The UK Suspends Funding To Ministry Of Education Following PF Corruption

Africa Confidential has reported that the UK has stopped funding to the Zambian Ministry of Education following revelations that the PF government had been diverting donor funds meant for the social sector to debt repayments.

Social cash transfers to the country’s most desperate and vulnerable families have not been paid for over seven months after DfID halted the program upon finding out that the government had been diverting them at the Zambian post office which is supposed to hand out the payments

It is being reported that DfID are now demanding restitution for these misused payments. This will prove to be a short-sighted move from the PF Government, Donor agencies provide a third of the total funding to this country, to misuse these funds and lose that support could prove fatal.

Africa Confidential also claims that a number of projects have been lined up which could add $1 billion to Zambia’s debt pile if the projects go ahead.

It lists some of the projects as the sophisticated and expensive two modern twin-engine C27-J ‘Spartan’ military transports from Italy’s Leonardo at $95 mn.

The report also says that earlier this year, Zambia arranged deals worth close to $500 mn for Israeli defence electronics, although they have not been finalised.

Another massive commercial loan is in the pipeline to support the supply by Russia of civilian aircraft to revive Zambia Airways, a deal which may include a presidential jet.