The Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia (MQHZ) director general Dr Quincy Mwabu is demanding from the government to provide clarity on the matter surrounding the K26 million liability demand from Maersk, the shipping company that shipped the 61 containers of drugs, which remained marooned at the J&J truck yard for seven months.
This follows Health minister Dr Elijah Muchima’s recent interview with Daily Revelation, where he confirmed that the government was in discussion with the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to see who would be responsible for the payment of almost US$1 million (approximately K26 million) for forcible removal of containers from the J&J truck yard, to the shipping company that shipped them into the country.
According to information gathered by Daily Revelation, the company was angry with the forcible removal of the containers and how the whole matter was handled, arguing that the whole issue was sensationalised to create a scene like the company was in the wrong when the error was on the part of government.
But Dr Mwabu is saying it is unclear why the Ministry of Health was still discussing who should be responsible for the payment given that it was Masebo who ordered for the removal of containers, during her time as Health minister before her transfer by President Hakainde Hichilema to the Ministry of Lands, at the height of the containers scandal.
In short, the implication of the whole of this matter is that this K26 million is being demanded by this shipping company from the Zambian people because of the sensationalised manner the whole matter was handled, as argued by the company, with the admittance of the government.
If the government had not accepted liability, there would be no way they will actually be engaging ZAMMSA to see who between the two entities will pay for the liability.
And by government admitting wrongdoing, proper accountability must be demanded from the people responsible, because the K26 million that is being demanded of is not a small amount of money, especially in this depressed economy, where no budgetary allocation towards specific areas is actually adequate. This is not a small matter. In civilised countries actually, action will already have been taken against all the responsible officials that have put the country under this predicament.
Surely, there are many people that should answer for this. And among those people, Masebo must also answer questions as she was the minister when this whole matter was unfolding. Dr Mwabu is saying she is actually the one who directed for the removal of those containers. Definitely, Masebo should not remain silent over this matter, and there should be no attempt whatsoever to shield her from answering to specific questions on this matter.
We cannot allow ourselves as a country to be wasting money this recklessly without corrective measures being taken. The UPND administration has been found liable, but the people who will pay for this liability are the Zambian people, who are already being squeezed beyond their maximum capacity to contain.
By Daily Revelation Editor
The Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia (MQHZ) director general Dr Quincy Mwabu is demanding from the government to provide clarity on the matter surrounding the K26 million liability demand from Maersk, the shipping company that shipped the 61 containers of drugs, which remained marooned at the J&J truck yard for seven months.
This follows Health minister Dr Elijah Muchima’s recent interview with Daily Revelation, where he confirmed that the government was in discussion with the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to see who would be responsible for the payment of almost US$1 million (approximately K26 million) for forcible removal of containers from the J&J truck yard, to the shipping company that shipped them into the country.
According to information gathered by Daily Revelation, the company was angry with the forcible removal of the containers and how the whole matter was handled, arguing that the whole issue was sensationalised to create a scene like the company was in the wrong when the error was on the part of government.
But Dr Mwabu is saying it is unclear why the Ministry of Health was still discussing who should be responsible for the payment given that it was Masebo who ordered for the removal of containers, during her time as Health minister before her transfer by President Hakainde Hichilema to the Ministry of Lands, at the height of the containers scandal.
In short, the implication of the whole of this matter is that this K26 million is being demanded by this shipping company from the Zambian people because of the sensationalised manner the whole matter was handled, as argued by the company, with the admittance of the government.
If the government had not accepted liability, there would be no way they will actually be engaging ZAMMSA to see who between the two entities will pay for the liability.
And by government admitting wrongdoing, proper accountability must be demanded from the people responsible, because the K26 million that is being demanded of is not a small amount of money, especially in this depressed economy, where no budgetary allocation towards specific areas is actually adequate. This is not a small matter. In civilised countries actually, action will already have been taken against all the responsible officials that have put the country under this predicament.
Surely, there are many people that should answer for this. And among those people, Masebo must also answer questions as she was the minister when this whole matter was unfolding. Dr Mwabu is saying she is actually the one who directed for the removal of those containers. Definitely, Masebo should not remain silent over this matter, and there should be no attempt whatsoever to shield her from answering to specific questions on this matter.
We cannot allow ourselves as a country to be wasting money this recklessly without corrective measures being taken. The UPND administration has been found liable, but the people who will pay for this liability are the Zambian people, who are already being squeezed beyond their maximum capacity to contain.
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