Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Chairperson and Ndola’s Bwana Mkubwa Member of Parliament Warren Chisha Mwambazi has said all citizens have a moral obligation to support the fight against corruption regardless of their political affiliation.

Mr. Mwambazi said corruption is a fundamental developmental problem that must be fought at all cost.

He said corruption and bribery hurts the poor and erodes progress in society.

Mr. Mwambazi said Zambia must fight past and current corruption cases and put prevention measures against future bad Governance practices.

He said public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people by serving them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency

Mr Mwambazi said public officers must work with patriotism, justice and lead modest lives.

“Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.We all have a moral obligation to support the fight against corruption no matter which side of politics we belong to. Corruption is a fundamental development problem. It hurts the poor and erodes progress. We must fight past and current corruption and put prevention measures against future corruption. We need stiffer punishments for those who steal from the poor people.Never give solidarity to corruption. Give solidarity to the fight against corruption,” Mwambazi said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mwambazi has highlighted functions of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

He said examining the accounts of government departments and agencies to ensure that public funds are being used efficiently and effectively is a key function of PAC.

Mr. Mwambazi said PAC must scrutinise the performance of government departments and agencies in relation to the delivery of public services.

He said PAC is also instrumental in investigating cases of financial irregularities, fraud, and corruption within government departments and agencies.

“The functions of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee-PAC which I happen to be the chairperson include;Examining the accounts of government departments and agencies to ensure that public funds are being used efficiently and effectively.
Scrutinizing the performance of government departments and agencies in relation to the delivery of public services.Investigating cases of financial irregularities, fraud, and corruption within government departments and agencies,” he stated.

The Bwana Mkubwa lawmaker emphasised PAC’s role of ensuring that the government is held accountable for its use of public funds and that public services are delivered efficiently and effectively.

“Making recommendations to improve financial management and accountability within government departments and agencies.Monitoring the implementation of recommendations made by the Committee in previous reports.Engaging with stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, and the public, to gather information and views on matters within its mandate.Reporting its findings and recommendations to Parliament, and making these reports available to the public.Holding public hearings and summoning witnesses to give evidence on matters within its mandate. Ensuring that the government is held accountable for its use of public funds and that public services are delivered efficiently and effectively,” he said.

MMwambazi recently challenged public officers to adhere to the Public Finance Act and the Public procurement law to reduce audit queries that are highlighted in the Auditor General’s report annually.

Mr. Mwambazi said public resources must be utilised well for the benefit of the Zambian people.

“For us to reduce the volume of the audit queries in the auditor general’s report that entails that we become more serious with how we carry ourselves as government workers, as civil servants as controlling officers. We follow the public finance act number 1 of 2018 and the entirety of what it requires us to do. Then we are going to reduce queries in the auditor general’s report. We should desist from business as usual as government workers, as permanent secretaries. You see when we are doing procurement, when we are doing all these things we are privileged people because 18 million plus Zambians choose you as permanent secretary, it is a privilege but you need to be accountable because when you come to the Public Accounts Committee we won’t spare you,” he told journalists in Ndola recently.

Patriotic Front Vice President, Hon. Given Lubinda, has been arrested for breaching parliamentary privileges after failing to attend or adhere to parliamentary summons issued to him to appear before a committee. The arrest is connected to an offense in which the Speaker of the National Assembly found Hon. Lubinda guilty of breaching parliamentary privileges as an outsider. Lubinda has been arrested contrary to Section 11(A) of Amendment Act No. 13 of 2016, Chapter 12 of the National Assembly Act on Privileges and Absences.

The facts of the matter are that Hon. Lubinda was summoned to appear before the Committee on Privileges and Absences in December 2021 and on 14th June 2022 regarding remarks he made to condemn the Speaker’s ruling made after she expelled nine members of parliament who had lost their petition court cases. In her final ruling, the Speaker reprimanded Hon. Lubinda in absentia and closed the matter.

The Speaker’s ruling stated that it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches, print, or publish any libels reflecting on the character or proceedings of the House or its committees. The Speaker gave an example of Speaker of the National Assembly, Amusa Mwanamwambwa, who summoned Antonio Mwanza and S. Kabwata for making disparaging remarks against the House. The Committee on Privileges, Absences, and Support Services established that the duo’s utterances were disrespectful to the Speaker and amounted to an affront on his authority, which was a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.

In her ruling, the Speaker reprimanded Hon. Lubinda for his conduct at a press conference held by the Patriotic Front Party on Wednesday, 8th December 2021. At the press conference, Hon. Lubinda made contemptuous remarks that showed disrespect to the Speaker’s office and demeaned the dignity and decorum of the august House. Such conduct is unacceptable and unbefitting of Hon. Lubinda’s status as a person who served this House for a long period both as a backbencher and Hon. Minister.

The matter was referred to the Committee on Privileges, Absences, and Support Services for consideration. The Committee established that Hon. Lubinda’s remarks were a breach of parliamentary privilege and in contempt of the House. Following its finding, the Committee recommended that Hon. Lubinda be reprimanded at the Bar of the Assembly in accordance with section 28(4) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, Chapter 12 of the Laws of Zambia. The Hon. Mr. Speaker ruled in line with the recommendations of the Committee.

However, Hon. Lubinda did not comply with the summons issued to him to appear before the Committee, which resulted in his arrest. Member of the Central Committee, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba, has condemned the action, calling it an oppressive action against the opposition. He said that the abuse of archaic laws currently being used against opposition leaders was to harass and oppress leaders providing checks and balances. He further added that both the Judiciary and Parliament were not sacrosanct and that members of the public could criticize their actions. He said that this was now a democracy, and the abuse of archaic and colonial laws to punish the opposition must come to an end.

