Katima Mulilo
Kongola Constituency Councillor David Muluti allegedly stole 70 bags of cement donated by Ohorongo to the Zambezi Regional Council.
The cement Muluti allegedly took for own use was part of a truckload of cement, worth over N$1 million that Ohorongo Cement donated to the Zambezi Regional Council for distribution to underprivileged schools and community projects.
Ohorongo donated the cement as part of its social responsibility programme and to mark the country’s 25th Independence celebrations.
The newly-created primary school of Kahunikwa, that caters for destitute learners – including children from the San community – recently relocated from Wayawaya on the outskirts of Katima Mulilo and was due to receive 35 bags, now said to be missing.
Kahunikwa Lower Primary School, which accommodates children from Grades 0 to 3 opened in January this year. The school, which has no permanent structure, relies solely on pitched tents that serve as classrooms for the more than 85 learners and five teachers.
There is, however, an incomplete mud structure with corrugated zinc sheets that serves as a classroom, while the school awaits a permanent structure to be built in the next year financial year. It is this temporary structure that needed cement for its mud floor.
A nearby primary school, Kayuwo Lower Primary – also housed in a dilapidated mud structure – was one of the beneficiaries in the Kongola Constituency. Authorities at the school also accused Muluti of having diverted the bags of cement to his homestead. Sources at the school said the aging councillor has been dodging enquires regarding another batch of 35 cement bags meant for the fledgling school.
According to the chairperson of Kahunikwa school board, Vincent Siliye, the schools have been awaiting a response from the regional council after they were told that transport was being arranged for delivery of the cement from government stores, where the cement was kept.
They were, however, surprised to later learn that the donation would no longer be given to schools, but to the community. “When Ohorongo came here, they donated 70 bags to the Kongola Constituency. The councillor told us that we will be given 35 bags and the other 35 bags would go to Kayuwo. The announcement was even made on NBC radio.
“We also saw our names on the list of beneficiaries, but when we enquired from the councillor after waiting for so long, we were told the cement would no longer be given to schools, but to the community,” Siliye said.
Siliye made further enquiries at the Office of the Regional Governor, and says he was surprised to hear that Governor Lawrence Sampofu was not aware there were any changes regarding the beneficiaries.
In an apparently botched cover-up Siliye claims Muluti – perhaps under pressure to hand over the donation – called him to say the cement was on its way. However, it turned out that the cement delivered shortly thereafter was hurriedly bought from Bargain Building Supplies, a hardware store in Katima Mulilo.
“He called me back, saying he is bringing the cement. I was not at the village at the time, but found 30 cement bags when I arrived. The cement I found was bought from Bargain Building Supplies and is not from Ohorongo,” Siliye said.
This reporter was shown an invoice for 30 cement bags from Bargain Building Supplies, which strongly suggest there was an attempt to cover up the issue of the “missing” cement from Ohorongo.
Siliye further noted the school was irked by the fact Muluti never contacted the principal, the chairperson of the school board, or the Constituency Development Committee (CDC) regarding any changes and this fanned suspicions that the bags of cement were diverted to his private residence, where he is reportedly building a guesthouse.
“We want to know which community this cement was given to. When these so-called changes came, he never contacted us. We even heard rumours that he is building a guesthouse. We want to know where our cement is. We don’t want this cement from Bargain Building Supplies, which is not even equal [in quality] to the cement donated. We want cement from Ohorongo,” Siliye demanded.
The Principal of Kayuwo Primary School, Kahundu Liyemisa, echoed similar concerns, noting that Muluti has been dodging her phone calls regarding the donation.
“We never received the [Ohorongo] cement, even though we were on the list. We have gone to the constituency office to find out, but we never find him there. I’ve tried calling him, but he never answers his phone,” Liyemisa said.
Over 700 bags of cement were delivered by Ohorongo Cement to the Zambezi Region and 17 beneficiaries were listed on an official letter by the Zambezi Regional Council, seen by this reporter.
In addition to schools, the beneficiaries included community projects, such as those that cater for the disabled, kindergartens, an orphanage and open markets, among others.
Kahunikwa and Kayuwo Primary schools formed part of the list of beneficiaries, in addition to Ibbu, Silumbi and Kwena, that received 30 bags each for the construction of school hostels. The cement for Kahunikwa and Kayuwo was meant for classroom floors, according to the beneficiary list.
Zambezi Regional Governor Sampofu confirmed receiving a complaint regarding the donation and noted that he also contacted Muluti, who claimed that 30 cement bags were delivered to the school and five to a project in Choi.
“Yes, indeed I received a complaint. I called Honourable Muluti and he told me he delivered 30 bags to Kahunikwa and that five more bags were taken to a project at Choi,” he said.
Contacted for comment, a defiant Muluti said he has the power to decide which beneficiary to choose, based on need, noting that he had already delivered cement to Kahunikwa Primary school.
“The councillor has to decide. That school (Kahunikwa) is even still on probation. I have already given them 30 bags for four rooms and five bags went to a project at Choi. Kayuwo has already benefited from micro-finance with N$35 000 and their cement bags were given to Kongola Khuta.
“The school board for Kayuwo came to my office and I have already explained it to them,” he said furiously, before hanging up the phone.
Muluti rubbished claims that the cement delivered at Kahunikwa was bought from Bargain Suppliers in Katima Mulilo, even after being told an invoice was shown to this reporter. He insisted such claims were mere allegations.
However, Liyemisa, the principal of Kayuwo, denied that the school got N$35 000 from the Regional Council, noting that what they got instead was N$26 000 and that the money was not enough for the intended purpose of building a temporary structure for learners.
“We were given N$26 000, which is not enough. We only managed to buy 30 bags of cement and other materials to build a temporary structure. Other materials, like poles, are not yet bought. We were hoping the donated cement would complement the little we have,” Liyemisa said.
Marketing and corporate communication manager for Ohorongo Cement Carina Snowden said the company enlisted the help of the Office of the Prime Minister to assist with the logistics in the distribution of cement to all 14 regions. They were later advised to coordinate with the offices of the regional governors to assist in identifying potential beneficiaries.