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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter 

CABINET ministers and legislators who have not declared their assets in Parliament have up to Thursday next week to do so or risk being investigated.

According to Parliament’s code of conduct and ethics, National Assembly Members and Senators are supposed to declare their assets as part of measures to ensure transparency and accountability.

The legislators were supposed to declare their assets soon after being sworn in 2018 after the harmonised elections.

About 10 percent of the MPs have not declared their assets. 

The failure to declare assets prompted the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) chairperson Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga to raise a point of privilege in the National Assembly demanding that Parliament should take action against the defiant MPs.

Speaker of Parliament Cde Jacob Mudenda told the National Assembly on Tuesday that 90 percent of legislators, including Cabinet Ministers, had declared their assets.

He said the remaining legislators had up to Thursday next week to comply or risk being investigated.

 “I wish to inform the House that to date, 244 Members of the National Assembly; which represents 90,3 percent have declared their assets and 26 Members; which represents 9,7 percent have not declared their assets. In the Senate, 73 Senators representing 91,25 percent of the Senators have declared their assets while seven senators representing 8,75 percent have not declared their assets. The foregoing figures are inclusive of Honourable Ministers,” he said.

“All the Hon Members who have not declared their assets are given until Thursday 19th March, 2020, to comply. Failure to do so will lead to the constitution of a Privileges Committee to investigate the matter and come up with the necessary censure. Please be guided accordingly.”-@nqotshili.