THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has fired its transport manager Mulenga Chibalabala for failure to retrieve a Total Petroleum Limited Fuel Card (Tomcard) from its former chief executive, Zindaba Soko.
Impeccable sources have told News Diggers! that Soko drew fuel amounting to K55,000 since he left the institution.
Meanwhile, RTSA says Chibalabala’s dismissal was an internal disciplinary issue whilst Soko’s illegal drawing of fuel had been resolved administratively.
“When Mr Soko left RTSA, he didn’t surrender his Tomcard. He has been drawing fuel for six months worth K55, 000. By law, when one parts ways with the institution, the transport manager is supposed to collect the Tomcard from that person but in this case, he didn’t. After calculations, it was discovered that the fuel that was drawn by Soko amounted to K55, 000. As we speak, the transport manager is dismissed,” sources revealed.
Chibalabala said the issue was too sensitive for him.
“This matter is too sensitive and I cannot speak on phone over that matter. It’s better you speak with people from RTSA because I can’t speak on behalf of RTSA. I may be misquoted. As at now, I cannot speak, unless after some weeks,” said Chibalabala.
And when asked why he did not hand back the Tomcard, Soko told News Diggers! “You know you can get that information from RTSA. I no longer work for RTSA and whatever anomaly was there, I think it was corrected.”
Meanwhile, RTSA chief executive officer Gladwell Banda said Chibalabala’s dismissal was an internal disciplinary matter and referred further questions to his spokesperson.
“That is internal disciplinary issues which if you get to our head of PR can give you more details,” said Banda.
RTSA head of public relations Frederick Mubanga then said the whole issue had been resolved administratively.
“From the RTSA point of view, that matter was properly concluded and it was resolved administratively. When we say ‘resolved administratively’ we don’t have any obligation to [say anything],” said Mubanga.
2 responses
This is how corruption and thefts have taken root in all Zambia’s public institutions. No one takes resposponsibility when a theft is unearthed. They fear to report each other because majority senior managers have their own skeletons in their cupboards. I wont be surprised if this Soko fellow gets away with this fuel theft under the guise of “administrative action.
Zambia is still waiting for answers over the 48 houses issue which has now turned into another “administravely resolved” matter by the powers that be.
How often do you conduct internal audit?