SOME of the allegations surrounding the ongoing investigations at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) have turned out to be nothing more than social media speculation, law enforcement agencies have revealed.
In a joint press briefing this morning, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and Zambia Police said while serious corruption and theft cases are being prosecuted, a number of claims against senior ZAMMSA officials could not be proven.
The three agencies said parts of the public chatter accused senior officials of hiding business links to pharmacies that allegedly supplied medicines to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA).
But after checking, investigators found that some of those specific claims had no evidence behind them.
“You may wish to know that some allegations with regard to ZAMMSA senior officials or conflict of interest were extracted from social media postings, which some of them could not be substantiated,” said ACC director general Daphne Chabu.
“Whilst the Commission values the role informers and whistleblowers play in the fight against corruption, it is imperative that information provided is cross checked to avoid misleading the members of the public.”
Chabu said Investigators gave examples and confirmed that pharmacist Kennedy Lambwe Saini did serve on the ZAMMSA Board and its committees and is a director and shareholder of Sylkay Pharmacy with Sylvia Chikula Saini.
However, Sylkay has never supplied medicines or medical supplies to ZAMMSA and does not hold the pharmaceutical licence required to do so.
She said investigators also found that the ZAMMSA Act does not require board members to declare what they own when they join, but does require them to declare any interest if a matter touching that interest comes before the board.
The ACC boss further said a separate claim that a “Monica Banda” once worked at Sylkay and later served as a ZAMMSA inventory officer was found to be false.
In another case, the ACC said Chisotwa Muyembe is both a Ministry of Health District Surveillance Officer in Kafue and a shareholder/director in OMC Pharmacy, but ministry guidelines do not ban civil servants from owning pharmacies but they are simply discouraged from supplying to ZAMMSA and OMC has not supplied to ZAMMSA since its 2024 incorporation.
The agencies stressed that unproven social-media claims do not cancel out the serious problems uncovered at ZAMMSA.
A forensic audit earlier found breaches in procurement and systematic theft and diversion of medicines to private outlets, prompting intensified investigations under section 28 of the Anti-Corruption Act on conflicts of interest.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, August 27, 2025
