Friday, 21^st October,  2022

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

_______

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, let me acquaint the House with some idea of the business it will consider next week.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, 25^th October, 2022, the Business of the House will begin with Questions. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Then the House will continue with the debate on the Motion of Supply on the 2023 National Budget.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, 26^th October, 2022, the Business of the House will start with Questions. Thereafter, the House will consider a Private Members’ Motion entitled: “Include Grade 9 and Grade 12 Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) certificate holders as empowerment beneficiaries,’’ to be moved by Mr C. Kang'ombe, hon. Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa Parliamentary Constituency. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Then, the House will continue with the debate on the Motion of Supply on the 2023 National Budget.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, 27^th October, 2022, the Business of the House will commence with Questions. Thereafter, the House will consider presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Then, the House will continue with the debate on the Motion of Supply on the 2023 National Budget.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, 28^th October, 2022, the Business of the House will start with Her Honour the Vice President’s Question Time. Thereafter, the House will deal with Questions. The House will then consider presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. After that, the House will conclude the debate on the Motion of Supply on the 2023 National Budget. Then, the House will resolve into Committee of Supply to consider the following Heads:

1. Head 01 - Office of the President - State House;
2. Head 02 - Office of the Vice-President; and
3. Head 19 - Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I want to remind you that there are some steps that we have to follow. We have observed that some hon. Members debate matters of urgent public importance instead of stating them. So, the following are the steps that you are supposed to observe:

You indicate on the tablet and the Speaker will recognise you, and call upon you to raise the matter. Start your statement with a phrase, “Madam Speaker, or Mr Speaker, the matter I wish to raise, is directed at Her Honour the Vice-President or whichever Minister.” Then state concisely the matter of urgent public importance and end by saying, “Madam Speaker, I seek your guidance.”

Let us avoid debating matters of matter of urgent public importance. Otherwise, we will be forced to curtail the hon. Member if we see that he is debating the matter.

I thank you.

MR MTAYACHALO, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHAMA NORTH, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF ENERGY, MR KAPALA AND THE HON. MINISTER OF WATER DEVELOPMENT AND SANITATION.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

 

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

 

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to raise a matter of urgent public importance. The matter I intend to raise is directed at the hon. Minister of Energy and the hon. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation.

Madam Speaker, I am currently in my constituency in Chama. Chama has continued to face serious electricity challenges and this has affected water supply, which is actually threatening the outbreak of diarrheal diseases.

Madam Speaker, water supply has also greatly been affected, including the mortuary. Bodies are decomposing because of erratic power supply from our neighbouring Malawi. Chama gets power from the Malawi national electricity grid.

Madam Speaker, the electricity problem has also affected economic activities in the district. Workers in the Government institutions who use computers cannot operate. Recently, I met the ZESCO Limited, Management Director and his team, and I raised these issues, but the situation has continued to get worse.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Energy in order to keep quiet without sorting out this challenge?

I seek your serious guidance, Madam Speaker.

MR KAMBITA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR ZAMBEZI EAST, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH, MRS MASEBO.

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

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

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to raise this matter of urgent public importance. The matter am rising is directed at the hon. Minister of Health.  I notice that she is not in the House, but through Her Honour the Vice-President, this matter needs urgent attention.

Madam Speaker, Zambezi District Hospital was built in 1965, several years ago, at the time of independence.  Now, the hospital is highly dilapidated. We are recoding deaths in Zambezi District Hospital like never before. The only theatre there is highly dilapidated to a point where there is no operating table, and the medical staffs are struggling to carry out surgery procedures. To make it worse, there is no anaesthetist to resuscitate patients who are operated on. The ceiling is falling down, even in the wards. The walls have heavy unrepairable cracks.

Madam Speaker, it is now a matter of concern, and the people of Zambezi are asking tough questions, which I am failing to answer.

Hon. Opposition Members: CDF!

Mr Kambita: The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) cannot handle a district hospital.

Interruptions

Mr Kambita: That is the reason I am bringing this matter to the hon. Minister of Health because it is such a project that requires colossal sums of money from the Central Government to build a whole new hospital.  

Madam Speaker, I need the indulgence of the hon. Minister of Health.

MR P. PHIRI, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MKAIKA, ON THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING, ON NON-PAYMENT OF YOUTH IN KATETE ENGAGED TO CONDUCT THE CENSUS

Mr P. Phiri (Mkaika): On a matter of urgent public importance.

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

Mr P. Phiri: Madam Speaker, my matter of urgent public importance is directed at the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. The matter I want to raise concerns the youth in Katat,e who we engaged in conducting census. These youth have not been paid the money they worked for. Therefore, they are asking the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning when they are going to receive their money.

Madam Speaker, I seek your guidance.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We will start with the hon. Member for Mkaika.

The hon. Member for Mkaika can raise a question because even the way he put his matter of urgent public importance, it was in the form of a strong question to the hon. Minister. I will advise the hon. Member for Mkaika to raise a question so that the hon. Minister can respond. There is no calamity that I am seeing in that issue. Therefore, it does not qualify to be a matter of urgent public importance.

The hon. Member of Parliament for Zambezi East is talking about the hospital in Zambezi East that is highly dilapidated. He says that the state of the hospital is affecting its the operations. In fact, it is posing a danger to the patients who are admitted to the hospital. I will therefore, direct the hon. Minister of Health to come up with a ministerial statement on how this issue can be quickly looked at before we start losing lives due to the ceiling boards that are falling apart and the theatre which is not operating as there is no equipment there. We do not want to lose more people. So, the hon. Minister of Health will come to this House to render a ministerial statement on Thursday, next week.

The hon. Member of Parliament for Chama North is talking about two issues. There is a serious problem of electricity in his area. This has affected water supply, the mortuary and also, some economic activities. I am looking basically at two important issues which are affecting the lives of people. That is, a lack of water supply in the area and also, the state of the mortuary due to the problem of electricity in the area. I direct the hon. Minister of Energy to come to this House to give a ministerial statement on how this serious problem of electricity supply in the area can be improved so that the people of Chama North will have adequate water supply and a functional mortuary. The hon. Minister of Energy will come with a ministerial statement to this House on Wednesday, next week.

I thank you.

_______

THE VICE-PRESIDENT’S QUESTION TIME

Mr Mundubile (Mporokoso): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to ask Her Honour the Vice-President a question.

Madam Speaker, in a constitutional democracy, the authority of the majority is limited by legal and institutional means so that the rights of individuals and minorities are protected. Now that the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government has completely obliterated our constitutional democracy …

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mundubile: … by diluting the integrity and powers of our courts, and state institutions like the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), what immediate interventions will Her Honour the Vice-President make to salvage the image of her Government among Zambians and the international community to whom she has been preaching the rule of law?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Leader of the Opposition for this question. In fact, it is more of an observation; the hon. Member is saying that the Government is getting rid of democracy and the rights of minorities. He is questioning the institutions of governance rather than directly questioning the leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

Madam Speaker, democracy is very respected by this Government, which has declared that it will govern by the rule of law. That is exactly what we are doing, and I like that. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, when people go to the courts of law, it is the courts that make decisions on our behalf; on behalf of everybody.

