COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON in the Chair]

VOTE 14/01 – (Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development – Headquarter – K12,554,915,518).

(Consideration resumed)

The Deputy Chairperson: When business was interrupted yesterday, the House was considering Head 14/01 – Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development – Headquarters, and the hon. Member for Kabwata, Mr Lubinda, had raised a point of order.

Before I rule on that point of order, let me refer to the Standing Orders of the House and Standing Order 115 reads:

“Members desiring to have propose amendments to Bills placed upon the order paper must hand them, fairly written and signed by them, to the Clerk or deliver them at his/her office not later than 14:30 hours on the day before that on which they are so to appear.”

Considering that point of order raised by the hon. Member for Kabwata, it is clear that these amendments were actually handed to the Clerk on Wednesday at 1430 hours. Thereafter, the amendments were circulated to the hon. Members in the pigeon holes. Some of them must have gotten them in the early hours of yesterday and others who came late may have received them later. However, the point is that the amendment had been handed in to the Office of the Clerk on Wednesday at that time.

 Thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Amendment agreed to. Vote amended accordingly.

Vote 14/01, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 14/02 – (Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development – Geological Survey Department – K17,124,148,718).

Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 11, Activity 01 – Preparation of the Structure - K200,000,000.

Mr Lubinda: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Mr Lubinda: Mr Chairperson, thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. In so doing, let me pay my condolences to my good friend and brother, Hon. Tetamashimba, who has lost his dear father.

Sir, I rise on a serious point of order. Is the Leader of Government Business in this House in order to deny me the time that I was allocated when I was debating before you interrupted business yesterday because when I rose, I beckoned at the Chair, who gave me time to debate and I did not raise a point of order which solicited any ruling? Is the Leader of Government Business in order to misdirect this House to the extent where my debate is curtailed and answered by the Chair?

The Deputy Chairperson: I thank you very much for raising that point of order, but the rules of the House are that you cannot raise a point of order, as you are doing, on the Chair. That is unacceptable.

May the hon. Member for Nchanga go ahead, please, and ask his question

Mr Simuusa: Mr Chairperson, when the point of order was raised, I was referring to Programme 11, Activity 01 – Preparation of the Structure – K200,000,000. This refers to the Establishment of the National Oil Company. What is this National Oil Company? Are we forming a new oil company? Have we found oil? Is this going to be a parastatal company? An amount of K200,000,000 has been provided for the preparation of the structure and from my knowledge, to prepare a structure on a piece of paper can be done in a week. Why do we need K200,000,000 just to prepare a structure?

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Dr Mwansa): Thank you, Mr Chairperson, for that intervention. We informed the House and we have done this several times that we have had very good prospects for finding oil and gas in North-Western, Western and Eastern provinces. I further inform the House that the activities for this year extend to Luapula and Southern provinces. Now, in the event that we discover a commercial deposit, we need to be ready to have a vehicle that will be an investment arm to take Government interests in oil and gas exploration.

Now, on Programme 11, Activity 01 – Preparation of the Structure – K200,000,000, this amount is for creating a company that will be a vehicle for the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH). This money is for recruitment of personnel as well as office accommodation.

I thank you, Sir.

Vote 14/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 14/03 – (Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development – Mine Safety Department – K4,944,518,227).

Mrs Musokotwane (Katombola): Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 7, Activity 07 – Sensitisation of Small Scale Miners on SHE – K50,000,000. I am interested to know what this SHE is that deserves to be sensitised to the small-scale miners.

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr M. Mwale): Mr Chairperson, Programme 7, Activity 07 – Sensitisation of Small Scale Miners on SHE – K200,000,000, first of all, SHE stands for Safety Health and Environment and it will be sensitisation of small-scale miners on SHE.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, issues of safety and inspection go together. May I have clarification on Programme 7, Activity 01 – Inspections – Large Mining – K350,000,000. I do not know why there has been a reduction on this activity. Why has the Ministry reduced instead of increasing the frequency of inspections on these mines?

