Corruption Countdown #6. Postmaster General Imprisoned For Diverting Social Cash Transfer

To commemorate one year since the New Dawn government took office, this month Open Zambia is taking stock on one of the UPND’s major manifesto promises: clamping down on corruption. We’re counting down the top ten biggest busts of the past year to see how what a difference this new administration is making.

In December 2021, officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission and anti-money laundering unit arrested three former managers at the Zambia Postal Services Corporation.

The trio was made up of Postmaster General Macpherson Chanda and his colleagues Best Mwaichi and Isaac Kamwimba. The men were charged with unlawfully diverting K335,108.834 earmarked for social cash transfers between January 2017 and December 2018. 

The men were later charged with six counts of corruption, including the theft of three properties belonging to the Government of Zambia, all valued at over K20,000,000. They were also charged with having stolen K16,000,000 between September 1 and December 1, 2017, and K50,000,000 between January 1, 2017, and December 1, 2018.

In July 2022, Mr Chanda was sentenced to two years in prison and was ordered to recover the K335,000 he had taken from the state.

The case attracted widespread coverage from international media. At the time of the postal workers’ arrest, Reuters reported that Britain, Finalnd and Sweden had withheld nearly $34 million in aid to Zambia’s social cash welfare and education programs in 2018 because of concerns over financial mismanagement.

The renewed clampdown on corruption, instigated by President Hakainde Hichilema and his New Dawn government, has therefore not only prevented more funds being stolen from the state, but also ensured that Zambia will continue to be trusted with aid payments by western partners.