The Government will spend K322 billion on this year’s tripartite elections, Deputy Minister in the office of the vice-president Daniel Munkombwe told Parliament yesterday.
Mr Munkombwe told the House that donors were not contributing any funds for specifically holding the polls but were providing funds to support the electoral cycle 2009-2012 project, which was holistic in nature.
He was responding to an oral question by Patriotic Front (PF) Chipili Member of Parliament Davis Mwila, who wanted to know what the estimated cost of holding the 2011 elections in Zambia was, how much money the cooperating partners were expected to contribute and how much had been released as of April 2011.
“The total budget amount being made available by the donors for support to the electoral cycle 2009 to 2012 project is
US$16,371,860.05 and the total amount of money that has been released to support the project as of April 2011 is
$11,532,713.18,” Mr Munkombwe said.
In a follow-up question, Mr Mwila wondered whether all the K322 billion had been released to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), to which Vice-President George Kunda said the money was being released progressively.
He, however, said substantial amounts had been released.
On Wednesday, Mr Munkombwe also told the House that K7.4 billion was used to print the 2006 presidential election ballot papers while K9.2 billion was used for the same exercise in 2008.
He said the cost of holding the presidential polls in 2006 and 2008 was K209 billion and K218 billion, respectively.
He was responding to Kanchibiya PF MP Davies Mwango, who wanted to know how much was spent on printing ballot papers for the 2006 and 2008 presidential polls and how much ECZ spent to conduct the two elections.
Mr Mwango also wanted to know which company was engaged to print the ballot papers, to which Mr Munkombwe said Universal Printing Company Limited of South Africa undertook the project.
Meanwhile, Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba yesterday told Parliament that the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) had in its accounts as of December 2010, K3.841 trillion while Zambia National Provident Fund (ZNPF) had K437.5 billion, bringing the total amount to K4.279 trillion.
[ Times of Zambia ]
How come Chiluba’s funeral will cost the same as presidential and parliamentary elections?
So does Govt want us to donate??? Can you please tell us which Accounts???
He said the cost of holding the presidential polls in 2006 and 2008 was K209 billion and K218 billion, respectively.
The Government will spend K322 billion on this year’s tripartite elections.
2006 – K209B
2008 – K218B
2011 – A massive 104Billion Kwacha increase to 322K Billion.
I think the MMD have been scooping some cream off the top in preparation for their end of life party this year.
No matter the cost we are ready. Ready to eject this impotent and incompetenet moron Rupiah Buaffoon Banda from the throne of power he has abused. He and the whole MMD group including the primitive, ignorant chiefs from the bush in the rural areas can go to hell. This year is not yours. So how does it feel to be rejected by everyone RBB?
Well, thank God the urban population cant manage to dislodge the MMD with their little votes. We have the rural folks who will help determine your future regarding who rules zambia next. By the way, b4 yo get it from the paper that lies dipa, MMD with RB have won the 2011 elections………..Breaking News 4u
So is half of that money going into MMD pockets and home accounts????
Suppoze we just agree to have a consortium of prezidents viz RB, SATA, HH, TILYENJI, MILUPI, MIYANDA and SIKOTA(SAKI), do away with electionz and put that colossal sum of money to some meaningful use?
Quite cheape, eh?
Munkombwe is still in government!