Dr Mwansa: Mr Chairperson, this question was addressed yesterday in my winding up debate. I mentioned that last year’s amount of K711,356,960 was meant to acquire equipment and some of which we have acquired. On Programme 7, Activity 01 – Inspections – Large Mining – K350,000,000, the amount that is provided this year is for operational costs and that is adequate.

I thank you, Sir.

Vote 14/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 14/04 ─ (Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development ─ Mines Development Department ─ K7,569,680,783).

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Mr Magande): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move the following amendments:

(a) Under 2 Mining Unit, Programme: 9 Large Scale Mining Development:

(i) Activity 03 New Development Agreements Negotiations, by the deletion of K100,000,000; and

(ii) Activity 04 Development Agreements Compliance Inspections, by the deletion of K100,000,000; and

(b) Under 5 Projects and Minerals Economics Unit, Programme: 7 Investment Promotion:

(i) Activity 01 Participation in Local Shows, by the deletion of K35,000,000 and the substitution therefore of K135,000,000; and

(ii) Activity 02 International Trade Shows and Investment Conferences, by the deletion of K100,000,000 and the substitution therefore of K200,000,000.

Amendment agreed to. Vote amended accordingly.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 9, Activity 03 – New Development Agreements Negotiations – K100,000,000. We have seen an increase from K80 million to K100 million. May I know exactly what …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! We have already taken a decision. When I put the question on the amendment, there was no response. Therefore, that figure passed. We are now on head total. We cannot go backwards.

Vote 14/04, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 26 ─ (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services ─ K31,948,528,690).

The Deputy Chairperson: Hon. Members, before I ask the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services to say something, I just want to appeal to hon. Members in the House. When a policy debate is being delivered, I think we should pay attention so that we avoid when we come to individual items to ask the very questions on what the hon. .Minister had said.

May the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, please, deliver his policy debate.

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services (Mr Mulongoti):  Mr Chairperson, I stand before this august House today to present the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services. As I do so, I wish to once again stress the importance of information in the building of our young democracy and thereby seeking the support of this august House. We all know that only an informed population can positively and effectively contribute to the development of the nation. The task that my ministry carries out, therefore, is a critical one to enable Government achieve its desired goals. In this regard, we need support both from this House and the general public.

We are now living in a global village with a growing demand for information. My ministry is, therefore, carrying out programmes aimed at improving a two-way system of dissemination of information in which the people are informed about Government policies and programmes and the Government is informed about their responses and desires. The desire of Government is that the flow of information around our country should be enhanced and conducive environment created for the media to operate in an unfettered manner. Our programmes in the ministry, therefore, are aimed at increasing the media capacity in order to have a wider media outreach in which no corner of the country is left out.

Mr Chairperson, I am pleased to inform the House that with the support given by the hon. Members to my ministry last year, we have been able to facilitate the  Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) with the much needed communication equipment, transport and cameras in a large number of rural districts. Last year, the ministry managed to purchase sixteen video cameras, forty still digital cameras, four additional video vans and bringing the total to fifty-four and fifty-six computers. The ministry has since embarked on a project of creating wide area network that will link all ZANIS district offices to headquarters in Lusaka. By having these offices on internet, transmission of news, still photos and video pictures will be great enhanced and will add visibility to rural news. This is what I mean by being inclusive.

Mr Chairperson, over the past 7 years, efforts have been made to improve both radio and television reception. Substantial progress has been made in the case of television, with the installation of transmitters in fifty-nine districts and up linking of signal to satellite under rural television project.

In 2007, my ministry also managed to purchase two shortwave antennas for ZNBC to improve radio reception. Installation and testing of antennas will be done in May and commissioning in June this year. I can assure the House that once the two antennas are commissioned, radio reception will be greatly improved in all the rural areas. A long-term solution, however, is a replacement of a shortwave with FM transmitters as provided for under the Fifth National Development Plan. Funds permitting, this process should start next year.

