Debt swap suspension meant to allow for accountability,Nalumango says
Sharon Kunda-Vice President MUTALE NALUMANGO says the debt Swap for civil servants has been suspended to allow Government to assess the program.
Mrs. NALUMANGO says the debt swap was implemented towards the end of the PF administration and that the Financial Institutions involved did not seem to be ready for the program.
Speaking in Parliament during the Vice President’s question time, Mrs. NALUMANGO noted that the debt swap was not well articulated and that Government is relooking at the program to assess whether it can be implemented.
This was in response to a question by Chikankata Member of Parliament JACQUELINE SABAO who wanted to find out Government’s position on the debt swap program for civil servants following reports that the program had been suspended.
And Vice President NALUMANGO has reaffirmed Government’s concern for the plight of the workers in the public service.
Mrs. NALUMANGO said some of the debt owed by civil servants was as a result of the previous administration’s failing to remit to financial institutions money that was deducted from the workers.
She described the program as superficial and that it was meant to portray the PF administration as providing relief to the workers yet the program was not properly implemented.
Meanwhile, Mrs. NALUMANGO appealed to Zambians to be patient as they wait for the effects of the appreciation of the kwacha to trickle down.
She said the appreciation of the Kwacha cannot be witnessed immediately as the country still has stocks of imported goods and services which were procured at a higher cost.
Mrs. NALUMANGO said the appreciation of the kwacha against major convertible currencies was due to various factors which include the election results which sent confidence to the international community and investors.
And Leader of the Opposition in the House who is also Mporokoso Member of Parliament, BRIAN MUNDUBILE asked the Vice President where Government has sourced money to finance President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’s trip to the United States when it was reported that t
e country’s coffers are empty.
In her response, the Vice President said the Head of State’s scheduled trip to the United States of America is NOT an indication that the Treasury has money but that there are certain areas that need to be prioritized as the UPND administration’s works to l
ft the country out of economic doldrums.
Mrs. NALUMANGO said the Treasury may have some reserves but that they are not enough to carry out all the programs that the Government has lined up in its developmental agenda.
She said President HICHILEMA’s trip to the USA is important as he will meet investors and the IMF.
Mrs. NALUMANGO noted that the President’s engagements during his first international trip since ascending to power is expected to give confidence and comfort to creditors and it is hoped that this will make it easy for the country to restructure its debt.
And the Vice President said the suspension of employment and promotions in the civil service was implemented so that Government can understand the establishments in the various Ministries.
Mrs. NALUMANGO explained that the new Administration has dissolved, merged and re-aligned some Ministries and that this has a lot of implications.
She explained that there will therefore be need to re-align workers in the public service and that Government cannot commence employing more workers into the public service without knowing the existing establishments in various ministries.
Mrs. NALUMANGO said that the suspension of employment and promotions in the public service will be lifted at an appropriate time.
Meanwhile, Mrs. NALUMANGO reiterated that the policy of free education will be pursued as espoused by the UPND administration and that it will be implemented progressively.
The Vice President said the free education policy entails upgrading and constructing infrastructure as well as addressing the pupil teacher ratio.
She said it is NOT every citizen who will go to school for free and that Government will use the social welfare system to identify vulnerable learners.
And Mrs. NALUMANGO stated that Zambia is a Christian nation and that the New Dawn administration will therefore NOT adopt gay rights.
She said this in response to Kabushi Member of Parliament BOWMAN LUSAMBO who wanted to find out Government’s position on the matter.
The Vice President said each country has its own laws and traditions.
Mrs. NALUMANGO went on to say that member countries in regional and international bodies have different positions on gay rights and that this does NOT stop Zambia from enjoying cordial relations with a nation that has a different stance on the matter.
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