Mr Mundubile: They are compromised.

The Vice-President: If they are compromised, then, they have been compromised too soon  because the officers in them are the same ones who presided over them during our colleagues’ rule. What has happened?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mundubile: There are new ones.

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Laughter

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker,I think, that is a confession. I am sorry, I do not like going into politics but, I think, this is a confession to the effect that courts were compromised when our colleagues, the Patriotic Front (PF), were in power.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: If such a thing did not happen, why should the hon. Member think it is happening now? There is no compromise. The rule of law is embedded in our democracy, particularly now, and people have their rights; they can go to the courts of law, and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that he has talked about, and investigations can be carried out. That is what is going on. The hon. Member is alleging that the Government is losing credibility in the eyes of Zambians but, I think, it is important for him to state which Zambians he is referring to. He has the right to give his opinion, but Zambians and the international community can see that we are governing by the rule of law.

Hon. Government Members: Law! 

Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I have two lists. So, I will alternate between them.

Mr Kafwaya(Lunte): Madam Speaker, may God continue blessing Her Honour the Vice-President.

Hon. Members: Amen!

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, today, 21^st October, 2022, elections are going on in Kwacha and Kabushi in which the ballot papers being used are marked 15^th September, 2022, and it is the first time in the history of our democracy and elections that ballot papers for September have been used in October and, fifteen years from now, ...

Interruptions

Mr Kafwaya: ... Her Honour the Vice-President will reflect on these decisions.

Madam Speaker, is the decision to prevent Bowman and Malanji from appearing on the ballot papers going to make posterity smile? Is Her Honour the Vice-President going to be proud of this decision fifteen years from now?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for the blessings. I receive the blessings of God, under whom we live, move and have our being.

Madam Speaker, I will not go into the details. I see that the hon. Member is concerned that today, 21^st October, 2022, elections are going on in Kabushi and Kwacha in which ballot papers for 15^th September, 2022, are being used.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member must understand that the elections were to be held on 15^th September, 2022, but they were simply suspended because of too many court cases. People went to court and got stays, counter-stays and things like that. After the suspension, the days that were given could not have sufficed for the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to print new ballot papers, and that is why the elections have gone on with the same nominees. There have been no new nominations. Had there been a new nomination, maybe, people would have questioned what was done. However, nothing changed.

Madam Speaker, I am sure, the hon. Member, as a Zambian, is also concerned about the cost of materials related to elections. So, the elections are going on, and nobody has been disadvantaged. To say that the decision was made to make the two former hon. Members of Parliament to fail to participate is not right because it is not the ballots that decide. The decision was made by the law through the courts.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, the Government has been assuring the people of Zambia in all the districts that fertiliser is going to be distributed before the Rainy Season starts. However, we are now remaining with only a few days or weeks before the season starts, and what is going to happen if fertiliser is not distributed in time is that people are not going to have good harvests of maize because they are going to apply fertiliser late. So, the people of Chinsali have requested me to ask Her Honour the Vice-President how far the Government has gone with the distribution of fertiliser because, in most areas, people have not received fertiliser to date.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, can we maintain silence in the House.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Chinsali for this genuine concern. This is everybody’s concern, and the question gives the Government an opportunity to, once again, reassure the people of Zambia that fertiliser will be delivered on time.

Madam Speaker, as I stand here, I am informed that over 30 per cent of fertiliser has already been delivered, most of it is D-Compound, which is basal dressing. The rest will be delivered in the few remaining weeks, and that is the commitment we have made. So, we will agree with the hon. Member’s concern if we do not deliver the fertiliser on time because we are determined to see the people of Chinsali, just like the people of Shangombo or Kaputa, receive fertiliser on time. In this regard, we thank God that we still have a few weeks before the Rainy Season starts. In the few weeks remaining, our suppliers will ensure that fertiliser is in the communities.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Amutike (Mongu Central): Madam Speaker, firstly, I congratulate the people of Kabushi for waking up very early to go and cast their vote in a peaceful environment.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Amutike: I assure them and whomever they elect today to be their Member of Parliament, regardless of the party he might emerge from, that he will enjoy being a Member of Parliament under the New Dawn Government because it has made the task of being a Member of Parliament much easier by increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

There is no need for congratulating the people of Kwacha at this point because we have not yet heard the results. Can you, please, go straight to the point so that we allow as many hon. Members of Parliament as possible to ask Her Honour the Vice-President questions.

Mr Amutike: Madam Speaker, I thank you for your guidance.

Madam Speaker, while we appreciate the teething problems in managing the increased CDF amount in this first year of the New Dawn Government, and welcome the pronouncement by the able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning that the CDF will not be recalled, we have experienced problems with the loan component of the CDF. To date, we have not been able to disburse loan component in our constituencies. When will the Government give us the green light to start disbursing it?

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, do not speak too close to the microphone because that creates too much noise.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the Member for Mongu Central, Hon. Amutike, for this question. I will not comment on the congratulatory remarks. Instead, I will only talk about the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) teething problems and appreciate the fact that so much has been done, particularly by the hon. Members of Parliaments who have been working with the CDF.

Madam Speaker, on the loan component that has not been disbursed, the Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, had to, firstly, look for banks that will help in the disbursement of the funds to would-be beneficiaries because those are genuine loans. I am now informed that the banks have been identified.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Speaker, allow me to preface my question.

Madam Speaker, the North-Western Province was one of the provinces that played a major role in ushering in the New Dawn Administration, with a resounding vote of over 94 per cent at the Presidential level. Further, Zambezi East is in the North-Western Province, and I am getting a lot of pressure from the electorates there. The pressure I am getting is that the people of Zambezi East, who were cardinal in ensuring that change happened in 2021, have serious concerns and tough questions to the Government; they are saying that the Patriotic Front (PF) neglected them for all the years it was in power and that their feeder roads are in a very deplorable state. For example, the roads leading to Mpidi and Nyakuleng’a have never been attended to.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you are now debating. Can you, please, go straight to the question.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, the purpose of my giving that narrative is to arrive at the question, which is very specific.

Madam Speaker, since it is clear that we were neglected by the previous regime, and that is the reason we brought about change, we are very expectant. Will the feeder roads from Zambezi to Mpidi and Nyakuleng’a will be attended to in this regime, especially in this first five-year term? As the Government, we need to save our face to those very humble people who gave us their vote.

 

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order on my left.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Zambezi East for raising this question, which is premised on the fact that many things in parts of the North-Western Province, including Zambezi East, were neglected by the previous Government. From my observation, as a Zambian and as Vice-President, many things were neglected countrywide. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: People who have gone around the country have seen that even where some people declared that development was going on, no development was taking place there because nothing was done in those areas.