In conclusion, the arrest of Hon. Lubinda has sparked a debate on the abuse of archaic laws against the opposition. The government and the ruling party should strive to uphold democratic principles and allow for the opposition to criticize their actions without fear of arrest or persecution. It is important to note that democracy thrives on a vibrant opposition that provides checks and balances to the government.

Former Democratic Party interim President Gift Kalumba has said the manner in which the New Dawn Government manages the mining sector will be crucial as the people of Zambia decides the UPND’s fate in the 2026 General Election.

Mr. Kalumba said mining especially in the Copperbelt and North Western Provinces is directly related to the fate of the nation.

The former PF Rhokana Ward Councilor in Kitwe said he expects the UPND Government to properly manage the mining sector and ensure that the people of Zambia start benefiting meaningfully from minerals that include gold, copper and cobalt.

Mr. Kalumba warned that foreign investors come into Zambia to make money and to advance their cause.

He added that the mentality of waiting for foreign investors to run mines will never benefit the people of Zambia.

“Copperbelt mines gate is directly related to UPND fate in 2026.The fate of Copper,Cobalt,Gold and other metals in Mining is directly related to the fate of the Nation Zambia.Those who have followed me over the years will know my stand on the economics of mining in Zambia- been born, lived, benefitted and worked for mines this is a passionate personal concern.Simply put this mentality that we can only run and manage mines if they are owned by foreigners is nothing but disgrace and backward coward bully thought. We have gotten it all wrong by thinking we can make money out of the mines through taxation, appeasement of investors and lobbying. Mr President sir we must by now acknowledge and known through decades of experience and shared knowledge that mine owners so called investors don’t and did not come here to pity us – they came to make money and advance causes that lift their lot, they go all the way to have their Goal achieved just like you politicians go any way to win an election,” Mr. Kalumba said.

“If we are serious about improving our lot then we must adopt a no-nonsense money extraction approach anchored on solid economic principles. This is what I expected to be your Government pre-occupation when you got elected in 2021 but am getting rather concerned. Let sight out one or two important mines in the Copperbelt. The Nkana Mopani Mine comprising North Shaft, Mindola Sub Vertical, Central Shaft and South Ore Body (“SOB”) is expected to last another 25 years as at 1 January 2020 reports and has been operating since 1931 with the oldest operating shaft being Central Shaft. While the length of time the mining has been operating sounds amazing, taxation and a lobbying mentality have only managed to deliver bread- Crumb economic benefits to the people of Nkana and Zambia as all. Mining has simply failed to contribute to sustainable economic development and balanced growth,for a simple reason that every leader that want to lead or gets elected to lead end up been lead by big Conglomerate of Investor which eventually makes them lose track of the critical decision that they planned,” he said.

Mr. Kalumba further proposed ways he thinks can help Zambia scale up benefits from the mining sector.

“How do we come out of this sir? Among many other good reasons my view is simple.We must first understand the options of how people and country’s make money out of a mining operation. These are called “Linkages”. Let me explain.One important type of linkage is a backward linkage-the local or community purchase of inputs. These often include food and catering services, electricity, transportation services, underground water management and raw materials. In turn, the community suppliers of mining inputs purchase their own inputs, which further stimulate community economic activity if purchased within the country. In my view, this is the most practical way we can benefit from mines as a country. It is currently estimated that the Copperbelt and Northwestern provinces combined have over 10,000 small and medium sized enterprises (“SMEs” with the capacity to supply all kinds of services to the mines; Forward linkages from mining represent: downstream processing of mineral ores or concentrates, including for instance, smelting, refining, semi-fabrication, fabrication, and manufacture of products; Today we have Gold outbreak we have surgilite pandemic all these need value addition not by foreigners, by locals,” Mr. Kalumba said.

“Final-demand linkages describe the income that miners and their households spend on goods and services produced in the country (e.g., groceries, clothing, entertainment, restaurant meals); This sir is very important to your stay in office, the more people get paid they more your economy remain buoyant and liquid, the purchase power stimulates the production power which in turn creates jobs opportunities and ultimate increase your tax collection, I know you know this already am just saying maybe that is the book we must go read again. Finally, fiscal linkages embody the tax and royalty revenues the government uses to develop infrastructure such as hospitals and schools and to purchase other goods and services, the CDF and ministry expenditures. There thousands of reports that demonstrate how mine owners have used complex tax planning to evade or avoid taxes in our country,sad to note that you and your Government are now Victims of that Complex tax system you have done what failed us, by giving and giving viable mines concessionaire instead of maximize our gains, I know Government is rapidly developing capacity to counter advanced tax planning schemes but we are still far away from achieving the desired results and if are not careful we will end worse that even the time we sold of companies in privatization,” Mr Kalumba continued.

Mr. Kalumba said he was optimistic that in 2021 when people voted the UPND into power their hope and trust was not misplaced.

“In my constituency Nkana or on larger platform let me just say Kitwe we only have the next 25 years to make a lasting impact vise vie mines. Good laws that empower my people have the capacity to outlive and out-perform any well-intentioned acts of charity, leadership or promise speeches. I was optimistic that in 2021 when people voted you their hope and trust was not misplaced, the people of Copperbelt choose hope and systems over charity but like they say optimism is not soft. It is hard and must be stubborn in order to deliver results am hopeful that you will be for assertive on the mine issue this year. We have to elect to fearlessly demand our sovereign rights of proper representation rather than being reduced to recipients of charity handouts from donors and investor. That is a reality that we can no longer allow to happen on account of its catastrophic consequences on our shared humanity. Yes, the underlying dynamics are very complicated; yes, there are many political views on the matter, but we must bring all these factors together to co-create a different reality. We should inject optimism into our efforts, because as for us , optimism is a strategy with which we must face any challenge, because if we don’t believe that we can succeed at something, the only guarantee is that we will fail,” he said.