Maravi

Govt has no money to guarantee social, economic rights for citizens, says Mukuma

COMMENT - No money, and apparently no ideas either.

Govt has no money to guarantee social, economic rights for citizens, says Mukuma
Written by Katwishi Bwalya
Friday, February 20, 2009 6:31:38 PM

LANDS minister Ronald Mukuma yesterday told the human rights committee of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) that the government has no money at all times to guarantee economic and social rights for its citizens.

During the on-going sittings, Mukuma cautioned the members of the committee to first look at government ability to provide before agreeing to some clauses in the bill of rights.

"We are putting a clause which is obvious that the state should provide all these things. Let's not forget that these economic and social rights depend on factors, which are not on control of government. I don't agree with some of these clauses," Mukuma said. "The state, government has no money, resources all the time to provide for these social and economic rights of its citizens. We have little resources that need to be distributed. "

But one of the commissioners, Godfridah Sumaili said Zambia was not bankrupt to fail to provide social and economic rights to its citizens.

"There is so much resources so government should show commitment that these economic and social rights are made available," Sumaili said.

Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo said the government should allocate money in the budget to provide social and economic rights.

"Any government is capable of showing commitment towards the provision of social and economic rights through budgetary allocation," Nkombo said.

He said it was unacceptable for the government to claim that they had no money.

"It is not acceptable to say that government has no resources. There should be budgetary allocation to ensure the provision of these rights," Nkombo said.

However, the committee decided to adopt the progressive realisation of the economic and social rights.

Tourism minister Catherine Namugala asked members to maintain a clause that would not compel the government to act when there was no money.

The committee adopted a clause that would give government the responsibility to show that they had no resources available for the provision of social and economic rights.

The committee also adopted a clause that would compel the government to take measures, including affirmative action programmes designed to benefit disadvantaged persons or groups.

Labels: CONSTITUTION, NCC, RONALD MUKUMA, SITTIGHTLEADERSHIP

posted by MrK @ 6:32 PM