State House Explains Budget Allocation To The Office Of The First Lady

LUSAKA, Tuesday, November 27, 2012 – STATE HOUSE is dismayed by some unfounded and unjustified concerns being raised over the allocation of the sum of one billion, five hundred million kwacha (1,500,000,000.00) to the office of the First Lady and therefore wishes to provide the following clarifications.

If the various stakeholders expressing concern had genuinely wished to understand the actions of the Government, they could have sought clarification from the Government and been accordingly advised that the reference to the office of the First Lady is merely for transparency and as a departure from the old culture of Government incurring illegal expenditure on this office.

The activities and items funded under the estimates of revenue and expenditure, commonly referred to as the yellow book are based on the offices and activities permitted by the constitution using revenues of the republic from the consolidated fund. The application of activity based budgeting in Zambia has existed for several years now.

In the budget estimates for 2013, the Government decided that it was necessary to provide further explanation for the activities falling under the Office of the President as they relate to the activities of the First Lady. Thus, there is nothing illegitimate with this process given that the Government and State House in particular has upheld the tenets and principles of good governance.

Note that through this method, the Patriotic Front Government is being accountable and transparent in accordance with the promises it made to the people through its manifesto. In addition, it is a legal requirement that at the end of the year the expenditure to the office of the First Lady will be subject to an audit by the office of the Auditor General. It is not our desire or intention to spend unbudgeted for funds. And on that basis, State House deserves commendation and not vilification and wanton condemnation as shown by certain stakeholders.

You may wish to note that these funds are used for the payment of security staff, transportation and other logistics that are necessary for the effective operation of the First Lady in undertaking assignments that are of a formal nature on behalf of His Excellency, Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, President of the Republic of Zambia and the state in general.

Further, there is no specific reference in the estimates of revenue and expenditure to the office of the First Lady as there is no such office constitutionally established except by convention, which has evolved over time. In any case, if there had been anything illegal about this expenditure, parliament certainly reserved every right when considering the budget not to pass this particular vote.

Issued by:

GEORGE CHELLAH
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Posted by Editor on November 27, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

6 Responses to State House Explains Budget Allocation To The Office Of The First Lady

MOJO Reply

November 27, 2012 at 6:11 pm

The statement is still vague and full of ambiguity.If indeed its transparency you are seeking just withhold the funding and constitutionalize the office of the first lady first.Otherwise let the expense fall under state house for now.Lets not argue for the sake of arguing gentlemen be bold and advise the President rightly.
Mutototo 2 Reply

November 27, 2012 at 7:08 pm

The issue at hand is how that office came in place, why didn’t it pass through Parliament? The current government must learn to follow the law & costitution-state house is not your average playground!
Mutototo2 Reply

November 27, 2012 at 7:10 pm

I mearnt to say ‘Constitution’.
Goodanalyst Reply

November 27, 2012 at 8:58 pm

I think the PF government deserves a plus one this issue, lets get back to what used to happen in previous regimes, I am sure that you guys who are criticizing this issue if you were wise enough you should have started by asking were the funds for the previous first lady’s where coming from. You never bothered to ask because in Zambia some people are extremely allergic to transparency. Do you think if the government does not mean well on this issue, would they have brought it to your attention. No thief tells you in advance that I will be coming to your house unless he’s kidding, if they meant to misappropriate the funds in question only them would have known.
kakolwe Reply

November 28, 2012 at 2:08 am

My questions to all parties advocating for rejection of this open approach; ‘Where do you think Vera got money for her HOPE foundation? Was she ever going to be audited?
Where do you think Maureen got money for her MMCI? Was she ever going to be audited? Now Kaseba may form her own foundation or group, If at the end of the year she has spent K2bn, we will ask where the rest came from. We have a reference point. Bravo! Sata & your PF!!!
MASTER CHOTA Reply

November 28, 2012 at 12:19 pm

I hope am the last man to comment on this, b/coz its bo……. .