Don’t politicise AG’s office, opposition told

BWANA Mukubwa Member of Parliament Jonas Chanda has urged the opposition not to politicise the Auditor General's office and give credit where it's due.

Dr Chanda noted that the Auditor General's office had done well in its latest report compared to the past years and therefore should be commended.

He said the 2018 Auditor's General report indicates that major cases such as non-recovery of loans, misapplication of funds and unaccountable funds had reduced.

He said it was ridiculous and unfair for the opposition to continue rubbishing the work of the office, when alot of progress had been made.

Dr Chanda was speaking during his contribution on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Office of the Auditor General. "People should learn to appreciate where it's due, one who does not appreciate might as well be suspected to be a witch. So much progress and achievements have been made by the office of the Auditor General.

"This is a very serious office, let’s not policies it. This propaganda and maliciousness to this office will not take us anywhere, Dr Chanda said.

He also indicated that there had never been a vacancy in the Auditor General's Office as alleged by Kalomo Member of Parliament Harry Kamboni.

During his debate, Mr Kamboni mentioned that one of the reason's the office's failure was due to long vacancies in that office.

But Dr Chanda clarified that each time a person holding the Office of the Auditor General, there was always someone to fill the vacancy.

Mr Kamboni also accused the Office of the Auditor General of being incompetent.

He said the accountants at that office were unqualified.

And Itezhi tezhi Member of Parliament Hebert Shabula stressed the need for Government to increase fund allocation to the Office of the Auditor General.

Mr Shabula observed that the office was underfunded which made it hard to carry its mandate effectively. And winding up the debate, Vice President Inonge Wina clarified that all officers at the Office of the Auditor General were qualified and competent.

"No one works in that office without qualification, some of them hold internationally approved qualifications," Ms Wina said.