Government has released K10 million for the rehabilitation of National Assembly Motel.

According to a statement posted on the Ministry of Finance website, Minister of Finance assured Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini when the duo toured the motel on Thursday that members of parliament would get conducive lodging facilities.

“K10 million has been financed by the government to facilitate the PARTIAL rehabilitation and replacement of aging infrastructure, fixtures, and fittings at the National Assembly Motel in Lusaka. This came to light when the Minister of Finance Felix Mutati briefed the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini on the measures taken by the Treasury to ensure that Members of Parliament who do not have residencies in Lusaka had conducive lodging facilities during their stay in the Capital City when on Parliamentary and other related business,” read the statement.

“Dr Matibini and Mr Mutati conducted a joint inspection of the facilities last Thursday; the day before the official opening of the second session of twelfth National Assembly by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. An initial joint inspection of the facilities by the Speaker and the Minister was conducted in June, 2017. Speaking after the tour of the motel last Thursday, Dr Matibini noted the tremendous progress made in rehabilitating the facilities ‘over a short period of time’, and added that, ‘time has come to relook at the situation and begin fashioning long-term improvements with the ultimate goal of rebuilding’.”

Mutati said the release of K10 million for the rehabilitation project at Parliament Motel was in line with government’s policy and President Edgar Lungu’s vision to ensure the provision of a conducive working environment for the discharge of public services.

Parliament Motel was commissioned in 1967 but has undergone negligible maintenance over the decades resulting in inadequacy and deterioration of boarding and lodging facilities such as rooms, the kitchen, and the dinning.

The Speaker was accompanied on the tour of Parliament Motel by Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Cecilia Mbewe, while Mutati was accompanied by Accountant General Dr Dick Sichembe.