Wednesday, 30^th March, 2022

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_______

 

MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

 

MR MUKOSA, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHINSALI, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH, MRS MASEBO, ON POSTPONEMENT OF RECRUITMENT EXERCISE FOR HEALTH WORKERS

 

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A matter of urgent public importance is raised.

 

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing me to raise a matter of urgent public importance pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 134.

 

Madam Speaker, last week, I think on Friday, the Minister of Health, Hon. Sylvia Masebo, informed hon. Members of this House and the nation about the recruitment exercise for workers in the Ministry of Health. She also requested us to partner with her so that we help her, to ensure that there is equality in the way the recruitment process is handled. Now, we have been seeing on social media and other tabloids that the recruitment exercise has been postponed and the positions will be re-advertised.

 

Madam Speaker, I seek your guidance if the hon. Minister of Health is in order to remain quiet, instead of informing us as hon. Members of Parliament, since we are key partners in this process.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chinsali, that definitely does not arise under Standing Order 134. You can find means and ways to address that issue through other procedures that are established by our own Standing Orders.

 

MR MUNIR ZULU, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR LUMEZI, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF ENERGY, MR KAPALA, ON ZESCO LIMITED SHORTLISTING NON-ZAMBIAN FIRMS TO SUPPLY POLES

 

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A matter of urgent public importance is raised.

 

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for permitting the good people of Lumezi to rise on a matter of urgent public importance pursuant to Standing Order 134.

 

Madam Speaker, the point we intend to raise is directed at the hon. Minister of Energy. We have noted that Zesco Limited has shortlisted non-Zambian firms to supply and deliver nine to twelve metre wooden poles.

 

Madam Speaker, permit me to say that the good people of Lumezi admired your career in the legal fraternity and, indeed, in the business circles. This is not to chafe you, of course, but to appreciate you. Is the hon. Minister –

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Lumezi, we are not supposed to debate each other and what has that got to do with the matter of urgent public importance? Just stick to your point, but thank you for the compliment.

 

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, there has been an outcry outside this people’s House as to why Zesco Limited decided to shortlist non-Zambian firms to supply electricity poles. You will agree with the good people of Lumezi that, indeed, it is not possible in this day and age that we can fail to supply electricity poles. Is the hon. Minister of Energy in order to remain mute when there is such a public outcry?

 

I seek your indulgence, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lumezi, whereas the point that you have raised is of some interest and concern to the people of Lumezi and probably to the people of Zambia, it, however, cannot arise under Standing Order 134. Hon. Members, you are reminded to go back and read Standing Orders 134 and 135, in order to familiarise yourselves with the criteria required for a matter to be raised as a matter of urgent public importance.

 

Hon. Member for Lumezi, you can use other means provided by our Standing Orders on how that matter can be brought to the attention of the hon. Minister of Energy.

 

MR. E. J. BANDA, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR PETAUKE CENTRAL, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, MR MTOLO, ON THE HUNGER SITUATION IN PETAUKE

 

Mr E. J. Banda (Petauke Central): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A matter of urgent public importance is raised.

 

Mr E. J. Banda: Madam Speaker, thank you for giving the good people of Petauke Central an opportunity to raise a matter of public importance under Standing Order 134.

 

Madam Speaker, the good people of Petauke have been affected by hunger due to climate change. It only started raining in Petauke in January and that is when we started planting. Most of the people in Petauke are farmers and their staple food is nshima, which they depend on and they keep maize for nshima up to February and this is March. So, they do not have maize.

 

Madam Speaker, we are, therefore, asking the Ministry of Agriculture to assist the good people of Petauke by selling them the maize under the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). We are also asking the Office of the Vice-President, which is under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), to give us relief food to cushion this hunger.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Petauke Central, the issue of drought and, indeed, floods is the general state of affairs in the nation of Zambia. It is not only the people of Petauke Central who have been affected. People from most parts of the country have been affected, either by drought or floods. So, if you want any assistance, hon. Member, engage the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and you know the institutions responsible for such matters. So, put in your request to Her Honour the Vice-President and those issues will be attended to.

 

What I have seen is that when an issue like that is raised, it has always been attended to. As I said earlier on, please, engage these agencies. They are there for the benefit of the people of Zambia. As hon. Members, you are encouraged to engage these institutions for the betterment of the people of Zambia, for example, in cases of hunger or drought or when a catastrophe arises because of weather conditions such as climate change, as you are saying. The institutions are available for the people of Zambia. If you report to this House that you went to the DMMU and it refused to assist you, that is a different matter. However, I am sure you have not approached the DMMU and it has not refused to assist you. 

 

MR KATAKWE, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SOLWEZI EAST, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF ENERGY AND THE HON. MINISTER OF EDUCATION ON ZESCO LIMITED THREATENING TO TERMINATE POWER SUPPLY TO BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR OUTSTANDING BILLS

 

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A matter of urgent public importance is raised.

 

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, my matter of urgent public importance is directed at the hon. Minister of Energy and the hon. Minister of Education.

 

Madam Speaker, the background of the matter is that boarding schools countrywide have an issue with Zesco Limited, or the power utility company, as well as water utility companies. Many boarding schools actually have a lot of debt with Zesco Limited.

 

Madam Speaker, when the New Dawn Government came into office, it inherited a failing economy. Boarding schools are being given little amounts and in view of many competing needs in these boarding schools, they are failing to pay their outstanding bills with Zesco Limited. Therefore, Zesco Limited has threatened to institute measures to terminate power supply to many boarding schools and that will actually create a huge problem for them. The money that the New Dawn Government has ably given boarding schools cannot suffice to pay the outstanding bills with Zesco Limited.

 

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Energy and the hon. Minister of Education in order to remain quiet when Zesco Limited is threatening to terminate power supply to boarding schools thereby affecting the lives of the learners, instead of engaging Zesco Limited and seeing how best the company can write off the outstanding bills? Some schools actually owe in excess of K500,000, which is a sad story. If that can be written off, Zesco Limited can probably come up with a measure such as putting in place a fixed charge of even K13,000 per month. Are these hon. Ministers in order to remain quiet when Zesco Limited has threatened to terminate power supply to boarding schools thereby affecting the lives of our children?

 

 I seek your ruling, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Solwezi East, from what you have said, it does not appear that that matter occurred recently. You said that a number of schools have been affected and that means it is a general state of affairs in the country. I advise you to put in a question to the hon. Minister of Energy to see how this matter can be addressed. I believe the question that you have stated cannot be raised or even addressed sufficiently under Standing Order 134. Please, find means and ways of raising this matter to the hon. Minister of Energy, so that it can receive the necessary attention.

 

MR MUTELO, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MITETE, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, THE HON. MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND THE HON. MINISTER OF DEFENCE, ON THE DEATH OF A HEAD TEACHER IN MITETE

 

Mr Mutelo (Mitete): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A matter of urgent public importance is raised.

 

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, I rise on a matter of urgent public importance pursuant to Standing Order 134.

 

 Madam Speaker, on 23^rd March this year, between 1700 hours and 1800 hours, when the head teacher of Lubelele Basic School in Mitete was playing football with some pupils, three men armed with a machete, an axe and a suspected gun approached them and brutally murdered the head teacher. I am just from Mitete and Lukulu, where we put to rest this dedicated teacher. When he was employed in 2000, he was sent to Mitete where he was, up to the day he died. This has been going on and now all the teachers and other civil servants in Mitete are living in fear.

 

Madam Speaker, in view of the New Dawn Government’s good decision to employ 30,000 teachers, those who will go to Mitete will be afraid, hence this needs the attention of the nation. I went there with a heavy heart.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, which ministry are you raising that matter on?

