.GUY SCOTT

By KAIKO NAMUSA –

VICE-President, Guy Scott told Parliament yesterday that he will have to seek clearance from State House to permit Members of Parliament (MPs) to visit President Michael Sata.
Dr Scott as leader of Government business in the House was responding to UPND Kalomo MP, Request Muntanga who requested that the MPs be allowed to visit President Sata as they had taken oaths of allegiance to the Head of State and to defend the Constitution.
Dr Scott said that he needed to seek clearance before the MPs could be allowed and that the time-frame would not be given as to when the visit could be facilitated.
“I need to seek clearance for the visit but there is no time-frame as to when this would be facilitated,” Dr Scott said.
The Vice-President also said that he did not mean to show hostility to anyone when he said that Kabwata PF MP, Given Lubinda and Lusaka Mayor Mulenga Sata did not qualify to contest for the office of the President.
Dr Scott said that he was merely responding to a question from a journalist and did not mean to show any perceived hostility.
This was after Mr Lubinda asked whether Dr Scott was correct to state that he did not qualify to stand as republican president as well as Mr Sata.
Dr Scott also reiterated that a solution to find an investor to take over the running of Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe, had reached an advanced stage.
He said that an investor in the textile industry from Tanzania had shown interest to take over the plant which was jointly owned by China.
He said that China which holds a majority stake of 66 per cent in the textile company also supported the plans to allow a private investor to improve operations.
Meanwhile, Parliament, has adopted the report on the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services.
Debating the motion moved by MMD Mumbwa MP, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde has said Government was committed to expedite the process of implementing a National Health Insurance Scheme to support health services to Zambians.
The schemes seeks to enable citizens have access to medical care without financial difficulties.