ECZ boss suspended

ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA (ECZ) CHAIRPERSON FLORENCE MUMBA HAS SUSPENDED COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DAN KALALE.

RADIO PHOENIX UNDERSTANDS THAT MUMBA AND KALALE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING OVER AN AUDIT EXERCISE FOR SOME TIME.

FLORENCE MUMBA, A SUPREME COURT JUDGE, HAD DIRECTED KALALE TO ENGAGE NAMED EXTERNAL AUDITORS TO AUDIT ECZ ACCOUNTS AT A COST EXCEEDING K1 BILLION.

KALALE REFUSED SAYING ANY WORK ON ECZ EXCEEDING K200 MILLION REQUIRES TO GO THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT TENDER PROCEDURE.

BUT CHAIRPERSON MUMBA INSISTED AND TOLD THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS TO MOVE ON SITE TO START WORKING.

WHEN THE AUDITORS WENT TO ECZ, KALALE CHASED THEM SAYING HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT ECZ.

ON MONDAY THIS WEEK, CHAIRPERSON MUMBA WROTE A LETTER SUSPENDING KALALE ACCUSING HIM OF FAILING TO DO HIS JOB.

AMONG THE ISSUES SHE ACCUSED HIM IS FAILING TO WRITE THE ANNUAL REPORT, THOUGHT THE WATCHDOG UNDERSTANDS THE ECZ YEAR HAS NOT YET CLOSED.

PARALLEL INFORMATION RECEIVED INDICATE THAT THIS IS A BATTLE FOR THE CONTROL OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION AHEAD OF 2011 POLLS.

BUT WHEN CONTACTED FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE SUSPENSION, THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA PUBLIC RELATION MANAGER MR CHRIS AKUFUNA HE SAID IT IS NOT FOR THE COMMISSION TO DISCUSS ISSUES OF ITS STAFF TO THE PRESS.

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