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Parliament has not yet bought vehicles for its two deputy Speakers, Esther Chilenje and Johnes Chingola and Leader of Opposition John Tembo.
Tembo said on arrival from leaders of opposition conference in South Africa that Parliament has not yet bought an official vehicle for his office saying they have been promising but nothing is coming up.
Chilenje and Chingola also confirmed in separate interviews that they are yet to get official vehicles which they are entitled to, a development they claimed is having an impact on their job.
“We can’t perform our duties without proper vehicles,” they said.
Tembo claimed the hiring of vehicles for the two deputy speakers led to Parliament spending close to K10 million (about $92,000).
“This is wastage of government resources. They would have bought at least two cars with that money,” said Tembo.
“They have been promising that they will give us the vehicles but every time we remind them they insist that they are still sorting out”.
Clerk of Parliament Roosevelt Gondwe confirmed that Parliament has not yet bought vehicles for the three officials claiming they are still waiting for Ministry of Finance to fund them.
But he said the three were given vehicles last December that were left by former deputy speakers saying before that Parliament was hiring vehicles for them because the cars were still in the garage.
“After the elections the cars had to be sent to the garage,” said Gondwe who could not be drawn to comment why Treasury is not releasing funding for the purchase of new vehicles for the three.
The three claimed in separate interviews that the vehicles they were allocated are in very bad state and susceptible to road accidents.
Tembo said he is not using his vehicle because it is in a very bad condition while Chilenje said hers broke down in a road accident in Lilongwe last week because the tyres were completely worn out.
“We are risking our lives in these vehicles,” said Chilenje.
Secretary to the Treasury Milton Kutengule confirmed that they have not yet released funding for the purchase of the vehicles but he said his office would release the funding when Parliament is ready.
Kutengule said his office has no objections as long as the vehicles were budgeted for and as long as the procurement is good value for money.
“But what we know is that there was a problem with the supplier. He did not have the sort of vehicles Parliament is looking for. Hopefully next week [this week] some cars will be available,” said Kutengule
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