Levy sincerely loved Zambia - Nalumango
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 24 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT
LEVY Mwanawasa was sincerely in love with Zambia and Zambians, says Mutale Nalumango. And Nalumango says Mwanawasa's corruption fight that caught up with some of his close friends was not out of hate but love.
In an interview ahead of Mwanawasa's memorial service slated for September 1, Nalumango, a former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, said the late president would not agree to any policy or decision that was not in the interest of Zambians.
"To me, he was a great leader. In my world, it is hard to find men as sincere as I saw him. To him, Zambia came first. He was not afraid of other people's opinions because he knew what he wanted for Zambia and he was not one who was so power hungry," Nalumango said.
"In fact, I remember him telling me one day saying, 'I don't know why people want to stay forever (as presidents) because this is too tedious; it's a lot of work'."
Nalumango said Mwanawasa, who died in August 2008 at Percy Military Hospital in Paris where he was evacuated after he collapsed during an AU Summit held in Egypt, was a hard worker with an excellent memory.
"Basically, I am talking of integrity which comes from his sincerity. In fact, for me, I would call him a statesman," she said.
Nalumango said Mwanawasa was specific about what he wanted to do for the country.
"He never went with the wind just because people are shouting and they want this or that done. He knew what he wanted for Zambia and he followed his path in trying to develop," Nalumango said.
"Yes, as a democrat he listened but even in the listening, his vision was clear and not played by power and other distracters. So he was a great man. I fondly remember him oh…I miss him."
Nalumango said that she was hopeful that more leaders of Mwanawasa's sort would emerge.
She however said that Mwanawasa faced a number of setbacks during his tenure, such as the issue of legitimacy, an element which was used against him and his government.
"People thought he came in almost as a minority..." she said.
"Another challenge he found was the challenge of the constitution. The issue of the constitution was a handful to be able to sort it out. Within his cabinet, there was no total agreement as to which way to go; the constituent assembly or what was later called the NCC (National Constitution Conference), whether it was okay to go through the enquires Act. For him, he really meant to have the constitution go through before the end of his last term in office."
Nalumango added: "There was also an issue of mines when he came into office, when mine investors were withdrawing because of unprofitability. He had to make serious decisions, like to keep the mines on care and maintenance until a proper investor had come. He was very strong on the Zambian assets."
She said she was happy that some of the fruits of Mwanawasa's labour had and still benefit Zambians.
"Criticisms and insults that we received… I don't want to name some people, in the end people saw that it went well for Zambia and many people fondly remember him," he said.
And Nalumango said Mwanawasa's fight against corruption, which also affected his friends, was not done out of hate but the love he had for country.
"He had no time to waste. You will remember how he handled certain ministers only with allegations, not with proof. He had to put them away from cabinet or the Executive and proved innocent. And yet he loved people, even some people who were perceived to have been persecuted by him. He did it out of love and an opportunity for us to prove ourselves innocent. He was a lovely man," Nalumango said.
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, MUTALE NALUMANGO
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UPND wants to merge with MMD
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 14 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE UPND senior leadership has tasked Mutale Nalumango to engage senior MMD officials among them Dr Brian Chituwo, Kabinga Pande and Kenneth Chipungu with a view to merge the two parties. The UPND wants to merge with MMD in order to dislodge the PF from power in the 2016 elections.
Sources disclosed that Nalumango, who recently defected from MMD to join UPND, has so far held meetings with the three senior MMD officials - the party's vice-president for administration Dr Chituwo, national chairperson Pande and chairperson for elections Chipungu.
Sources said Nalumango met the trio about a week ago to discuss the possibilities and the MMD leaders were of the view that party leader Nevers Mumba should work under Hakainde Hichilema.
Sources said the MMD leadership were agreeable to Nalumango's proposal for a merger.
When contacted, Nalumango said she would appreciate a merger although she does not know what people were thinking about.
She denied that the party leadership had tasked her to broker a deal between the two opposition parties, saying that she was talking to her counterparts personally.
"Nobody has tasked me anything. I am a member of the UPND and as a member of UPND, I feel UPND is the best party for now; therefore it becomes my responsibility to convince others to join UPND. It is just like being converted to Christianity, you need to share the Good News. You need to try to convince as many people as possible; you don't need to be given a task by somebody," she said.