Hon. Colleagues, this Government stands for equity. There must be equal or, at least, equitable distribution of resources in the country. That means, there areas that were the most neglected must be brought up to where other areas are in terms of development so that every Zambian can get a share of the resources of this country. So, Zambezi East, which the hon. Member has declared was extremely neglected, should get its fair share of development, and the roads must be looked at. However, I state here, without fear, that it is not only Zambezi East that was neglected; even in the areas where development was declared as taking place, there is nothing in many places.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: The hon. Member for Zambezi East can ask the hon. Member for Mporokoso what development took place in Mporokoso.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Simuzingili (Gwembe): Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing the good people of Gwembe to ask a question.

Madam Speaker, there is an emergence of cry-babies in the political arena. However, let me, firstly, congratulate the mighty United Party for National Development (UPND) on going through unopposed in two wards in Gwembe ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simuzingili: … due to the fact that we have a very disorganised Opposition.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Can you shorten those messages so that we give time to as many people as possible to ask questions. Can you, please, go straight to the question.

Mr Simuzingili: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, having weathered the storm for twenty-three years in the Opposition, what advice does Her Honour the Vice-President have for our hon. Colleagues, who are cry-babies, because they are failing to attract candidates to contest elections?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, is it possible for you withdraw the words “cry-babies” and use better ones?

Mr Simuzingili: Madam Speaker,I withdraw the words “cry-babies” and replace them with “disorganised and shameful Opposition parties.”

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, now, you have even added fuel to the fire. Can you withdraw the word “shameful”, please.

Interruptions

Mr Simuzingili: Madam Speaker, the word “shameful” is withdrawn.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Gwembe for his comment and question.

adam Speaker, the question the hon. Member has asked, as I have noted it, is: What advice am I going to give to the Opposition?

Madam Speaker, let me, firstly, join the hon. Member in congratulating the people of Gwembe and the UPND there on going through unopposed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: I refused to join in on some other issue but, on this one, I join in congratulating the people of Gwembe, and I think I am right to do so. I also congratulate the hon. Member on working very hard. 

Madam Speaker, as regards what advice I can give to the Opposition, it is to not cry, and …

Laughter

The Vice-President: … learn from the UPND, which was in the Opposition for twenty-three years. I give this very sincere advice, and they should listen to me. 

Interruptions

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, when in the Government, people should do the right things because there is no permanent position in this House.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: I think, that is the reason they are now imagining things; they think others are doing the things they used to do. So, when given that opportunity by the people of Zambia to be in Government, people should do the right things, like we are trying to do, so that one day, after fifty years, when we sit there (indicated the left), we will have set very a good precedence. The PF should learn to be in the Opposition. They will learn very quickly.

Some of your hon. Members, Madam Speaker, have never been –

Hon. Government Members: How many years are they going to be in the Opposition?

The Vice-President: Fifty!

Mr Mwiimbu: They have not heard, Madam.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Some of them have never been in the Opposition. So, I do understand because at one time, I sat in this House without having been in the Opposition. This is a learning curve for our hon. Colleagues, but they have not been abandoned; they are part of the governance system although they are in the Opposition. So, they should take up their position strongly and calmly, and enjoy providing the correct to give correct checks and balances in the Opposition. That is their role for the next fifty years.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Fifty years!

Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe): Madam Speaker, the people of Mufumbwe thank Her Honour the Vice-President for employing teachers and nurses in a very good manner. This time around, they are excited that she still wants to employ some more, as we got the message to the effect that that the Zambia Correctional Service, Zambia Police Service, and Zambia Army will be employing. However, they are asking why the Government is not using the method it used in the past to employ the youths, that is, using the districts, so that every Zambian benefits from this employment? The advertisement says that people are supposed to write applications and send them to regional offices. People are asking why they cannot hand in their applications to the local offices, including the correctional facilities.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I do not know whether I heard the hon. Member well. However, I thank him for appreciating this Government for employing many teachers and health workers, and for its intention to employ people in the Defence Forces, the Zambia Police Service and the Zambia Correctional Service.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member feels that the recruitment should be done at the district level instead of the regional level.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Can we have order. There is too much noise.

Can we allow Her Honour the Vice-President to respond so that even the people out there can get what she is saying.  Can we maintain silence in the House.

Your Honour the Vice-President, you may continue.

Interruptions

Mr Kapyanga: Jamba is making noise.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, you are not Speakers or Presiding Officers. So, do not help me. I am listening and I am doing my work. So, can we maintain silence.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member that it would be more inclusive if the recruitment was done at the district level so that every district could have a few of its own people. However, that might not be easy because the numbers for each department are not as big as they were in the recruitment of teachers and health officers. It is also believed that at the regional level, the recruiters will look at every area of the region. For example, the Zambia Police Service is going to employ 2,000 next year and, if we divide that by 116 districts, the result will be very few to be employed per district. That is why the exercise has been left at the regional level. However, the procedures are not cast in concrete, and the Government, hon. Ministers and commissions are listening. So, we are doing things the way we are doing them, but we appreciate the hon. Member’s thinking. 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, I start by acknowledging the advice given to us by Her Honour the Vice-President. However, in the same token, I think, those who are in the Government for the first time, like Her Honour the Vice-President, should be advised to not get drunk with the temporary authority that they have now. 

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Please, go straight to the point.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I want to take Her Honour the Vice-President back to the issue of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), which is under her jurisdiction.

Madam Speaker, in her responses to the questions asked by the hon. Leader of the Opposition and Hon. Kafwaya, she acknowledged that there were a number of court actions and orders that were issued which, for some reason, the ECZ opted to ignore or breach. To this extent, not even the last-minute ruling by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt), which was delivered yesterday, cleanses the ECZ from those serious transgressions.

Madam Speaker, democracy must be seen to be practised, and the ECZ is one institution that anchors democracy it.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, there is a growing tendency among some hon. Members of the Executive –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

I think, we are wasting more time. By now, you should have finished asking your question. Can you finish your question so that we can allow more people to ask their questions.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, in Her Honour the Vice-President’s heart of hearts, what does she think her Government should do to redeem that very critical institution in our nation, the ECZ?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I appreciate that the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu got my advice because it is real, not imaginary. That is the way we should behave in governance, as Zambians, and the hon. Member is part of the Government even today, as he is in the Opposition.

Madam Speaker, I do not know whether the people on this side (indicated the right side) are drunk with power. I think, we are trying to execute power as mandated by the people of Zambia.

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, even though the ECZ falls under the Office of the Vice-President, that does not apply to its day-to-day functioning, and I am sure that the hon. Member knows, having been a Member of the Executive, that the ECZ is autonomous in its operations.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has said that the ECZ has breached the electoral process. However, like I have said before, there are many things that happened, but the ECZ, as far as I know, did not breach the Constitution. Maybe, some lawyer can come up with another interpretation.

Mr Mwiimbu: No!

The Vice-President: The ECZ was guided by the courts of law on matters that went before the courts of law, and no election was held during the time the stay was in effect. Therefore, there is no transgression by the ECZ; the institution is working within the law.

