Maravi

Prepare for prison, Kambwili tells government officials

Prepare for prison, Kambwili tells government officials
Written by Ernest Chanda
Saturday, March 07, 2009 10:15:52 AM

ROAN Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili on Thursday told some government officials to prepare for prison life after their political life comes to an end.

Debating the estimates of expenditure for the Human Rights Commission, Kambwili said the corruption in the current government made some officials possible future prisoners.

"...When you look at the state of our prisons today, the situation is not inspiring. According to our law, prisons are meant to reform people and not to punish them. But the condition of our prisons today makes offenders worse than they were before they went to prison," Kambwili said.

"When these prisons were set up many years ago, cells were meant to accommodate 50 people, but now these cells accommodate 350 people or more in some instances. In my language, we say Umulandu mume, baukumpulafye [an offence is like the morning dew which could be picked by anyone]. All I am saying is that not everyone commits offences per se, but that sometimes people find themselves with offences they did not commit because of unpredictable circumstances.

"With the current high levels of corruption we are seeing in this government, most of them [government officials] are possible prisoners when they leave office. Icili pamunobe, ecili napali iwe [What happens to someone today could happen to you tomorrow]. So the time to prepare your homes [pointing to the Executive's side of Parliament] is now.”

And Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda was visibly angered by a point of order raised by information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha asking whether Lubinda was in order not to inform the House that Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata had been evacuated to South Africa for medical treatment.

As Lubinda was debating the estimates of expenditure for the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Lt Gen Shikapwasha rose on a point of order.

"...I rise on a very serious point of order. Is the PF spokesperson in order..." he said.

At this point Lt Gen Shikapwasha was guided by deputy chairperson of Parliamentary Committee Mkhondo Lungu that there were no spokespersons in Parliament, but members of parliament.

"Is Mr Lubinda who is a member of the Patriotic Front in order not to inform the House that his party president Mr Michael Sata has been evacuated to South Africa for medical treatment?" Lt Gen Shikapwasha asked.

Lungu guided that anyone who fell sick needed the prayers of the members of parliament and asked Lubinda to continue debating.

As Lubinda resumed his debate, he tried to refute Lt Gen Shikapwasha's claim, saying the PF leader was in fact not sick.

But before Lubinda could finish his clarification on Sata's health, Lungu curtailed him and instead asked community development minister Michael Kaingu to wind up debate on the ministry's budget estimates.

Meanwhile, Kaingu burst into anger as he was winding up debate on the estimates of expenditure for the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

This was after Roan member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili made some remark as Kaingu was trying to clarify Lusaka Central member of parliament Dr Guy Scott's accusation that the government had used the Ministry of Community Development funds in MMD campaigns for last year's Presidential election.

As Kaingu rose to debate he started by saying: "some of the people in the House are spoilers. How can the Honourable member for Lusaka Central allege that we used the ministry's funds in last year's campaign?"

At this point, Kambwili shouted from the background "Iwe, impali shilekubaba! [You, your polygamous life is itching on your body!"

It was this remark that incensed Kaingu who later burst into fury and shouted: "...We need cells around this House so that some people can be locked up for abusive language!"

This sent the Parliament into laughter, with some opposition members of parliament shouting “Kozo, Kozo,” in reference to Kaingu's Kozo Lodge in Choma.

The visibly annoyed Kaingu however continued to give a summary of the debate but some parliamentarians could still be heard talking in the background.

Labels: CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 10:16 AM