Government has clarified that the K2 million allocated towards consultations on whether Zambia should leave or remain a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is from the 2017 national budget.
Justice Minister Given Lubinda says the money is part of the allocation approved by Parliament in the contingency budget, which is money set aside to cover unexpected costs.
Mr. Lubinda says those questioning the source of the K2 million do not understand the budgeting process.
Given Lubinda 2In an interview with QTV News by telephone, Mr. Lubinda says anyone who understands this process would have known that the K2 million could only have come from the contingency budget.
Mr. Lubinda states that this is in fact the purpose of a contingency budget that monies in the national budget are reserved for expenditure on unforeseen costs to government.
He adds that those arguing that the K2 million is an unplanned expenditure should also understand that it was not possible for government to plan for something it did not foresee.
Mr. Lubinda says the issue on whether Zambia should pull out from the ICC or not only came up in January and therefore could not have been considered in the 2017 national budget that was planned in October.
Meanwhile, the Non Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has said that it is deeply saddened by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s decision to spend K2 million aimed at consulting “Zambians” as to whether the country should pull out of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement released to the media and signed by the chairperson Sara Longwe, NGOCC said that the allocation of the K2 million by the Government is irresponsible and a clear sign of the depth of detachment by the PF from the people that voted for them. Given the over-stretched treasury, it is irresponsible for the Government to spend on a non issue. The issue of Zambia belonging to the ICC or withdrawing cannot warrant this kind of expenditure.
“Instead of wasting these resources, the Government should instead use the K2 million as part of the resources for holding of the National Referendum to ensure that the expanded Bill of Rights are included in the amended Constitution,” read the statement.
“On behalf of the women’s movement we believe there are more pressing issues such as completing the education and health infrastructure that the Government should focus on other than chasing the wind on issues to do with the ICC. In any case why is the Government now reconsidering the country’s affiliation to the ICC? The ongoing consultation is ill advised and a sheer waste of the merger resources.”
“We therefore expect President Edgar Lungu to immediately halt this exercise and channel the K2 million to more needy areas,” concluded the statement.
What is so contingent about leaving the ICC? What is so unforseen about leaving the ICC?
So PF had this plan before, lungu has been trying to escape from justice ever since he stole the presidency
I thought that should be coming from finance ministry.
Chinese whispering, a case of here
Overall, the majority are happy with the usage if that amount.
Thanks
Bb2014,16
We are not even in April, and we are already digging into contingency!
It doesn’t matter where the money came from whether from contingency or from c.u.n.ts, the fact of the matter is that this money could have been used on something reasonable – e.g UTH needs that money badly.
So this rubbish of unplanned events, is total bu.ll.***t. I don’t know whether this guy thinks Zambians are so st.u.pid to not to understand the core of the issue here OR he so d.ull, such that he is focussed on defending his government meanwhile he is missing the key point. He is just trying to divert the attention. They shouldn’t have given any money to this st.u.pity issue in the first place
Who the H..ELL is buying into this? S.H.I.T !!
This is why Lubinda got fired by Ba Sata, the Lozi colored takwaata amano. Why go about telling people that government is misusing contingency money?
How many vegetable warehouse & distribution centers can PF build from that money. State house is even importing impiripiri to michopo hozamwina for their weekend drinking sprey.
Taken Lucinda!
TAKEN LUBINDA
Less than $200,000 is what people are complaining about! That cannot buy you a decent house in Joburg.
A budget with a deficit has room for contingency. Trump has done well to reduce financial aid because it only aids these theives. There is no need to spend that money to consult just a few people using your lodges and hotels as consulting rooms. I know for sure that I will not be consulted. Just vote in parliament and move out of ICC. No Zambian was consulted when joining ICC so why now?
it actually came from treacherous funds in the budget.
SO IF IT IS CONTINGENCY THEN IT CAN BE MISUSED. IN THE ACCOUNTING WORLD WE DISCOURAGE USE OF SUCH EXPENSES FOR FEAR OF ABUSE. WHATEVER THE CASE IWE KASUSHI THAT MAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO ORPHANS DESPERATELY IN NEED OF EDUCATION.
These are reckless empty tins with no shame at all…they think if they use the word “contingency” makes them look responisible….realky laughable…these are people who wasted $200m of taxpayers funds to buy Solar Hammer Mills from China so as to reduce the price of make on the market.
*….price of maize meal…
Ya kosa bolla kuli benangu……
bo Lubinda
The Contingency could be better used on real emergencies and unforeseen real issues. Heck, a bit of that money could be used to replace theatre lights in hospitals. Zambia is the only country that is wasting time and money on fake consultations. It’s clear you’ve already made up your bloody minds to pull out. Why waste our time and money on this irrelevance. This is terribly patronising. What a charade
Up to now the useless commission of inquiry is still getting made for doing absolutely nothing!!
Mushota, always not decided on issues.
Be real.
Lungu’s govt priorities are upside down. So if the K2 m is coming from the contigency budget is ICC Withdrawal more important than giving Bursaries and loans to Students at UNZA? Education is an investment while ICC Withdrawal expenditures are consumption. Does Lubinda understand this and can he distinguish between Capital Expenditure and Recurrent Expenditures? I have my doubts. Its only Dictators who leave ICC.Lungu’s One Man Party Dictatorship Project is in shambles. Forcing the Petitioners to recognize Lungu wont work and the Petition has to be heard in Court urgently.
who decides what is contingency fund…this is why there is too much unvouched expenditure in the AG’s report!!
