By Nation Reporter
ACTING Leader of Government Business in the House Ambrose Lufuma said Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) Chairperson Anna Chifungula denied having said there was political interference at the agency, adding that she was misquoted.
Mr Lufuma said this in a statement rendered to the House yesterday over allegations that the UPND administration did not want to deal with certain suppliers who were not in good standing with the party.
He said there was no political influence coming from State House or the Office of the President as was alleged.Mr Lufuma said Government had left ZAMMSA to operate freely and devoid of political interference.“Government is in support of vetting suppliers to ensure quality, right price and timely delivery. Therefore, the process should not be seen as discrimination. We shall govern according to the rule of law,” he said.Responding to a point of clarification from Feira Member of Parliament (PF) Emmanuel Tembo who wanted to know if vetting had caused so much suffering among patients especially those living in rural areas, Mr Lufuma re-emphasized that the new dawn administration did not interfere on political lines in the procurement process.“But that does not mean there should be no vetting. Vetting is part of the process,” Mr Lufuma, whose substantive position is that of Minister of Defense.Mr Lufuma also revealed that there would be no investigations on ZAMMSA’s delayed procurement of medicines because it did not warrant doing so.He was responding to a question from the Leader of the Opposition Brian Mundubile who wanted to know if Government would institute investigations on the delayed procurement of medicines as was the case at the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Auditor General.Meanwhile, Zambezi East MP (UPND) Brian Kambita said Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo had not adhered to her promise to rehabilitate the district hospital.Mr Kambita said the walls of the hospital were collapsing and despite having engaged her (Ms Masebo) nothing had been done about the hospital. “District Hospital in Zambezi is a dilapidated institution and people are dying. The Minister of Health gave Government assurance but up to date, nothing has been done and we have walls almost breaking. I engaged her here…to discuss the same issue. Up to now a position has not been given. The hospital is almost collapsing,” he said.But the Speaker, Nelly Mutti advised Mr Kambita to “continue engaging the Minister of Health.”Ms Mutti further advised Ms Masebo to attend to the matter so that the hospital was in a good condition.And Mutti urged the Members not to promote regionalism in their debates.The Speaker said this after Solwezi East MP (UPND) Alex Katakwe said answers given by ministers were saddening because North-Western Province had been neglected.“Do not promote regionalism ….We are trying to heal. So, let’s ask questions not based on regionalism,” Ms Mutti said.