Tuesday, 15^th February, 2022

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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Madam Speaker: I wish to welcome all hon. Members from a well deserved vacation. I wish you all a productive and prospective fruitful 2022.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

The following hon. Member took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance:

Andrew Tayengwa

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM SPEAKER

COVID-19 MANNER OF SITTING

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform you that the House will continue observing the guidelines for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), as provided by the Ministry of Health. The House is advised as follows:

1. that the House will continue to use the hybrid system of sitting where some hon. Members of Parliament will sit in the Chamber, others in designated rooms within the precincts of Parliament while others will participate virtually; and

1. that the number of hon. Members of Parliament to sit in the Chamber, at any one time, should not exceed seventy-five.

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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CHANGES TO THE COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that in accordance with Article 80 of the Constitution, and read together with Standing Order 166(5), I have made changes to the composition of some Committees, as follows:

House Business Committee

Mr Emmanuel Jay Banda, MP, to replace Mr Binwell Mpundu, MP.

Mr Mpundu: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Is that a relief?

Madam Speaker: Committee on Media, Information and Communication Technologies

Mr Andrew Tayengwa, MP, has been appointed to fill a vacancy.

Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources

Mr Andrew Tayengwa, MP, has been appointed to fill a vacancy.

I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

The Vice-President (Mrs M. Nalumango): Madam Speaker, before I give the House some idea of the Business it will consider this week, let me take this opportunity to welcome all hon. Members to the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly. I hope that hon. Members had a restful festive period and are ready to proceed with the Business of the House.

Let me turn to the Business that the House is expected to consider this week.

Madam Speaker, as indicated on the Order Paper for today, Tuesday, 15^th February, 2022, the House will consider Questions for Oral Answer.

Madam, tomorrow, Wednesday, 16^th February, 2022, the Business of the House will start with Questions for Oral Answer. Thereafter, the House will consider Private Members’ Motions, if there will be any. After that, the House will deal with presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, 17^th February, 2022, the Business of the House will start with Questions for Oral Answer. That will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, 18^th February, 2022, the Business of the House will start with Her Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time. That will be followed by Questions for Oral Answer. Then the House will consider presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.

I thank you, Madam.

MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

MR MTAYACHALO, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHAMA NORTH, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, GARRY NKOMBO, ON THE PLIGHT OF NKANKA WARD

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I ask God to give you wisdom as you preside over this sitting and also welcome other hon. Members of Parliament.

Madam Speaker, in the last sitting, I raised, as a matter of urgent public importance on the predicament of the people in Nkanka Ward in Chama North Constituency. I said that this ward risked being cut-off completely from the rest of the country if the contractor did not finish building three crossing points. The hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, on behalf of the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, assured the people of Chama North that the Government was going to ensure that contingent measures were taken.

Madam Speaker, as I speak, however, the people of Nkanka Ward are almost cut-off. This means that it will be impossible to take medical supplies and make referrals to hospitals in Chinsali and Isoka, respectively, especially of expectant mothers.

Madam Speaker, I, therefore, want your serious indulgence because the hon. Minister assured this House and the people of Chama that the Government was going to intervene, but up to now, nothing has happened. I have gone to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development several times and I have held meetings with the hon. Minister, but we are not making progress. 

I seek your indulgence, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

As the hon. Member for Chama North has indicated, that is a matter for the Committee on Government Assurances. He can follow that up, but raise it under matters of urgent public importance where it does not meet the criteria. So, the point is not allowed.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

INTRODUCTION OF WORLD CLASS EDUCATION

106. Mr Emmanuel Musonda (Lupososhi) asked the Minister of Education:

1. whether the Government has any plans to introduce World Class Education, a free online course; and

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government has no plans to introduce World Class Education (WCE), a free online course.

Madam Speaker, on account of the response to part (a) of the question, part (b) falls off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Emmanuel Musonda: Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the response from the hon. Minister of Education. May I know why the Ministry of Education has no plans to provide free online education considering that we are now in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is here to stay with us?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, when you do not have a plan, you just do not have it. Suffice it to indicate that this WCE is a private organisation founded in 2012 in the United States of America (USA) to provide world class online education and managerial human capacity development, especially targeting Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.

Madam, we have done some research on WCE and established that it exits as an online platform of experiential and non-traditional learning at a distance. There are no classrooms and, therefore, physical attendance is not required. Whilst an impression has been created that it supposedly provides free online courses, they are only limited to courses and instructors made available by it. Students are supposed to meet the cost of web hosting services, use of the online library and registration fee, which amounts have not been stipulated anywhere.

Madam Speaker, we have further done some research on any possible student testimonials and/or recommendations and have not been able to get information on the integrity and efficacy of the courses offered and the instructions that accompany the same. Other than the limited information available on their website, there is nothing to establish whether this organisation and the courses it offers are of international repute.

Madam Speaker, on account of our inability to establish the credibility of this organisation, we are hesitant to recommend the introduction of online courses offered by it for now until we get more information on its track record.

Further, before any organisation starts to offer any higher education learning programmes in Zambia, whether online or physical, they need to fulfil the legal requirements through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in terms of registration and accreditation as provided for in the Higher Education Act, 2013, and its subsequent amendment of 2021.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MUOYO HEALTH CENTRE AMBULANCE

107. Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo) asked the Minister of Health:

1. when the ambulance for the Mouyo Health Centre in Nalolo District will be repaired to ease operational challenges; and

1. what the cause of the delay in repairing the ambulance is.

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango) (on behalf of the Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo)): Madam Speaker, the ambulance for the Nalolo District Health Office is currently undergoing repair works at the Mongu Vehicle Service Centre and it is expected to be ready for use within a few weeks.

Madam Speaker, the delay in repairing the ambulance for the Nalolo District Health Office was due to challenges faced in acquiring spare parts. The House may wish to know that funds have been secured and the repairs should be completed in a few weeks.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Wamunyima: Madam Speaker, I am thankful for that clarification. Her Honour the Vice-President, standing-in for the hon. Minister of Health, may wish to note that it costs K3,600 to transport referrals from Nalolo West to the Lewanika General Hospital. The breakdown of the ambulance is inevitable even after it is fixed because of the terrain of the constituency. Does the ministry have plans to reduce these breakdowns by making the district hospital, which is complete in Phase I, functional?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Nalolo, that is not a supplementary question. It is a completely different question from what you asked as the main question. So, it is not allowed unless you want clarification on the repair of the ambulance. If you are satisfied with that answer, then we move on to the next question.

CONSTRUCTION OF MILENGE TRADES SCHOOL

108. Mr Chonde (Milenge) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

1. when the construction of the Milenge Trades School, which was abandoned ten years ago, will resume;

1. why the project was abandoned;

1. what the cost of the outstanding works is, and

1. what the time frame for the completion of the outstanding works, is.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, the construction of the Milenge Trades School, abandoned more than ten years ago, will resume as soon as funds are made available.

Madam Speaker, the project was abandoned due to non performance by the contractor, which led to the termination of the contract.

The total cost of the outstanding works was K31,863,322.90, inclusive of the Value Added Tax (VAT), as at November 2018.

Madam Speaker, the estimated contract completion period is twenty-four months.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chonde: Madam Speaker, I note with concern the answer given by the hon. Minister, “subject to the availability of funds.” This project was planned for, and at the point of cancellation, surely, something must have been salvaged. What is the hon. Minister’s current position as I need to take a message back to Milenge on when, specifically, this project will resume. Is the hon. Minister giving the people of Milenge hope that this project will resume?

Madam Speaker, we will not lose anything by the hon. Minister telling us if at all the project will resume this year or the next instead of the “subject to the availability of funds” response. I am faced with many questions on the stage at which the project was abandoned and where it is now. Can we give the people of Milenge some hope?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, just for the record, that project was abandoned ten years ago. This administration has been in office for five months. There is a combination of factors. First of all, it was abandoned due to non performance by the contractor, which led the previous Government terminating the contract. However, to make it very clear, the stalling of the project was due to non performance by the contractor. The name of the contractor was Build Trust Construction Limited.

Madam Speaker, the contractor declared a dispute and the matter went to court. The court, however, advised that the matter be settled outside court and a Consent Order, dated 21^st December, 2016, was executed between the Ministry of Higher Education and Messrs Build Trust Construction Limited.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry responsible for housing and infrastructure development then, proceeded to prepare fresh documents after a thorough assessment of the site. The new contract was signed with Build Trust Construction Limited on 21^st November, 2018, but could not take off due to a lack of funds.

Madam Speaker, when the hon. Member says “give me a specific date”, I sympathise with him because he is obviously getting pressure from his constituents, but he has to understand that the Government is operating under a limited financial position. There is a lot that is being done to create the fiscal space, God willing, which will allow the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to come back to this House, sometime during the middle of the year, to present a Supplementary Budget. It is from that budget that we can spend. We cannot spend outside the Budget. That particular project is not under the current Budget. However, if we have fiscal space to present a Supplementary Budget, projects like this will then be considered.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

UNCONFIRMED SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS COUNTRYWIDE SINCE 2020

109. Mr Anakoka (Luena) asked the Minister of Education:

1. how many secondary school teachers, countrywide, had worked for five years or more without being confirmed, as of 2020;

1. what the cause of the delay in confirming the teachers is; and

1. when the affected teachers will be confirmed.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that there are 1,364 secondary school teachers countrywide who have worked for five years or more without being confirmed as of 2020. This represents 3 per cent of secondary school teachers countrywide.

Madam Speaker, the leading cause of the delay was the bureaucratic process involved in confirming teachers. The process would start from a school, where documentation and recommendations were generated for confirmation. These documents were submitted to the Teaching Service Commission through the District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS) office, the Provincial Education Officer’s (PEO) office and the Permanent Secretary’s Office, and were conveyed back in the same manner. This process was time consuming and, sometimes, led to the misplacement of files and appointment documents.

