Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Emmanuel Lungu
Published on 2024-02-17 06:59:38
Petauke Central Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Banda, is urging the government to take swift action in response to the hunger crisis in the country by declaring it a national disaster in order to attract aid from well-wishers. Banda stressed the importance of considering relief food for all Zambians in light of the reported hunger situation. He made these remarks during a press briefing in Lusaka, emphasizing the severity of the hunger crisis in areas such as Petauke.
Banda revealed, “Right now when you come to Petauke there is too much hunger where people even just to have food on the table, they are buying maize-grind.” He further emphasized that the country’s resources were meant for the people of Zambia and called for elected leaders to prioritize returning the proceeds from the resources to the people in times of need.
“It’s not government money, it is the money for the people. So, when the people have got challenges government should come in using the same money to give solutions to the people,” he advised. Additionally, Banda encouraged the government to abolish the statutory instrument that required obtaining a permit to transport maize from Lusaka to the Eastern Province, questioning why businessmen from the Eastern Province were being asked for a permit when they are the ones supplying the raw material for mealie meal production.
Meanwhile, Milenge Member of Parliament, Gystave Chonde, raised concerns about the transparency of the 2023 teacher recruitment process, calling on the government to reevaluate the recruitment of teachers. Chonde alleged that the recruitment lacked transparency and promised decentralization.
“We were promised that the teachers’ recruitment will be decentralized … All the people in Milenge that were seemingly recruited at the district level, only one reappeared out of the list of all the teachers that were recruited last year,” Chonde stated. Additionally, Nkana Member of Parliament, Binwell Mpundu, condemned the council for demolishing structures at Chisokone market that were built by local traders, pointing out the impact on the livelihoods of the affected traders.
“Government will not have an opportunity to employ all those traders because Chisokone market has got 2000 traders if not more,” he emphasized. As the representatives of their constituencies, these Members of Parliament are advocating for governmental intervention and policy changes to address pressing issues affecting the wellbeing of their communities.
The urgent call for action on the hunger crisis, recruitment transparency, and protection of local traders’ livelihoods underscores the importance of effective governance and responsive policymaking in addressing the needs of the Zambian people.
Read the original article on Zambia Monitor
