The Social Action for Development (SAD) Executive Secretary, John Mwendapole has called on the Auditor General to investigate the budget overruns by the technical committee on the constitution which may be an indicator of misuse of funds.
Mr Mwendapole has noted that the budget investigation must be carried out with zeal to seal any financial leakages or loop holes.
He told ZANIS in a telephone that the perpetual extension of deadlines and budget overruns are an indication of poor management and leadership.
Mr Mwendapole said his organization supports government’s decision through the Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba not to allow the extension.
He also noted that the continued request for extension periods is a clear indication that the committee does not see the agency and importance of a new constitution being demanded by the Zambian people.
“We agree that their demand for an extension is outrageous as the committee has been responsible for planning and execution of the drafting process hence the perpetual extension must not be entertained,” he said.
Mr Mwendapole also said that the technical committee has on several occasions assured the Zambians that their work would be completed by June this year.
“We recommend government having given the autonomy to the committee and it is unfortunate that they have chosen to abuse the trust of government and that of the Zambian people,” said Mr Mwendapole.
Yesterday, government rejected a proposal by the constitution making process to extend the period by six months.
The committee has since been ordered to stick to the June 30, 2013 deadline.
Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba said the proposed extension to December 30, this year would have required an additional budget of 44 million Kwacha rebased in addition to the already spent 100 million Kwacha rebased.
ZANIS
Dear Editor,
change the “urges” to “urged” in your title.
Urges or ages
Did you grow up in Kabwata or something. Your English is quite bad.
@ CallBoy Lusaka, mwandini bauzenikoni ba LT vizungu vibakanga, I have said many times that these online journalists should be mindful of how they use tenses in their reporting. Their grammar is pathetic, you find where they are supposed to add ‘s’ they don’t only to include it where it is not required.
So called Technical Committee is 70% Muchinga and Luapula. They were put there to mint money. So you are just wasting your time to think that they can be investigated. Since when has the Dictator investigated his own?
ENGINEERS BUILD ROADS AND BRIDGES USING VERY DIFFICULT RESOURCES AND
STILL MEET TARGETS.
LAWYERS ON THE CONSTITUTION, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB .. ONLY THEIR BRAINS.
SURPRISING IS IT NOT.
Ba LT, aren’t you ashamed that a callboy knows English more than you do?LOL
I always believed our technical committee on the constiwtution making process has wasted a lot of national funds. I proposed that we use volunteers, who by now could have finished the process without over spending like what has happened. These technocrat were empowered to loot from national coffers and their appetite will not cease. They will for sure demand for more funds, extend more that viscious circle. Its a catch 22 for them. Yes audit them and you will definitly find glaring misuse, misapplication and misappropriation of budgeted funds. It down to their mindsets, ripping at any given chance.
I hope this is not another exercise in futility.Zambia has been making draft cnstitutions everytime a new governement comes into power.It seems like we dont really know waht we want as a people in terms what to included in the constitution.Countries like South Africa which gained its freedom much later than Zambia have one of the best costitutions on the continent and they did not make several drafts before they agreed on the final document.South Africa has over 60 million people but they did not struggle so much to make a working constitution.Zambia with just over 13 million people has been strugling with draft constitutions since 1964!! What is wrong with us Zambians.May be we should just copy and paste one the constitutions from another African country,period!!
No need of carrying out an investigation.That will be a shear waste of tax payers money by formulating a task force to look into this allegation.Mwendapole just shut up!