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Opposition MPs grill Scott over Barotse agreement

Opposition MPs grill Scott over Barotse agreement
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 29 Feb. 2012, 14:01 CAT

OPPOSITION members of parliament yesterday took Vice-President Dr Guy Scott to task over the Barotseland Agreement. This was during the questions for oral answers after Chipata Central MMD member of parliament Mtolo Phiri raised questions on how many commissions of inquiry the government had set up and how much money had been spent.

Upon being sworn in last year, President Michael Sata appointed a commission of inquiry to look into the January 14, 2011 Mongu police killings of civilians who demonstrated over the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.

Leading the onslaught on Vice-President Dr Scott, Mpongwe MMD member of parliament Gabriel Namulambe wondered if PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba was right to pre-empt the inquiry report by

condemning the document before it was circulated to the public.
In response, Vice-President Dr Scott justified Kabimba's comment over the recommendations of the Dr Rodger Chongwe-led commission of inquiry.

"The secretary general of the PF is perfectly entitled to give his opinion
on a public document, and that's what he did," Vice-President Dr Scott said.

Asked by Keembe MMD member of parliament Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha if the government would surcharge the Attorney General for the money spent on the commission, Vice-President Dr Scott answered in the negative and said the commission made many other valuable recommendations.

Asked by Sikongo MMD member of parliament Mundia Ndalamei if the exercise was not a waste of money since the government had refused to reinstate the Barotseland Agreement as promised during last year's campaigns, Vice-President Dr Scott said the issue was not specifically covered by the commission.

"I can't know if it's on record that we promised to restore the Barotseland Agreement," he said.
His response drew heckles and shouts of disapproval from the opposition members of parliament.

Vice-President Dr Scott said people used the Barotseland Agreement as an explanatory element in trying to analyse the Mongu riots.

When further pushed by Mafinga MMD member of parliament Catherine Namugala to confirm if the government would restore the Barotseland Agreement, Vice-President Dr Scott refused to respond.

And when asked further by Monze UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu why the government had wasted money on a commission of inquiry which Kabimba described as incompetent, Vice-President Dr Scott said: "He Kabimba was expressing an opinion on a debate that's going on."

Asked by Lukulu West MMD member of parliament Misheck Mutelo if Dr Chongwe and Lusaka lawyer Willa Mung'omba who were members of the Commission were incompetent as alleged by Kabimba, Vice-President Dr Scott refused to answer the question.

Earlier, deputy minister in the office of the Vice-President Edgar Lungu revealed that the government had so far spent about K3.8 billion out of the
K11. 9 billion released for the four commissions of inquiry that President Sata set up since he took office.

The commissions set up were on: Energy Regulation Board, Mongu riots and related matters, Zambia Revenue Authority and Zambia National Building Society.

Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, GUY SCOTT

posted by MrK @ 6:15 PM