The corporation also intends to introduce a second television channel to decongest the present single channel. For this channel to be countrywide, we need a total of K15 billion. As a start, an allocation of K1.6 billion has been provided in this year’s budget which will cover part of the country.

Mr Chairperson, the investment in equipment that is going into the expansion of radio and television will come to nothing if we do not find ways of funding the provisions of these services in areas that are not profitable to ZNBC. I hope that beginning next year, we can find additional funds for operations and maintenance of broadcasting infrastructure that is expanding annually. I am sure that our colleagues from the rural constituencies can attest to the improvement in services by Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS). Environment created for media to operating is unfettered.

Mr Chairperson, I know that the re-introduction of mobile video shows, especially in rural districts was heralded by hon. Members of this House. This activity has come with its own challenges, especially in the face of the meagre resources that some ZANIS offices receive from the provincial administrations. It is indeed saddening that some provincial and district offices are not funded for several months even though provincial accounting units are aware that provincial budgets include ZANIS. Consequently, the video vans are not used often and the ZANIS crews cannot go out to capture developments in the provinces.

The lack of support from some provincial administrations led to under utilisation of these facilities. We have adequately equipped new provincial and district offices with transport, cameras and other necessities. We have also equipped the head office with equipment to replicate DVDs for rural areas. The owners should now be able to generate materials for television and video shows that are about the local ideas and development and have them replicated. To realise this expectation to our people, provincial administrations that are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the equipment must adequately fund our offices. I would like to urge hon. Provincial Ministers to take a keen interest in the operations of the funding of the ZANIS in these areas.

Mr Chairperson, my ministry has continued to expand Government programmes and policies to its citizens at home and abroad and to the world at large. It has brought to light issues that this Government has been pushing for such as corruption, poverty alleviation and economic growth. It has helped to reveal corrupt practices and educate the public about this vice. It has ably informed us about what is happening in the far-flung areas and brought to our attention disasters like the floods that we are currently experiencing. The media has also highlighted the positive trends as well as the challenges in our economy, allowing us to make informed decisions.

Mr Chairperson, connected with information is the absolute necessity to have press attachés in our missions abroad. Last year we posted officers to Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Washington DC and London. We have provided for an additional four press offices to be opened this year, funds allowing. I need not emphasise the importance of press attachés in our missions because they play a very important role of providing information about Zambia in the countries of accreditation and about these countries to people at home. They also work as a conduit for us to provide information to would-be investors.

My ministry also strives to bring to the Zambians at home and abroad information about the Great Lakes Region, where Zambia has played a significant role in ensuring peace and stability. The House may appreciate that without such information, our people may not appreciate the peace Zambia has and continues to make and the necessity of having peace around. This is why Zambia has been chosen to host the regional centre for the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights and civic education. My ministry will, therefore, this year and in the years to come, devote its efforts to highlighting the political, economic and social developments in the Great Lakes Region.

Mr Chairperson, my ministry still gives support to public institutions, namely, the Zambia Printing Company, Zambia Daily Mail, Times Printpak, and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC). Through this support, the outreach has expanded in the provinces and with increased support, the newspapers should reach the rural districts earlier than is the case now. The two daily newspapers need to undergo a facelift as the printing presses they are currently using are obsolete. This year, the two companies will be supported in the acquisition of new printing presses which will enable them to print more quality papers.

Mr Chairperson, in view of the constitution making process, my ministry and the journalists stand ready to sensitise the people about the National Constitutional Conference, which started its sittings last December, given the necessary resources. I would like to mention that my ministry is keen to be the driver of this democratic process in terms of educating our people. We have the responsibility of ensuring that the public is adequately engaged and informed on how they want to be governed.

Mr Chairperson, let me reiterate Government’s commitment to the promotion of good governance. One way that the New Deal Administration is ensuring this is through the fight against corruption. The role of the media in this cannot go unmentioned for it has a critical role to play. Accessibility to information and a good flow of the same are cardinal to this fight.