"I believe if you are in any party, you want others to join because you have seen something good. It is not a task. Nobody has talked to me over that, but I strongly feel we are not just targeting MMD. Even PF if I have friends, I must talk to them and tell them what I think is wrong in their party and what I think is right in my party so that they make informed decisions."
Nalumango said it was her responsibility to convince friends in MMD to join UPND.
"I have never sat with anybody who has given me any name to target. So, that one is not true. But they are all my friends and as long as I meet them, I will talk to them and reason together. But if I meet them friends in MMD and such a situation arises that we discuss politics, I will definitely try to convince them without being tasked by anybody," she said.
"It is my responsibility, I can even talk to Wynter Kabimba to try and convince him. I don't have to be tasked, but it is my responsibility to try and tell people why they should move to UPND, why I think UPND would form a better government compared to others or is it to the current. That is my responsibility."
Nalumango, who is also former deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, said it was her desire that the two opposition parties could form an alliance.
"I really would wish there was a chance for the two parties to work together, but I can't tell you whether there will be a chance because I am not part of the decision-making body of either group. But there is need for unity of purpose. Do we have similar vision for Zambia? Because really to come together you need shared vision. In coming together, people must sit and agree. I would appreciate a merger, but I don't know what people are thinking about," said Nalumango.
And Chituwo denied working with Nalumango, saying that the party leadership had not given him authority to make arrangements for an alliance.
Dr Chituwo however said he would be willing to be part of a team negotiating for an alliance between the two opposition parties as he was a strong believer of a united opposition.
"It is very clearly known that for me, I have stood for a united opposition. Now, to say that I am working towards that it is not true, in the sense that I have not engaged in any talk because I have not had authority or permission of my party to engage the other colleagues," he said.
"But at intellectual level, if you analyse issues how best can we strengthen democracy. I don't know whether it can be interpreted as working towards a merger. When that possibility comes, I hope I would be in the team to work for the alliance because I think it is important. We are not talking about individuals; of course this has to be done through individuals and we have to believe in what we are doing."
Dr Chituwo said an alliance could only materialise if the opposition shared common values and principles.
"For that to happen, we need to have common values and principles and that is the starting point. You cannot just go into a merger when ideals are different and values are different. It means it cannot work.
"It is for the opposition to be united to have a common voice. I have always stated that the opposition is not meant to be distracted. The opposition is there to strengthen the values we have in respecting different opinions," said Dr Chituwo.
And when contacted for a comment, Chipungu referred all queries to the party's national secretary Kapembwa Simbao.
"Ask the national secretary, you call the national secretary. No, no I am not part of that team; I am not part of that team," said Chipungu before hanging up.
Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, KABINGA PANDE, KENNETH CHIPUNGU, MMD, MUTALE NALUMANGO, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Rupiah must be prosecuted - Nalumango
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sun 08 Jan. 2012, 11:30 CAT
MUTALE Nalumango says Rupiah Banda must be prosecuted if investigative wings have genuine cases of criminality against him.
In an interview on Tuesday, Nalumango who is former deputy speaker and immediate past MMD member of parliament for Kaputa, said the prosecution of former presidents, though embarrassing for the country, must be done so that it serves as wake-up call to the current and would-be presidents.
She said the government, through the investigative wings, must convince Parliament to have Banda prosecuted if a prima facie case was established.
"I have heard of issues of investigations going on, the former president's Mpundu Trust for example. It is embarrassing for our former presidents to be prosecuted but it is a wake-up call to would-be presidents and the current President. Surely it has been done before.
You don't hide in the office and if the current ministers will also hide in their offices, that is sad. For me even if the current President (Michael Sata) also engages in corrupt activities, at the end of the day he should also be prosecuted," Nalumango said.
"What I believe is, and anyone that has followed my political career and public life would know that, that is my understanding. I believe in justice and justice means if there is a real issue to investigate, let people investigate."
Nalumango said that corruption in Zambia must be fought at all times.
She dismissed complaints by some MMD members that the ongoing investigations were a witch-hunt.
"To me it does not matter whether it's an MMD member or PF, whether one belongs to the public service or what…If there is an issue, the truth must always prevail and justice must be done. I don't believe in anyone using public resources for their personal gain," she said.
On MMD officials that served in government and were now being suspected of plundering national resources and abusing public office, Nalumango said the process of the entire law must be able to determine who was guilty and who was not.