Madam Speaker, following the operationalisation of the Service Commissions Act No.10 of 2016, through the Teaching Service Commission Regulations of 2020, it is expected that teachers will be confirmed within an acceptable period following the Teaching Service Commission’s decentralising the confirmation of teachers to the Human Resource Management Committees (HRMC) at the district level in line with the provisions of the Service Commissions Act No.10 of 2016. This will fast track the confirmation of teachers within districts without submitting cases to the ministry headquarters and the Teaching Service Commission, as the case was before.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Anakoka: Madam Speaker, I am happy to hear that the bureaucracy that surrounds this process is what has contributed to the inordinate delay in confirming teachers.

May I find out from the hon. Minister whether the changes envisaged by the Government through the Teaching Service Commission includes rationalising the process so that the so many documents that have to be submitted and resubmitted over and over again, which sometimes is a very expensive exercise on the part of the affected teachers, will also be eliminated?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, we shall definitely eliminate the bureaucratic processes so that we fast track those confirmations. The delay is really uncalled for. To stay for five or more years without being confirmed is not good. We have actually found out that some teachers would go on retirement without being confirmed. This is what we want to rationalise. You do not behave like that where, somebody is already in the system, but you delay his/her confirmation, but, of course, it is typical of what our colleagues used to do.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister talked about the speeding up of the confirmation of secondary school teachers and we have just been told in this House that 10,000 teachers will be upgraded. What will happen to those teachers who have been working for such a long time and have qualifications? Is the Government going to compensate them seeing as there will be an upgrading of teachers? Those teachers really deserve to be among those who are going to be upgraded.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, of course, she has brought a different subject of upgrading on confirmation. So, we will combine that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Education has been settling-in well. I was with the Permanent Secretary trying to understand the problems they have been facing in trying to bring sanity to that ministry, which was almost devastated.

Madam Speaker, allow me to find out on behalf of the unpaid teachers; we still have many teachers who were recruited, but not put on the payroll. May the hon. Minister help me understand when those teachers will be considered, so that they also feel represented?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kankoyo, the question relates to the confirmation of teachers who have worked for more than five years. The issue of non-payment of salaries does not, therefore, arise.

Mr Kolala (Lufubu): Madam Speaker, may I also find out whether that includes those teachers who were given appointment letters, but are not yet on the payroll and how long it will take to rectify that issue.

Madam Speaker: Again, the question, hon. Member for Lufubu, relates to the teachers who have worked, but have not been confirmed. It does not relate to the non-payment of salaries or not being on the payroll.

If the hon. Member would like to ask that question, I suggest that he asks a direct one to the hon. Minister.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, in his response, the hon. Minister indicated that there is an acceptable time of confirmation, according to the estimation of the Teaching Service Commission. I want to be reminded or corrected; is it not that once a teacher is recruited, it must not take more than six months before he/she is confirmed on the appointment? If there have been changes, would he like to correct the impression of the six months period?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, as I said, systems had broken down. We need to correct the systems and check where we are trying to go. I will come back to the House and give a comprehensive statement. I can see how many things are coming up, upgrades and confirmations. There was total confusion in the school system.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

GOVERNMENT POLICY ON SHAREHOLDING STRUCTURE IN THE MINING SECTOR

110. Ms Lungu (Chawama) asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

1. what the Government policy on the shareholding structure between Zambian and foreign investors in the mining sector is;

1.  whether there are any plans to promote women participation into mining; and

1. if so, what the plans are.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Can we have some silence.

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Kabuswe): Madam Speaker, the following is the Government Policy on the shareholding structure between Zambians and foreign investors in the mining sector:

1. Small-scale mining  

a company undertaking small-scale mining must have a minimum of 5 per cent of its shares owned by Zambians;

1. Large-scale mining

there is no specific policy governing the shareholding structure between Zambians and foreign investors for large-scale mines. However, the Government owns between 10 and 100 per cent shares in the mines which were previously owned by the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH), and not in the new mines.

Madam Speaker, I want to emphasise that the ministry is reviewing the Mineral Resources Development Policy (MRDP) and is considering enhancing the framework that governs the shareholding of the Government in the mines. This will be done in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

Madam Speaker, indeed, the Government has plans to promote women participation in mining. We recently announced that we have released part of the Black Mountain and one of the participating cooperatives is from Women in Mining. That shows that promotion or participation of women is taking place under the New Dawn Government.

Madam, the following are the plans the Government has to promote the participation of women in mining, apart from what I have talked about:

1. facilitation to access finance through grants;

1.  business linkages,

1. markets; and

1.  capacity building to enhance production.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Lungu: Madam Speaker, are there any plans for the ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) to increase its shareholding in the mines where the majority shareholding is currently held by foreign companies?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, in the statement, I was very clear that we are reviewing the policy framework around shareholding, and are consulting. That is the thinking because Zambia has been hard done by, but I cannot give a definite statement now because we are still consulting on how we proceed on the matter.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, I must express my ignorance that small-scale Zambians have only 5 per cent. I believe what the hon. Minister said and hope to see that coming to the House.

Madam Speaker, when did the ministry advertise for women to participate in mining, unless I did not get him correctly? If he did not say that, when is it going to advertise? I just want to add to that by asking the hon. Minister to advertise in vernacular. There are women who can do well in the mining sector, but do not speak English. I would like to find out from the ministry when it will advertise for women to participate in mining businesses?

Madam Speaker: Anyway, the hon. Minister is here.

Laughter

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I will be blunt and say that mining is a business. If you want to go into mining, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development is open. Women, men and children who want to mine, if they are of the right age, …

Laughter

Mr Kabuswe: ... are going to mine. The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development is open, and this Government has given an example. Women in Mining are a very big group in Zambia that has been given a slot to mine at the Black Mountain. That is indicative of how this Government is thinking towards women. So, we do have that, as seen in that example.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabuswe: Further, what I am saying is that mining is a business and that the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development is open to women, men and everybody. So, everybody must come. If one has a tenement where one wants to mine, we are going to give him/her that tenement and the license, as long as the procedures are followed.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, can I be protected?

Madam Speaker: Order, order!

Order hon. Members! Let us forget the past.

Laughter

Hon. Member: What happened?

Mr Mumba: Thank you Madam Speaker for protecting me.

Madam Speaker, as regards the hon. Minister’s response to the issue of the review that he is currently conducting, is he able to give us the length of time this will take and is the Government satisfied with the current setup of shareholding considering that this Government has been emphasising on the private sector taking the lead in businesses in Zambia?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Kantanshi who always asks very nationalistic questions, I must say. This is how it should be.

Madam Speaker, when that question came, I said that we were consulting. When you are reviewing something, it means you are not happy with it and are relooking at it. So, we are relooking at how the shareholding structure has been in the past. If I were to give him a timeframe, I would want this policy done yesterday, meaning we are in a hurry to do it because we want to see that Zambians are benefitting from their own resource.

Madam Speaker, it has been the song of His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, that Zambians must benefit from their own resource.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabuswe: This is a God-given resource. This is not a Government that is going to be academic about these things. We want the practicality of shareholding. The money must be seen in the economy from the mining sector.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: If the video that I watched is anything to go by, Zambia is fourth in terms of natural resources. I hope we can benefit from that.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Member: Hear, hear! Lower Zambezi!

Interruption

Madam Speaker: Order!

OPERATIONALISATION OF SHAFT 28

111. Mr J. Chibuye (Roan) asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

1. whether the Government has any plans to operationalise Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) in Luanshya District;

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

1. how many jobs are expected to be created at the mine when it becomes operational.

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, as a way of answering your earlier statement, you are going to see the money from the mines. We are determined to do that, as the New Dawn Government.

Madam Speaker, I must say I am shocked by this question from the hon. Member of Parliament for Roan because we were together at Shaft 28 and he knows my feelings. However, I will speak to Parliament, probably for the purpose of the nation knowing what we are doing about it.

Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to operationalise Shaft 28 of the LCM in Luanshya District and has since engaged the owners of the mine.

Madam Speaker, the owners of the LCM, who are the legal owners of Shaft 28, have commenced the exploitation of the oxide ore resource located on top of the shaft.

Madam Speaker, since Shaft 28 is not yet open, the jobs that will be created when it is operationalised are not yet determined.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr J. Chibuye: Madam Speaker, let me also state here that the question was posted way back before the hon. Minister came into my constituency thus coming on the Floor now.

Madam Speaker, before I ask a further question, allow me, on behalf of the people of Roan Constituency, to, indeed, congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND) for winning the Kabwata By-Election.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr J. Chibuye: Madam Speaker, the shaft in question is flooded. In his speech, the Republican President mentioned that the Zambian people should now start benefiting from the natural resources endowed in our country.

The Minister of Finance and National Planning, in his presentation of the 2022 National Budget, mentioned that the Government desires to increase the production of copper from 800,000 metric tons to 3 million metric tons.

Madam Speaker, Shaft 28 holds about 30 million metric tons of copper that can see Roan Constituency benefit in terms of jobs for the next twenty five years.

Madam Speaker, the question to the hon. Minister is: yes, the owners have been talking about reopening it, but could the Government be in a position to tentatively mention or engage the owners of the Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) to specifically state when they are going to reopen Shaft 28, especially that the hon. Minister and I are aware that the Baluba Mining Shaft is coming to a close at the end of this year, and will result into the loss of more jobs.

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, this is the Floor of the House, and so, I want to correct the hon. Member. No jobs in Luanshya are going to be lost when the other mine closes because there are already contingency plans. So, the people of Luanshya must be assured that there will be no job losses when the current LCM ceases production because other remedial measures are in place. I wanted to make that clear so that our people in Luanshya do not begin to panic.

Madam Speaker, in terms of Shaft 28, we have actually given a deadline to the management of the LCM to tell us its plans because it insisted that it has plans.

Madam Speaker, you realise that the shaft is so flooded that, to be dewatered, it is going to take about two to three years. That is actually for all the water to come out. It is a rich resource. It is something that we, as the Government, are saying needs to be exploited. Therefore, we have given the LCM management some deadline to tell us whether it is ready to exploit that resource or not. If it is ready to exploit, it should give us a plan. This is a resource, like the hon. Member said, which we cannot just let go of. Truly, like he said, it holds approximately or above twenty million tons of copper sulphide ore. So, we cannot let that go. We need to do something.

