The Auditor General on the Accounts of the Republic for the Financial Year Ended 31st December 2024 has revealed financial mismanagement in Zambia, with billions of kwacha lost to poor governance and monitoring.
According to the report, over K4 billion in taxes remains unpaid to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), while K10.9 million in transit taxes hangs in the balance due to lax monitoring.
The Ministry of Finance and National Planning failed to follow the terms of a 2016 contract with Nyiombo Investments, even though they were notified in time, resulting in the government losing US$3.66 million.
Meanwhile, farming inputs worth K25.7 million meant for farmers were left undelivered, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock returned K30.7 million allocated for animal health programs without utilizing it.
The Ministry of Education is said to have irregularly engaging a private firm to collect K2.8 million in school fees without following due process.
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics, on the other hand, paid US$1.53 million in port rental arrears on behalf of a private concessionaire that failed to meet its obligations.
Acting Auditor General Dr. Ron Mwambwa has called for urgent reforms to address these issues.
He has called for a robust tax collection system, tighter controls on spending, and digital record-keeping to enhance transparency.
By Prudence Chota/Canaan Siame.
