‘Transparency and Accountability’ key to success, prods Andrew Tayengwa

 

By Ashton Kelly Bunda and Derrick Sinjela 

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) Kabwata Member of Parliament (MP) Andrew Tayengwa says residents of every constituency must know what their leaders are doing and that should cultivate a habit of taking part in planning and approving projects and needs before, during and after any development initiatives finally take off.

Speaking during a Saturday, 30^th April, 2022 Ward Community Meeting (WCM) at New Chilenje Community Hall in Lusaka, an articulate Mr. Tayengwa urged Kabwata residents especially youths to be always inquisitive in the affairs of their constituency and advise the councilors and the Member of Parliament since young people are part and parcel of the leadership.

An accountant by profession, Tayengwa told members of the community that transparency and accountability is key to success at family, community and national cautioning that if Ward Community leaders around a Member of Parliament misappropriate Constituency Development Funds (CDF) money, which President Hakainde Hichilema increased from K1.6 million to K27.5 million intended for development, an incumbent parliamentarian, will be blamed and invariably become very unpopular.

“As an accountant by profession, I have been trained to be accountable with books of accounts and transparent with all dealings. I am assuring the electorate in Kabwata that this constituency will be a unique during my reign as I pledge to produce a quarterly financial report on how the leaders will be spending government money meant for approved developmental projects,” Tayengwa told residents who included former Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) broadcaster, Margaret Chimanse.

Serving his first term as a parliamentarian, Tayengwa encouraged constituents to use the ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ slogan coined by the former First Republican President, the late Dr. Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda during the 27-year-reign of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era as a cornerstone and foundation on which to build Kabwata Constituency.

Tayengwa explained that he had already hit the ground running mobilizing funds from the business community as residents wait for the K27.5 million CDF resources to be approved with a science laboratory that had stalled at Muyoma Primary School in Chilenje South township now on course, building material for the expansion of the Michael Sata Clinic and Medical Laboratory in Rockview Ward taking off as a priority projects.

Among the ward leaders that represented residents was Martin Mbewe from Chitukuko zone in Chilenje market area who submitted that water blues remained a greater obstacle for traders owing to an absolute reticulation infrastructure.

Mr. Mbewe equally expressed regret that the monumental Chilenje Community Hall appeared ancient having been built before independence in 1964, pointing out that upgrading it into a modern facility housing several recreational youth oriented ventures will keep young people from being delinquent.

And Placidus Muhango, who represented Maploto area, near the Old State House, complained of frequent blockages of the sewerage system in the past 30 years in dire need of an elaborate ‘overhaul’, discouraging undesignated garbage dumping sites and curbing alcohol abuse among youths.

And Rock View Park Ward Development Committee (WDC) member Mr. Kofi Louis lodged a complaint that the Mary Mwango Police Post is overwhelmed by a growing population and that it must be upgraded to a fully-fledged police station, where all important documents can be approved and certified.

A Timothy Mwanakatwe Zone female representative, Patience Hatongo submitted that ward and zone leaders must come up with a mechanism of disseminating information to the public on gatherings and future zone and community meetings, to dialogue on how to stop youths from turning into ‘junkies’ due to alcohol abuse.

“We must devise a communication strategy on how to encourage residents to attend WCM’s and share ideas and solution on making children and young people to grow and become responsible citizens,” advised Ms. Hatongo, a view point supported by Zambian Children Young People and Women in Development (ZCYPWD) Executive Member, Father Samuel Zulu, who wants Mr. Tayengwa to accept a portfolio as patron of the group, which currently run a weekly one-hour show every Saturday on Pan African Radio 96.1FM.

And a person living with a disability Noel Nkausu, who visually challenged (blind) demanded that unsighted people including children and women be included as recipients of the constituency development fund and other empowerment programmes at national level.