We know that there is now new technology, Madam Speaker. So, we are waiting for a response, but if they do not respond, we have alternative ways of how we can engage others to come and invest in that mine, dewater it and put it up for production.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

REPLACEMENT OF ZAMBIA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICERS WITH COUNCIL POLICE ON SOLWEZI/KIPUSHI ROAD

112. Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East) asked the Minister of Defence:

1. whether the Government has any plans to replace the Zambia National Service officers patrolling the Solwezi/Kipushi Road for purposes of controlling smuggling activities with Council Police officers;

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

1. if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu) (on behalf of the Minister of Defence (Mr Lufuma)): Madam Speaker, with your permission, allow me to console the Patriotic Front (PF) on its losing the seat which it thought it had already won and was ululating; my condolences.

Laughter

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I also wish to congratulate our victorious Hon. Member of Parliament, Mr Tayengwa, on scooping the Kabwata Parliamentary Seat on behalf of the people of Kabwata and the United Party for National Development (UPND).

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the Government has no plans to replace the ZNS officers deployed in the Solwezi/Kipushi area for the following reasons:

1. the officers are enhancing revenue collection by the State by ensuring that only legal export of maize, soya beans and its products are done;

1. their presence has deterred criminal elements from harassing people in the area; and

1. Council police men do not possess adequate training to manage the situation.

Madam Speaker, since the Government has no plans to replace the ZNS officers, part (b) of the question falls off.

Madam Speaker, there are no plans to replace the ZNS officers with Council Police officers because the ZNS police were called upon to perform special operations of controlling smuggling in the area.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, for just a little back ground, the ZNS people actually mount road blocks on the road going to the Kipushi Border. However, in reality, the smuggling activity takes place along the border line.

Madam, what our colleagues on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side have done is put what they call ‘border patrols’ by their soldiers along the border such that anybody from the Zambian side cannot smuggle things at undesignated points into the DCR. The ZNS people are much further from the border line. Instead, they just harass the citizens who take their merchandise to the border for sale, which is actually unfair to the people of Solwezi East.

Madam Speaker, if one goes with one bag of mealie meal, it is actually confiscated. Our officers at the border have to buy mealie meal either from the DRC, which costs over K600, or move 130 km to Solwezi.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member of Parliament for Solwezi East, what is your supplementary question? It is not an opportunity for you to provide answers to your own question.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, I thank you, and I am well guided. Does the ministry have the intention to put the ZNS officers along the border line to actually control smuggling along that line as opposed to harassing people on the main road?

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I would like to appreciate the hon. Member of Parliament for Solwezi East for acknowledging that the ZNS officers have the capacity to control smuggling in the area hence his suggesting that they must not be concentrating along the road, but also go on to the border areas. That is appreciated and we will consider that issue.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, the Government is encouraging trade with this neighbouring country. So, it is supposed to be considered as our partner in national development as opposed to looking at trading with it as smuggling. Is the ministry, therefore, intending to allow trade between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo so that it can actually enhance its revenue collection as opposed to the restricting it on account of the so called ‘smuggling’?

Madam Speaker: The question is now being stretched, but the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security may answer.

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I tend to think that my hon. Colleague, the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, has heard the lamentations of the hon. Member. I have no doubt that the Government will take into account those submissions he has made.

I thank you, Madam.

REPAIR OF BOREHOLE PUMPS IN SERENJE PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY

113. Mr Kandafula (Serenje) asked the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation:

1. whether the Government has any plans to repair borehole pumps in Serenje Parliamentary Constituency; and

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Water Development and Sanitation (Mr Mposha): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to repair boreholes equipped with pumps in the Serenje Parliamentary Constituency in Serenje District.

Madam, the plans are expected to be implemented between the second and the fourth quarters of the year 2022.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kandafula: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that elaborate answer. I just make a further appeal that these repairs be quickened; otherwise, some boreholes may be vandalised.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: That was a comment.

REOPENING OF KANG’ONGA PRODUCTION CENTRE IN BWANA MKUBWA

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Madam Speaker, allow me to bring greetings from the people of Bwana Mkubwa. Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND) because it was a notorious fact that it was going to win the Kabwata Seat.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

114. Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa) asked the Minister of Community Development and Social Services:

1. whether the Government has any plans to reopen the Kang’onga Production Centre, a facility under the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, in Bwana Mkubwa Parliamentary Constituency;

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

1. if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts (Mr Nkandu) (on behalf of the Minister of Community Development and Social Services (Ms Mwamba)): Madam Speaker, the Kang’onga Production Centre was formed to train blind persons in craft skills such as basketry, furniture and brush-making. The centre has never been closed, but has remained open. However, in the recent past, the centre has not been productive due to reduced financial support, thereby, making the settlers desert the centre to seek other opportunities.

Madam Speaker, it should be noted that the Government remains committed to ensuring the welfare of persons with disabilities is uplifted so that they are able to participate and contribute to development activities not only as a human right, but also for poverty reduction. Therefore, the Government will put in place measures to ensure the centre remains open and fully productive for enhanced participation of persons with disabilities in socio-economic ventures.

Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to mechanise the centre so that it becomes more productive as well as to enhance skills training in agricultural and art skills.

Madam Speaker, discussions on the requirements for revamping the centre are ongoing between stakeholders who have offered technical and financial support and the Government, and works will commence once these discussions are finalised.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi: Madam Speaker, after looking at past Budgets, the Kang’onga Production Centre as well as the Kambowa and the Fisenge centres used to get a grant from the Government. As we speak, there is nothing happening in those centres. When will the Government include these centres in its plans so that they begin operating and people can have a livelihood?

Mr Nkandu: Madam Speaker, this is a centre, unfortunately, that has been neglected for too long by successive Governments, leading to the current state of affairs of less productivity. Some persons have even left the centre. However, I want to assure the hon. Member of Parliament for Bwana Mkubwa that the Government is looking into this issue, and will increase grants. The New Dawn Government has prioritised persons with disabilities and has started the process of recapitalising the centre through mechanising production and providing continuous skills development. So, the grants will be given. Unlike the way it was …

Hon. Government Member: In the PF!

Mr Nkandu: … where money was centralised in Lusaka, we intend to open an account for the Kang’onga Production Centre so that it has funds for operations in that particular settlement.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, Kang’onga Production Centre in Ndola was in operation even when I was young, and it produced many things. I came from there and I still consider myself as a part of it. Can the Government treat these people who are living with disabilities with urgency whenever they ask for something?

Madam Speaker, this is the question I want to ask the New Government, which says it is so much interested in taking care of such people.

Madam Speaker, can this Government not tell us that it intends to open an account when funds are available and instead tell us that it is going to take care of those people since successive Governments have neglected them? So, I would like to hear that from the Government. I cannot wait. Let this be taken as an emergency. These people have been neglected. In the whole country, we do not take care of people living with disabilities.

Madam Speaker, may I ask the question, once again; when is this New Dawn Government going to treat this as a matter of life and death?

Mr Nkandu: Madam Speaker, I think I answered this question. I said that the New Dawn Government has really prioritised persons with disabilities and has started the process of recapitalising the centre through mechanising productivity and providing continuous skills development. That is what I said. First and foremost, that is the commitment that we have showed.

Madam Speaker, I also want to add that this Government is further exploring partnerships with the private sector. There is a discussion with Green 2000, a private partner on possible partnership to transform the Kong’onga and other centres for the mechanisation and promotion of training and skills development for persons with disabilities.

Also, feasibility studies have been conducted and a plan has been developed.

In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is currently being developed for clearance by Cabinet and it is hoped that this initiative will be expedited and actualised within the second quarter of 2022.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Mulenga (Kalulushi): Madam Speaker, clearly, the Government is not ready to begin providing funding. The grant that the Government is sending to the centre is not adequate. There is no guarantee or assurance on when the Government will begin to send adequate grants so that the centre can be up and running.

Is the Government looking at putting these people living with disabilities in the centre on the Social Cash Transfer Programme as an immediate measure because the people around those areas are really suffering?

Madam Speaker, we have had ministerial statements from the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning that the Government has put up new numbers for beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer. Why does the hon. Minister not consider putting those vulnerable people living with disabilities on the Social Cash Transfer Programme as a matter of urgency while we are looking for an alternative?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kalulushi, the question relates to what plans the Government has to re-open the Kang’onga Production Centre. It does not talk about them being given cash transfer or being assisted in any way. We are stretching the question too far. Therefore, that question is not allowed.

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has rightly said that those facilities have been neglected by previous Governments and that there are immediate plans to ensure that such facilities are taken care of.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Can we have some order? I cannot hear the question. Please, can we give the hon. Member of Parliament for Kantanshi time to ask his question?

Mr Mumba: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Maybe they want us to fight now.

Laughter

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker –

Madam Speaker: Just try, then you will see.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: You may proceed.

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, mine is a rider on what the hon. Minister said, that these facilities were neglected by previous Governments and that there is an immediate plan in relation to Bwana Mkubwa.

Madam, I also have similar facilities in Kantanshi. Is there a general plan, since the ministry has realised that these facilities were neglected, that he could probably share with us here as hon. Members of Parliament, especially those whose constituencies have such facilities so that we know exactly when they will be attended to, considering the fact that the ministry also has other competing needs for the same resources?

Mr Nkandu: Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to say that some of our colleagues asking questions were hon. Ministers of Community Development and Social Services and did not bother to implement what they are talking about today. However, as a caring Government, those that qualify to be on the Social Cash Transfer programme are being considered.

Madam Speaker, the Government has also increased the grants at the Kang’onga Production Centre. That really indicates that we are caring for our people at the Centre.

Madam Speaker, the Decentralisation Policy also, especially in the operations of the Kang’onga Production Centre, I think, will assist. Therefore, what we are indicating is that we take keen interest in the people that are at the Kang’onga Resettlement.

Madam Speaker, again, we are also looking at centres around the country and seeing how best we can try to improve on the infrastructure and assist them in terms of giving them funds so that they can upgrade.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Madam Speaker, we have kept on labouring on the same question. Some of us are products of the same centres. We lived there and saw how robust, effective and productive they were a few years ago. I do understand the submission by the hon. Minister. However, it is important that we have a clear road map on these centres so that we are able to tell our people. Having come from the same centre, and having done my schooling there, I do understand how productive this centre can be to those people and also their livelihood. Therefore, I would like the Minister to give us a clear road map.