Madam Speaker, just like those in the Opposition, as the Executive, we obey and follow the guidance by the ECZ. People may think that we are doing something behind their back, and that is why there was an outcry about the President having been in Kabushi or Kwacha campaigning without knowing that the ECZ was going to suspend the elections. That is how transparent we have been.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: We are not meddling in the operations of the ECZ. So, when we are campaigning and we are told that elections have been suspended, we come back. When we are told that the suspension has been lifted and that the elections must go on, the President can to back to campaign.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, somebody said that it is embarrassing for the President to campaign, but it is not embarrassing if people remember all the facts surrounding this issue. The President went to campaign only after the ECZ allowed the elections to go on. The President of the Republic of Zambia, who is the President of my political party, the UPND, …

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: … went to campaign, and he has the right to campaign within the mandate.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu must know that there was no transgression or breach of the Constitution and that the ECZ is working within its mandate. If the hon. Member does not agree with the interpretation of the law by the ECZ over the judgment or ruling that was issued, it is important that he goes back to the Higher Courts that can interpret the ConCourt’s ruling. There is nothing like redeeming the situation or the ECZ because we are working within the law, as we govern by the rule of law.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr P. Phiri (Mkaika): Madam Speaker, the people of Mkaika Constituency in Katete feel neglected by the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government because the contract that was awarded for the Mkaika/Katete/Chaninda Road by the Patriotic Front (PF) was terminated by the UPND Government, and the road is really bad.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development was in Mkaika, and he can attest to the fact that the road is bad and that people have suffered. This time, there is dust all over the town centre. Further, during the Rainy Season, the place becomes muddy. What is the Government doing to make sure that the road is passable and that accidents are reduced?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member might remember why road contracts were cancelled and, I think, that was made clear here when hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development talked about contracts that had been awarded for roads under his ministry. The hon. Minister said that there had been many anomalies. So, it is not only Mkaika which was affected, but also many other areas, as contracts could not go on. Other than the lack of resources, there was the issue of contracts not being awarded properly. I can, therefore, assure the hon. Member that Mkaika will have some facelift.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Madam Speaker, in the previous regime, we experienced serious violence, an example of it being the by-election in Sesheke, during which there was total war. The people of Zambia, especially the members of the United Party for National Development (UPND), were beaten up badly. We also experienced violence here, in Lusaka, where our bus was smashed by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres, and in Luanshya and Shiwang’andu. Further, we saw the flood gates of corruption widely opened, yet there are people who are now claiming that they will come back to power in 2026. That is like believing that the devil will go back to heaven one day.

Laughter

Mr Michelo: Madam Speaker, what advice or warning can Her Honour the Vice-President give to the people of Zambia who want …

Mr Jamba: Never!

Mr Michelo: …to entrust power with a professionally violent Government?

Mr Simumba: Mwayambaukutina!

Mr Michelo: What advice can Her Honour the Vice-President give to Zambians so that they do not go back to the days when they witnessed serious corruption?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Bweengwa for this observation.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has alleged that there was too much violence in many places and, I think, we can all attest to that.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: He alsotalked about corruption and some people claiming that they will bounce back into power.

Hon. Government Member: Aah!

The Vice-President: Oh, yes!

Some people are claiming that they will bounce back into power, but this is a political issue. So, they will continue to claim; we will not stop them from doing that.

Mrs Masebo: Exactly!

The Vice-President: I can only give advice to the people of Zambia because stopping people from claiming that they will bounce back into power is not within my mandate. So, they can claim, but we need to know what the people of Zambia think. Are the people of Zambia ready to welcome back the same things they experienced?

Hon. Government Members: No!

The Vice-President: Are they ready to welcome the same things the hon. Member has spoken to? We all have a duty.

Hon. Government Members: No!

The Vice-President: I will say, Madam Speaker, that for now, the UPND is in power under the New Dawn Administration and that we have already declared the years that we will rule. Our role is to work hard and not go the way of some other regime. We should not go the violent way because, truly, as the hon. Member has stated, the people of Zambia rejected the previous regime because of violence.

Mr Mposha: And corruption!

The Vice-President: They must know that Zambians have not forgotten.

Mr Muchima: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Secondly, they were removed because of corruption.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I have advised the people on your left enough. Allow me to advise those who are here (indicated right side) that we should never go that way.

Hon. Government Members: No!

The Vice-President: We have the power …

Mr Muchima: Indeed!

The Vice-President: …and mandate given to us by the people of Zambia.

Mr Muchima: Yes!

The Vice-President: Therefore, we will stay away from violence.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Rev. Katuta: Mkushi!

The Vice-President: There should be no provocation from our colleagues, and we should not allow violence because this is a democracy. We should also not allow corruption in this team because the President has already made it clear that …

Mr Muchima: Yes!

The Vice-President: … if one is found in certain vices, one should know that he or she will be on his or her own. This is the assurance that we will continue; under that kind of behaviour, ruling for fifty years is assured. However, if we choose to do what those (pointing at the Opposition) did –

Interruptions

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, we have chosen to not go their way. We will remain in heaven and let them remain where they are. If they are not devils and they are human, they should have the ability to repent and say ‘sorry’. However, if they become as stubborn as the devil when they know –

Madam Speaker, they are even advising us from there (pointing at the Opposition) that we should not do the things they did.

Interruptions

The Vice-President: So, this is time to clean themselves.

Mr Chilangwa interjected.

The Vice-President: The question came from there. I look there (indicating the Backbench).

Mr Chilangwa: Advise them (pointing at the Executive).

The Vice-President: I have already advised these, iwe.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Now, I am advising you there. Repent!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Change your mind and say ‘sorry’.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Maybe, people will take it that you are genuinely sorry because for as long as you continuously defend what was wrong, you will remain like the one the hon. Member who asked the question mentioned, the devil, and there will be no room for you in heaven.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, greetings to Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker, we are just a few weeks away from the Rainy Season and the road that connects Mufulira to Ndola, famously called the Ndola/Mufulira Road, is currently in a very dilapidated state. Should it rain, that road will become impassable, and that will create a big problem because farmers will fail to access their fields. Teachers will also fail to access workplaces located on the Ndola Road.

