Wednesday, 26^th October,  2022

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

_______

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER

POSTPONEMENT OF WORKSHOPBY THE MINISTRY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, yesterday, Tuesday, 25^th October, 2022, the House was informed of a workshop organised by the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development which was to take place tomorrow, Thursday, 27^th October, 2022, from 0830 to 1230 hours in the Amphitheatre, here, at Main Parliament Buildings.

I inform the House that the said workshop has been postponed to Tuesday, 15^th November, 2022. The time and venue remain the same.

Hon. Members are encouraged to attend this very important programme on voluntarily basis.

I thank you.

_______

RULING BY MADAM FIRS DEPUTY SPEAKER

POINT OF ORDER BY MR R. K. CHITOTELA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR PAMBASHE CONSTITUENCY, RAISED ON THURSDAY, 29^TH SEPTEMBER, 2022, AGAINST HON R. M. PHIRI, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, ON WHETHER THE HON MINISTER WAS IN ORDER TO MISLEAD THE NATION BY ALLEGING THAT THE IN-FIGHTING AMONG THE UNSUCCESSFUL BIDDERS WAS THE REASON TO CANCEL THE FERTILISER TENDER, IN ABROGATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT, NO 8 OF 2020

Madam First Deputy Speaker:Hon Members, the House will recall that on Thursday, 29^th September, 2022, when the House was considering a ministerial statement on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2022/2023 Farming Season, and Hon. R. M. Phiri, Minister of Agriculture, was on the Floor, Mr. R. Chitotela, Member of Parliament for Pambashe Constituency raised a point of order.

Mr R Chitotela, MP’s point of order was premised on Standing Order 65 (1) (b) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021, which provides as follows:

“65. (1) A Member who is debating shall –

(b) ensure that the information he or she provides to the House is factual and verifiable.”

In his point of order, Mr. R. K. Chitotela, MP, stated that the Hon Minister of Agriculture had informed the House that the Government had followed the correct procedure in awarding fertiliser contracts to eleven companies. Mr R. K.Chitotela, MP, therefore, asked whether the hon. Minister of Agriculture was in order to mislead the nation by alleging that in-fighting among the unsuccessful bidders was what led to the cancellation of the tender when the Public Procurement Act, No. 8 of 2020 did not provide that as a reason for cancelling a tender. In that regard, he referred the hon. Madam Speaker to Sections 54 to 60 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 8 of 2020, which provide the procedure for public procurement.

In her immediate response to the point of order, the hon. Madam Speaker reserved her ruling so she could study the matter. I have since studied the matter and I now render the ruling.

Hon. Members, the point of order by Mr R. K.Chitotela, MP, invited the hon. Madam Speaker to examine Section 54 to 60 of the Public Procurement Act in order to establish whether or not infighting was a reason for a tender to be cancelled.

Hon Members, as you may be aware, the interpretation of the law is the preserve of the courts of law. It is for this reason that Standing Order 132(1) (e) does not permit a member to raise a point of order pertaining to a general interpretation of the law. To this end, Standing Order 123(1) (e) states as follows:

            “132 (1) A point of order may be admissible if-

(e) it does not relate to a general interpretation of the law.”

Hon Members, it is evident that Mr R. K.Chitotela, MP’s, point of order will require me to interpret provisions of the Public Procurement Act. In this regard, it is not admissible.

Thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

_______

MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

MR MTAYACHALO, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHAMA NORTH, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF DEFENCE, HON. LUFUMA

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, the matter of urgent public importance that I wish to raise is directed at the hon. Minister of Defence. First and foremost, the people –

Madam First Deputy Speaker:Order!

Hon. Member of Parliament for Chama North, do you have a device near you? May you please switch it off. There is some noise in the back ground. You may continue.

Mr Mtayachalo was inaudible.

MR EMMANUEL J. E. BANDA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR PETAUKE CENTRAL, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF DEFENCE, MR LUFUMA, FOR NOT ALLOWING PREGNANT GIRLS TO JOIN THE DEFENCE FORCE

Mr J. E. Banda (Petauke Central): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving the good people of Petauke this opportunity to raise a matter of urgent public importance.

Madam Speaker, the matter is directed at the hon. Minister of Defence. In Zambia, we believe that education is the key to success and because of that,a programme to encourage girl child education was initiated in schools. Even if a girl child falls pregnant, she will be encouraged to go back to school so that she can finish her education and utilise it because education is the key to success.

Madam Speaker, there is a job advert which says that those with children do not qualify to apply. This means we are not gender balanced. There are men who are twenty-one years old and have children. I had my first-born child when I was twenty-one years old.

Laughter

Mr J. E. Banda: I had my first-born child when I was twenty-one years old. If this opportunity came when I was twenty-five years old, it was going to be very unfair to disqualify me from becoming a soldier under the Zambia National Service (ZNS), the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and the Zambia Army. In addition, it is difficult to identify a man who has got children or not. This means we are not gender balanced. We will end up losing many children because those girls with children will end up killing their children so that they can have an opportunity to be employed inthe ZNS, the Zambia Army and ZAF. So, the good people of Petauke, the youths, those with children, are appealing to the hon. Minister to relook at this clause so that it can balance both genders and also promote girl child education.

MR E. BANDA, HON. MEMBER FOR MUCHINGA, ON MR M. PHIRI, HON. MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, ON LONG QUEUES FOR DEPOSITING FISP MONIES

Mr Emmanuel Banda (Muchinga):On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Emmanuel Banda: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving the good people of Muchinga an opportunity to raise this matter of urgent public importance. It is directed at the hon. Minister of Agriculture.

Madam Speaker, there are long queues in our rural districts as I am speaking today because our people are struggling to deposit their monies regarding the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). This comes even after the hon. Minister of Agriculture made an assurance to this House yesterday, that the system has been changed to a point where farmers can deposit money through the co-operative leaders. I spent the whole morning picking up calls from the constituency. People are complaining. If this system is not communicated through the District Agriculture Coordinating Officers (DACO), people will be there for the next one to three weeks trying to deposit their monies.

Madam, this matter is directed at the hon. Minister of Agriculture so that he can give guidance to these district officers in the agriculture sector to advise the farmers that they can use the system that he came to tell the House about yesterday that should be used to make deposits so as to simplify the system.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, what system did the hon. Minister mention yesterday?

Mr Emmanuel Banda: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that we are reverting to the old system where farmers can deposit the money through one member of the co-operative in the case of a co-operative instead of everyone going to the bank to go and make individual deposits.

MR E. TEMBO, HON. MEMBER FOR FEIRA, ON MR MWIIMBU, HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, ON VIOLENCE IN MWENSE

Mr E. Tembo (Feira): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, I raise the matter of urgent public importance on behalf of the people of Fiera and it is directed at the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security. This has to do with violence that has been reported in Mwense District, and I shall lay the evidence before this House, on the Table.

Madam Speaker, we just celebrated fifty-eight years of independence, political stability as well as peace. We are concerned that there are continued reports of political violence and in Mwense, one member of the Patriotic Front (PF) was badly injured on the head. We find it prudent to seek your guidance as to what the causes of this continued political violence are, and indeed, it seems violence is escalating.

MR MUTINTA, HON. MEMBER FOR ITEZHI-TEZHI, ON MR MWIIMBU, HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, ON SHOOTINGS TARGETING HEADMEN IN ITEZHI-TEZHI

Mr Mutinta (Itezhi-Tezhi): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Mutinta: Thank you so much, Madam Speaker, for giving an opportunity to the people of Itezhi-tezhi to raise a matter of urgent public importance directed at the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Madam Speaker, there are sporadic shootings going on in Itezhi-Tezhi targeting village headmen. Just yesterday, a village headman in Chief Shezongo’s area was shot by unknown people who are alleged to be using home-made guns. When Parliament just opened, the hon. Minister gave us an assurance that there is an amnesty going on for people to surrender their guns. However, we have continued experiencing shootings.

Madam Speaker, I want to mention that headmen are the custodians of our people and their safety should be assured just like that of the hon. Members of Parliament and any other leaders. I want to find out what measures are being put in place to see to it that these home-made guns are repossessed from the villagers. Furthermore, what other measures are being put in place to see to it that the safety of these headmen is assured and that they live in harmony?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We shall try the hon. Member for Chama North again.

MR MTAYACHALO, HON. MEMBER FOR CHAMA NORTH, ON MR LUFUMA, HON. MINISTER OF DEFENCE, ON LONG QUEUES OF YOUTHS CERTIFYING QUALIFICATIONS FOR DEFENCE FORCES RECRUITMENT

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: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me another opportunity. The matter of urgent public of importance I wish to raise is directed at the hon. Minister of Defence.

Madam, first and foremost, the people of Chama North and undoubtedly, the country at large, are excited with the proposed employment of workers in the defence forces. However, we have a huge challenge in Chama North Constituency in terms of applicants of these jobs. They are being asked to provide certified copies of their academic qualifications. Now, the challenge is that my constituency has a different terrain. People have to cover 400 km to go and access the nearest Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) centre to verify their qualifications and this is proving to be extremely difficult for the vulnerable people, especially that they do not have resources.

Madam Speaker, the people fear that many young people are going to be disadvantaged from accessing these jobs. There are long queues and people are spending days and nights to verify their Grade 12 certificates as evidenced from the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television 1900 hours news yesterday. The Government is doing this instead of demanding for certified copies from shortlisted successful candidates.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence on this matter before many vulnerable children in rural areas are disadvantaged.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will start with the issue that was raised by the hon. Member for Petauke Central who talked about the youths who are likely not to be admitted in the defence forces on account of them having children. Hon. Member, much as this issue is important, I cannot see anything that is threatening the lives of the people. It is, therefore, very important that you find other avenues of raising this matter so that the hon. Minister of Defence can attend to you.

The hon. Member for Muchinga raised a matter of urgent public importance, according to him, on the hon. Minister of Agriculture, where he mentioned that people were spending time on long queues struggling to make deposits. However, yesterday, there was guidance that was given by the hon. Minister of Agriculture that it is no longer necessary for each farmer to go and make a deposit. He said that one member could be allowed to go and make deposits on behalf of others.

Hon. Members, I therefore, do not think we need another ministerial statement because one was given yesterday, where this issue was adequately covered by the hon. Minister. So, it is now up to the hon. Members present here to assist the ministry to disseminate this information to the people in the constituencies, so that they are not left behind. Those who listened to yesterday’s debate got the information. Let us now work together with the Ministry of Agriculture to make sure that the information reaches our people as soon as possible.

The hon. Member for Feira raised a point of order on the violence that is erupting in MwenseConstituency. He wanted the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security to intervene so that the cause of that violence is known.

Hon. Members, we had a similar ministerial statement that was given in this House not long ago. That ministerial statement was delivered to this House after I had directed the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security to look at the issue of violence that is said to be going on in areas where there are by-elections. The hon. Minister assured the people that this time around, there will be no violence. So, a ministerial statement was already delivered to this House. However, if the hon. Member thinks there is more that can be done apart from reporting the matter to the police, he can find other avenues of coming up with a question to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, so that he can be guided specifically on the violence in Mwense, since a ministerial statement on the violence in areas where there are by-elections was already issued. According to our Standing Orders, we cannot repeat a matter within a session.

The hon. Member for Itezhi-Tezhi raised a matter of urgent public importance to inform the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security that in Itezhi-Tezhi, there have been shootings by unknown people using home-made guns. He further stated that the safety of his headmen was at risk and he wanted to know what measures the Government had put in place to repossess those home-made guns.

Hon. Member, you clearly indicated that these isolated shootings have been going on for a long time now. In fact, I do not know whether there was a ministerial statement that was given, but you said that there was a ministerial statement or an assurance that was made by the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security that they were going to repossess all the home-made guns in the area.

Hon. Members, I would urge the hon. Member for Itezhi-Tezhi to put an urgent question to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security so that all the questions that the hon. Member indicated – actually, it was not one issue. You talked about the safety of the headmen and what measures the Government is putting in place to repossess the guns. Therefore, this matter can come in another form probably, through an urgent question to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

The last matter was raised by the hon. Member of Chama North to the hon. Minister of Defence, where the hon. Member said that applicants were finding a challenge to certify their documents. He stated that he feared that many people would be left out because of the same challenge. He also stated that there were long queues where the applicants were certifying their documents.

Hon. Member, again, we cannot see anything that is threatening the lives of people here. This is a very important matter and I urge you to put in an urgent question, so that the hon. Minister can respond to your worries or issues that you have raised in this matter.

I thank you.

_______

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

INTERMITTENT ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN CHAMA DISTRICT

The Minister of Energy (Mr Kapala): Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you for according me this opportunity to present a ministerial statement on the intermittent electricity supply in Chama District, that is affecting the smooth operations of the hospital, water supply installations, and the daily execution of economic activities. This follows a concern that was raised by Hon. Mtayachalo, Member of Parliament for Chama North Constituency.

