Maravi

PF instructs its MPs to oppose allocation towards Levy's house

PF instructs its MPs to oppose allocation towards Levy's house
By Bivan Saluseki
Monday February 19, 2007 [02:00]

OPPOSITION PF has instructed its members of parliament to oppose President Levy Mwanawasa’s budgetary allocation towards the construction of his retirement house. And party president Michael Sata yesterday said PF would soon demonstrate at the Danish Embassy over the sale of Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB) to Rabobank. Sata said the members of parliament had also been instructed to oppose both the Lusaka and Chambishi Economic Zones. Sata said the PF members of parliament would oppose the budgetary allocation because Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba’s houses should be finished before government could embark on constructing one for President Mwanawasa.

Sata said the allocation of K1 billion towards the construction of President Mwanawasa’s house was an act of desperation and panic. “Levy is panicking but I will look after him. I will still provide him with accommodation,” he said. Sata said the Ministry of Works and Supply should not divert money, which could be used to provide medicine or even complete houses for the other former presidents. He said it seemed President Mwanawasa was panicking as he could leave State House anytime hence his beginning to build a house for himself. Sata said even the K78.6 million for wildlife at State House would be opposed. “The members of parliament must stop that. KK and Chiluba should have a house now. Anyway let him go ahead, we will stop the construction of his house once in power. He will be in the queue just like his friends are. He must remain in the queue for presidential houses. He should not jump the queue,” he said.

Sata said even the whole idea of zones was nonsense and PF members of parliament would oppose it. He said it was ironical that Malaysians who had been condemned during the construction of Millennium Village and extension of Mulungushi International Conference Centre could be brought back to establish an economic zone in Lusaka. Sata said even the Chambishi zone would not be beneficial to Zambians because there were no companies owned by Zambia except the mine or those associated with the mines and owned by the Chinese.

He feared Chambishi would be flooded with many people from China once the economic zone was in place. And Sata said PF would soon demonstrate at the Dutch embassy in Lusaka where the party would handover a petition to the ambassador over its displeasure over the sale of ZNCB. Sata said PF would get the bank once in power and Rabobank Group should have that in mind.

Labels: PF, PRIVATISATION, SATA, ZNCB

posted by MrK @ 2:52 PM