Madam Speaker, we are aware that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning pronounced that the road would be among those that will be worked on under a public-private partnership (PPP) in 2023. The question the people of Mufulira have sent me to ask is: In the meantime, as the Government waits for the PPP discussions to be concluded and the road to be worked on, what is it going to do to ensure that as the rainy season starts falling in the next few weeks, the road will remain passable, so that farmers and teachers will access their fields and schools?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Mufulira for his concern over the Mufulira/Ndola Road, which is in a deplorable state. This should be a concern for everyone. In fact, I am informed that talks over the project are almost concluded. Actually, the hon. Member mentioned this in the preamble to his question. The Government is working on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to ensure that the road is worked on. By the way, it is not only the Ndola/Mufulira stretch that needs to be worked on, but also the stretch up to Sakanya Border, and this is under discussion.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Members and the country at large ought to know that there was a contract on the road before and money was paid, and the hon. Member is aware of that. This is what makes people describe others in many ways. The money for the road disappeared under the previous regime, and it is not easy to look for an immediate solution now. This Government is looking for a permanent solution, which is to put the road under a PPP. Discussions are underway, and the road will be worked on. However, let us, please, take care of public resources and not waste them like what happened in the previous regime.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, allow me to thank the New Dawn Government for managing to pay retirees their pensions even when the economy was on its knees. However, there is the concern that some of the retirees who have already been paid are still occupying institutional houses because the previous regime did not pay them their leave days and repatriation fees. I know that the New Dawn Government can look into this issue. Does this caring New Dawn Government have any plans to repatriate such retirees so that they give chance to newly recruited public workers?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kabwe Central for appreciating the fact that retirees have been paid, which is a progressive and good step for the people of Zambia. However, she has brought out the concern that some retirees who have already been paid their retirement packages are still occupying Government houses, instead of leaving them for newly recruited Government workers, on the pretext that they have not been paid their repatriation fees and leave days. I, therefore, appeal to the ministries concerned, through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, to make sure that those retirees are paid their repatriation fees. I think, it is deliberate for them to continue occupying Government or institutional houses because repatriation fees and leave pays are not more than retirement packages. Therefore, people must be paid and told to leave Government houses.

Madam Speaker, what the hon. Member has said is very true; some have lived in Government houses deliberately, even refusing to get their money so that they do not vacate the houses.

Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, this is an issue we can work on very quickly so that those houses are given to newly recruited members of the Public Service.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

CONSTRUCTION OF KANYAMA BOARDING SCHOOL IN MWINILUNGA

75. Mr Samakayi (Mwinilunga) asked the Minister of Education:

1. why the Government opened Kanyama Boarding School in Mwinilunga District when it was still under construction, and without water, and adequate staff; 
2. when construction works will be completed;
3. when water will be connected to the school; and
4. when adequate staff will be deployed to the school.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government has adopted a phased approached to the completion of the stalled projects by partial opening of schools, targeting those at 80 per cent completion and above, such as Kanyama Boarding School in Mwinilunga District in order to safe guard the Government property and mitigate vandalism and theft; pressure from the community for secondary school space within walkable distances, like in the case of Kanyama Secondary School were the nearest secondary school facility is more than 64 km; to create secondary school space for most children in the community who fail to access education in the township because of high school fees as the majority were from  the vulnerable families and could not afford boarding fees.

Madam Speaker, the construction works will be completed in twelve months subject to availability of funds. A permanent water reticulation system will be connected to the school within twelve months, and again, that is subject to the availability of funds.

Madam Speaker, the Government has adequately deployed seventeen new teachers to the school, improving the staffing levels at the secondary school by 57 per cent. This has been made possible due to the commitment by Government to recruit the 30,496 teachers.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Samakayi: Madam Speaker, I think there are two ways of providing water to that school. One is by sinking maybe, a borehole and putting up the solar system. The other one is to get water from Lunga River which is about 4 km to the school. I know the kilometres because I used to go and bath from the river. It is 4 km. So, what the people are saying is that the water should be accessed from river other than boreholes. So, when the hon. Minister says that they are providing resources, what does he mean? Is it from the borehole or from the river? For us, getting water from the river will be more sustainable. So, which one is he talking about because that area has a lot of sand. It is just like it is in the Western Province. A borehole would not work. So, which one is the hon. Minister going to give us? Is it water from the borehole or the river?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I know that there were no funds available in December, 2021, towards the completion of the project which was supposed to also provide water. We also know that all the boreholes that were sunk by the contractor collapsed. At the moment, the school is receiving water from the community every after two to three days, which is not healthy for a boarding school. So, the permanent solution is to connect the school to the Lunga River, which I am told is not 4 km but 1.8 km from the school. The distance is actually short. This is a permanent solution that we want to embark on. So, I think the water situation may be ameliorated by the decision that we have made, that we do connect it to the Lunga River, which I said is 1.8km away from the school. Those boreholes yes, they collapsed and we agree with the community that the option can only to connect the school to the Lunga River.

Madam Speaker, maybe, let me just state that completion of all these stalled projects ˗

I think the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning can bear me witness that we have been trying to finish all the stalled secondary schools. There are about 115 stalled projects, over the last ten years, which my colleagues did not complete, which include some in Shiwang’andu. It took eight years, but I think we are now trying to finish all of them. By next, we will have finished all the stalled projects in this country, just to ease for our girl child to be in boarding schools.

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, part of my question has been answered by the hon. Minister. Indeed, actually, some of us including the people of Mwinilunga and many other constituencies that have stalled projects are grateful for what the Government is doing. The scenario in Kanyama is almost the same as those other boarding schools that were opened even before they were completed.

Madam Speaker, while we appreciate that some money has been allocated to complete these projects, is the Government not going give first priority to those that are already occupied so that we can cushion some of these problems?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, indeed, without really making priorities, the issue is that we must complete these schools because even where they are not open, our children are renting in the nearby suburbs. So, they are still inconvenienced. Therefore, the issue is not really about the schools that we opened because we will have to work on them first. However, across the board, there is just a problem which the Patriotic Front (PF) left, and I know they do not like to be reminded. They must own up because they did a terrible thing for this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: Yes, we will continue reminding them. Projects for 115 schools were stalled, and they can even come and start –

Interruptions

Mr Syakalima: If it were me, I would not even be standing here to speak.

Laughter

Mr Syakalima:  This is why the other time, I talked about the power of social shame.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, when I was talking about pregnancies in schools, it was as a result of that situation where our children have got nowhere to sleep and they cannot even be taken care of by teachers. A boarding school is a safeguarded, but instead of being a safeguard, we find situations where seventy-eight children are pregnant. Just nearby, in Chibombo, 118 children were pregnant. It is not by volition, but because the state never took care of them. So, the issue is that we are giving priority to finish all the 115 stalled projects and we have already begun doing so.

Madam Speaker, we called the contractors who had abandoned the sites and gave them the money so that they could trust us, and they agreed. So, some of them have mobilised and are now on site, just to save that little child and then, the PF want to come here and say that we should not remind them of what they did. I will remind them so that the Zambians can continue to remember what happened. They should never even attempt to say that they will back into power. They should come back to do what? To come and stall projects?

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Minister will wind up his response.

Mr Syakalima: Yes, people must be told the truth. My response covers the whole country because it is not only Mwinilunga, but also, Mufumbwe, where projects were stalled. I am talking about projects across the breadth of this country. I traverse this country and I know what has been stalled. If you go to Chief Mumbi, he will tell you what is there. Where is the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central? I know all these things. Our colleagues used to come here and say that they had embarked on unprecedented development and yet, there was no development across the breadth of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Nothing!

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, when the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning wanted to know how schools were stalled, he was actually very disappointed when I showed him because it is not only in places where they thought schools were stalled. It was everywhere including Chama North because of a school project that was stalled there. Hon. Mtayachalo told me that the contractor is back on site. A project for Munali was also abandoned, but the contractor is back. These are the things that we should remind Zambians of, that they should never again, trust those people (PF).

