Tuesday, 19^th October, 2021

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

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MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE RAISED BY MR FUBE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACKS ON THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

 

Mr Fube: On a matter of urgent public importance.

 

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

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I rise on a matter of urgent public importance under Standing Order No. 134.

 

Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I rise on a very serious matter that concerns our nation and, I think, affects everybody here. It is a matter that concerns the management of the nation, and I rise on it because, I do note, as your Member of Parliament, a sustained campaign of attacks on constitutional offices on social media.

 

Madam Speaker, all of us here, including the hon. Ministers, and the President have sworn to protect the Constitution. This entails that we need to protect our constitutional offices. The matter that I want to refer to at this point are the sustained and, to some extent, I think, sponsored attacks on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), a constitutional office. I am sure that many of us are aware that there is a sustained attack on the Office of the DPP. Unfortunately, we have seen that offices like that of the hon. Minister of Justice, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, and the Office of the President have stayed mute on the issue. I say that the attacks are sponsored because there has been a precedent. When such an office was attacked in the past, there was some protection from the offices that I have mentioned, and I think that is in the public domain.

 

Madam Speaker, at this point, allow me to quickly go through the powers of the constitutional office I have mentioned, and how it was created. Allow me to quote Article 180(3) of the Constitution, which empowers the DPP to be the Chief Prosecutor and head of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA). In that article, the DPP is empowered to stop any criminal proceedings at any stage before judgement is given.

 

Madam Speaker, further, allow me to quote the Criminal Procedure Code, which is Chapter 88 and Section 81 of the Laws of Zambia. The Chapter, among other things, empowers the DPP to enter a nolle prosequi. At this point, I want to narrow down to the matter of public importance and the window that the attackers are using, which is the nolle prosequi entered.

 

Madam Speaker, we have seen that currently, this Government is being run by social media. As I speak, twenty-one boards have been dissolved through social media arrangements. As a citizen, I fear that constitutional offices are going to be affected by social media because decisions are being made through social media. Had it not been for social media, I am sure people would agree with me, Kingsley Chanda would still be running the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) today. Among other things, we have seen that many people disappointed and appointed based on social media arrangements. We want to support the President because he has espoused principles of good governance, among them, tenets of democracy. You cannot espouse such and then overlook the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.

 

Madam Speaker, my fear is that this is a sustained and sponsored campaign that wants to achieve certain objectives. Among the objectives, we have seen in the Government papers the President become the spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). In a newspaper on Sunday, the President said, “We are waiting for a larger reveal of looted national assets.” In that particular reference, I want to say that, in some way, if we are to follow the doctrine of the separation of powers, we are seeing that these offices are now trespassing on each other and usurping the powers of the Judiciary. When we talk about the delivery of justice – I now want to narrow down on the nolle prosequis. The nolle prosequi that the DPP –

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

I am failing to get what the point of order is. Get to the point of order so that we are no lost.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I was trying to give a background because I understand that this is a very serious matter that affects all of us. I think I needed to beef it up. I first cited a Standing Order, the background and then the law that backs the DPP. I wanted to indicate that the DPP was on solid ground to grant nolles on different matters, and she granted nolles, because the matter is that the DPP was selective in the way she dispensed justice, especially in granting nolles notices.

 

Madam Speaker, we all know that people who were in the Opposition benefitted from the nolles. We also know that ordinary citizens have benefitted from nolles. If at all I am challenged, I can come on another day with a list of the beneficiaries of the nolles that I am talking about.

 

Madam Speaker, I am a very sad Zambian and Member of Parliament that an innocent person who objectively executed her duty can be attacked in the manner she is being attacked for political expediency and calculations meant to frustrate her, especially given that the sponsors do realise that they cannot remove her from office. The route that they have taken is to sponsor small fights using social media. We do not want our nation to be run through social media, and I think that has to come to an end.

 

Madam Speaker, I am sure that I have made my point clear. I do not want my DPP to be attacked. I do not want constitutional office holders to be attacked the way they are being attacked. The trend is that whoever is attacked on social media is removed from office the next day if they can be removed. Unfortunately for them, they are having problems with the DPP because they cannot remove her, as the law forbids that. That is a very serious matter because it concerns all of us.

 

Madam Speaker, I know that even when I screen, maybe, some of the people who are now seated on the right may have received nolles, yet some of those cases involved murder. Some of the cases were very serious matters, but they received nolles from the same DPP. However, they have gone to town and are having pleasure in attacking the DPP. I suspect, and my conscience is very clear, that among the sponsors would be the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the hon. Minister of Justice, maybe, and the President.

 

Government Hon. Members: Ah!

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Chilubi!

 

What is it, exactly, that you want the Chair to rule on? I have not heard your point.

 

Mr Fube: My point of order is: Is this Government in order to stay silent when social media and sponsored elements are attacking a constitutional office? I want to have the stance of the hon. Minister of Justice, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, and the Republican President on the matter of the DPP. That is my point of order.

 

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Chilubi wants the Chair to rule on social media attacks on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP’s) Office. That is the summary of the point of order. Is it not?

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, yes, I confirm, especially the three offices I confirmed, should say something.

 

Laughter

 

Madam Speaker: Okay. We have taken note. Some of us are not even on social media. So, we do not know what is happening. I will reserve the ruling so that we can look at the matter. I do not know if you have any material that you want to place on the Table.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I can avail the material to your office.

 

Government Hon. Members: Ah!

 

Madam Speaker: You have to lay them on the Table, hon. Member. So, the ruling is reserved for later.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

 

MEASURES TO EQUALISE INPUT DISTRIBUTION UNDER THE FARMER INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMME 

 

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr R. R. M. Phiri): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to issue a statement on the measures that the Government has put in place to equalise input distribution under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in the 2021/2022 Agricultural Season.

 

Madam Speaker, in my statement, I will update the House on the following specific issues:

 

1. status of the ongoing audit of contracted input suppliers under FISP; and
2. measures that the Government has taken to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of inputs.

 

Madam Speaker, as a preamble to my statement, I would like to mention that the update has become necessary because of the questions and inquiries that the Ministry of Agriculture has been receiving in relation to the implementation of FISP in the current agricultural season.

 

Madam Speaker, in the 2021/2022 Agricultural Season, FISP will target 1,024,434 farmers across the country. It is important to note that each beneficiary of the programme contributes K400 to be eligible to receive inputs. From the contribution, K100 is paid as a premium towards the Weather Index Insurance.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to update the House on the status of the FISP Audit that the Government commissioned in September 2021.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Members of the House may wish to note that as a precautionary measure to ensure that the right quantities of inputs have been physically delivered to all districts in the country, the Government commissioned an audit of the input distribution process under FISP. It is also important to note that for the current agricultural season, the Government has contracted various suppliers to deliver a total of 328,265 metric tonnes of fertiliser.

 

Madam Speaker, the audit is ongoing and, so far, the findings have revealed that some suppliers have partially delivered inputs in districts. To be specific, the preliminary report indicates that approximately 63 per cent of the contracted fertiliser has been delivered to date. It is for this reason that the Government has now engaged other relevant institutions to validate the findings of the audit in order to recommend a way forward. 

 

Madam Speaker, over the years, the implementation of FISP has favoured those who receive inputs under the Direct Input Supply (DIS) modality while increases in commodity prices have disadvantaged farmers on the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) modality because the subsidy value has remained unchanged for a long time. It has been established that farmers under the e-Voucher modality have been receiving about two to three bags of fertiliser, whereas their counterparts under the DIS modality have been receiving up to six bags of fertiliser. This situation is unfair, and the new Government will correct it beginning this season.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the Government has decided to ensure equity in inputs received on both the e-Voucher and the DIS modalities. I, therefore, state that the Government will now ensure that all farmers under FISP receive six bags of fertiliser and one 10 kg bag of maize seed in all the districts across the country. This entails that those farmers in the Southern Province, the Western Province and parts of Lusaka Province who were planned to be on the e-Voucher modality will now receive the same inputs as those under the DIS modality.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Madam Speaker, all farmers in the country will receive equal inputs from the Government. Further, I emphasise that the change in the modality to be used in the Southern, the Western and Lusaka provinces under the e-Voucher System will result in slight delays in the collection of inputs by the farmers in those areas.

 

Madam Speaker, as we await the completion of the audit, the Government has suspended the issuances of supplementary packs, such as soya beans, groundnuts and sorghum under FISP. Guidance on the distribution of the supplementary packs will be provided as soon as possible to ensure that we do not allow wastage of the supplementary packs of seed.

 

Madam Speaker, I assure the nation that the Government is committed to ensuring that farmers receive their inputs on time and that there is equity in the distribution of inputs under FISP. I also urge all implementing officers to ensure that the contracted inputs reach their intended beneficiaries on time.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity to urge all officers in the ministry involved in the handling of the FISP to exercise the highest levels of professional and personal integrity, and ensure that the inputs reach the intended beneficiaries and reach them on time.

 

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I urge the farmers to begin collecting their inputs and utilise them for the intended purpose in order to increase production and productivity.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

UPND Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, you are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement issued by the hon. Minister.

 

Mr Mundubile (Mporokoso): Madam Speaker, considering that the hon. Minister’s Government inherited empty coffers, will this exercise be funded through borrowing?

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the exercise will not be funded through borrowing. Instead, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will get the funds by cutting on some of the activities under other programmes in the country.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Madam Speaker: If we can put on our masks, it will be helpful.

 

Mr Chaatila (Moomba): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this initiative. This is something the Patriotic Front (PF) Government brought, and it caused the suffering of our people in the Southern Province, the Western Province and parts of Central Province. We congratulate him on this.

 

Madam Speaker, there are places like Monze District, where there are agro dealers whose capacity is inadequate in terms of meeting people’s demands as the amount of fertiliser has gone up. Does the hon. Minister have any plans of helping such agro dealers so that at the end of the day, our farmers are not affected negatively?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for this very important question because it concerns the existence of agro dealers and the plans they had put in place.

 

Madam Speaker, I want to be as clear as I can be in stating that the fertilisers and seeds will be procured directly by the Government and distributed to the farmers. Therefore, there will be no intervention or participation by agro dealers, at least, for this year.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the hon. Minister on his proactive approach and on grabbing the bull by its horns.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has mentioned that the ministry has been undertaking audits; looking at what has been supplied and what has not. Will the audit, which is being conduct at a large scale, be scaled down to the beneficiaries to ensure that the right people get the fertilisers and other inputs? I ask this question because in most instances, previously, it was amazing that, maybe, ten members of the same family were collecting the same quantities of inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Has the hon. Minister considered looking at this aspect to ensure that the right people benefit, not those who have since died?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for another very important question because through him, we will let the nation know that there will be a lot of monitoring by State security organs and ministry on the people who will be collecting this fertiliser. The sad part, though, is that as much as we can monitor, we cannot change the beneficiaries because we inherited them, and they have already paid the contributions, which makes them eligible to benefit. So, we can only monitor to see that the beneficiaries get the fertiliser. What they do with it or which group they belong to is impossible, at this point, for us to validate because we inherited an ongoing process.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kamboni (Kalomo Central): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Agriculture because as he promised, he came back to answer the question I had asked. I think my people now know.

