PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has called for active steps in addressing deep-rooted corruption in the country’s procurement system in both the public and private sectors.
Mr Hichilema said corruption in public procurement remained rampant, hence the need for urgent interventions to curb the vice.
“The procurement of goods and services should be done timely and at the right price, hence the need to address corruption in the procurement process,” he said.
President Hichilema said this in a speech read on his behalf by Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe during the closing of the 2022 Zambia Anti-Corruption Conference (ZACC) under the theme: ‘Steering the fight against corruption towards public procurement.
He said the occasion’s theme was timely as it reminded stakeholders on the need to work together to address challenges that brought about corruption in the procurement processes.
“As the New Dawn Administration, we will continue to fight corruption head-on and we will not relent in the quest to ensure that corruption is eradicated. This is why we have enhanced critical legislation such as that requiring parliamentary oversight in the contraction of all debt,” he said.
Mr Hichilema expressed confidence that the indaba had formulated effective recommendations to support the national fight against graft.
He said the fight against corruption should not be left to the Government alone and should be streamlined across all sectors of the economy.
At the same occasion, Transparency International Zambia Chapter president Sampa Kalungu commended the Government’s efforts in fighting corruption which had derailed the country’s development over many years.
He said the organisation annually to remind stakeholders on the need to sustain the fight against corruption.