In order to facilitate the work of the media, Government is committed to ensuring a free media and this extends to access to information by the media and public in general. To this end, progress has been made towards the re-introduction of the Freedom of Information Bill in this House. As I have stated before, we have had to make extensive consultations with countries that have similar laws in order to learn from their experiences.

Mr Chairperson, the process of Media Law Reform, which started in earnest in 2002 with the enactment of the ZNBC (Amendment) Act and the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act, is a continuing process. Other laws identified by the Law Reform Committee will be studied and amended or repealed at appropriate times. It is in the same line that my ministry is working on the repeal of the Theatres and Cinematography Act. Otherwise, I wish to state that presently, there are enough laws on our statutes to protect both the journalists and public and also to deal with people that issue careless statements amounting to libel. Even those who publish defamatory statements are adequately dealt with by the same laws.

Mr Chairperson, it will be recalled that last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services is the appointing authority for the ZNBC and IBA boards and not the ad hoc appointments committees. However, in order to make the provision clear and facilitate the appointments, Government intends to make necessary amendments. Progress has been made by way of circulation of Cabinet memoranda. The two boards will, however, be put in place this year. I am glad that funds for the constitution of the IBA Board are provided for in this year’s Budget as part of the Fifth National Development Plan.

Mr Chairperson, I hope my colleagues are as enthusiastic as I am to develop the media industry. We have already witnessed growth in the electronic media industry with the setting up of community television and radio stations. Let us all support the Government’s efforts in ensuring that the media play its rightful role in the development of this nation.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Scott (Lusaka Central): Mr Chairperson, I just want to make briefly a point that independence and honesty of the media is not just a shibboleth or slogan, but something which any democratic dispensation actually demands. The demand is not simply on the private media, but the State media owes citizens an obligation to report fairly and honestly and to give us not the Government’s or the Movement for Multi-party Democracy’s (MMD’s) view of what they would like us to know, but a professional and balanced picture of what is happening.

Sir, I have here a copy of the Times of Zambia newspaper of Thursday, February 21st, 2008, which has on the front two photographs. There is a photograph of some people at a rally and there is an inset of His Excellency the President, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, addressing somebody through a microphone.

Laughter

Dr Scott: Now, unfortunately, for the sake of independence and honest of the media, this rally happens to be a Patriotic Front (PF) rally that was held two days prior to Mr Mawawasa, as our illiterate journalists have put it, addressing an MMD rally. I mean, we know the people and the cadre in the front is even showing a PF symbol.

Laughter

Dr Scott: However, the implication of the presentation in this montage here is that this was the rally which came to welcome His Excellency the President in Kanyama. I do not want to talk about Kanyama. I want to talk about the standards of propaganda as opposed to reporting in this country. As taxpayers, we pay and we vote as parliamentarians money to the Times of Zambia. I have been cautioned by Mr Speaker before for likening Hon. Mulongoti to Joseph Goebbels and so, I will not do that.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! No, you have already done that. You have already been cautioned and so, do not make reference to it.

Laughter

Dr Scott: I retract the suggestion that Hon. Mulongoti might resemble Mr Goebbels except in his stature and looks.

Laughter

Dr Scott: Mr Chairman, I rest my case.

Laughter

Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Mr Chairman, I also wish to add my voice to the debate probably to what Dr Guy Scot has just talked about.

Mr Chairperson, we are here to approve the budget for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services. We are specifically looking at ZNBC which is television and the print media.  The total budget is about K31,948,528,690. Now, as other hon. Members already stated, this is taxpayers’ money. In addition to this, every television owner pays K3,000 as television licence fee. Now, if that is the case, I would like to join the hundreds and thousands of Zambians who are protesting and condemning the biasness of programmes and coverage by the ZNBC and the print media.

To illustrate my point, I will give the House an example of a rally and not Kanyama. About 3 or 4 days ago, I was privileged to attend a rally organised and addressed by the Patriotic Front President. That rally by any standards was a very big occasion. There was a very big crowd. There were ZNBC video cameras. In fact, ZNBC was even invited to the platform to take pictures of the rally. However, I was of the opinion that for such a big event and for the sake of Zambians who are paying tax and subscribing to the television licence had the right to be shown of what was going. Unfortunately, that rally was not covered even on the news and instead we were shown of a clip of, with all due respect, His Honour the Vice-President addressing a meeting in a church with very few people.

