President Hakainde Hichilema has confirmed that his government is serious about fighting corruption. He stated that there will be no special treatment for anyone, and those who break the law will be punished.
President Hichilema also mentioned that all issues raised in the recent audit of medical supplies are being looked into by law enforcement, and the results will be shared with the public once they are ready.
He pointed out that the Government has already taken strong steps based on early findings, such as getting rid of the ZAMMSA management board and posting the job for a new Director General for the organization.
The President said that more changes and improvements are coming in the health sector to make sure that all agencies are well-managed.
He also mentioned that the Government has set up a national drug task force to keep an eye on things in real-time and to help prevent medicines from being misused.
President Hichilema noted that the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has stepped up its efforts, leading to arrests and legal actions against people who were caught selling Government medicines in private markets.
These comments from the President come after a detailed, independent audit of the medical supply chain by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), which is looking into past cases of medicine theft.
According to a statement from Clayson Hamasaka, the Chief Communications Specialist at State House, the audit was ordered to address ongoing and serious theft issues in the health sector.
Mr. Hamasaka pointed out the irony that some opposition leaders are now talking about the audit results, even though they had previously disagreed with President Hichilema’s choice to hire an outside auditor.
He concluded by saying that President Hichilema is committed to putting integrity first, rather than political interests, and is dedicated to maintaining high standards of transparency and service in the government.
