COVID-19 Pandemic Could Breed Corruption – Transparency International

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) have expressed their concern over the negative impact which government management of COVID-19 is having on a variety of different sectors within the country.

Speaking during an interview, TIZ President Sampa Kalungu has said that vaccine scarcity was worrying and that government need to put more effort into its procurement.

“There were a lot of inconsistencies in procurement of the test kits and all equipment’s related to COVID. Plus, the other monies that were given by the donors, both the national donors and individual companies in Zambia and money that was not properly accounted for,” Kalungu said, hinting at possible corruption in the procurement of the vaccines.

He continued by commenting on government inefficiency in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Hearing the government now saying ‘we don’t have enough, there are shortages, the procurement was not done in good time, they are on the way’. That shows a lot of inefficiency on the part of government.”

After noticing the inefficiencies, TIZ noticed shortcuts which were taken, which enabled corrupt activities to occur, allowing suppliers to be paid far more than expected.