Madam Speaker, it should be noted that ZESCO Limited supplies power to Chama and three other districts, namely Lundazi, Lumezi and Chasefu in the Eastern Province via inter-border power imports from Electricity Supply Corporationof Malawi (ESCOM), the national power utility of Malawi. The districts are yet to be connected to the Zambian national grid occasionally, experience power supply outages.

Madam Speaker, the dependence of Chama District on the power imports from ESCOM in Malawi makes it unavoidable to be subjected to occasional power supply outages like the one which was just experienced recently. The Government is aware of this unfortunate situation in Chama District and has put in place measures to mitigate the adverse effects of these occasional power outages.

Madam Speaker, in order to mitigate the occasional power outages, ZESCO Limited has installed standby diesel generators in both Chama and Lundazi Districts which supply power to selected critical institutions when there is loss of supply from ESCOM in Malawi. Each generator has a rated capacity of 1MVA. The targeted critical institutions include the district hospitals, water utility companies, and the business communities in town centres. This measure has greatly helped in addressing the adverse effects stemming from intermittent power supply from ESCOM in Malawi.

Madam Speaker, as a long-term measure to improve power supply availability and reliability to the districts affected by intermittent supply of power from ESCOM in Malawi, the Zambia Government, through ZESCO Limited is undertaking the Chipata-Lundazi-Chama electrification project to connect the districts at the total cost of US$97 million. The project is at an advanced stage as a transmission line from Chipata through Lundazi to Chama is completed while the construction of substations to step down power for customer applications is underway.

Madam Speaker, the Chipata/Lundazi/Chama Transmission Project being undertaken by ZESCO Limited gives hope and relief to the people of Chama District as the power outages being experienced now will come to an end. It should be noted further that the New Dawn Government is keen on ensuring that Chama District is connected to the Zambia national grid as soon as possible for improved electricity supply.

Madam Speaker, let me give you additional information regarding the same project. There are four substations located in Lundazi, Chama, Mwasemphangwe and Egichikeni. These substations are currently under construction. The geo-technical works and topographical surveys for the substations are already complete. It is anticipated that the civil works for all the four sites for the substations will commence mid-November, 2022, which is next month. The project is going to be phased, starting with Mwasemphangwe, Egichikeni, Chama and then Lundazi. It is expected that some districts will be connected to the national grid during 2023 and we expect to complete the whole project by the end of 2024.

Madam Speaker, it costs ZESCO Limited about K500,000 per month on fuel to run each diesel generator in Chama and Lundazi. In addition, ZESCO Limited pays K600,000 per month to Electricity Supply Corporation of MalawiLimited(ESCOM) for supply of power to these four districts. At the moment, ZESCO Limited’s revenue collection from Lundazi is K400,000 per month and K120,000 per month for Chama. These amounts are much less than the cost of supplying power to these districts or maintaining the standby generators. Therefore, it is beneficial for ZESCO Limited and the Government that this project is implemented within the shortest period of time.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, you are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the ministerial statement given by the hon. Minister of Energy.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister of Energy for that ministerial statement. It is true that ZESCO Limited runs standby generators as a stop gap measure in an event that power from Malawi is erratic. I am aware, of course, that ZESCO Limited awarded Elsewedy Electric Zambia Limited to construct these substations in Chama, but it will take some time. The hon. Minister is talking about 2023 and 2024. 

Currently, Madam Speaker, the situation is very bad. Water has become a huge challenge because of electricity shortages and the mortuary is affected. So, I want to find out from the hon. Minister the short term measures the Government or ZESCO Limited is undertaking to ensure that the ZESCO Limited office has enough diesel stocks so that it is able to generate electricity when power from ESCOM is cut.

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, I have already indicated that ZESCO Limited spends K500,000 per month in terms of diesel. The diesel is utilised for the critical areas that I mentioned in my ministerial statement.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, we appreciate the challenge that the hon. Minister has shared with us that ZESCO Limited spends more than it is getting from clients in Chama and that it is paying the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) a tune of K600,000 per month.

Madam Speaker, is ZESCO Limited up to date with payments to ESCOM? If it is, is there a clause in that contract of supplying power which should deal with these disruptions which seem to be a continuous occurrence? If the contract is running and there are no lapses in terms of payments by ZESCO Limited, we then expect ESCOM to do its part by supplying power continuously without disruptions.

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, I have not had sight of the contract between ESCOM and ZESCO Limited. I should have these figures when I report back to Parliament, when I am given the opportunity again.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, I think the hon. Minister has not categorically answered the concerns of the people of Chama. Yes, I am aware that ZESCO Limited is spending K500,000 per month to procure diesel stocks. I think if you remember very well, we had an electricity crisis in this country and were importing electricity to make sure that the country’s economic activities were not affected. 

Madam Speaker, I want the hon. Minister to be specific and my question is whether ZESCO Limited will consider supplying enough diesel stocks to the district so that even when power from Malawi is interrupted, economic activities and the hospital are not affected. Yes, these generators are here, but bodies are getting rotten in the mortuary and there is no water. So, what is the immediate measure to ensure that enough diesel stocks are supplied to ZESCO Limited?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, I do not think I got the hon. Member for Chama North when he talked about how much time the generators are running to supply the critical areas. As far as I am concerned, I was told that the generator sets are currently supplying power to the hospitals and all the sensitive areas of Chama. So, I do not see why he should come and say that ZESCO Limited should increase the supply of diesel. This is just maybe a procurement procedure which I am sure ZESCO Limited should be able to deal with. So far, I do not have any information to suggest that ZESCO Limited is not supplying the diesel to run these generators.

I thank you, Madam Speaker. 

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, it is a fact that ZESCO Limited’s expenditure is more than the revenue being collected in Chama North. My concern is that if nothing is done urgently, ZESCO Limited will continue spending more and even the amount that the hon. Minister has mentioned of more than US$90 million to connect Chama, Lumezi and Lundazi to the national grid will be surpassed. I know that the three are rural constituencies and we have the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). Is there no room for ZESCO Limited and REA to team up so that they can expeditiously complete this connection of Chama North, Lumezi and Lundazi to the national grid?

 

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, I did mention that preliminary works have already started on the substations. So, this is already an ongoing project which we feel that as long as it is phased out, other districts might be connected earlier than 2024. ZESCO Limited and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) run different projects. Therefore, I do not think it would be prudent for REA to invest its resources in a project that is resourced and running.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

USE OF ICTS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

78. Mr. Chanda (Kanchibiya) asked the Minister of Agriculture:

1. what measures the Government is taking to promote the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the agricultural sector; and
2. how the use of ICTs will benefit the sector.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Mtolo): Madam Speaker, I am happy to inform the hon. Member that the Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is taking advantage of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and I will give examples how it is doing that.

Madam Speaker, the provision of Electronic Extension (e-extension) has been established in the Ministry with the European Union (EU) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). This ICT platform enables extension officers to interact with farmers on a virtual platform. The platform allows farmers to access timely agriculture information relating to crop production, pests and disease management, post-harvest management, marketing and climate change issues.

Madam Speaker, another example is the Zambia Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (ZIAMIS). With the support from SMART Zambia Institute, the ministry has established a platform called ZIAMIS. This platform which has assisted the ministry to establish an online farmer register data base with enhanced biometric security features. Currently, we have over 3 million small scale farmers registered. Furthermore, the ministry, in partnership with financial institutions has digital platforms where farmers can deposit their farmer contributions towards the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) using their mobile money accounts.

Madam Speaker, an example is that the ministry with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP) has introduced a marketing platform called Maano to empower farmers and enable them to have access to marketing services through ICT.

Madam Speaker, the ministry with the support of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has established the Zambia Electronic Single Window where traders can apply for import and export permits online. This has improved efficiency on service delivery.

Madam Speaker, the last part of the question is how the use of ICT will benefit the sector and, in my answer, I can only repeat myself that it has increased efficiency tremendously in terms of delivery of services.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the response. Let me commend the ministry on the establishment of the Zambia Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (ZIAMIS) and other interventions like Maano which I have followed closely. My question, and in agreeing with the statement, is that ICT does provide vital information pertaining to the sowing of seeds, crop rotation, improving soil fertility, market prices, weather forecast, seed varieties etcetera, etcetera available to our farmers. I will ask in the context of a rural farmer in Kanchibiya. The challenge that is there is the lack of connectivity in most rural areas, such as Kanchibiya. I speak about the entire chiefdom of Kabinga, areas such as Kabulamwiko and Chikakala. The lack of connectivity impacts negatively on the access of farmers to ICT when they are supposed to be benefiting from this particular tool which comes in handy if we are to grow the sector. What measures is the Government and the ministry taking in ensuring that hurdles such as the lack of connectivity is urgently addressed and attended to so as to allow majority of our rural based farmers with no connectivity to access and benefit from these platforms?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, in agreeing with the hon. Member, I think, I can also give an example of the difficulties which were faced in the past with the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) system. In certain areas, we had difficulties of connectivity, resulting in people having difficulties swiping their debit cards. So, I agree with the hon. Member.

However, I am happy, Madam Speaker, even if it is not within my portfolio, probably, I would be delving in another discipline. Yes, the impediment is seriously being looked at by the hon. Minister of Technology and Science. We, recently, were all treated to very good news when the President of the Republic went to the United States of America (USA) and came back and told us that he had very fruitful discussions with one of worldwide known service providers that we could soon benefit from satellite connectivity, which I think would enhance what the hon. Member is talking about for the benefit of the entire rural and urban population. I see Hon. Mutati evidently nodding his head saying that I am saying the right things outside my domain.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, that is as far as I can go.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo(Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, my question is a rider on the follow-up question which came from the hon. Member for Kanchibiya. Indeed, this is the time we who represent rural farmers, just like the hon. Minister, want to get information very clearly. The hon. Minister has requested that our farmers who are on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) should be captured. I am sure this is for the ministry to have data that relates to these farmers. What specific platform, out of all those platforms that the hon. Minister has shared with us, is the ministry using? Is this platform available in our district so that my village farmers from Kabanda, Chambeshi, Ilondola and other areas can be served by extension officers working with the District Agricultural Coordinators (DACOs) so that they do not have to traverse between their villages and the district to just get their pictures captured. What platform is being used and is this available in our district?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I am grateful to the hon. Member for that question. The capturing of biometrics was done by Smart Zambia Institute. The institute actually went out and captured this information in the rural areas. So, we did not ask that our farmers give us that information. We went to collect the information in all districts using the team at Smart Zambia Institute.

Madam Speaker, I am very happy that if you look at our Budget, which we are discussing, you will see that there is a clear amount of money, if I am not mistaken, there is about K600 million which has been set aside. Part of the use of that money is to procure digital kits for our extension officers just like we are going to procure motor bikes for them. So, there is a digital kit coming. Basically, it is going to be a computer and other accessories which will enable them to be live in real time wherever they are in the country. So, it is being looked at in terms of providing the same to the extension officers instead of looking more at the farmers.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member raises a very important point. That is a point of allowing our farmers to have, to the barest minimum, a cell phone, because then, we are able to pay them directly into their cell phone instead of them traveling long distances to the banks to go and get payments. Through this platform, we are now able to pay farmers directly into their mobile money accounts.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, let me thank the hon. Minister for the assurances. I am looking forward to solutions coming from Hon. Mutati.

Madam Speaker, do we see the Zambia Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (ZIAMIS) adding geo data on registered farms such as zero maps, information, their location, etcetera, for that sort of accuracy, as a scale up?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the answer is yes. We are able to do that. In fact, right now, even on the hon. Member’s iPad, he is able to zoom inonKanchibiya and see the farms, roads and many other satellite benefit information. We are able to do that. In other words, we can sit in our offices and, indeed, communicate with the farm structure of the entire country. Thanks to the Ministry of Technology and Scienceand Smart Zambia, we are able to do that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mutinta (Itezhi-Tezhi): Madam Speaker, thank you very much forgiving an opportunity to the people of Itezhi-Tezhi to seek further clarification.

I am sure the hon. Minister is aware that Information Communication Technology (ICT) usein agriculture also borders on the functionality of the National Agriculture Information Service (NAIS). I want to learn from the hon. Minister whether NAIS is also doing enough in sensitising communities on agriculture. What does the hon. Minister think NAIS can contribute to this conversation? If it isnot doing enough, what can be done to make it more functional because part of digitalisation is information dissemination?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, let me start with the positive part of the question. It was clear from the way the question came thatwe could have positive suggestions from the hon. Member so that we could improve the performance of the National Agriculture Information Service (NAIS). So, where he thinks that we can do better, he should feel free to come to the office, because NAIS falls under my portfolio. I would be very happy to get any suggestions from him.

Madam Speaker, this is information which is useful for the whole House. If there is a ministry which is privileged in terms of communication, it is the Ministry of Agriculture because we have a fully-fledged information department, NAIS. It is so strong that we can actually offer this service to any hon. Member who would like to use it and, indeed, other ministries. With NAIS, we have our own internal press releases and press conferences. We do that at the ministry.

