Friday, March 29, 2024

Government to create enabling environment to provide housing for all Zambians-Chenda

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Agriculture and Livestock Minister Emmanuel Chenda
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Emmanuel Chenda

Government has embarked on a programme to review the national housing policy to promote public private partnerships (PPPs) that will offset the over two million housing deficit the country was currently facing.

Local Government and housing minister Emmanuel Chenda said Government wanted to create an enabling environment that would provide housing for all Zambians including the poor.

He was responding to a question for oral answer raised by Lubansenshi MP Patrick Mucheleka who wanted to ask the Minister of Local Government and Housing what the housing stock deficit and what mechanisms Government had put in place to reduce the deficit.

Mr Chenda said Government was doing everything possible to expedite the process of improving the housing deficit in Zambia.

Low cost houses in Zambia were accounting for a 70 percent shortage which was about 1.4 million units while medium cost houses were at 25 percent or 500,000 housing units with the high cost housing deficit being 100,000 representing five percent.

Home affairs deputy minister Steven Kampyongo said Government had set aside K4m to build a referral hospital in Chainama area in Lusaka.

He was responding to a quesry by Bwacha PF MP Sydney Mushanga who wanted to know if Government had any plans to construct a clinic at Mukobeko maximum prison and other prisons countrywide.

Earlier the House heard that Government had so far paid K526,657.16 for outstanding retirement benefits owed to civil servants who retired in 1997 and 1998 following a court ruling in their favour.

Justice deputy minister Keith Mukata said some other cases were due to be heard by various courts.

Mr Mukata was responding to a question by Kaoma central UPND MP Carlos Antonio who wanted to know when the retirement benefits for the former civil servants would be paid.

Tourism and environment deputy minister Lawrence Evans said Government had no plans to degazette part of Lukusudzi national park in Mwase-Mphangwe and Chikomeni chiefdoms to create more land for the growing population.

The response came in the wake of a question for oral answer raised by Lumezi MMD MP Isaac Banda who wanted to find out if Government had any plans to degazette that park.

The park was protected as it formed the trans-frontier boundary between Zambia and Malawi.

Meanwhile deputy speaker of the House Mkhondo Lungu reserved ruling on a point of order raised by Mazabuka central UPND MP Gary Nkombo on whether some PF MPs were in order to threaten to block the 2015 national budget if Justice and defence minister Edgar Lungu was not adopted PF presidential candidate.

In a signed statement, the MPs said they would block the budget but Mr Nkombo contended that the threats were a breach of the Constitution by derailing the process they were elected to perform in the House.

Mr Lungu said that since Mr Nkombo had touched on part three of the Constitution, he would reserve ruling to another day.

And contributing to the motion on the 2015 national budget, Chipangali MP Vincent Mwale urged Government to ensure the independence of the Auditor General’s office.

Despite Auditor General Anna Chifungula and her team having performed exemplary, it was important to enhance the independence of that office for it to perform even better.

Mr Mwale, who is also Public Accounts Committee chairperson said Government should also ensure stern action was taken against abusers of the financial regulations as well as change the Public Finance Act.

It was sad that K3.2m representing 15percent of last year’s budget was being queried by the Auditor General’s office.

Chembe MMD MP Mwansa Mbulakulima extolled Ms Chifungula and her team for the hard work and urged Government to ensure independence of the Auditor General’s office.

Acting leader of Government business Yamfwa Mukanga said Government had set aside K101m to employ 42 auditors in 2015 to enhance the work of the Auditor General’s office.

The estimates of expenditure for Auditor General, Public Service Commission and Cabinet office.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Has someone like me noticed that the UPND are supporting Guy Scott?

    First it was that Mweetwa attacking Namugala. Now its Nkombo attacking the 70 PF MPs.

    And where is HH in this? UPND always shooting itself in the feet!

  2. We really have issues with prioritizing as a nation. Why build a referral hospital at Chinama? When we all know that UTH is not being fully utilized for this purpose for a number of known reasons again. Just in case bwana minister you are lost with the argument. Here are some of the issues which needs to be addressed;
    1. need for more specialized medical staff to conduct specialized services
    2. Improve the medical technology to aid specialist make proper informed decision i.e. diagnosis, treatment, surgical operations, imaging and others
    3. improve referral system
    4. Invest in monitoring and Evaluation

  3. Chenda, You now announce about houses….
    All this time where were you?
    Now the axe is going to fall on all the Ministers,they are pretending to work all of a sudden.
    We are watching!!!

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