Madam Speaker: I believe the hon. Minister already answered that question.

Mr Chibuye: Madam Speaker, my concern is, as the hon. Minister looks into the reopening of the centre, what measures is he going to put in place to ensure that the occupants or the people who stay in this centre, especially the physically impaired are kept within the confines of the centre and are not allowed to go onto the streets to look for hand-outs?

Mr Nkandu: Madam Speaker, the Government is also alive to the fact that one of the important aspects of the occupants getting out of this settlement, maybe, to some extent, was management. So, the Government is also addressing the management challenge at the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) and the farming centres. This will help us to focus on what is supposed to be done at the centre.

Madam Speaker, we are also trying to promote productivity at the Kang’onga Production Centre by decentralising resource allocation where it will be allocated funds for operations as opposed to it being managed centrally by the ZAPD. This will ensure that the centre is fully functional as a measure to ensure persons with disabilities are retained.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.        

MINING LICENSES ISSUED IN GABWE DISTRICT AS OF SEPTEMBER 2021

115. Mr Kolala (Lufubu) asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

(a)        whether the Government has issued any mining licenses in Ngabwe District as of September, 2021;

(b)        if so, how many licenses were issued; and

(c)        whether all procedures were followed before issuing the licenses.

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Kabuswe): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that, yes, the Government issued mining rights in Ngabwe as at September, 2021.

Madam, thirty-five mining licenses were issued and procedure was followed in the issuance of the licenses.

I thank you, Madam, Speaker.

Mr Kolala: Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether all those licenses are from Chief Ngabwe or there are other chiefdoms which are also affected?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, there are different licenses. If I were to now go into the details of which licenses are from where, it will take us the whole day. I have a list of all the licenses that were issued in the period under review, if the hon. Member wants to access them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kolala: Madam Speaker, the other question I need to get clarification on is: “What is the right procedure and which local people were involved?” For instance, there is no chief in Chief Ngabwe’s Chiefdom because the chief died. Following the right procedure means involving the local people. So, which local people were involved?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, according to the law, getting a mining license does not really involve the local people. This is why the ministry is trying to re-look at the Mines and Minerals Act so that when people get mining licenses, the respect for their Royal Highnesses; the respect for the local people; and the respect for the Government requirements are all taken into consideration. However, as it stands right now, with the way the law is structured, somebody can get a mining license as long as they come with coordinates from the area where they have identified a potential tenement.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

DEGAZETTING KAFUE NATIONAL PARK BETWEEN NALUSANGA CHECK POINT AND KAFUE HOOK BRIDGE FOR SETTLEMENT

117. Brig-Gen. Sitwala (Kaoma Central) (on behalf of Mr Simunji (Nalikwanda)) asked the Minister of Tourism:

(a)        whether the Government has degazetted part of the Kafue National Park between the Nalusanga Check Point and the Kafue Hook Bridge to allow for human settlement; and

(b)        if so, why the settlement has been allowed.

The Minister of Tourism (Mr Sikumba): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government has in no terms degazzeted any part of the Kafue National Park.

Madam Speaker, the settlement which is seen to be growing between the Nalusanga Check Point and the Kafue Hook Bridge is not in the Kafue National Park. Just to be clear, that is within the Mumbwa Game Management Area (GMA). These settlements are illegal and the Government has commenced the process to relocate the illegal settlers from the area. This action has resulted in court proceedings that have since not been exhausted.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Brig-General Sitwala: Madam Speaker, I get your question and, rightly so, they are in the Game Management Area (GMA), but the effect the encroachment it is having on the main national park is really serious and the animal population is getting affected. Can the hon. Minister assure this House that the matter will be handled with the utmost urgency it deserves so that it is resolved?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, indeed, the matter of illegal settlers in and around our national parks has increased over the years. This matter started as late as 2017. Now, over the period, my ministry, obviously in collaboration with the Central Province Administration, has had conducted an audit to ascertain the number of illegal settlers who are sitting around the particular GMA

Madam Speaker, we are sitting in excess of 300 families who are obviously coming in out of the Southern Province and we have, indeed, put a stop to any additional encroachment within those particular areas.

Madam, further, to just give an assurance to the House, we have since met with the chiefs and the Community Resources Boards around that area to enlighten them and also advise them that they should no longer encroach on the GMA which serves as a buffer for the eco-system around the Kafue National Park.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Nyambose (Chasefu): Madam Speaker, firstly, I apologise that I had stepped out of my Committee Room just for a second. I seek your indulgence to allow me to come back to Question No. 116.

Madam Speaker: Unfortunately, hon. Member, the question has lapsed.

Mr J. Chibuye: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his answers. He said that no part of the Kafue National Park has been de-gazetted and that those in the Game Management Area (GMA) are illegal settlers. Could he be in a position to state whether there has been any human/animal conflict and experiences of any attacks on humans from wild animals?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Roan for his question. It is standard that areas around national parks do have human/animal conflicts. All we need is to ensure that the severity of those issues is limited. That is the reason we are slowly getting conservation, or rather, collaborating partners to help us manage those particular national parks. We do realise that Game Management Areas form a consumptive buffer for our colleagues who live there. So, we are getting in touch with our collaborative partners who will help us to mitigate the human/animal conflict within those particular areas.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Madam Speaker, I am happy to hear from the hon. Minister that the encroachment that has taken place on the eastern side of the Kafue River, which is in the Mumbwa Game Management Area (GMA), is something that the ministry is already dealing with. Now, I would like to talk about the other side of the Kafue River which is Nkeyema, even though, erroneously, the border is indicated as after the checkpoint. The correct border is the Kafue River. Is the hon. Minister doing any sensitisation to ensure that what has happened in the Mumbwa GMA does not happen in what I would call the Nkeyema GMA?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I thank Mr Anakoka for that question. Just to bring it to the attention of the House, the Kafue National Park is surrounded by nine GMAs. As such, we have been in talks with collaborative partners who will be able to manage the Game Management Areas. Now, the collaborative partners are those who are well equipped in sensitising the community on how to live with wildlife, which in turn they are going to use as their own resource. So, to answer his question, Madam Speaker, yes, the ministry has engaged a number of collaborative partners. The House will, in due course, hear from my ministry, on the Floor of the House, a big announcement on how we are going to manage the Kafue National Park, going forward.

I thank you, Madam.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: For those who are consulting, please, do it quietly because you are distracting us.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, I would like to get proper clarification from the hon. Minister of Tourism. The occupation of that Game Management Area (GMA) is not happening for the first time. It took place before and those people were evicted officially by the Government. However, we are, again, seeing very strong communities rising there. The hon. Minister is still stating that the case is in court, meaning that those occupants or encroachers have somewhere they are drawing their mandate. Is the hon. Minister aware that it is a lesson in disguise that people can occupy GMAs without punishment? Could that not pose a threat to the famous Kafue National Park?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I actually feel the pain of Hon. Miyutu as regards why it has taken a long time to find a lasting solution to the issues around the Kafue National Park. However, I would like to assure the hon. Member, through you, Madam Speaker, that there is a lot of background work that my ministry, with its collaborating ministries like the Ministry of Justice, is doing to ensure that that Stay of Execution which was obtained in 2017 is lifted so that it allows us to legally evict our people.

Now, I must mention, Madam Speaker, that those illegal settlers are our people. It will be very difficult to relocate anyone during the rainy season. So, we are looking at ways and means of how to relocate them to a different place. Many other Government institutions have been involved in this matter, including the Office of Her Honour the Vice-President, to make sure that once the time is right, we are able to move them to one particular area. However, one assurance I give is that we will not have any additional encroachments within that area, in the Kafue National Park.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Jamba (Mwembeshi): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that he is looking into the Game Management Areas (GMAs) around the Kafue National Park. For immediate attention, even as far as Mwembeshi, the GMA is actually encroached. What is the hon. Minister doing currently to make sure that people do not encroach and then he starts to talk about resettling them later as the whole stretch from Mwembeshi up to Kafue is getting encroached?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I am not quite sure I got the hon. Member’s question correctly on what we are doing to get into the minds of those illegal settlers on when and how they want to get into the GMA, but the assurance that I give him from my ministry is that there is a specific area, when we were doing our audit or inspection, within that particular GMA where no one is going to encroach. So, we have our officers, our joint provincial operations team, in the Central Province who are helping us to monitor a particular area so that no more encroachment is seen around that area.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Jamba was consulting with Mr Mwiimbu.

Madam Speaker: I hope the hon. Member for Mwembeshi got the answer.

Laughter

Mr Jamba: This one (pointing at Mr Mwiimbu) was disturbing me.

Laughter

REPAIR OF THE MALE WARD AT ISOKA GENERAL HOSPITAL

118. Ms Nakaponda (Isoka) asked the Minister of Health:

1. whether the Government has any plans to repair the roof of the male ward at the Isoka General Hospital that was blown off in April, 2020;

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

1. if there are no such plans, why.

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango) (on behalf of the Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo)): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to repair the roof of the male ward at the Isoka District Hospital which was blown-off in January 2021 and not April 2020. The blown-off roof at the Isoka District Hospital male ward will be repaired before the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that the Government has already disbursed the required amount to repair the blown-off roof.

Madam Speaker, as stated earlier, the Government has plans to repair the roof which was blown-off. Therefore, I think part (d) of the question falls off.

I thank you, Madam.

Ms Nakaponda: Madam Speaker, I am happy to tell the House that the monies have been released and sent to the province.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: I think the question has been overtaken by events. These are old questions. So, we can excuse the hon. Member.

CONSTRUCTION OF LUMPUMA BOARDING SCHOOL IN LUFWANYAMA

119. Mr Siachisumo (Lufwanyama) asked the Minister of Education:

1. why the construction of the Lumpuma Boarding School in Lufwanyama Parliamentary Constituency has stalled;

1. when the project will resume;

1. what the total cost of the outstanding works is; and

1. what the time frame for the completion of the project is.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the construction of the Lumpuma Boarding Secondary School has stalled because of financial constraints.

Madam, the project will resume as soon as funds are made available.