 

Madam Speaker, under the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) Scheme, most of our members are still owed inputs by agro dealers and the ministry, some going back three seasons. They paid the K400 contribution, but did not get the inputs. Is the Government considering, at some point, paying those who are owed by the ministry? Further, what will the ministry do about those who are owed by agro dealers?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, it is true that a number of FISP beneficiaries are owed because they did not receive what they were supposed to receive, just as it is true that a number of agro dealers are owed some money because they were not being paid for what they were releasing. The ministry is busy compiling lists of those. After the compilation, the list will be verified and, where the Government is liable to pay, it will pay. However, where it is not, the beneficiaries will have to sort things out between themselves, and the agro dealers and suppliers.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, my concern is with the whole Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), and I hope the audit will extend to that. Obviously, the whole equation needs to be looked at in terms of the K400 contribution, the allocation that the hon. Minister will come up with to buy the maize, the cost of storing it and other factors. Now that the hon. Minister has normalised the political issue of the distribution of farming inputs in Lusaka, and the Western, North-Western and Southern provinces, of which we have heard a lot, has his ministry made any projection of the expected yield that will result from the rebalancing of the equation to achieve fairness?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, agricultural yields are normally projected once the inputs have been given, when seeds are planted, when the crop is growing and, most importantly, when it is time to harvest. So, the answer is ‘Yes’. When we say we are going to deal with 1,024,000 small-scale farmers, definitely, we know how much is expected from a small-scale farmer. So, you multiply the two and the figure is there. However, the real production target will be seen at the time of harvesting. Post-harvest figures are what we will bring here.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned that there will be a slight delay in distributing fertiliser and seed due to the audit and the normalisation of the distribution pattern in the Southern Province, and parts of Central Province and the Western Province. Farmers are very eager to know the timeframe for the completion of this audit and how long the delay will be. When does the hon. Minister promise the farmers that they will start receiving their inputs?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member may wish to note that the delay will only affect twenty-three districts, and that is in the Southern and Western provinces, and two districts in Lusaka Province. I am happy to let the hon. Member know that other than in these three areas, the entire country has already started receiving seed and fertiliser.

 

Madam Speaker, the delay in the three areas or twenty-three districts will be very short. I want to believe that by next week, the farmers there will also start receiving inputs. It could start a few days from now but, definitely, by next week, the farmers also start receiving inputs.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda (Lupososhi): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Agriculture has just confirmed that the Government will not borrow money to fund the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), it clearly indicates that there is still money in the Zambian Government’s coffers that is going to be used to fund FISP for this year. Which budget lines from this year’s Budget is the Government targeting to cut in order to fund FISP, especially given that in Lupososhi, right now, it is raining and farmers are eagerly waiting for the inputs to be distributed quickly to them?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, may I use the question from the hon. Member to clarify matters so that we do not confuse the nation.

 

Madam Speaker, I said that in all other parts of the country, fertiliser and seed are currently being distributed. So, Lupososhi is not affected at all. The areas affected are the Southern Province, the Western Province and two districts in Lusaka.

 

Madam Speaker, in terms of where the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is going to slice off some money to support the project to change the e-Voucher System in the mentioned areas into the DIS System, I do not have the privilege to know. However, I can confirm, and happily so, that the hon. Minister has made the money available, and that is why I came to issue this statement confidently to the nation this afternoon.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, the rationale that was given for dividing the distribution of inputs in two; into the normal Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) as well as the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) systems weather patterns. As we may know, from the drought of 1993, the Southern Province’s weather patterns have been disturbed a bit. Looking at that, I do not know what would have happened. If I heard the hon. Minister right, he said that each farmer will receive six bags of fertiliser. What happens if, again, we have challenges with the weather pattern? Does this not deprive the farmers the choice of using the e-Voucher in a different mode of agriculture as opposed to purely crop agriculture? Does it not deprive the farmer if the ministry just dumps the six bags of fertiliser on them? Maybe, the farmer wants to use something else, because farming also involves rural economics. If you give a farmer six bags of fertiliser and the farmer wants to divert into a different –

 

Hon. Member: What is your question?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Fube: You have no right to do that?

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

 

Hon. Member for Chilubi, what is the exact question?

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I think we need to be protected from hon. Members like that one.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has said each farmer will receive six bags of fertiliser in order to ensure equity, which is appreciated. However, I am saying the rationale that was used to arrive at segregating the e-Voucher and the normal FISP was weather patterns. So, I want to know whether farmers have been given the leverage of redeeming inputs according to what is prevailing in a particular area. Now that all the farmers have to receive six bags of fertiliser, what if the weather becomes a challenge in the areas where the e-Voucher was being implemented? What will happen to the farmer?

 

Madam Speaker: Supposing the weather is adverse, what will happen? That is the question.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the overall position is that the e-Voucher is a beautiful concept when used universally. However, immediately you start segregating it, that is, you effect it in only three provinces, the rationale is lost on the way. Unfortunately, that is what has happened, especially given that the previous Government did not take time to increase the amount on the e-Voucher, but left it static at K2,000, but allowed farmers on the other model to be getting almost K8,000. There is no equity or equality in that, and the hon. Member cannot justify it. One needs to do what we have done. In the future, we will look at the programme and invite hon. Members to give support ideas on adding value to the e-Voucher System.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika Central): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for answering the questions in a very collected manner, unlike what we witnessed last week, when others were being emotional.

 

Madam Speaker, actually, I am a very sad person because the distribution of farming inputs is about to start, yet many farmers in Mpika and across the country have not been paid for the maize that they supplied to Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Where will small-scale farmers get the K400 to deposit to access the farming inputs if FRA has not paid them? In the whole of Mpika Central Constituency, no farmer has been paid. The last farmer was paid by the Government of the Patriotic Front (PF).

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I am very happy to let the hon. Member for Mpika Central Constituency know that all the 1,024,000 farmers have already made their K400 contributions.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: So, they have to know that the current circumstances do not affect them.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Agriculture and I are very much alive to the fact that the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) System in the Eastern Province have been a mess. Speaking specifically of Nyimba, I think the hon. Minister is very much aware that some farmer groups are made to share fertiliser bags. For example, if the farmers are given four bags, they share two each while others just walk away without getting their fertilisers. What measures has the hon. Minister put in place, this time around, to see to it that every beneficiary who has paid K400 gets his share of fertiliser?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I will take this opportunity to encourage all the hon. Members seated in this House and in the Committee Rooms to be patriotic enough to ensure that the fertilisers going to their constituencies reach the intended beneficiaries. We are all aware that there is a lot of abuse of the fertiliser because the members who pay the K400 are sometimes not there. In this regard, it is not the responsibility of only one ministry to ensure that the right things happen in this country; it is the responsibility of every hon. Member in this House to be there.

 

Mr Michelo: Yes!

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Let me, however, assure the hon. Member for Nyimba Constituency that we have put in place a monitoring committee that includes the Government security organs. If there will be any erring officials, such as the District Agriculture Co-ordinators (DACOs), or members of society found getting fertiliser meant for our poor farmers, our small-scale farmers, who cannot afford to buy the fertiliser in a shop, they will be arrested. I want to make that very clear. However, we cannot arrest anyone doing the wrong things if we do not know them. We will not know who is doing the right or wrong things if, we, hon. Members, do not participate and get interested in our constituencies.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this good statement. I also thank him for not discriminating the three provinces that the Patriotic Front (PF) neglected for almost ten years.

 

Madam Speaker, all along, when farmers were getting their inputs from agro dealers, we, the people of the Southern Province and, I believe, the Western and North-Western provinces used to transport their inputs to our villages. How is the Government going to distribute the fertiliser? I will give the example of Bweengwa Constituency because I know quite all right that fertiliser will land in Monze Town. How will the farmers receive their inputs? Is the fertiliser going to be taken free-of-charge, from Monze to Bweengwa or will the farmers have to go to Monze and collect the fertiliser at their expense?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the direct DIS programme of FISP delivers fertilisers to specific deports where large quantities are kept and the farmers go to pick the fertiliser. The farmers are in groups under co-operatives, and they hire little or big trucks, depending on the consignment, to move their fertiliser and seed to their respective areas for usage. There is no provision for the ministry to deliver the inputs to the farms of the farmers; it is the responsibility of the co-operative to fetch the seed and fertiliser.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Sampa (Matero): Madam Speaker, bearing in mind the fact that there have been high corruption levels on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) value chain for many years, that the only sufferers are the farmers and the hon. Minister asked earlier who the culprits are, let me mention that the culprits are the middlemen, the suppliers, and the officers in his ministry. Seeing that the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) System is being put aside, a measure meant to make the system efficient, how is the hon. Minister going to ensure that, for once, corruption is curbed in FISP? I feel for the Ministry of Finance and National Planning because most of its revenue ends up being lost as income leakage in FISP. Can he assure the nation, through this House, that, for once, we will see corruption reduced in the FISP system and the right amount go to the farmers, with nothing that goes to the civil servants in the Ministry of Agriculture, and middlemen going to waste.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I see a little lack of clarity in some of the questions being asked by the hon. Members. Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is the umbrella name. Under it, there were two systems, one of which is DIS, in which the beneficiaries collect the seed. The other system is the e-Voucher, in which money was given on a debit card or through other systems of purchase, and the beneficiaries redeemed their vouchers for inputs at an agro dealership or any agriculture shop. In FISP generally, just like in many other programmes, there can be some weaknesses and leakages, and I have said that one of the greatest weaknesses is that the poor farmers are not allowed to get what belongs to them. Instead, people who have the capacity to buy fertiliser get some of the farmers onto this programme and just give them, maybe, a bag of maize seed or fertiliser.

 

Madam Speaker, we have said that for this season, it is difficult to isolate the legitimate beneficiaries from the illegitimate ones because we have found work in progress that we can only carry forward. We can reduce the weaknesses by putting in place a monitoring team, but we cannot be responsible for who will get and who will not get because, unfortunately, we found the names already registered just like we found the names of the fertiliser suppliers already registered for two years in a roll. So, there is nothing we can do. All we can do is monitor, and those who will be found wanting, for example, where there is a co-operative without members and it is found that someone has fertiliser, that person will be arrested for receiving goods by false pretence.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this well-articulated statement. However, as much as we appreciate the logical metamorphosis in the removal of the agro dealers from the process, some of the dealers made it possible for the inputs to be made available at the farmers’ doorsteps. Now that the dealers are no longer part of the distribution process, what is the ministry doing to ensure that the farm implements are made available to the farmers in record time and at their doorsteps so that they do not plant late?

 

 Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the plight of the agro dealers in this change is regretted, and we do not pretend that the situation is not of concern to us, because some of them invested money to prepare for this system. However, I would like the hon. Member to know that this decision was made after very thorough investigations, which revealed that the quantity of fertiliser that was in the hands of the agro dealers fell far short of the quantity required by the farmers under FISP in the affected areas

 

Madam Speaker, the Government was not going sit idly and watch a situation that was going to result in total chaos in the Southern and Western provinces, and two districts in Lusaka Province. There was going to be a bit of a problem in twenty-three districts. So, yes, the agro dealers’ situation is regretted, but this is not the end of e-Voucher System; we shall look at it, improve it and continue with it because it is a good system that allows flexibility. However, for this season, it will not be used; we are going to give fertiliser and seed to the farmers directly so that the beneficiaries in the mentioned affected areas get an equal quantity of inputs as those in the rest of the country.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Agriculture for his thorough statement. I must say that he is one of those hon. Ministers who are very candid, and his patriotism must be commended.

 

 Madam Speaker, I come from Kanchibiya Constituency, and one of the issues we are battling with is that a number of farmers have not yet received empty grain bags. Further, since the rainy season is starting in a number of areas, a number of empty bags have gone to waste, and this is connected to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). What guarantee do we have that the maize that is already at the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) depots will be packaged well and secured, and that the farmers will receive their payments? This matter is very important because it plays with the psychology of farmers as they prepare for the next farming season. How do they expect their toil to not be in vain and, come next year, the FRA to procure the targeted quantities so that no maize is goes to waste? Currently, maize is going to waste, contrary to what the FRA said in its statement issued today. Where are we with the distribution of empty grain bags in Kanchibiya and other places across the country?

