Ngoma calls for collaboration in developing Luwingu District

0
Banner 3
Banner 3

   Sinda  constituency Member of Parliament Levy Ngoma has advised  stakeholders  in Luwingu District of the Northern Province to work in liaison with the community for the district to attain maximum development.

Mr. Ngoma says he was disappointed to note that the two members of parliament were working in isolation and failing to bring development to the community they represent in parliament.

Sinda Member of Parliament observed this during a public hearing organised by parliamentary reforms and modernisation committee in Lupososhi constituency , today.

 

He  said it was unfortunate that  the two Members of Parliament  for Lubansenshi and Lupososhi constituency respectively were unready  to work as team  with the  respective communities saying that it was wrong for them to defer when they come from the same district.

He said the two MPs should instead support each to struggle for developmental programmes to benefit the community.

Mr. Ngoma said that because of such type of differences, some MPs have ended up saving one term in office as compared to him who has been in parliament from 2001 to date.

And speaking earlier Chasefu members of parliament Chifumu Banda remained the people that (MPs) are elected to represent the people. Part of their work as public representatives is done inside Parliament and part of it is done directly with citizens during constituency visits.

Mr. Banda said that during constituency periods MPs have a duty to be available to the public and help to solve problems in their constituencies and report back to their constituents on what is happening in parliament.

He said the purpose of these periods is to encourage MPs to remain in contact with the people they represent in parliament.

 

Mr. Banda said that MPs are elected representatives, they must be accountable to the people of they represent in parliament and they must act in the public interest.

He said MPs are accountable in the sense that they may not be re-elected if they are not good public representatives or if they do not deliver on party promises.

 

MPs are also accountable to their own parties – the whips of the various political parties maintain internal party discipline in Parliament, he added.

And parliamentary reforms and modernisation committee chairperson, Stephen Katuka says the committee was in the district to carry out sensitization on the existence and role of constituency officers and the function of members of parliament.

Mr. Katuka said the community fails to differentiate the roles of legislature, executive and judiciary, saying the blame is entirely give to members of parliament. He said there are three arms of government which forms government and people they forgot these are wings that they too are part of government.

He explained that the roles of parliament “legislature” are to formulate laws, approve the national budget and also make government accountable.

Mr. Katuka said MPs are in a powerful position to influence high-level decision-making to benefit the community they represent in various constituencies.

 

There may be times when their personal or business interests conflict with their role as elected officials representing the public interest.

Mr. Katuka who is also Mwinilunga member of parliament said it was not the role of Member of Parliament bring development such water, health and education but the executive which include the president, cabinet, permanent secretary heads of government departments.

He said that if the district does not get meaningful development it means that the executive is not function and are mandated to remove the executive from power because all the approved budget are contained in a yellow book for the executive to implement.

The parliamentary reforms and modernization committee had successful meeting in Lubansenshi and Lupososhi constituency of Luwingu district.

NO COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY