FORMER Matero PF member of parliament Lloyd Kaziya says during his tenure in office, about K1.6 million constituency development fund was transferred to unknown individuals on the Copperbelt.

And Kaziya says an alert member of staff at the bank told him that the transactions were being carried out on a Sunday.

Reacting to incumbent Matero PF member of parliament Miles Sampa’s allegations that a forensic audit revealed that Kaziya might have recommended certain projects and that there seemed to be some CDF abusers within the constituency, Kaziya said he should actually be commended for the prudent utilisation of resources.

Kaziya also said not only did he save funds for Matero, he also did the same for Kabwata and Lusaka Central.

“Why should you blame an MP when roads are not done in a constituency? Who is responsible for funding roads in any constituency? It is RDA. There are records at the MP’s office from me pleading with RDA and requesting that roads can be done. So on the road network, do not blame an MP for the standard of roads being done in the constituency. Whoever thinks that an MP is given money, I think that is shallow thinking. An MP has no hand in handling any resource whatsoever. So the only money available to an MP is CDF which unfortunately is being run by the local government. The MP is not even a signatory to that account,” he said.

“If anything please report that I even saved that K1.6 million because money was stolen. After I was allocated the K1.6 million, there was a scam. That money at the council was distributed on a Sunday and there were individuals cashing on the Copperbelt. An alert member of staff at the bank told me that the money was being distributed. Can you imagine transactions being done on a Sunday at a bank? The account is at the civic center and money was being transferred to individuals on the Copperbelt. I did not only save Matero funds, I also saved Kabwata funds, and I saved Lusaka Central where Margret Mwanakatwe was. Three constituency accounts were abused and the funds went missing. I made an effort to go and see the MD for ZANACO to recall those funds.”

Kaziya said if it was not for his prompt intervention, the CDF would have landed in the wrong hands.

“If anybody wants to be prudent in how resources are utilised, I should be commended because those funds could have ended up in the wrong hands. Had it not been my prompt action to see the MD of ZANACO, those funds would have gone missing for good. And then somebody can accuse me of CDF abuse and recommending a carpenter whom I do not even know to do library shelves? The procurement process is very clear,” said Kaziya.

“So if you want to rate an MP, rate him against the resources allocated. Did he fail to utilise them or did he abuse the resources? That is how you rate them. Do not rate them based on what certain individuals say. I went to serve the people of Matero and if my efforts were not appreciated, then hard luck. People would want to blame me but the greatest blame should go to the PF because they failed the people of Matero. I never failed the people of Matero.”