Explain external debt, minister ordered

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 12:05:10 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA

SPEAKER of National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini has ordered Finance minister Felix Mutati to issue a ministerial statement clearly explaining Zambia’s external debt.

Dr. Matibini said this in a ruling following a point of order raised by independent Kantanshi member of Parliament Anthony Mumba.

Mr. Mumba wanted to find out whether the finance minister (Mutati) was in order to allow members of the public to continue speculating on Zambia’s external debt figure following conflicting figures in the media attributed to the minister.

He said Mr. Mutati had Parliament that Zambia’s external debt was U$S17.2 billion while a daily broadsheet newspaper yesterday reported U$S7.2 million.

Mr. Mumba wondered which figure was correct as both were attributed to him.

In his ruling, Dr. Matibini ordered Mr. Mutati to provide clarity on the matter.

“My ruling is very simple I’ll allow the honourable minister of finance to respond at liberty to those issues,” Dr. Matibini said.