 

Mr Mutelo: The Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, …

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Why?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mutelo: … the Ministry of Education, including the Ministry of Defence.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, considering the state of roads in Mitete, it would be better to use a chopper because we had to use a boat and we walked to reach the scene. We used an ox-cart to take the deceased’s body to where the boat was. We travelled from there to Lukulu in the night using a boat with the family of the deceased. So, this needs serious attention.

 

Madam Speaker: Since it involves the loss of a person’s life, a teacher in this regard, the hon. Minister of Education, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security and, indeed, the hon. Minister of Defence should put their heads together and come up with a ministerial statement, which should be issued this Friday, to explain the circumstances that led to that incident and the measures being taken to ensure that the lives of the teachers who will be deployed to Mitete are secured and they will be working in harmony with the community, without the risk of them being killed.

 

_______

 

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

 

PREVAILING SITUATION AT THE NKANA SLAG DUMP IN KITWE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE BLACK MOUNTAIN

 

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Kabuswe): Madam Speaker, welcome back to Zambia. I thank you for giving me this opportunity to issue a ministerial statement and address the House and the nation at large on the prevailing situation at the Nkana Slag Dump in Kitwe, commonly known as the black mountain.

 

Madam Speaker, in an effort to empower Zambian youths and women, on Thursday, 17^th February, 2022, the Government, through my ministry, handed over 30 per cent of the black mountain to a consortium of Copperbelt mining ventures and the Association of Zambian Women in Mining. This empowerment initiative is not only expected to empower the youths and women with jobs, but will also ensure that the mineral resources at the black mountain are exploited in an orderly manner.

 

Further, the Government has also established a fund through the District Commissioner (DC’s) office where co-operatives will benefit. A committee with different signatories has since been constituted to manage the fund and ensure transparency and accountability. Hon. Members may wish to note that applications for these funds are currently being received and there are over 500 applications as at today.

 

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that mining activities at the slag dump were scheduled to commence a week following the handover. This was to allow the miners meet the safety and health measures the Government had put in place.  However, after a week, the safety and health status at the site did not meet the required standards, stalling commencement of mining activities.  Further, operations did not commence for two more weeks.

 

Madam Speaker, after opening the black mountain, the hand-pickers commonly called chrome pickers were granted a scheduled two hours picking time daily directly from the mountain. However, this was an oversight as the chrome should have been moved from the mountain to the designated safe places for them to pick from. The scheduled two-hour ultimatum infuriated the chrome hand-pickers, who then ran amok on 15^th March, 2022. This temporarily disrupted operations at the site and prompted the Mines Safety Department and the mine management team to involve state security in order to keep the miners away as their conduct was against the mining regulations which forbid miners working from heights due to safety concerns.

 

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that I take such matters very seriously and I personally took a trip to the Copperbelt to get first-hand information on what transpired.

 

Madam Speaker, following the riot, a meeting among key stakeholders was convened on 16^th March, 2022, by the Permanent Secretary of the Copperbelt Province to discuss the issues which led the chrome hand-pickers to riot. It was resolved that the chrome pickers be removed from the licensed area. The Mines Safety Department and the mine management established four designated operational points away from the mining area and they are actually currently being used by the chrome pickers for reclaiming and sorting mined out material.

 

Madam Speaker, the four designated points are Nkandabwe, Saint Anthony, Starlite and 16 Feet areas.  I further wish to inform this august House that the Government is considering establishing additional picking points. Twelve trucks have since been assigned to stockpile chrome rich material so that it can be picked from a safe height. All four points will be secured by the Zambia Police Service, which will be reinforced by the Zambia Army when need arises.

 

Madam Speaker, I, therefore, wish to inform this august House that order has since been restored at the black mountain following instructions to chrome pickers to stockpile their materials away from the premises. This has not only resulted in the restoration of order, but has also reduced overcrowding at the mountain which could compromise with the safety health and environmental standards and procedures, thereby jeopardising the lives of the miners on site. 

 

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that a competent qualified and experienced mine manager has also been appointed to supervise, direct and control mining operations at the site. This is in line with the Mines and Minerals Development Act No. 11 of 2015, and the Mining Regulations of 2016. It is our sincere hope that the separation between chrome pickers and mining rights holders will be maintained in the interest of safety and sanity.

 

Madam Speaker, I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to issue a stern warning to all the miners and chrome hand-pickers at the black mountain that the Government will not condone any unruly behaviour in the exploitation of the mineral resources at the mountain. The Government will ensure that the operations at the mountain are regularly inspected to make sure that the safety and health measures are adhered to.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.      

 

Madam Speaker: Hon Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the ministerial statement issued by the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development. 

 

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Speaker, I may have missed a lot of what has been presented in the statement, but what mechanisms has the ministry put in place to address the challenges that the communities around Kitwe have been subjected to, namely the unruliness of transporters who are avoiding the bad stretches of the road and are using only the better stretches of the road, thereby putting the lives of the young people at risk. These truckers drive all over the communities at a speed one cannot imagine. The reports we are getting from the communities is that the lives of the young children are being threatened in these communities. However, there has been an agreed route that truckers are supposed to use, but because of wanting to beat targets, they are not controlled in the manner they are moving when going to their destinations. What mechanisms have been put in place to address this challenge, as well as the challenge of stones falling out of the moving trucks that might damage motor vehicles?   

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Nkana for that very important and critical question.

 

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that I have already summoned all the operators and truckers because there is a designated route that they must be using. We have since engaged the police and any truck drivers who will use a wrong route will have their trucks impounded. Furthermore, there is an instruction that a tent must be put on top of each truck that is loaded to prevent any spillages. So, when truck drivers abrogate that, the police will move in and impound those trucks.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the ministerial statement he has issued to this House and the nation.

 

Madam Speaker, what is the cost of the chrome per tonne?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, currently, the chrome is around K6,000/K7,000 per tonne. So, that is the information.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, permit me to remind the hon. Minister that in the past ten/fifteen years, the so-called black mountain has been a problem. It has been taken as a political tool for any political party starting from the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), the Patriotic Front (PF) and now the United Party for National Development (UPND). I know this is very difficult for any of us to understand but we know it is managed at the political level. When will we depoliticise the black mountain, so that this issue of people being indiscipline at the black mountain can come to an end?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank Hon. Menyani Zulu who was the Youth Chairman on the Copperbelt at some point.

 

Madam Speaker, I assure him that this is the New Dawn Government. There is usually misbehaviour at any operation, be it a mine or a shop, because of the kind of leadership in place and the policy direction it gives. Successive Governments failed to remove cadres from markets and bus stations, but there came a great leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kabuswe: ... who removed cadres from these places, depoliticised markets and bus stations, and he is depoliticising the black mountain.

 

Madam Speaker, in my statement, I said that some people who wanted to see failure and confusion, funded the reaction of the chrome pickers. We know that historically, beneficiaries of the black mountain benefitted using confusion so that people could stay away from it and a few of them could benefit, but now, we have opened it up for everyone.

 

Madam Speaker, a United Party for National Development (UPND) cadre is also a Zambian and can benefit from anything. So, when you find UPND cadres at the black mountain, it is because they are Zambians who want to benefit; it is not about them being members of the UPND. They are Zambians and they must benefit. One should not die of hunger because of being a member of the UPND. Any resource that this country has is for every Zambian including me, because I am also a UPND cadre.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, the issue of the black mountain has been contentious for quite some time now and it has been breeding a lot of lawlessness. What action has been taken against those who were involved in riotous behaviour so that such kind of behaviour does not repeat itself?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member should underline the phrase that ‘Zambia today has a great leader,’ who has brought peace and removed cadreism from markets and bus stations. So, bringing order anywhere is highly dependent on the political leadership in place at a particular time because a declaration of intent is made through the very first speech that a particular leader makes, and President Hakainde Hichilema said there will be no cadreism in markets and no invading of mines. Even at the black mountain, anyone found wanting will be alone and will not be protected. Whichever political persuasion you come from, you will have no protection from the UPND Government. So, we want order and sanity, and as the Government, we will stamp our authority to make sure that a cross section of Zambians benefits from the black mountain.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): Madam Speaker, I would like to put it on record that we love President Hakainde Hichilema genuinely so, because we want him to succeed. We are not here to sugar-coat the ugly truth. The issue of the black mountain has been there for a long time and previous Cabinet Ministers praised previous Presidents to protect certain interests, but we are here to provide a remedy.

