MANDEVU PF member of parliament Christopher Shakafuswa says he will move a motion in Parliament to compel the UPND government to implement the free education policy so that it benefits the Zambian youth.

But Katombola UPND member of parliament Clement Andeleki says the said motion will be “brought in dead” because government is committed to implementing it once PF’s corruption is rooted out.

In his maiden speech in Parliament, Tuesday, Shakafuswa said youths felt betrayed that the UPND.

“Education is the key for development for every nation and it helps in the shaping of a better society. The Republican President and the UPND president, His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, promised the people of Zambia, in particular the youths, free education from grade one to University. However, in the presidential speech, there is no mention of implementation of free education. On Friday, I listened to the vice president Mutale Nalumango admitting on the floor of this House that indeed the UPND had promised free education to youths and she admitted that this meant a lot to the UPND,” Shakafuswa said.

“However, she said that this will be implemented progressively. As a youth parliamentarian, I feel this is a betrayal to my fellow youths and I want to support the UPND government by implementing this free education policy in the near future. I wish to urge all the parliamentarians both on the left and right to support my motion which I will be bringing before this House to compel the UPND government to implement the free education so that it benefits the youth of Zambia.”

But in his debate, Andeleki said Shakafuswa’s intended motion would be “brought in dead”.

He also said corruption and embezzlement of public funds must be treated the same as treason.

“The President announced that his government will pursue a zero tolerance on corruption and all its forms and that there will be no sacred cows in the fight. This subject is dear to my heart as a lawyer and former policeman. The pronouncement could not have come at a better time than now as corruption has a very ugly face. And under the Patriotic Front government, the institutions of governance were compromised and corruption was the order of the day. This will not be a witch-hunt but corruption drains public resources and the much-needed resources that can help to develop our country. It is public knowledge now that people have been found with large sums of money in their homes. That is just an iceberg of how much corruption was taking place,” said Andeleki.

“Anyone who steals public funds must be sentenced to death by the neck until he is pronounced dead as corruption condemns the nation to poverty. Corruption and embezzlement of public funds must be treated the same as treason. The adverse effects of corruption are very clear because people lose lives in hospitals. We are aware of what happened with honeybee and I want to state here that the case of honeybee will be revisited and I will soon be reporting the case to the police. I want to emphasize that the UPND will deliver the free education policy and I want to assure Christopher Shakafuswa who was debating on bringing the motion that we will not only defeat your bill because it is going to come as a B.I.D [brought in dead]. UPND must be given time because you were given 10 years in which you failed to provide or develop this country. Free education is a must under the UPND government, only to those who cannot afford it.”