Wed, 16 Aug 2017 14:08:43 +0000
By ANNIE ZULU
CHIEF Chipepo of the Tonga people of Southern Province has castigated United Party for National Development (UPND) Gwembe, Siavonga and Chirundu Members of Parliament (MPs) for failing to spearhead developmental projects for their constituencies.
And Chief Chipepo has called for the amendment of the Electoral Act to include provisions that would enable constituencies to re-call underperforming MPs. He told the Daily Nation in an interview that such a provision would drive MPs to fully represent their constituencies in Parliament and be accountable to the electorate.
“Being an MP is not just about going to Parliament and getting huge amounts of money, it’s about representing the people. Sadly, we have so many underperforming MPs, some of them have not uttered a single word in Parliament since being elected into office, and something needs to be done.
“The only challenge is that there is no law that allows the electorate in a constituency to recall an underperforming MP. So now I think we need to fight for that law, push for amendment of the electoral law.
“With such a law I tell you no MP will sleep in Parliament,” Chief Chipepo said.
And the Traditional leader has called on the people of Gwembe, Siavonga and Chirundu not to vote back their MPs in the 2021 election. He charged that the three MPs were not doing their job in his area and were nowhere to be seen most of the time.
“One time I was going round some corporate companies to see which people can support us in developing Chief Chipepo’s area, but they told me that what I was doing was a job of the MP and not me, a traditional leader. But the MPs. “They are so much into politicking, instead of developing their constituents, their friends are going back to their constituencies, but they are nowhere to be found. So come 2021 I’m urging the people not to vote for them, they are useless,” he said.
Chief Chipepo advised the three MPs to emulate MPs from Luapula and Eastern provinces, who were always in their constituencies and were striving to improve the livelihood of their constituents by taking development to their areas.
“I went to Luapula and Eastern provinces, MPs there are always there in their constituencies, why can’t MPs in my area also do that?” he asked.
The three MPs are Attractor Malungo Chisangano for Gwembe, Douglas Syakalima for Chirundu and Darius Mulunda for Siavonga constituencies.
