The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has challenged Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Miles Sampa to tell the nation the real cost of the by-elections that have been held this year.
FODEP Executive Director, MacDonald Chipenzi has said that the figures Mr. Sampa gave were unacceptable.
Mr Sampa disclosed that government had so far spent K17 billion on by-elections after the K5 billion allocated was exhausted.
Mr. Chipenzi said that government should revisit their calculations and give the nation the exact figures instead of giving wrong figures.
He said that the Zambian people are tired of government officials battering them with lies. He said that people want to hear the truth and not lies.
Mr. Chipenzi said that K7 billion has so far been spent on Feira by-election alone therefore it is not justifiable for the former Finance Deputy Minister to say K17 billion has been spent on all the four by-elections held so far this year.
He said that the cost is expected to be above K20 billion.
BUFI.
Why do those women wear so much make-up?
I didn’t have to wear that much make up but I got the attention of a white man
There is no need to try so hard, serves as a warning to the ‘copycats’
I am beautiful as I am
Thanks
Mushota, white man my -*$. You are should be proud to Zambian and African.
These bye-elections are a spill – over from MMD misleadership who did not review the constitution adequately to seal any loop holes. The loop holes are herewith:
1.) Clip presidential power to appoint key government positions ESPECIALLY electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) head. All the electoral mal-practise that MMD thought they could get away with like dishing out bicycles (and YES the last minute construction of roads) would not have occured if an INDEPENDENT person was heading ECZ.
2.) If an MP wants to move to another party, that right must be accompanied by the responsibility to cover the full cost of the erection. The other alternative is to keep the constituency within the party and allow them intra-party elections at their own cost.
Please revise constitution…
@Mushota; that is a racist remark — even though you have married a white man does not mean you are NOT racist. In your mind, you believe that you are less of a human being because of your skin color, and that your spouse id better than you because of his color.
Please have a closer look at yourself and realise your beauty irrespective of your skin color.
back to the issue at hand, GRZ really needs to be more open with the electorate. We now have the internet and can look up facts. Lies will no longer work in Zambia.
BUFI!
This govt is only interested in preserving itself
Mathematics is a difficult thing ayi??? Sampa said they have spent 17M from the contingent funds and they had a 5M budget for this activity.. therefore 17M + 5M is 22M rebased. 22/4…. Average expenditure per “by- erection” is 5.5M…
@saiko matanism
awe naiwe! this simple number lines mathmatics… y axis and x axis..then you have minus Y and plus Y,, equally minus Y and plus X then you can plot you equation in anyway you like…
17billion against 5 billion = -12billion (meaning that money has to come from some else or other projects have to be cancelled or moved forward)
If the government suspends by elections due to cost, the same opposition parties pretending to be NGO’s will be up in arms saying the constitution has been broken.
@Spartan — think slowly and carefully and look at the reason and impact of by-elections. Clearly the government is out to buy MPs all in the name of running the country smoother and making decisions easier and faster. Really??
All democracies around the world have to content with opposition as a means to maintain balance in a country. If all MPs are from one party, what is to stop Parliament from suspending the constitutions, or taking away your rights, or calling for a one-party state?
Absolutely nothing.
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
#bufi
The constitution is very clear on by-elections and what ever you mean by ‘impact’ is another matter all together. I would rather have a weak opposition than a weak government. Remember opposition in Zambia means blocking what ever the government does whether good or back. They even threatened to impeach the president for over nominating ministers and for appointing panji.
My last posting was a reply to you @ [email protected]
Zambians are sick and tired of by elections.There is voter apathy no one is interested in these elections.Life is hard and people are disappointed with unfulfilled promises why can’t PF see that.Isn’t it a constitutional right to be able to live in peace,have access to good health care and education,have freedom of expression and be able to provide for ones family.Why are we only interested in the constitution right to hold by-elections.When is money going to be channeled to other places that are also constitutional.Is it possible for the citizens to take government to court? Please advise how this can be done.The Zambian people are being taken for a ride.
in as much as I hate by elections, chipenzi has exhibited his dullness here, is it mathematics or the English in the explanation he did not get….smh
5 billion from budget allocation +17billion from contingency line =????? I don’t believe Myles lied here.
What Myles said was true. So much money has been used on these by-elections at the expense of other developmental projects. Contingency funds have now become by-election funds.
@Ba Consultant read what has been written again, attributed to Chipenzi, and consult your analysis thereafter.
PAST AND PRESENT GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL.
1. UNIP(FIRST QUARTER)
From 1964 – 1974 the UNIP led government embarked on a massive infrastructure development across the whole country. Under this initiative, the government of the day built schools, health facilities, roads, houses, recreation facilities etc. Much of what we see was created and built by UNIP.
2. MMD (FIRST QUARTER) 1991- 1993.
The MMD led government created a liberalised economy system which aimed at empowering people. Under this initiative, trade was boosted, the citizenry were empowered, economically and many became overnight home owners. Some how the industry was killed also, a lot of people lost jobs this created corruption and a situation where people became dependent on tujilijili (illicit…
UNIP ruled for ten years and MMD for 3 yrs? Can we research more before exposing ourselves online?
Continued from top post.
(Ilicit brew).
3. PF ( FIRST QUARTER) 2011- 2013.
The PF led government promised that they will deliver on their campaign promises but to date, there is nothing to show for it.
The ninety days theory was nothing but a lie [bufi] the constitution making processes is dragging it’s feet but still sacking in more money.
people don’t have money in their pockets instead they are paying more money to fund bye elctions. Political persecution s and police/cader brutality has become the order of the day.
By elections bave surpassed or government priorities. Neopotism and tribalism has become a normality.
#8 this is exactly why UPND is failing the Zambians. No one believed the 90 days theory. If you did then you are a fool and that is your problem with the under five tribal party. We Zambian people have given the PF 5 yrs to gorvern this country after which we will know what to do next.
Vote them out, of course. It is clear PF has no direction or interest in making a better Zambia.
#Bufi
To the contrary. Let me educate you what is going on. These bye elections we are seeing are a cost of democracy which we must pay. PF wants by the time the constitution gets to parliament they will have the numbers to pass it. If the PF do not have the numbers in Parliament by the time the constitution gets there the document will not pass and we are back to square one spending more money and time on the document that has continued draining tax payers money for years. I would rather they spend money once and for all now when we still have it and then in future we start talking about something else.