Dr Scott: Fake Pastor.

Mr Simuusa: I asked myself, where is the fairness when the PF rally had a very big number of Zambians? Once again, I want to join the millions of Zambians in asking Government when ZNBC and the print media will stop being bias because we are all Zambians whose opinions deserve to be shown and aired. I would like once again to appeal to the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and ZNBC to know that we are using taxpayers’ money to support them. Therefore, let us give everybody fair coverage because this has been a cry.

Secondly, I would like to talk about another issue which I consider to be very unfair and this is about the protection of ZNBC and the print media. There are other independent television and radio stations which raise their own revenue. They are not sponsored or given taxpayers’ money. I think it is important to give everyone fair coverage. In fact, it is surprising to learn that Muvi Television has not been given television license to broadcast throughout the country. The same goes for radio stations like the Hot FM and other radio stations that have not been given licences to broadcast to the whole nation. The reason why they have not been given is because we have a public media which is ZNBC. Why are you protecting ZNBC …

Major Chibamba: When it is not performing.

Mr Simuusa: … when it is not performing? Is it because it is inefficient? In fact, if you take a survey, you will find that most people are tuning to private television and radio stations as well as the digital satellite television providers like Multichoice Zambia Limited. Many of us have been accused of using Digital Satellite Television, (DSTV) all the time because we find quality. Meanwhile, we are approving a budget of K32 billion to ZNBC from taxpayers’ money when it cannot even perform. Why are you protecting it when other corporations that are raising their own funds are doing better? I urge the Government to stop being bias. Let others also come in so that we have quality broadcasting in this country.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubinda (Kabwata): I thank you, Sir, for allowing me to contribute to this vote which I consider extremely crucial.

Mr Chairperson, as the hon. Minister himself mentioned, the information sector is extremely vital for the social development of any nation. This means that it calls for prudent and focused management.

Sir, it will be recalled, especially by people like Hon. Mulongoti that Dr Kenneth Kaunda paid a lot of attention to the media, and that was the reason why Zambia was amongst the very first countries in the sub-region to have television service. It is also shown in the First National Development Plan (FNDP) and I would like to refer to the FNDP because that is the flagship of that Government. Every so often, they refer to the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP). That plan also recognises the important role that the press, media and the information sector plays in the development of Zambia and the role that it plays in bringing Zambia to attain the Vision 2030, that of turning Zambia into a middle income country.

In the FNDP, the goal of information sector is stated as follows, and I quote:

“To increase media access and outreach throughout the country in order to promote free flow of information on development related programmes”.
The key words there are “to increase media access and outreach throughout the country”. Following on what my good brother, Hon. Simuusa, said, is the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services keeping in sprit with what is contained in the FNDP with regard to enhancing access and outreach throughout the country?. If he were, would he up to now be denying licences to the Catholic Church, Muvi Television who have demonstrated that they have the capacity and resources to provide transmission throughout the country? Would he have been denying Radio Phoenix a licence to broadcast throughout the country? He would not.

Secondly, in the FNDP itself, there is a development strategic matrix which has a provision for core and non-core FNDP programmes. For the sake of the House, let me run you through some of the core FNDP strategies in the sector of information.

The first for 2008 is electronic media promotion. In both the FNDP and Middle Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), an amount of K7.5 billion is anticipated to be invested in electronic media promotion. If you look at the Yellow Book for 2008 and compare the Government’s intentions with the Government practice to see whether indeed this Government respects its own FNDP, you will see that there is a disparity of K5.5 billion. Whereas they told the Zambian people through the FNDP that they will invest K7.5 billion this year in the promotion of electronic media, the only amount they are asking this House to provide is K2.2 billion.