 

Madam, NAIS also has programmes on radio, which are of great value and benefit to the farming community. If there is a ministry which has continuously talked to farmers, it is the Ministry of Agriculture.Way back from the days of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), there have always been these agricultural programmes and that, I think, is a benefit for the country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We will get the last two questions from the hon. Member for Mkushi North and the hon. Member for Lubansenshi, in that order.

Mr C. Chibuye (Mkushi North): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated clearly that Information Communication Technology (ICT) has helped the ministry to have a database. The ministry has information and data on fingertips. Why does the ministry now seem to be having difficulties or challenges identifying which farmers are supposed to continue benefiting from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and thosewho are not supposed to continue?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I do not know whether that question is part of the question on the Floor.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, actually, we have had no problem whatsoever, identifying who should get and who should not. It is those we have taken out who are creating this perception. The hon. Member should not listen to them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving this great opportunity to the good people of Lubansenshi Constituency.

Madam Speaker, I followed the hon. Minister very well as he responded to questions in this honourable House. Which partners is the Government collaborating with in the private sector to ensure that farmers get accurate information regarding the agriculture sector, especially in rural areas? In addition to that, if an opportunity has not been accorded to the private sector, how willing is the Government to ensure that come 2023, it will be able to disseminate information which is going to help farmers?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, be reminded that you are given an opportunity to raise only one question.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, we work with a number of co-operating partners. Local co-operating partners include the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), which is a useful element, the Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ) and the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ). These entities are relevant to our activities. Outside Zambia, we work with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the European Union (EU), and other numerous organisations. However, what is most important is that weare open to working with some cooperating partners I could not have mentioned here.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MEASURES TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN THE LIUWA NATIONAL

79. Mr Kamondo(Mufumbwe) (on behalf ofMr Amutike (Mongu Central)) asked the Minister of Tourism:

1. what measures the Government is taking to promote tourism in the Liuwa National Park in Kalabo District; and
2. what measures are being taken to promote tiger fishing as a sport in the following districts:

1. Mongu; and
2. Senanga.

The Minister of Tourism (Mr Sikumba): Madam Speaker, the Government is taking the following measures to promote tourism in Liuwa National Park in Kalabo District:

1. the Government, in collaboration with the African Parks Network (APN), has restocked the once depleted Liuwa National Park to an extent that it is now home to the second largest wildebeest migration from the first one in the Serengeti;
2. the Government will construct all trunk roads leading to the park and rehabilitate the Kalabo Airstrip and other airstrips in the area to allow connectivity to other national parks and tourism sites such as the Kafue National Park (KNP), SiomaNgwezi National Park (SNNP), Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (MTNP) and the Victoria Falls. This will greatly improve connectivity in the Southern Tourism Circuit (STC);
3. the Government has, through the World Bank, secured funds to a build a bridge across the Luanginga River in the Liuwa National Park to address the current accessibility challenges in the area;

Madam Speaker, the Government is working on the following measures to promote tiger fishing in Mongu District and Senanga District:

1. sensitising the community on the benefits of tiger fishing as a sport in that area;
2. sensitising the community on sustainable fishing methods and the importance of adhering to the fishing ban;
3. promoting catch and release systems; and
4. restocking of fish in the two areas.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, one of the measures the Government is taking is constructing roads as well as the airstrip. When are these roads and the airstrip going to be constructed?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, had the hon. Member followed our discussion properly, he would recall that I indicated that a team of hon. Ministers had been to that particular area to assess the severity of the accessibility challenges that are being faced. In the 2022 Budget, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane assured this House that over US$100 million was secured by the World Bank. A feasibility study is being worked on at the moment, and as soon we have finalised the discussions with the World Bank, works will commence.

Madam Speaker, the Government wants to have more infrastructure development in those particular areas that will invariably invite investment. So, the hon. Member will be happy to note that within the next twelve months or less, he should be able to see construction going on in those particular areas.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chaatila(Moomba): Madam Speaker, in his question, the hon. Member for Mufumbwe asked when roads and airstrip are going to be constructed. Is the hon. Minister’s response to his question inclusive of the LuangingaBridge?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, yes, the Luanginga Bridge is inclusive of that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mutinta (Itezhi-Tezhi): Madam Speaker, one of the things the hon. Minister has talked about is how we are promoting this sport is by creating awareness, which is local tourism. When it comes to this sport in question, I feel it can also attract an international presence if it is well marketed.

Madam, in terms of marketing these sports, the Zambia National Tourism Board (ZNTB) markets certain areas while others are not marketed, including key areas like Itezhi-Tezhi. Is the hon. Minister able to highlight, in this year’s Budget, where we have got a fund allocated to the marketing of some of these areas like the Liuwa National Park and others will now be included so that they attract international tourists?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, just to correct the hon. Member, it is the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) which is a statutory body under my ministry. Indeed, in the 2023 Budget, it is clear and categorical that the Ministry of Tourism will be focusing on marketing Zambia as a preferred tourism destination and also focusing on infrastructure development. The US$1.167 million budget allocated to the ministry is something that we are going to work with.

Madam Speaker, in terms of marketing the sport of fishing, my hon. Colleague, the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock and I have been having discussions regarding how we are going to encourage fishing during the festive season. You do realise that our colleagues institute the fish ban during the festive season. We are also in discussions to see how best we could differentiate between local water bodies and international water bodies, that will allow us to implement catch and release as well as see where we can institute the fish ban.

Madam Speaker, to answer the hon. Member’s question, we have a Budget which will cater to market the entire Zambia, Itezhi-Tezhi inclusive. We are willing to get ideas from the hon. Member, who is the owner of the constituency, on how best we could support him in terms of marketing what is happening in Itezhi-Tezhi, other than the stories that we hear about killing our lions with spears and a few other man-made guns.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, the people of Liuwa are excited. On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia and on my own behalf, as chairperson of the Committee on Government Assurances, should we take it that what he has just promised the people of Liuwa is a Government assurance?

Laughter

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I think it would be suicidal if I said no. Yes, it is a Government assurance that whatever I have pronounced on this Floor of the House is what the Government will do.

Madam Speaker, I am also happy that the person who is the custodian of Liuwa is sitting in this House. He is the money man and I am sure he agrees with everything I said. I saw him nodding. We are serious about ensuring that these things happen.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Katambo(Masaiti): Madam Speaker, in promoting tourism, the hon. Minister is also attracting angling and tiger fishing. Anglers need to plan when they need to go tiger fishing and there are seasons when it is best to catch the tiger fish. What is the best period for anglers to plan to go tiger fishing?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I am happy that the hon. Member of Parliament is an ardent follower of angling. The areas which have been highlighted have got very good tiger fish, and especially Senanga in particular. I was going to use the Lozi name for tiger fish, but I will leave it for now. In any case, the best period for angling is around the period after July when it starts to warm up. That is when you realise that the fish do not go down to find warmth; they will start coming up.

Madam Speaker, but again, tiger fishing is not that easy. I would like to encourage some of us here to get our gear to start fishing. When it comes to angling itself, it is a very interesting sport. Many people come from far and wide to take part in that particular sport in Senanga.

Madam Speaker, so, to answer the hon. Member’s question, we would highly encourage them to start coming in from April, so that they see the Victoria Falls when the curtain is very full, and then they start gravitating to the Western Province to do their fishing in July and August, and then they wait for the wildebeest migration, which is about to start in the next few days.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, I have heard the responses by the hon. Minister. The efforts applied by the African Parks are quite significant in that area and we really appreciate the efforts. However, Madam Speaker, I want to find out why there is low participation of our local entrepreneurs, especially those who in the hospitality industry. Why are they not turning up to participate in the dealings in Liuwa?

MrSikumba: Madam Speaker, indeed, for a very long time, the uptake for local entrepreneurs, if I could call it that, is nothing to write home about in most of these protected areas. However, if we look at the 2023 Budget, we see that it is purely looking at you, local entrepreneurs, to invest in areas such as Liuwa, Kafue National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park, South Luangwa National Park and Livingstone, my constituency. This time around, in the 2023 Budget, we have an opportunity which will allow us, as local entrepreneurs, to partner with those experienced investors to invest in Liuwa. Further, it has also allowed local entrepreneurs to import capital goods which are not locally produced in Zambia so that we can set up businesses. It could be tented chalets. Of course, we do realise that within the protected areas such as the national parks, we will not allow investors to build brick and mortar structures. They have to be semi-permanent structures which obviously will be able to fit in with the flora and fauna that you are working in, but the ministry will handhold you should you require to invest in the protected areas and we will gladly show you a few sites that we have earmarked.

Madam Speaker, during the Western Province Tourism, Trade and Investment Exposition, we launched what we call a ‘Tourism Guide to Investment’ in the presence of His Excellency the President Mr Hakainde Hichilema. That in itself speaks to our aspirations to allow you, local entrepreneurs, to invest in a number of these areas that we have within our protected areas, including national parks.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Duty Speaker: We will take the last two questions from hon. Members for Namwala and Luena.

Mr Mapani (Namwala): Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. May I kindly know from the hon. Minister how much the Government is expected, with other promoters, to spend to bring Liuwa to the desired standard.

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I am not quite sure if I got that question correctly. However, if indeed, what I heard is what the hon. Member asking is how much money should be invested to get to the level where it is at, let me give perspective. Eighteen years ago, Liuwa National Park was deserted. Eighteen years ago was when a tripartite agreement between the Government of the Republic of Zambia, African Parks Network and the Barotse Royal Establishment signed an agreement. I will not name the first board chairperson of that arrangement, but the person is in this House.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikumba: Now, eighteen years later, Liuwa has been revived.

Madam Speaker, we have commitment form African Parks in a total investment, on a yearly basis, of about US$4 million that goes into the landscape to regenerate it based on restocking as well as making sure that there is law enforcement. So, if there is any opportunity or such a national park that we are going to use as a benchmark with regards to collaborating management partnership, it is Liuwa. That, in itself, gave us the impetus, Madam Speaker, to replicate what we did in Liuwa in the Kafue National Park. We have, again, partnered with African Parks to help Kafue National Park for the next twenty years. We want to see the Kafue National Park, being one of our beigest national parks covering 22,000 km², to be the pride of national parks in Africa.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Madam Speaker, the people of Luena are excited, given that they share the border with Liuwa and they would even be happier if they heard that the Zambia Tourism Agency is alongside promoting and marketing the wildlife that is available in Liuwa are also going to incorporate the marketing of local tourist sites given the immense history that lies along the Zambezi River. This includes several burial sites, which if included in an integrated marketing strategy by the Zambia Tourist Board, would increase even local tourism as well. Is the Zambia Tourism Agency looking at incorporating and integrating local tourism sites as part of marketing Liuwa, other places in Luena and probably the entire Western Province Tourist Circuit?

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Luena for that timely question. The question is very timely in the sense that he is requesting my ministry to market Liuwa and the surrounding areas. This has come at a time when we have just come out of the Western Province Tourism, Trade and Investment Exposition. The hon. Minister for the Western Province is here and was very instrumental and I thank him sincerely for having delivered a successful expo. However, there many activities that my ministry is already engaged in for promoting the Western Circuit, as it were. We were talking about the Sioma/Ngwezi and the Ngonye into Liuwa. Outside the national heritage sites, which were talking about, we have the legendry Kuomboka Ceremony which I think is one of the biggest ceremonies that we market as an agency through my ministry.

 

Madam, the hon. Member talked about the burial sites. I was hoping that he was even going to name them. We have the Makono Burial Site which our partners such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)are making sure we preserve because currently it is under threat because the Zambezi River is almost eating up the riverbank. That is something that we want; to make sure that we safeguard the Makono Burial Site.

Madam Speaker, we also have a community museum within Limulunga, kwamuleneñi.It is there and we are marketing it as a ministry and as a tourism agency. We are very excited that we want to create a southern circuit that will speak to the Northern Circuit, and market the source of the Zambezi River in Ikeleng’i and then go down to the Northern Circuit where we have seen very good sites. However, for some reason, I am not quite sure why the Northern Circuit has not been worked on for a very long time. I choose to not get into that detail, Madam Speaker, as we may raise a few eyebrows as to why the Northern Circuit has not been developed. Nevertheless, I assure the hon. Member for Luena that we will work hand in hand with you to see how best we could market the Western Province Circuit. We are on hand to receive proposals from you to see how best we can work together.

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

BILLS

SECOND READING

THE ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING (Amendment) BILL, 2022

The Minister of Defence (Mr Lufuma)on behalf of(the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu)): Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank you for giving me this chance to present the second reading stage of the Anti-Human Trafficking Amendment Bill.

Madam Speaker, the primary legislation that addresses human trafficking in Zambia is the Anti-Human Trafficking Act No. 11 of 2008. It is an Act to, among other things, provide for the prohibition, prevention and prosecution of human trafficking. It also provides for the filing of and dealing with matters related to human trafficking. It also establishes the committee on human trafficking and provides for its powers and functions. It establishes the centres for victims of human trafficking. Establishes the human trafficking fund and to domestic the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in person’s especially women and children supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime.

Madam Speaker, the Act defines and criminalises human trafficking and prescribes penalties ranging from twenty years to life imprisonment. The Act also further criminalises smuggling in persons and ascribes punishment to both the smuggler and the smuggled person. A human trafficking fund is established by the Act to provide material support for victims of trafficking.

