Friday, March 29, 2024

Building a New State House is ill timed, Shocking and Absurd-UPND

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Mrs Nalumango stresses a point during the meeting
Mrs Nalumango stresses a point during the meeting
United Party for National Development (UPND) National Chairperson Mutale Nalumango has charged that the revelations given by Works and Supply Minister, Mathew Nkhuwa that the state is ready to spend over twenty million United States dollars (US$ 20 million) is not only shocking but also absurd.

Nalumango said the Minister’s claims that Statehouse can collapse anytime due to its age and current condition is extremely laughable and it exposes the PF as a plundering regime that will stop at nothing to pocket a quick buck.

She who noted that to further show that this proposed construction is entirely meant for plundering said the proponents suggest that the current Statehouse be turned into a National Museum.

Nalumango wondered that PF want to turn a collapsing building into a Museum which is a clear indication that the structure is not a death trap because if it was a death trap then it cannot be made a museum.

“A quick search on Google shows you that the White House was completed in 1812 that is 205 years ago. Of course it has gone through renovations over the years but it only remains at that; renovations. There was never a time the wealthy United States of America proposed to demolish it and build another White House, no, and the same currently serves as a Museum for the people of America. Number 10 (the official residence of the Prime Minister of UK) was completed in 1684, that is 333 years ago, still stands in its original place, occupied by the same people it was initially designed for”

“What is so wrong with our Statehouse that we want to completely abandon it already and spend colossal sums of money on an unnecessary project? Have we become rich all of a sudden? Where have we sourced US$20 million to throw down the drain? The Minister of Finance revealed some staggering figures on external debt, and the figures revealed are more than what the Kenneth Kaunda Government failed to settle before we were deemed Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)”

“One would have thought that the Government should be seen to be putting frantic efforts in offsetting our current debt crisis than be seen to be spending millions of dollars only on projects that benefit a selected few. We have an issue of shortages of drugs in our health Centers; we have bad hospital beds, dilapidated health structures and schools. We have run down prisons with no proper facilities, the priority list is endless. We have so many issues on our plate as a nation for us to be thinking of building a brand new structure costing that much money” she said

And the UPND National Chairperson has implored the PF regime to reconsider this wastage and instead consider renovations on the current building, which of course should gobble less.

“We know there is a certain hunger for plundering in the PF, but we hope that the Minister of Works and Supply could walk into UTH and see the state of beds, hospital cups and utensils, maybe and just maybe, people could have a change of heart” Nalumango said

58 COMMENTS

    • With that kind of money, we could start to industrialize, that is the future of any nation. Start with some gold/cobalt/copper/steel or something smelting plant so that you don’t have to buy back own products at five times the value when china has value added them.

    • Ma’am, while Nkuwa wants to build a new state house in Lusaka, Mulusa wants a new capital city in Ngabwe.
      We are now confused by this curse some call a humble government.

    • Nalumango reminds me that Zambia still have wise people.
      $20million they can expand the current state house, at same premises. I still think its OK to build or upgrade statehouse. Its built from bricks, build with rocks.

    • Why does it take you so long to react, I would expect an immediate reaction from the opposition. And not reacting after reading people comments on LT

    • Mutale is the only member in this tribe turned political party who understands politics. Once this tribe turned political is deregistered I propose that she becomes the president of the newly formed party .

    • Mutale Nalumango and friends approved a new statehouse during RB reign now she has flipped. That’s why i hate urgly politicians like her, they have no shame just like HaHi.

    • A good analysis by a woman of wisdom. In another media Dickson Jere, who sound like a privileged young fella and sees the world differently to the majority of the poor masses seems to be advocating for building a new State House in his ‘To build or not to build’ article. I was once at a place where I was having lunch one day and he walked in to seal a deal to purchase a house based in Long Acres for a few billions of kwachas from an Irish retired farmer, he will remember this day. He is not objectively looking at this matter in his article, he clearly has a bias and it’s clear, so I told him to clear off!

  1. Build modern classrooms in Loziland ,tar the roads in Kamwala and improve the poor looking sidewalks on Cairo road for the common man.A bigger modern statehouse for the big fish is a non starter.

  2. Comment:
    A major overhaul and rehabilitation of the existing statehouse would, in my view, be the correct decision. A brand new statehouse, like a brand new capital of Zambia, would be very distasteful, considering the parlours state of Zambia’s economy.

    • I also thought about the same, but FTJ compromised the security of our State House. That a very costly mistake by the short man.

  3. For some strange reason, this issue was presented and debated in parliament and approved on Thursday last week!!! And If my facts serve me right, UPND has like 10 or so MPs still present in Parliament.