 

 Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I have said it over and over again in the House that for the quantity that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) was meant to buy, not even one farmer has not been paid; all farmers who supplied part of the initial 500,000 metric tonnes of maize supplied to the agency have been paid. however, the FRA now has in excess of 1 million metric tonnes of stock.

 

Madam Speaker, I was talking the FRA Executive Director this morning and he confirmed that for the last quantity of maize that we, through you, the hon. Members, and the ministry, asked the agency about, the agency is making every effort to pay. In that regard, I am happy to report that a few weeks ago, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning looked for K200 million, which was used to pay transporters, buy empty grain bags and a few logistical arrangements. So, it is unfortunate that the hon. Member is still saying that maize is going to waste in Kanchibiya. The report I have is that all the maize outside the sheds is going to be received and put in storage. Further, for the maize that we will be outside the sheds, the Executive Director has assured me that he has sufficient tarpaulin tents to cover it. In fact, to him, saying that maize is going to waste is a bit far-fetched. So, I assure the hon. Member that on a daily basis, everything is being done to make sure that the maize is secured, and I ask the farmers to not get discouraged. Actually, the Government has come in to save the farmer because it is responsible. Otherwise, we could have stopped purchasing maize when we reached 500,000 metric tonnes and let the farmer sell the rest of the maize elsewhere.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

 Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister of Agriculture spoke about the provision of extra packs of soya beans or legumes. I do not know whether he said it has been put on hold, but my interest is actually on the same. Considering that the farmers on Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) were already benefiting by receiving six bags of fertiliser and a bag for seed, would it not have been prudent for the hon. Minister to consider extending the support to farmers who have never been on FISP before, but have been praying and hoping that this time, they will receive some support? If there are 1,000,432 farmers receiving the same grace the hon. Minster used to help the people in the Southern, Western and Lusaka provinces, although I do not even where they farm in Lusaka because it the whole province seems occupied, I was thinking whether for my people in Lundazi and those in other constituencies, it would not have been prudent for the hon. Minister to consider giving the legume packs to the other farmers who are suffering.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker. I will be brief in answering the hon. Member, and I invite her for a chat outside the Chamber.

 

Madam Speaker, the answer is simple and straightforward; we want every farmer under FISP to get six bags of fertiliser and 10 kg of seed, period. We want equality. So, as at now, there will be no supplementary packs, which cover groundnuts, soya beans and sorghum. We will not release the supplementary packs unless we reach a level where there is enough fertiliser and seed to cover everyone in the country because that is what will be taken as equality. Anything short of that will not be allowed to happen. So, the hon. Member should inform the people in Lundazi that the supplementary packs have been shelved for now.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Mwamba (Kasama Central): Madam Speaker, a Zambian local farmer only farms once a year, and not everybody is a maize farmer. Looking at the new packs of six bags of fertiliser and one bag of maize seed, many farmers will be disadvantaged, and we have already started killing crop diversification. However, when the President opened Parliament, he told us that the New Dawn Government is looking at crop diversification. What will happen if, for instance, the 2021/2022 Farming Season is not in order? What if we have too much rain and the maize gets spoiled? The other farmers will be deprived because the Government is not looking at different areas and what is farmed in those areas. For a farmer to receive any Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) products, then, he has to be a maize farmer. Is the Government not killing the farmer?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member for Kasama Central that of the two systems, if well managed, the e-Voucher System offers flexibility. However, it has been four years since the system was stopped in most districts and only left in twenty-three districts. The question is: Why? So, it is not this system that will destroy agriculture in the country. Further, I said that we will look at it next year. For now, we want to equalise the programme. Surely, can the twenty-three districts in the Southern and Western provinces, Chirundu and one other district here, in Lusaka, destroy agriculture? No, I do not think that is the right way of looking at the matter. The system was already destroyed, and we want to bring equity. If we have to look at the e-Voucher System, we will look at it together next season and consider spreading it across the country, not segregating it.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chitotela (Pambashe): Madam Speaker, there are three ‘F’s that are very sensitive in Zambia, namely fuel, food and fertiliser, and we do not politic about them. Unfortunately, two of them are under the Ministry of Agriculture.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister categorically stated that he is very excited that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has released funding to balance the programme in two provinces and two districts under the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) System. When the hon. Minister comes to this House, he must have information on his fingertips because Zambians are listening, and they want to know how much money the hon. Minister has received from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to cater for the two provinces and two districts?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, so far, I have been given K535 million, which is still not sufficient, and I am still pushing for some more.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Madam Speaker, the people of Luena are very excited to hear that the Apartheid in the supply of farming inputs has ended. They are also very happy to hear that an audit has been carried out and that there shall be a validation of that audit in order to make sure that the people who were abusing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) are held to account. However, they still have this question: Is the ministry ready to contract external forensic experts in order to pinpoint specific individuals who participated in the looting of financial resources where FISP is concerned? I ask this because it is an open secret that the system has been abused and a lot of looting has been taking place. Therefore, before going forward, is the ministry ready to carry out a forensic audit?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I am grateful for this intervention from the hon. Member.

 

Madam Speaker, we have engaged local experts to validate what the audit has revealed. We have sufficient able consultants in Government institutions who can carry out any type of audit that we require. So, we are very comfortable with the group that is doing the audit.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the information given to the Zambian people. We really thank him for the relief that we are receiving. The Zambian people, especially in some regions, have for a long time suffered. Our farmers have been receiving two bags of fertiliser, which was torture to them. However, this new Government is now bringing relief to the Zambian people. For lack of a better term, I equate this programme to a pyramid that is upside down. My question is: Does the ministry have plans to graduate the farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Yes, Madam Speaker. We are going to start completely afresh, and I assure the hon. Member that no farmer who has been a beneficiary of FISP will receive inputs, beginning next year. I want the farmers out there to know that we are going to be exceptionally thorough in the way we select the beneficiaries starting next season. I repeat that this season, there was nothing we could do because the beneficiaries had already paid their contributions, and we are only implementing the programme to conclude what the previous Administration started. It would have been catastrophic to change the system when it is already in progress.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mulunda (Siavonga): Madam Speaker, some farmers in Siavonga were turned away by some officers who alleged that the allocation given to Siavonga District had been exhausted. The farmers have the money, but they cannot deposit their contributions or do anything else. What comforting assurances can the hon. Minister give to those famers?

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the system could not absorb new entrants because it was already exhausted. We are merely completing what we found. The farmers in question will be accommodated next year.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, could the hon. Minister clarify to the people of Chama South and the people of this beautiful country, whether the New Dawn Government has abandoned the approach of regional advantages. I ask this question because the Western Province is well known for cashew growing. There is a multi-million Dollar project in the province from which other regions did not benefit. What was being done in the agricultural sector, for example, in the Eastern Province, which had good rainfall, is that the Government gave the farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) more bags of fertiliser. The same was the case with farmers in Muchinga and Luapula provinces, and parts of Central Province. The Southern Province used to experience drought. Of course, I do not want to disadvantage our brothers in the province now that the rainfall pattern is favourable. However, does it mean that the New Dawn Government is not going to allocate resources based on the advantages that different provinces have? Could the hon. Minister confirm if that is now the approach.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, I would like to address the hon. Member very honestly.

 

Madam Speaker, the e-Voucher System is good. However, can the hon. Member indicate why the previous Government abandoned it in most provinces except in the Southern and Western provinces, and two districts in Lusaka? That is what has caused a problem, and this Government is not going to allow that unfair process to continue. How can we allow some people in a certain part of this country to receive K2,000 while others receive K8,000? How can a government operate like that? Unfortunately, we will not allow that, and I wish the hon. Member could sit with me at the ministry so that I show him how unfair, bad and unjustifiable the system was. So, we are not going to change it and give the people of the Southern and Western provinces, and Luangwa and Chirundu districts exactly what the people in Chama North and Chama South are getting. That will not change.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Agriculture for the statement. I am very impressed by his truthiness, honesty and sincerity in answering questions before this august House this afternoon, and I am particularly impressed that he has managed to source funds from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning for the implementation of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2021/2022 Farming Season.

 

Madam Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to categorically confirm before this House that the New Dawn Government did not inherit empty coffers; it has funds to implement various government programmes, as attested to by his answers.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, in my previous answer relating to this question, I indicated that the K535 million that we have been given is not enough. I also indicated that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has been at great pains to slice money from existing programmes. In fact, the other hon. Ministers will soon complain because of this programme that we are trying to equalise for the people of Zambia. So, I think it will be grossly unfair to use this as an indicator that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is sitting on a huge cash load. It is also not the right time to use that logic because we are talking about food and agriculture, and a system that cuts across politics. I have to be in the office of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning all the time to ask for money. When I am seen in his office having tea, it is because I am pushing for money. So, the hon. Member should assist me to get more money from the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning so that his farmers can also benefit.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for Agriculture for the responses he is giving to the nation.

 

Madam Speaker, Zambians will agree with me that, as a country, we can only prosper if we take agriculture as a serious income generator. Could the hon. Minister kindly tell the good people of Lubansenshi Constituency and the people of Zambia what has made the Government to reduce the number of bags of fertiliser to six. The people of Lubansenshi Constituency have been getting nine bags of fertiliser because of the climate there, which is conducive for farming. If the hon. Minister checks the records clearly, he will agree with me that Lubansenshi is one of the districts that has produced many tonnes of maize grain. 

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Lubansenshi Constituency should consider himself exceptionally lucky that his farmers were getting six to nine bags of fertiliser, as he has confirmed, because in the twenty-three districts where we are trying to equalise the programme, the farmers were getting only two bags of fertiliser, and that is in Zambia. The system was not good. I wanted to start from there.

 

Madam Speaker, as to why things have changed, I have continuously said that we just inherited this programme. This is what we found on paper; we have changed nothing. We, as a responsible Government that does not throw away programmes left by the previous Administration, are carrying the programme forward. So, we are merely administering what we found. Let us wait and see what will happen next year.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker. 

 

Mr Simumba (Nakonde): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this information. That said, does the ministry intend to compensate thousands of smallholder farmers across the country, especially those in Nakonde, who are likely to suffer post-harvest losses due to the Government’s failure to secure empty grain bags on time?

 

Hon. PF Members: Ema questions aya.

 

Mr R. R. M. Phiri: Madam Speaker, the FRA was contracted to buy 500,000 metric tonnes, and it did its job perfectly and paid all the farmers. Further, the farmers have been told to sell any excess maize elsewhere, unless they are ready to wait until we have sufficient money to pay them. So, they will not be compensated. If I do not say this, we can create chaos in the country. If a farmer brought maize and, for whatever reason, it is not yet purchased, I think it is not the responsibility of the FRA. The FRA will pay for the stock it will receive, and it is doing everything possible to make sure that the maize grown by Zambians is put into safe storage.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.  

 

_______

 

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

CHIKANKATA MISSION ROAD TARRING

 

Ms Sabao (Chikankata) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

 

1. why the tarring of the Chikankata Mission Road in Chikankata District stalled;
2. when the project will resume; and
3. what the timeframe for the completion of the project is.

 

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, the upgrading to bituminous standard of the Chikankata Mission Road in Chikankata District has stalled due to financial constraints.

 

Madam Speaker, the project will resume once funds have been secured.

 

Madam Speaker, the timeframe for the completion of the initial work was eighteen months from the date of commencement. The new timeframe will be determined once funds are secured and a new contractor is procured for the works.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Ms Sabao: Madam Speaker, the Chikankata Mission Road is an economic one. Unfortunately, under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, it was made a political road. For example, in 2016, before the general elections, a contractor moved on site –

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

 

Let us allow the hon. Member to ask her question. She is an hon. Member of Parliament and a lady, for that matter. There are very few ladies here, and the people of Zambia would want to hear the voice of the ladies.