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, since the owner of the question is very satisfied with the response, we are going to move on.

_______

BILLS

FIRST READING

THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE OF BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, 2022

The Minister Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that a Bill entitled the Zambia Institute of Banking and Financial Services, 2022. the objectives of the Bill are as follows:

1. provide for the registration of banking and financial service practitioners and regulate their practice and professional conduct;
2. continue the existence of the Zambia Institute of Banking and Financial Services and provide for its functions;
3. promote the banking and financial services professions; and
4. provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The Bill stands and referred to the Planning and Budgeting Committee. The Committee is required to submit its report on the Bill to the House in due course. Hon. Members who wish to make submissions on the Bill are free to do so within the programme of work of the Committee.

Thank you.

THE SECURITIES (Amendment) BILL, 2022

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that a Bill entitled the Securities (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The objectives of the Bill are to:

1. implement a risk-based approach in the supervision and regulation of capital markets;
2. revise the supervisory powers of the commission;
3. provide corrective measures to an under-capitalised capital markets operators;
4. provide for the appointment to an auditor by a licensed person;
5. revise the power of the Capital Markets Tribunal;
6. provide for the immunity of a member of the Capital Markets Tribunal, a member of staff of the Tribunal and a member of staff of the Commission;
7. provide for the regulation of a private fund; and
8. provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The bill stands and referred to the Planning and Budgeting Committee. The Committee is required o submit its report on the Bill to the House in due course. Hon. Members who wish to make submissions on the Bill are free to do so within the programme of work of the Committee.

THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe, SC.): Madam Speaker, I beg to present a Bill entitled theCriminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

The object of this Bill is to amend the Criminal Procedure Code so as to replace the penalty of death with life imprisonment and repeal the penalty of defamation of the President.

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

I thank you.

THE PENAL CODE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe, SC.): Madam Speaker, I beg to present a Bill entitled the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The object of this Bill is to amend the Penal Code so as to:

1. replace the death penalty with life imprisonment;
2. repeal the offence of defamation of the President; and
3. provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

I thank you.

SECOND READING

THE ZAMBIA DEVELOPMENT AGENCY Bill, 2022

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe, SC.) (on behalf of the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Mulenga)): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Madam Speaker, and hon. Members of the House, this Bill is part of the process of strengthening the legal and institutional framework with regards implementation of Government policy on trade, investment and business development. The Bill also strives to respond to the Government’s priority of establishing a stable and predictable policy environment that promotes trade and private investment for economic growth and job creation.

Madam Speaker, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is Zambia’s premier economic development agency with a multifaceted mandate of promoting and facilitating trade, investment and enterprise development in the country. The agency is also responsible for building and enhancing the country’s investment profile for increased capital inflows, capital formation, employment creation and growth of businesses.

The ZDA was established under the Zambia Development Agency Act, No.11 of 2006. The Act became operational in 2007, after the amalgamation of five statutory bodies namely; the Zambia Investment Centre (ZIC), Zambia Privatization Agency (ZPA), Export Board of Zambia (EBZ), Small Enterprise Development Board (SEDB) and the Zambia Export Processing Zones Authority (ZEPZA). The five statutory bodies were amalgamated in a bid to foster synergies that would accelerate economic development and achieve sustained exponential growth. This was also done to improve efficiency in the delivery of business development services aimed at reducing the cost of doing business. 

Madam Speaker, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Act No. 11 of 2006, was enacted to provide a legal and institutional framework for the implementation of Government policy in the areas of trade, investment and business development. However, over the years, the Act has become inadequate in addressing issues pertaining to the functions, administration and governance of the ZDA due to its expanded mandate of promoting and facilitating trade, investment and enterprise development in the country.

Madam Speaker, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Act has undergone several amendments in trying to strengthen its provisions in order to have an effective framework for the private sector to thrive. A number of discussions have been held at policy and technical levels with the private sector, to identify issues that would lead to a law that is consistent with the Government’s development priorities as well as responsive to the needs of the private sector.

However, there remains a need to repeal and replace the Zambia Development Agency Act No. 11 of 2006 with the Zambia Development Agency Bill, 2022 to strengthen the ZDA in fulfilling its mandate and provide for mechanisms that would promote economic growth and development in the country through trade and investment.

Madam Speaker, further, the House may wish to note that there was also a need to split the functions of investment, trade and business development from the ZDA Act in order to have a repealed law that would fully focus on the functions, administration and governance of the ZDA.

Madam Speaker, the Bill will continue the existence of the ZDA and re-define its functions, administration and governance in order to enhance its mandate of promoting and facilitating trade, investment and enterprise development in the country, which will ultimately contribute to income generation, economic growth and development in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, as earlier alluded to, the objects of the Bill are to:

1. continue the existence of the ZDA;
2. re-constitute the Board of the agency and provide for its expanded functions;
3. repeal and replace the Zambia Development Agency Act, 2006; and
4. provide for matters connected with, or incidental to the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the introduction and eventual enactment of the Bill will address the gaps and weaknesses in the current legislation by strengthening the functions of ZDA and provide a framework for enhancing investment, trade and business development. Its effective implementation will ultimately foster growth of the Zambian economy.

I, therefore, look forward to the full support of the Members of this our august House in relation to the Bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Madam Speaker, the Committee on National Economy, Trade and Labour Matters was tasked to scrutinise the Zambia Development Agency Bill No. 19 of 2022. This was pursuant to its mandate as set out in the Standing Orders No. 198(j) of the National Assembly Standing Orders 2021.

Madam Speaker, let me state from the outset that all the stakeholders who made submissions before your Committee are in support of the Bill. Stakeholders were of the view that investment is critical to growth and sustainable development; a catalyst for enhanced job creation and income growth; contributes to increasing and diversifying exports; technology and innovation transfer, as well as, skills development.

Madam Speaker, let me also indicate that your Committee is in support of the Bill. However, while supporting it, your Committee shares some of the stakeholders’ concerns on some of the provisions of the Bill. Allow me now to highlight just a few of them.

Madam Speaker, your Committee observes that Clause 5(1) mandates the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to facilitate the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, which might include those under the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Your Committee notes that this provision is a recipe for duplication of roles and conflict of interest considering that Article 20 of the Constitution already provides for the hon. Minister responsible for finance, as a shareholder in state-owned enterprises, to carry out such functions through the IDC. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Bill should clearly state how state-owned enterprises under the IDC will be handled should need to privatise them arise.

Madam Speaker, your Committee notes that Clause 14(1)(b) allows for ZDA to accept money by way of grants or donations from any source in the Republic and, subject to the approval of the Minister, from any source outside the Republic. The Committee observes that this may lead to a conflict of interest as ZDA may receive donations from private sector players on whom it is expected to exercise impartial judgement in the award of certificates and licenses. In this regard, your Committee recommends that the ZDA should be limited to receiving grants and or donations from official development partners and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but not from private sector actors who could end up being ZDA-regulated entities.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, your Committee expresses gratitude to all stakeholders for their oral and written submissions on the Bill. Your Committee thanks the Office of the Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and services rendered to it during the consideration of the Bill.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, the Motion under debate, which is the amendment to the Zambia Development Agency Act, has gone through a very vigorous process to ensure that the proposed amendments are fine-tuned and, at the end of the day, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) achieves its mandate.