    My question is why is the UPND leadership latching onto this story when it has hit the mainstream media? Why didn’t the MPs alert the UPND leadership about what is going on so that they can , at least look to be ahead of the game?

    Looks like the Media is a better opposition than this Under 5 reactionary party.

    My verdict. .it is ill timed, shocking and absurd for UPND to react to this story this late when they had MPs in parliament who had this information LAST WEEK!!!!

    • MMD bootlicker, you must have forgotten that UPND MPs have selectively been singled out for trying to express their frustration with Lungu’s government over the appeal. Your party PF just being devils themselves want to take advantage of the whole fiscal to pass selfish motions that only benefit them with ignoring the sufferings of millions of people who gave them the mandate, so expect a lot of selfish motions to pass while UPND MPs are on suspension. For your own information Gary Gombo hinted about PF using their absence to pass useless bills, this is sure one of them. Go to Zambia now and you will see how bad of a timing this is, suffering has increased and the economy is in no better place pretty soon electricity will go up, Lungu’s government is mute on a lot of things gone is the…

    • So you are saying PF is not fit to govern, how can they pass such a debate that is clear indication of plunder ? PF can not be trusted as a government and need UPND to stop their plunder ?

    • As usual trying to defend stupidity don’t blame upnd the whole idea of a new state house is wrong.
      This is a sign of the average zambian thinking always looking at getting new things but neglecting old ones.
      And you call Lungu humble? Where is the humility here ?
      His leadership is weak , visionless and simply pathetic.

    • Why do you condemn the supposedly late reaction only and not the substance of the real intended action. It means you concur that the intentions are bad but fail to admonish the perpetrators and misdirect your frustration to an innocent person providing guidance.

  4. A few weeks ago, a number of Chiefs visited the President and humbly asked him for a District Hospital in their area. How do they feel after hearing that the government would rather build another State House?

  5. time when government cared and held press conferences to inform it citizens of any action before it is implemented, this surely one of them catching everyone by surprise, Lungu knew about this a long time he even had a design and blueprints made without informing the citizens. I’m disgusted with such disrespect lungu is showing to the masses, you can’t just wake up one day and decide to change our history like that build a new statehouse when others including U.S and UK have kept their almost 200 years structures. You can always renovate that place

  6. MADAM HE/SHE HAS SPOKEN. HE/SHE IS NOT TOTALLY WRONG. BUT WE CAN OPEN MINDEDLY DISCUSS THIS MATTER. EVEN IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT HH WON THE ELECTIONS IN, SAY 2031, HE WILL BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE NEW STATE HOUSE. BUT IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO BUILD A NEW ONE?

  7. A Zambian built state house will not last even 20 years. It will be an eye sore. There are many examples of post independence buildings that are delapidated looking like they are 500 years old, new high court building for example. Old high court stands tall and elegant. Old parliament, now min.of defence, strong ,but next is Zambian built min.of lands, dilapidated.etc.New state house is money hole more so it will be done by Chinese. Too corrupt.

  8. This is what we call proper criticism from the upnd ,not the distraction of ZESCO infrastructure and burning of markets and courts buildings no ,please instruct you’re MPs to walk out of parliament if our government insist on this project and will support you. as Zambians. Pls talk to Mutati and will listen.

  9. First of all,we all should be ashamed that 50yrs down the lane,we still want to hold on to a structure built by whites for whites and a symbol of oppression.That place is only fit to be a museum.
    Comparisons with the UK and US are a colonial mentality and a display of ignorance.
    Do the math.Govt has spent more in maintenance and renting facilities.It doesn’t make sense anymore.
    Besides,its wrong to think that we can always justify projects using profitability models.If that were the case, we wouldn’t have built the LM stadium for example.
    As for the timing,we all know.The timing will never be right.

    • “…First of all,we all should be ashamed that 50yrs down the lane,we still want to hold on to a structure built by whites for whites …”

      Then stop wearing cloths and go back to wearing skins and no shoes….

    • Are you sure you just spoke about oppression?Pf is an oppressive govt, and you want such people to build for our future generations.

    • I agree with the new state house construction, but not this time when the country’s economic growth is almost that of population growth – which means it has no ampact on per capita GDP. The goverment can wait for two to three years until the economic growth reaches above 5 per cent. In Malawi, the old state house is in Zomba, but there is an emposing new state house in Lilongwe that even housed parliament before the Chinese buillt. Only that they must not tell Zambians that the house could collapse. They schouldn’t lies to something that the state needs, a post colonial mansion for the president.

