RULING BY THE HON MADAM SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ON WEDNESDAY, 14TH JUNE, 2023, BY MR M KAFWAYA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR LUNTE CONSTITUENCY, AGAINST HON C MILUPI, ACTING MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING, FOR ALLEGEDLY NOT LAYING THE DEPOSIT SLIP FOR THE K65 MILLION SEIZED FROM MS MARGARET CHISELA MUSONDA BY THE ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE

Hon Members, the House will recall that on Wednesday, 14th June, 2023, when the House was considering the Report of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on the review of the administration and operations of the Zambia Police Service, presented by Brig Gen M S Sitwala, Member of Parliament for Kaoma, and Chairperson of the Committee, Mr MKafwaya, Member of Parliament for Lunte Constituency, raised a Point of Order.

In his Point of Order, Mr M Kafwaya MP asked whether the Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning was in order to mislead the House by purporting to have brought a deposit slip for the Sixty-five million Kwacha (K65, 000, 000.00), seized by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), when in fact not.
Hon Members, in her immediate response, the Hon Madam First Deputy Speaker reserved her ruling in order to enable her examine the documents laid on the Table of the House, and render a measured ruling. I have since studied the matter and will now render my ruling.

Hon Members, the background to this matter is that on 7thJune, 2023, Mr S Kampyongo Member of Parliament for Shiwang’andu Constituency raised a matter of urgent public importance on the Sixty-five million Kwacha (K65, 000, 000.00), that was seized by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) from Ms Margaret Chisela Musonda, alias Faith Musonda,and how the forfeited funds were disbursed. I then directed the Hon Minister of Finance and National Planning to render a ministerial statement on the matter on Tuesday, 13thJune, 2023. Hon C Milupi, MP, the acting Minister of Finance and National Planning rendered a ministerial statement on the matter. In seeking clarification on the ministerial statement, Mr. Munir Zulu, Member of Parliament for Lumezi Constituency asked the Minister to present to the House the deposit slip issued in respect of the funds. In that regard, I directed the Hon Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, to bring proof of the deposit.

Hon Members, on 14th June, 2023, the acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, tabled a set of documents before the House in line with my directive. Subsequently, Mr MKafwaya, MP, raised a Point of Order on whether the Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning was in order to mislead the House by purporting to have brought a deposit slip for the Sixty-five Million Kwacha (K65, 000, 000.00), seized by the ACC, when it was not among the documents he had laid on the table of the House.

Hon Members, I have noticed that this matter has continued to attract a lot of interest both in the House, and the Nation at large. Therefore, in order for it to be addressed conclusively, I hereby direct the Hon Minister of Finance and National Planning, to issue a detailed statement clarifying the matter on Wednesday, 21stJune, 2023.

I thank you.