Madam Speaker, every year, millions of men and women and children are trafficked worldwide. Zambia is a source country from which victims are recruited as well as a transit country through which traffickers transport their victims in route to their destinations in the region or other parts of the World. Exploitation of victimsincluding for labour, sexual and domestic servitude also takes place within our boarders mostly among farming, fishing, construction and mining communities, and affecting the most vulnerable members of these communities especially woman and children. Traffickers also use illegal adoptions to traffic minors and children into and outside Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the current legislation is inadequate in dealing with many issues related to human trafficking and prevention. Amending it will strengthen enforcement mechanisms administration and bring it in line with internal best practices besides making it comprehensive in dealing with new and emerging issues. The amendment has also been necessitated by the policy review which resulted in the requirement to establish the anti-human trafficking department, reconstitute the committee on human trafficking and certify victims of human trafficking.

Madam Speaker, the object of this Bill is to Amend the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2008 so as to:

1. establish the Anti-human Trafficking Department and provide for its functions;
2. reconstitute the Committee on Human Trafficking;
3. provide for the certification of victims of trafficking; and
4. provide for matters connected with, or incidental to the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, the Anti-Human Traffic Amendment Bill of 2022 proposes the introduction of the following provisions among others:

1. defining of child trafficking to provide for specific offences against child trafficking given that the Anti-Human Trafficking No. 11 of 2008 does not define child trafficking. It is recommended that the Act be amended by inserting the definition of child trafficking;
2. establishment of an anti-human trafficking department to provide for a dedicated institution to deal with human trafficking. The absence of a dedicated institution mandated to solely deal with human trafficking matters has also been cited as one of the major gaps because agencies that are currently dealing with human trafficking have competing primary mandates thereby creating co-ordination, protection, provision, partnership and prosecution challenges relating to addressing human trafficking issues. The department will be performing both law enforcement and co-ordinating functions. Therefore, other law enforcement agencies will also have an opportunity to respond to human trafficking in liaison with the department;
3. provide for an express provision of non-criminalisation of victims of trafficking from prosecution for offences resulting from there trafficking situation to enhance the protection of victims and encourage the victims to cooperate with authorities. The lack of mechanisms for certifying victims of trafficking has affected the full protection of the rights of the victims of human trafficking;
4. reconstitute the composition of the national committee on human trafficking to include key stakeholders and strengthen the partnership pillars. Zambia has in place a committee on human trafficking. However, due to the creation of new agencies such as the National Prosecution Authority, it has become necessary to reconstitute;
5. introduction of authorised officers to expand the scope of officers mandated to address human trafficking to ensure increased identification of cases of human trafficking. Under the current law, no other institution apart from the police has powers to arrest. The best practise world over is to have a dedicated trafficking in persons agency while maintaining a multi-sectoral approach to addressing human trafficking and migrants smuggling. The national secretariat on human trafficking under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security is currently co-ordinating all stakeholders and non-state agencies in responding to human trafficking.

Madam Speaker, human trafficking is one of the most serious organised crimes only second to drug trafficking.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Can we have order on my left!

Mr Lufuma: The Bill will enhance the prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership towards combating human trafficking, consequently protecting the rights of victims and society in addition to protecting the economy and promoting national security.

Further, it will provide an opportunity forfinancial and technical support from co-operating partners towards the fight against human trafficking.

Madam Speaker, I urge all hon. Members of this august House to support the Bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Brig-Gen. Sitwala(Kaoma Central): Madam Speaker, your Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs was tasked to scrutinise the Anti-Human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, No. 16 of 2022. In order to appreciate the ramifications of the Bill, the Committee sought both written and oral submissions from stakeholders.

Madam Speaker, as the House is aware, the Anti-human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, No. 16 of 2022, seeks to amend the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, No. 11 of 2008in order to strengthen the legal framework that prohibits the trafficking of children and to establish the anti-human trafficking department, among other things.

Madam Speaker, your Committee sees the Anti-Human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, No. 16 of 2022 as part of the continued efforts to strengthen the legal framework that prohibits human trafficking, including the trafficking of children.This Bill cannot come at a better time than now when we recently experienced such an incident just here in Chalala.

Madam Speaker, your Committee observed with great concern that the reconstituted list of authorised officers to deal with human trafficking issues under Clause 2 (2) does not include key stakeholders such as an officer from the Department of Community Development, Social Welfare and Immigration. This is likely to affect effective co-ordination amongst key stakeholders dealing with human trafficking. In this regard, your Committee recommends that the list of authorised officers should include child development officer, child welfare inspector, probation officer and, indeed, officers from the Immigration Department.

Madam Speaker, your Committee is concerned that the amendment of the principal Act has linked aspects of the use of force, fraud and coercion as what may be termed or defined as child trafficking, yet child trafficking does not occur only where force, fraud and coercion has been applied. Therefore, this is likely to let some forms of child trafficking occur unnoticed, and it is also likely to cause confusion in the application of the law among the law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges. In this regard, your Committee urges the Executive to explicitly state that child trafficking may also occur even in the absence of the use of force, fraud or coercion.

Madam Speaker, your Committee notes with great concern that the Bill in Clause 3 provides for the revocation of a licence or deregistration of the employer or principal upon the finding by the court that a person had intentionally engaged in trafficking in persons. Your Committee further notes that the grounds for deregistration of a company under the Companies Act No. 10 of 2017 does not include this premise. In this regard, your Committee recommends that de-registration of an employer or a principal should be done in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act.

Madam Speaker, your Committee is greatly concerned that there is an aspect of certification of victims in the Bill. Your Committee is also concerned about who will be responsible for the certification of these victims since the Bill does not expressly state who will be performing the certification function. Your Committee is of the view that certification should not be included in the law for the following reasons:

1. the issue of limited capacity to conduct certification may delay cases and negatively impact the victim’s protection and return;
2. stigmatisation and labelling of the victims which may lead to trauma arising from the outcome of the certification; and
3. undue pressure exerted on the victims to meet the certification criteria.

Madam Speaker, should the Executive maintain the certification of victims, there will be a need for clarity on who will be certifying individuals as victims since the Bill does not clearly state who will be responsible for the certification of victims.

Madam Speaker, your Committee notes, with great concern, that under Clause 9(2) of the Bill, the penalty for the offence cited in Clause 9(1) is not stated. Your Committee notes that the absence of a penalty under the section will create uncertainly in the law once enacted. In this regard, therefore, your Committee recommends that Clause 9(2) should expressly provide the penalty for the offence cited to ensure certainly in the law.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, allow me to render my sincere gratitude to you, the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly and the staff for the guidance and support services rendered to your Committee throughout its deliberations.

I also wish to place on record the appreciation of your Committee to all the stakeholders who made their submissions to your Committee with due regard to Madam Speaker.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kafwaya(Lunte): Madam Speaker, I thank you very much, for according me this opportunity to support the Bill as presented by the Acting hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Madam Speaker, any law that is brought to this House, which is aimed at protecting Zambians is more than welcome. That is the thought of the people of Lunte. As you can see, there are two hon. Members of Parliament from Lunte today. We support progressive laws.

Madam Speaker, this law will protect our people. Human trafficking is a serious crime. We need to strengthen this law, and this is why I urge the hon. Minister to heed the advice of the Committee. By the way, I would like to appreciate your Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs for coming up with a very clear report speaking to some of these clauses.

Madam Speaker, before this Bill is enacted into law, the hon. Minister should heed the counsel of your Committee because, obviously, such a serious offence of human trafficking cannot have penalties such as fines. Somebody captures people and holds them in Chalala for six months and then you find them, and they walk. It cannot make sense.

Madam Speaker, we need a clear law, however, which does not offer discretion to anyone to even commute offences. We know that at Presidential level, we even have what is known as the prerogative of mercy. However, that comes after a criminal has been sentenced. You do not want the President to start commuting offences. You do not want human trafficking to be commuted to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This can happen when the law is unclear.

Madam Speaker, I am, therefore, urging the hon. Minister to ensure that these clauses, which are unclear according to the wisdom of the Committee, are amended on the Floor of the House before we go ahead and have the Bill read the third time for His Excellency the President to append his signature.

Madam Speaker, these issues sound as though they are jokes if you have not been affected, but you see, they involve children, mothers and sisters being forced to work and criminals benefiting from their labour. Whether this is the bottom line, in terms of profits or even sexual gratification coming out of forced indulgence, it should not happen in our country. For us to ensure it does not happen, we must have good laws. Such laws are good. They must be looked at and have the clarity they deserve. They should be supported by every well-meaning Zambian. This is why we, from Lunte, do not find any problem in supporting such a law except to urge the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government or the hon. Minister to make sure that he does not pass this Bill to the Third Reading as it is. He must make sure he listens to your Committee and fine tunes it so that it can speak to the realities of our time and aid the police to do the right job.Look, today in Ndola, they have a seventy-five-year old woman who has been in custody for close to a week without a charge. Today, they also have a political opponent in custody in Lusangazi without a charge. Why? It is because some of these laws are either misinterpreted or are not so clear. For me, clarity is important. Do not let the President tell us that we cannot keep a person in custody for more than twenty-four hours without a charge yet, a seventy-five-year old woman has been in custody for close to a week without a charge.

Interruptions

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, I am just being advised that I should concentrate on the Bill.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister should ensure that this Bill is cleaned up. The United Party for National Development (UPND) Government should have a chance to clean up this Bill before President Hakainde Hichilema signs it. If they clean it up, it will benefit all of us. Our sisters, mothers, and friends will not have to suffer the way those girls suffered in Chalala, and only to hear that the offence has now been commuted to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). We do not have to hear that. We want to see what is written in the law. What must be written in the law must be the best for our people. You see, forcing people to work for you and have sex with you for your benefit is too criminal for us to be casual when it comes to the laws that we have to put in place. So, clearly, I have to end by saying once again, that I will be disappointed if the text written in this Bill will go through as is, without the hon. Minister considering what a good Committee has recommended.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to add the voice of the people of Keembe Constituency and indeed, my own voice on the Anti-Human Trafficking Bill.

Madam Speaker, I want to agree with some of the comments that the other hon. Colleague has just alluded to, that this Bill is long overdue. I think as a country, especially as a mother, grandmother, wife and indeed, as a law maker in this country, I take note of this Bill serious. 

Madam Speaker, your Committee has done a recommendable job. Indeed, we want to see that the recommendations that have come from the mover are actually put into considerations before this Bill is actually brought into law. The other thing that I want to add in the few minutes that I have is to interrogate how this law collaborates with other laws within our region. This is because the human trafficking cases that happen come from one country to another, and Zambia being central in its geographical positing, does not only suffer the challenges of being used as an exit point, as the hon. Acting Minister has alluded to, but also, as a ground for the actual vices, as we have already heard.

Madam Speaker, I do not want to mention the Chalala case because it is like opening wounds of which any mother or woman would not want to go through that. So, critically, the issue that I want to raise to the hon. Minister is that the Committee is trying to ensure that this is not a stand-alone Bill and that it collaborates or enhances other Bills within the region. If those Bills were not there, how would we, as Zambians, become the trailblazers to ensure that there are Bills or laws that can help us, not only in the Southern region, but the African continent, at large?

Madam Speaker, the other point I just wanted to add on is the issue of lack of clarity in terms of the penalties. I think it was Section 9, part I and II of the Bill. It has been a challenge in Zambia to talk about penalties. We do not want to only cite penalties in this Bill but in many other Bills that have been bought to this House as well. So, it leaves us very vulnerable as a country. It makes us law makers make laws that have no teeth. Many offenders who commit these heinous crimes just walk away. Sometimes, it is just a slap on the wrist. As a country, as we have been awakened by many things that have just happened even under the radar, we really need to be seen to be a country that does not only form laws but also, ensuresthat there are stiff penalties that will deter people from performing crimes.

Madam Speaker, you are aware that social media has become a space where we all take our issues of our realities in real life time. There was a case in our sister country that I will not mention, I think two days ago, where the fuel tanker had people packed in a tanker itself and they were being crossed over into Zambia. That is human trafficking at its best. The ones who were filming where hopeless and I do not think those people brought to book. From what we watched in the short clip is that the driver of the tanker ran away.

Madam Speaker, of course, that tanker or that truck has a number plate and I am sure it is registered under a certain company but, again, it is this issue of not having proper punishment for people who perpetrate such crimes. I think the report also needs to speak to the fact that there is no clarity in terms of how one can deregister a company or individual who are involved in such crimes. If they are working, what are the punishments that are there? I think, we are in a world where, unfortunately, human trafficking has become a business. It is unfortunate and unacceptable that human trafficking is happening.

