Mulusa in hot soup for likening fire trucks to wheelbarrows

Inonge Wina Vice President Picture by Albert Mpezeni

National Development Planning Minister Lucky Mulusa faces disciplinary action for disparaging the procurement of 42 fire tenders by government at a total cost of US$42 million which he likened to wheelbarrows.

Vice President Inonge Wina says the matter will be considered under the ministerial code of conduct and other disciplinary measures that government will deem fit to apply.

Ms Wina was responding to a question by Chimwemwe Member of Parliament Elias Mwila during the vice president’s question time who wanted to know whether Mr Mulusa will be asked to resign for going against Cabinet’s principle of collective responsibility.

Meanwhile Ms Wina says public gatherings are not allowed in Lusaka’s Kanyama compound in view of the cholera outbreak.

Ms Wina said this in response to a question by Chitambo Member of Parliament Remember Mutale who wanted to find out whether government is contemplating rescinding the decision by the Police to allow the UPND to go ahead with the rally in Kanyama in view of the cholera outbreak.

She says the situation in Kanyama is still under threat of the spread of cholera.

And the vice president has disclosed that 192 pregnant women are among asylum seekers who have entered the country through Chiengi district in Luapula province fleeing the instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ms Wina has told Parliament that unaccompanied children are also among the asylum seekers entering the country.

She says while this situation has created a humanitarian crisis in the country, government through its agencies has mobilized resources to tackle the problem.

Ms Wina adds that the UN agencies working together with the Zambia Red Cross Society and government agencies have brought the situation under control.