Maravi

Govt to extend NCC mandate to 2010, Kunda

Govt to extend NCC mandate to 2010, Kunda
Written by Ernest Chanda
Thursday, July 23, 2009 4:37:22 PM

VICE-President George Kunda on Wednesday told parliament that the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) mandate would be extended to 2010. Responding to a follow up question from Chipili Patriotic Front member of parliament Davies Mwila who wanted to know if government would consider extending the mandate of the NCC, Vice-President Kunda said there was a provision for extension in the NCC Act.

“The NCC Act has a provision for extension of the life of the NCC. Those of us participating in the NCC have found it to be very useful and we are learning a lot from there,” Vice-President Kunda said.

“It is important that we do a very good job on the making of our new constitution. We shall continue with extensions and we shall extend into the interim up to the year 2010.”

When asked by Pemba UPND member of parliament David Matongo if government had no intention of providing a new constitution before the 2011 election, Vice-President Kunda said the NCC would decide on how to proceed.

“I would like to state that it would be up to the Conference to decide on how to proceed; whether we make amendments or refer proposals to a referendum. But we shall also take into account that there are elections in 2011,” he said.

And when asked by Luena Independent member of parliament Charles Milupi if it was lack of finances that caused the last session of the NCC to adjourn one week earlier than planned, Vice-President Kunda said the adjournment was compounded by various factors.

“I do remember that the last NCC sitting ended a week earlier than it should have ended, but this was due to various factors. Of course issues to do with finances are also critical. Zambia, like any other country in the world is facing financial problems as a result of the global economic crisis,’ he said.

Asked by Katuba MMD member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa to indicate that the earlier route [Constituent Assembly] proposed by critics of the NCC was in fact cheaper than the route taken by the NCC, Vice-President Kunda said the Constituent Assembly route was still more expensive.

“It looks like the person who asked this question was reading my mind. Some of the people pushing for a Constituent Assembly included the Patriotic Front president (Michael Sata). And when we decided to introduce the NCC this particular president was excited about the development and he congratulated our late President [Levy Mwanawasa] for coming up with an indigenous idea, he said.”

“We shall continue with the NCC because it will improve on the governance of this country. Some of the issues discussed at the NCC include prudent management of resources. We are also talking about improving the electoral process,” said Vice-President Kunda.

And earlier responding to a question for oral answer from Chipili member of parliament Davies Mwila on how much has been spent on the NCC as of December 2008, Justice deputy minister Todd Chilembo said about K52 billion had been spent.

“A total of Fifty Two Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twelve Kwacha (K52, 580,787,912) had been spent on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) as of December, 2008. This was against the budget provision of Three Hundred and Nine Billion, Three Hundred and Seventy-Three Million One Hundred and Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Three Kwacha, Sixty-four Ngwee (K309, 373, 109, 863. 64).

Asked how the disbursements to the NCC were made, Chilembo said the Ministry of Justice requests money from Ministry of Finance and National Planning on behalf of the NCC.

“The Ministry of Finance and National Planning (upon receipt of a request from the Ministry of Justice – on behalf of the NCC) releases the money through the Ministry of Justice Control Account at the Bank of Zambia. In turn, the Ministry of Justice transfers the released funds at the Bank of Zambia into the NCC Holding Account. For expenditure purposes and as needs arise, the NCC requests the Bank of Zambia to transfer the money into the Zambia National Commercial Bank Account at Manda Hill Branch in Lusaka,” explained Chilembo.

Chilembo however said it was difficult to give an exact figure of the money which will be spent by the NCC by the time it winds up business.

Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, NCC

posted by MrK @ 3:37 PM