This comes after some people calling themselves concerned ESCOM
employees have written the Secretary to the President and Cabinet,
Bright Msaka and also copied to the World Bank resident representative,
alleging that Zembani is abusing the company by fraudulent abuse of
office for personal greed.
The development comes just some few months after the court acquitted
the former acting Chief Executive officer Kandi Padambo on corruption
cases.
"We have decided to bring to your attention and that of the public how
management of ESCOM is plundering the company through the abuse of its
authority. These are not mere allegations but facts which can easily be
verified.
ESCOM is owned by Government and any management will ultimately affect
government and public indirectly through bail/out…..and directly
through unnecessary high tariffs, reads the introductory part of the
letter, dated 6th February 2009, under the headline, Plundering
ESCOM.
The letter alleges that Zembani forced ESCOM to pay him severance
allowance although he has not retired and is continuing in Employment
contrary to section 35 of the employment ACT.
"The employment of Mr. Peterson Zembani has not at anytime been
terminated. Yet he forced the company to pay him severance allowances
of over k6 million. Please find the attached documents which provide of
this fraud, "reads the letter in part.
Escom’s concerned employees also accuse their boss of abusing the
company’s Housing scheme where they allege that he forced the company
to finance the purchase of more than one house as provided for in the
scheme.
Further the letter says the management under Zembani is abusing each
and every scheme ranging from car ownership to procurement procedures.
"Mr Zembani controls all procurement and obviously for corrupt reasons.
Immediately, he was appointed chief officer, although he was the most
junior in Executive management, he suspended all policies that regulate
procurement and signing of orders and thereby removing all established
checks and balances."
According to the concerned Escom employees the company is in financial
and operational difficulties because of gross mismanagement motivated
by personal greed and self aggrandizement by its CEO.
"We have told you and we have provided the evidence. We trust that as
the top most executive officer in the Bingu administration renowned for
its zero tolerance to corruption and tolerance and renowned for not
favoring any ethnic group or district, you will take prompt and
decisive action so that maybe we can avoid unnecessary tariff hikes,
reads the letter with attached objective evidence.
This comes as the company recently announced that it is clouting with
stake holders to hike its tariffs yet the country continues to
experience power black-outs almost every day. – Nyasa Times