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{
    "id": 151451,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/151451/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 263,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "announced the nomination of new councillors into various county, town, municipal and city councils. Sixty-five councillors were affected by revocation and 77 affected by the fresh nomination. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, could the Minister clarify the following issues: - (1) Why he found it necessary to increase the number of nominated councillors by ten, from 66 to 77 and what were the financial implications of the increase of ten councillors? (2) Whether the said action was not an unjustified increase in financial burden upon the councils, which, in fact, never requested for the increase of nominated councillors in their councils. (3) Whether the said Minister should not be surcharged for the unfair increase in the number of councillors and on the subsequent increase on the financial strain on those local authorities. (4) Whether the Minister, in nominating the new councillors followed the laid down procedure of the Independent Interim Electoral Commission (IIEC). The procedure is that they would distribute those slots in accordance with the performance of political parties in the last General Election in the ratio of three elected councillors for one nominated councillor. (5) Whether the IIEC wrote to political parties to inform them of their entitlement as per the distributed slots of nominated councillors. (6) Whether there was a verification exercise that was carried out to check whether the proposed nominated persons by the political parties are in fact, resident registered voters in those local authorities. (7) Whether the Minister followed the policy to gazette in accordance with the strength of political parties. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, he should further clarify that he did not abuse his privilege of office to appoint his own political cronies and disregard those people suggested by other political parties. He should further clarify what he is going to do with the time period the councillors, whom he had de-gazetted and were later returned by court order, served and their salaries. Finally, he should clarify the proper procedure on the 22nd June 2009 when the 16 month-term for nominated councillors expires. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the same Gazette Notices, there were some inconsistencies as far as the public officers were concerned. The Minister appointed 46 public officers and revoked the appointment of 70 other public officers. I need three clarifications on that. First, why is there lack of consistency between the 70 whose appointments were revoked and the 46 who were appointed? Secondly, could he tell us the criteria he has used to determine the people to be named as public officers? Finally, could we know whether he did not abuse his office to appoint his political friends and punish those that do not belong to his political party?"
}