By Isaac Zulu
Vice President Mutale Nalumango has challenged members of parliament with information about alleged corrupt ministers to report to the investigative wings rather than being “silent whistleblowers.”
And Nalumango has said that the UPND government will not circumvent the law in the execution of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way project.
Responding to leader of opposition in the House Brian Mundubile during the Vice President’s Question Time, who said that the UPND administration has pledged that there will be transparency and accountability it the fight against corruption, but is on awarding government contracts dubiously, Nalumango said she is not aware of any government contract that has been awarded dubiously by the current regime.
Mundubile charged that the UPND administration is engaging in the cancellation of contracts on one hand, while dubiously awarding government contracts without due consideration to the aspect of transparency and accountability.
Mundubile wondered why President Hakainde Hichilema is silent on such assertions by some members of the public, “and yet he is speaking loudly about other corruption allegations.”
In response, the Vice President parried assertions that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND know that government contracts are being awarded dubiously, and yet the Head of State is silent on such assertions.
Nalumango reaffirmed the UPND administration’s commitment to fighting corruption in a transparent and accountable manner.
“The UPND government is being practical in the fight against corruption. And we will ensure that there is transparency and accountability in the fight against corruption,” said Nalumango. “And it is not the responsibility of the President to point at who is engaging in corrupt activities. And I don’t know where these assertions that the UPND is awarding government contracts dubiously.”
She challenged members of parliament with information about ministers that might be involved in the dubious awarding of government contracts to report to law enforcement agencies, “instead of being silent whistleblowers.”
And Nalumango has said that the UPND government will not circumvent the law in the execution of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way.
She was responding to Pambashe member of parliament Ronald Chitotela, who wanted to know if the UPND administration is taking care of the legal implications in the cancellation and, subsequent, awarding of the contract to work on the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way ahead of the project implementation.
“We will govern by the rule of law. If we are to change the law regarding procurement, we will bring the issue here in Parliament. That’s why we are here. We will not circumvent the law in the implementation of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way,” Vice-President said
She said that the UPND administration is speaking to its campaign promises.
This was after Lunte member of parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya said that President Hakainde Hichilema has failed to create employment for youths, and yet his government is frustrating mobile money operators who have created job opportunities for the young people.
Kafwaya charged that by raising down some mobile money booths, the UPND government was contributing to job losses in the informal sector.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has failed to create employment for youths, yet he has destroyed jobs that were created for young people by raising down the mobile money booths. And this is something he used to condemn when he was in opposition,” said Kafwaya.
In her response, Vice-President Nalumango said that the UPND administration is on course to creating jobs and is speaking to its campaign promises.
“We are aware that job creation is extremely important. And we are not only creating white collar jobs – we are creating jobs even in the private sector…in the informal sector. The UPND government is speaking to its promises,” said Nalumango.