Mr Chairperson, with regard to Information Management System, the FNDP provides K1 billion. What has the Government provided in the Yellow Book? It has provided a paltry sum of K400 million. These are the so called core FNDP strategies for 2008 in the information sector.

The third one is the Media Support Fund. Hon. Mulongoti’s predecessors were darlings of the Media Support Fund. They spoke about it passionately in this House. Hon. Mulongoti has been running around in corners not talking so much about the Media Support Fund. According to him, the media has enough resources. They do not need support and yet the people are paying so much for the television license. Whereas the FNDP, the MMD regime provided K2.4 billion for 2008, how much have they allocated in the Yellow Book? They have only provided K400 million. Where is the seriousness?

Another area is the decentralisation of the printing press. Obviously, this is the strategy that will achieve the objective of the MMD Government to introduce newspapers in local languages. This is the strategy that is meant to produce newspapers in the regions. For that, what they planned to invest was K4 billion for 2008 only and yet half that amount is what they are willing to provide.

Mr Chairperson, from these core areas, the total that was planned to be invested in 2008 was K14.99 billion or K15 billion. This amount is what the FNDP proposes to invest in the information sector in 2008. We have been told several times that the FNDP is going to be the core of the Government’s programmes. Naturally, you would expect to see consistency amongst the FNDP, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Yellow Book.

Mr Chairperson, look at our wise Government. When they propose to spend K15 billion, they actually spend is K5 billion. I proposed to my colleagues on your right the other day to stop referring to the FNDP because they were using it only for rhetoric. That FNDP is not even worth the paper on which it is written and nobody should ever waste our time talking about it. Let them tell us that they are continuing with their history to plan and hope that God will take us there. They have no plans at all. There is no use to plan if you cannot implement and are not committed to the plan. It is no use, Hon. Mpombo, to plan that you shall take the troops to Livingstone and when it is time for you to move them, you take them to Lufwanyama.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubinda: That is not planning. If you plan, that is only one aspect. The second and most important aspect is to execute the plan.

Now, while the core FNDP strategies have been denied money from K15 billion to only K5 billion, I want to show you how luxurious this Government is.  In the FNDP itself for 2008, the provision is K18.6 billion for non-core FNDP activities. What have you provided instead? You have doubled the amount because you are such a luxurious Government.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Address the Chair.

May he, please, continue.

Mr D. Mwila: Bwekeshapo.

Mr Lubinda: Mr Chairperson, instead of reducing on the non-core FNDP strategies, they have increased from K18 billion to K26 billion. What sense does it make? What is the reason to propose to spend more money on non-core strategies …

Business was suspended from 1045 hours until 1100 hours.

 [THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON in the Chair]

The Deputy Chairperson: As you can see hon. Members, we lack quorum. I hope those hon. Members who are outside the Chamber can quickly come in. Since some hon. Members are still outside the Chamber, I will suspend business for a few minutes.

Business was suspended from 1101 hours until 1102 hours

The Deputy Chairperson: When business was suspended, the hon. Member for Kabwata was on the Floor. However, before I give Hon. Lubinda the Floor, I would like to appeal to all hon. Members that we are not doing what we are supposed to do. We have given ourselves 15 minutes as tea break and I think it is proper that we make all efforts to ensure that we are back in the Chamber on time. We have seven heads of expenditure on the Order Paper to consider and yet we come in late. While the Chair would like as many hon. Members as possible to speak on each head, the number will be reduced. I hope you will understand if this is done because you are coming in late from tea break.

May the hon. Member for Kabwata, please, continue.

Mr Lubinda: Mr Chairperson, before business was suspended, I was just showing how the Government is not being consistent with the Fifth National Development Plan. This is very dangerous because the President’s Address on policy issues is drawn from the FNDP and the policies of the budget of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning are also drawn from the FNDP and yet the sector ministries are not following the FNDP. It is as though the head of the locomotive train is going one way and Hon. Mulongoti and his carriages are going a different direction. We are not taking Zambia anywhere. As a matter of fact, the reason I am raising this matter with regard to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services is that this is the Ministry that should anchor the FNDP. Now, if this Ministry is not even concerned about the FNDP, I wonder which other ministries will be.

