Thursday, January 10, 2008

Simbao is incompetent says Katotobwe

Simbao is incompetent says Katotobwe
By Sandra Mulowa
Thursday January 10, 2008 [03:00]

TOMORROW Investments Limited director Augustine Katotobwe has charged that works and supply minister Kapembwa Simbao is incompetent. During a press briefing yesterday, Katotobwe said that his company had never received complaints from government regarding the quality of work on all completed projects handed over to government. He said that it was extremely sad that Simbao had directed the National Council for Construction (NCC) not to renew his company’s registration.

“I would want to put it on record that our minister of works and supply is incompetent and the challenges of the construction sector and the dynamics involved in them are beyond his comprehension and cannot guide the nation," he said.

Katotobwe said his company had been working on seven clinics in Central, Northern and Luapula, three of which were in constituencies of cabinet ministers Felix Mutati, George Kunda and Simbao but had stalled since 2005. He said Simbao had to date not complained of shoddy works over the stalled clinic in his backyard.

He called for fair play in the construction sector.

“He should not issue statements that are prejudicial in nature which are targeted at influencing the investigations," he said.

Katotobwe said according to the press President Mwanawasa said submission should be made to the Auditor General.

"What the works and supply minister should do is to make submissions to the Auditor General. We are also waiting to be approached to make submissions to the Auditor General and to let her do her independent analysis of the all issue," Katotobwe said.

He said Simbao had inspected Shangombo hospital but never made any statement related to shoddy works after he inspected the project.

"The minister is on TV saying NCC will not renew our registration, we as Tomorrow Investments must be found guilty, the process of the law must be allowed to take its course… We should not be judged ahead of schedule,” he said.

Katotobwe explained that some projects had stalled because conditions of the contracts had not been followed.

He said in 2003 former Republican vice-president Nevers Mumba during a tour of roads in Luapula complained about abandoned works and that he would suspend the contracts but it was discovered that government had not paid for the works.

He said a few days later the money was paid and works were completed.

He said the Ministry of Works and Supply should not interfere in investigations by the Auditor General. He said he was confident that the truth would come out and his company would be vindicated.

Katotobwe also said he had written to President Mwanawasa. Meanwhile, Katotobwe said he would go ahead to submit the registration of his company with the NCC.

"We are not shaken and won't be intimidated by works and supply minister," he said.

He also said that Zambian companies did not have the capacity to start and finish projects without being paid. Katotobwe said delays had been in the processing of the payments.

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Simbao said all contractors with a record of shoddy works would have the same fate as Tomorrow Investment.

At a public rally in Mfuwe on Saturday President Mwanawasa said he found several projects throughout the country which Tomorrow Investments had failed to finish or abandoned despite being paid up front.

“When this information reached my office I wrote to Marina Nsingo who was minister of works and yourself Simbao that from now on don’t give contracts to Tomorrow Investments but I get surprised that they continue to get contracts.

The thing is that they are thieves, they award contracts to their friends and share money,” President Mwanawasa said. “Our people are saying the government is not working. You have mentioned huge figures of money which we are going to spend on the roads but projects are not finished just because companies like Tomorrow Investments are given jobs.”

President Mwanawasa said he had powers under Article 33 of the Constitution which he would use to deal with such situations.

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posted by MrK @ 1:16 PM

1 Comments:

At 2:22 PM , Blogger MrK said...

To quote the rather general Article 33 of the constitution (1991):

Part IV The Executive

Article 33 [The office of President]

(1) There shall be a President of the Republic of Zambia who shall be the Head of State and of the Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.

(2) The executive power of the Republic of Zambia shall vest in the President and, subject to the other provisions of this Constitution, shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him.


"We are not shaken and won't be intimidated by works and supply minister," he said.

At least you have to admire that.

However, there should be procedures in place that monitor ongoing projects both in regards to their schedules, and their expenditures.

 

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