The K250 billion Romanian fertiliser deal is illegal as it was not approved by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority, Zodiak Online has reported.
As pressure mounts on Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale to take the high road and quit cabinet following lies he has been peddling, Zodiak reported on Tuesday is not even provided for in the public procurement laws.
“Zodiak finds therefore that the decision to proceed with the transaction has been without the professional blessings of PPDA, which is the constitutionally sanction office for all public procurement,” said the radio on its online report.Zodiak said spokesperson for PPDA, Kate Kujaliwa, has told the radio that while it is true that the ministry of agriculture sought guidance on the transaction, with East Bridge Estates of Romania, the PPDA found and communicated that the said transaction was not provided for in the public procurement legal framework for this country.This is a first official rebuke on Agriculture Minister Kawale who told MBC the deal followed all procedures.
Breaking of country’s procurement laws means the deal is illegal and cannot proceed and it will be up to President Lazarus Chakwera to salvage his administration reputation now becoming synonymous with corruption and break the law.
Civil Society groups have signalled that they will be moving courts to stop the deal and report Kawale, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba and Secretary for Agriculture Modrina Mloza Banda to the Anti Corruption Bureau for possible corruption and abuse of office.
The Investigator Magazine has recieved an update from Romania which will be published after the Ministers interview with Zodiak this afternoon.
