By Isaac Zulu
Lunte member of parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya has charged that the UPND administration and Minister of Finance Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane are violating the Republican Constitution by failing to submit the 2022 financial report to the Auditor General on time.
Rising on matter of urgent public importance in Parliament, Kafwaya, who is also Patriot Front presidential aspirant, said that violating the Republican Constitution casts dark light on the government and its people.
He said that, according to the Constitutional provisions, the Minister of Finance is supposed to submit the 2022 financial report to the Auditor General at the end of June, which would then enable the office to compile an Audit Report; which should also be tabled before Parliament in September.
“When a government embarks on an expedition to violate the Constitution, then just know that you are not moving on the right trajectory,” said Kafwaya. “When a government embarks on an expedition to violate the Constitution, it casts dark light on government and its people. Is the Minister of Finance in order to circumvent the Constitution?”
But deputy Speaker of National Assembly Attractor Chisangano advised Kafwaya to put his question in writing so that it can be debated and addressed by members of parliament in the House.
And Shiwang’andu member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo described the rampant illegal mining activities going on in the country as umulembwe wacipuba upwila mulitumfwe (the okra being prepared by a fool finishes sampling before it is ready for a meal).
Kampyongo, who is also Opposition Whip in Parliament, bemoaned the rampant illegal mining activities currently going on in the country, and wanted to know “what systems” government has put in place to curb the vice.
He pointed out that the country’s mineral resources are being looted indiscriminately while government is watching.
“Umulembwe wacipuba upwila mulitumfwe. (Okra being prepared by a fool finishes by sampling before it is even ready for a meal),” said Kampyongo.
But acting Minister of Mines Elvis Nkandu, who is also Kaputa member of parliament, said that the UPND administration has put in place mechanism s that would ensure that there is monitoring in the issuance of mining licences and exploration as well as mining activities.
“We now have the cadaster system at the Ministry of Mines and we have intensified monitoring mechanisms because now we have very serious inspectors. We want to correct things. We are in a transformative mode,” said Nkandu.
And Muchinga member of parliament Emmanuel Banda has about 2000 workers at some manganese mining companies in Serenje district are at the verge of losing jobs due to ZESCO Limited’s intention to cut power supply to some smelting plants in the area, at the end of July; and asked if government is aware that this is what is prevailing on the ground.
In response, Lands minister Elijah Muchima said that government is not aware of that, but was quick to say that the Rural Electrification Authority is scaling up the electrification of rural areas in order to promote and enhance investment in rural communities.
Muchima advised and encouraged the owners of manganese mining companies in Serenje to engage management at ZESCO Limited over the impending power cut to their smelting plants, so that they protect their businesses and safeguard jobs.
“It is not government’s responsibility to negotiate on their behalf,” said Muchima.
