Staff Reporters
Permanent secretary in the Vice-President’s office Stephen Mwansa says the government already paid Belvedere Lodge K81,385.000 lodging fees for diplomats Wallen Simwaka, Jeremy Munthali, Bangwe Naviley, Brian Malama, Brian Hapunda, and the two others, which the lodge demanded for.
According to the demand letter which has gone viral and shared with Daily Revelation, Belvedere Lodge wrote to Mwansa on August 19, 2021 demanding payment of the stated amount.
“I hereby forward to your office accumulated bills amounting to Kwacha eighty one thousand three hundred eighty five only (K81,385.000) for officers and indunas who were/are lodging at Belvedere Lodge. Below are the under-listed officers: 1. Mr Warren Simwaka, 2. Mr Bangwe Naviley, 3. Mr Brian Hapunda, 4. Mr Brian Malama, 5. Mr Jeremy Munthali, 6. Induna Mukubesa and two others. I submit for your action,” stated Belvedere in the letter signed by manager Teddy Mizinga.
But when contacted for comment, Mwansa said the bills were already settled, and wondered why the matter was coming up now.
“Yah! It was settled and I even had Zambia Daily Mailasking me and even wanting to see records of the payment which I thought was not in good taste. We paid that. I am wondering how it is coming up,” Mwansa said. “I think to be very fair to me, let’s just say that the matter was cleared up.”
But asked what the diplomats were doing at the said Lodge, and if they were there for campaigns as diplomats, as has been asserted that most of them came to Zambia for campaigns despite being civil servants and drawing tax payers money, Mwansa said he will respond comprehensively to the matter as he was rushing for the meeting when the journalist called.