" It would be wrong to pronounce one guilty before the courts of law but it would also be wrong to just keep quiet…" she said.
Nalumango called on all those holding public office to work together to ensure justice was done on cases of plunder of national resources.
"One cannot corrupt oneself. With corruption, it takes two to tango, so where are all the others with who these people where conniving with? I would want to see whichever side of government or indeed private sector who engaged in corrupt activities with public officers to be equally prosecuted," Nalumango said.
"It must not be a political agenda. Whether you are in the office that is making decisions, whether you are a judge, justice must be done."
And Nalumango said there was need for a Parliament that was matured in terms of democracy.
"One would think people are getting the freedom whether they work with government to vote against their government and whether they are in the opposition to vote against the position of their party, but that is not the case. The freedom of thinking of individuals and representation of members of the constituencies in such a case becomes compromised," she said.
"I hope this Parliament will be strong enough to look at issues and not look at positions of interest. Those of interest to the nation, not partisan interests," said Nalumango.
Labels: MUTALE NALUMANGO, RUPIAH BANDA
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Going into politics for money, fame
By The Post
Sat 30 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
It is always better to do things for the right reasons. And it is always better to be clear about things. And public office is not something one should take up to fulfil an ambition or pleasure.
Doing things for the wrong reasons has got consequences. There is a sort of chain of events. For if good intentions foster good deeds, bad intentions can foster, on the other hand, bad deeds. It is said that whereas virtue must be nourished, vice springs
up spontaneously like weeds and grows by itself.
Mutale Nalumango’s advice needs to be heeded. Looking at the type of people offering themselves for public office, one wonders what their real motivations are. We are seeing all sorts of characters vying to be councillors, members of parliament or even presidents of our Republic. Looking at their records of public service, their attitudes towards the common good, one wonders what some of these people want in public office. Some of them are clearly selfish, greedy and corrupt elements that care for nobody else other than themselves. But they want to occupy public office, they want to be leaders.
These are people who know nothing about public service. The only thing they know is how to serve themselves.
Nalumango, the deputy speaker of our National Assembly, says “if you go into politics for money, most likely you become corrupt because you won’t find the money you were imagining. If it’s fame and status, then you want everybody to notice where you are. I thought really politics and governance, this power must be power to serve.
Governance must be service, therefore for me I believe you should go into politics, and I did go into politics, based on my conviction that I can do something in my community Kaputa”. For some, political office gives them an opportunity to “eat”, amass wealth. How can this be so when the salaries of those who hold political offices are not that high? This is only because there is abuse of public office to enrich oneself. All sorts of favours are extended to those who hold public office by those seeking government business, contracts.
These give the holders of public offices money and all sorts of things they never give to anybody else not holding public office. People who never used to receive gifts from anybody start receiving all sorts of things from all sorts of businessmen. People they never knew start calling them their friends and their children start referring to them as uncle so and so. How is this possible? This is possible because of money. This is possible because of corruption, because of abuse of office.
Look at Rupiah Banda and his family! Look at the financial state they were in before Rupiah became President! Look at what they are today, what they own today! Look at who are their friends today! What has changed? It’s power! This power has opened so many doors for them to get all sorts of contracts from institutions and individuals doing business with government or quasi-governmental organisations. That’s how they are getting money.
They are selling or peddling influence. Rupiah’s position in government is what is doing the tricks, is what is bringing cash. They are selling government business. There is no secret about the source of the wealth Rupiah and his family have amassed. It’s simply a product of corruption, of abuse of office. It is not surprising that the first thing Rupiah and his friends went for is the removal of the offence of abuse of office from our Anti Corruption Commission Act.
These people don’t see themselves as servants of the people; they see themselves as masters of the people. A person offering himself to take up public office should see himself or herself as a servant or steward seeking to be entrusted to offer humble service to others as opposed to owning power or the people he or she is serving. Those seeking public office should therefore accept to be accountable to the people and work for the common good. This is why it is said that we need saintly politicians who profoundly love their own people and wish to serve rather than to be served; leaders who are willing to exercise stewardship and uphold the common good.
