By Kamuti Muyambela
Independent member of parliament for Lumezi, Munir Zulu says he is opposed to the planned introduction of fast track courts, and that he will raise a motion to abolish the Constitutional Court, describing it as a recipe for anarchy.
Contributing to the debate on the presidential speech delivered to the first session of the 13 National Assembly by President Hakainde Hichilema, Zulu said he was opposed to the setting up of the fast track courts as announced by the President, saying the idea lacked logic and would target political cases against those of the people in power.
He said the people who will be appointed to serve on the would be courts would draw their authority from the appointing authority.
Zulu said in the same vein he would want to be given an opportunity to raise a motion to abolish the Constitutional Court, which he said was a recipe for anarchy in the county.
Zulu also said he expected to hear a clear road map from the President on youth affairs, and that as opposed to appointing an advisor on Covid-19 he would have loved if an advisor on youth affairs were appointed instead.
He said he was pleased with the appointment of people like Stanley Kakubo as Foreign Affairs minister, and even information and Media minister Chushi Kasanda “despite her having difficulties with pronouncing certain words”, however, saying they represented the youths.
On the appointment of Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane as Finance minister, Zulu said the President could have done better than appointing someone who appended their signature for the sell of Zamtel to LapGreen, further criticising the appointment of Felix Mutati as Technology minister, saying he is someone they had been hearing from their high school days.
But Solwezi East member of parliament (UPND) Alex Katakwe said he found it outrageous for his people like his Malole counterpart Robert Kalimi (PF) to suggest that civil servants should be awarded K1500 across the board as promised by President Hichilema during the campaigns, wondering how there could be spending without a budget.
He further said it was practically impossible to provide free education overnight, adding that there were many things to address including the issues of gassing and 48 houses that had not yet been resolved.
Kanchibiya member of parliament (PF) Sunday Chanda said no individual should be killed for belonging to another political party as happened to former PF North Western Province chairman Jackson Kungo.
He said it was immoral for the UPND to remain quiet over the harassment of the Kabwe mayor by UPND cadres, and the vandalism of the Kanganja Memorial site in North Western Province by UPND cadres.
He said the youths were expectant of their promised jobs, and they wanted those jobs to materialise now.
“An empty stomach has no ears…they hope the new administration will fix it by providing jobs,” said Chanda.
