LOCAL Government Minister Gary Nkombo says PF members have a tendency of wasting time on unproductive matters.

Nkombo was debating Kanchibiya member of parliament Sunday Chanda’s motion in which he proposed that Zambia should celebrate its heritage and culture for a period of one week.

“I’m aware that our colleagues in PF like to squander man hours. I would like to know, get motivated why and what we will be doing in those seven days of celebrating our cultural heritage and what they call cultural diversity? In the town where we are, Madam, no week passes, we see women, men passing by celebrating Chilanga Mulilo or Matebeto. Those are our heritages, they happen everyday,” he said.

“Why then dedicate this one week to celebrate what? I’m clearly aware that there is a preponderance by PF of wasting man hours by PF such as what we are doing now, to discuss nothing. Madam Speaker, there is a lot of work that we need to do. You know, Madam Speaker, We have had days that we have put aside that we, for instance from the ruling party now, have said no to such [things] as the national day of prayer; wasted man hours by the former government.”

He wondered why PF had a tendency of wasting time.

“They decided to get man hours flat on by going to pretend that they are holier than thou by declaring 18th (October) as a special day of worship and reconciliation. If you ask them today, over the period that they declared this day which I call wasted man hours, who did they reconcile with; there is no one. I would like to be motivated by the mover, what value he intends to add to our wellbeing by introducing these seven days of just jubilation. Jubilating what? Don’t subject the country to jubilation of nothing,” he said.

But Malole PF member of parliament Robert Kalimi said a country without cultural heritage was dead.

“Madam Speaker, a country without cultural heritage is just a dead country. No wonder certain provinces don’t have chiefs and we don’t want to have that. We want chiefs everywhere and we want tradition and culture to be preserved. Madam Speaker, national heritage stimulates national pride in ones history so that we understand other people’s culture. I need to understand the people in Lozi land, those in Lozi land need to understand the culture in Bemba land, we need to understand the culture in the Tonga land. That is the importance of the motion, Madam Speaker. Cultures have died lamentably,” said Kalimi.

The motion fell after being subjected to a vote.

“I put the question that this House urges the government to introduce a National Heritage and Cultural week to celebrate the country’s heritage and cultural diversity. As many as are of that opinion say I, of the contrary say no. The No’s have it. The question is in the negative,” said Speaker Mutti.