Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says government is being very hypocritical over its excuse that it has no financial resources to hold a referendum on the constitution following the revelation that it has money to increase salaries for parliamentarians and ministers. 
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi in a statement says it is amazing how government can, today, claim to have the necessary financial resources to support the pay rise for parliamentarians and ministers when its long standing argument has been that it has no money even to complete projects such as road infrastructure.
Mr Chipenzi says it is now clear the motive behind the rise in the debt ceiling effected by parliament was meant to secure money for consumption such as salary increments rather than investing it in productive economic activities which could have created jobs for the young people.
He states that this is the reason FODEP has always been calling for transparency and accountability in debt contraction to avoid government concealing its real motive of contracting such debts, which may end up being swallowed by a few individual, but to be paid by all Zambian citizens.
Mr Chipenzi adds that Government’s response to FODEP’s challenge over where the money would come from to meet the pay rise for parliamentarians leaves much to be desired, more especially, that the Chief Government Spokesperson did not state where the funds will come from.
He says FODEP appeals to all Zambians to take government to task on why it is reluctant to hold a referendum to adopt the country’s new supreme law now that the issue of finances is not a problem as demonstrated on the mobilization of funds for salary increments.
Mr Chipenzi notes that surprisingly, the proposed increment is coming scantly months after parliamentarians got their midterm gratuity and one wonders whether this is another subtle way of amassing more money as parliament heads towards dissolution next year.