 

Hon. Member for Chikankata, please, proceed.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Ms Sabao: Madam Speaker, in 2016, before the general elections, a contractor moved on site on the road. After the election, however, the contractor demobilised. Now, the people of Chikankata want to know how much money was paid to the contractor, whose activity was to mobilise and demobilise?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Chikankata, as her follow-up question gives me an opportunity to give a few more details.

 

Madam Speaker, the contract was awarded to Inyatsi Roads Zambia Limited in 2015 at a contract sum of K48,622,764, Value Added Tax (VAT) inclusive, and the works commenced. However, progress was slow due to financial constraints, and the contract was terminated on 30^th September, 2017, following a request by the contractor owing to delayed payments for the certified works, which stood at K19,446,605.60. Out of that amount, K7,137,894 had been paid to the contractor, leaving a balance of K12,308,711.60, which the contractor is still owed.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chaatila (Moomba): Madam Speaker, now that it looks like the tarring of the road will happen, is it possible, in the meantime, to help the people of Chikankata by putting good gravel on this road so that it is usable? As it is currently, and considering that the rainy season is around the corner, the people of Chikankata may be cut off. Is there anything that the hon. Minister can do for now to mitigate the situation?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, this question gives me, as the Minister responsible for infrastructure, an opportunity to explain to the House the difficulties we are in. Many hon. Members will ask about roads in their constituencies. Unfortunately, however, much as we regret it, the answer will always point to the shortage of funds. So, I will give an explanation so that the House understands the predicament that the Government is in.

 

Madam Speaker, in 2020, the Road Sector Annual Work Plan (RSAWP) budget was K10.55 billion. As of June, 2020, the Road Development Agency (RDA) had unpaid certificates, that is, unpaid for certified works by contractors and consultants, amounting to K7.42 billion. Wind the clock forward to 2021, the year in which we are, and the approved RSAWP budget is K6.55 billion.

 

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, because of the scarcity of funds that we talk about, which others would refer to as ‘empty coffers’, as of 31^st March, 2021, the amount of unpaid certificates or work certified by engineers as having been completed by the contractors or consultants stood at K14.11 billion, meaning the figure had doubled from last year’s. That is the amount of money owed to contractors and consultants. Meanwhile, the budget for 2021 reduced to K6.55 billion from K10.55 billion in 2020 due to the increased fiscal constraints faced by the Government.

 

Madam Speaker, as regards the follow-up question from the hon. Member for Moomba, the hon. Member is not right in saying that the tarring of the Chikankata Road will not be done, as I can assure him and the people of Chikankata that it is still our plan to tar that road. However, it will be tarred when we have secured sufficient funds, but that is unlikely to be in this financial year. Suffice it for me to say that going forward, that will be one of the priority roads that we will work on.

 

Madam Speaker, in terms of what needs to be done now to ensure that the road continues to be passable even during the rainy season, I ask the hon. Member for Chikankata to engage with us and the RDA on what patch-up work can be done.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Sampa (Matero): Madam Speaker, the Chikankata ... (inaudible) Matero ... (inaudible), we talk of the Zingalume Road, which needs be worked on. I have followed the hon. Minister’s answers not only now, but even before, and the answer lies in there being no money. The hon. Minister is a successful ... (inaudible) builds is a capital expenditure. Further, we know that the Government is the biggest spender in the economy and that without the Government paying for all the certified works, it means there is no economic activity in Chikankata or anywhere else. Could the hon. Minister confirm that soon, the New Dawn Government will need to go abroad and borrow heavily for capital expenditure for roads to be worked on countrywide.

 

 Eng. Milupi:  Madam Speaker, I am very thankful for this follow-up question from the hon. Member for Matero, who sounds very vociferous in seeking clarifications in this House. 

 

Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member entirely. As I have said, the amount of money owed on certified works is around K14.11 billion. That is a lot of money that our contractors, engineers and consultants should have and, as a result of the Government owing them the money, a number of them have demobilised and left their sites. That is why a number of projects have not been completed. However, the hon. Member for Matero is pushing me in one direction by saying that as a result of that, I should confirm that the Government has to go out and borrow more money.

 

Madam Speaker, this Government is fully aware of the predicament in which it finds itself. We are an overborrowed State in terms of external loans and, in fact, in terms of internal borrowings, including what we owe contractors and suppliers. In that regard, this Government is methodical in the way it is going to tackle this issue. We understand what we have been left with.

 

Madam Speaker, the method that my Friend, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, and our Republican President are working with is twofold. The first facet is that rather than go out and borrow, and increase the country’s indebtedness, this Government is seeking to restructure the debt. When that is done, it will release some funding. Currently, everybody in this country understands that, on an annual basis, debt servicing is costing this country in the region of US$ 1 billion, which is a lot of money. However, as His Excellency the President has made it very clear, the restructuring that this Government is embarking on will seek to release some of that money. For example, if we can bring down the cost of servicing the debt substantially, the freed amount will be available for other Government works, including infrastructure development.

 

Madam Speaker, the other route that this Government will embark on is to recognise that infrastructure development is needed, and that is the development that every hon. Member of Parliament promised the people during the campaigns, and this Government is very alive to that fact. So, in order to undertake some of the projects, especially on economic roads and other economic infrastructure, we will embark on public-private partnerships (PPPs), in which by contractors or financiers will undertake quality works on some roads at reasonable costs. The financiers will recoup their investments during concession periods, which will be very carefully worked out. If we do that, we will be able to undertake more projects without the borrowing that the hon. Member of Parliament for Matero seems to be suggesting.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for those clarifications, although restructuring appears to be creating more money, yet it is deferring the debt to future generations. 

 

Madam Speaker, I am getting worried by the way our colleagues on the right, especially hon. Members of Parliament, are coming out. It appears as though stalled projects are only in the Southern, Western and North-Western provinces, yet they are everywhere, including in Chama South and Chama North. Is the hon. Minister in a position to come to this august House later with a comprehensive list of projects that have stalled from as far back as 2016 or, if possible, as far back as 2011? There are projects that were started in different parts of the country when the Patriotic Front (PF) took over the Government, but they have stalled. So, my relatives in Chikankata should be comforted that this problem is a national one, not one that is faced only by United Party for National Development (UPND)-held constituencies. I seek serious clarification on this issue so that the country can remain united.

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, let me assure the hon. Member for Chama South that nobody on this side of the House has made any suggestions to the effect that stalled projects are only in some provinces. I have not heard anyone make that suggestion. In fact, to remind the hon. Member, as a result of a shortage of funds, the previous Administration made a deliberate decision to suspend all works on projects that had not reached 80 per cent. As the hon. Member will agree, a number of projects had been embarked on in the northern sector of the country. So, we fully understand that a number of projects there have been held in abeyance because they had not reached the 80 per cent threshold.

 

Madam Speaker, speaking about Chama, we fully understand that the Lundazi/Chama and Chama/Muyombe roads require works. Just this morning, the hon. Member of Parliament for Isoka engaged me on what could be done about these issues, and I assure the hon. Member that this Government, the New Dawn Government, is looking at the whole country.

 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Milupi:  We campaigned on the basis of uniting this country, and ‘uniting’ means looking at the country as a whole. That is why we are ‘One Zambia, One Nation’. Nobody will be left behind.

 

Madam Speaker, we are in a predicament, and we want every hon. Member to understand that there is a shortage of funds and that our borrowing is constrained. Even the Budget that the previous Government made had a provision of US$1.3 billion that was supposed to come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but it has not come. So, it is not easy to borrow. However, we are doing what we can to create fiscal space so that we can undertake projects throughout the country.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chitotela (Pambashe): Madam Speaker, usually, it is not a good thing to ask your successor questions, but I am compelled to do so because of the statement by the hon. Member that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government had turned the Chikankata Mission Road into a political road and that the contractor would mobilise and later demobilise. I thank the hon. Minister for being nationalistic in his response because, having sat where the hon. Minister is before, I know how we struggled to save money from the Chinsali/Nakonde Road and use it to rehabilitate the Kafue/Mazabuka Road because we were looking at the country as a whole. I also know how Inyatsi Construction Limited wrote to the PF Government requesting to terminate the contract, not vice-versa. With that understanding, and knowing that the hon. Minister has a clear picture of the debt, in terms of infrastructure, being across the country, I understand the predicament he is in, but I know he has the capacity to deal with the challenging business of infrastructure.

 

Madam Speaker, the PF Administration, under President Lungu, secured money from the World Bank for the Great North Road Corridor from Chinsali to Nakonde, and the Kafue/Mazabuka Road. Is the hon. Minister assuring the people of Chikankata that the stretch to Chikankata Mission will be considered if there is any money that has remained from the funding I referred to? Has all that money been exhausted?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, it is gratifying to see how being in the Opposition can mould people into being nationalistic.

 

Laughter

 

Eng. Milupi: It is a pleasure to see the hon. Member speak in the manner he is speaking.

 

Madam Speaker, in terms of being able to move money from somewhere else to this project, there are some difficulties. The Chinsali/Nakonde Road, as the hon. Member knows, was being funded by the European Union (EU), I think, while the Mpika/Chinsali Road is being funded by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB). We expect that there will be savings on that section of the road and we want to apportion those savings to the Serenje/Mpika Road because we know it is in a terrible state. That is how much we are looking at the whole country.

 

Madam, with respect to the Chikankata Road, we shall do what we can. As I said in my earlier answer, the hon. Member of Parliament should engage us on what we can do to ensure that it continues to be motorable during the rainy season. Certainly, within the coming year, we shall be able to reorganise ourselves and ensure that the good people of Chikankata are also able to motor in the same way that other people who have tarred roads are able to.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, the situation in Chikankata, terrible as it is, is similar to the one in Chifubu Constituency, and the contractor who was given the opportunity to work on the road in Chikankata is the one who was given the opportunity to work on the Ndola/Mufulira Road, which passes through Chifubu Constituency. Further, what happened in Chikankata, the abandonment of the road by Inyatsi Construction Limited is also exactly what happened in Chifubu Constituency. The road has been abandoned, and materials and machinery have been left rotting on the site. Is the hon. Minister considering investigating how some contracts were awarded to establish whether the contractors were chosen on merit? Some contractors were paid, yet they abandoned works. Is he contemplating investigating so that contractors who will be found wanting can be brought to book? We do not only demand the construction of the roads, but also the punishment of wrongdoers because the people of Chikankata and Chifubu have suffered excruciatingly because of some of these contracts.

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I think there are various aspects to this question.

 

Madam Speaker, with respect to the Mufulira/Ndola Road, I have already engaged the hon. Member for Mufulira on what can be done. So, I think I am fully aware of the issues concerning that road, and I know how important the road is. As a young man, it took me thirty minutes to drive between Mufulira and Ndola, but not anymore because of the state of the road.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member’s question seems to put the blame solely on the contractors but, if he listened to the answer, he should realise that I was laying the blame on the inability of the Government to pay even for certified works. So, we have to solve that, and the way to do so is twofold. The first part is to ensure that we have money, and I have talked about restructuring the debt, which does not necessarily mean transferring the debt to future generations. There are a number of schemes that are going to work on, and I am sure, at the right time, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will come to this House to tell us about them. The second way concerns what we keep talking about, that is, that a number of contracts were grossly overpriced.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Eng. Milupi: That is what has resulted in this country owing the amount of money that it does. That is why one of the key strategies that we are focusing on is ensuring that where a contract has not been signed, we refuse to sign it at the fantastic sums that appear in it. For example, the per-unit construction cost of a bituminous road is currently at about US$1.2 million to US$1.3 million per kilometre. This New Dawn Government is saying the time for that is long gone. There will be no contract signed with a per-unit cost in that region for as long as the New Dawn Government is still on this side of the House, which will be, I do not know, maybe, for fifty years. We have to bring the cost down to the right level so that the little money that we have can go a longer way than it has in the past.