The cost of completing the outstanding works at the Lumpuma Boarding Secondary School as of December 2019 was K48,576,034.65. However, there is a need to conduct a new assessment of the remaining tasks to determine the current cost.

Madam Speaker, the estimated time frame for the project’s completion is over twelve months, subject to availability of funds.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Siachisumo: Madam Speaker, Lufwanyama is divided into two portions. There is the eastern part and the western part. The eastern part has no boarding school while the western side has the Lufwanyama Boarding Secondary School, which is a very nice secondary school.

Now, the hon. Minister has said that the completion of this project is subject to availability of funds. When are those funds going to be available? The people of Lufwanyama would like that boarding school to start functioning. At the same time, it is being vandalised now. It has taken some time for that school to be completed. There is just grass growing around the school.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, let me take advantage of this question now to answer a countrywide problem.

Madam Speaker, this secondary school construction project commenced in 2013. From 2013 to date, it is quite a long time.

Madam, we now have a problem in the country. When I have been travelling the width and breadth of this country to just check on the construction projects of secondary schools, I have found out that there are 115 boarding secondary schools which have stalled for many years. So, if we are talking about the whole country, it means that on average, in every district, there must be a stalled secondary school construction project. Some have stalled for over four, five, seven and even ten years. It is a sorry sight.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Tell them!

Mr Syakalima: Our hon. Colleagues used to say that there is unprecedented development.

Mr Samakayi: Where?

Mr Syakalima: It is an eyesore. There are 115 stalled school projects and –

Mr Mubika: Chilangwa.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Let us not mention other hon. Members who are not on the Floor. Let us not start something that will not be comfortable for everyone in the House.

Hon. Minister of Education, you may proceed.

Mr Syakalima: What probably annoys you, Madam Speaker, is that these stalled projects –

Madam Speaker: Annoys me, again?

Laughter

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, not specifically yourself. I am using it as a ‘royal we’. That is English, ‘royal we’?

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Proceed, hon. Minister.

Mr Syakalima: So, what annoys one is that once these projects started stalling, it meant that girl-children now started renting in nearby compounds or villages. In one district, I found out that about seventy-eight girl-children were pregnant as a result of these stalled projects, which our hon. Colleagues were saying were unprecedented. In another district, I found twenty-one pregnant children surrounding those same stalled projects. In another, about 111 girl-children were pregnant, all around a certain project.

Madam Speaker, I, therefore, sympathise with the Lumpuma Boarding Secondary School, but we must sympathise with the whole country. As Zambians, we used to think that our hon. Colleagues were telling the truth as regards ‘unprecedented development’, but there was nothing across the width and breadth of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: So, we are now trying to put up something together on how we shall make sure that these projects are complete, and so that we save that child. For me, when I looked at those children, I saw doctors, engineers or pilots I had lost, all because of that behaviour.

Madam Speaker, therefore, the only assurance that I can put on the table today is to look at the country itself because this is not just an isolated case. There is a problem in this country.

Mr Samakayi: A big one!

Mr Syakalima: A humongous one for that matter. So, although my hon. Colleague from Lufwanyama was, indeed, the one who brought up this question, I needed to explain to the country what was going on. So, I hope I have answered him. We will be working on these 115 stalled secondary schools.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: That has really expanded the question, but for supplementary questions that will follow, let us keep to the question that is on the Floor.

Mr Chilangwa (Kawambwa): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to pose a supplementary question to the hon. Minister of Education.

Madam Speaker, it is not long ago during our time as the Patriotic Front (PF) Government that the hon. Ministers responsible for education and finance would come here and give a catalogue of why we were not finishing those projects at the advent of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and beyond. We said the resource envelope was too tight for us to be able to finish those projects.

Madam Speaker, I find it ironic that, hon. Members who were in Parliament at that time and heard our lamentations of why we were not able to finish the projects could come here and lament when, during campaigns, they said that they would ‘fix it’ –

Mr Sikumba: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Order!

May the hon. Gentleman resume his seat. Hon. Member of Parliament for Kawambwa, please, proceed to ask your question.

Mr Chilangwa: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Education confessing the fact that the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government and its leader have failed to ‘fix it’ as they said they would?

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

The hon. Minister of Tourism, I am tempted to call him. The hon. Member for Education, oh sorry, the hon. Minister of Education

Laughter

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, firstly, it is very important, sometimes, to show contrition. If there is a problem, you should show contrition. Is the hon. Member telling me that in the whole ten years they were in power, there was the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic?

Madam Speaker, my sympathy goes out to those children who have become pregnant because of the carelessness of a Government which stayed on for ten years.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: So, the best thing to do is show contrition. I know that sometimes, the word ‘sorry’ is very difficult to come out of our vocabulary. However, sometimes, it can be shown through actions. So, the mere fact that I went and checked on my own and found out all these things shows that we are on the right trajectory. It is the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, himself, who told me to compile this information. That is where we are starting from. So, the hon. Member wants me to fix something in five months which they failed to fix in ten years?

Interruptions

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the said schools are not a few. They are many, and I am saying that they are 115 of them. On average, every district of this country has a stalled project. So, what more in some places where I did not go; how many more girls are pregnant?

Hon. PF Member: Question!

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, it is important to check what was happening and to see where we should start from, like how many projects have stalled for seven or ten years? Some projects were 80 per cent complete and were started earlier than others. So, we are compiling all those things. My hon. Colleague from Lufwanyama is complaining about grass now growing. That is usually a waste of resources. If you are not going to complete a project, never start it. Now, it seems, we shall start rehabilitating new buildings that were never completed. So, why was that the behaviour?

Madam Speaker, sometimes, when you have made a mistake, you must keep quiet. You cannot always –

Mr Chilangwa: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Kawambwa, there is no point of order on an hon. Minister.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the education sector is just one section of the country. Go and check elsewhere; in the road sector, for example. On this road from Lusaka which goes to Chiawa and into Chirundu, I thought they were not working on it probably because I was in the Opposition at that time. However, I went to Mafinga and found a similar road project stalled. It was the same story. It was the whole country which was short-changed; the entire country. So, this is just one section of the Government.

Madam Speaker, if we had to calculate the cost of all the stalled projects in ministries or Government departments, then you would start to worry and wonder where the Eurobonds went because these school projects should not have stalled had we used that money prudently.

Madam Speaker, our hon. Colleagues should instead come up to encourage us and say, “We failed, but hope that you do better things than ourselves.” Those are all our children. Where I inspected was just one side of the country, and I felt very bad.

Hon. Member: In Kawambwa?

Mr Syakalima: I have not yet gone there.

Madam Speaker, we are doing all these things. There are so many problems which our hon. Colleagues left, but they are not insurmountable. The first thing that should be done is to go and check where the problem is and then start by putting this thing and that thing in place. Only then can you know the time frame. We shall see whether to complete these structures will take us ten years. Just watch the space, because there is leadership.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: He is saying that we, and our leader, said that we would ‘fix it’ when they failed to ‘fix it’ for ten years. I have been auditing these things and, within five months, have seen where things went wrong.

Madam Speaker, I can assure the country that it will not take us ten years to do things which are supposed to be done in twelve or twenty-four months. These projects usually have a time frame.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, please let us come back to Question No. 119.

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for giving the people of Mandevu an opportunity to ask the hon. Minister of Education a question.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Those people who want to laugh can go and do it outside.

Laughter

Mr Shakafuswa: Madam Speaker, now, the country-wide problem of stalled projects is known. It is so unfortunate that because of these stalled projects, our children, especially some girl-children got pregnant. I wish to find out from the caring New Dawn Government when these projects will be worked on. Could the hon. Minister give us a time frame in which our young girl-children can go back and utilise the infrastructure for which construction has stalled?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Mandevu, in relation to the Lumpuma Boarding Secondary School, I believe the hon. Minister has provided a sufficient answer to your question.

Mr Shakafuswa: Madam Speaker, I think the hon. Minister has given us an explanation about a countrywide problem and indicated that we have more than 100 projects that have stalled.

Interruption

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, you are out of order. The question that is being answered is No. 119.

Laughter

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND) on the Kabwata victory.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Menyani Zulu: Madam Speaker, my question is No. 120 and the people of Nyimba are eager for the answer. May the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development give them a good one?

CONSTRUCTION OF NYIMBA DISTRICT HOSPITAL

120. Mr Menyani Zulu asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

1. what the progress, in percentage terms, on the construction of the Nyimba District Hospital was, as of September, 2021;

1. when the construction of the hospital will be completed;

1. what the cause of the delay in completing the project is;

1. what the cost of the outstanding works is; and

1. what the timeframe for the outstanding works is.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, the construction of the Nyimba District Hospital as at September 2021, was at 65 per cent.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the hospital will be completed by June 2022.

Madam, the cause of the delay in the completion of the works was due to inadequate funding to the project, as a result of fiscal constraints.

Madam Speaker, the estimated cost of completing the outstanding works is estimated at K18,450,000.

Madam Speaker, the remaining scope of works will take an estimated timeframe of six months to complete, ending 31^stJune, 2022.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, it is good to hear that by June 2022, the hospital in Nyimba will be completed. When construction is complete, is the Government ready to furnish the hospital with all the furniture required? I ask this question because many hospitals have been completed, but have no furniture or necessary equipment. So, I just want to know whether the completion he is referring to also includes the furnishing of the hospital.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Question No. 120 relates to the construction of the Nyimba District Hospital; when it is going to be completed and what the delays were, if any. It does not talk about the furnishing of the hospital. If that is desired to be asked, a question can be put to the hon. Minister.

Mr Menyani Zulu: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has just told the House that the completion of the hospital will be June 2022. Therefore, we are simply saying that in the next four months, the hospital will be completed. Since the hospital is supposed to be completed in June 2022, when will the contractor move on site? The contractor deserted the place and is not at the hospital.

Eng Milupi: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Nyimba is a reasonable man.