 

Madam Speaker, we have been informed that out of the 300 truckloads that are supposed to transport the mineral, 265 truckloads are being shared among the UPND leadership on the Copperbelt. Out of that, 35 truckloads are being shared between Nkana Constituency and Wusakile Constituency. Can the hon. Minister confirm that this shareholding does exist?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question.

 

Madam Speaker, it is very difficult to substantiate speculation because what I know is that a consortium of Copperbelt mining ventures is made up of co-operatives from all the districts on the Copperbelt, starting from Chililabombwe right through to Luanshya, Kalulushi and Nkana. The hon. Member referred to Wusakile but this Government respects the social license. In other words, we respect the people where a particular asset sits and that is why we respect the communities around that place. This Government has made it clear that chrome pickers must be taken care of because most of them live around those communities. I am sure the hon. Member for Nkana knows that and we want to make sure that they are taken care of in a safe manner. However, in terms of the numbers that the hon. Member stated, as I said, I will not respond to speculations. 

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr C. Mpundu (Chembe): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has emphasised the issue to do with safety, which is so critical in the mining sector. Is there any database of the people who enter the dumpsite and those who participate in the subsidiary of the dumpsite that the Government has created for the hand-pickers?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member.

 

Madam Speaker, right now, the whole mountain is fenced and only the operators with their equipment and a few of their workers are allowed inside. The place is now safe. It has been benched, for those who know mining, such that it cannot collapse and would just slide. So, all the safety measures have been put in place There is no longer a group of people trying to barge inside, and that has been controlled. So, basically, those are the people who are there, and the trucks are parked outside. When a truck is loading, it drives inside and drives out once it is loaded. So, those are the only people allowed inside the operating area.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to seek clarification from the hon. Minister. However, before I do so, I would like to pass my sincere condolences and profound grief on the loss of two doctors, accomplished professionals, within a space of one week. Professor Lupando Munkonge was an accomplished mentor and he trained most of us, and he was also the guest of honour at my marriage ceremony, twenty-nine years ago. Dr Joseph Kabungo was also an accomplished medical professional, and he was also a Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) consultant and a sports medicine specialist, and he lost his life yesterday at the Nigeria/Ghana game in Abuja following a stampede. It is, indeed, a great loss not only to this nation, but the medical fraternity.

 

Madam Speaker, I seek clarification from the hon. Minister who mentioned that a fund has been set up from which our various co-operatives can access money, but I did not get the actual figure. Can the hon. Minister indicate how much money has been set aside for our people to access?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, the way things are structured is that when mining is being done, there is an allocation that goes into an account that is established at the District Commissioner (DC’s) office. The DC is not the only signatory, but it is actually run by a committee made up of people from the community, including the Church, to make sure that there is transparency and accountability. I can only give figures when mining is done and the material is sold. So, there is an allocation that goes into an account when mining is done and we will make it public.

 

Madam Speaker, in the next two to three weeks, the first batch of co-operatives, which will come from far and near, will begin benefiting because the first payment to the bank will be made within the next two weeks. After the adjudication of the co-operatives is done, those who will qualify for the first batch will receive the money in the next two to three weeks.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, as business at the black mountain continues, over 200 trucks with about 30 tonnes will be moving from the point of collection to the point of sale every day, meaning there will be a destruction to the road network in Nkana Constituency, Wusakile Constituency and other parts of Kitwe where the material will be taken. Has the hon. Minister set any percentage in terms of corporate social responsibility for these communities whose infrastructure is likely to be affected in the course of this business?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that very important question, which is in line with what the hon. Member for Nkana asked.

 

Madam Speaker, I have called for a meeting and it includes a component of how we will maintain the roads. One thing I want to emphasise to the hon. Members is that these are some of the consequences of mining. I grew up in Chililabombwe, which is a mining town, and trucks pass all over. 800 trucks use the road to Kasumbalesa every day. So, where there is economic development, there are also consequences which we need to manage. The consequence of the black mountain on the roads – we will give the transporters, operators and beneficiaries strict instructions to contribute to a fund that should be maintaining the road. I know that the hon. Member for Nkana is very passionate about that road. So, I assure the hon. Member that we will consult him, and the issue of maintaining that road and the safety of our people has been given priority.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, it is evident that from the inception of the activities at the black mountain, we have had a surge of various interest groups, wide and near, who have rushed to the site to try and make a living. The hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development and the hon. Minister of Labour and Social Security agree with me that one of the major requirements of mining is sanitary facilities. I am worried, looking at the number of people operating from the black mountain, the emergence of various makeshift restaurants and the people selling various foodstuffs. Are there any sanitary facilities like ablution blocks at the black mountain where people working there can be reliving themselves?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, indeed, that issue has been attended to, although not as it should be. We are still putting in place measures to increase the number of mobile toilets that were taken to the mountain. However, right now, there are not so many people at the mountain because the chrome pickers were the ones who had increased the number of the crowd. So, now that they are away, the pressure is not so much in terms of the use of sanitary facilities. We have arranged that there be some mobile toilets there and I found them the last time I went there, although they were not enough. So, we instructed, through the Mines Safety Department, that they be increased.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, does the Government intend to introduce a tax or a levy so that it does not lose out on the black mountain? Can the hon. Minister clarify that.

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question. I am very happy that he has asked that question.

Madam Speaker, the way we have structured things at the mountain now is that no one will handle cash the way it used to be in the past. The monies will be sent to the bank and it is at that point that the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) will be taxing that money. So, tax will be collected through the bank. There will be no exchange of money like tantameni or lining up. There will not be such a thing. All the money will be channelled to the co-operatives’ accounts through the bank. So, that money will be taxed before it reaches the accounts of the various co-operatives.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Amb. Kalimi (Malole): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that comprehensive report.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister in a position to state, list or tell us the number of co-operatives which have benefitted from the black mountain?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, sometimes when I say we should listen to the speeches, I am told that I am being unfriendly. However, I mentioned that all the towns on the Copperbelt have a co-operative represented there. I also mentioned the involvement of the community and that there is a revolving fund. It is unprecedented in the history of the black mountain having a revolving fund and co-operatives will apply for funds. Right now, we have in excess of 500 applications and in the next two weeks, some of them will begin receiving the money. However, I cannot tell the hon. Member the number of co-operatives that will benefit from the black mountain because it is a big resource, but I assure him that all the 500 co-operatives will get something as long as they qualify.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I want to have a better appreciation considering the political history of the black mountain. You agree with me that even in the New Dawn Government, many avenues have been set aside in trying to support the youths and co-operatives. A number of programmes have been put in place, through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, to support co-operatives.

Madam Speaker, why can the ministry not assess the entire value of that resource so that when a sale is made, this money goes directly to the Treasury, to fund a number of programmes for the women and the youths that the Government has put in place through the CDF, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts and the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. So, the Government should know the value of that resource, sell it at once and then distribute this money countrywide as opposed to just the Copperbelt Province.

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank Hon. Mumba, the Member for Kantanshi.