 

Madam Speaker, the second aspect of the hon. Member for Chifubu’s question is what we are doing about the contractors. What we are doing about the contractors is that we ensure that the specifications drawn up for the road works are met in terms of quality. You will be surprised to learn that if some works that have been done or roads that have been completed were tested, they would not meet the standards specified in the original specifications. Therefore, some of the roads will fail even before their specified lifespans expire. As a ministry, we shall be undertaking certain checks on the roads because we are capable of checking whether the right quantities and works have gone into the project to ensure that the country gets value for money. When the eye sees a tarred road, it will be able to see if the right works and quantities have gone into the road. So, yes, any contractor who will be seen not to have done the right thing will be punished. However, firstly, we will ensure they are paid for the certified works.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, I am glad that the hon. Minister has almost tackled one of my concerns in his last answer. Looking at the colossal sum of K14 billion plus that he has mentioned as having been certified by the engineers to be paid to the contractors, let me narrow my question to the Chikankata issue.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that K19 million was certified as an interim payment certificate (IPC) and that out of that, K12 million plus was paid. What I know is that once an IPC is certified, the Government is supposed to retain a certain percentage. That is why I am happy the hon. Minister has answered part of my question by saying he can look at a road and tell that the specifications and the performance do not tally. What is the ministry is doing about instances when it paid all the money without retaining a certain percentage as through the defect liability period and it finds that the works performed by a contractor are of poor quality? How is it going to recover that loss?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I would like to make a small correction. The certified works were K19 million and what has been paid is K7 million, leaving an outstanding amount of K12 million. That said,

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has asked a technical question. Where work has been carried out, there is retention for defect liability. Usually, one does not pay money out completely until after the liability period. However, what I am saying goes further than that. This country realises that it has been cheated by certain contractors, engineers and consultants. So, what we are saying is that where a road has been done, we will go and check its quality. In this type of work, there is what is called technical theft, whereby a road is specified as 6 m in width, but someone builds one with a 5.5 m width which, over 200 km, is a lot of money lost. The eye of an ordinary citizen will not see the thickness and other specifications. Instead, it will see only the black road going all over the place. However, we have the capacity and the equipment in the ministry and the National Council for Construction (NCC) to check whether the specifications have been followed and if not, even when the contractor has been fully paid, he will be followed.

 

Madam Speaker, any self-respecting contractor does not just undertake one project and go away; he expects more work. However, when he is involved in shoddy works, it will jeopardise his chances of being awarded more contracts by this Government.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that works on the Chikankata Road stalled due to a lack of funds. It is not only the Chikankata Road, but also other infrastructure contracts that were signed by the Government with the specific duration. My understanding is that when such projects stall and are not completed on time, the Government loses a lot of money because of not following the duration, as per the agreement. Going forward, is the Government going to award contracts when it does not have enough resources? I ask this question because when there is an advertisement for procurement of services, there is always an indication that the resources are available. However, here is a situation in which contracts are signed and the contractor moves on site, but later abandons the works, and the explanation given is that there is a lack of funds. What is the way forward?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia is very clear on the direction in which he wants to push the nation, which is that of professionalism in everything that we do. In fact, even in infrastructure development, engineering and accounts, there is professionalism.

 

Madam Speaker, before work is advertised for people to bid, we have to ensure that there is a budget. Otherwise, we create problems for ourselves and our officers because in no time, the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be on us. So, going forward for any new work, we shall ensure that there is a budget.

 

Madam Speaker, it is very attractive for us, being a new Government, to come in and start doing all sorts of things in terms of infrastructure development. That is a natural tendency. However, we are being professional. Every time I stand here and answer a question, I talk about when funds are available. So, works will be undertaken when funds are available. The responsibility of the Government; the Ministry of Finance and National Planning working with us, is to ensure that the resource envelop is secured, no matter how small it is, and used professionally to finish what was started by our hon. Colleagues and implement new projects. That is our commitment to this country.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Amb. Malanji (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister say that the Government is desirous to go into public-private partnerships (PPPs). However, considering that some contractors for existing projects probably invoked exit clauses to get off site when the Government defaulted, what is the hon. Minister going to do about the legal implications? I ask this question because despite contractors demobilising, they still have standing in the contracts. How will the hon. Minister run away from the legal implications that the Government will run itself in?

 

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, with respect to the road referred to in the question asked by the hon. Member for Chikankata, the contractor terminated the contract after being paid K7 million. So, there is no legal implication, and the Government is at liberty to award the contract to somebody else or the initial contractor if he wants to rebid for it.

 

Madam, in terms of PPPs, if they are on projects on which some work had already been done by other contractors, we want to do a better job now. There are many examples that I can give, including the Chingola/Solwezi/Mutanda Road. When one negotiates for those, the quantum of works that has been done and the amount of money spent or committed becomes part of the negotiations. So, whoever takes them up as PPPs must understand that what has been spent will form part of the discussion. For example, if there is an unsolicited bid on the road that I have just mentioned, it has to be recognised that some work was done and money was obtained from the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA). For the professional discussions, as I said to the hon. Member for Kwacha, who happens to be the hon. Member of Parliament for my constituency in Kitwe, nothing will be left behind. We will not do things that will cause this country to lose more money than it has already lost because of things being done in a haphazard way.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

CONSTRUCTION OF CHAWAMA SECONDARY SCHOOL

 

43. Ms S. Mwamba (Kasama Central) (on behalf of Ms Lungu (Chawama)) asked the Minister of Education:

 

1. whether there is any money at the Lusaka District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS’s) Office meant for the construction of Chawama Secondary School in Chawama Parliamentary Constituency; 
2. if so, when the money will be applied to the intended purpose; and 
3. what the cause of delay in  releasing the money is.

 

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, there is no money at the Lusaka District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS’s) Office meant for the construction of Chawama Secondary School in Chawama Parliamentary Constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, due to the response to part (a) of the question, parts (b) and (c) fall off.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

MUFUMBWE WOMEN AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

 

44. Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe) asked the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock:

 

1. whether the Government has any plans to empower women and youths in Mufumbwe District who are involved in the following agricultural activities:

 

1. fish farming; and
2. livestock farming; and

 

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

 

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock (Mr Chikote): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to empower women and youths involved in fish and livestock farming in Mufumbwe. This is in line with the policy direction issued by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, in his address to the First Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly on 10^th September, 2021. To actualise the plans, my ministry will promote the expansion and intensification of fish farming in Mufumbwe District, and provide improved village chickens and associated training in poultry rearing.

 

Madam Speaker, the implementation of these plans will be as follows:

 

Fish Farming

 

My ministry will work with the district committees, and has identified three beneficiaries from Keke Women Club and Mapesho Piggery Group for empowerment in fish farming. Disbursements will start next month, which is November, 2021.

 

Livestock Farming

 

My ministry will commence training of the youths and women in Mufumbwe District starting on Tuesday, 26^th October, 2021, which is just around the corner.

 

. The training will begin with identification of groups of between twenty to forty women and youth households to be targeted. Thirty groups are targeted to be trained for two to three weeks in poultry management, disease control, and pass-on-the-gift and other poultry husbandry practices. Once the trainings are completed, each group will receive forty chickens, which will be multiplied using the pass on the gift model. Further, the District Livestock Officers in Mufumbwe will monitor and evaluate the groups to ensure that the implementation of this intervention is effectively done.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister might be aware that in Mufumbwe, there are about eighty-eight fish farmers or farming groups and that when they were told to apply last time, about sixty-six farmers or farming groups applied, but only three, the ones the hon. Minister has mentioned, were approved. Is his ministry going to improve on the number of farmers who will be trained, especially in fish farming, so that, maybe, we can consider more than ten because the groups are many and, as the hon. Minister may be aware, Mufumbwe is suitable for fish farming? Is he going to assure the people of Mufumbwe that the number will be increased from three to, maybe, ten?

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, this is an ongoing programme, and I assure the hon. Member that the other people who applied to be empowered are going to be considered. Due to resource constraints, we decided to pick the three groups to be funded in the first round. So, the remaining will also be considered.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Madam Speaker: When business was suspended, the House was considering Question No. 44 on the Order Paper, asked by the hon. Member for Mufumbwe, and the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock has just finished responding to a follow-up question from the hon. Member for Mufumbwe. The next follow-up question will be from the hon. Member for Nyimba.

 

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, the weather conditions in Mufumbwe support fish farming, and aquaculture is a very lucrative business. As a country, I think we are not self-sufficient when it comes to fish.

 

Madam Speaker, we have Mwekera Fingerling Production Centre which, today, is underfunded because whatever it produced, the politicians started giving out free of charge. Further, the money made from selling fingerlings went to Control 99 and, as a result, we have failed to plough back into that good business. Even as I go to my Constituency in Nyimba, I usually pass through Nyampande Orphanage which, if I am not mistaken, is in Rufunsa Constituency. That project will be a white elephant in the next six months or so if the New Deal Government does not fund the fingerling production centre. What plans does the ministry have to revamp Mwekera Fingerling Production Centre so that we can be self-sufficient in fingerlings to enable us to support our aquacultural farmers? Further, what plans does the ministry have to complete the production centre that was started by the previous Government at Rufunsa or Chinyunyu, if I am not mistaken?

 

Madam Speaker, the problem we have, as a country, is that we have failed to invest in fingerling production and, as a result, there is a shortage of fingerlings. Is the hon. Minister able to confirm to this House that he has spoken to his hon. colleagues in the Executive to give more money to the department? I ask this question because without fingerlings, there will be no production of fish?

 

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member has asked many questions. So, the hon. Minister will choose one question to answer.

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I will try to help the hon. Member by shedding some light on policy direction in my ministry.

 

Madam Speaker, the principal question was specifically about Mufumbwe and whether the ministry was going to continue funding the youths and women there. However, just for the information of the hon. Member, the New Dawn Government has plans to enhance aquacultural production, and the fingerlings the hon. Member is talking about are one of the factors that even His Excellency the President emphasised. So, the hon. Member should be patient and wait to see what will be in our budget in terms of investing under aquaculture.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker gave the Floor to Mr Mwambazi, but he was unavailable.

 

Madam Speaker gave the Floor to Mr Chaatila.

 

Mr Chaatila: Madam Speaker, my question has been overtaken by events.

 

Mr Kolala (Lufubu): Madam Speaker, in Mufumbwe, like in any other constituency where people engage in livestock farming, there is the challenge of diseases. Through empowerment programmes, some youths have started having one or two animals, but they cannot afford the expensive medicines needed to treat their animals. Does the hon. Minister have any programme to help such people so that they do not lose their animals?

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, as the New Dawn Government, we are coming up with many interventions for disease control. Where livestock is concerned, like the hon. Member has mentioned, we are trying to empower people. Further, before people are empowered, they are trained, and the training includes an aspect of management or control of diseases.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member should be aware that, as a country, we do not manufacture vaccines for controlling livestock diseases. Normally, we get our supplies from, for instance, Botswana. So, sometimes, we face the challenge that when we request supplies from the manufacturers or suppliers, we find that we have to be in a queue and wait. As you know, livestock diseases are a big challenge in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. So, our plan is to find private businesses that can partner with us to set up plants for manufacturing vaccines in this country. If we start producing vaccines locally, even the prices will be affordable to our farmers.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, I know that the empowerment of women in livestock rearing is a very good programme. However, I have a concern because in my constituency, I found out that in the previous regime, there was a programme of empowering women by giving them thirty chickens per fifteen women. As I speak, however, the project does not exist at all because the chickens were being given to people who were hungry. For example, when women were given two chickens, what would the hon. Minister expect them to do with the chickens? The way I look at the programme is that it is somehow not sustainable. I do not know, maybe, a research has been conducted in Mufumbwe on the sustainability of the programme so that the Government does not lose money after releasing so many chickens to women. Otherwise, the project will die out even before the year ends. Is there any study that was undertaken on the sustainability of the programme? 