Laughter

Eng Milupi: That is why he started asking his question by, first of all, congratulating us for winning the Kabwata Constituency seat. So, when we are answering a question from a reasonable hon. Member of Parliament, we take care to ensure that all facts are checked. So, when we say it will be completed by June 2022, we are aware of the Government assurance. We are aware that we cannot come here and say something that will not happen. I have checked. The money is in the Budget. We have checked with all those on site and have been assured that this project will be completed by the end of June 2022.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Rev. Katuta: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: A point of order on whom?

Laughter

Rev. Katuta: On the hon. Minister, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Rev. Katuta: He has finished talking, yah.

Madam Speaker: There is no point of order on an hon. Minister.

Hon. Member: No point of order on an hon. Minister, hon. Member.

Rev. Katuta: Madam Speaker, he has called some hon. Members of Parliament unreasonable. We are here to ask questions.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: There is no point of order.

Rev. Katuta: Madam Speaker, please, allow me to rise on this point of order.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chienge, you are out of order.

Hon. Member: There are rules.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, order!

It is just day one, let us be calm.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members, order, please!

GAZETTING CHIPESO AND NAMUNUNGA HIGH SCHOOLS IN KATUBA

121. Mr Nkulukusa (Katuba) asked the Minister of Education:

1. why the following High Schools in Katuba Parliamentary Constituency have not been gazetted:

1. Chipeso; and

1. Namununga;

1. when the schools will be gazetted;

1. whether the Government has any plans to construct additional infrastructure at the two schools;

1. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

1. what infrastructure will be constructed.

Rev. Katuta: Do not call us unreasonable.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chienge, please, can we have some order. Otherwise, you can go outside and discuss and when you have finished, you can come back.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Chipeso and Namununga Secondary Schools –

Rev. Katuta left the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Member: Unreasonable!

Madam Speaker: On that note –

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

ACTING GOVERNMENT CHIEF WHIP

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that in the absence of the Government Chief Whip, Hon. S. Mulusa, Hon. M. Jamba has been appointed Acting Government Chief Whip from today, 15^th February, 2022, until further notice.

I thank you.

Mr B. Mpundu: Jamba? Iye!

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Although he is not here.

Laughter

_______

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended I was saying that Chipeso and Namununga Secondary Schools in Katuba Parliamentary Constituency will be gazetted when the processes and requirements are met. These include, but not limited to: land ownership; granting of an Educational Management Information System (EMIS) identification number; a ministry’s assessment report; a clearance report from the Ministry of Justice; and a gazette notice signed by the hon. Minister of Education.

Madam, the schools will be gazetted as soon as the above stated requirements are met.

Madam, the Government has plans to construct additional infrastructure at the two schools. The implementation of the plans is subject to: availability of funds; projected growth in enrolment rates; demand for secondary schools space; and pupil/class ratio.

Madam Speaker, the Government will consider plans to construct, at Chipeso, a 1 x 3 classroom block and a 1 x 2 staff house, upon completing the infrastructure under construction, namely the 1 x 2 classroom block at gable level; a 1 x 2 home economics block at gable level; and one ablution block at window level.

Madam Speaker, similarly, at Namununga Secondary School, the Government will consider plans to construct a 1 x 2 classroom block and a 1 x 2 staff house, after completing the 1 x 4 classroom block and a 1 x 2 staff house currently under construction.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Nkulukusa: Madam Speaker, I need clarification on what the hon. Minister means when he says “as soon as funds are available”. Are these plans budgeted for in 2022? If not, will the ministry ensure that they are budgeted for in the 2023 Budget?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, as the hon. Member may see, in response to part (e), I explained what we intend to do after we complete those ones which we have already started. We do not want to be like others who would start a structure, leave it halfway through and then start another one. We are being methodical. We want to first of all complete the other ones at gable level and the other one at Namununga Secondary School.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES IN LUNDAZI

122. Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

(a)        when the construction of the following bridges on the Lundazi/Chipata Road will be completed:

(i)         Lundazi; and

(ii)        Msuzi;

(b)        what measures are being taken to ensure that the heaps of gravel at the two construction sites are not swept into and block the river during the rainy season;

(c)        whether the Government is aware that the bridge on the bypass road, through Mphamba, is in a deplorable condition, thereby, endangering the lives of travellers; and

(d)        if so, what measures are being taken to prevent the bridge from collapsing.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, the works on the Lundazi Bridge will be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2022. The contractor is currently fixing steel for the final lift before the installation of steel girders. All materials necessary for the remaining works are on site.

Madam, with respect to the Msuzi Bridge, the works will be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2022. The contractor has set up temporary works for steel and concrete and is currently constructing wing walls. All the materials necessary for the remaining works are on site.

Madam Speaker, the gravel that was heaped on the site has been used for the backfilling of the embankment on the approach to the Lundazi Bridge. The rest has been levelled and compacted.

Madam, the Mphamba Bridge has been inspected by the supervising consultant. It has been confirmed that the bridge is structurally sound and not a danger to the lives of travellers. The consultant will continue to monitor its performance and ensure that it is structurally sound and safe for use.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Nyirenda: Madam Speaker, I hear what the hon. Minister has just told the House. However, this question should have come up sometime back, before the rainy season had started. Today, the water that the people in Lundazi are drinking is contaminated because the silt has now gone into the river. It is unfortunate that it took so long before the question came up. The hon. Minister could have probably done something about it.

Madam, the water utility company is bothering me all the time because it has to replace the silt sieves so that people can receive clean water.

Madam Speaker, what is happening is that we have started experiencing an erratic supply of water in Lundazi. You find that one day we have water and the next we do not. In addition, we are now receiving brown water.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister telling the people of Lundazi that, surely, come March month end, the bridge is going to be usable?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I think the question is about the completion of the construction of the bridges. Water purification, I think, is another matter.

Madam Speaker, all I can say on the issue of water purification is that during the rainy season, water that collects in dams comes from up stream. It comes from upper land and takes all the rubbish which ends up deposited into the dams. It is the responsibility of the water utility companies to ensure, during that time, that their purification systems work well.

Madam Speaker, as regards the follow-up question where the hon. Member asked whether I was sure that come the end of the first quarter, these bridges will be done, let me give a little bit of a back ground.

Madam Speaker, works on the Msuzi Bridge have progressed to about 88 per cent. The contractor has already set up temporal works for steel and concrete. We are saying the works will be complete within the first quarter of 2002. All the material for the works is available and the contractor is currently constructing wing walls.

Madam Speaker, on the Lundazi Bridge, which is at about 75 per cent of progress, the contractor is already fixing the steel for the final lift before installing the girders. All the materials necessary for the remaining works are on site. The concrete for the abutments and piers will be allowed to cure before installation of the steel girders and the reinforced concrete deck for the carriageway.

Madam Speaker, the works on the Msuzi and Lundazi Bridges are part of the works under the project for emergency maintenance works on the Chipata/Lundazi Road, which was awarded to Messrs Shachitari Contractors at a contract sum of K369,435,328.20, which includes the Value Added Tax (VAT). The works on the project, on the main road, commenced on 6^th April, 2020, and are scheduled for completion on 5^th October, 2022.

Madam Speaker, works worth K163,664,082.20 have so far been certified on the project out of which K94,722,923.67 has been paid to the contractor, leaving an outstanding amount of K68,941,158.6. The physical progress of the whole project is currently at 53 per cent.

Madam Speaker, to assure the hon. Member, first of all, he and I were on site on that road and on those two bridges on Tuesday, 18^th January, this year. I was physically on those sites. The hon. Member was with me when I gave instructions to the contractor. I told the contractor that we wanted those works completed by the end of the first quarter. The contractor gave some excuses and the hon. Member heard me tell him exactly what needed to be done, which was for him to listen to our deadlines and work them out and, if there were any impediments, come back to us in order to ensure that they were cleared.

Madam Speaker, we took these two bridges as an emergency. Before the rainy season, we got many solicitations from chiefs and other hon. Members of Parliament that Lundazi was going to be cut off if nothing was done on this contract, which was abandoned by the Patriotic Front (PF) on account of a lack of payment to the contractor. That is why I felt it necessary, as the hon. Minister, to go to the site. Those instructions are being followed and, so far, we have not heard anything that indicates to us that that deadline will not be met.

Madam Speaker, with regard to the bypass bridge in the Mphamba area, again, the hon. Member and I were on that bridge and we did say that it was strong. However, we still sent the consultant to go and check it out.

Madam, the information we have is that the structure is sound. However, we did say that in the event that we finished the work on the Msuzi Bridge, which had a temporary bailey bridge, that bridge there would then be relocated to that site in the Mphamba area to ensure that we lifted it up.

So, we have done everything reasonably possible to ensure that that work is completed. We are following up on a daily basis to ensure that those two bridges are completed so that Lundazi is not cut off.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): Thank you very kind Madam Speaker. From the outset, permit me to mention that hon. Members should know that they are well protected when they are here. We should not fight or shiver as we debate.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member of Parliament for Lumezi, ask your supplementary question. If there are any issues to be discussed, they should be discussed outside.

Mr Munir Zulu: Thank you, very kind Madam Speaker. I know the hon. Minister is a reasonable man, and it is my wish that he will give us a reasonable answer. This is because it would be so unreasonable of him to not respond appropriately –

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lumezi, please, ask your question. If you have no question, I will ask another hon. Member to do so. So, go straight to your question.

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister called it the Chipata/Lundazi Road. I call it the Lumezi/Lundazi Road because those two bridges connect Lumezi and Lundazi and then Chasefu.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the consultant assured them that the Mphamba Road is well and intact. In the same vein, he said that it is the wish of the Government to remove the steel made bridge from the Msuzi Bridge to the Mphamba Bridge.

Madam Speaker, what empirical evidence does the hon. Minister have which the consultant gave him to show that the Mphamba Bridge is well and not posing a danger to the lives of the people of Lumezi connecting to Lundazi and Chasefu?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Lumezi for that follow-up question. Sometimes, when you answer people with small bodies, you have to be very careful because you can be in serious problems.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, first of all, as a matter of clarification, the road project, which includes the two bridges, is actually the Chipata/Lundazi Road. Obviously, the two bridges are between Lumezi and Chipata, but the main contract project is the Chipata/Lundazi Road.