 

Madam Speaker, I will give this narrative. Why can Zambia not also sell all the mines, get the money and distribute it? This is because the materials have to be mined first then sold. So, the materials at the black mountain must be mined first and then sold, and we also want to deliberately create jobs for people. So, as it stands, the way that we have structured it will work well and people will benefit over a period of time. That is why we have structured it in such a way.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Sampa (Matero): Thank you, Madam Speaker. Am I audible?

 

Madam Speaker: Yes. Please, proceed.

 

Mr Sampa: Madam Speaker, I just want to check whether people like me are safe from the likes of Hon. Munir Zulu, to attend the proceedings physically and not virtually.

 

Madam Speaker, it was reported that one youth died at the black mountain and that there is chaos there because youths have been imported from other provinces or constituencies, and that is causing discontent to the locals in the Copperbelt.  What is the hon. Minister’s comment on that?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank Hon. Miles Sampa and he can see I am safe; I am not white, so, he can walk in and be with us.

 

Madam Speaker, no one has died so far at the black mountain. If there is a story to that effect, it is fake; it is not true. Further, as regards the importation of people from other districts, I am not aware about that because the black mountain is a national resource.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chala (Chipili): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister is aware that the trucks that carry materials are limited to the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). The total GVM that those trucks are supposed to carry is only 28 tonnes, and this includes the materials and the weight of the truck.  However, currently, they load 50 to 60 tonnes. What measure has the Government put in place to ensure that the roads are protected when the trucks are transporting those goods?  Has the Government consulted the Road Development Agency (RDA) about axle load?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, it is very difficult to respond to speculation because I do not know how the measurements were done, and I do not have proof of the 50 or 70 tonnes. What I know is that the trucks load 28 tonnes. So, maybe, we have to ask the Road Development Agency (RDA) to be checking from time to time. I will talk to the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development so that at some point, they can be using mobile weighbridges to check the tonnage that trucks load. Otherwise, I cannot really confirm those figures.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Minister when he responded that a member of a political party, for example, a United Party for National Development (UPND) cadre should not suffer because of belonging to the UPND and that he/she has a right to benefit from the opportunities at the black mountain.  I also agree with the hon. Minister that he is also a cadre. I believe that even cadres from other political parties should also benefit from the black mountain. So, has the hon. Minister put any measures in place to ensure that his fellow political cadres from other political parties like the Democratic Party (DP), the Sociality Party, the Patriotic Front (PF), the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) and the United National Independence Party (UNIP) are not segregated from benefiting from the black mountain?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I do not know whether it is possible to check the 500 applications to see whether one is a member of the United Party for National Development (UPND) or the Patriotic Front (PF). We are just receiving applications from Zambians.

 

Madam Speaker, for the chrome pickers, we are not checking whether one comes from whatever political persuasion; we have just allowed them access to the chrome. People think it is just scavenging and one will remain poor. I know the hon. Member for Nkana can attest that many people have made a lot of money through the chrome. So, it is not that money made from the chrome is just pocket change. It is something serious that people can make a living out of. So, we are not segregating in any way. Anybody is free to access the chrome and to apply to the District Commissioner (DC’s) office and adjudication will be done based on the correct business proposal and not based on political affiliation.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mulebwa (Kafulafuta): Madam Speaker, I welcome you back. I am happy to see you back in the august House.

 

Madam Speaker, I personally appreciate the work that the hon. Minister of Mines and Mineral Development has done concerning the black mountain and his hard work is visible. However, yesterday, I met somebody who expressed concern. He feels that the black mountain is worth more than US$100 billion. My question is similar to the one asked by Hon. Mumba, the Member for Kantanshi. The gentleman I met yesterday was actually asking whether the Government has ever considered taking over the mountain, and taking the mineral to the laboratory to appreciate its value? The Government can take over the mountain and take the US$100 billion that is estimated from it, so that it can give the wealth back to the nation.

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kafulafuta for that question.

 

Madam Speaker, I want people to understand, through this august House, that the black mountain is not wholly owned by the youths or the women in mining. We were only allocated 30 per cent of it and this figure is a negotiated one. It is a resource that belongs to Nkana Alloy Smelting Company Limited. Nkana Alloy Smelting Company Limited bought the black mountain from Chambeshi Metals Plc. So, we only own 30 per cent of the black mountain and the rest is owned by Nkana Alloy Smelting Company Limited.

 

Madam Speaker, in terms of seeing the value, it is a suggestion that is worth pursuing, but it is suffice to say that the Government is exploring avenues of setting up processing plants for our youths. At my previous trip to South Africa, I told one company that it could come and set up a processing plant which should be co-owned with the youths of Zambia, not 100 per cent foreign-owned, so that the youths can begin selling the material to themselves. That will be an increased beneficiation on the black mountain.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, I welcome you back from your foreign trip. I am proud to say that despite your absence, good things happened in this House.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mabeta: Madam Speaker, I want to make a plea on behalf of the people of Kankoyo. There is a black mountain in Mufulira. Can the hon. Minister kindly give it to the people of Kankoyo.

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I did not get the question. Can the hon. Member repeat it, please?

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kankoyo, be more specific.

 

Mr Mabeta: Madam Speaker, maybe I should rephrase the question. When are, we, the people of Kankoyo, likely to receive the same mandate which has been given to the people of Kitwe and the rest of the Copperbelt? There are two very rich black mountains in Kankoyo. When is the hon. Minister considering giving them to us?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I have had a discussion on the side with the hon. Member but I know that he wants the good people of Mufulira to also understand when their slag dump will be given to them.

 

Madam Speaker, the slag dump in Mufulira is a special one; it is very different from the common slag dump in Kitwe. The one in Mufulira requires specialised kind of equipment and machinery to process it. So, the Government with Mopani Copper Mines Plc is working on bids that have already come in and the selection process is underway. Before long, we will make an announcement on who the successful bidder for the slag damp in Mufulira will be.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: The last question is from the hon. Member for Chienge.

 

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the job that is being done on the black mountain on behalf of many Zambians. The black mountain is found in Lamba Land. The hon. Minister mentioned that 30 per cent of the black mountain is owned by women and youths. How many Lamba royal families have benefited from that black mountain?

 

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, all the people of the Copperbelt belong to the Lamba Chiefdom. So, whoever is on the Copperbelt is a beneficiary because he/she belongs to the Lamba Chiefdom. Also, during the opening and handover of the black mountain, we had a representative from the Lamba-Lima Royal Establishment. So, this means there is a component that is going directly to the chief.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

_____

 

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

STREET CAMERAS SAFE CITY PROJECT 

 

312. Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe) asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security:

 

1. what the status of the installation of street cameras under the Safe City Project is;
2.   which districts had been covered under the project as of December 2021;
3. what the total cost of the project is; and
4. whether the project was achieving its intended objective. 

 

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu): Madam Speaker, the Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, has partnered with the Government of the Republic of China under ZTE Corporation, to implement the public security information system to enhance internal security. The project has four main deliverables, namely construction of a national command centre, construction of eleven regional command centres, construction of thirty-six communication towers countrywide, and installation of a radio communication system and video surveillance system.

 

Madam Speaker, the construction of the national command centre in Lusaka and regional command centres in Kabwe, Choma, Livingstone, Ndola, Kitwe, Solwezi, Chinsali, Kasama, Mongu, Chipata and Mansa has been completed. Further, the installation of the equipment is at least 97 per cent. Once all the modalities are certified ready, the project will be commissioned.

 

Madam Speaker, 116 districts have been installed with radio communication systems and street cameras have been installed in four districts, namely Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Livingstone.

 

Madam Speaker, the contract sum for the project is US$210 million.

 

Madam Speaker, the project will be evaluated once it is commissioned.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that answer that he has given.