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, that is why in my preamble, I said that before we even think of empowering the youths and the women, we first train them after they have been identified, and there are many factors that we look at when identifying the people to empower. One of the factors is whether the person has the will to venture into poultry or fish farming. 

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member mentioned that the previous regime used to give people five or two chickens but, because of high poverty levels, the beneficiaries would eat the chickens. That is true. However, the point I am trying to put across is that the New Dawn Government will not empower the youths and women with two chickens; we have to give the kind of empowerment that is going to be viable because the target is to reduce the poverty levels in our society. So, it will be empowerment that is going to have an impact on the society; not cosmetic empowerment.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

 Mr Lubozha: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended, I received three calls from Chifubu constituents who asked me to thank the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock for the very satisfactory answer he has given to the people of Mufumbwe, which has rekindled hope in the entire nation. Most of the answers to questions hon. Members ask the line ministries have left our youths and women in a waiting mode, but the hon. Minister has given us an outright answer and the timeframe in which the empowerment will be implemented. So, the people of Chifubu are very happy. However, since the people of Mufumbwe have benefited from this programme, is there any possibility of the people of Chifubu also benefiting from a similar programme in the ministry? If there is, what should the people do to benefit from the programme?

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chifubu can rest assured that this programme is going to be rolled out across the country. However, it is subject to availability of resources. The hon. Member has to wait and see how the 2022 Budget will be because it is too early for me to give the people of Chifubu a specific timeframe.

 

Madam Speaker, I was responding to the people of Mufumbwe because we are currently implementing the programme there. So, let the good people of Chifubu be assured that they are going to be considered in the 2022 Budget because these programmes are for youths and women across the country, not only for those in Mufumbwe.

 

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mundubile (Mporokoso): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the responses.

 

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the hon. Minister’s earlier statement to the effect that the empowerment the ministry will give will be impactful on the people who will be empowered. That is a very valid response because we note that in most areas, there are people who, on their own or having received empowerment earlier, are doing something in the livestock and related sectors. At times, it pays for the ministry identifies and empowers people who have already taken the first steps so that the empowerment given is an addition to something already there. further, the beneficiaries would have faced all the challenges and be acquainted to the sector and the challenges that come with. So, they would be able to take off, as opposed people who would have to start from zero. Is the ministry considering coming up with what I call ‘commercial incubators’ at the district level, that is, young entrepreneurs, the women’s and youth groups already doing something in the sector and, therefore, already strong in their own right? All the ministry would have to do is enhance their effort so that going forward, they are able to function at an economic or commercial level.

 

 Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I said that before empowering people, there is a process that is gone through, and what the hon. Member has said falls in the category of identification. There are certain factors that are considered when identifying a beneficiary of empowerment, including what the hon. Member has said. We firstly look at the capability of the individual to undertake the specified activity. We are not necessarily going to pick people who are at zero. However, some people may be at zero but, when given empowerment, they can do very well, and the target of empowerment is to reduce poverty levels. So, the programmes are pro-poor. I assure the hon. Member that for the purpose of sustainability of the empowerment, there are many factors we consider before giving the empowerment.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, I appreciate the ministry’s intention to manufacture vaccines in order to boost livestock farming. However, the hon. Minister talked about the 2022 Budget, and I got the impression that the things that were done in the past have been abandoned; that we are starting afresh. Further, he has not indicated whether an evaluation was undertaken. I say this because I know that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government invested K275 million in thirty-five districts, which resulted in production od of 300 metric tonnes of feed and 196 million fingerlings. My view is that it would have been better to continue with that programme, as opposed to starting afresh, because Government money was used. As we look forward to the 2022 Budget, the hon. Minister would have told us the framework that he has presented to build up on what the PF Government did and roll out the programme to Mufumbwe, which is the subject of the question that we are currently considering. I seek clarification on whether the old programme has been abandoned or there is a new one altogether because that is also supposed to benefit Mufumbwe.

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, though I did not get clearly what the hon. Member wants me to clarify, I assure him that nothing has been abandoned that the previous regime was doing. All we, as a new Government, are doing is perfecting the system of empowerment for our people. We are not going to waste Government resources by abandoning projects.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr J. Chibuye: Madam Speaker, what mode is the ministry going to use to empower the women and youths? If I got the hon. Minister correctly, he mentioned that each group will be given thirty chickens, and I am wondering whether the ministry can use another mode of empowerment, such as giving cash to groups in other areas of empowerment, such as in fish and livestock farming? If that is the case, how is the ministry going to ensure that the programme keeps rolling from one group to another? I ask this question because in the previous Administration, youths and other groups in need were given cash that, I believe, has not been recovered by the Government to date. Could the hon. Minister shed more light on that.

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the empowerment programmes under this ministry are in two models. In terms of livestock, we give farmers chickens, goats, pigs and cattle. However, when it comes to fish farming, in which there is a need to put up fish ponds, clubs are advised to apply to our fund managers, the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), for a loan for constructing fish ponds. In that event, the beneficiary is given cash. Further, our staff at the district level monitor the usage of the money. So, some people are given livestock while those engaged in fish farming get cash to enable them to put up the necessary structures.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Twasa (Kasenengwa): Madam Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister repeatedly refer to the beneficiaries of the programme as individuals. Could the hon. Minister state clearly how the ministry is going to roll out the programme. Is it about individuals, or co-operatives or women and youth groups? The people of Kasenengwa would like to know because this is a very exciting programme, and everyone would want to benefit from it. Further, when does the ministry intend to roll the programme out? Secondly, –

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

You can ask only one question.

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the individuals I was referring to are those who have been recognised under co-operatives and clubs that have been confirmed by our district staff as being registered and recognised. Under those clubs, there are individuals doing different activities. No individual can come on his/her own to be empowerment.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock for the good answers.

 

Madam Speaker, we have seen empowerment programmes, even in the previous Government. My concern is on the issue of sustainability, and the need to see to it that people benefit and that there is progress on the ground. We saw empowerment programmes in which people were given one chicken each, but some people took the chickens to the pot. Could the hon. Minister tell this House whether the ministry has done any evaluation on the sustainability and effectiveness of the empowerment programmes in the ministry. What is the way forward? Will the ministry continue in the same vein or does it have plans to see a win-win situation for Zambians?

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, it is very true that in the previous regime, we saw individuals being given one or two chickens, and that is why I said that the New Dawn Government wants to perfect the system. We have to make sure that the empowerment programme is sustainable and that it impacts our society. We want to see the sub-sector well managed so that it starts to compete with mining. We have to make interventions that are going to help our people to realise that this sector is a business. This is to say that the programmes we are going to implement are going to add some value to empowerment. We do not just want to pick up whatever we have found and continue with it, and that is why I used the phrase ‘to perfect the system’. So, the idea is very good, but its implementation is what we are trying to look at. As I speak to you, I have already assigned my officers to make an evaluation and come up with a better road map, going forward, especially for the 2022 Budget. It will not be business as usual.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, I congratulate the hon. Minister on his appointment as Minister of Fisheries and Livestock. Were he not wearing a face mask, you would have seen how happy he is with this appointment, considering that he enjoys eating fish and livestock products.

 

Madam Speaker, my concern is on indigenous fish species. As the hon. Minister promotes empowerment through fisheries, is he considering making fish breeders or fingerling production centres conduct research on, and encourage the production of, our indigenous fish species? We do not want to lose some of the fish species that are in the Zambezi Basin. If you go to Mongu, you will enjoy tilapia specifically bred in the Zambezi River. Since foreign species tend to be aggressive, we may end up losing our tasty indigenous species. Knowing that the hon. Minister appreciates the fisheries sector, is he encouraging production and propagation of our indigenous fish species?

 

Madam Speaker: I notice that the question is unrelated to the principal question asked by Hon. Kamondo. So, I do not know if the hon. Minister is prepared to answer it. If he is, he can put the hon. Member for Chama South at ease.

 

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I am sure the hon. Member wants to know whether we are mindful about protecting our indigenous species, and the answer is ‘Yes’.

 

Madam Speaker, as we try to improve certain species, we are mindful of the need to protect our own also. For that, there are mechanisms that we are trying to use, even to improve the local species to the point that we can start competing on the international market.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

REDUCTION IN PRICES OF GOODS

 

45. Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya) asked the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry when a reduction in the prices of goods is expected to take effect, following the appreciation of the Zambian Kwacha against other convertible currencies. 

 

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Mulenga): Madam Speaker, the appreciation of the Zambian kwacha against major convertible currencies might not lead to an immediate decline in the prices of goods domestically due to several factors.

 

Madam Speaker, firstly, as you may be aware, significant amounts of inputs that go into our domestic manufacturing sector are imported and, ultimately, affect the prices of the final products on the domestic market. Further, some business enterprises that still have old stock procured at high exchange rates are still trading at very high prices to recover costs. In this regard, it may take a little while for prices to decline on the domestic market even when the Kwacha has appreciated against major currencies.

 

Madam Speaker, secondly, you may also be aware that the Bank of Zambia does not target the exchange rate. Instead, it allows the rate to be determined by market conditions. Thus, the exchange rate policy in Zambia is aimed at achieving a stable and competitive exchange rate consistent with macro-economic conditions. In most cases, such an exchange rate policy leads to uncertainty in the business community with regard to the current unexpected appreciation of the Kwacha. Therefore, domestic prices may not immediately adjust with the appreciation of the Kwacha due to the flexibility of the exchange rate in the short run. In spite of the above, the overall appreciation of the Kwacha is expected to reduce the cost of imported intermediate goods, increase domestic output, decrease the cost of production and, ultimately, reduce price levels. It is expected that the country will see price stability domestically as import prices of commodities reduce in the long run.

 

Thirdly, Madam Speaker, the Government is committed to ensuring that strong, cautious and conservative monetary policies are maintained and improved upon in order to continuously cushion the currency from internal and external shocks resulting from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and general price inflation.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Commerce, who is my very good friend.

 

Madam Speaker, I have been contacted by a number of struggling citizens, among them traders, taxi drivers and mini bus drivers. Further, in his Inaugural Address, His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, spoke about this particular matter as follows:

 

“To the mother struggling with high cost of food, a lower cost of living will soon be a reality.”

 

Madam Speaker, when you look at the performance of the Kwacha since August, you will see that it has appreciated by about 7.8 per cent. However, when you look at the annual food inflation statistics from the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS), you will see that our people are still having a tough time and that the cost of living is very high. The question is: How long will that woman His Excellency the President spoke about wait to see the trickle-down effect of the appreciation? When does the appreciation translate into reduced costs of goods and services?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kanchibiya for seeking clarity on behalf of the suffering Zambian mothers and children.

 

Madam Speaker, we appreciate the appreciation of the Kwacha at the percentage he has mentioned. However, I advise the House to understand what I said in my response, which is that products were brought into the country at high costs. Even food products like the cereals that we are consuming currently were all produced at very high costs when the Kwacha was in a nosedive.

 

Madam Speaker, now, we are putting the fundamentals in place and are going into a new farming season in which we need to produce under an appreciated Kwacha. If we continue to get the fundamentals right and continue the appreciation of the Kwacha, our mothers and our people out there will get their food at lower prices. All we are asking Zambians is to allow us to reconstruct the economy of this country, restock our coffers and restock our barns of food so that, in due time, as we work, the prices or costs of food can reduce. In the next farming season, if we continue putting everything in place, we will enjoy lower costs of commodities.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, I congratulate Hon. Chipoka Mulenga on his appointment as Minister. 

