By NATION REPORTER
FIRST deputy Speaker Malungo Chisangano has directed Minister of Energy Peter Kapala to explain to Parliament on Thursday, next week on reports that local transporters were excluded in the transportation of fuel.
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This was after PF Chama North MP Yotam Mtayachalo rose on a matter of urgent public importance stating that most local transporters had lost business resulting in job losses as government was procuring the services from foreign truckers.
Mr Mtayachalo said in 2021 Government issued a statutory instrument which empowered local transporters to transport fuel products, but the directive has not been adhered to resulting in job losses.
In response Mr Kapala said there was no proof that there were massive job losses and lost business, but the First Deputy Speaker Chisangano interjected and directed the Minister to present a ministerial statement to Parliament next week.
Ms Chisangano did not admit an urgent matter from Petauke Central Independent MP Emmanuel Banda directed at the Minister of Heath Sylvia Masebo.
In his submission, Mr Banda said more than 100 people have swollen heads because they cooked mangoes as they don’t have food to eat.
Mr Banda wondered what medicine the people could be given to treat their swelled heads.
“I cannot sit here when njala yabavimbisha mitu zabantu (hunger has caused the swelling of heads) because of eating mangoes. What medicine can they be given?” he asked.
In response the Speaker said: “This matter is difficult to understand …we don’t know if there is proof or if it is just one family. We don’t know whether it is hunger or poison they consumed. Find another avenue.”
Ms Chisangano further advised Mr Banda to one list down all the issues so that he could identify the urgent ones because every day he had issues to raise.
Meanwhile, Lumezi Independent MP Munir Zulu wondered why the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Mike Mposha could not propose solutions that are working at his night club in Munali which is the only place people draw water from to resolve water challenges in other areas.
Mr Zulu rose on a point of order against Mr Mposha while he was responding to a question for oral answer from PF Kamfinsa MP Christopher Kang’ombe who wanted to know whether government was aware that there is a critical shortage of water supply in his constituency.
“What we present here should be factual and verifiable. We are also asked to declare interest. The minister is responding to a question on water knowing very well that the only place people in his constituency where people are drawing water is his night club. We can move the House to Munali,” he said.
Ms Chisangano refused to admit Mr Zulu’s point of order because the question was not about Munali Constituency and so the matter was misplaced.
Petauke Central legislator Emmanuel Banda also rose on a point of order against Mr Mposha.
“When we stand here to issue statements, it is policy. Is the Minister in order, who is also an MP for Munali, and is failing to use CDF to sort out the problem of water in his constituency to advise the Kamfinsa MP to use CDF to deal with water problems?” Mr Banda asked.
In response the Speaker said Mr Banda’s question was like that of Mr Zulu and so was not amissible.
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