‘ATTACKS AGAINST DR SICHEMBE WRONG’
…says Dr Roy Mwamba, the newly sworn in Deputy Auditor General was acting as Auditor General five years before Dr Dick Sichembe was appointed Auditor General
MUTOTWE Kafwaya says he is alarmed by the attacks against Auditor General by accusing him of transgressions which were committed long before Dr Dick Sichembe got into office.
Mr Kafwaya said Dr Sichembe, the current Auditor General has been in office for less than three years as he was only appointed in 2020 and it was therefore ironical that he could be accused of transgressions which were committed five years before he (Dr Sichembe) assumed office.
Mr Kafwaya revealed that the period President Hichilema complained about was the time when Dr Roy Mwamba, who has been sworn in as Deputy Auditor General was the officer in the office.
Mr Kafwaya, the Lunte Patriotic Front Member of Parliament wondered why President Hichilema had directed his venom to Dr Sichembe when it was Dr Mwamba who was presiding over the Auditor General’s Office.
The same Dr Mwamba President Hichilema swore in on Monday was the acting Auditor General for the 3, 4 and 5 years that the head of State referred to as a period when some areas were not audited. In this case, the man, Dr Mwamba who is supposed to take the blame has ironically received the promotion,” Mr
Kafwaya said.
The PF presidential candidate said he is worried that should Dr Sichembe who has since been arraigned by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) shall not get justice because the head of State had already tried and found him guilty even before he (Dr Sichembe) could have his day in court.
“Constitutionally, the Auditor General should plan and execute his work independently and is not subject to direction by any person or authority. No one can even direct the Auditor General’s sampling. If someone could do so, then it might justify the Agriculture PS’s misadventure of refusing to give documents to the Auditor General.”
Mr Kafwaya said he had hopped that Dr Sichembe would be defended against unfair treatment but instead the man who was acting Auditor General for the period complained of had been promoted.