BY FRYSON CHODZI

BULUMA: Bone of contention

Today 30th September 2022, the Ombudsman has released a report on the appointment of Helen Buluma as the DCEO of NOCMA. In the report she has made several recommendations to NOCMA Board on the issue including stating that the appointment was illegal.

The question is why did the Ombudsman release the report today?

1. Either the Ombudsman is ignorant of the facts or choose to ignore them, but Buluma’s contract as DCEO at NOCMA expired sometimes in August 2022 and I have it on strong authority that she denied to renew her contract.

2. I have it also on high authority that the NOCMA and Buluma finanlized everything related to the post of DCEO

3. The President approved the Board of NOCMA decision to hire Buluma for a 4month contract as Acting CEO from September 2022 to December 2022 until her replacement is found

4. NOCMA has already advertised for the position of the CEO and the Board calculated that the process should be completed by December 2022.

With the above, the Ombudsman is nullifying a position that the holder already left. As regards to the 4 months contract, the issues that the Ombudsman raised in the report does not arise as she has been duly appointed by the board of NOCMA to oversee the transition especially during this crisis period.

That notwithstanding, the Onbudsman recommendations are to the Board of NOCMA to act especially as it relates to the current 4 months counteract.

The Board of NOCMA has choices to either terminate Buluma’s new 4 months contract immediately which they duly appointed her to and allow the chaos of the fuel crisis to take its course, or

The Board can choose to maintain Buluma until December 2022, as this 4month contract duly given and since its acting capacity, the issue of advertising does not arise.

Based on the above, what purpose does the report of the Ombudsman serve at this point especially that it’s dealing with a matter that is neither here nor there?

Paramount question is why is it that the Ombudsman who is a person that promotes human rights of the citizens takes pride in punishing people that did not cause the illegality?

For instance, Buluma was appointed by the President and ratified by the Board to the position. Was it her fault? Should she suffer the consequences of the wrong doing by the President?

Meanwhile, President Chakwera appointed Anthony Bendulo as a Deputy Director at OPC. Shall Bendulo one day wake up out of job and without pension and gratuity because President Chakwera appointed him?

As regarding Buluma’s political affiliation, I find it erroneous for the Ombudsman even to entertain such issue in her report. Political affiliation have nothing to do with one’s job, otherwise a lot of people today would not have a jobs.

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