Madam Speaker, I think, another thing that I did not hear on this Bill is the issue of data collection. Maybe, I missed it. I do not know. I will be remised. However, we need to have a mechanism to actually create data or there is a data base, not only for our country Zambia, but indeed, for the region, so that it can be shared, more like the International Crime Police (Interpol), for example. It is like there is so much emphasis on cars which have no life and yet, on human life, we tend not to have stiff laws or mechanisms that will ensure that those who are found wanting are not just penalised, or they are not only known in Zambia, but are monitored to ensure that there is a system that is well-coordinated at regional level and hopefully, even at global level, if we are going to fight the human trafficking that has actually, affected all of us. 

Madam Speaker, as I support this Bill, I also want to say that, it is important to acknowledge the strides that this New Dawn Government is making through His Excellency, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, Her Honour the Vice-President, and indeed, the entire Cabinet because these are Bills that should have come years ago. Here we are, in 2022, we still have this Bill being bought to the House. So, I think in as such as we give positive criticism, we have to acknowledge that the New Dawn Government is taking some of these things seriously which we could have been taken seriously five, ten, fifteen five years ago. Again, sometimes, certain events necessitate the issues to be actually accelerated.

Madam Speaker, it is with these few words and remarks that I really feel the pain for us women and our children out there. I feel pain as a law maker. As hon. Members of Parliament in this House, we do have a responsibility to make sure that for such a time as this, when our children and grandchildren will ask us to tell them what we did, we will be able to show them that we did put a law in place and that law was implemented. The paralyses that we tend to suffer as a country is laws that are put in place, but forever shelved and never implemented. The time has come. This New Dawn Government will stand a test of time after having implemented and actualised the laws so that can see the domestication of these laws.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for giving me a chance to make a few comments on this Bill, which has come for second reading. I must start by appreciating the hon. Minister’s reasoning and rationale behind the amendment of the old Act of 2018, which has been in place. I am sure this also speaks to the current trends of human trafficking issues.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairperson of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs for highlighting critical issues that should have been included in the Bill.

Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Minister when he says human trafficking is, indeed, a transnational organised crime. The chairperson of your Committee was also correct to say that we need to look inside because Zambia has only been known to be a transit centre. It is a transit route for human trafficking cases coming from the northern part of Africa. Now, with what is emerging, we could be a major source of human trafficking. Our children and other citizens could be trafficked.

Madam Speaker, like my hon. Colleagues have said, we cannot ignore some of the events that have taken place recently. When you see people motivated by greed to abduct more than ten of their follow citizens, confine them in one location and demand ransom, there is nothing that will stop them to offer those human beings for sale. So, there is a nexus between human trafficking and abduction and those cases must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

Madam, for that reason, I agree with your Committee’s recommendations and it is surprising that I could see the omission where the hon. Minister left out critical officers in what is being called the collaboration between law enforcement agencies. The Zambia Department of Immigration is key in these matters because most of the humans who are being trafficked are crossing borders. The example that the hon. Deputy Whip gave is not the only one. In fact, the one she talked about had people who survived. You can imagine the desperation of these greedy individuals. They open the tankers which carry fuel products to make people think that air should be going into the tank but they put human beings there. Those who survived were even lucky. In the previous case, more than twenty people were found suffocated to death because of the nature of the tank.

Madam Speaker, these are cases that we will be dealing with. So, you cannot leave out the Zambia Department of Immigration, just as you cannot leave out the community development officers. We saw those who had the task of managing those young ladies who were abducted. They ended up with community development officers because of the need for the psychological rehabilitation of victims.

Madam Speaker, to that extent, therefore, I agree with the proposal to lessen the punishment that is meted out on the victims because the old law provided for victims to be prosecuted as well, regardless of the circumstances which got them into being trafficked. In the same vein, if it were possible, there is one critical component that came up during the stakeholder engagement, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security may wish to include in the Bill. Therefore, I want the hon. Minister to pay attention.

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: I want him to listen because this is very critical. Whilst I appreciate and acknowledge the hon. Minister’s proposal to not prosecute victims, he should have also provided detention centres because the people who are caught up in the current system end up in the correctional facilities. Correctional facilities are only meant for people who are convicted, but that is what we have had over the years. Discussions with stakeholders were pointing to the fact that maybe, we should consider a separate detention facility that could even be under the Zambia Department of Immigration for prohibited immigrants who are sometimes almost the same as those who are being trafficked.

Madam Speaker, with recent revelations, we heard of mass graves that were found in a neighbouring country. These are the routes people are using now. It has been from East Africa, Tanzania, through Zambia and down to South Africa. Now they are also using the other way, which is from Malawi through the Eastern Province and you have some people participating.

Madam Speaker, if we do not mete out serious punishment on the greedy individuals who have found it lucrative to trade in other human beings, like the case we are just from dealing with recently, the trend will continue. This is modern day slave trade which is currently going on on the continent.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, this Bill is very critical for the hon. Minister’s ministry. An issue that should also be addressed is the issue that was raised about the lack of clarity on penalties which should be given to the offenders. My earnest appeal is for the hon. Minister, as the Zambia Department of Immigrationis brought on board, to consider the aspect or issue of detention facilities because the facilities where we keep these victims are sometimes not conducive.

Madam Speaker, through the support of co-operating partners, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has built some facilities in key prone areas such as Sesheke, which is a gateway to the other side. The ministry has just provided a facility for children and another one is in the Eastern Province. The facilities need to be equipped and we need to have professional officers operating these facilities because we need to identify the victims properly.

Madam Speaker, I am happy that your Committee has raised the issue of certification because it is key. You need to assess and determine, especially when it comes to children, where they are coming from. We need to know how they are being trafficked and to where. When you intercept them, reintegration of these children becomes a challenge because you have to engage other countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Through the Joint Permanent Commissions (JPCs) that we normally have with other SADC countries, these issues are provided for and we can find permanent solutions on how to manage the victims of human trafficking.

Madam Speaker, with those few submissions, I thank you.

Mr J. E. Banda (Petauke Central): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving the good people of Petauke the opportunity to add their voice to the debate on the Motion of Supply, although most of the points have already been raised by the Deputy Chief Whip and Whip of the Patriotic Front (PF).

Madam Speaker, firstly, I thank the Committee for the wonderful job it did, but I only have a few things I want to point out. Indeed, this issue involves the international community. I am sure that most of such cases are very fewlocally, but many internationally. It is like most victims of international human trafficking who come to Zambia want to go to neighbouring countries. These are people who want to go and look for, maybe, resources and money or seeking greener pastures, in short. You find that they are caught on the way because they did not have money to maybe, get documents because certain approvals are only done in Lusaka, which is the capital city. It is difficult for them to find money and other resources.

Madam Speaker, I support the Bill, but maybe, we need to be lenient on the local offenders and classify them as kidnappers, so as to differentiate them from cross border human traffickers. We should also differentiate the sentencing of these people.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to wind up debate. Let me take this opportunity, in the first place, to thank the chairperson and hisCommittee for thoroughly interrogating the Bill. I personally think they did a very good job because even most of the hon. Members who have spoken are in total support of the recommendations therein.

Madam Speaker, human trafficking is a term that is used in modern times. Otherwise, it is slavery, slave trade, full stop. Slave trade was condemned and we continue to condemn it and we want to give maximum sentences to such vices. So, as serious as it is, it affects very much, as you know, women and children. In this regard, we take full cognisance of the good recommendations that have been elaborated in the report that has been presented by the able chairperson of the Committee.

Madam Speaker, we also take note of the specific recommendations on the certification function not to be included in the law. This is noted as reasons advanced are logical and very reasonable. Recommendations, vis-à-vis, Clause 9 (1) and (2) on penalties is well noted. Penalties must be clearly stipulated and should be steep enough to deter other would-be offenders. This lack of clarity on that will be looked at and we should ensure that the penalties are real penalties and will deter would-be offenders.

Madam Speaker, I assure the House and your Committee that all the very progressive recommendations therein will be taken on board.

Madam Speaker, without going into too much detail, it remains for me to thank this honourable House for supporting this very important Bill on human rights. It is a human rights issue on trafficking. I would like to take the opportunity to also say that the Committee actually looked at the need to have detention centres specifically for victims, finances allowing. I want to refer to what the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu said. The victims should notbe mixed-up with criminals in prisons. So, that, I think, should be the thrust and objective and should be one which is included in this Bill.

Madam Speaker, we also note one recommendationwhich is there although people were repeating it, and that is that a new department should be created and it should be headed by the Department of Immigration which would look into human trafficking issues.

 

Madam Speaker, please, allow me to thank you for the opportunity.

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

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Tuesday, 1^st November, 2022.

______

MOTIONS

BUDGET 2023

(Debate resumed)

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the 2023 Budget Speech delivered by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, on Friday, 30^th September, 2022.

 

Madam Speaker, I must state from the outset that I fully support the Budget presented by the very able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and I believe that it builds a firm foundation for stimulating economic growth and improved livelihoods of our people. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning being the bearer of the good message from His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema to the people of Zambia has, indeed, scored a plus.

Madam Speaker, I wish to commend the hon. Minister for delivering a very progressive Budget and for his choice of the theme“Stimulating Economic Growth for Improved Livelihoods”. This theme resonates well with the Zambian people who gave the mandate of economic management to the New Dawn Government after observing failure by the previous Government.

Mr Kampyongo: Question!

Eng. Milupi: This Budget, therefore, is a step forward towards economic development, job creation and improved livelihoods of our citizens through social economic management under the New Dawn administration. The Zambian people can look forward to 2023 with great hope that the New Dawn Government is focused on delivering its campaign promises and soon, economic conditions and livelihoods will improve across the country.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning took time to outline a number of socio-economic challenges among them increased fuel prices emanating from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-10) pandemic and the global inflationary trends that have resulted in a global cost of living crisis. The hon. Minister was however, reassuring as he offered effective strategies and policy direction on how the Government intends to addressthese challenges in order to reduce impact on our people.

Madam Speaker, by stimulating our economy, the New Dawn Government is creating opportunities for our people, especially our youths and women who voted massively for the New Dawn Government and President Hakainde Hichilema in August, 2021.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, the 2023 National Budget provides a clear blueprint for economic transformation –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was about to highlight that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning took time in his speech to outline a number of socio-economic challenges, butthe main thing is that his Budget provided a clear blueprint for economic transformation and job creation through value addition and industrialisation anchored on agriculture and tourism. This is in line with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) recently launched by His Excellency the President.

The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was very categorical in highlighting the Government’s desire to create vibrant agricultural and tourism sectors in order to create employment opportunities for our people.

Madam Speaker, indeed, I commend the hon. Minister for creating opportunities for our people, especially those in the private sector through the 2023 Budget. The Budget has provided for more investments in the agricultural and tourism sectors, in line with the United Party for National Development (UPND) manifesto.

In line with the pronouncements made, my ministry will continue to undertake rehabilitation and maintenance of district and feeder roads, which provide access to markets for rural farmers and to tourist sites. This will enhance rural connectivity and improve agricultural productivity and tourism in the country.

Madam Speaker, I am also delighted to note that the hon. Minister, in his Budget Address, on page 26, highlighted to this august House some of the road projects to be undertaken through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode of financing in 2023. These include the Lusaka/Ndola dual carriageway, the Ndola/Mufulira Road, the Chingola/Kasumbalesa Road and the Lumwana/Kambimba Road.

Madam Speaker, my ministry will, therefore, continue to invest in the expansion and modernisation of infrastructure so as to support the diversification and job creation agenda of the Government through private sector participation.

Madam Speaker, my ministry is in full support of the measures aimed at attaining the objectives of the 2023 Budget. The objectives of restoring fiscal fitness or fiscal discipline and debt sustainability has the full support of my ministry, and measures have, so far, been initiated to cancel many infrastructure projects, especially in the road sector as a way of supporting this important objective.

Madam Speaker, my ministry will further continue to explore innovative and cost-effective means of delivering critical infrastructure to support the economic recovery and ensure the protection of people's livelihoods.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to encourage our people to continue having faith in the New Dawn Government, as it means well for this country.

Hon. PF Member: Question!

Eng. Milupi:Already, this country is beginning to see the benefits of putting an economic manager as a leader of the country.

Hon. PF Member: Question!

Eng. Milupi:Inflation has come down, the exchange rate has stabilised, and the import cover has increased.

Madam Speaker, I follow the United Kingdom (UK) politics, and it is interesting that they have copied from us and also put an economic manager as a Head of the Government. Already, you can see what is happening. Maybe, they copied us. A number of positive things are beginning to happen there.

Madam Speaker, therefore, the 2023 Budget has set a clear roadmap for economic recovery, restoration of Budget credibility, debt sustainability and protection of the livelihoods of our people. I, therefore, encourage all hon. Members of this august House to fully support this Budget and its implementation in 2023.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

The Minister of Water Development and Sanitation(Mr Mposha): Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you for according me this opportunity to add my voice in congratulating the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, for successfully presenting a well elaborated 2023 National Budget.

Madam Speaker, I must state from the outset that the 2023 Budget, as was presented, inspires hope in the citizens of this great country and, further, inspires confidence in the private sector and investors in our economy.

