Saturday, May 23, 2009

NCC fails for 4th time on debt contraction

NCC fails for 4th time on debt contraction
Written by Katwishi Bwalya, Ernest Chanda and George Chellah
Saturday, May 23, 2009 7:56:02 AM

THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has for the fourth time failed to reach consensus on the clause in the Mung'omba draft constitution which compels government to disclose to the National Assembly terms and conditions of the loans they want to contract.

But UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has said President Rupiah Banda's government is too corrupt, irresponsible and extravagant to be allowed to acquire loans without Parliament's approval.

According to Article 312 clause 3(a) of the Mung'omba draft constitution, "The terms and conditions of a loan shall be laid before the National Assembly and shall not come into operation unless they have been approved by a resolution of the National Assembly."

The clause was subjected to a vote on Wednesday after which a two-thirds majority was not attained.

Of the 398 votes cast, 234 voted for the adoption of the clause while 164 voted against and there were no spoiled ballots.

This meant that while the majority of the members were in favour of the clause, the article could not be adopted because a two-thirds majority was not attained.

After the announcement of the results by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), NCC chairperson Chifumu Banda told the members that the meaning of the outcome of the results would be announced later.

But under the NCC Act, once members fail to attain two-thirds majority on any clause for the second time the clause must be referred to a referendum.

Earlier before voting commenced, ministers were seen panicking after Banda resolved that the matter would be decided through a vote.

The ministers embarked on a serious campaign to lure other members into voting against the clause while others were busy making calls to invite those who had left the conference room earlier.

And while voting was underway, several ministers were seen hurriedly trooping to the main hall in order to make it for voting.

And the NCC rejected a clause that allows the office of the Accountant General to be a constitutional office.

Members argued that changing the office of the Accountant General was not in the best interest of the country but that it should just be strengthened.

Mufulira Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Marjorie Masiye caused inquisitions among delegates when she introduced herself as Marjory Mwape when she rose to debate.

A number of delegates were heard murmuring and asking why she could not introduce herself as Majory Masiye.

But Banda ruled that she knew her name better than the other delegates did.

Masiye was among the PF parliamentarians who defied the party's resolve not to take part in the NCC but later apologised to the party, together with Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba.

But Hichilema castigated MMD delegates on the NCC for opposing the adoption of a clause in the Mung'omba draft constitution, which compels government to disclose to the National Assembly terms and conditions of any loan they want to contract.

"Debt acquisition is part of the public procurement of a country. We would like to see the NCC adopting the Mung'omba provision. That before the government can acquire debt they need to seek the approval of Parliament basically on the principle of the needs to borrow and the terms and conditions of that borrowing because that's where the cost lies. We do not want the government especially an irresponsible and corrupt government like the MMD to be at liberty to borrow money without parliamentary approval," Hichilema explained in an interview.

"Especially, where they have changed, altered and adulterated the public procurement Act of 2008, which they are hiding behind to now use single sourcing as a norm rather than as an exception. If they allow this corrupt MMD government to have a free hand through the Constitution to borrow, we know what they would do, they will borrow irresponsibly, and they will borrow for consumption and not for production."

He said Zambians did not want their children to be with a debt that was borrowed by an irresponsible MMD government.

Hichilema said MMD delegates were against the clause because they knew that their administration was corrupt.

"The reason is clear because they know that their government is corrupt and therefore they will use this provision in the Constitution," Hichilema said. "MMD is too corrupt, irresponsible and extravagant to be allowed to borrow without Parliament's approval. How do you define borrowing and single sourcing to buy mobile hospitals?"

He also accused the government of not having priorities.

"The public interest is to provide medicines, provide ambulances. They are buying hearses so that they can see all of us dead because of their bad management of the economy, the unemployment and the distress that is there in the country. They are focusing on the end side of life, which is death," Hichilema said.

"We know that we need a dignified burial but the priority should be to provide ambulances. We have a government, which has no priorities because you cannot argue any further, you need to save lives, to treat people."

And Hichilema said the intention by President Banda to stand in 2011 was not new.

"He believes that now that he is President he can use state machinery to stay in office. But I have a message for him and others including [Southern Province minister] Daniel Munkombwe... there is time for everything. MMD in 2011 will be in office for 20 years, the only time left for them is to move out and not to stay," Hichilema said.

"Zambians have now seen their track record, capability which is nothing to talk about. The track record is that of failure, corruption, extravagance and state sponsored violence on journalists. Their record is a record of hunger. It's laughable for them to say that they will penetrate Zambia because even people in Eastern Province are disenchanted."

Hichilema advised President Banda to prepare for retirement instead of focusing on recontesting the 2011 Republic presidency.

"RB and his team should prepare for retirement, it's the right thing for them to do. But you see they are in a hurry to steal from the poor Zambians, that's not the preparation we are talking about. They are just enjoying the corruption they are engaged in, they have just realized that they need to amass more money. We don't want them to steal from poor Zambians, we want them to prepare for exit. We are not prepared to allow them to continue stealing from the public," he said.

Hichilema said President Banda's government had failed to control the civil servants because it was corrupt.

"Come 2011 it doesn't matter how much money they would have stolen the people of Zambia would be fed up. They want to extend their tenure in office so that they steal more and perpetuate the suffering of Zambians," said Hichilema.

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posted by MrK @ 6:59 AM

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