 

Madam Speaker, I am perplexed or rather baffled that US$240 million was spent on that project. Meanwhile, people in Mufumbwe have never had a police post, not even a police station, since 1978. I am not talking about Mufumbwe only but other places, because we heard hon. Members in this House complaining about police stations. Even yesterday, we had an issue about security and the safety of Zambians, and today, the same thing happened. In his capacity as the hon. Minister, Zambian or Member of Parliament, was it prudent to spend such a colossal sum of money on such a project?

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I would like to state without fear of any contradiction that if at the time this contract was being considered for award the United Party for National Development (UPND) was the one in power, we would not have gone for such a contract considering the level of financial depression in this country and the levels of development. We would have considered other priority areas for funding. This was a misplaced priority of those who were in the Government at the time.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the kind answers he is giving the good people of Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, earlier on, we heard the security problems of the good people of Mitete and my elder brother was quite emotional and maybe that is why he has gone out of the House. Out of the US$210 million that was spent on this project, how much came from the Zambian Treasury if any, other than that which came from the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA)?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the amount that I indicated, US$210 million, is a loan that the Republic of Zambia obtained and we are supposed to pay it back to the Government of the Republic of China. It, therefore, entails that every Zambian in this country will be responsible to pay this money, including those Zambians in Mitete and Lumezi who will not benefit from this project. As I indicated earlier, if the UPND was the one in the Government at the time, it would have considered other priority areas other than this project. However, as the Government, we have accepted that this was done and we will ensure that we meet our obligation.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that a national command centre has been completed here in Lusaka and I know it is a multi-storey thick building in Sikanze area. The hon. Minister indicated that in all provinces, regional structures have been completed. The project is at 90 per cent and cameras have been installed. Worldwide, criminals are now caught using this system. For example, in the Boston Marathon bomber, it only took the Federal Bureau Investigations (FBI) a few minutes for it to identify the real culprit. As a country, I do not believe that we should be behind. How much of this money, if any, was misapplied or abused considering that you always say that the Patriotic Front (PF) abused the resources? Was any amount for such a project abused?

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order! Can we allow the question to be asked.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, it is the Minister of Education, Hon.  Douglas Syakalima.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, can the hon. Minister state if this money was misapplied or, indeed, misappropriated. If yes, what action is he taking? If no, is he not going to be grateful to the PF Government?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chama South is daring me to reveal things which I do not want to reveal on the Floor of this House. I did not, on the Floor of this House, talk about misapplication or abuse of resources. If there will be a need, at an appropriate time, I will come back and inform the House on some of these projects, and the hon. Member should not blame me when I do that. 

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I did not say that this project will not benefit Zambians. I said that it was a wrong priority for those who were in the Government, taking into account the level of development in this country and the priority areas.

 

Madam Speaker, looking at some areas in this country, and in particular Chama South, would the hon. Member for Chama South tell the members of his constituency that this project will benefit the people of Chama South where there is no road apart from paths, yet on the Floor of this House, the PF Government would praise Chama South as being heaven on earth when in actual fact it is one of the areas that it neglected. That is why the people of Chama South are saying that come 2026, the party that will be ruling in that area is the UPND because they lost under the PF.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Mr C. Mpundu (Chembe): Madam Speaker, the project has started moving and it is already at 90 per cent. From the way the hon. Minister has explained, will we, who come from a rural constituency, benefit from that project especially that yesterday, on the Floor of this House, we were talking about the Karavinas, and this has to do with security. At the provincial level, they are addressing security concerns at a high scale but can that not also be done in rural constituencies to cater for this security concern. Will they consider extending this project to rural constituencies? Mind you, that is where the felonies are occurring mostly like the presence of the Karavinas because even today, one hon. Member talked about the same.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, as you have noted from my statement, this project is almost complete and is at 98 per cent. The rural parts of this country were not included in this project. I indicated that this project was undertaken using a loan from the People’s Republic of China. Taking into account the huge indebtedness of this country, we will not be in a position to extend this project to the rural parts of Zambia. As a prudent Government, when money is made available, we will give the Zambia Police Service motor vehicles to use in the hon. Member’s constituency to enable them police the areas because cameras will not solve the problems that are in his constituency. The motivation for this project at the time by those who were in the Government was not to provide security.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Sampa (Matero): Madam Speaker, my understating is that this project set a foundation for many other projects under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. Eventually, the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) will be done electronically. Right now, the ministry can detect where I am based on infrastructure, cameras and detectors. Was borrowing for this project wrong and if it was, what alternative does the Government of the day have of how it would have implemented this must-have project that was implemented in most developing and developed countries?

 

 Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I indicated that as the Government, we have a responsibility to the people of this country and the international community to honour whatever obligations that the previous Government had and we will honour this obligation for the benefit of the Zambian people. Taking into account that this project has been embarked by the Government of the Republic of Zambia and we are the ones now firmly in charge, …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … we shall ensure that we try and utilise this project to the best and in the interest of the Zambian people other than what was earlier intended. We will ensure that this project is actualised and is soon functional.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.  

 

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that statement.

                                                                

Mr Mung’andu: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, I raise this point of order pursuant to Article 65 which states that a member who is debating should ensure that the information he/she provides to the House is factual and verifiable.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security for identifying that there are paths and not roads in Chama South, and we look forward to the New Dawn Government providing those roads. However, my point of order is on the hon. Minister.

 

Madam Speaker, in response to one of the hon. Members who asked a question, he stated that the intention of this project was not to provide security and we cannot let the people of Zambia feed on incomplete and very misleading information in my opinion. Is the hon. Minister in order to state that the intention of this project was not to provide security, yet he said that cameras and radios were installed?  Can he clarify that to the people of Zambia? Further, he said that they will actualise the project and make sure it works?  Is this what we deserve as Zambians from serving hon. Ministers to be contradicting themselves? Is he in order to mislead Zambians that the intention of this project was not to provide security? If its intention was not to provide security, then, what was its intention and what is it that he wants to complete and actualise? Is it for us to be communicating as hon. Members of Parliament or the people of Zambian?

 

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chama South, if you read the hon. Member for Mufumbwe’s question, the intention of this project does not come out. So, the point of order that you have raised does not arise. If you take it in context, then, you will understand what the hon. Minister was saying. He was short of releasing some information, but he stopped himself for reasons he knows better. So, we do not want to open a can of worms. Let us leave at that.

 

May the hon. Member for Solwezi East continue.

 

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister’s statement is quite elaborate. My question on the Safe City Project is: Will we see a reduction on the unwanted speed traps that we see every day once this project is commissioned? For example, this morning, when I was coming to Lusaka from Kafue, I encountered seven speed traps. Even at roundabouts and bridges, some police officers hide with cameras. Will we see a reduction in this kind of behaviour by the police? Probably, the hon. Minister is not even aware how much money they collect per day.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Solwezi East.

 

 Madam Speaker, with your permission, before I categorically answer the question the hon. Member has asked, for the benefit of the nation and our motorists in this country, I would like to make it very clear on the Floor of the House that we have banned roadblocks in this country. However, we have allowed security check points at designated points. If policemen are staging roadblocks at points which have not been designated by the Zambia Police Service, those roadblocks are illegal. Therefore, I urge members of the public to report those particular officers who are establishing those illegal roadblocks to the police. Instructions have been given to Zambia Police traffic officers not to do that. However, speed traps are different and they are good for the motoring public to ensure that speed limits are regulated on our roads. So, we have not stopped speed traps.

 

Madam Speaker, in response to the question asked by the hon. Member for Solwezi East, with your permission, let me expand my explanation pertaining to the operations of the Safe City Project. This project is multi-dimensional and so many other stakeholders will be part of it such as the Department of Immigration that will be operating from the command centre, the Zambia Correctional Services, the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and other security agencies that I will not mention here.

