Inequity in Zambia is startling, Jamba
By Staff Reporter
MWEMBESHI independent member of parliament Machila Jamba on yesterday evening told religious affairs minister Reverend Godfridah Sumaili to prevail over the executive as it distributes the national cake, stressing that the current inequity in Zambia is startling.
Debating the 2018 budgetary allocation to the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs in Parliament, Jamba lamented the shattering levels of poverty among most Zambians.
“Let me talk about equity; I have gone to some constituencies, not only in my constituency…. One of my friends took me to his constituency – Chama South! Madam chairperson, people are suffering [and] therefore you ( Sumaili) as a Minister of Religious Affairs, you must see to it that when the cake is being shared, [you] go and pray with those who are sharing the cake. Tell them that this cake is supposed to go to Chama South! How can people live in an area where there is no water? We must show that here in Zambia we are all equal and therefore, equity must be practiced here. I went to a clinic in Mwembeshi constituency and when I got to this clinic, minister, this clinic has got no water. Now, you ladies can you hear very well; can you imagine you go to a clinic, in a labour ward and you find that women are going for labour [but] there is no water! Is that what we call equity in a Christian nation? The God above whom you are preaching [to], madam minister, is looking from heaven and He is saying that He is a God of justice. In this regard, I urge you [that] if you are going to make relevance to this ministry….” Jamba debated.
The lawmaker also noted that patriotism ought to be a virtue for both ruling PF and opposition UPND members of parliament, especially when deliberating on parliamentary business.
“I would want to see an example through the minister; if the UPND are going to bring a motion which is correct, I want to see you voting with them to show that you are patriotic. Then you UPND, if you have seen that the motion brought by the PF is a genuine one, you vote with them, if you are going to be patriotic. We independents have seen that even when we are talking about patriotism, there is no patriotism. I want to tell you that if we are going to be patriotic in this country, we have to be above party lines,” he said.
Gwembe UPND member of parliament Attractor Malungo Chisangano also debated the same head and advised the ministry to contain PF-propagated political hooliganism in the country, as well as to restrain sky-rocketing societal immorality.