Clearly, whether we will have good laws or bad laws, an upright or inefficient administration will depend on the type of people we vote for in the forthcoming elections. If we vote for reckless people, corrupt elements, people who have no national interest at heart, we are going to jeopardise the future of our country and our children. We must vote for people of integrity, people who place national interest before personal ambitions. Let us use our votes for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular party, group or individual. Let’s vote for people who have proved themselves accountable to God and to the electorate. Let us vote for people who are courageous in defending truth and justice for all, people who are completely honest in fulfilling public and private responsibilities.
Our right to vote will only bear positive fruits for the country if we choose good leaders for presidency, members of parliament and councillors who will serve the country with justice towards all. Let us use our vote to help eliminate the unworthy and improve the quality of political leadership in our country.
People who want to use public office to rescue themselves from financial doldrums are not worth voting for. People who see public office as an opportunity for self-enrichment are dangerous to put in public offices. We need leaders who have largeness of mind and who are staunch and active in looking after the interests of the people. We need leaders who are able to subordinate their personal interests to those of the people they were elected to serve. We need leaders who are more concerned about the masses than about any individual and more concerned about others than about themselves. Only thus can they serve our people selflessly.
At no time and in no circumstances should anyone elected to public office in this country put his personal interests first; he should subordinate them to the interests of the nation and of the masses. Hence, selfishness, corruption, seeking the limelight and so on are most contemptible, while selflessness, working with all one’s energy, wholehearted devotion to public duty and quite hard work will command respect.
We need leaders who are at all times ready to stand up for the truth, because truth is in the interest of the people; we need leaders who are ready at all times to correct their mistakes, because mistakes are against the interests of the people.
So if there are any of our leaders – and we believe they are many – who are seeking public office so that they can become wealthy and own all sorts of things, they are not worth voting for. And if this is their only motivation, we advise them to withdraw their candidature because, as Nalumango has correctly advised, they are likely to become corrupt, get in trouble and fail to find the money they are seeking through public office.
Labels: MUTALE NALUMANGO, POLITICS
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Point of order wakes up sleepy Shikapwasha
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 25 Feb. 2010, 04:09 CAT
NATIONAL Assembly Deputy Speaker Mutale Nalumango has ordered parliamentarians to fully concentrate on the business of the House after information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha was caught sleeping in Parliament on Tuesday.
And Monze UPND parliamentarian Jack Mwiimbu caused laughter among some opposition parliamentarians after he asked health minister Kapembwa Simbao if Ndola Central Hospital had facilities to cater for the rising cases of hallucinations in the country.
During the first sitting of the fourth session of the tenth assembly, Pemba UPND member of parliament David Matongo rose on what he described as a serious point of order after he spotted Lt Gen Shikapwasha sleeping as the House was dealing with questions for oral answers.
Matongo raised his point of order as gender deputy minister Lucy Changwe was responding to follow-up questions arising from Kankoyo PF parliamentarian Percy Chanda's question on the issue of gender-based violence.
“I am very concerned that since I entered this House, the Minister of Information has converted his chair into a bed,” Matongo said, adding, “you can even see he is being woken.”
Before Nalumango could attend to Matongo's point of order, Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili was heard shouting: “Wake up General! Overnight prayers!”
In her ruling, Nalumango said she did not concentrate on any one person and she would therefore find it very difficult in that she had not seen what Matongo had observed.
“However, it is for all of us to concentrate,” said Nalumango as the whole House broke into laughter.
Later at 15:57 hours, Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe was also seen sleeping during proceedings in the House.
Luapula Province minister Dr Boniface Kawimbe only nudged Munkombwe from his sleep after Western Province minister Sikwibele Mwapela tried to leave his seat and the chamber using the vantage where Munkombwe was sitting.
Munkombwe woke up with a moment's hesitation and made way for Mwapela.
And Mwiimbu, in a follow-up question to a response given by health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda on the number of referrals to Ndola Central Hospital, asked if the health institution had facilities to cater for the rising cases of hallucinations in Zambia.
Mwiimbu said Dr Musonda in his response had said Ndola Central Hospital receives referrals, especially psychiatric, from other provinces like Luapula and Copperbelt, hence his follow-up question on hallucinations.
But Simbao, who appeared irritated by Mwiimbu's question, said there was no such record as being portrayed by Mwiimbu that there was an increase in the cases of hallucinations in the country.
