SCOTT

By KAIKO NAMUSA-
PARLIAMENT has ordered Vice-President Guy Scott to deliver a statement to clarify President Michael Sata’s visit to Israel to help deal with unnecessary speculations on the matter.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mkhondo Lungu made the ruling in Parliament yesterday following a point of order by Monze Central United Party for National Development (UPND) Member of Parliament (MP) Jack Mwiimbu.
Mr Lungu asked the Vice-President to deliver his statement by Thursday and could do so even before the scheduled day.
“To avoid speculation, innuendos, I will ask the leader of Government business in the House to make a statement on the matter so that we can put this matter to rest,” Mr Lungu said.
Mr Mwiimbu in his point of order asked whether it was in order for the Government to remain mute without clarifying the matter.
“The visit by President Michael Sata has been surrounded by controversy because international media is stating that the Prime Minister of Israel is in the US to meet President Barack Obama. Is Government in order to allow speculation on this matter,” Mr Mwiimbu said.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has informed Parliament that K340.9 million was given out as loans to various business houses by the Development Bank of Zambia as of December 2013.
Mr Chikwanda said from the amount, K37 million was categorised as bad debt, adding that the bank had guidelines to address the debt recovery process.
The minister was responding to a question raised by UPND Gwembe MP, Brian Ntundu who wanted to know how much the bank had lent to various business houses and that of the total loan, how much was categorised as bad debt.
Dr Scott also told Parliament that 78 employees in the 29 new districts had been placed on the payroll and that this was so because they had commenced their duties in the respective districts.
Dr Scott said the workers on the payroll were also receiving housing allowance from their monthly earnings.
He said the Government had continued the construction of housing units in the new districts to cater for accommodation.
This was in response to Kalabo Central UPND MP Chinga Miyutu who wanted to know why employees in the newly-created districts like Sikongo, Mwandi and Sioma were not on the Government payroll and what measures were in place to alleviate the accommodation hardships faced by employees not yet on the payroll.