In what is a perfect case study of abuse and misuse of power by executive government officials, embattled Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, continues to cling to assets and benefits from her previous role as head of Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU).
Zamba left PDU in June last year and assumed a new office in the Office of President and Cabinet.
This publication has established that contrary to government protocol, she has continued to hold on to her previous official car, a Toyota TXL, and an official house in the plush suburb of Area 10.
“No one lives here apart from when she brings in her visitors either for personal engagements or family gatherings. Just recently she hosted a group of people who came to attend a graduation ceremony in Lilongwe. Besides that, the house is usually locked and the car park occupied with her fleet,” a source from the neighbouring plot confided in this publication.
As SPC, Zamba is accorded another official car, a house in Area 43 on top of other amenities such as security, chefs and grounds men. Similar services are also found at the Area 10 residence, all on government expenditure tab.
As if this was not enough abuse of public resources, the SPC is said to be holding on to keys of her PDU office to this day, 18 months after her departure. We learn that she time and again visits this office which is located on the 6th Floor in Kang’ombe Building at City Centre.
“She just comes in mostly after working hours to conduct meetings with a cross section of people in government and private sector. No one uses it apart from her because she is yet to surrender the keys,” says one employee at the PDU who sought strict anonymity when divulging this information.
Impeccable sources at Capital Hill say what the SPC is doing is an anomaly that is being nurtured due to her intimidating demeanour when around her juniors.
“It’s an issue we don’t openly talk about here. We know it is against government procedure for an official to double dip into benefits of separate role but we have chosen to let things be. Probably one day someone will notice and rectify this.”
Examples abound of public officers who, just days after leaving their designation, were asked to return all the assets and benefits belonging to that office.
Zamba, however, seems to have beaten the system and is comfortably enjoying both sides of heaven 18 months after she was assigned other duties.