“Actually, maybe the honourable member is hallucinating himself. We do not have such a record,” Simbao said. “When we talk about sickness, we should be very serious. I have seen how members change here when they get into a sick situation.”
However, an opposition parliamentarian who shouted that former president Frederick Chiluba was sick complimented Simbao's response.
Labels: MUTALE NALUMANGO, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
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Differences emerge in MMD over 2011
Written by George Chellah and Patson Chilemba
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 3:05:22 PM
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has vowed to block people who want to be difficult over his candidature for 2011 from attending the MMD national convention. And MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba on Sunday told party spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba to take his "madness" elsewhere for asserting that he [Kalumba] was going to contest the presidency.
Well-placed sources within the ruling party yesterday revealed that the President sent a warning during the NEC meeting that was held over the weekend.
"The deputy speaker of the National Assembly Honourable Mutale Nalumango started by saying that she wanted to get the party's position on the matter. She stressed the need for the party to give an official position concerning the President's candidature for the 2011 elections," the sources disclosed.
"She said the party members needed to know the official position because there were many statements being made over the same issue and that there was an attempt by some people to paint a picture as if others were for and others were against the President's candidature for 2011. So she basically wanted to know the party's official position on the issue."
The sources disclosed that in his response President Banda denied telling anyone whether he would contest the presidency or not.
"The President said, 'I have not told anyone that I am not standing or I am standing. What is happening is that some party members and officials are asking me to stand in 2011. Now that is a show of confidence in my leadership, so naturally I am supposed to say something on that. And what I say is simply to thank them for their show of confidence in me and my leadership," the source explained. "There is no need to worry on that matter because after all I am already President. If there are people who want to be difficult, we can also make it difficult for them to even attend the convention. So for now, let's just concentrate on work. Let's deliver to our people.'"
And Kalumba told Tetamashimba during the NEC meeting to take his "madness" elsewhere for asserting that he [Kalumba] had intentions of contesting the presidency.
The sources disclosed that Kalumba told some NEC officials that they were acting like his spokespersons by announcing to the media that he would contest the MMD presidency at the convention.
"When [MMD national chairman Michael] Mabenga seconded the candidature of H.E [His Excellency, Rupiah Banda], the national secretary said 'before we go on, I support the candidature of President Banda. When I talked about MMD coming up with a winnable candidate, I did not imply that President Banda is not winnable'," the source said. "He [Kalumba] wondered why people were speaking on his behalf. He said 'you go to the press to say that I am standing. Have I told you that I will stand? You people behave like you have been to my grandfather or grandmother who have assured you that I am standing'. He said 'ndekeni [leave me alone]. If you are sick, take your sickness elsewhere. If you are mad, take your madness elsewhere'. It was a general warning."
The sources said President Banda also spoke about the observations the public had raised on his travelling around when the nation needed him to address pressing national issues.
"He said 'there has been overwhelming things talked about me that I have not been around but Vice-President George Kunda is there'," the source said.
Sources also revealed that President Banda has a "very bad" limp as a result of the knee operation he underwent in South Africa.
They said as a result of the limp, President Banda rested his leg on a stool during the NEC meeting which was held at State House.
Meanwhile, MMD member Walusiku Lisulo, whose appointment to the NEC was revoked last Sunday, said he was not bitter at the development.
He said as a new chief executive, President Banda would want to work with his own set of managers.
Asked if he had presidential ambitions, Lisulo responded: "There is no man on earth who has no ambitions, unless they die. But they have to bid for time. For now, we have agreed on one candidate."
He said the MMD had no time to waste because opposition parties had already started campaigning for the 2011 general elections.
"I don't think we have the luxury to continue doing this democratic way of going through various divisive processes of choosing a leader. These things are divisive when left loose," said Lisulo.
MMD NEC endorsed President Banda's candidature for the 2011 elections.
Labels: ELECTIONS, KATELE KALUMBA, MMD, MUTALE NALUMANGO
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Civil servants wishing to be MPs should resign a year before an election – NCC
Written by Katwishi Bwalya and Margaret Mtonga
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:30:20 AM
THE legislative committee of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has adopted a proposal that workers in the public service wishing to stand as parliamentary candidates should resign from their position a year before an election.
But Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) president Joyce Nonde said the adopted proposal by the legislative committee of the NCC for civil servants to resign a year before getting into politics was unfair.
