ACC SUSPENDS TOP OFFICIAL AS CITIZENS PUSH FOR REMOVAL OF 3 OTHER BOSSES

TOP Anti-Corruption Commission boss Ivor Mukwanka has been put on ice by the Commission following his arrest on Tuesday for alleged abuse of authority.

Mukwanka who is secretary to the Commission was arrested and subsequently suspended from duty following his quizzing on Tuesday by his juniors, for allowing his son to drive a government vehicle contrary to Government’s transport policy.

According to a source, the Ford which is a pool vehicle for ACC offers in Chipata Eastern Province, was involved in an accident when Mukwanka allowed his son to flaunt it around town.

A junior officer, Nerver Sakala earned himself a transfer to Solwezi, North Western province, when he made revelations about the vehicle’s involvement in an accident during a management meeting.

Mukwanka was also quizzed for 500 litres of fuel which he and three other directors misused in the newly purchased pool vehicles by ACC.

Meanwhile following a story published by Kalemba on February 18, 2025, concerned citizens have lodged a complaint against three directors of ACC, director legal Stella Mulenga, director Investigations Raymond Chibola and director corruption prevention Glenda Mungalaba seeking that they step down pending investigations for the alleged breach of fiduciary duty to the commission.

The citizens are apprehensive that the three may influence the outcome of investigations whilst serving in their top positions.

“On 18th February 2025, the nation was showered with news of how the Commission Secretary who is the controlling officer abused his authority of office. We as concerned citizens are aware that Ivor Mukwanka has since been arrested and yet to appear in court for misusing a Commission vehicle,”read the complaint seen by Kalemba.

“As if this is not enough, the director legal Stella Mulenga, director Investigations Raymond Chibola and director corruption prevention Glenda Mungalaba were named as having misused fuel in the quantity of 500 litres each.”

The concerned citizens said though the said directors are entitled to fuel allowance by virtue of their positions, they owe a fiduciary duty to the Anti-Corruption Commission not to cause detriment to the institution; and are expected to place the interests of the Commission before their own.

“We are aware that the Commission bought vehicles from Toyota Zambia which were delayed to be supplied. As a way of compensating the Commission for the late delivery of the vehicles, all the vehicles came with fuel coupons. The fuel was therefore property of the Republic,” the citizens said.

“However, the mentioned individuals personally used the fuel coupons even though they were at all times entitled to fuel allowances which they actually received. Since directors owe a fiduciary duty not to cause detriment to the Commission, they ought to have declined that fuel.”

The concerned citizens said the trio’s decision to use fuel coupons knowing very well that they got fuel allowances, fell far below what is expected of them in their capacity.

“It would have been different if the breach of fiduciary duty did not result into personal benefit but in this case, they benefitted from their breach of fiduciary duty,”the Citizens complained

They said the said directors are still occupying office, despite the alleged glaring breach of the obligation to act in the best interest of the public.

The citizens want the three directors to step aside and pave way for investigations in their alleged breach to prevent the institution’s credibility being brought into disrepute.

“We are aware that director investigations and director legal by virtue of their positions can influence the outcome of the investigations directly or indirectly,” the citizens said.

“We are also aware that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands and that these directors were so comfortable abusing authority when Thom Shamakamba was Director-General and it was predictable that Shamakamba

would represent Ivor Mukwanka knowing very much that he is conflicted.”

The citizens urged the Commission to set the standards high by doing the right thing against its own top officials.

“They must step down while investigations are going on otherwise the commission will be setting a bad example to the would-be offenders,”said the concerned citizens.

“Should your office have any doubt about the matters that have been raised herein, we implore you to institute an audit with the aid of the office of the Auditor General to have these matters be brought to finality.”.

Kalemba February 21, 2025.