The claim circulating on social media is straightforward: Gospel Kazako, Joab Chakhaza, Luke Tembo, and Gabriel Kamlomo personally received K500 million from a Ministry of Water and Sanitation media contract. The allegation is false.

Targeted: Gospel Kazako

Official records show the following:

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The procurement was openly advertised by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority. Bids were opened publicly and evaluated in full compliance with the PPDA Act. CG Communications, established in 1999, submitted the lowest evaluated responsive bid at K 485, 526,810.00 and was awarded the contract. Several competing bids exceeded K1 billion.

The contract required production of 36 television and radio documentaries, jingles, and promotional materials on water, sanitation, and hygiene projects. Of the total contract value, K402 million--83 percent--was allocated exclusively to airtime payments to be made directly to community radio stations and national broadcasters. Only a 30 percent advance was disbursed; the Ministry of Water have not yet paid the full value of the Contract.

The individuals named in the allegations appeared in the technical proposal as proposed experts: Kazako for media policy, Chakhaza for strategic communications, Kamlomo for scriptwriting, and Tembo for video production. Listing proposed personnel is a standard and mandatory requirement in public tenders; it does not constitute payment to those individuals.

No document--contract, payment voucher, or letter--shows that Kazako, Chakhaza, Tembo, Kamlomo, or any other individual received K500 million or any similar amount.

Sources familiar with the process state that the campaign originates from disappointed bidders and political interests seeking to damage the reputations of the named professionals.

The procurement was transparent, competitive, and lawful. The only irregularity is the fabricated narrative now being circulated.