EMMANUEL MWAMBA CALLS ON THE ACC TO INVESTIGATE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS MANAGING DIRECTOR
MWAMBA CALLS ON THE ACC TO INVESTIGATE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS MANAGING DIRECTOR
Lusaka – Saturday, 8th February 2025
Patriotic Front Chairperson for Information and Publicity, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba has called on the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the illegal appointment of Mr. Cuthbert Malindi as the new Managing Director of Zambia Railways.
Mr. Mwamba said despite the public outcry about this illegal appointment, the Zambia Railways Board has neglected to correct the issue and has done nothing to reverse it.
In a letter dated 7th February 2025 written to Anti-CorruptionCommission, Mr. Mwamba says information had emerged that Mr. Malindi was a board member of the Zambia Railways and infact, chaited and conducted the interviews of other prospecting candidates for the job.
He also stated that there was no communication or Information to show that Mr. Malindi had declared interest in the job.
He says this action denied other qualified Zambians who participated in the process, believing it was fair.
Mr. Mwamba also called on both the Zambia Railways Board Chairperson and the IDC Board to ensure that Mr. Malindi was suspended and a fair and transparent process for the appointment of the new Managing Director was embarked on.
Below is his letter to the ACC;
From the Desk of Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
7th February 2025
ILLEGAL APPOINTMENT OF ZAMBIA RAILWAYS MANAGING DIRECTOR
The Director General
Anti-Corruption Commission,
Kulima Towers,
Katunjila Rd,
Lusaka 10101,
Zambia
RE; ILLEGAL APPOINTMENT OF MR. CUTHBERT MALINDI AS ZAMBIA RAILWAYS MANAGING DIRECTOR
On 12th December 2024, the Zambia Railways Limited Board of Directors officially announced the appointment of Mr. Cuthbert Malindi as the new Managing Director of the railway firm, effective from January 2, 2025.
Until now, Mr. Malindi was a board member of the Board of Directors of Zambia Railways.
It didn’tt take long before facts emerged that this appointment was highly irregular and was blatantly illegal.
Mr. Malindi participated in the interview process of other prospecting candidates without declaring personal interests in the position, and his role was, therefore, of a sabortuer to other candidates.
This is because, as a board member, there is no information or communication to show that Mr. Malindi expressed interest or declared interest in the position of Managing Director.
Further, remarks attributed to the Board Chairperson, Mr. Emmanuel Hachipuka have reinforced the fact that this appointment was irregular, breached corporate good governance, and the succesful candidate, traded in insider information and disadvantaged other qualified Zambians who applied for the position but have been denied an opportunity by this flagrant abuse of the law.
Despite public concerns expressed by institutions such as Transparency International Zambia, this illegal appointment has not been reversed to allow for a fresh, fair, and transparent process.
I therefore call upon your Commission to immediately investigate this appointment and prosecute all those that have facilitated the breach of the law.
I have also copied this letter to the Board Chairperson of Zambia Railways, Mr. Emmanuel Hachipuka, and the IDC Board, hoping that the process making Mr. Malindi MD will be halted and will be suspended as new Managing Director to ensure that investigations are done in a fair, objective manner and without undue interference.
I also hope that this matter will be investigated to facilitate redress and offer a fair opportunity to those qualified Zambians who applied for the job, participated in interviews believing they were engaged in competitive and fair process for the job.
Yours Faithfully,
Signed;Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
7th February, 2025
Mr. Emmanuel Hachipuka
Board Chairperson,
Zambia Railways Limited
The Board Chairperson,
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Group of Companies.