 

Madam Speaker, in the process of managing this project, they will be sharing information with a view to provide security to the nation. Further, the Zambia Traffic Police and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) will utilise this facility to monitor traffic on our roads in particular areas where we have installed cameras. The cameras will ensure that we monitor what is going on the roads. In the event that there are other incidences that occur on the roads, the Zambia Traffic Police and the RTSA will be able to monitor and take appropriate action. This will be useful and will minimise the presence of traffic officers on the roads.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I think we have spent enough time on this question. We have other business on the Order Paper. So, we make progress.

______

 

BILLS

 

FIRST READING

 

THE BANK OF ZAMBIA BILL, 2022

 

The Minister of Technology and Science (Mr Mutati) (on behalf of The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane)): Madam Speaker, by leave of the House, I wish to defer the Bank of Zambia Bill to a later date.

 

THE JUDGES (CONDITIONS OF SERVICE) (Amendment) BILL, 2022

 

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe): Madam Speaker, I beg to present a Bill entitled the Judges (Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The object of this Bill is to amend the Judges Conditions of Service Act so as to provide for the determination of emoluments of judges by the Emoluments Commission.

 

I beg to move.

 

Madam Speaker: The Bill stands referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Governance. The Committee is required to submit its report on the Bill to the House in due course. Hon. Members who wish to make submissions on the Bill are free to do so within the programme of work of the Committee.

______

 

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

 

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

THE EMOLUMENTS COMMISSION BILL, 2022

 

CLAUSE 1 – (Short title)

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 1, on page 5, in lines 4 and 5 by the deletion of clause 1 and the substitution therefor of the following:

 

short title and commencement

1. This Act may be cited as the Emoluments Commission Act, 2022, and shall come into operation on the date appointed by the President by statutory instrument.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 1, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 2 – (Interpretation)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 2, on page 6, in line 39 by the deletion of the word “appointed” and the substitution therefor of the word “elected”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 4 – (Seal of Commission)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 4, on page 7, in line 9 by the insertion of the words “or an officer designated by the Director-General” immediately after the word “General”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 4, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 5 – (Functions of Commission)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 5, page 8:

 

1. in lines 4 to 5 by the deletion of the words “of officers in a State organ and State institution” and the substitution therefor of the words “of chief or an officer in the State organ or State institution”, and
2. in lines 17 to 29 by the deletion of subclause (4) and the substitution therefor of the following:

 

4.         The Commission shall employ equity in the determination, harmonisation and rationalisation of emoluments.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 6 – (Composition of Commission)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 6:

 

(a)        on page 9

         (i) in lines 1 to 6

               by the deletion of subclause (3) and the substitution therefor of the following:

                 (3)  A person qualifies for appointment as chairperson or member if that person - 

                           (a)        holds a -

                                                (i) full grade twelve certificate; and 

Act No. 13 of 2011

Act No.4 of 2013

(ii) degree, or an equivalent qualification from a higher education institution established, registered or declared under the Higher Education Act, 2013 or recognised by the Zambia Qualifications Authority under the Zambia Qualifications Act, 2011; and

  (b) has at least ten years of work experience in public management, finance and administration, human resource management or labour law.;

(iii) in lines 9 to 12

by the renumbering of paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) as paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e), respectively; and

 

(iv) in line 33

by the renumbering of subclause (6) as subclause (7); and

 

(b)        on page 10, in line 1

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 7 – (Proceedings of Commission)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 7, on page 10:

 

1. in line 5, by the insertion of the following marginal note: Proceedings of Commission
2. in line 8, by the deletion of the word “four” and the substitution therefor of the word “three”; and
3. in lines 35 to 36, by the deletion of the words “Ad hoc committees” in the marginal note.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 7, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 9 – (Emoluments)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 9, on page 11, in line 20, by the insertion in the marginal note of the words “of members” immediately after the word “Emoluments”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 9, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

 Clauses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 16 – (Review cycle)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 16, on page 13:

 

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 16, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 26 – (Funds of commission)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 26, on page 16, in line 20 by the deletion of the words “The Commission may,” and the substitution therefor of the words “Subject to the Public Finance Management Act, 2018, the Commission may”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 26, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 27 and 28 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 29 – (Annual report)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 29, on page 17:

1. in lines 4 to 5 by the deletion of paragraphs (a) and (b) and the substitution therefor of the following:    

                 (a)   an audited statement of financial position;

                 (b)  an audited statement of comprehensive income and expenditure;; and

 

       b.       in lines 8 to 10 by the deletion of subclause (3) and the substitution therefor of the following:

           (3)       The Minister responsible for finance shall, not later than seven days after the first sitting of the                               National Assembly next after receipt of the report under subsection (1), cause the report to be                                 laid before the National Assembly.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 29, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 30 – (Directive of commission on non-compliance)

 

The Vice-President: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 30, on page 17, in lines 13 to 14 by the deletion of the words “relevant authorities” and the substitution therefor of the words “a relevant authority”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 30, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE OF MARKETING BILL, 2022

 

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 18 – (Suspension and cancellation of registration)

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (Mr Kakubo) (on behalf of the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Mulenga)): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 18, on page 17, in line 8 by the insertion of the word “involving” immediately after the word “offence”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 18, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 48 – (Rules relating to disciplinary proceedings)

 

Mr Kakubo: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 48, on page 33, in lines 4 and 5 by the deletion of the words “and on the recommendation of the Council”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 48, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

 

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

CLAUSE 55 – (Jurisdiction over acts committed outside Republic)

 

Mr Kakubo: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 55, on page 36, in line 32 by the deletion of the words “Cap. 98’’.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 55, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 56,57,58,59 and 60 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First and Second Schedules ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BILL, 2022

 

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 8 – (Council of Institute)

 

The Minister of Labour and Social Security (Ms Tambatamba): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 8, on page 12:

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 8, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 9, 10, 11,12, 13,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 36 – (Professional conduct committee)

 

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 36:

 

1. on page 20

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 36, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 37 and 38 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 39 – (Proceedings of professional conduct committee)

 

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 39, on page 23, in lines 6 to 8, by the deletion of sub clause (3) and the substitution therefor of the following:

 

(3)        There shall preside at a meeting or sitting of a Professional Conduct Committee –

 

                        (a)        the chairperson;

 

                        (b)        in the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson; or

 

                        (c)        in the absence of both the chairperson and vice-chairperson, another

                                    member that the members present shall elect for the purpose of that

                                    meeting.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 39, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clause 40 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 41 – (Disciplinary committee)

 

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 41:

 

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 41, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 47 – (Rules relating to disciplinary proceedings)

 

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 47, on page 29, in lines 1 and 2 by the deletion of the words “and on the recommendation of the Council,’’.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 47, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First and Second Schedules ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

THE SOCIAL WORKERS’ ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA BILL, 2022

 

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 2 – (Interpretation)

 

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Mr Munir Zulu: On a point of order, Mr Chairperson.

 

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Munir Zulu: Mr Chairperson, I thank you so much.

 

Mr Chairperson, I rise on a point of order pursuant to Standing Orders No. 205(a) which states as follows:

 

Mr Chairperson, yesterday, Madam Speaker delivered a ruling, which we are all obliged to abide by, that there will be no pouring of powder or mealie meal on the Floor of the House.

 

Mr Chairperson, I know you are privileged to know the historical background of what happens when there is a funeral of this magnitude that we are witnessing as a country because you have been a victim before. It is either you pay in monetary form or the normal thing is done unto you. The Leader of Government Business in the House today successfully managed to pay and she survived the powdering. Unfortunately, the security detail who harassed us and intended to escort her or see her off after she paid is alarming. Is it in order that we should be here and live in fear as we wonder whether the security detail shall continue harassing us at the point of exit.