Madam Speaker, the ZDA has been in existence for quite a long time and I am sure it exists through an existing Act of Parliament. One of the things that I was reflecting upon even as this Bill was presented to this House was the relevance of the ZDA and whether it has been achieving its mandate over the last couple of years. I am sure the amendments that have been proposed will seek to cure some of the challenges that are in the existing law.

Madam Speaker, however, I want to bring to your attention very practical scenarios that should be attended to even as we look at how best we can amend this law. If you are travelling from Kabwe coming into Lusaka, you will find that there are so many industries that have been mushrooming on the highway. What that does is that you end up having such important partners of development developing their infrastructure along the main road when the Government has designed that such investors should go into an economic zone. What I think should happen is that further to the proposed amendments, we should give the ZDA authority to determine where certain investments should take place.

Madam Speaker, it is one thing to give an investment license to an investor who wants to bring US$200,000 into Zambia, but it is also important that the location of such an investment is determined through some form of collaboration with other partners. I think that apart from just giving land to foreign investors anywhere they would wish to undertake some of the major works, it will be important that as we look at these as amendments, perhaps we need to empower the ZDA further because we will have a situation where we do the amendments, which have been proposed today, but we still do not get to achieve what we want to achieve.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry is on record in the last year indicating that the Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZ) will be made and opened up and incentives will be given for investors to get into them. So, as we are debating today, if we empower the ZDA, for instance, to determine that as much as we are giving an investor the normal incentives that are applicable under the Zambia Development Agency Act, we can further empower the ZDA to ensure that the location of that investment is married with other Government programmes. This is because we need to have all these different interventions speaking to each other.

Madam Speaker, it is one thing to do the administrative clean-up which the chairperson of the Committee has ably referred to. I will not start analysing what the witnesses said because that was their work, but what I am presenting today is that we currently have different solutions and interventions that should help Zambia get the right investment into the country. These interventions should speak to each other. If an investor is going to come into Zambia facilitated by the ZDA, I think there is need to prescribe where this investment should sit.

Further to the amendments that have been proposed, I want to suggest that we give further mandates to the ZDA, speaking to the other programmes that the Government has already lined up. The concept of an MFEZ will not achieve its intended purpose if any investor can come and set up an investment anywhere they want.

Madam Speaker, I am aware that in Chambeshi, for instance, we have a Zambia-China Cooperation Zone which has not been utilised to its full capacity. I am also aware that we have the Lusaka MFEZ which has also not been utilised to its required capacity. One of the reasons is that investors come into Zambia, the ZDA does the facilitation and these investors set up anywhere they wish, yet the Government has got a facility where these investments should take place.

Madam Speaker, as I wind up my debate, I want to propose that further to the proposed amendments, we empower the ZDA to prescribe locations where these investments should take place so that we start actualising the already existing interventions which the Government has had in place for so many years. The Zambia Development Agency Bill needs to be supported but with those further suggestions on giving them the mandate on the location of where these developments should take place.

Madam Speaker, I do hope that the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry has taken note of my observation that we cannot have economic zones that are not active. We cannot have an investor come into Zambia and set up on the highway coming into Lusaka when there are facilities that are prescribed for such investment.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours.

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, let me place on record that the people of Kanchibiya are in support of Zambia Development Agency Bill as is being debated on the Floor of the House today.

Mr Speaker, allow me to mention that the current state of ZDA is below par and more is expected from this agency if it is going to live to the true meaning of the intended purpose of its creation and the purpose behind the creation of the ZDA.

Mr Speaker, you will agree with me that if Zambia is going to rise to the occasion, exploit its geographical position, and bring about the sort of investment it requires, all this will call for a repositioned, reenergised and probably, a different ZDA to drive us in that direction. When one looks at the pillars of the Eight National Development Plan (8NDP) and the Vision 2030, the onus is not only on this a particular House but also, on the ZDA and the ministry responsible for that. I want to believe it is for the Ministry of Commerce and Trade and Industry to ensure that this particular agency lives to the aspirations of the Zambian people, as is captured in the 8NDP and the Vision 2030 for Zambia to become that net exporter and middle-income country by the year 2030.

Mr Speaker, in order for this to happen, we need the ZDA that does not just exist for purposes of foreign investment but for local investors and pushing them in the direction of matching foreign investment with local investment. We need the ZDA that is going to attract the sort of investment that will say, “Here is an investment opportunity in an area called Kanchibiya” and can we find a matching investor who is a foreign investor. However, at the end of the day, the ZDA must not just exist for purposes of foreign investment. The idea must be to promote and create local investors and they should be allowed to partner with foreign investors.

Mr Speaker, it is important for us to also speak to the ZDA framework itself. I want to thank your Committee and the witness who did a great job with this particular report. Going forward, it will become very important for the ZDA to take particular interest in investment opportunities that are existing locally.

Mr Speaker, I will give an example of a constituency that I am privileged to represent which is Kanchibiya Constituency. We have the Zambia's First Ever Palm Plantation (ZAMPALM) plantation.  This plantation is 90 per cent owned by the people of Zambia with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and 10 per cent owned by Zambeef. The local demand to crude palm oil in Zambia is about 120,000 metric tonnes per year. If we were to give particular attention to this particular plant, Zambia would be saving in excess of UD$70 million, which we are spending on importing crude oil from the far East, the East Africa countries and others. This is the occasion to which we expect the ZDA to rise to the occasion to see how it can ensure that ZAMPALM starts to play its critical role in the economy of this nation and also, contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), as the case must be.

Mr Speaker, we do have our trade attachés in the different embassies across the globe. When one interacts with the trade attaché and wants to find out about trade opportunities which a Zambia local investor could take particular interest in, we have a cadre or group of trade attachés who are performing below par. What they will give you is common sense or the sort of information that you may probably have if you clicked for yourself and found on Google.  What we need in this regard is for our trade attachés and in teams of building capacity to be brought to the fore.      

The ZDA is not going to live to the true creed or true meaning of what we expect it to be if trade attachés in the different missions that Zambia is privileged to have across the globe are underperforming.

Mr Speaker, it is also important that Zambia has everything that it takes to exploit its geographical positioning as it is. We are surrounded by eight neighbouring countries. This is a song that we have sung from the days of Dr Kenneth Kaunda to date, but we have not had pragmatic steps to see and understand how we can reposition Zambia in terms of not just investing for the local market but attracting investment for purposes of penetrating the regional markets. This is the challenge that the ZDA ought to rise to.

