Dodma officials rebuffed, budget meet fails

The Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Agriculture and Food Security and Environment and Climate Change yesterday turned back officials from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) because of the absence of commissioner Charles Kalemba.

Dodma was scheduled to appear before the budget cluster committee as part of the post-budget presentation engagements with government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on their allocation in the proposed 2024/25 National Budget which Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda presented in Parliament last Friday.

Dodma director of disaster preparedness Moses Chimphepo told the committee that Kalemba did not make it because he was on bed rest.

Immediately after learning about the commissioner’s inability to lead the team, the committee sent Dodma officials out to deliberate on the way forward. Later, the Dodma team was called in again and told that the committee would meet them next week.

Cluster committee co-chairperson Sameer Suleman said they meet Wednesday with the commissioner present.

But Chimphepo told the cluster that the commissioner will not be available until March 18 2024 as he will still be undergoing medical treatment.

In response, Agriculture Committee vice-chairperson Ulemu Chilapondwa said they had accepted the excuse with reservations.

On Wednesday, the International Relations, Defence and Security Cluster Committee of Parliament also sent back officials from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services because director general Charles Kalumo was absent.