CHENDA

By XAVIER MANCHISHI-
PARLIAMENT has heard that Government subjects all Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects to approval by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to curb rampant abuse, corruption and outright theft.
Local Government and Housing Minister, Emmanuel Chenda told the House that in view of the rampant abuse of CDF, corruption in the implementation of projects and outright theft of the funds, Government saw it fit to subject all projects to approval.
Mr Chenda was responding to Chipili PF Member of Parliament (MP) Davies Mwila who wanted to know why Government had made it mandatory for CDF projects to be approved by the ministry before being implemented in the constituencies.
Mr Mwila argued that the red tape was contributing to the incessant delays in the implementation of most of the projects earmarked for funding using CDF.
But Mr Chenda said the approval was meant to provide an oversight role to ensure all the projects were being implemented in conformity with the laid down guidelines and also to enhance transparency and accountability.
He said through the 2006 regulations that require approval for CDF, misapplication has been reduced through enforced controls adding that compliance was critical if the fund was to benefit the rightful beneficiaries.
Mumbwa Central MMD MP Brian Chituwo wondered whether the guidelines were not contradicting Government’s decentralisation policy to which Mr Chenda said the only urgent review of the current CDF guidelines was to let the approval be done by the community.
Earlier, Luena MP Getrude Imenda caused laughter in the House when she asked Agriculture and Livestock Minister Wylbur Simuusa if Government had any plans to legalise the cultivation of marijuana in view of the breakthrough in research suggesting that it has medicinal value.
Mr Simuusa instead told the House that Government was happy that the number of farmers growing tobacco countrywide had increased in response to Government call to diversify from maize to cash crops.
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini also shot down a point of order by Katuba UPND MP Jonas Shakafuswa on why the minister of Health was not updating the nation on the health of President Michael Sata.
Responding to another point of order by Chembe MP, Mwansa Mbulakulima on when the 2014/15 maize floor price would be announced, Dr Matibini said Mr Simuusa would do so this Friday.
The Speaker also told Parliament that the minister of Mines, Energy and Water development would issue a ministerial statement on Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) regarding the revelations by Vedantta CEO Anil Agarwal that the mine was bought for a song.