Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:05:16 +0000
By OSCAR MALIPENGA
THE decision to build a new State House was made by a Parliamentary Committee chaired by United Party for National Development Chirundu Member of Parliament Douglas Syakalima.
Mr Syakalima even recommended that land should be found for a modern more spacious and safe building to house the Head of State.
The Committee heard that the current structure housing the Republican President was a health and safety risk to its occupants.
The MPs have also warned that the situation at State House was dangerous and it required urgent attention to avoid a national calamity.
According to a report by the Parliamentary Committee on Communications, Transport, Works and Supply, State House spends a total of K1 million annually in maintenance costs.
The committee has also recommended that engineers should be allowed to have full access to State House, in order to carry out a full assessment of the facility housing the highest institution of the land.
“The assessment will guide whether the building should be brought down, or kept as a national monument, with very limited usage.
“The Ministry of Works and Supply should ensure that the process for funding of the project is transparent and approved by the National Assembly,” the committee recommended.
And Kantanshi Independent MP Anthony Mumba, who presented a report on the floor of the House said after undertaking a tour of State House, the committee members observed that there was a separation of some columns in the cabinet room leading to several cracks on several supporting walls, which had increased over time.
It was observed that there was a failure of foundation supports, adding that the walls had begun to crack due to the old age of the structure.
“The roof leaks despite various remedies that had been implemented. The heavy leaking has led to fungal growth on the wall of some rooms. These rooms can no longer be used,” the committee observed.
Mr. Mumba said it was also observed that the electrical systems in parts of the building were not functioning.
He said there were constant blockages in the sewer system.
Mr. Mumba said the structural timber was badly damaged due to termite attacks and seeping water from the leaking roof.
“The building is overloaded above its carrying capacity. Certain rooms are being used for other purposes other than what they are designed for. The dining hall is used for public functions causing further strain on the structure.
“Private engineers had been contracted to carry out a thorough assessment of the situation. However, their report was incomplete as they did not have access to some rooms,” he said.
And in a special submission made by the Ministry of Works and Supply regarding the way forward in dealing with the current poor state of State House, the committee was informed that the State House building was very old (80 years old), and it had developed many cracks in the walls.
“The foundation was weak, and the wood holding up the ceiling had been eaten up by termites.
“The whole building was leaking. Apart from being old and damaged, the building was small and not able to fully cater for various State functions,” Ministry of Works and Supply submitted to the committee of members of Parliament.
The Ministry of Works and Supply which was carrying out consultations with various stakeholders on the way forward also consulted MPs to provide recommendations on the way forward, either to renovate the current building, or to build an entirely new structure, that would be modern, safe and large enough to cater for the various State functions.
The ministry also informed the committee that the building had undergone several piecemeal maintenance procedures but that unfortunately, the procedures had not improved the situation.
