Kitwe’s Patriotic Front (PF) Chimwemwe Member of Parliament Allen Banda is shocked that a company from outside the Constituency has been allowed to supply school desks using Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr Banda on Monday handed over 150 desks to Kapoto School in Chimwemwe’s Kamatipa Ward which were procured using the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
The Chimwemwe MP said he was concerned that the desks were not sourced or procured locally as per CDF guidelines that seek to empower local entrepreneurs in the constituency.
The New Dawn government especially President Hichilema Hichilema has been insisting that local people within a constituency should be prioritised when it comes to the utilisation of CDF.
Mr Banda said he was concerned that the 150 desks were not locally made but instead were sourced and procured from some hardware shop in the Kitwe Town Centre without the involvement of local suppliers or contractors.
The Lawmaker said he expected the desks to be made by the people of Chimwemwe Constituency because that was the focal point for the new CDF guidelines which are aimed at empowering the locals.
Mr Banda said as Member of Parliament he has a duty to ensure that CDF money remains in Chimwemwe to empower the people who have formed companies and cooperatives.
He urged members of the community in Chimwemwe to form cooperatives and start benefiting from the increased CDF allocation countrywide.
“As Chimwemwe Member of Parliament I will ensure that the people of Chimwemwe are the ones benefitting from the Constituency Development Funds for Chimwemwe. Fellow Chimwemwe Residents, yesterday (Monday) we handed over 150 desks to Kapoto School in Chimwemwe’s Kamatipa Ward which were procured using the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).As area Member of Parliament, I was however, concerned that the desks were not sourced or procured locally as per guidelines that seek to empower local enterprenures in the constituency,” Mr. Banda said.
“I am deeply concerned that the 150 desks were not locally made but instead were sourced and procured from some hardware in town without the involvement of local suppliers and contaractors.We expected the desks to be made by the people of Chimwemwe Constituency because that was the focal point for the new CDF guidelines which are aimed at empowering the locals.My job as area Member of Parliament is to ensure that CDF money remains in Chimwemwe to empower the people who have formed companies and cooperatives within the area,” he stated.
Mr. Banda pledged to engage Kitwe City Council to ensure non Chimwemwe businesses always partner with local business so that local people can also benefit from CDF.
“We also continue to urge members of the community to form coperatives and start benefiting from the increased CDF countrywide.We will also engage the local authority to ensure non Chimwemwe businesses always partner with local business so that they can also benefit from CDF.I am also urging all the residents of Chimwemwe to get involved in the administration of CDF by submitting your areas of need to your zonal leaders onward submission to WDCs,” Mr. Banda said.
There has been increased public interest in the disbursing, utilization and management of CDF after the New Dawn Government increased the allocation to K 25.7 million per constituency.
Deal with the person/s who signed the contract to buy desks outside the constituency. CDF I’m afraid will prove to be another trap for corruption especially in constituencies held by the opposition MPs. BMW wants to show the gullible public that he’s fighting corruption whilst not.
MP hands over desks to a school. MP says he is concerned that the desks were sourced outside the constituency.
MP encourages people within community to form companies and cooperatives so they can benefit.
Headline: MP incensed by procurement of desks outside his constituency.
This is EXACTLY what we are expecting MPs to doing………Fight for your people in their constituencies to ensure they benefit from Government plans.Similarly setiment expressed yesterday by Ndola’s Bwana Mkubwa Independent Member of Parliament Warren Chisha Mwambazi.
Mr. Allen Banda, doesnt matter that you are PF, you have all the SUPPORT in this cause, and other PF MPs should take this as an example, and NOT wasting time parading before Police Station in support of the well-known and suspected Pompwees !
If this was in southern, the tribal supremacists would have been up in arms vomiting tribal accusations all week on LT…………
useless gang of doom merchants………
If that is the picture, he seems to be celebrating.
Restricting procurements to constituency will just limit competition, promote mediocrity and promote monopolies. That’s against the principles of business. What if those in the constituency where offering lower quality products at twice the price?
But where was this mp banda when the procurement happened? Is it that his firm was not given the opportunity?
The desks maybe were cheaper than those produced locally. In as much as we encourage local production if they cost more than others then local producers will lose out. After all this is taxpayers money and it has to be utilized prudently.
if the desks were sourced from a Zambian supplier what’s the problem.
The school was clearly seeking the best deal.
If desk were not obtained and they kept waiting for a local supplier, the detractors would be saying, “the education policy is failing, children have to sit on the floor”