By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
GREEN Party president Peter Sinkamba has pledged to scatter Government ministries across the country to ensure decentralisation if he wins next week’s presidential elections.
Mr Sinkamba said as a first step of bringing about decentralisation in the nation, his party would start with central government by ensuring that all ministries’ headquarters are moved across the country with each province having at least a ministry.
“In decentralising, we are going to start with central Government itself before moving to local government,” he said.
Mr Sinkamba said this when he featured on a Presidential debate organised by the Copperbelt University (CBU) held at the campus on Tuesday night.
Among other institutions to be shifted from Lusaka included Parliament, which would be taken to Mongu, Ministry of Justice to Kabwe near Mukobeko Prisons, with the Ministry of Chiefs and Tradition Affairs earmarked for relocation to Chipata.
“All ministries will be scattered around the country and we are going to invest heavily in e-government to enhance communication between the ministries,” he said.
Mr Sinkamba, who was the only presidential candidate to turn up for the debate which also featured United Party for National Development (UPND) Copperbelt chairperson Elisha Matambo as the only other political party representatives, pledged to also split the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) into two.
The Green Party if elected into government would ensure ZRA was split to create External Revenue Authority standing alone from the proposed Internal Revenue Authority.
Mr Sinkamba called on the electorates to vote for him in next week’s polls to ensure a revenue generation of US$15 billion into the economy from his proposed marijuana project.
He also promised to reduce all personal taxes by 15 per cent if elected president of the country.
Meanwhile, Mr Matambo said UPND was the only answer for a new Constitution, the desired retirement age of 55 years, and free education from grade one to university.
The UPND representative said if elected into government, the party would grow the economy by tapping into the natural resources such as water which they would use to generate more hydro electricity for export to realise the much needed revenue.