By Mary Kachepa
Vice-President MUTALE NALUMANGO says Sino Metals has been granted permission by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency –ZEMA- to resume operations.
Mrs. NALUMANGO says the approval follows the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the tailings dam that collapsed last year, causing pollution in the Kafue River.
She says Sino Metals is still implementing a number of restoration measures recommended in the consultant’s report issued after the incident.
According to Mrs. NALUMANGO, water contamination is no longer a concern in the areas that were affected.
She was speaking in the National Assembly of Zambia in response to Nalolo Member of Parliament IMANGA WAMUNYIMA, who sought an update on whether the pollution of the Kafue River had been fully resolved.
Meanwhile, Mrs. NALUMANGO said communities in areas prone to recurring floods will, in the long term, have to be relocated as a permanent solution.
In the short term, she said the Government, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit -DMMU, is distributing relief food and providing cash assistance to those able to purchase food for themselves.
On constituency delimitation, Mrs. NALUMANGO said the Electoral Commission of Zambia –ECZ- is conducting consultations across all 156 constituencies, in line with constitutional requirements.
She said while democracy comes at a cost, the consultations are necessary to enable citizens to understand the criteria the Commission will apply in creating the 70 new constituencies.
Mrs. NALUMANGO was responding to Chama North Member of Parliament YOTAM MTAYACHALO, who questioned why consultations were being held nationwide when only 70 new constituencies are to be established.
On political gatherings, Mrs. NALUMANGO said political parties are not required to obtain permits from the police to hold rallies, but must notify them in advance.
She said the police then advise whether they have sufficient manpower to manage crowds on the proposed date.
The Vice President added that alliances must be duly registered and recognised before holding rallies.
Mrs. NALUMANGO also urged holders of senior Government positions to operate within the bounds of their authority and avoid acquiring wealth they have not legitimately earned, warning that they would one day be called to account.
She was responding to Mkushi South Member of Parliament DAVIES CHISOPA, who sought clarification on why certain political parties and alliances are allegedly denied permits to hold rallies.