As I have demonstrated, when the FNDP proposes an expenditure of K33.6 billion in 2008, the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services is spending K31.95 billion. However, like I demonstrated, the bulk of the money is not going to the FNDP strategies, but going to non-core FNDP strategies, such as, services to the hon. Minister. For instance, this allocation has increased from K7.2 million in 2005 to K403 million in 2008. I hope the hon. Minister during his response will explain to us what these services are when the ministry also has a budget called General Administration. Is this for massage, hon. Minister?

Laughter

Mr Lubinda: What services do you expect to get out of the K403 million?

Sir, let me move on and talk about another matter which is the role of the media. The role of the media is to inform the citizenry so that they can hold the Government and all leaders including the Opposition to account for their deeds. The media, especially the public media, is not meant to be a mouthpiece of the Government, but to inform the people. For example, I have in mind a number of cases where when the Opposition are holding press conferences, ZNBC cameras are brought, but you do not see any thing that has been said by the Opposition when you watch the news at 1900 hours or 2100 hours.

Sir, one typical case is a time when the PF was announcing the winning candidate now in Kanyama. That was not aired. Instead, what was aired was the response from a person they considered to be a spokesperson of the rebels of PF. When Hon. Marjory Masiye was responding to a matter that was not reported upon in the story, people were wondering what she was responding to. Now, this is because Hon. Mulongoti felt that he could use ZNBC to cheat the people in Kanyama that there is a problem in PF.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubinda: The people there, Hon. Mulongoti, are wise enough. I have seen that you are allocating K2 billion as support to media institutions.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! The Chair tries as much as possible to encourage the hon. Member debating to address the Chair.  I know you know what I mean.

May the hon. Member, please, continue.

Mr Lubinda: Sir, I thank you very much. I normally address them through you, Sir. I am very sorry for that.

Sir, the challenge that Hon. Mulongoti has is to accept the reality that whether or not he finances the media, they have already done the job because the people in the urban areas who have limited access, as it maybe, have already made up their minds up irrespective of what Hon. Mulongoti tries to use the media for against the Opposition, the people in the urban areas know far too well. To try and use one member of PF to fight the major PF has not yielded the results that he was hoping for as we saw in Kanyama.

Hon. PF Members: Victory!

Mr Lubinda: We managed in Kanyama even when Hon. Mulongoti was trying to use the media against us.

Sir, not too long ago, because of the influence of the Government again on the media, we saw how lamentably one very well qualified journalist behaved on a television programme. It was very clear that Hon. Mulongoti had a hand over that young journalist by telling him what to ask and what not to ask. Mr Chela Katwishi was totally under intimidation from the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services. That is not the role of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services. I would like to appeal to the hon. Minister to ensure that the Zambian people have free access to information. I feel very much for the journalists in the public media because I am aware of some of the stories that they give to their editors, but the stories you see the following day are totally different. Why do they change?

Interruptions

Mr Lubinda: The reason they change is because the journalists in the public media think that they should sing the song that Hon. Mulongoti has written for them. That is not the role of the media, Hon. Mulongoti.

Now, let me conclude by telling Hon. Mulongoti that when the House adjourned sine die last year and also when he was debating the President’s Address, he passed very disparaging remarks against me. I would not seize this opportunity, Hon. Mulongoti, but I shall seize a better opportunity to respond to your disparaging remarks. I would like to say that …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Will the hon. Member address the Chair, please?

May he, please, continue.

Mr Lubinda: … as hon. Minister of Information Broadcasting Services, you ought to be aware that if you live in a glass house, you ought not to throw stones. I am saying this because, I shall seize the right opportunity to respond to those disparaging remarks and those remarks coming from the Government spokesperson using this House are very unfortunate.

Sir, finally, I would like to say that I shall meet Hon. Mulongoti squarely.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!