Madam Speaker, what empirical evidence do I have? I have physically been on site. It would have been nice if the hon. Member for Lundazi had been present. All the hon. Members of Parliament on this stretch, when I was visiting, were with me, except the hon. Member for Lumezi, who was, maybe, a bit busy dealing with issues with the hon. Member for Kantanshi.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: Otherwise, the hon. Member for Lundazi, the hon. Member for Chasefu and the hon. Member for Chama North, whose constituency is further ahead, were with me to make sure that we checked those things correctly.

Madam Speaker, the evidence is there. I was on that bridge on Mpamba. What we are saying is that on the Msuzi Bridge, there is a temporary bridge now which allows vehicles to pass. When the new bridge is complete, that bridge will then be available. What I did say on site is that even this Mpamba Bridge is a bit low right now, but we could then use that bridge to lift this bridge up because that area is used as a bypass when we have issues on the two bridges so that Lundazi is not completely cut off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: From the way the hon. Member for Lumezi is laughing, I am sure he has reconciled with the hon. Member for Kantanshi.

Laughter

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I want to pay a glowing tribute to the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Charles Milupi, for having visited the Eastern Province, and more importantly, for having spent a night in Chama. I think the people of Chama are very grateful and happy. That is how it is supposed to be. Hon. Ministers are supposed to see for themselves what is on the ground instead of relying on reports.

Madam Speaker, the Msuzi and Lundazi Bridges are very key bridges. Chama is part of the Eastern Province now, and we hope that the contractors are going to expedite the works on these two bridges because we do not want fatalities. We have lost many people on that road. It is our prayer that the hon. Minister will keep an eagle’s eye on the contractors.

Madam Speaker, these are my few words.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: There is this idea of sneaking-in debates in the middle of supplementary questions.

The hon. Member for Chama South may ask his question.

Mr Mung’andu was not available.

Madam Speaker: If the hon. Member for Chama South is not available, the hon. Member for Matero may take the Floor.

Mr Sampa (Matero): Madam Speaker, allow me to thank the Vice-President and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) for helping the people of Matero with relief food, following floods in the area.

Madam Speaker, allow me to ride on the commendation of the previous speaker. I think the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development is a hands-on blue-collar hon. Minister. He has travelled around the country looking at roads. When is he likely to visit the Chipata/Lundazi Road again? Will it be after or before he has visited Zingalume Road in Matero where the Kariba Dam and the Victoria Falls have moved to and trucks are getting stuck? We need his visit.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Minister will only answer the part of the question relating to the Lundazi/Chipata Road.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I thought I read somewhere that the hon. Member for Matero was going to keep quiet as a result of issues in his party, but today, he is speaking again.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I will visit Lundazi because, in addition to those bridges, I think there are bigger things. We plan to open up that corridor so that Muchinga and the Eastern Province can communicate through a major highway. If he wants me to go to Zingalume, he should invite me and I will go there, too.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Chama South, if he is now available, may ask his question.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, I tender my sincere apologies that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) officers did not unmute my microphone. Thank God I have now had it unmuted.

Madam, I thank the hon. Minister for visiting Chama, as my hon. Colleague indicated. This is how it should be. We are grateful for this. Hon. Ministers have to be practical, and he has demonstrated that.

Madam Speaker, on the Lundazi and Lukusuzi bridges, in order to reach Lundazi and, indeed, Chama, there are so many bridges to cross, and many of those have been washed away. We have the Lubelezi Bridge which leads to a very productive area in Chief Chikwa, and many other bridges in-between. What measures is the Government putting in place to ensure that the Lundazi and Lukusuzi bridges play their critical role of making the people of Chama reach the provincial headquarters, now in the Eastern Province?

Madam, what immediate measures is the ministry putting in place? I know that the hon. Minister knows because he travelled through that route. The people of Lundazi and Chasefu, including the people of Chama, should have confidence that, indeed, the New Dawn Government means business.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, first of all, the Msuzi and Lundazi bridges are being fixed; there is no question about that. I think the hon. Member for Chama South wants to expand the question, somewhat.

Madam Speaker, we are fully aware, as a result of my visit, that almost all the bridges on the Lundazi/Chama Road are low-lying bridges. So, in the event of high rainfall and rising water levels, many of them get flooded and water flows over them. So, to correct that needs a lot more effort to raise those bridges. That is why I am saying that that greater project that we are considering will ensure that the new bridges that will be constructed along the road will be higher than the ones that are currently there. When that project is complete, not again will the people of Chama get cut off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

CONSTRUCTION OF KING LEWANIKA UNIVERSITY IN MONGU

123. Mr Amutike (Mongu Central) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

1. when the construction of the King Lewanika University in Mongu District will commence;

1. what the cause of the delay in commencing the project is;

1. what the cost of the project is;

1. what the timeframe for the completion of the project is; and

1. what the enrolment capacity of the university will be upon completion.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, the construction of the King Lewanika University in Mongu District commenced on 1^st January, 2015.

Madam Speaker, the cause of the delay in the completion of the project was due to the previous Government’s directive to concentrate on infrastructure that was at 80 per cent and above complete and the King Lewanika University was only 10 per cent complete at the time.                                                                                                                                 

Madam Speaker, the cost of the project at commencement was K288,960,032.

Madam Speaker, the timeframe for the completion of the project, at commencement, was thirty-six months.

Madam, the enrolment capacity of the university, upon completion, is 640 boarders, but I do not think universities have boarders. However, the in-house students and the 300 day scholars, who are people who come in on a daily basis, make a total of 940 students.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Munir Zulu: I thank you, very kind Madam Speaker. Like I said earlier, Eng. Milupi is one of the reasonable hon. Ministers we have. Permit me to ask the hon. Minister if at all he has considered engaging the contractor to do a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project for the King Lewanika University. I have a lot of rich history with the King Lewanika University. So, does he have any thoughts of going the PPP route where we can recover through those fees that would be paid?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Lumezi for that follow-up question. It is good to hear that he has some history with the university.

Madam Speaker, let me assure the nation, through this supplementary question, that the New Dawn Government will complete the construction of this university. We think it is a serious project that was allowed to lag behind for many years. Just for information, the contract was given to the Dalton Construction Limited and Archline Building Consultants. As I said, it started on 1^st January, 2015, and was expected to have been completed on 1^st January, 2018. At the moment, it is only 10 per cent complete. I think we have talked about the sums.

Madam Speaker, so far, the scope of work includes the construction of the following: administration block; library; six principle staff houses; thirty senior academic staff houses; 50 non academic staff houses; four hostel blocks; lecture rooms; theatres; and computer lab.

Madam Speaker, the information I have so far is that work only started on the fifteen low-cost houses at that university.

Madam Speaker, as the House might want to know, there is no public university in the whole of the Western Province and it is the intention of this Government to ensure that this university, which was started by the late President Sata, is completed and that the local population can begin to utilise the services at that university. However, at the moment, resources are limited.

Madam Speaker, I use this opportunity to explain some of the actions that we are taking; even though, sometimes, they get opposed by those on your left side. The engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) really provided us with a basis for engagement with our creditors. We cannot overemphasise the difficult state we are in with the country’s indebtedness. At just below US$27 billion, which is local and foreign debt, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which has fallen to about 20 per cent, the debt to GDP ratio at well over 100 per cent means that it is not sustainable.

Madam, the New Dawn Government has, therefore, embarked on an aggressive programme to deal with the issue of debt. Without dealing with the issue of debt, we cannot deal with the economy. Without dealing with the economy, we cannot create liquidity in the country to undertake important projects such as this one.

Madam Speaker, the IMF programme which is the Staff Level Meeting is already complete. We will now release our economic team in the Government to engage with creditors. We are confident that by mid-year, those discussions would have been concluded, which will result in the restructuring of this debt, and most importantly, the creation of the fiscal space or head room that will allow for resources that can be used on projects such as this one. Therefore, in order for this country to move forward, we seek the support of everybody, including hon. Members of this House.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Menyani Zulu: Madam Speaker, I remember the days when the late President Michael Sata said he was going to build ten universities in all provinces. He started with the King Lewanika University and the Luapula University. Now, we need a university in the Eastern Province because we do not even have a second highest level or tertiary college. I know the hon. Minister has answered part of my question, but my request to him is that we see the King Lewanika University and the Luapula University being budgeted for in the 2023 Budget so that, maybe, by 2024 or 2025, we can have a university in the Eastern Province.

Madam Speaker: The question is referring to the King Lewanika University, but the hon. Member of Parliament for Nyimba is expanding it to a university in Luapula Province. The hon. Minister can answer in relation to the King Lewanika University.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, first of all, the hon. Member for Nyimba –

Mr Munir Zulu: Hon. Member of Parliament.

Eng. Milupi: Yes, he is.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: On this university, the King Lewanika, even though we are talking about its progress being at 10 per cent, there is literally nothing. Those fifteen low-cost houses have just been started. That is the only thing that has happened there. It is just slabs that have been built.

Madam Speaker, it is perfectly reasonable to expect that each province should have a public university. So far, if you go to the Southern Province and the North-Western Province, there are no universities. The Luapula one is not complete. The only province that has been fortunate, I think, is Muchinga, which has two universities. However, we will look at these. It is a question of funding.

Madam Speaker, what I can assure this House are the measures that are being taken by this Government; to restructure the debt and to grow the economy will allow us to have sufficient resources to fund these public institutions.

This does not stop private investors from putting up universities all over the place. However, it is also reasonable to expect that the Government should have public institutions in these provinces. So, the issue of the Eastern Province is almost like that of the Western Province, Southern Province, and so on and so forth. Those matters will be taken into account.

Madam, as the New Dawn Administration, we have said that we are going to run this country equitably. So, no province should feel left out, whether it is the Eastern Province, the North-Western Province or the Western Province. We shall make sure that infrastructure and facilities are put all over the place, when funds are available.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, our people in the Western Province are academically talented. Indeed, all Zambians who are supposed to use the King Lewanika University are waiting for the New Dawn Government to ensure that this university is completed. Is the hon. Minister in a position to give a specific period in which it will be done? Our people in the Western Province want to know whether it will be done before 2026. Can he, at least, mention a year and say that by such year, the university should be completed, so that we start planning?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, definitely, the commitment is that the construction of this university will be undertaken as soon as possible. What I have explained, is the root to creating head room or fiscal space to enable us have funds to start and complete projects like this one. I see this university being completed within the life of this Parliament.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Mongu Central, do you have any Supplementary Question or you are satisfied?

