A Treasury cash-flow dossier has revealed how millions of kwacha are spent on luxury activities such as dinner dance cruises, walking safaris, shopping and limousine hires during President Edgar Lungu’s international trips.

But President Lungu’s spokesperson Amos Chanda says the Head of State has never engaged in such luxury activities on any of his international trips, adding that the document, which News Diggers! referred to in a press query, had been forwarded to the accountant general for an explanation.

According to the dossier sent by a whistleblower, detailing part of the cash transactions made on one of President Lungu’s trips to the United Nations in September 2015, the Treasury deposited over K17 million for various logistics, but some of it was spent on unexplained costs at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas Texas, limousine hires, dinner dance cruises and walking safaris.

The document also shows that millions were spent on shipping cargo for government officials by Air See Land shipping company of New York, a transport firm that is specialised in providing a range of moving services to the Diplomatic Community, corporate entities, individuals and government employees.

Some amounts were spent on shopping in various department stores including the International Jack’s place phone accessory shop in New York and Innovation luggage store on Broadway, New York.

State House press aide Amos Chanda said President Lungu did not go shopping in New York and neither did he go for a dance cruise or any of the suspicious activities detailed in the Treasury cash flow. He however asked for some time to study the document.

When contacted a week later, Chanda said the document could trigger an investigation if the Accountant General found that the entries were genuine and accurate.

“The President has never gone on a dance cruise, it could be some people doing that and throwing the cost on government. But I have to look at it and get back to you,” said Chanda adding, “The Accountant General came and we have been looking at that [document]. But we do not have a conclusive answer yet. We are looking for answers because certain things are true entries and certain are not. So before providing answers, Cabinet wants an investigation which may lead to disciplinary proceedings. So we cannot go in the public domain with any explanation before we know what is true [on that document] and what is not.”

And News Diggers! can confirm that the President’s delegation on international trip was not as small as State House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed.

On the New York trip, government sponsored PF officials including deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri and media director Sunday Chanda, PMRC executive director Bernadette Deka, musicians as well as traditional leaders.

And on a State Visit to China in March 2015, President Lungu travelled with 20 senior government officials and State House staff, 16 ministry officials and secretaries, 21 security personnel and 11 journalists, all paid for by the Treasury.

President Lungu’s senior delegation List to China departed on March 28 and returned April 1, 2015:

1. Esther Lungu (First Lady)
2. Harry Kalaba (Foreign Affairs Minister)
3. Margaret Mwanakatwe (Commerce Minister)
4. Lt Gen Paul Mihova (Zambia Army Commander)
5. Peter Kasonda (Deputy Secretary to Cabinet)
6. Amos Chanda (Press Aide)
7. Kaiza Zulu (Political Advisor)
8. Mwinga Hibeene (Economic Advisor)
9. Lucky Mulusa (Projects advisor)
10. Godwin Phiri (Police commissioner)
11. Dr Dorothy Kasanda
12. Dr Mwinga Sheyo
13. Yobe Luhana (police staff)
14. Mark Paul Nyirongo (police staff)
15. Chanda Chisanga (President ADC)
16. Kenneth Ngulube (Mihova’s ADC)
17. Sandra Ngushi (First Lady’s secretary)
18. Daniel Siwo (Private secretary)
19. Bertha Mutale (President’s Secretary)
20. Salim Henry (President’s photographer)

Advance party departed on March 25 and return on April 4, 2015:

21. Chalwe Lombe (Ministry director)
22. Florence Chawelwa (First lady’s secretary)
23. Imakando Walubita (ministry director)
24. Winnie Chibesakunda (ministry assistant director)
25. Lucy Mtonga (Ministry official)
26. Inyambo Libomba (Deputy chief protocol)
27. Mary Muwowo (Protocol officer)
28. Alick Banda (secretary ministry)
29. Commerce representative
30. Mines representative
31. Agriculture representative
32. Works and supply representative
33. Finance representative
34. Imprest officer (Cabinet)
35. Valet
36. Bedroom attendant
Ø 21 security personnel
Ø 11 journalists

Meanwhile, President Lungu has made his third international trip after declaring that he would never travel this year. News Diggers is building an interactive google map, showing all the 55 foreign trips the Head of State has made including the unannounced one to South African where he was by press time yesterday.

The interactive map shows the departure dates, duration and purpose of the President’s travel.

Below is the list of countries President Lungu has visited between January 2015 to date.

1. Ethiopia – AU Summit – 30/01/2015
2. Zimbabwe – State visit – 06/02/2015
3. Angola – State visit – 13-14/02/2015
4. SA – State visit – 25/02/2015
5. SA – Private visit – 10-13/03/2015
6. Mozambique – State visit – 18-19/03/2015
7. Namibia – Inauguration of Hage 21/03/2015
8. China – State visit – 29/03 – 01/04/2015
9. Zimbabwe – SADC – 29/04 – 01/05/2015
10. Angola – Great Lakes Summit 18/05/2015
11. Mozambique – Independence Celebration 26/06/2015
12. Uganda – State visit the – 23-25/07/2015
13. Malawi – Independence Celebration – 8-9/08/2015
14. Botswana – SADC – 17-18/08/2015
15. Namibia – Heroes Day – 25-27/08/2015
16. US – United Nation – 27/09-01/10/2015
17. Tanzania – Magufuli Inauguration – 05/11/2015
18. SA – China-Africa Summit – 4-5/12/2015
19. Namibia – Committee of Ten – 15/01/2016
20. Ethiopia – AU – 29-31/01/2016
21. Italy – State visit – 4-6/02/2016
22. Vatican city – State visit – 05/02/2016
23. France – State visit – 7-11/02/2016
24. Malawi – 5 hour bilateral talks – 25/04/2016
25. Uganda – Mseveni Inauguration – 11-12/05/2016
26. Saudi Arabia -State visit – 17/05/2016
27. Uganda – Entebbe anniversary – 4/07/2016
28. US – United Nation – 16-21/09/2016
29. Madagascar – COMESA – 19-20/10/2015
30. Angola – Great Lakes Summit – 26/10/2016
31. Morocco – UN Climate change – 14-18/11/2016
32. Equatorial Guinea – Africa-Arab Summit – 22-25/11/2016.
33. Tanzania – State visit – 27-29/11/2016
34. SA – SA-Zam Business Forum – 7-9/12/2016
35. Ghana – Addo Inauguration – 6-7/01/2017
36. Ethiopia – AU – 27-31/01/2017
37. Botswana – State visit – 6-7/02/2017
38. Israel – State visit – 28/02- 5/03/2016
39. Swaziland – SADC – 17-19/03/2017
40. Equatorial Guinea. – AU c10 Summit – 17-18/05/2017
41. Lesotho – Tom Thabae Inauguration – 15/06/2017
42. Swaziland – State visit – 18-19/07/2017
43. Rwanda – Kàgame Inauguration – 17/08/2017
44. SA – SADC Summit – 19-20/08/2017
45. SA – Security on Lesotho – 17/09/2017
46. US – United Nation – 18-20/09/2017
47. Angola – Presidential Inauguration – 25/09/2017
48. Botswana – State visit – 29/09/2017
49. Congo Brazzaville – Great Lakes Summit – 18/10/2017
50. Egypt – State Visit – 14/11/2017
51. Zimbabwe – Mnangagwa inauguration – 24/11/2017
52. Kenya – Kenyatta inauguration – 28/11/2017
53. Rwanda – State Visit – 21/02/2018
54. Botswana – State Visit – 10/03/2018
55. South Africa – State Visit – 11/03/2018