 

I seek your serious ruling, Mr Chairperson.

 

Laughter

 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

 

Hon Member for Lumezi, I know that is on a lighter note. You cannot be harassed.

 

Laughter

 

CLAUSE 40 ˗ (Inquiry into legal capacity of a social worker)

 

Ms D. Mwamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 40, on page 22:

 

1. in line 12 by the insertion of the word “mental”, immediately before the word “health”; and
2. in line 13 by the insertion of the word “mental”, immediately before the word “health”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 40, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clause 41 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clause 42 ˗ (Rules relating to disciplinary proceedings)

 

Ms D. Mwamba: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 42, on page 22, in lines 24 and 25 by the deletion of the words “on the recommendation of the Council,”, immediately after the word “instrument”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 42, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First and Second Schedules ordered to be part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

______

 

HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

The following Bills were reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

 

The Emoluments Commission Bill, 2022

 

The Zambia Institute of Marketing Bill, 2022

 

The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management Bill, 2022

 

The Social Workers’ Association of Zambia Bill, 2022

 

Report Stages on Thursday, 31^st March, 2022.

 

______

 

MOTIONS

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving the people of Luena an opportunity to contribute to the debate on the speech that was delivered to the House by His Excellency the President, to update the nation on the progress made in the application of values and principles.

 

Madam Speaker, our values and principles are deliberately inserted where they are in our Constitution for a purpose. They are in Part 2 of the Constitution which comes just after Part 1 which deals with the supremacy of the Constitution to ensure that we understand that the rest of what comes thereafter will be unachievable if it is not anchored on the Constitution and led by a leadership that understands the values and principles.

 

Madam Speaker, for the sake of the nation, let me remind ourselves that these values are covered in six aspects:

 

1. morality and ethics;
2. patriotism and national unity;
3. democracy and constitutionalism;
4. human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination;
5. good governance and integrity; – and right at the bottom is a very important principle –; and
6. sustainable development.

 

Madam Speaker, this is on the understanding that if the principles governing the nation do not recognise the importance of morality and ethics, patriotism, democracy and constitutionalism and human dignity as well as good governance, there cannot be sustainable development.

 

Madam Speaker, the nation has witnessed, over the last ten years, what it means to live without values and principles. Our colleagues who presided over the affairs of this nation the last ten years only knew how to mention these principles but not how to live them. For once, the nation has come to appreciate that when a leadership is capable of walking the talk, the entire nation can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it is in safe hands.

 

Madam Speaker, the nation has not forgotten the gassing incidents.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Anakoka: How can that happen when there is a government? Many times, the nation was told that the mastermind was known. I recall that one professional police officer announced that they had arrested the mastermind, but the regime transferred that man to some unknown place. I am happy to see that that professional officer has since been returned to where he belongs at the police headquarters and he is doing a wonderful job for the nation. There was lack of morality in the way the country was being run.

 

Madam Speaker, we have not forgotten the burning of markets all in an effort to find a case so that the Opposition could be blamed, and not any other Opposition but the United Party for National Development (UPND) was their target.

 

Mr Chaatila: Shame!

 

Mr Anakoka: They would burn a market and come and announce here that they knew who had burnt the market, yet make no arrests.

 

Madam Speaker, the nation does not want to look back and experience what it went through. So, when the President came to remind the nation the need for us to live with these values and principles, it came from a man who believes in what he was talking about and it is going to be followed through by the way this country is being governed.

 

Madam Speaker, the examples are plenty. A few days ago, I was watching on one of the local media houses where a murder suspect, after making a court appearance on murder charges, was even able to give an interview to a media house. No one lifted her legs up and down. The country is seeing what decency in governance looks like.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Luena are aware that whilst the President has noble intentions, it now depends upon us to ensure that it cascades down at all levels. The Government does not end at the Executive, it goes down into the state institutions where if these values and principles are not lived, we shall not realise the full benefits of what our Constitution envisaged, what the framers of the Constitution had in mind when they included these values and principles in the Constitution.

 

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Luena, I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency for reminding the nation that in the next twelve months before he comes back again to this House to remind us on what progress would have been made by then, we should be a beckon of hope and ensure that the country sees the true reflection of good morals, ethical behaviour, good governance, upholding of human dignity, and the democracy that has been demonstrated over and over thus far. Good leadership is on display.

 

Madam Speaker, it had become a norm that when the Head of State was campaigning in Chongwe, the Opposition could not hold a rally in Mwembezhi. It was unbelievable that a nation that is anchored on democratic principles would go to such an extent to prevent others from practicing the politics that they are entitled to do so under the Constitution.

 

Madam Speaker, in the run up to the elections, a Head of State addressed the nation and said that he was going to arrest him as soon as he won for absolutely no reason other than being that he was the opponent in the elections. It is no wonder today, when a hand of friendship is extended to him, he feels there is a lot of hypocrisy. He cannot understand how somebody can be so good, who he was so mean to.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

 

Mr Anakoka: Madam Speaker, it should never happen again that the nation –

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

The hon. Member’s time expired.  

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister for Western Province (Mr Mbangweta): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to give some reflections on the President’s Address made to this august House on Friday, 11^th March, 2022, by the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on the progress made in the application of the national values and principles, which is now a constitutional requirement. 

 

Madam Speaker, in my opinion, if there is one among us Zambians who is qualified to speak about the progress made about those values since 12^th August, 2021, it is President Hakainde Hichilema, who remains probably the most discriminated citizen of our time. As for some among us politicians, including myself, we can only talk about these values probably from the terraces in comparison to him. Listening to my President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces speak on that Friday, I was very inspired at page 3 of his speech when he stated as follows:

 

     “As the New Dawn Administration, we recognise the importance of these national values and principles in shaping our individual and national character. At individual level, they shape the moral of fibre for personal development. At institutional level, they guide in decision making and implementation of policies. At national level, these values and principles are an important moral compass”.

 

For the purposes of my discourse, Madam Speaker, he concludes on a very important point on page 12 of the speech where he says that we must love one another because where love is present, there will be no violence.

 

  Madam Speaker, our colleagues on your left should take a leaf from this speech by the President because if we applied it in the way they misconducted themselves, it would be very sad. You will also forgive me for observing that contrary to the false narrative by our colleagues that we should not talk about the past, we shall continue talking about it because this is an avoidable.

 

Madam Speaker, for one to know one’s heritage in order to plot the future, one needs to know where one is coming from and where one is going, and is this not the reason we celebrate traditional ceremonies? It is in this vein that I would like to address myself to the value of patriotism and national unity in relation to violence. 

 

Madam Speaker, not too long ago, when I was with my President in Maondo in Sesheke, they shot at us and we spent the whole day and part of the night in the bush. When we came here, some of our colleagues on the left said they were so disappointed that a grown-up person like me could go and shot a movie in Maondo, instead of commiserating with us. What a very irresponsible statement to make and, today, these are the people who are going around pontificating that we should not talk about the past. What cheeky! This is the reason, in my opinion, I think the President on that particular day made a very good speech. The same could not have been said if our colleagues had won because instead of preaching revenge, he has been talking about forgiveness and reconciliation, yet the wrong doers are even going around pontificating how they are still in control of this Government and how they will bounce back. Is this not the reason we continue gently trying to educate them that they should resist walking that path?

 

Madam Speaker, I now move to the value on democracy and constitutionalism.

 

Madam Speaker, at page 19 of the President’s Speech, the President said the New Dawn Administration is committed to creating a level playing field where democracy can thrive and an environment in which political actors freely compete on ideas, convictions and service.  

