PARLIAMENT yesterday adjourned sine die with Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba calling on opposition Members of Parliament to stop being antagonistic with Government but work together for the betterment of the country.
Mr Kabimba contributing to the suspension of Standing orders 20 and 21 (1) and 101 to enable the House to adjourn said it was of no benefit to the nation for opposition MPs to constantly take an aggressive stance against Government at the expense of forging a partnership that would bring sustainable growth.
“We are in a partnership to develop the country and so there is no need for our colleagues in the opposition to continue with such aggression against the Government.
“The Zambian people spoke and they have vested their power in the Patriotic Front. The people of Zambia spoke whether wrongfully or rightly, they spoke. The time will come in 2016,” Mr Kabimba said.
He urged the opposition bench to take advantage of President Michael Sata’s call for an all-inclusive administration and work with the Government to bring about development in the country.
[pullquote]“The Zambian people spoke and they have vested their power in the Patriotic Front. The people of Zambia spoke whether wrongfully or rightly, they spoke. The time will come in 2016,” Mr Kabimba said.[/pullquote]
He said the voting pattern that had seen the PF record victories in recent by-elections was another litmus test of its popularity.
“It will not help us to cry to the high heavens instead of working together. This is the first time that development is criss-crossing the country and this is the first time to have a leader who promotes unity in the country and we will continue to bring development,” he said.
In moving the motion, Vice President Guy Scott appealed to MPs during the recess, to undertake various assessments of developmental projects being undertaken in their Constituencies and maintain constant communication with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under his office.
He said as part of their duty, the Parliamentarians should ensure among others that the distribution of farming inputs reached the vulnerable groups and also to provide checks on the progress of developmental programmes.
He thanked the Speaker, Patrick Matibini for the guidance provided during the second session of the 11th National Assembly and the Parliamentarians for having conducted business in a sober manner.
Dr Scott also refuted allegations that President Sata was parading traditional rulers during campaigns as a way to gain more votes for PF candidates contesting in by-elections.
[pullquote]Dr Scott also refuted allegations that President Sata was parading traditional rulers during campaigns as a way to gain more votes for PF candidates contesting in by-elections.[/pullquote]
He told the House that traditional leaders were part of a partnership any sitting government and were merely there to help with the development process, whether met in private or at a public forum.
And the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson, Vincent Mwale told the House that there was need to act on revelations of misuse of public funds reflected in the Auditor General Anna Chifungula’s annual reports.
Mr Mwale who is MMD Chipangali MP, said this when he moved a motion on the adoption of a report by his Committee to adopt the report of the Auditor General on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies for the year ended December 31, 2011.
He said the report had reflected serious irregularities ranging from misuse of funds to failure to provide financial statements for audit purposes and that such issues required the attention of investigative wings to probe the irregularities in public institutions.
Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda said the PAC was a helpful institution to the Government and that its recommendations would receive the seriousness it deserved.
“Government is taking serious steps to address the issues that have been raised by Your Committee Mr Speaker and we shall take appropriate action,” Mr Chikwanda said.
Parliament would resume sitting in September this year in readiness of the presentation of the 2014 National Budget.
Inclusive as used by PF and Sata means joining cabinet, so tell me bwana how many ministers are going to have if all the opposition joins you?
to hell with red mouth kabimba
You cant work with your onw eg the GL, how are you going to work with HH and Nervous Mumba? Wolf in sheap skin!
It takes two to tango. If you do not respect our MPS and their party presidents, know that you are stepping on the toes of potential supporters for your govt programmes. Being in govt you gain a lot by showing some shade of respect for the opposition. Working with govt does not mean denying a voice and vote in parliament to Zambians who voted for opposition. That is what your party and government are doing. Some people voted opposition because they wanted ideas not in the PF manifesto & its leaders to be heard and voted for in parliament. You shut those ideas from parliament by weakening the opposition using state machinery and tax payers money at your disposal. That is the tragedy Zambia has found itself in today, Hon. Kabimba, SC, Min. of Justice.
The Deputy Ministers are not members of Cabinet though they become dual members of the Executive and the Legislature. They become surbodinate to Cabinet Ministers and loyal to the President of the ruling party. They invariably start towing the line of the ruling party and NOT the party that sponsored them. The party president of the opposition party they belong to loses his/her control over them. Those who voted for them on lines of the sponsoring party automatically lose representation in parliament. Those MPs cannot vote against a motion supported by their new boss, the President of the ruling party. Coz voters do not understand the trickery they will still vote for them in by-election thinking they will continue serving their partisan interests & even more that they now report to HE.
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