 

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government was elected on the premise that it would lower the cost of goods and services, particularly of food. I remember President Hakainde Hichilema constantly talking about the prices of mealie meal being too high. What ingredient is imported in the production of mealie meal and beef? Further, what measures has the Government put in place to ensure that traders do not keep misleading Zambians that they are selling old stocks, which they have claimed to have for the past two to three months? It is the stability of the exchange rate that determines prices. In our case, the currency has been stable between K16.50 and K17.20 to US$1 for the past two months. For how long does old stock remain in stock?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, leadership is a continuous process and, as the New Dawn Government, we have inherited all that we found. I am trying at all costs to avoid blaming anyone for what we have inherited but, truth be told, the hon. Member for Chama South has stated that we keep talking about old stock. All the stock that we inherited was produced under a nose-diving currency, which we are trying to reconstruct and make good of. As a responsible Government, we are working to make sure that the currency gains the strength that it needs so that we go into the next farming season and produce food at a lower cost, which will also trickle down to the buyers out there.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member should understand that one of the ingredients in the manufacture of mealie meal and meat is electricity, which is supplied to people at a cost. Since there was load-shedding and erratic supply of electricity, the cost of everything went up to make up for the fixed costs. Currently, there is stability in electricity supply. So, we are going to urge the millers and all people involved in the chain of production to respond to the stable supply of electricity so that the benefit trickles down to users, but that will not happen overnight. We are engaging all the major stakeholders in the business community so that their businesses continue to thrive as we serve the best interests of our people.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I remind the hon. Minister that whenever the currency appreciates or gains, there are losers and winners. When our Kwacha depreciated, all those who had, say, US$100,000, had about K2.3 million in their accounts. Now, they have between K1.5 million and K1.9 million. So, they are the losers.

 

Madam Speaker, knowing very well that the ministry is a vehicle for trade in this country, that we are an importing country that seems to have a huge appetite for imported goods and that the products we import have a number of taxes on them, has the hon. Minister sat down with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, considering that the new Budget will be presented next week, to identify some products we consume on a daily basis that add to the cost of living in our day to day life and see what tax rebates can be made there so that as the Kwacha continues to strengthen, we will have a ripple effect from the taxes that the Ministry of Finance and National Planning will be able to knock off for the benefit of the people of Zambia?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, beyond meeting with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, I resound the words that consistently came from the President in both his Inaugural Speech and his speech when he opened the First Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, namely, ‘reducing the cost of doing business’.

 

Madam Speaker, we are coming from an era in which taxation was a mode of collecting revenue for the Government, but we did not seen it translate into a good living standard for Zambians. The taxes also crippled the business houses in this country. What we are working on now, for the information of the hon. Member for Kantanshi, is reducing taxes on many things. I will not dwell so much on that one because, very soon, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will address the House on how best taxation can lower the cost of doing business in this country and improve the living standards of the people.

 

Madam Speaker, to sum up on this concern, we have always talked about value addition. We have continued to import things. Now, we want to set up industries here, in Zambia, that will add value to our products locally so that the cry about importation and the exchange rates will be reduced to a minimum.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, in his answer, the hon. Minister combined macro-economic and micro-economic factors to explain why we are not doing well currently. However, in his Inaugural Speech at Heroes Stadium, the President indicated that no Zambian would go to bed on an empty stomach. A Zambian was guaranteed three meals, that is, breakfast, lunch and supper. However, when explaining the macro and micro economic factors affecting our economy, the hon. Minister used the phrase “a little while” for the trickle-down effect to be felt.

 

Madam Speaker, it is a fact that maize contributes much to our staple food and that it has a multiplier effect on many other factors that affect our food. For instance, the maize circulating on the market was bought by the Government at K110 per 50 kg bag. However, this year, it is going at K150. As I know that the raw material used in chicken feed, fish feed, maize meal, sample and many other products is maize, I do not know the formula that the New Dawn Government is going to use to reduce the current prices of chicken and fish, which are much-needed sources of protein, when the prices of feed have sky-rocketed.

 

Madam Speaker, we are not a command economy in which people campaigned on promises to reduce prices as if there is a price control Act in place. Could the hon. Minister confirm that what the Government has been talking about is just rhetoric, not reality?

 

Eng. Milupi: Question!

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to address the hon. Member, who seems to be very emotionally charged in trying to cover up what happened in the past system.

 

Madam Speaker, the price of maize is expensive because of the input, fertiliser. We should have been buying fertiliser at a lower cost but, because of the cartels that were in place, its cost is abnormally high, at K1,000. The hon. Member is asking what gimmick the New Dawn Government will use to reduce prices. For his information, what was said is not mere rhetoric because we are a Government that is committed to feathering the interests of the people in a sound manner.

 

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mulenga: We are going to reduce the cost of fertiliser not only by eliminating the middlemen in the chain of supply, but also, as we have always mentioned, setting up factories that will manufacture fertiliser here, in Zambia. We need to recapitalise Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) in the best interest of the people of Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, my ministry and other ministries are working hard to set up a fertiliser plant in Zambia that will have ten times the production capacity of the NCZ. In due time, the cost of fertiliser will drop by a certain margin, which the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will come and tell the House about. Further, the moment the price of fertiliser reduces, mealie meal and chicken feed prices will also reduce, and livelihoods will improve.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

 

Madam Speaker: That is a lady speaking.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, let me start by saying that today, the exchange rate is at over K17 plus to US$1, having moved from K22 to US$1 in the last two or three months. That is an appreciation of around 22 per cent for the Kwacha. Further, it is difficult to understand why there are old stocks on the market and to explain to the people of Kamuchanga or Kansuswa that the cooking oil that they are buying from the shops today was imported into the country three months ago at the old exchange rate. I think that the ministry needs to interrogate this equation. The explanation that the finished products, not raw materials, that come into the country can be in stock for three months cannot be understood. So, there is some clear exploitation here which, I think, the ministry should be concerned about.

 

Madam Speaker, coming to my question, one of the factors that contribute to price reduction is competition. Unfortunately, when we go to some shopping malls, we find that some retail shops have closed and the premises taken over by another shop. To be specific, we see Pick n Pay or Choppies closing and Shoprite taking over, and the closures are, firstly, contributing to unemployment and, secondly, reducing competition. Now, everywhere you look, you will see that one supermarket is taking over, and we are all subjected to shopping from that supermarket. That situation cannot contribute to a reduction in prices because competition is reduced. What is causing the closure of some supermarkets? The reduction in the exchange rate should also contribute to lower cost of doing business, and we expect more shops to open, not close. So, what is causing the disappearance of some shops, leaving us with little choice, reduced competition and a sustained increase in prices? Can the hon. Minister issue a statement to us on how prices can reduce when shops are closing, and on the reason the shops are closing?

 

Madam Speaker: Does the hon. Member require a statement or an answer from the hon. Minister?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, an answer.

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, before I answer, I need to make something very clear that hon. Members from the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) must understand. It is slightly over one-and-a-half months since we took over the Government, and no shop, company or industrial park has closed in that time. So, the PF should own up on the fact that it closed a number of companies during its reign. Food Lovers Market was among many other chain stores that shut down because of total neglect from the regime, which I will explain.

 

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government is talking about industrialising Zambia and improving the industrial park for Zambia from an extractive industry to a value addition set. This creates businesses and jobs that pay taxes, and money trickles down. Our friends, on the other hand, opened supermarkets, but never created the jobs that were going to sustain the supermarkets, and the little money that was earned in this country was externalised. We heard and saw a certain headline not very long ago about money having been externalised and hidden in some country in the Middle East at the expense of Zambians. That happened under the PF regime. I challenge the hon. Members of this House to name one company or shop that has closed under the New Dawn Administration. In my opinion, for now, there is none. If it happens, it will be lamentable. However, as the New Dawn Government, we are working very hard to create industries and jobs through the investor confidence that we have continued to raise so that money can be injected into this country , through foreign direct investment, and even the shops that the PF closed will be reopened.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika Central): Madam Speaker, the people of Zambia were promised a reduced cost of living. When the New Dawn Government was in the Opposition, its members were very categorical in saying that immediately they formed Government, a bag of mealie meal would be sold at K50. They even said a 2.5 litres of cooking oil would be sold at K65, and the key word was “immediately.” The statements from the hon. Minister are not concurrent with the promises made. Is the hon. Minister diverting from the promises that his party made whilst campaigning; the promises upon which Zambians and the people of Mpika based their votes?

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam, allow me to make an appeal to our comrades on the lies they have continued to peddle in this honourable House. If anything, they are lying to the nation that we said “immediately.” I need to correct this misconception that they want to deceive the nation with.

 

Madam Speaker, when in Opposition, the now Republican President said that when elected President, the Kwacha would appreciate within hours. As we saw, even before he was pronounced Head of State, the Kwacha appreciated, hence this discussion we are having here today. That was consistency. These continued lies that we said cooking oil and mealie-meal prices would drop are baseless because such statements have never been pronounced.

 

Madam Speaker, hon. Members must be honourable. I assure you that we are going to reconstruct the economy. We are working to ensure that that which was denied the Zambian people is given to them. However, it will not be done overnight because among those who were in power, some externalised our resources while others crippled industrial parks and siphoned money off the same Government they swore to protect.

 

Madam Speaker, we are working tirelessly to ensure that the people who are due our service; the people who have given the responsibility to serve them, are served with dignity and integrity. So, our brothers in the Opposition’s statement that we are shifting from our campaign promises is neither here nor there. We are going to address the needs of the people of Zambia and construct the Government in a better way.

 

Madam, in the same way that our colleagues are reminding us of some of our campaign promises, let them remind us of our campaign promises to bring to book those who have embezzled public funds and ensure that the law visited those who siphoned off money from Zambians.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

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

 

Government Hon. Members: On whom?

 

Madam Speaker: There will be no points of order for now because we are running out of time. We still have two questions to attend to.

 

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, I do not want my good friend to just speak good English; I want him to put facts on the table, and I remind him that it is the duty of the Government to govern, not to give excuses. Further, there is a limit to which one can blame one’s failures or challenges on one’s predecessors.

 

Madam, the hon. Minister will remember the famous statement, “Mulekutika? We are sworn in at 1000 hours and at 1400 hours, something happens”. That is immediate. How else does the hon. Minister want to define and understand ‘immediate’? This is the more reason –

 

Government Hon. Member interjected.

 

Mr Chanda: Relax!

 

Madam Speaker, before he was elected, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, the only President of the Republic of Zambia, promised, like I said, “Mulekutika?”

 

Madam Speaker, it is very important for us to speak to the people of Zambia. We can play politics –

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

What does ‘mulekutika’ mean?

 

Mr Chanda: It means, ‘Are you listening?’

 

Madam Speaker, 2.8 million Zambians said, “Yes, Your Excellency, tulekutika” in affirmation. ‘Tulekutika’ means, ‘We are listening”.

 

Madam Speaker, the people who affirmed, “Tulekutika” are the ones to whom we owe a duty and a responsibility. Sometimes, morality demands that when certain things are not going the right way –

 

Government Hon. Members: Question!

 

Mr Chanda: It is a supplementary question.

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

 

Please, let us reduce on the opening remarks because we are running out of time, and we still have two more questions to attend to.

 

Hon. Member for Kanchibiya, please, ask your question so that an answer can be provided and then we proceed. Otherwise, we will not finish our business today. Please, go straight to your question.

 

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, I am guided.