Madam, the New Dawn Government, under the visionary leadership of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, has already started demonstrating clear commitments towards national developmentthrough the implementation of programmes that will stand for policies such as free education, the reinstatement of meal allowances for students in public universities, fiscal decentralisation, as seen from the increased budgetary allocation to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), as well as the restoration of law and order around public places such as bus stations and markets.

Madam Speaker, it is gratifying to note the consistency between the pronouncements made by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning in his 2023 Budgetpresentation and the speech delivered to this august House by his Excellency the President of this country, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, with regard to the increased budgetary allocation to the water and sanitation sectors.

Madam Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to thank the hon. Members of Parliament who have spoken before me in support of the 2023 Budget, particularly on the water sector.

Madam Speaker, my ministry is alive to the fact that access to clean and safe water in the country, particularly in the rural parts, has remained low. This has mainly been due to inadequate investment in water and sanitation infrastructure in rural areas over the past years.

Madam Speaker, as a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to accelerate universal access to clean and safe water, the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has, so far, completed a number of water supply and sanitation projects and, these include the construction of ninety-four piped water supply schemes in rural areas, which are already benefiting a good proportion of the communities in the various rural areas.

Madam Speaker, the Kafue Bulk Water (KBW)Project has increased water supply in Lusaka by 50,000 cubic meters per day and benefiting over 500,000 people through improved access to clean and safe water supply. The KaputaWater Supply (KWS) Projectis another one, which has also been completed and commissioned from which about 100,000 people are already benefiting through improved access to clean and safe water supply.

Madam Speaker, the Mufumbwe Water Supply (MWS) Project is another one which has also been completed, and is currently fully operational, and has resulted in many people accessing clean and safe water supply. It is worth noting that there are other ongoing projects such as the Kafulafuta Water Supply System (KWSS) Project that will benefit about 1 million people in Ndola, Masaiti, Luanshya and Mpongwe districts, the Nkana Water Supply and Sanitation (NWSS) Project and the Zambia Water Supply and Sanitation Projects on the Copperbelt.

Madam Speaker, allowmetoassurethehon. Membersof Parliament, including my dear good friend the hon. Member for ChiengeParliamentary Constituency that the Government of HisExcellency PresidentHakainde Hichilema remainsresolute and committed to addressing the water supply andsanitation challenges that the country is faced withthrough the implementation of various projects andprogrammes across the country.

Madam Speaker, hon. Members of the House may also wish to note that the Government is in the process ofcommencingtheimplementationoftheNchelenge/Chienge Water and Sanitation Project at atotal cost of K112 million. The project once completed, isexpected to benefit over 5,000 people.

Madam Speaker, the Minister of Finance and National Planning clearly stated the commitment of the New Dawn Administration to completing various ongoing water and sanitation projects such as the (KWSS) Project, Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Western Province, the Integrated Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Luapula, the Northern, and Muchinga provinces, including the drillings of boreholes and installation of pumps in Chienge District. When all these projects are completed, more of our people will benefit through improved access to clean and safe water and sanitation services.

Madam Speaker, these projects are expected to be completed within the medium term and will be expected to benefit over 1.5 million people, countrywide. These projects are there for all to see and they demonstrate the resolve of the New Dawn Administration to ensure that our country achieves universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

Ms Kasune: Hear, hear!

Mr Mposha: Madam Speaker,I look forward to a day when hon. Members of Parliament will come to this House and give an account of the positive impact of various water and sanitation projects that the Government through the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has been implementing for the benefit of the people of this country. It will be gratifying to see hon. Members of Parliament stand up here and speak truthfully about the developments that my ministry is taking to various parts of the country. Similarly, I will be happy to receive feedback on the challenges of water and sanitation in various parts of the country through our hon. Members of Parliament.

Madam Speaker, I have no doubt that the 2023 Budget will be executed in a similar manner to that of 2022, so as to further improve access to water and sanitation and hygiene service delivery to the general citizenry.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government under President Hakainde Hichilema understands the crucial role that water plays in national development as it is the bedrock that supports all sectors of our economy as well as the livelihoods of our people at community level. This is why the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has been allocated K2.3 billion in the 2023 Budget for the implementation of various interventions aimed at securing national water security and improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

Madam Speaker, you may recall that His Excellency in August this year launched the Zambia Water Investment Programme which is an ambitious programme that will revolutionise investment in the water and sanitation sectors up to 2030. The implementation of this programme is expected to create 200,000 direct jobs and 800,000 indirect jobs, and will contribute to making water and sanitation available for the socio-economic development of this great nation. This programme is expected to minimise water loss, enhance national water security and improve and sustain the provision of water supply sanitation and hygiene services, countrywide.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration will continue to invest in water related infrastructure in order to increase storage capacity and attain national water security. The Government will also continue to invest in water supply and sanitation in both urban and rural areas in order to accelerate the attainment of the national aspiration as espoused in the Vision 2030 on achieving universal access to water and sanitation services.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration has so far demonstrated the required commitment to the development of the water sector in Zambia through increased budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation. Truly, it is an undeniable fact that Zambia is moving forward under the New Dawn Administration.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear

The Minister of Tourism (Mr Sikumba): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity tocontribute to the debate on the 2023 Budget Speech,presented byHon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, Minister ofFinance and National Planning on 30^th September, 2022 whose theme was "Stimulating Economic Growthfor Improved Livelihoods", to the people of Zambiathrough this august House.

Madam Speaker, may I start by thanking the hon. Minister of Finance andNationalPlanning, DrSitumbeko Musokotwane forpresenting such a progressive and inspiring Budget for thepeople of Zambia. May I also thank other hon. Members of this House who have debated before me, especially regarding tourism.

Madam Speaker,the K167.3 billion 2023 National Budget gives hope to thepeople of Zambia. It is, indeed, a true reflection oftheNewDawn'stransformative agendaundertheleadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, we are all aware that during recent years our economy has been on its knees due to the huge unsustainable debt, high inflation rates and unstable exchange rates. Addressing these aforementioned challenges requiresbold decisions. This has, indeed, been reflected in thepolicies that the New Dawn Administration, under our President has taken. TheNewDawnAdministrationhasdemonstratedtheimportance of prudent fiscal discipline and managementduring the last year it has been in power. With themeasures that the New Dawn Administration has taken, there is what I would like to refer to as, ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ as indicated bytheimprovementinanumberofmacro-economicindicators. Theseare not limited to include the following: the gross domestic product (GDP) which was projected to grow by 3.0 per cent by the end of 2022, the inflation rate that has slowed down to single digits of 9.9 per cent for September, 2022compared to 22.1 per cent in September, 2021. Exchange rates have stabilised and the Kwacha has on year to date basisappreciated by 5.2 per cent to about K16 per US Dollar.

Madam Speaker,the2023 Budgetwill, therefore, consolidatetheachievements and successes registered during the lastyear that the New Dawn Government was entrusted to runthe affairs of the country by the people of this greatnation.

Madam Speaker,as you may all be aware, the tourism sector, which I am fortunate to preside over as Minister, is one of thepriority economic sectors mandated to drive the economictransformation and job creation agenda of this country. However, during the last two years, the sector wasadversely affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic which saw adrastic slowdown in tourismactivitiesincludingareduction of 60.4 per cent in the international and 33 per cent domestictourists’ arrivals, respectively, and loss of employment in the hospitalityindustry, among others. This ultimately resulted in the poorperformance of the sector.

Madam Speaker, following the easing of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) related restriction,tourism is posting positiveindicators of recovery. The numbers of both international and domestic tourist arrivalsincreased during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. By the end of the second quarter of 2022, international tourist arrivals had increased by 87.9 per cent.

Madam Speaker, the 2023 Budget contains progressive measures that will greatly assist in the full recovery and growth of the tourism sector. Some of the progressive measures proposed in the 2023 Budget that will have a significant bearing on the tourismsector are not limited to the following:

1. the provision of incentives such as the suspension of Customs Duty on importation of selected fixture and fittings, capital equipment, machinery and safari vehicles; and
2. waiver on visa fees for tourists from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Norway, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, countries in the Gulf States and countries in the European Union will greatly stimulate growth in the sector.

Madam Speaker, to ensure that thesector benefits from these measures, my ministry will continue to develop and upgrade tourism infrastructure in destination sites such as Kasaba Bay, Liuwa National Park and the Northern Circuit, including Samfya Beach. Further, my ministry will step up the tourism promotion and marketing of Zambia as a preferred tourist destination including the appointment of tourism attachés in key tourism source markets to ensuring that Zambia is known world over.

Madam Speaker, the commissioning of the Kenneth Kaunda Wing at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre has strengthened the country’s position to host international conferences, meetings, workshops and seminars. This has greatly enhanced the country’s visibility as the Meeting, Incentives and Conferencing Exhibition, popularly known as (MICE), destination. To this effect, my ministry will work with all relevant Government departments and stakeholders to bid for hosting international meetings, conferences and events as already evidenced in the last few months where Zambia has been a beehive of these international meetings owing to the fact that the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government is in power.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, let me once again state that the 2023 Budget is very progressive and it gives hope to the many people of Zambia. The implementation of this Budget will indeed bring about the desired economic transformation that all the people of Zambia wanted and voted for in 2021.

Madam Speaker, tourism is one such industry that will attract more jobs and we all know that one out of ten jobs globally being created out there is in the tourism sector. So, we have an opportunity for entrepreneurs in our country to take advantage this initiative.

Madam Speaker, with these few remarks, I strongly support the 2023 Budget and look forward to a fantastic 2023.

I thank you.

The Minister for Lusaka Province (Mrs Mulyata): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute, on behalf of the people of Lusaka Province, to the Motion of Supply ably presented to this august House by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane.

Madam Speaker, the theme of the 2023 National Budget which is “Stimulating Economic Growth for Improved Livelihoods” reinforces the strategic direction setting the development agenda for our country by His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, who emphasised, in his speech during the Official Opening of the Second Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, the need to work together as we move towards achieving socio-economic transformation for improved livelihoods.

Madam Speaker, we believe that it is possible to achieve great milestones in the national development agenda by working together. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Government for successfully launching the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) which will provide the roadmap for our national development for the next five years as we move towards achieving the Vision 2030 of becoming a middle-income country.

Madam Speaker, let me share with this august House some of the notable achievements recorded in various sectors of our economy in Lusaka Province. In the agricultural sector, the Government has continued implementing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) with beneficiaries for the 2022/2023 standing at 59,188. Inputs have already started being positions in districts in readiness for distribution to farmers.

Madam Speaker, the Government is working to ensure that all the inputs are delivered to the districts before the end of November, 2022. In terms of crop marketing, particularly maize and soya beans, the Government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has purchased soya beans valued at K24.34 million and maize valued at K13.08 million respectively. So far, 50 per cent of the value of the crops has been paid. The Government is working towards making full payments to the farmers.

Madam Speaker, in the area of social protection, Lusaka Province currently has a case load of 51,118 households receiving bi-monthly social cash transfer payment ranging from K400 to K800 per household. The cash payments have improved the livelihoods for the beneficiaries.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to report that in an effort to improve the quality of education in the province, the Government has implemented the following interventions:

1. recruitment of 723 teachers out of the 30,000 recruited countrywide. The teachers have since been deployed in schools across the province;
2. rehabilitation of school desks and procurement of additional desks under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF);
3. construction of six early childhood education centres in each district; and
4. construction of four new secondary schools including the commencement of construction works to complete the seven secondary school projects that had stalled.

Madam Speaker, in the health sector, the Government has undertaken the following interventions in order to improve health service delivery:

1. recruitment of 1,162 health workers for Lusaka province out of over 11,000 recruited country wide;
2. the release of the operational budget of K5.8 million in full;
3. the release of K2.9 for payment of outstanding personal emoluments arrears;
4. the availability of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and childhood vaccinations;
5. the completion of the multipurpose skills training centre at Kafue District Hospital at the cost of K4.5 million; and
6. the release of K1.5 million for the rehabilitation of the Lusaka District Health Office.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mulyata: Madam Speaker, conscious of the effects of climate change, the Government in the province is promoting community forest conservation for carbon benefits in Rufunsa, Kafue and Luangwa. A total of K12.7 million has since been disbursed to Mphanshya Chiefdom and K18.5 million to Shikabeta Chiefdom, respectively, for livelihood community projects. Mburuma and Mphuka Chiefdoms in Luangwa and Chiawa Chiefdom in Kafue are yet to receive payments for carbon trading, being new community forest conservation initiatives.

Madam Speaker, in the road sector, the Government has continued to make investments towards improving the road network in the province. In addition, the Government has restarted construction works at the three fire substations in Lusaka, namely Chelstone, Chilenje and Bonaventure. Construction works at the Simon Mwewa Lane Market in Lusaka are also progressing well. In the spirit of continuation, the Government, in the province, has completed the construction of the Kafue Bulk Water Supply Project which had stalled.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mulyata: This is in an effort to improve water supply in Lusaka City.

