• Dr. Malama terminated a contract between Ministry of Health and Savenda Management Services Limited.
• The contract was for supply and delivery of 50 basic life support ambulances.
• Dr. Malama willfully failed to comply with applicable procedure by approving the Ministerial Procurement Committee paper no. 131 of 2017.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested and charged former Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Malama for corrupt practices.

Commission Spokesperson Queen Chibwe disclosed in a statement that Dr. Malama has been charged with two counts of Willful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 sub section (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

Mrs. Chibwe said in the first count, Dr. Malama, on dates unknown but between 1st August 2017 and 31st December 2018, whilst acting together with other unknown people, willfully failed to comply with applicable procedure by terminating contract number MoH/ORD/004/15 between the Ministry of Health and Savenda Management Services Limited for supply and delivery of 50 basic life support ambulances, supply and delivery of major spare parts for the ambulances and training of personnel.

“Details in count two are that Dr. Kennedy Malama on dates unknown but between 1st August 2017 and 31st December 2018 at Lusaka in the Lusaka District, being a Director of Health Promotion, Environment and Social Determinants at the Ministry of Health and member of the Ministerial Procurement Committee, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did willfully fail to comply with applicable procedure by approving the Ministerial Procurement Committee paper no. 131 of 2017, which paper recommended the use of limited bidding international as the appropriate method of procurement of fifty (50) ambulances without providing the justifications or reasons in the said Ministerial Procurement Committee paper no. 131 of 2017 for the use or choice of this method of procurement,” Mrs. Chibwe said.

Mrs. Chibwe revealed that the Commission has also arrested and charged former Head of Procurement and Supplies Unit at the Ministry of Health, Wilson Lungu, with one count of Willful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act.

“Wilson Lungu aged 37 of Chalala Waterworks, Lusaka on dates unknown but between 1st August 2017 and 31st December 2018 in the Lusaka District being the Head of the Procurement and Supplies Unit at the Ministry of Health and member of the Ministerial Procurement Committee, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did Willfully Fail to Comply with Applicable Procedure by approving Ministerial Procurement Committee paper no. 131 of 2017, which paper recommended the use of limited bidding international as the appropriate method of procurement of fifty (50) ambulances without providing the justifications or reasons in the said Ministerial Procurement Committee paper no. 131 of 2017 for the use or choice of this method of procurement,” she stated.

She said the two have been released on ACC Bond and will appear in Court soon.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Chibwe disclosed that the Commission has arrested and charged a Court Messenger in Mansa for corrupt practices involving K1, 000.

She said Albert Kashimbaya, 58 of Sumbu Village in Mansa District has been charged with one count of corrupt practices contrary to the laws of Zambia.

“Details are that on unknown dates but between 15th November 2021 and 29th November 2021, Albert Kashimbaya as a Court Messenger at Mansa Local Court jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown did corruptly solicit for K1,500.00 and actually received K1,000.00 cash gratification from Lawrence Chilindi, a retiree of the Judiciary of Zambia as an inducement or reward for purporting to facilitate for the quick processing of his retirement benefits, a matter or transaction involving the Judiciary of Zambia, a public body. The arrest follows a surveillance operation that was conducted. The suspect has been released on bond and will appear in court soon.”