By Kamuti Muyambela
Katombola member of parliament (UPND) Clement Andeleki says he will report the $17 million dollars Honey Bee matter to the police for further investigations as the only thing was firing an individual but the money has not been returned to the public.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti curtailed debate on the UPND violence which the Mandevu member of parliament (PF) Christopher Shakafuswa was raising yesterday.
During his maiden speech to parliament, Andeleki said heavy penalties must be paid by those who commit corrupt practices.
He said the Honey Bee case must be investigated and perpetrators brought to book, saying he will be reporting the matter to the police as the only action that was taken was firing an individual, but the money had still not been accounted for.
He said it was regrettable that former presidentEdgar Lungu could encourage corruption through his ubomba mwibala alya mwibala phrase during a public event.
The Ministry of Health in January 2021 issued a statement saying it erroneously added the word “limited” to Honey Bee Pharmacy when it was awarding a US$17 million contract to the company for the supply and delivery of health centre kits last year.
The Ministry awarded US$17 million contract for the supply of health centre kits to a company called Honey Bee Pharmacy Limited, which did not exist at the time in June 2021.
Andeleki also proposed for the disbandment of the Constitutional Court as it has not served the purpose it was established for, saying it could cause civil strife if allowed to remain in place.
“It has been a disgraceful court,” he said.
Andeleki said the PF was a brutal and heartless regime which went on rampage closing media houses like The Post, Muvi TV and Prime TV among others, while retiring people in “PF interest” and “national interest.”
“That’s why today you are seated on the left side of the house,” Andeleki said, saying Lungu’s administration did so while pursuing a selective development agenda, including poor phone network connectivity. “My people are still climbing on trees like monkeys.”
He said the UPND will deliver free education but must be given time, saying free education was a must “only to those who can’t afford.”
Nyimba member of parliament (Independent) Menyani Zulu said the issue of talking too much about the late Jackson Kungo by those in the PF must come to an end, saying they were not doing any justice to the deceased’s family.
He said when he served as a leader in the PF he never tolerated indiscipline from party cadres in the same manner it became prevalent during Lungu’s time, saying they failed to respect late president Michael Sata’s legacy and that was why they had found themselves on the left side of the house.
Zulu said during Sata’s time development was delivered to all the parts of the country, including the Lewanika University in Western Province, which if the PF had carried on the same trajectory they could have ensured they held on to Western Province.
He said PF was voted out of power because of praise singing for the leader, arrogance and caderism.
But Shakafuwa said the statement from government that free education would be provided progressively was a betrayal to the youths, saying he wanted parliament to support his motion to compel UPND to provide free education in order to benefit the youths in the country.
Addressing President Hichilema’s address on good governance, Shakafuswa countered that his party cadres were engaging in lawlessness, including wanting to disrupt PF vice-president Given Lubinda’s briefing, going into town and Kamwala market allegedly beating and hacking people.
He said President Hichilema was talking about peaceful co-existence, but just the other day people were witnessing UPND violence against people in Lusaka.
But Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe rose on a point that Shakafuswa focus his debate on the matter at hand, which the Speaker granted saying if people were being harassed, evidence must be adduced to the house.
But Chama South member of parliament (PF) Davidson Mungandu argued that the standing orders gave members of parliament the right to debate, and Shakafuswa was raising important matters and his debate should not be curtailed.
He said it was fact that police were in town when UPND cadres were attacking people, saying it was because of the same problem of caderism that “we are on the left.”
But Speaker Mutti said Mungandu was debating his own point of order and therefore his point of order was inadmissible.
