Any other seat that will become vacant in Western Province will be won by the Patriotic Front, says Vice-president Inonge Wina, following the party’s triumphant entry into the Province through Mangango.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Wina last week avoided to give a response to Mazabuka central UPND member of parliament Gary Nkombo, who wanted to know why government had constructed a simple tollgate in Kafulafuta at a huge cost of K51 million when former President Rupiah Banda’s retirement mansion only cost K5 million.

During the Vice-President’s question time, nominated PF member of parliament Mumbi Phiri asked Wina to confirm if the scooping of the Mangango parliamentary seat by PF meant that the ruling party would win the Sesheke seat as well which fell vacant after the death of Frank Kufakwandi.

And in her response, the Vice-President said any other parliamentary seat that would fall vacant in Western Province would be won by the PF because the people in that Province had shown willingness to work with the ruling party.

“Mr Speaker, the triumphant entry of PF into Western Province through Mangango is a very big achievement for the Patriotic Front because that was considered the citadel of the UPND and maybe one or two other parties. Mr Speaker let me take this opportunity to thank the people of Mangango, they have demonstrated clearly that they want to work with this government and this is the beginning of better things to come for the PF party. I want to also commend the people of Mangango for conducting a violence free election, this is the way it should be even in future elections. There is no need to fight each other over who should represent us in council or in parliament. The people of Mangango have shown maturity and adherence to the law. So we really congratulate them. And Mr Speaker, as we move forward, we are very confident that any other seat that will become vacant in Western Province will be won by the Patriotic Front,” Vice-President Wina said.

Meanwhile, Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Gary Nkombo had earlier asked the Vice President to bring to parliament bill of quantities to support the construction cost of the Michael Sata Toll Plaza in Kafulafuta at the cost of US$4.3 million.

“Your honour the Vice-President, your boss, the Republican President Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu on 4th November, 2018, commissioned the Michael Chilufya Sata toll gate at a total cost of US$4.3 million, equivalent to K51 million. And just yesterday, we were told that your boss again, His Excellency the President did hand over a state-of-the-art double storey building, which is the residential property for the former President Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, whose cost was only K5 million. This is 10 times cheaper than that shelter at Kafulafuta called ‘Michael Chilufya Sata Tollgate’. The country has been appended, trying to find out how possible it is that you can build a shelter for K51 million and a double storey state-of-the-art residential house with a swimming pool at 10 times less the cost,” submitted Nkombo.

“Are you able to come to this House with a bills of quantity, with associated costs? So that Zambians can now stop labelling your government as a government that is inflating prices, a government that is careless, a government that has got thieves? Because they call this tool gate expenditure ‘day light robbery’. Your Honour the Vice-President, are you able to come to this House with BOQs, with associated costs for erecting this shelter at Kafulafuta? I thank you.”

But in her response, the Vice-President advised the Mazabuka lawmaker to take to the House a question for oral answer, to include all elements that were considered at the time of negotiating for the said toll plaza.

“Mr Speaker, first of all, let me inform the honourable member of parliament for Mazabuka that the tool gate is not a shelter. Mr Speaker, since the honourble member wants to access more information and details regarding the construction of this toll plaza, he needs to come to the House with a question that will include many other elements that were considered at the time of negotiating for this toll plaza. Otherwise, I may not satisfy his request. I thank you Sir,” said Vice-President Wina.