Buluma says, what she has told the committee is just a bit of what was/is happening.
She says, ‘it’s just a lot’.
Buluma says, she used to get political pressure while at NOCMA and it hasn’t been easy for her working there.
“We got too much pressure”.
On the political pressure, Buluma says she got pressure from one Member of Parliament Ishmael Onani and his father who have been pushing to get Chipoka depot.
According to Buluma, Onani and his father wanted to get Chipoka so that they give it to one Indian company owned by one man called ‘Karan’.
“Onani and his father have been coming to the office shouting, banging tables, pushing things, pressurizing us to give them Chipoka depot. Kumatiuza kuti ‘ndife a MCP tikulamula ifeyo, ndiye mutipatse Chipoka kuti tizikwanittsa kuthandiza chipani’, koma you wonder how do you hand over a government property to somebody?”, She said.
Meanwhile, one member of the committee Mary Navicha has told the committee that some members including herself are receiving threats to leave the meeting.
This comes as there is no single MCP member present in the meeting and Joyce Chitsulo Chairperson of the Committee says she hasn’t received any apology from the absent members.
Buluma akuti panalinso mkumano wina omwe adatsogolera ndi munthu dzina lake Nyambalo Phiri yemwe adati kampani yawo inali yokonzeka kubwereka NOCMA 250 million dollars ya mafuta.
Iye wati mkuluyu adabwera ndi zikalata zokonzakonza zomwe zimangofunika kuti iye ngati mkulu wa NOCMA angosainila zomwe akuti adakana.
“I now began thinking that’s why they wanted me to still remain in my position by NOCMA board so that I should help them push for the finalization of the unlawful fuel supply contracts. I could be right or wrong but that’s what came into my mind later,” says Buluma.
In summary, she says she resigned because she could not bring on board the Chief, Eva and others to intercept the Abu Dhabi deal.
“The State President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera once told me to go and do what is right using the law. Anandiuza kuti satuma munthu ndipo wina asagwiritse ntchito dzina lawo,” says Buluma.
Buluma further tells the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament that Zamba again introduced her to a lady called Evalister Kamwangala to act as a broker between Abu Dhabi Oil Company of the United Arab Emirates for fuel supply contracts.
She says she was surprised with the development as she had earlier been linked to be talking to the foreign company’s CEO.
Buluma adds she got suspicious of the motives as this deal was now having at least four brokers.
She tells PAC that this was a strange arrangement as what she knew was that the deal was supposed to be government to government and not otherwise.
“I was asked to travel to Dubai to meet Evalister for certain things I needed to sign. When I searched about Eva on LinkedIn, I noted Eva is a motivation speaker. I advised madam chair {Zamba} that I should not travel and I insisted we needed to follow right procedures,” explains Buluma.
Buluma recalls that someday Zamba called her to some emergency meeting where she greeted her as Mrs Buluma and not Nantchathu.
“I knew that all was not well. I was accused of contributing to the fuel crisis because of my delays to go with her recommendations. I was introduced to a company called GY and Sons which they said was ready to supply fuel and would pay in kwachas,” says Buluma.
She adds a meeting at the treasury had some strange faces discussing fuel supply.
What shocked me was the talk of how they were going to share profits.
“I later asked Mr. Henry Kachaje, {the MERA CEO} who was in the meeting to understand the profits sharing talk. He told me he did not understand it also despite being in the meeting earlier before me,” says Buluma.
Buluma further tells the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament that Zamba again introduced her to a lady called Evalister Kamwangala to act as a broker between Abu Dhabi Oil Company of the United Arab Emirates for fuel supply contracts.
She says she was surprised with the development as she had earlier been linked to be talking to the foreign company’s CEO.
Buluma adds she got suspicious of the motives as this deal was now having at least four brokers.
She tells PAC that this was a strange arrangement as what she knew was that the deal was supposed to be government to government and not otherwise.
“I was asked to travel to Dubai to meet Evalister for certain things I needed to sign. When I searched about Eva on LinkedIn, I noted Eva is a motivation speaker. I advised madam chair {Zamba} that I should not travel and I insisted we needed to follow right procedures,” explains Buluma.
The former NOCMA acting CEO, Hellen Buluma says NOCMA board chairperson, Collen Zamba told her there was someone called Chief who would want to work with the company.
She tells PAC that the Chief, whom she concluded was from Nigeria, had told her that she had discussed everything with Zamba and what remained was her {Buluma’s} signature.
Buluma says she told Zamba that this was not proper and that they needed to follow all the necessary procurement procedures.
She says Zamba kept pushing her to accept the Chief’s proposal.
Buluma adds Zamba also introduced her to some South African company Iconic Venture on the same issues of fuel supply contracts.
Hellen Buluma says Zamba complained to her that Evalister and others “amati akuvuta zomwe zikuchedwetsa zinthu.”
“I was not surprised because anthu ambiri amandiona choncho because I want things done following procedures and be within the law,” keeps explaining Buluma.
The former NOCMA acting CEO, Hellen Buluma says NOCMA board chairperson, Collen Zamba told her there was someone called Chief who would want to work with the company.
She tells PAC that the Chief, whom she concluded was from Nigeria, had told her that she had discussed everything with Zamba and what remained was her {Buluma’s} signature.
Buluma says she told Zamba that this was not proper and that they needed to follow all the necessary procurement procedures.
She says Zamba kept pushing her to accept the Chief’s proposal.
Buluma adds Zamba also introduced her to some South African company Iconic Venture on the same issues of fuel supply
Buluma says until to date she has not yet made any handovers even after her resignation as NOCMA Acting Chief Executive Officer.
She tells the parliamentary committee that working for NOCMA has been both a pleasure and a pain to her.
She says this is so because some people mainly politicians think there is more money at the company for their kickbacks.
Buluma tells the Public Appointments Committee-PAC that Zamba told her to stay put at NOCMA despite her readiness to leave following the Ombudman’s recommendation.
She has read out a Whatsapp conversation she says she shared with Zamba the time she was outside the country.
Buluma adds Zamba told her to ignore the Ombudsman’s report as the duty of firing her was in the hands of the employer.