By Isaac Zulu
Shiwang’andu member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo today confronted Vice-President Mutale Nalumango over the contraction of audit private firms linked to President Hakainde Hichilema to audit public institutions.
Kampyongo, during the question and answer session asked Vice-President Nalumango why the UPND administration has opted to contract PriceWaterhouse and Grand Thornton, which are private audit firms, to audit public institutions instead of leaving that responsibility to the office of the Auditor General.
Kampyongo, who is also the Opposition Whip in Parliament, had earlier explained that “auditing of public institutions is a Constitutional matter,” and questioned the motive behind the contracting private audit firms PriceWaterhouse and Grand Thornton, in which he said the finance minister (Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane) is a shareholder.
But the Vice President said that the Auditor General has authority to contract or sub-contractor private firms to audit public institutions, saying this is provided for in the law.
“Therefore the UPND government is not in breach of any by contracting private audit firms to audit public institutions. And from what I know, these audit reports that will be compiled by private audit firms will be submitted to the office of the Auditor General for further scrutiny. It is normal to sub contract, provided it done lawfully and laid down procedure is followed,” Nalumango said.
And Nalumango has dispelled assertions that there is fuel shortage in the country.
The Vice President was responding to Lundazi member of parliament Brenda Nyirenda who said that there is a shortage of fuel in her Constituency and this has prompted motorists to spend nights at filling stations, waiting for the commodity.
In response Nalumango said that the “country has enough fuel stocks and there is no fuel shortage in the country at the moment, as being portrayed.”
“And we should not exaggerate issues by saying that motorists are spending nights at filling stations. You know what I mean Honourable for Lundazi,” said Nalumango.
Speaking during the same session, Nalumango clarified that the UPND government is giving six bags of fertiliser to each farmer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and not eight per person, as being said by people in certain Constituencies.
She was responding to Mkushi North member of parliament Christopher Chibuye who said that during his recent visit to Mkushi district, President Hakainde Hichilema told residents in the area that the UPND government will give eight bags of subsidised fertiliser per farmer and not six, which they previously used to get.
The Vice President said that it is either the Head of State was being misquoted or it was just a slip of the tongue.
She explained that at no time has the UPND administration assured farmers that they will be given eight bags of subsidized fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Nalumango said that “the Mkushi North member of parliament probably was not even present when the President visited his Constituency.”
Nalumango also urged Parliamentarians should help explain government agriculture policy to the electorate in their respective Constituencies.
