Kuwaza's refusal to vacate Government mansion a tip of the ice burg

The stance taken by the embattled former State Procurement Board (SPB) chairperson, Charles Kuwaza, to refuse vacating an official SPB house that he used during his service, demanding that the property be given to him as part of his exit package is absurd. This comes in the wake of the fact that he is facing gross corruption charges in which he is believed to have swindled the organisation of a fortune.

This is time for the Government to flex its muscles against both serving and former public officials that are poised to strip the public sector of  funds by demonstrating insatiable desire to feast from Government coffers and getting away with it.

In labour relations, Kuwaza should be reminded that one does negotiate or make demands upon his/her exit from the contract of employ. Does his contractual obligation give him the right to continue occupying that property after his exclusion from SPB? Or he is taking the law into his hands by extrapolating his powers from some unknown sources?

For purposes of creating transparency and accountability in the public sector, it is imperative to uphold the rule of law with no impunity for any sacred cows. Lest we slump into chaos by forming such a laissez faire state of affairs like what Kuwaza is demonstrating. All citizens should be equal before the law for us to have a just society.

This should be a warning message to all other public officials that are in the shoes of Charles Kuwaza. There is need for a clear-cut public accounting system to cater for public assets, cash and services to ensure equal distribution of resources for the benefit of the whole populace as opposed to satisfying the selfish ideals of a smaller click in the country.

All corrupt officials should be investigated to authenticate the observation of normalcy in our country which is almost torn apart owing to tolerance of corruption in both government and the corporate sectors.

On the backdrop of this Kuwaza saga, it is high time that the office of the Comptroller takes it upon itself to audit all government houses or assets to check if they are really being utilised for government or some private citizens are exploiting the weak management system of that sector.

Some believe that a vast array of former civil servants still have government accommodation to their disposal despite leaving government service. Some of these houses are let to tenants where they are cashing-in every month prejudicing the state of the much needed revenue. Or such houses are grabbed by corrupt public officials who parcel them out to their relatives or friends who are not legally certified by government to stay in there, while serving civil servants are struggling to make ends meet as some of them hardly earn salaries which are sufficient to pay for their accommodation monthly.

Let it be known that state interest comes ahead of personalised selfish interests of private citizens.

Kuwaza cannot be left to call the shots when he has caused enough damage to public sector already!