  10. Mutale Nalumango, for the first time agree with you entirely.
    This wastage goes beyond party lines.

    Is there any chance they can make you UPND president? You’re running me off the right way

  11. Mutale Nalumango, for the first time I agree with you entirely.
    This wastage goes beyond party lines.

    Is there any chance they can make you UPND president? You’re rubbing me off the right way

  12. PF is just a criminal theft party. Mama Nalumango and others expose the visionless and corrupt Lungu and his regime.

  13. Even In The Middle East You Will Find Buildings That Were Built Way Back In The BCs. But No One Has Ever Thought Of Demolishing Them.

    Look At Egyptian Pyramids, They Are More Than 4000 Years Old, No One Has Ever Thought To Put New Ones.

    British Building In Zambia Are Even Better Than The Substandard Works That Pf Wants Their Favourite AVIC To Start Constructing That Will Collapse After 30yrs.

    Ideas For A New State House Stinks!!!

  14. iyoo mayo mwiliba dull look around in other countries before gaining political mileage in talking rubbish

  15. Maybe our president is embarrased after seeing other state houses in his travels. Being a practusing christizn from a Christian nation he is well aware that you do not covert or be jealous of what your neighbour has,
    First znd foremost be proud of zambia be proud to be a Zambian and be proud of what you own even if it is not as good as other countries. We are not indebt for the current state house.
    By the way there will also be maintenance for the new state house.

  16. Zambians, u r always play toys. PF opposed this when MMD wanted to build a new state house. Now pf is in office they want to build it. And they will. Believe me, when one day u put these tongas in office they will also pump on the idea. Tongas when they take ova will also want a new capital city, only it will be in southern province. So do not be fooled – every new govt is about grazing. Hakainde will continue to sale off the remaining parastatals, to continue lyeee. So o govts r out to eat

  17. Female UPNDonkey Nalumango, is that why you have burnt down City market the livelihood of the poor?
    If you are really genuine about saving the Usd20million, what about the destruction of infrastructure by UPNDonkeys?

  18. Its upnd burning our beloved Zambia. When police act you complain. Chimbokaila is still empty despite your HH being inhabitant.

  19. PF will never be sympathetic to the high levels of poverty in the country. The priceless advice from Nalumango Mutale will be seen as a witch hunt because Michael Sata has told them from the grave to build a new state house.

  20. We need a new State House. Its is a waste of resources. It just shows that our leaders are just interested in filling up their pockets.

    Why not use this same money to buy enough fire tenders the Councils? The Lusaka City Council us failing to put out fires on time because of lack of proper equipment.

    Then, there is also this talk relocating the capital city to Ngabwe. Then what happens with the new State House?

    PF is simply a very confused administration. Their priorities are totally misplaced and not even intended to serve the people of Zambia.

  21. No sane Zambian should listen to a terror group called upnd.this party is evil.now it has resorted to burning poor people’s property.is that a party worth blaming those who want to develop Zambia(PF)?
    The new state house is not for Edgar Lungu but for many future presidents.what is good,spending k2 million on renovating the old state house every year or simply build a new one for $20m?FOR ONCE FI UPND THINK WISELY!!YOUR TERROR ACTS HAVE DESTROYED YOUR MINDS.BUT NOTE THAT THE GOODS YOU HAVE BURNT FOR POOR ZAMBIANS WILL COST YOU DEARLY IN 2021!!!those goods you are burning are not for Edgar Lungu,but poor Zambians!!

  22. I totally agree that there is no need to build another structure. The state house should be a national symbol that should be preserved. The building can be renovated. It is time to sign a petition by all we’ll meaning zambians. And as for those destroying public property I wish they get apprehended soon and get punished to the full extent of the law.

  23. Mrs. Nalumango has lost her path to Kaputa as she thrives in the Club of “Ba Sunka Mulamu” to serve the best interests of her dear in-laws at the expense of her relatives in Kaputa. Her friend, Sarah Longwe also serves the best interests of her white in-laws.

    Besides, whose Cabinet Minister is Ba Nalumango addressing when her boss (HH) does not recognise EC Lungu’s Presidency? What a pack of hypocrites.

  24. As usual, its astounding how some ‘sane’ Zambians cannot support a $20 million expenditure on a new State House in an already resource mismanaged nation. Just a fraction of this money can be used to hire proper contractors to renovate the house at a standard that would make it last for another 100 years. The same British who built State House in 1935 built similar structures that are 3 times older than State House but still strong. It is corrupt piecemeal ‘renovations’ and maintenance that have run down the house. But I don’t for once believe we need a new one. Just as I question the spending of so much borrowed money on airports that are soon to become white elephants (Ndola, especially)

    • I don’t support the idea of building a new state house but I totally support the construction of the two new airports in Lusaka and Ndola. It is about time we had world-class airports. Is Ndola airport, in its current state worthy to be called ‘international airport?’. In some countries that is just a very small domestic airport. We should be moving with modern times

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