Claim
On 9th May 2022, online media houses published numerous articles claiming that funds released for construction of universities were mismanaged during the Patriotic Front regime. Media houses such as the Patriotic Front Page, Simon Mwewa Lane TV, and Smart Eagles cited Fredrick-Jacob Titus (FJT) University in Luapula Province which received thirty-three million dollars ($33 million), and Tumpa University in Northern Province which received One hundred and twelve million dollars ($112 million). In the wake of a video making rounds of the uncompleted and unfurnished building in a deserted area, various sections of society have expressed concern about the alleged mismanagement of state resources by the previous PF regime.
Rating Justification
The claim that funds allocated for the construction of the universities across the country were mismanaged during the Patriotic Front regime is unproven.
In a statement obtained by the iVerify, Professor Nkandu Luo, who was then Minister of General Education at the time the alleged funds were allocated to the construction of universities, Professor Luo confirmed that the Ministry received a percentage of the funds allocated for Northern University in Kasama district and FJT University in Mansa district. She further explained that FJT University was not completed because the Government through the leadership of former President Edgar Lungu, scaled-down some projects due to the high debt that the country acquired.
On 17th May 2022, iVerify contacted the Ministry of Finance to clarify on the disbursement of the funds allocated to the construction of the universities, but the Ministry could not comment as the matter is still in court.
To further verify the claim, the iVerify Team contacted the Auditor General’s Office who explained that the audit of the construction of universities such as the FJT University and Tumpa University, hospitals, and other projects was still underway. Furthermore, the Auditor General’s Office stated that once the findings were concluded, the public would be notified through the Office’s website and Facebook Page.
Pending the release of the Auditor General’s findings on the issues, there is not enough evidence to verify how the funds allocated to the construction of universities and various infrastructure projects were used as there is no information in the public domain.