 

Madam Speaker, what specific economic policies is the Government putting in place to ensure a decrease in the overall prices of goods and services in the context of the question and the appreciation of the Kwacha?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that we can explain the same things over and over again, but our friends still find a way to ask questions on them.

 

Madam, we are not blaming anyone, and I am trying to by all means to talk about how best we are going to revive the economy, yet our colleagues still want to draw us back to reminding them what they did.

 

Madam Speaker, there is one point that I made very clear, which is that our President, while in the Opposition, said the Kwacha would appreciate and, today, I have been asked a question regarding the appreciation of the Kwacha by PF hon. Members of Parliament. It is concerning the appreciation of the Kwacha that the President talked about, but our colleagues have gone on to use the immediate “… nangu mulekutika” as a perpetual lie. Unfortunately, it has become endemic among them.

 

Madam Speaker, my colleagues have asked what policy we have put in place, and I have explained that the policy is to industrialise, which creates jobs, and we are doing it, for the information of my brother. Industrialisation and value addition create businesses and revenue that goes into the Treasury of the Government. Among the strategies that we want to use to recapitalise the coffers of the country, is to look for the money that has been hidden somewhere and bring it back to Zambians; to make sure that those who have externalised money bring it back on behalf of the people of Zambia. That is one of the policies. If the hon. Member is not part of those who have hidden money, then, he is safe. However, if he is –

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Government Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

CONSTRUCTION OF MUFUMBWE POLICE STATION AND STAFF HOUSES

 

46. Mr Kamondo asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security:

 

1. whether the Government has any plans to construct the following in Mufumbwe District:

 

1. a modern police station; and

 

1. staff houses for police officers; and

 

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

 

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to construct a modern police station and staff houses for police officers in Mufumbwe District.

 

Madam Speaker, the plans will be implemented when the ongoing infrastructure projects that are at 80 per cent and above are completed, subject to availability of funds.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, I remind the hon. Minister that he was among the people who never wanted to hear the phrase ‘when funds are made available’ on the Floor of this House. What has changed now?

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Mufumbwe, like the people of Chama South and Chama District, need a new and respectable police station so that our men and women in uniform can enforce the law, and protect both private and public property with pride. Can the hon. Minister tell us when he is going to start building a respectable police station and staff houses for the people of Mufumbwe?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chama South has asked me what has changed. What has changed is that I am on your right side while my hon. Colleague is on your left. He is now in the Opposition and asking me as a Minister in the Government of the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema. That is what has changed.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is aware that any expenditure the Government incurs has to be budgeted for. Further, he is aware that the budget lines that are being implemented by the current Government were approved last year, in 2020, for this year, , 2021, from 1^st January to 31^st December.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member must realise that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will present the Budget in a few days’ time. During the Budget presentation, the hon. Minister will be in a position to indicate whether money is available. At the moment, I am not in a position to indicate to the House whether the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has provided for the police station in Mufumbwe. So, I will only be in a position to respond adequately after the Budget has been presented on the Floor of this House, debated and approved by this House. At an appropriate time, the hon. Member will have the opportunity to debate the budget for my ministry and propose variations if need be, to ensure that there is a vote for Mufumbwe Police Station. For the time being, we shall wait for the competent hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to present his Budget.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.  

 

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Speaker, I am aware that a lot of infrastructure in the North-Western Province that concerns the hon. Minister’s ministry is in a dilapidated state and that officers using the District Administration offices for convenience. Mufumbwe is a case in point, and that is the reason the hon. Member for Mufumbwe has asked this question.

 

Madam Speaker, to give more clarity, especially to us hon. Members of Parliament from the North-Western Province like the hon. Member who asked this question, does the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security have any plan, whether one he inherited from his predecessor or one he is currently working on, to build the infrastructure, which will then be provided for in the Budget? Do we have the assurance that the Government has the foresight to ensure that this very important infrastructure is put in place for the benefit of the people in the North-Western Province?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I appreciate the good question that has been posed by the hon. Member for Zambezi East.

 

Madam Speaker, I inform Hon. Kambita that as a listening Government of the New Dawn Administration, we have already identified land where we are going to construct a police station and housing units in Mufumbwe, and are making arrangements to make available the funds for actualising our intentions of providing for our officers in Mufumbwe.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Lubozha: Madam Speaker, the problem of decent accommodation in Mufumbwe that the hon. Member for Mufumbwe has been lamenting is a national problem among police officers. Even as the Government looks for money to build decent accommodation in Mufumbwe, the people of Mufumbwe still need accommodation that is currently in Mufumbwe, which is not available to them because certain officers who have been retired, but not paid their benefits or for whom repatriation arrangements have not been made, are still occupying the house, thereby compounding the accommodation problem for serving officers. What is the hon. Minister doing to pay and repatriate retired officers in order to create accommodation space for staff in Mufumbwe and Chifubu?

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Minister, you can respond, although this question is not a supplementary question because it is actually opening up different areas.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I am not going to delve into the part of the question that relates to Chifubu. Instead, I will confine myself to the issues pertaining to Mufumbwe.

 

Madam Speaker, the situation in Mufumbwe is dire, as there are currently no police houses or police station there. The officers use a dilapidated building that belongs to another Government ministry and officers stay in tin houses that are not suitable for human habitation. That is why we have made a commitment to construct houses and a police station for our people in Mufumbwe once money is provided for under the budget of the ministry.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, you may agree with me that the former Minister of Home Affairs assured the people of Mufumbwe and the whole House that the ministry was going to construct a police station and staff houses. However, in ten years, the ministry did not do that. How is the New Dawn Government going to do it? What is the road map? We saw how selective the former Government was in constructing of police stations and staff houses. 

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I borrow the words of the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development,  Eng. Milupi, who informed the House that the New Dawn Administration is trying by all means to restructure the national debt. Once that is done and we start making savings, we will start making tangible plans for the construction of the houses and meeting of the other needs of our people in the country. Currently, we do not have the resources to immediately embark on the construction of police stations or houses in Mufumbwe. However, at an appropriate time after the presentation of the Budget, we will be able to review the position and see the way forward pertaining to Mufumbwe.

 

Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government promised to construct the police station and police houses in Mufumbwe, but the promise was never kept. All I can say is that we have taken keen interest in the issues that have been raised by the hon. Member for Mufumbwe.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

REHABILITATION OF NJOKO/MWAPE/KALUNGA/FUBE ROAD

 

47. Mr Fube asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

 

1. why the rehabilitation of the Njoko/Mwape/Kalunga/Fube Road in Chilubi District has stalled; 
2. when the project will resume; 
3. whether the rehabilitation works include the embankments on the road; and
4. if not, why.

 

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu) (on behalf of the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo)): Madam Speaker, I inform this august House that works on the Njoko/Mwape/Kalunga/Fube Road in Chilubi District have stalled due to financial challenges that have resulted in delayed payments.

 

Madam Speaker, the works are scheduled to resume as soon as funds are made available for payments.

 

Madam Speaker, yes, the rehabilitation works include embankments on the road.

 

Madam Speaker, as already stated, the embankments on the roads are part of the works to be undertaken.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me another opportunity to ask the acting hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development a follow-up question.

 

Madam, I have noticed that the general situation is such that most the projects like the one the hon. Member for Chilubi is asking about have stalled due to non-payment of contractors. Obviously, the reason is one that anybody can guess; the Patriotic Front (PF) regime mismanaged the payment process and contracted works when there was no money. Now, we have a piling debt, which I call ‘domestic arrears’. Now that we are at a crossroads, how does the hon. Minister envisage the piling domestic debt, which will cause most of projects under his ministry to stall, being liquidated in the New Dawn Administration? What efforts are we making? Do we have a clear plan with the National Treasury for liquidating the huge outstanding debt to the satisfaction of the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilubi, who has asked this question?

 

 Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I remind this House and the nation that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning came to this House and issued a very comprehensive statement on how the Government is going to restructure the national debt so that the debt becomes sustainable. As debt becomes sustainable, we will be able to make savings that will enable us to restart developmental projects that have stalled in Chilubi and other areas.

 

Madam Speaker, I am also aware that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will come to this House in a few days’ time to issue a very comprehensive statement on the Budget for 2022. In that speech, I have no doubt in my mind that the issue of debt restructuring will be addressed..

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, the people of Chilubi want to indicate that they feel short-changed in the manner the question has been tackled.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Chilubi gave the President more than 13,000 votes, and the area serviced by the roads in question has three wards, namely Chishiba, Nobumba and Luangwa, which gave the President 1,400 votes. Those people are very much interested in knowing the contractor for the project and how much he is owed because the project has stalled because of the money that is pending payment. The money that is pending should be of a particular amount. Therefore, we should be told that amount and the contractor on the Floor of this House.   

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration has not short-changed the people of Chilubi Constituency. If anything, it is the Patriotic Front (PF) Government that short-changed them by pretending to construct roads when it had no money and starting projects when it had diverted the money to funding its campaigns in Chilubi. The New Dawn Administration is restructuring the finances of this country to ensure that the good people of Chilubi benefit under it. So, I assure the people of Chilubi that effective next year, when we start managing the finances of this country, they will look back and say that they made a mistake in voting for the PF, and that they should have voted for Mr Hakainde Hichilema starting from 1996 when he started standing in elections.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): Madam Speaker, we are all aware that a good road network brings prosperity in any country. We also know that the Njoko/Mwape/Kalunga/Fube Road that we are talking about is important when it comes to trade. As the hon. Minister might be aware, the road connects two districts, Luwingu and Chilubi, and the hon. Minister rightly stated that the contractor who was engaged to work on the road is waiting to be paid so that he can continue with the works.

 

Madam Speaker, for the information of the hon. Minister, the problem of not paying the contractors does not only affect Luwingu District, but also Chilubi District because of the Lumpomonwa Stream. If the hon. Minister visited areas such as Mununga or Yakubu, he would be forced to park his vehicle and to walk 7 km because the bridge there is still under construction. My question is: What measures is the ministry putting in place to enable the people to move their products or continue trading between Luwingu and Chilubi via the Njoko/Mwape/Kalunga/Fube Road?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, I inform the hon. Member that when money is made available, our Government will provide funding for the road, for we are aware that it is a very important road for the people of Chilubi. That is why we have said that immediately money is made available, we are going to ensure that the contractor is paid. For the benefit of the hon. Member, there is already a contractor by the name of Stalwart Investment Limited, who was paid K10 million for the works that have been done but, due to the fact that there are financial challenges, the works have stalled. However, as I indicated, immediately we restructure the financing arrangements, the contractor will be paid and construction works will resume.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that answer. The people of Chilubi almost protested because I asked the hon. Minister to state the name of the contractor as well as the monies that are remaining, and he has answered in a satisfactory way. However, he gave me the impression that the people of Chilubi should pay a price for voting for what – I think in Bemba, we say, mpyanango apyana namabala, which means that the people of Chilubi would like the Government to take up the responsibility for how the past Government left things. The people of Chilubi are now satisfied, especially given the fact that the hon. Minister talked about the contractor and the outstanding amount, which he had earlier dodged and started playing politics about.

 

Madam Speaker: Is that a question or a debate?

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, those were my closing remarks.

 

Madam Speaker: It is okay.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Say ‘Thank you’.

 

Madam Speaker: I take it the hon. Member for Chilubi Constituency is sufficiently happy with the answer that has been provided. So, we can make progress.

 

Since there are no further supplementary questions, we proceed with maiden speeches. Is there any hon. Member willing to render a maiden speech at this point? There are still nine hon. Members who have not made their maiden speeches.

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Maybe, they are still getting ready.

 

_______

 

MOTION

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_______

 

The House adjourned at 1837 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 20^th October, 2021.

 

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