Madam Speaker, we are grateful to the Government for the increment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). For the first time, local communities have been empowered to make decisions in a meaningful way on local development matters. As Lusaka Province, we have managed to use the CDF to expand classroom space, procure school desks, expand infrastructure at health facilities, including paying bursaries for some of our children, as well as those in Shiwang’andu, who could not afford school fees. We are also working towards ensuring that each school in the province has adequate learning materials, going forward.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mulyata: As I end my contribution to the debate on the Motion on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Year 2023, I wish to state that as Lusaka Province, we strongly believe that the policies and strategies highlighted in the 2023 National Budget will further deepen the socio-economic gains that we have achieved thus far.

May God bless Zambia, and may God bless all the hon. Members here and may God bless the President.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe, SC.): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to add the voice of the Ministry of Justice to the debate on the Motion of Supply moved by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, the able Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to thank particularly, the last debater for waking us all up and giving the debate the life that it deserves.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Haimbe, SC.: I hope I will be equal to the task, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Haimbe, SC.: I will do my part as well.

Madam Speaker, let me begin by thanking the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for yet another thorough and well-presented Budget Address. As the hon. Minister responsible for justice, I am conscious of the burden we carry as custodians of the governance pillar in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) for and on behalf of our beloved country and our beloved people. I am also alive to the key role in actualising the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning that we play as the Ministry of Justice and, indeed, as one Government.

Madam Speaker, let me hasten to mention, first and foremost, that the Ministry of Justice has taken note of the legislation that has to be introduced in this august House in order to actualise the budgetary goals that aim to achieve significant socio-economic milestones in the country. At the very apex of this drive is the avoidance of unsustainable debt, and to that end, the Public Debt Management Act of 2022 was enacted by this honourable House during the last sitting. This Act and other efforts as highlighted in the Budget Address demonstrate and continue to demonstrate that the New Dawn Government is action-oriented and endeavours to fulfil its promises to the people. The implementation of the Public Debt Management Act of 2022 will strengthen public debt management in the country and enhance transparency and accountability.

In order to aid in realising the goal of debt reduction, the Ministry of Justice is currently assisting the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in formulating and finalising regulations to operationalise the salient provisions of the Public Debt Management Act of 2022. This is in keeping with the New Dawn Government’s objective of transparency and prudent economic management.

Madam Speaker, to further enhance accountability and transparency in the management of public resources, we, as the New Dawn Government, are finalising the review and development of the new national anti-corruption policy. This process is transparent and comprehensive and involves all stakeholders for better census building in order to establish a durable policy that is anchored on broad-based consensus. To this end, I commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for proposing an increase in the allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from the K25.7 million in the last Budget to K28 odd million in the forthcoming Budget. The New Dawn Government is indeed walking the talk by empowering its citizens to make decisions at local level and by allowing them to select projects that directly address their needs.

Madam Speaker, to further support the Government agenda of decentralisation and taking legal services closer to the people, the Ministry of Justice will decentralise to all provinces in accordance with Article 177(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia Act No. 1. This will improve efficiency and effectiveness in representation of Government in civil proceedings as well as enhance clearance of contracts and agreements to which the Government is party, thereby improving service delivery tenfold. Needless to say, this is a key deliverable on the part of the New Dawn Government so as to ensure efficiency at all levels of the procurement of goods and services.

Madam Speaker, additionally, and in order to enhance access to legal services, especially amongst the poor and disadvantaged, the Legal Aid Board has within the first year of the New Dawn Government administration established offices in five additional districts, namely Mwinilunga, Nakonde, Mbala, Mazabuka and Petauke. We, as the New Dawn Government are, indeed, practicing what we preach and we are working relentlessly for our people. The 2023 Budget will ensure that these objectives are achieved. As we speak, the Ministry of Justice has already dispatched officers to the provinces to secure office accommodation and we as a ministry will finalise the process of recruiting and opening at least five more offices before the end of this year.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Haimbe, SC.: Madam Speaker, this will not only bring services directly to the people but will ensure that processes such as approving CDF projects that the Attorney-General’s Chamber plays a role in are addressed in an equitable and efficient fashion.

Madam Speaker, furthermore, to stimulate and ensure fair competition in the provision of postal and courier services, the Ministry of Justice will offer technical assistance to the Ministry of Technology and Science in reviewing the Postal Services Act No. 22 of 2009 in order to improve development planning, electronic communication, data collection, environmental management and agricultural production. The Ministry of Justice will collaborate with the Ministry of Technology and Science and other relevant ministries to review existing legislation to create an enabling environment for the adoption and application of science, technology and innovation. Indeed, the Ministry of Justice will be the governance pillar that it is aimed to be.

Madam Speaker, there is a need to accelerate the development of a digital economy, and to do so, our colleagues in the Ministry of Technology and Science in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice will implement the National Digital Transformation Strategy and review the existing Information and Communication Technology Act No.15 of 2009.

Madam Speaker, all this is facilitated through the prudent budgeting process that we are undertaking at this time in preparation for 2023.

Madam Speaker, with respect to procurement delays, the Ministry of Justice, working with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, shall embark on the review of the Public Procurement Act in order to streamline public procurement processes in an efficient and transparent manner. The Government will ensure that ministries register purchase orders and other financial commitments in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). This will facilitate a link between procurement commitments and the Budget to curtail the accumulation of arrears.

Madam Speaker, in order to broaden the tax base and enhance domestic resource mobilisation, there is a need to review our tax laws such as the Value Added Tax Act Chapter 331 of the Laws of Zambia and its subsidiary legislation. The Ministry of Justice will, once again, collaborate with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in order to achieve this goal and will provide technical drafting and other legal expertise to ensure that the necessary amendments are brought before this august House in due time.

Madam Speaker, in order to promote productivity in the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Justice will collaborate with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Ministry of Agriculture to amend the Customs and Excise Act Chapter 322 of the Laws of Zambia in order to remove customs duty on biological control agents used in agriculture, crop growing media, that is peat moss used in the production of vegetable seedlings and selected tree crop seedlings.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Haimbe: Madam Speaker, as I conclude, let me just say that in making the current Budget, we are moving as one Government in an efficient and methodical manner in such a way as to ensure that we deliver the best for the people of Zambia. No doubt, the country is moving forward.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister for theNorth-Western Province (Mr Lihefu): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving the voice of the North-Western Province an opportunity to debate the 2023 Budget on behalf of the people.

Madam Speaker, our people in the North-Western Province are extremely pleased and delighted with the 2023 Budget as it speaks to their expectations. Indeed, there is hope for this great nation under the New Dawn Government under the capable leadership of His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the President of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, this country places its hope for development in the agricultural sector.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: As you are aware, the North-Western Province sits on a big land and forest. In view of this, the Government has demonstrated its desire to ensure the growth of this sector by planning for the employment of 256 extension officers as well as the rehabilitation of 536 camps.

Madam Speaker, this will definitely improve the provision ofextension services to especially small-scale farmers and, in turn, increase agricultural productivity. Farmers from the North-Western Province are eagerly positioning themselves to benefit from these services.

Madam Speaker, our farmers in Kasempa, Mufumbwe and many others will take this opportunity to turn the North-Western Province into this nation’s food basket.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, the caring United Party for National Development (UPND) Government under our visionary Leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, has delivered hope to our people who were almost giving up on farming.

Madam Speaker, creation of a conducive investment environment is a pre-requisite for attracting the right investment that will ensure quality job and wealth creation. It is the desire of the New Dawn Government to ensure that the people of Zambia benefit from the rich resources that the country is endowed with.

 

Madam Speaker, it is for this reason that the UPND Government has already managed to attract and secure an investment of US$ 1.35 billion for the expansion of the Kansanshi Project and development of the brand-new Nickel Project by First Quantum Minerals (FQM). The North-Western Province is now the new Copperbelt.

Madam Speaker, without the intervention of our President, your President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the three big mines in the North-Western Province would have gone away owing to the hostile investment climate that existed.

Madam Speaker, the face of the North-Western Province is changing, and our people shall no longer walk with the shame for being in one of the least developed provinces.

Madam Speaker, the UPND has facilitated the establishment of a Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) in Kalumbila to promote mining and non-mining linked manufacturing for both the Zambian and Congolese markets.

Madam Speaker, with this, Kalumbila will become an industrial city, grounded on supporting the mining industry. In addition, real estate development will be undertaken in Kalumbila so that there is orderly urbanisation.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development talked about Kambimba Border Post Road. This road will pass through Kakoma Chiefdom of Mwinilunga and it will open and decongest the Kasumbalesa Border Post.

Madam Speaker, the people of the North-Western Province are hoping that Kipushi Border Post, leading to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Chavuma/Kalipande Border Post and the Jimbe Border Post, leading to Angola, if worked on, will improve efficiency and reduce time spent at the borders.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, this, truly, is a listening Government. Our people will have access to bigger markets to export their produce. The cry of our people in the North-Western Province and the country at large has been answered.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, you may be aware that there are many high schools, some going as far back as 2010, which have remained uncompleted in the past. Let me just say, twelve years ago.

Madam Speaker, the failure to complete this key infrastructure has deprived our people of the much-needed education. In 2023, the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government will embark on completing the 115 secondary schools with an additional 120 new secondary schools to be built with support from the World Bank. This is a tremendous move.

Mrs Mulyata: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam, this declaration of completing unfinished infrastructure has excited the people of Manyinga District, which has many incomplete and stalled health posts, it being a newly created district.

Madam Speaker, our children in rural Solwezi District and Mushindamo District were reduced to destitution, while attempting to get the best of education in public institutions of higher learning. This shall be a thing of the past. The UPND Government has re-introduced student meal allowances, which were abolished by the previous regime and many more deserving students will be receiving bursaries too.

Madam Speaker, the people of the North-Western Province wait in eager expectation of the re-location of the provincial headquarters to a central location to cater for those in far west areas like the Zambezi river bank, areas of Kakeki, Chinyamalitapi and those to the east, including Ikeleng’i, Manyinga and Mwinilunga. Our prayer is that this should be done as soon as possible.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I support the best Budget ever presented on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I do not see any hon. Minister indicating to debate and therefore, we will allow one more Back Bencher, who is the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to also make a comment on the Motion of Supply, which was moved by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam Speaker, the Budget for 2023, like any other budget, is, indeed, a wish list. This wish list has to be realised through the implementation of the measures put in place to generate the required revenue to support the expenditure that is outlined by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam Speaker, I want to start by commending him for one thing, which is that he has taken most of the contents of the strategic paper which was done on industrialisation and job creation somewhere around 2012 by some eminent citizens, which included people like the Bob Sichingas and others. The hon. Minister has attempted to get the contents of that strategic paper and what remains is for him to provide resources to ensure that those strategies are implemented because that is where the real job creation lies.

Madam Speaker, you cannot commend yourself for employing people in the public sector. The works that exist in the public sector such as education, health and others are routine programmes of any government. That is why we are here today to represent our people because the education sector has always been there. Teachers have always been employed. In the health sector, it is the same. We have had hospitals and doctors have been employed by successive Governments, obviously starting with the United National Independence Party (UNIP), which created most of these institutions and the successive Governments that came later. So, employment of public servants should not be viewed as job creation. That is not job creation and I think the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning knows what he will be grappling with when he looks at the Public Sector Wage Bill.

Madam Speaker, that said, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has not come to this august House for the first time. He was here in 2009, 2010 and he is back this year. I do not know why as Zambians, we want to be apologetic when dealing with the mining sector. In as much as we want to diversify into agriculture, our main natural capital which is God-given is the mining sector. We privatised these mines thirty years ago, but up to now, we cannot get it right in terms of taxes that we should get the mining companies to pay. Even these debts that we are servicing and the debts our hon. Colleagues are contracting, which are the same debts, will have to be paid at some point. If we do not have honest conversations about how much we should generate from our natural capital, we will be going around in circles.

Mr Chaatila: On a point of order, Madam.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, my encouragement to the hon. Minister, therefore, is for him to take pragmatic decisions. This is an issue –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Shiwang’andu!

There is a request for a point of order from the hon. Member for Moomba. What is your point of order?

Mr Chaatila: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order pursuant to Standing Order No. 65. We all know that the current hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was also the hon. Minister of Finance in 2021. Is the hon. Member of Parliament for Shiwang’andu in order to indicate that the current hon. Minister of Finance just came back this year as hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning? He is forgetting that from August last year, 2021, he was also the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. Is he in order just to indicate that he came back to this House this year?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Of course, we all know that Hon. Dr. Musokotwane was actually the first hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government. So, he was there last year, and he is here today with us. In this regard, the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu was actually out of order to say that the hon. Minister just came back this year because he has been with us, including last year.

 

The hon. Member for Shiwang’andu may continue.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, for the purpose of the hon. Member, who probably came much later, what I stated was that in 2009 and 2010, the current hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning came to this august House to present Budgets, unless he is disputing that. He contracted some debts which we are still paying. That is what I was trying to say. So, let us learn to appreciate history.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, I think you can continue.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, what I am just trying to say is that we need to have honest conversations on how much we get from investors. We need to understand that those trenches they are digging where they are extracting copper, or the tunnels underground, will have to be managed by our future generations. If we cannot generate anything from what is coming out of those trenches, the hon. Minister of Green Economy and Environment will have nowhere to get the money to deal with the environmental degradation that will be caused by these mines.

