Sat, 14 Oct 2017 13:04:51 +0000
By Annie Zulu
ALL the chiefs in Southern Province are still on Government payroll for receipt of subsidies, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Lawrence Sichalwe has said.
Mr Sichalwe clarified that no chief in the province had been excluded from the payroll.
The Minister said this in Parliament yesterday when he gave a ministerial statement on the point of order raised by Katombola Member of Parliament Derick Livune last week who wanted to find out why some chiefs in Southern Province were excluded from the government payroll without cause.
However, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini made a ruling that Mr Sichalwe should clarify the issue.
In his point of order, Mr Livune mentioned Chief Mukuni, Chief Hamusonde and Chief Mwanachingwala as chiefs who were excluded from the payroll.
But, Mr Sichalwe explained that there were administrative challenges that led to some chiefs not receiving subsides on time.
The minister said his ministry had investigated the case and addressed it appropriately.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo told Parliament in a Ministerial Statement that the country was facing a humanitarian emergency, following the influx of asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Mr Kampyongo said most asylum seekers were entering the country, mainly through Chiengi in Luapula Province.
“We have registered 3, 700 asylum seekers since August 30, 2017. The number of Congolese refugees who have entered Zambia since January, 2017 has since risen to over 6, 100.
“This is the highest number of refugees to enter the country over the past five years. The total number of Congolese refugees in Zambia has now increased to about 30, 000,” Mr Kampyongo said.
He cited instability in DRC, as the main cause for the influx of asylum seekers from that country.
Mr Kampyongo said the current situation called for proactive preparedness on the part of Government and its partners, as it was likely to deteriorate into a humanitarian emergency.
