President Michael Sata has appointed two more members of parliament from the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) as deputy ministers for sports and information breaking one of the many unfulfilled campaign promises of running a lean and efficient government.
President Sata and the PF made innumerable promises which have gone unfulfilled with the pledge to run a small government now turning out the opposite. He now has the biggest government ever with 20 full cabinet ministers, 41 deputy ministers and 10 provincial ministers.
The appointment of Sinjembela MP Poniso Njeulu and his counterpart for Kalabo central constituency Chinga Miyutu now takes the number of opposition MPs serving in government to 14.
The PF originally had 60 seats in parliament after the 2011 general elections but have managed to swell National Assembly representation through by-elections. The ruling party won Nakonde Central, Chongwe, Chama North, Msanzala, Mufumbwe and recently Mpongwe to make it 66, excluding eight nominated MPs.
This means PF has 74 MPs in the house but the number rises to 88 including opposition MPs who have been given inferior ministerial positions to support the ruling party agenda in the house.
Out of the 150+8 total number of MPs in the National Assembly of Zambia, this leaves the opposition with 70 seats collectively.
The statistics are aimed at giving the PF majority to propose the lifting of former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity although parliamentary procedure suggest doing so will require two-thirds of the voting members. This means that PF must garner about 105 MPs on their side to lift President Banda’s immunity and also pass a Constitution that favours their wishes.
Two by-elections in Lukulu West and Kapiri Mposhi are awaited and the PF hopes to win at least one of the two. The Supreme Court is also expected to pass the ruling in the Petauke Central and Chipata central election petitions.
President Sata recently announced attempts to remove Banda’s immunity to answer alleged corruption charges leveled against him. The former Head of State who is heading an election monitoring mission in Kenya has asked the PF government to allow him enjoy his immunity or remove the President’s immunity clause in the country’s constitution.
In Lusaka, a clique behind President Sata government comprising Post owner Fred M’membe, Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito is liaising with investigative wings to mount pressure on government to move on and propose the motion for Banda’s immunity to be removed, claiming they have gathered sufficient evidence and ground for doing so.
State media reported today that the investigative wings are ready to proceed to court and commence Banda’s prosecution once his immunity had been lifted.
Last month, the Anti-Corruption Commission asked Banda to avail himself for questioning, but his legal counsel Sakwiba Sikota responded that his client would not allow to be tried through newspaper headlines. The Anti Corruption Commission announced the move to summon Banda client before informing the subject in what observers suggest was an attempt to divert attention from the ruling party’s failures.
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