The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate high profile government officials who are interfering in the issuance of contracts in some parastatals.

According to the statement signed by the Coalition’s Chairperson Gift Trapence and National Coordinator Luke Tembo, HRDC said it has information that high profile government authorities are allegedly threatening MERA and NOCMA officials to award a contract to their preferred suppliers whose cost will be more than $50 million more.

The grouping has demanded the Anti-Corruption Bureau- to quickly move in and stop the dubious way of awarding the two.

At the moment, HRDC has also demanding that the Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet should stop being the board chairman for NOCMA, EGENCO, and Power Market Limited (PML) to avoid conflict of interest.

Still staying with good governance issues

Meanwhile, an economic expert Professor Ben Kalua has described the continued mismanagement of public funds as both an economic and political problem that needs strong will from the leadership to end the malpractice and hold accountable all the people involved.

This follows reports that some controlling officers are failing to account for funds they were given in the fight against Covid-19.