JB should clarify speech—MP

Member of Parliament for Thyolo South West Allan Chiyembekeza on Monday said although ideas in President Joyce Banda’s State of the Nation Address sound good, there are areas in the statement that need clarification.

“Documents like these are policy documents and are presented here so that we deliberate. However, although I find that there are a number of issues tackled in the President’s speech, most of them are not clarified and we need a clarification on them,” he said.

Chiyembekeza said, among others, Banda needs to clarify her proposal that farming should be managed as business, the introduction of the warehousing system, Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) and the progress of the Thyolo-Thekerani Road.

“On Fisp, [she did not mention the number of beneficiaries]. Last year, it was said that 1.5 million would benefit, but later, there was an extra 45 000 beneficiaries and no explanation has been given as to who were these extra beneficiaries,” he said.

He added: “Again, everybody was complaining about sand [in Fisp fertiliser bags]. We need an explanation as to why there was that sand and who put it there and what the Ministry of Agriculture has done about it.”

Chiyembekeza also expressed concern that the Mudzi Trust kicked off without being adopted by Parliament.

On the Thyolo-Thekerani Road, he said although the President has been saying that a contractor was identified and is already on site; in fact, there was no such contractor on the road.

“This road passes through my constituency. In fact, it passes through five constituencies, but there is no contractor in any of these constituencies,” he said.

However, standing on a point of order, Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara faulted Chiyembekeza on Banda seeking approval from Parliament before launching the Mudzi Trust, saying the Head of State does not require any such approval.

“The President just announced the formation of the trust. There will be a time when the President will properly launch the programme,” he said.

Minister of Finance Ken Lipenga said it was not true that the additional Fisp beneficiaries were not explained, saying he and the Minister of Agriculture Professor Peter Mwanza explained what happened.