…that was pumped out of TAZAMA Pipeline during the cleaning process, asks Kampyongo, fears the energy sector is on the verge of collapse as a result of grand corruption in procurement of fuel
By NATION REPORTER
STEPHEN Kampyongo has demanded that Peter Kapala, the Minister of Energy should tell the nation where the more than 90 million litres of comingled oil, worth millions of dollars, which was in the TAZAMA Pipeline was taken because no one has so far accounted for it.
And Mr Kampyongo, the Chief Whip of the Opposition in Parliament says the energy sector is in shambles and on the verge of collapsing because of the total absence of policy direction by the new dawn administration.
Meanwhile, Mr Kampyongo, who is the Patriotic Front (PF) Shiwang’andu legislator has said the dismissal of Reynolds Bowa, the former board chairman of the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) and director general Johane Mukabe was not going to resolve the crisis in the energy sector.
“Where is the more than 90 million liters of comingled oil that was drained from the TAZAMA Pipeline during the cleaning process? No one so far has accounted for that oil which was worth millions of dollars and Zambians should be told as to what happened to the product.
For all we know, the bulk of the country’s comingled oil just disappeared as did the Sugilite. The transaction in the cleaning of TAZAMA with more than 90 million litres of dead stock which was pumped out of the pipeline has never been accounted for,” Mr Kampyongo said.
Mr Kampyongo stated that the energy sector was on the verge of collapsing and that Mr Bowa and Mr Muakabe had been sacrificed for the incompetence of Mr Kapala whom he accused of allegedly being engaged in corruption in the procurement of oil for the country.
He recalled that Mr Kapala was reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for office abuse and corruption but that he had never been censured or reprimanded by President Hakainde Hichilema but instead, the government decided to sacrifice professionals for carrying doing their work.
Mr Kapala was last year reported to ACC for criminal conduct and abuse of office after awarding a contract to Transworld for the supply and delivery of low Sulphur diesel in total disregard of tender procedures and laws.
“We had warned this government that there was no miracle Peter Mumba, the Energy Permanent Secretary was going to perform without a clear policy direction. When they were closing Indeni and started importing finished petroleum products, there was a lot of excitement from the ministers and their praise singers about fuel prices.
Here we are today, they have sacrificed Mr Bowa and the director general (of ERB) instead of firing the minister who has been accused of allegedly engaging in corruption leading to the crisis the country is in today,” Mr Kampyongo said.
He explained that the dismissal of Mr Bowa and Mr Mukabe was nothing but a scapegoat for the failure by Government to address the challenges facing the energy sector. Mr Kampyongo said all the critical sectors including agriculture, health, mining and energy were all in comatose and that it was strange that President Hichilema was not noticing the failures in the general management of the country.
“Mr Bowa or Mr Mukabe are not responsible for the volatile exchange rate. The Kwacha is running towards K28 and those who are importing fuel now by the time it arrives in Zambia, the Kwacha will be at K30. We told them several times on the floor of Parliament not to sell the maize they had inherited but they arrogantly told us off and now we are importing the grain back. This is total failure. So, the challenges we have are bigger than what is happening in the energy sector,” Mr Kampyongo said.