Mr Speaker, let me look at the First Republic; I want us to dive in there. I appeal to my good brother, the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, that the founding President of this country, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, laid a very strong industrial base. One could walk in every district or province and found a manufacturing industry that was performing. We need to go back there and see what we can reinvent. However, this depends on the extent to which the ZDA can rise to the occasion and begin to play a role of enhancing local investment and also, attracting the sort of investment we need from outside.

Mr Speaker, we need to ring-fence particular sectors which Zambian investors must exploit. One example is the aquaculture sector. The aquaculture sector is being taken over by our Asian brothers and sisters, the Chinese in particular. In the next five years, the aquaculture industry will be a Chinese-led industry. This is where we need to be proactive and say which industries we are ring-fencing and which ones we are going to allow partnerships and ensure that our locals take pre-eminence in these sectors before they are taken over by foreign investors.

Mr Speaker, with those few remarks, I support this Bill and I hope that the ZDA can live to the true intent as we all aspire for it to do.

I thank you, Sir.

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Mulenga): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised by the hon. Members of Parliament. Allow me to take a moment to appreciate the Committee that sat to review the amendments that have been provided in the new Zambia Development Agency Bill. I thank the ministry and various stakeholders who sat to review the amendment of the Zambia Development Agency Bill.

Mr Speaker, I will quickly respond to the concerns that have been raised by the hon. Members in this House. I must say from the onset that these concerns which have been raised are very valid because they are centred on enhancing economic development and investment in our country. The hon. Member from Lunte has made submissions which are worth paying attention to and clearly, looking into. Number one, he talked about Clause 5(I) which talks about the facilitation of privatisation of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). He also talked about the possible receipt of donations and duplication of the roles under the Act.

Mr Speaker, as the ZDA, we take note of this concern and we will respond to the hon. Member based on what he has raised. However, I just need to make mention that indeed, that is a valid concern but it is not a duplication, though it may sound like it is. As a Committee member, he made submissions. The Bill has clauses that make the ZDA have a stand-alone responsibility which will enhance the role of the ZDA in making sure that statutory bodies handle things transparently, among many other things. What happened during the privatisation era should be handled in a very transparent and rightful manner this time.

Mr Speaker, the second concern that he talked about was the receipt of donations coming through from the private and public sectors. He raised a concern that this may raise conflict of interest. So, the ZDA should limit itself to receiving resources or donations only to the public sector. If we cannot be trusted to receive from the public sector, we can also not be trusted to receive from the private sector. If it can be the other way round, then we should be trusted also to do even for the other side. I have to make mention to the hon. Member and the House that the ZDA, in its current form, has even been receiving donations from various institutions and these donations have been managed prudently. Much of the funds from donations have been kept under Control 99, which money we are then allocated as espoused by the Constitution. Therefore, the ZDA will not be the sole recipient of these resources. Auditors from various Government institutions are always on hand to see that there is prudence in management of these resources. Nevertheless, we are very grateful for the submission from the hon. Member.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Kamfinsa Constituency talked about enhancing the participation of local investors. We are very grateful that he accepts that the Zambia Development Agency Bill should be amended and that the Bill should reflect the will of Zambians and encourage Zambian investors.

Mr Speaker, allow me to make mention that the reason this Government is revisiting or reviewing the Zambia Development Agency Bill is because in its current form, the Bill does not address the will and vision of the Zambian investors themselves. When you look at Zambia Development Agency Bill from the first to the last page, you will see that it only talks about incentivising investors from foreign countries. Not a single local investor has been focused on. It is for this cause that His Excellency, the President, gave me a responsibility as the hon. Minister responsible for this undertaking to review the Zambia Development Agency Bill so that it can also have local content.

Mr Speaker, you may be aware that we cannot develop the country only with foreign nationals or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). We need local direct players to be involved. It is for this cause that we are reviewing and revisiting the performance of the Multi Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) from focusing only on companies owned by foreign nationals but also, allow local players to benefit from the incentives and concessions that are provided there. This has been supported even by the current Budget which was announced by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

To this effect, we have seen three new Zambian companies enter the MFEZs. Allow me to say that we have seen interest from these Zambian companies and they have been allocated pieces of land in the Lusaka South MFEZ. These companies are Sheba Foods which is wholly Zambian-owned and Trade Kings. For the first time, they have a footprint in a MFEZ. Pardon me, I have forgotten the name of the other Zambian company which now has a footing in a MFEZ.

Mr Speaker, allow me to comment on the point that was raised by the hon. Member for Kamfinsa about MFEZs not being fully functional. Under the new Zambia Development Agency Bill and the policies of the New Dawn Government, we need to make the most of the MFEZs. He mentioned Chambishi MFEZ. Indeed, for the past fifteen years, since it was established, very little has been seen out of it to the detriment of the gains of the many Zambian business owners and the communities that live therein. It is for this cause that we have drafted this Zambia Development Agency Bill. All investments that we will be getting, especially from a particular region which owns an MFEZ should be housed in the MFEZ itself. The kind of investment that we are going to allow to go into that MFEZ is investment that is focused on value addition.

Mr Speaker, I must make mention of it. We have Chambishi MFEZ and Chibombo MFEZ. Chibombo MFEZ particularly, has warehouses which were originally built just to be warehouses and accommodation sheds, houses and belts which are built in China and other places for sale in the country and other parts of the region. However, after the drafting of this the Zambia Development Agency Bill, the area will be compelled to have its warehouses transformed into Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) industries. Instead of being used as areas for warehouses only, they will be used as value addition centres for these materials I have mentioned.

Mr Speaker, also allow me now to respond to the hon. Member of Kanchibiya Constituency who too has acknowledged that the Zambia Development Agency Bill must be supported. The hon. Member of Kanchibiya, on behalf of his constituency, has made submissions first in line with the hon. Member of Kamfinsa Constituency. He acknowledges that the Zambia Development Agency Bill indeed, must be supported and must have local content. 

 Mr Speaker, it is for the same reason we brought in the Bill. To conclude the debate, we take serious concerns that in its current form, the Zambia Development Agency Bill does not reflect or support the aspirations and will of the people of  Zambia.

Mr Speaker, the revision that we have done will support and allow the Zambian investors to also benefit from incentives and concessions that the Government provides. Since time in memorial, Zambian investors have never been considered for incentives. However, with this amendment, if Parliament allows that it goes through, it will give Zambians to invest in the MFEZs and also, recapitalise their business with concessions and other benefits that every investor has always been benefiting from.  

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

There is no quorum in the House. The hon. Members currently in the House and those logged in visually are not forming a quorum. So, ring the bell for five minutes to alert those who could be outside, in the restaurant or around the premises to come in.

Business was suspended from 1122 hours to 1127 hours.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, at least, we now have a quorum. This is not a good sign because the number is still low. In this House, we are above 165, somewhere there, but due to lack of seriousness I guess, – Taxpayers are watching out there. The Zambians sent us here to represent them, both hon. Members on the right and left, especially the left.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Friday, 28^th October, 2022.

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MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business (Mr Lufuma): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

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The House adjourned at 1130 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 25^th October, 2022.

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