were been documented cannot they are doing, obviously deposited in company where individuals are the contracts.” targeting senior managers be erased by eliminating you receive different kinds of accounts, while US$72 receiving more money than He said politically exposed at the institution with false individual members of staff threats,” Tshuma said. million was deposited in the companies that they are persons were using surrogates allegations in order to get rid of the FIC,” Kasanga said “So threats have been part personal bank accounts. working for, which is going to win government contracts. of them. without mentioning Mosho. of our lives. I can confirm “For example, with companies into individual accounts. “We also established that “Public institutions, “So they can try and that we do receive such kind and established businesses, People use this to evade tax some of these companies that especially the FIC have destabilise, but as long as we of threats, but I cannot say we noted withdraws which in a number of cases. And are getting public contracts, an important role in continue to have government that there is a court case were large amounts of cash. then we also saw that a lot their ownership is very safeguarding our country support over the ideals of that is going on against There were about 8,277 of the major sources of these opaque. When you check at from criminal elements. maintaining the FIC, that any FIC officer that has such transactions, involving cash deposits were from the PACRA, you find that the Unfortunately, I must share information will always be been established as yet. But K1.8 billion and on the trading commodities. The names of the companies differ with you that the FIC is there for anyone to use if they threats have been received dollar side, US$8.8 million. main commodities were from the people who are facing real threats from want to prosecute. So trying by difference officers of the Coming to cash deposits fertilizer, maize and soya purporting to be the owners these criminal elements who to threaten individuals will centre.” which also didn’t add up, beans.