 

Madam Speaker, I am sure now all Zambians appreciate our party when we say in order to run a country properly, let alone an institution, what is required first and foremost is proper leadership, and this is the leadership we are seeing and experiencing.    

 

Madam Speaker, barely six months ago, there was contention on the application of the Public Order Act, but since then, we do not hear about it. We do not hear the police misconducting themselves and we do not hear people fighting in the streets. It is as if the Public Order Act has been amended, yet it has not been amended. The difference is proper leadership.

 

Madam Speaker, you will remember that when our First Republican President died, our President and a number of us were confined to our homes and we did not mourn with the rest of the country. However, we saw what happened in the recent past. That did not happen by accident; it was because of proper leadership and this is what all of us have been yearning for.

 

Madam Speaker, if we were to ask what progress has been made on the application of values and principles, we would say the biggest progress on this is the fact that impunity has been removed from this country. All of us as citizens are equal. We are either all peasants or the landed gentry.

 

Madam Speaker, finally, the Western Province was so marginalised. The previous Government did not even carry out an expo in the province for reasons best known to it, which other provinces were able to do that. However, this time around, we will do it under the able leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema and it will be the best of all time.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

The Minister for North-Western Province (Mr Lihefu): Madam Speaker, I am delighted to be accorded an opportunity on behalf of the good people of the North-Western Province, to add a voice on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Speech on the progress made in the application of national values and principles delivered to this august House on Friday, 11^th March, 2022, by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

 

Madam Speaker, the national values and principles are of paramount importance in achieving development in any given country. Indeed, the New Dawn Administration has made significant achievements in the application of national values and principles within the short period of time that it has been in power.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for reminding us on the need to embrace the value of hard work at personal, organisational and national levels. This is the sure way we can enhance productivity in the country and create the much-needed jobs for the youths and reduce poverty in the country.

 

Madam Speaker, the President alluded to the manner in which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), as well as social media platforms were misused by many people, thereby affecting morals and ethical standing at individual and national levels. This call was timely, in that social media has been highly abused by those with wrong motives who post innuendos aimed at misleading the masses. Therefore, there is a need for all of us to be responsible and ensure that we obtain information which is accurate and verified from credible sources. Misinformation has the potential to dampen investor confidence and reverse the gains we have made so far as a country.

 

Madam Speaker, the implementation of the free education policy by the New Dawn Administration has been received very well by the citizens as can be seen by the overwhelming attendance in schools. This shows that, indeed, a number of our citizens were denied an opportunity to be in school despite the previous regime talking about not leaving anyone behind. Many of our citizens were actually left behind. That less privileged child in Mwinilunga, Mufumbwe, Manyinga and Kashinakazhi has been given a chance to be as educated as those in towns, for we all know that education is an equaliser, but in the past, it was not like that. The good people of North-Western Province are grateful to the New Dawn Administration for this gesture.

 

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, let me say that even those with binoculars are able to see how this country has been united ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lihefu: … by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

 

Madam Speaker, in the past, there were no morals because some of us who come from rural constituencies could only receive development when it was exchanged with councillors.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Masebo: You are speaking very well.

 

Mr Mutelo: Malanji!

 

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, I think with those few words, let me give chance to other hon. Members to debate.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker,

 

Laughter

 

The Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Matambo): Madam Speaker, once again, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for this opportunity to address the House on the speech delivered by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on the progress made in the application of national values and principles on Friday, 11^th March, 2022.

 

 As stated by His Excellency the President, Madam Speaker, the national values and ethics are enshrined in Article 8 of the Constitution and include the following:

 

1. morality and ethics;
2. patriotism and national unity;
3. democracy and constitutionalism;
4. human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination;
5. good governance and integrity; and
6. sustainable development.

 

Democracy

 

 Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that the 12^th August 2021 election that ushered in the New Dawn Administration under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, for many Zambians, was like a second independence. Just like in all parts of the country, the police cells and prisons in all the districts of the Copperbelt Province are no longer full of political prisoners.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Zambians, regardless of their political affiliations, are free to trade in markets, while our bus stations are full of people dressed in all manner of political regalia without any fear of being violently attacked or victimised. The freedom of movement, speech and association is now guaranteed and all political parties can now mobilise and hold meetings without any fear of being teargassed. This, indeed, reflects the enormous progress that the country has made in respecting constitutionalism, the rule of law and democracy. Our people are more free than they were in the last ten years.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, this is the province where most citizens were suppressed, brutalised and arrested on trumped-up charges, including His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema, who I think everyone knows was arrested sixteen times. I am an example of a person who was arrested without committing any offence and thrown in a penal block for 116 days.

 

Hon. Government Member: Imagine!

 

Mr Matambo: Most citizens, especially those from the United Party for National Development (UPND), were arrested. Whenever they went to report an assault after being attacked, it was them, instead, who were arrested. Every other day, some people would bleed and be attacked with machetes and all sorts of weapons. Whenever they reported these injustices, they were instead arrested.

Madam Speaker, if you went to the Copperbelt today, you would find that such a thing is a thing of the past. This is a province where the President was denied entry. He needed a visa to go to the Copperbelt Province just six months ago. Six months ago, Her Honour the Vice-President was denied entry in all the districts of the Copperbelt, but this time around, it is a province where every citizen, as long as he/she is a Zambian, can go to.

Madam Speaker, let me talk about human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination.

Madam Speaker, in line with His Excellency the President’s vision for economic transformation, the Head of State recently facilitated the acquisition of the Nkana Slag Dump in Kitwe, popularly known as the black mountain, to co-operatives in all the ten districts of the province. Previously, activities at the site were a preserve of a few individuals popularly known as jerabos, a term which was usually associated with criminality. However, in order to enhance human dignity, equality, social justice and equity, and non-discrimination of entrepreneurs in the province, the New Dawn Administration is calling all the co-operatives small and medium scale miners to emphasise the dignity of their labour.

Madam Speaker, the co-operatives undertaking small scale mining comprise of women groups, the physically challenged, the youths and other ordinary citizens. As such, the New Dawn Government has made progress in enhancing human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination on the Copperbelt Province. This will no doubt bring about economic empowerment among the people in the province.

Good governance

 

Madam Speaker, in the area of good governance and integrity, there is no doubt that progress has been made. Under the New Dawn Administration, good governance has been enhanced as can be seen from the manner in which state institutions are now operating. For example, a person can be summoned by law enforcement institutions, interviewed, charged, arrested and released on police bond without any undue or unnecessary delays.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Gone are the days when suspects were unnecessarily detained in police cells and prisons without bond or bail. This inevitably has resulted in enhancing the image and integrity of our law enforcement officers and institutions. As the Copperbelt Province, we shall continue working hard so that the progress we have achieved in the past eight months continues.

Madam Speaker, six months ago, we used to have people detained for more than 100 days without being charged or taken to court. Those days are gone under the leadership of His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema. We expected our colleagues to apologise to the Zambians for the atrocities that they committed, but they are pretending as if nothing happened. I think they need deliverance. People suffered under the regime of the Patriotic Front (PF).

Sustainable development

Madam Speaker, the area of sustainable development is close to the President’s heart. To achieve this, the Copperbelt Province has embarked on planting trees. We have planted more than 200,000 trees across the province. This progress which has outperformed other provinces in the country will ...

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

 

Mr Matambo: ...  reduce the effects of greenhouse gasses and reverse …

 

Madam Speaker: Your time is up!

 

Mr Matambo: … the negative effects.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Eh ma jerabos abo!

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The Chief Whip (Mr Mulusa): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_______

 

The House adjourned at 1817 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday 31^st March, 2022.

 

____________