The much-anticipated delivery of ambulances funded by the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has turned into a scandal as only 47 of the 156 ambulances have been delivered, despite the contract being signed in June 2023. The procurement, which was expected to be completed by June 2024, has faced significant delays, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the process.
The Ministry of Local Government awarded the contract for the purchase of the ambulances, valued at $13 million, with a delivery timeline of 16 to 20 weeks. However, nearly two years later, as of March 6, 2025, only 47 ambulances have been received. The delivery was initially expected to be completed by June 2024, but that target has yet to be met, with only sporadic deliveries of ambulances since the contract was signed.
The delivery began with an initial 11 ambulances, followed by 18 and then another 18, bringing the total to 47 delivered so far. These delays have prompted growing concerns about the competence and integrity of the procurement process. Local Government Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Nicholas Phiri, has defended the deal, dismissing concerns that the contract should have gone to a recognized franchise holder. Instead, he emphasized that the contract was awarded to local companies in line with CDF procurement guidelines, aimed at promoting local content.
However, the purchase has been flagged by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, which described the procurement as highly irregular. One of the key issues raised was that Ace Pharmaceuticals, the company contracted to deliver a portion of the ambulances, was owned by Surjit Singh Sahni, a foreign national who was recently residing in Zambia. This raised questions about the legitimacy of the contract, particularly as it breached the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) guidelines, which were outlined in Circular No. 1 (ZPPA/101/14/6) of 2023.
Further scrutiny revealed that Ace Pharmaceuticals had a dubious relationship with the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZMMSA), securing multiple supply contracts despite the company’s questionable ties. Reports suggest that Phiri, alongside representatives from Ace Pharmaceuticals, traveled to Dubai to oversee the rugged panel conversions of Toyota Landcruisers into ambulances, with features like scoop stretchers, spine boards, suction machines, patient monitors, and oxygen tanks being installed in the vehicles.
In December 2024, Local Government Minister Gary Nkombo assured Parliament that 50 ambulances would be delivered by December 31, 2024, and the remaining 106 by the final deadline of May 31, 2025. However, the promised 50 ambulances did not arrive by the end of 2024. Three months later, Phiri took journalists to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency yard to showcase the 18 ambulances that had been delivered.
As the delivery deadline looms, the time is ticking on what has become a deeply concerning and contentious issue. With just one month remaining until the final deadline of May 31, 2025, questions continue to swirl around the delayed and controversial ambulance procurement. Meanwhile, Ace Pharmaceuticals continues to enjoy unusual institutional support, prompting calls for greater scrutiny and accountability in the handling of public funds. The ambulance corruption saga is far from over, and the consequences could ripple through Zambia’s public sector procurement system for years to come.