Useless minister!panyopako!
This is so pathetic. In a country where the president punishes his civil servants by not paying them salaries and pensions. They have money set aside for something so stup!d. Are Zambians normal people to accept and live with such mediocrity ?
These are the chaps Professor Lumumba says have the power but completely no ideas to make things better for everyone. Those with the best ideas on how to turn things around tend not to have the power to do so. The African voter also has an unusual affinity for ignorant candidates!
What contingency Bo Lubinda, this is Chiluba’s infamous slash fund, period
Lazy already has the Presidential Slush Fund!!
This is like a man who still insists on wearing a condom after making his wife pregnant, what is the use? I mean, if indeed Lungu does not want to quit the ICC, why would he waste money on an exercise clearly one in futility with a preconceived outcome? This will be like Sikota Wina, bonking Chalikulima and promising her marriage but once he knocked her up, the veteran fimi fimo chickens out!
Lubinda how about spending K2m to study how hawkers ,idlers and cheap Salaula sellers can leave Lusaka CBD to restore civility ,cleanliness and a sense of order?
Chipante pante PF…..U- turn government, lacking real foresight…. Today it’s no importation of fruits & vegetables, tomorrow is we did not foresee…. Yes always not foreseeing….
Money appears when when it benefits the pf. Meanwhile they don’t have money for starving Zambians. The pf are a bunch of evil hearted thugs. Anyway hope you have contigency plan for when the pf leaders start dropping dead because idi0ts don’t live long
This is zeyelo Lubinda who also wanted to be the president of Zambia. Very dull en vision less. Waste government ever
We told you, but you voted for PF.
And so, you shall suffer!
What kind of stupidity is this to waste money on ICC.
What is economic gain if any???
And how does it benefit the masses???
Very Dull Chap, useless this Lubinda!
My brother is currently in admission ward at UTH and the hospital has no Heparin a very important drug. We have had to go to CFB to purchase it at this holy hour. In the meantime government is spending 2million on this exercise. Shame on you politicians!!
And this man Lubinda is supposed to be among PF Govt’s best brains??
Useless boy Lubinda. it doesn’t matter where the money is coming from. this is wastage of money. one day you and your Changwa shall be made to account for it and we shall recover it from your assets in life or death
It is a useless, careless, stup1d way of spending contingency funds.
Given! You are presumed to be street wise simply because you have no university qualifications. Hospitals have no medicines, schools no electricity retirees are forgotten and you cough up 2m to burn? You need prayers
Just the other day on Muvi TV we watched a news item where Mwinilunga District hospital is facing a critical shortage of food and we have this government dishing out money on such a useless exercise when poor people are starving in hospitals. Who was the first to propose that Zambia leaves the ICC?Is this really our first priority?
Lubinda that is still our money don’t waste it…..as cabinet contribute from your pockets and spend on icc….
Because it says ‘contingency funds’ the retards interpret that Lungu can use it to purchase sex and liquor or anything that’s not in the budget.
South Afriaca left the ICC without spending a single penny and here we are dealing with a matter that adds no comparison value with the maternity ward problems at UTH.
LUBINDA please wash your ears so as to understand the difference.
This bloke is really darft!!
By the way, what else are you wasting money on??
Correction. South Africa wanted to leave and citizens objected the matter is in court.No country has left so far.Many have refused to leave and have not carried out consultations anyway
consultations are a scheme of enriching cronies.
Botswana richer than Zambia will not leave and did not consult anyone.
The once called “Za Yellow” known for his integrity in debating the careless spending of tax payers’ money in the Govt Institutions. What has gone wrong with Given Lubinda? Is it because he was broke that time? ine ani dabwisa mwe…
This govt does not have good intentions for this country. For how long has Zambia maintened the affiliation to ICC membership? How many previous govt have seen it wrong for Zambia to be a member of ICC? Why is this govt so bothered by our membership with ICC? Zambians whether PF, UPND or indeed non-partisan, please wake up and see through such evil schemes which has potential to cause criminality against Zambians knowing in their mind that they will never be held accountable. We may as a country slip into something that maybe worse than fighting colonialism or apatheid. This is our country, lets defend its welbeing
Lubinda has become very dull just for informing you where the money they are using has come from. You UPNDonkeys if ECL can just wake up in the morning announce that Zambia has pulled out of ICC how many rubbish were you going to vomit? Taking the right channel you also complain. Can we manage to hold a referendum with K2m? Even if there is money why waste it on referendum which has already failed? This is what they call budget, Health, Education etc. had been allocated their potion of money why should they be given more than what has been allocated to them? And if they do that you call them all sorts of names. What you should ask is why it is being done now? what is the reason of pulling out? If we know why then will know urgent of this matter to be done now. This what I am…
Go to UTH and maybe you will appreciate 2 million Kwacha.. ..
Mushota’s comments do not make any sense. She writes as if she is hallucinating, no objective to defend or oppose yet she is so fond of writing. Lady put yourself together other than being just a passenger here
HON. LUBINDA THIS SO CALLED SMALL MONEY WILL GET YOU INTO TROUBLE SOME DAY
Just send text messages via cabinet Sec and we shall respond accordingly