The BBC recently reported that Zambia “has made an urgent appeal for aid to feed some two million people after bad harvests caused by floods and drought in different parts of the country.” Zambian Vice President Enock Kavindele said that his country needed at least 100,000 tons of maize to make up for the poor harvests.
Floods in Zambia have damaged roads and bridges, and raised the risk of epidemics and livestock disease as well.
Meanwhile, a report by Zambia’s Auditor General maintained that official corruption in the Zambia government is still rampant, diverting much needed government resources to line the pockets of corrupt officials.
Auditor General Fred Siame noted that some officials award contracts to companies they have a vested interest in, and often a single company “is awarded tenders to manufacture, distribute and maintain various categories of goods and services ranging from school desks to road rehabilitation.”
The extent of the corruption amounts to “billions of kwacha being misapplied everyday,” according to Siame.
So far, corrupt officials in Zambia are not held responsible for such corruption. As he told the Post of Zambia, “The successful prosecution of senior officials who have been charged with corruption will go a long way in changing the perception that senior officials or big fish easily lay off the charges and only the small fish are fried.”
Sources:
Zambia appeals for urgent food aid.
Zambia: Corruption levels worry auditor general, ACC. Reuben Phiri, The Post of Zambia, July 26, 2001.