During the ongoing sittings last week, the delegates resolved that all public service workers who wanted to venture into politics should resign from the civil service a year before they are adopted by their political parties.
Members of the committee said that would allow government programmes to be implemented without any hindrances from people with political ambitions.
Committee chairperson Mutale Nalumango guided the members that people who would be affected in the category include those from the public service, defence forces and companies formed under a statutory body.
After extensive debates, some members supported the idea that workers should resign three years before being adopted by their political parties as candidates while others wanted the three years to run up to election day or the day of filing in of nominations.
The members argued that allowing public service workers to resign for a period of one year would help reduce abuse of public resources for their political gains.
The matter was subjected to a vote and members eventually agreed for a one-year period.
But in an interview, Nonde said every law that the NCC was addressing should be fair to every Zambian and not a punishment.
"Every law must be fair to every side," Nonde said. "If you say people who wished to stand as parliamentary candidates should resign from their position a year before an election date, that will disadvantage the workers because they will stop taking part in active contributions to the development of the country," she said.
Nonde said the adopted proposal was too harsh on the public servants as that would infringe on their benefits because they would get less money by retiring one year earlier.
"For example, no person would want to retire at 30 years. The legislative committee should be fair in the proposals that they adopted, because I don't think a 30-year-old would want to resign and participate in parliamentary candidature, that's why I’m saying the adopted proposal does not make sense at all. Those deliberating on the NCC should rethink about the proposal they have adopted," Nonde said. "The composition of the NCC is really bad as they have left out the commissioners who should have been there to give them guidance on this adopted proposal. The deliberations at the NCC are not good enough because those people are busy talking to themselves. I even doubt if at all that composition will give us a good constitution that represents the wish of the Zambian people.
"The chances of NCC giving us a good constitution are very slim because those people in NCC are state actors."
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, CONSTITUTION, FFTUZ, MUTALE NALUMANGO, NCC
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D/Speaker curtails debate on Levy's illness
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thursday August 07, 2008 [04:00]
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango on Tuesday stopped Patriotic Front (PF) Luapula member of parliament Peter Mach-ungwa from debating President Levy Mwanawasa’s illness. And health minister Dr Brian Chituwo said the test for HIV/AIDS will remain voluntary rather than mandatory until Parliament changes the current law.
During the question for oral answer session of the second session of the tenth National Assembly, Machungwa asked the government to disclose when it would issue a statement on President Mwanawasa’s illness to the House.
Dr Chituwo was by this time responding to a barrage of questions triggered by Mandevu PF member of parliament Jean Kapata, who wanted to know if HIV/AIDS screening in high schools was done on compulsory or mandatory basis.
But when he was given an opportunity to ask a supplementary question on the issue, Machungwa brought into discussion President Mwanawasa’s illness.
“Considering the concerns of the House and the nation, when will the government through the Minister of Health come to this House and bring a statement on the health of the President?” Machungwa asked.
Machungwa explained that his question was meant to put to rest the rumour-mongering and public concerns over President Mwanawasa’s over-a-month admission to Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France.
However, Nalumango interjected and ruled that Dr Machungwa had gone totally away from the question under discussion.
“It is not an issue you should bring in this manner,” Nalumango told Machungwa.
Nalumango pointed out that though the matter was an important one and that the House just like any other citizen was concerned about President Mwanawasa’s ailment, the manner in which the questioned was asked was wrong.
“As for members of this House, who are law makers, you should know the procedure,” advised Nalumango.
President Mwanawasa suffered a stroke on June 29 in Sharm-el-Sheik, Egypt where he went to attend the African Union (AU) heads of state summit and he was admitted at Sharm-el-Sheik International Hospital before being evacuated to Percy Military Hospital on July 1.
And responding to a question from Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda on why HIV/AIDS testing was still voluntary when it had become a chronic disease as any other, Dr Chituwo said the government was in respect of the law on human rights.
“In respect to this law it would be wrong for any health worker to indiscriminately draw blood from a patient,” said Dr Chituwo.
Meanwhile, Monze UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu accused the government of lacking vigour in its implementation of the rural electrification programme countrywide.
Mwiimbu said the government had not walked its talk in the rural electrification programme.
But energy minister Kenneth Konga said the government was vigorously pursuing the undertaking in packages.
Labels: MUTALE NALUMANGO, PARLIAMENT
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