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, this question is asked on behalf of the people of Mufulira District in general and Mufulira Constituency in particular. I hope the hon. Minister will not find it unreasonable.

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN KAMUCHANGA

            124. Mr Mwila asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

(a)        what the progress, in percentage terms, on the construction of the new district hospital in Kamuchanga Township in Mufulira District was, as of September 2021; 

(b)        what the time frame for the completion of the outstanding works is; and

(c)        what has caused the delay in completing the project?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, there is no way I can find this question unreasonable. I have been a resident of Mufulira three times in my life. The last time I left that place was in 1989.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the new Mufulira District Hospital in Kamuchanga Township in Mufulira District was at 65 per cent as at September 2021.

Madam, the timeframe for completion of the outstanding works is twelve months.

Madam, the delay in the completion of the project is as a result of the delayed release of funds due to fiscal constraints faced by the Government.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for that response, especially the second part of it. The hon. Minister said that the timeframe for completion is twelve months. I need him to clarify when we can start to count the twelve months.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for the follow-up question. First of all, these questions have a time lag. As you can imagine, the question was as at September 2021. So, the question there was that that project was supposed to have had a completion timeframe for outstanding woks, which was supposed to be twelve months. In the meantime, our concentration, as the Government, is to find the money that is required to undertake those works. Someone might well say, you are in your Budget, this is the 2022 Budget under the New Dawn Government. However, I caution that even though we are in the 2022 Budget, the money does not come at once, that is the K172 billion which is in the 2022 total Budget.  We do not get a basket on 1^st January and start spending the K172 billion. On the revenue side, the money is collected over a period of time and that is why we always say we still have to deal with some fiscal challenges.

Madam Speaker, what actually happened on this contract, which is in Kamuchanga, and I was happy to be there three or four days ago. The initial contract was awarded to Mercury Reliance Limited, but that was terminated due to its poor performance. Currently, we are still looking for a new contractor. I think that is the information we have at the moment.

Madam Speaker, the Government has not forgotten about this project. We had poor performance by the original contractor. We are looking for a better one. Further, the procurement process takes a bit of time.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, I would like to, again, thank the hon. Minister for the responses. The answers are getting there, but maybe, to paraphrase my earlier question to the hon. Minister; are we going to see activity on this site in this year?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I think the hon. Member has looked at the Budget for this year and the reason he is asking this is probably that he has not seen it in there. The concentration is on creating fiscal space for the amount of money and, our commitment, as a Government, is that these projects are supposed to serve our people. So, we are equally anxious that as we create these extra resources, we embark on these projects, especially the ones that were started. This one was shown at 65 per cent. So, it will be one of those that we will prioritise to have completed so that we do not have grass growing through the buildings and damaging them even before we complete them.

So, my assurance to the hon. Member is that we will do our utmost, first of all, to find the resources and when the resource are in place, this, along with other uncompleted projects, will be at the top of the agenda.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, I am having difficulties to – I feel sorry for the hon. Minister because he is one of the most reasonable Ministers, anyway (laughs).

Madam Speaker, I have heard the hon. Minister’s submissions today and the challenge has been that contracts have been terminated. That is one of the reasons most of those projects were not well executed or, maybe, why the New Dawn Government is being methodical.

Madam Speaker, going forward, what does the ministry intend to do to those contractors that are being awarded contracts, but two to three years down the line, we terminate the contracts when they are normally paid their mobilisation fees? Where do they take that money? Does the hon. Minister intend to come up with punitive measures or it is going to be a talk show, like we are witnessing now.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I think the hon. Member for Lumezi has asked a very good question. It gives me an opportunity to detail exactly what is happening. I think this is a serious indictment on those who were giving out those contracts. There was no due diligence as to who got those contracts. Some of them did not have capacity while others used the contracts to get money to go and use on other things. We have serious examples that we can give. He is from Mufulira, and this is just one such project that we are looking at where a contractor was given a contract, but due to poor performance, nothing happened.

Madam Speaker, on the Mufulira/Ndola Road, we have exactly the same situation. A contract was given out and nothing happened. On the Mufulira/Mukambo Road; it is exactly the same situation. I was there on the sites of all these projects. This is one of the issues that we are tackling to try to clean up.

Madam Speaker, going forward, which is what is important, no contract will be given out unless the contracting authority has satisfied itself that the contractor has the capacity and the ability to undertake the project to the highest standards possible, and we are talking about international standards. The money we spend is exactly the same as what they spend in America, Britain, Germany, South Africa, and so on and so forth. Why should we expect lower standard infrastructure, whether it is buildings or roads?

Madam Speaker, we have seen cases where, people were given contracts, but went on to set up football teams or whatever they wanted to set up and left us with infrastructure that is shocking even just to look at. We have seen some of our Zambian contractors given a number of buildings and next to them, maybe, is a foreign contractor. If you go there, just by looking, you can tell that there is a problem with a contractor.

Madam Speaker, we want to support Zambian contractors because if we support them, the money remains in the country. That is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that the hon. Minister for Technology and Science refers to as “the GDP in your pockets” whereas for a foreign contractor, it is money going out. So, it is in our interest, as the Government, to support Zambian contractors. However, it must be Zambian contractors who can deliver quality at reasonable cost, right cost, and so on and so forth. Go onto the Chingola/Solwezi Road; split in three pieces. The beginning was by a foreign contractor and the ending was by a foreign contractor, but the 40km, go and see what it is looking like. This, we must avoid.

So, Madam Speaker, for contractors like those, who do not perform, it will work against them when they look for new work going forward. However, those whom we can follow because the projects have not reached completion point will be followed and money either recovered or they will be made to do the work properly.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mulaliki (Senanga): Madam Speaker, I tender greetings from the wonderful people of Senanga.

OPERATING THEATRE AT SENANGA GENERAL HOSPITAL

125. Mr Mulaliki asked the Minister of Health:

1. why the construction of an operating theatre at the Senanga General Hospital has stalled;

1. when the project will resume;

1. what the cost of the outstanding works is; and

1. what the time frame for the completion of the outstanding works is.

The Vice-President (on behalf of (Mrs Masebo): Madam Speaker, the construction of the operating theatre at the Senanga General Hospital stalled due to inadequate fund.

Madam Speaker, the project has been included in the 2022 Ministry of Health Infrastructure Operational Plan and the construction is expected to resume as soon as funds are made available.

Madam Speaker, the outstanding works have been estimated to cost K950,000.

Madam Speaker, the timeframe for the completion of the outstanding works is estimated to take twelve months.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Munir Zulu: Thank you, very kind Madam Speaker. Permit me to thank Her Honour the Vice-President for a good response, on behalf of the good people of Senanga.

Madam Speaker, so many answers are being given saying that there are inadequate funds across the country. What assurance is Her Honour the Vice-President giving the people of Senanga that she will not come back in the next session and give the same excuse?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I tend to agree, to a certain point, with the hon. Member for Lumezi, who is wondering why we keep saying inadequate funds is the issue. That is the situation, Madam Speaker. That is what has been going on. So many things were started. The construction of a lot of infrastructure began. I think the planning was extremely poor that people began and spent money, like I heard the hon. Member allude to. People were given money to mobilise, but they did nothing and the money went into the drain.

Madam Speaker, this Government, the New Dawn Government, has made it very clear that to start on any project, it must be assured of the resources so that when it begins construction, it is assured of completion. However, currently, because of the status of the economy, indeed, with a lot of work going on to try and raise resources, we find ourselves giving that answer.

Madam Speaker, I do not think that people would have just abandoned the works that they had begun had they the money or, is it that the money went into the wrong places. They must have had money for them to start projects like this one. However, this is the true status; that they ran out of money. The Government ran out of money and, therefore, we had to start re-planning. This is why hon. Members hear us saying this has been planned for in the 2022 Budget which the New Dawn is responsible for. It is our prayer that these projects will be completed as soon as the resources are made available within the estimated time.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, I thank Her Honour the Vice-President, on behalf of the people of Senanga, for the assurance that she has given us that the operating theatre will be constructed and completed this year.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Her Honour the Vice-President for her answer. When the New Dawn Government was ushered into office last year, one of its priorities was to undertake an audit of the various projects that were left by the previous administration. Could Her Honour the Vice-President be in a position to state whether this project in Senanga is one of the projects that were undergoing audit and have now been cleared for the New Dawn Government to fund it?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I am a little handicapped on this matter. However, it must be, I think, like other ministries have indicated, that they have gone around and done audits, and this, I would deduce from the response that the operating theatre will be completed. It has been planned for and that means those works were looked at and accepted to be part of those that will be completed. It has probably gone to 80 per cent because I think the Government wants to start with those that are almost complete and then go down and complete almost everything that was abandoned.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1801 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 16^th February, 2022.

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LAPSED QUESTION

EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE COMMITTIES IN IDENTIFYING FARMER INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMME BENEFICIARIES

116. My Nyambose (Chasefu) asked the Minister of Agriculture:

1. whether the Community Agriculture Committees are effective in identifying beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP); and

1. when the farmers who have been on FISP since 2017 in Chasefu will be removed from the programme, and give room to new beneficiaries.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Madam Speaker, the agricultural Committees (CACs) commonly known as Community Agriculture Committees are effective in identifying beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). The identification process is very transparent owing to the composition of these committees.

Madam Speaker, the Camp Agricultural Committees are made up of representatives from the following institutions:

1. farmer organisations from each zone;

1. chief’s representative;

1. community based organisations within the camp;

1. Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries;

1. Public officer from other than the Ministry of Agriculture; and

1. Ministry of Agriculture (Camp Officer) with the role of secretary.

These committees recommend beneficiaries and submit the names of the beneficiaries to the District Agricultural Committees for approval.

Madam Speaker, the ministry is currently reviewing FISP. After the completion of the review of FISP, a policy position will be made regarding the farmers who have been on the programme since 2017 in Chasefu District and, indeed, the rest of the districts in the country.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.