Madam Speaker, the other issue on which I would like to disagree with the hon. Minister is the proposal to pull out the Government’s participation in the energy sector and the petroleum sector in particular. I do not know what policies the Government is trying to come up with. In one breath, we are told that the Government is going to construct a pipeline for crude and gas from Namibia, but we also want to kill what exists. We have the 1,750 km pipeline from Dar-es-Salaam to Ndola under the Tanzania Zambia Mafuta (TAZAMA) Pipelines Limited, which was rehabilitated. I wish the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, who has been our chairperson of the Committee on Energy for a long time –

Mr Jamba: On apoint of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised. Hon. Member, what is your point of order?

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, it is a point of procedure.

Madam Speaker, I heard you saythat, today, hon. Ministers will start to debate and answer the questions raised by hon. Backbenchers in their debate on the 2023 Budget. Now, I am surprised –

Mr Kafwaya: Which Standing Order has been breached? Cite it.

Mr Jamba: It is Standing Order No. 65, what is your problem?

Laughter

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, how can we start abrogating our own procedure when the man debating is a former hon. Minister. The viewers and the country may think that he is still in office. Are we in order to allow him to continue debating as an hon. Backbencher?

Madam Speaker, I seek your serious ruling.

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, what Standing Order has been breached?

Laughter

Mr Jamba: It is on procedure, Madam Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Jamba: That oneis no longer a Minister.

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Okay, let me guide the House.

Much as it is time forthehon. Ministers to respond or to debate, there are times when there is no hon. Minister indicating to speak. In that case, we do allow the hon. Backbenchers to come in. Only in specific incidences, like now. I asked the House if there was any further debate from the hon. Ministers and there was no indication. In this case, we just had an indication from one hon. Backbencher.We do allow. However, if the space is taken up by hon. Ministers, then there is no room for hon. Backbenchers.

Hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, you may continue.

Mr Kampyongo: Profoundly humbled, Madam Speaker, for guiding my hon. Colleague, who is still junior to me.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Laughter

Mr Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, can you please continue.

Mr Kampyongo: He has to learn from me, Madam Speaker, because I have been on both the Backbench and the Frontbench more than him, which iswhat heis yet to achieve. So, he has to learn.

Madam Speaker, I was just basically saying that the energy sector is key. Look at the geo-politics that arenow at play internationally; the basis of discussion everywhere is energy, be it in Europe and in the developed economies. So, today, we cannot say we forego the refinery that we have had since the time we gained independence. We are talking value addition.What were we getting from Indeni Petroleum Refineryby processing crude oil? We were getting different by-products like diesel, petrol, jet fuel, and HA4 which are heavy fuels that we were giving to Ndola Energy to supply a 100 MW of power. The mines depend on that. How many lines are we going to have of these finished products to move into this country? Those are the questions we should be asking. The solution, hon. Minister of Energy, is in modernising that facility which is at Indeni Petroleum Refineryso that we can get hard crude oil to process locally.

Madam Speaker, the Government isin talks with Angola.What are we getting from Angola? Are we getting finished products? The hon. Minister cannot be in charge of finished products. He is not going to have the economy sustained. He must rethink that because when our forefathers went to Italy to seek support to build the pipeline, they knew, even at that time, that they needed the facility, as a landlocked country. Indeni Petroleum Refinerymust be looked at. There is a turnaround strategic plan which that institution had. The hon. Minister should look at that. We cannotthrow the baby out with the bathwaterlike that. That facility is very critical.

Madam Speaker, in other countries, Governments are coming in to cushion the people. The economic contractions that we are going to endure after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the war which is between Ukraine and Russia cannot be avoided. So, we cannot depend on finished products. I was just talking about the tankers that are falling on the Great North Road every day. If we had a situation like the one we had in Kalulushi the other time, hon. Minister, wewould be crippled. So, let us do what is right for this country and for the generations to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

ADJOURNMENT: ESTABLISH DISTRIBUTION POINTS IN EACH WARD FOR BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE FARMER INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMME TO ACCESS FARMING INPUTS.

The Chief Whip and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mulusa): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Notice of an item for debate on the Motion of Adjournment of the House has been received. The hon. Member for Chinsali.

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity to present a subject of debate entitled “Establish Distribution Points in each ward for Beneficiaries, under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), to Access Farming Inputs.”

Madam Speaker, the main economic activity that is practiced by our people in Zambia especially those in rural areas is agriculture. In Zambia,this sector supports the livelihood of about 85 per cent of the population and also creates employment and generates income for many of our small holder farmers. The Government of the Republic of Zambia has recognised this fact and that is why, in 2002, it introduced the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP), which was later renamed in 2008 as the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). The programme was introduced to enhance access to agricultural inputs by small scale farmers at an affordable cost and increase theparticipation and competitiveness of the private sector in the supply and distribution of agricultural inputs.

Madam Speaker, the recent reforms that we have seen to this programme that have been made have raised, among others, the following issues that the Government should seriously look at. Firstly, the issue of each farmer to collect farming inputs for him or herself from the distribution points in the Boma or central business district (CBD) is a challenge for our vulnerable butviable farmers in our respective constituencies.

Madam Speaker, it is appreciated that the reasons the ministry decided to bring these reforms that entail that each farmer, regardless of where they live, have to travel to the Boma or CBD to collect farming inputs for themselves. In the past, farmers used to complain that some co-operative leaders or representatives who they used to send to collect farming inputs on their behalf, used to defraud them by giving them fewer farming inputs compared to what they expected to receive. In some cases, they were not being given any farming inputs at all.

Madam Speaker, in other cases, some co-operatives were not being honest with the Government by deliberately failing to declare information relating to beneficiaries who passed away but instead they were collecting the farming inputs on the slots for the beneficiaries who have died. It was discovered along the way whenZambia Integrated Agricultural Management Information Systems (ZIAMIS) was introduced under the umbrella of SMART Zambia that many of the civil servants who do not quality to be beneficiaries, especially those in rural areas, were activated on theprogramme but in this case, they were getting farming inputs.

 

Madam Speaker, the other observation was that some co-operative leaders when they notice that there are some members from their co-operatives who failed to raise the K400 to deposit. They were depositing on behalf of those vulnerable farmers who were failing to afford to raise the money. Eventually, they were collecting the farming inputs that were not meant for them but for farmers that hadfailed to raise the K400 to deposit.

Madam Speaker, it is understandable that the introductionof the biometric system will ensure that each farmer only collects what belongs to him/her. Even though this reform has some benefits as earlier stated, it also comes with its shortfalls. For example, some distances from where people live are far from the Boma. So, what the Government has done is that it has created a transport challenge for people who live far and have to travel very long distances to go and collect their farming inputs from the Boma. For example, if someone is in Shiwang’andu and he is a beneficiary of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), but lives in Nkulungwe, he has to travel in excess of 200 Km to go and collect farming inputs from Shiwang’anduBoma. He also has to travel back. The cost that he has to incur will exceed K600 or K800 for his transport back and forth.

Madam Speaker,our farmers inMubanga Chiefdom are crying to the Government. Our farmers in Nkweto Chiefdom are crying to the Government. Even farmers in Senior Chief Nkula’sChiefdom of Chinsali, are also crying to the Government.

Madam Speaker, other vulnerable farmers have to pay about K300 oneway to move from where they live to the Boma and pay another K300 for going back. This brings the total to K600. This cost does not even include the cost of transporting farming inputs and the money that the farmer will spend on subsistence and lodging while at the Boma because sometimes, farmers can stay for even a week at the Boma just waiting for fertiliser to be ready, so that they cancollect it.

Madam Speaker, many hon. Members’ constituencies here are very vast. Their constituencies are far from the Central Business District (CBD). Sometimes, the distance maybe 150 km from the CBD, like my brother from Bweengwa. Obviously,he has wards that are very far from the Boma and so, farmers in Bweengwa would want to be assisted with transporting fertiliser from the Boma to where people live.

I know, even in Lufwanyama, we haveplaces that are very far from the Boma.Nalikwandacannot be left out. It is also a very vast constituency. People in Nalikwanda want to be assisted.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, Hon. Member!

Let me announce that we have not yet adjourned. Please, refer to Standing Order No. 30 in our Standing Orders. So, we have not yet adjourned.

The hon. Member may continue.

Mr Mukosa: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was sayingin Nalikwanda, people who live far from the Boma want to be assisted because it is very difficult for them to move from places where they live. They have to cover a distance of over 100 kmto get to the Boma to collect fertiliser. In some cases, the people I am talking about in Nalikwanda have to go and wait at the Boma. They sometimes wait for maybe,three to seven days at the Boma, butthe fertiliser is not ready. So, it is very difficult for them.

Madam Speaker, it not just people in Nalikwanda, but even those in Solwezi East and Solwezi Central are also facing the same problem. InMpika, we have a place called Nabwalya, which is very far from the Boma. The people there need to be assisted too.

Speaking of Chinsali itself, we have far places such as Chunga. The distance from Chunga to ChinsaliBoma is in excess of 100 km. Chinsali to Mulilansolo is about 65 km to 70 km.From Mulilansolo going to Chunga, you have to cover another 35 km to 40 km, and we are talking about a bad bumpy road stretchesthat we have not worked on as the Government. So, people have to travel these long distances and they have to pay not less than K300.

Madam Speaker, we have places such as Nashinga. There is a bad stretch from Nashinga to Lubwa. We have a bridge that does not work properly. As we speak, if it rains today or tomorrow, the bridge cannot be used. People going to Nashinga mayhave to pass through Ilondola to access Nashinga. In other cases, they have to wait for maybe, a day or even three days for the road to be dry before they can use it. So, it is going to be very difficult for them.

Madam Speaker, we have other areas such as Mwalala in Chinsali. Those places are very far from the Boma.Hon. Members, the people in Mwalala are complaining. So, we need to work together and support the issue that we are discussing here.

Madam Speaker, we have other places in Chambeshi Ward of Chinsali Constituency. Kamanachili is also far from the Boma, and the people of Kamanachili are crying and asking why the Government has neglected them. They are wondering why it has stopped doing what it has always been doing in the past?The Government is supposed to take care of the children of Zambia, who are the Zambian citizens.So, the people are askingwhy the Government has neglected them. They know that it is not too late for the Government to come to their aid. Considering that the President is passionate about agriculture since he is a farmer, the people know that there is room and chance for them to be assisted. that they can be assisted.

Madam Speaker, Sula is also far from the Boma. To go to Sula, you have to move fromChinsali for about 35 km to Mundu. From Mundu, you turn to the left and cover a distance of 28 km. That is how we move. So, the people in Mundu are saying, “honourable, please speak for us and explain to the hon. Minister of Agriculture.” Hon. Mtolo Phiri is a good, intelligent, eloquent and very considerate man. So, they said, you should go and speak to him so that Hon. Mtolo Phiri, the Minister of Agriculture, can consider bringing fertiliser closer to the people, the same way he has considered putting new cooperatives on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

New co-operatives have been added, and they are very grateful that the hon. Minister has added them because they had been waiting. Even I, am grateful for their addition. However, the hon. Minister has to consider some of the old ones. Perhaps, he should give them a bit more time because they feel that it has been abrupt. Muchibemba we say namubapulikisha. So, they are saying that, if they could be given,at least –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Meaning what?

Mr Mukosa: It means abrupt.They have been abruptly removed. So, they were saying batupulikishabaMinister kwatiifibatupulikishekuKabushi and Kwacha.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukosa: Meaning that –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, are you still very far?

Laughter

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, I am not far.

Madam, farmers on the FISP are told by the Government to deposit K400 to access farming inputs. However, they, eventually, have to spend additional amounts of over K600 for transportation. That does not include the money that they are spending on subsistence and other lodging costs.

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

Mr Kampyongo: There is no point of order on this one.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chaatila: Madam Speaker, I raise this point of order pursuant to Standing Order No. 67 which addresses irrelevance or repetition in debate. Allow me to read. It states:

“The Speaker or the Chairperson of Committees, after having called attention to the conduct of a member who persists in irrelevance or tedious repetition either of the member's own arguments or the arguments by other members in debate, may, after having first warned him or her, curtail the member's debate.”

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chaatila: Madam Speaker, your question to the hon. Member on how far he was from winding down is an indication to me that he has been repeating himself. For the avoidance of doubt, he has been talking about how our farmers are having challenges such as the expenses they are incurring. He has been repeating himself, giving examples of other expenses apart from transport.

Madam Speaker, is this House in order to allow this hon. Member to continuously repeat his point even when we have all heard his argument? Is this House in order to allow the hon. Member to go in circles repeating the same point? I seek your serious ruling.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Of course, it is not proper for somebody to be repeating an issue over and over. However, I see that he is using Standing Order 30.We need to look at it because there is no debate that goes on endlessly with no time limit. So, these are some of the things I feel should be adjusted when we are reviewing the Standing Orders.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Maybe,let us think about it because we cannot have one person talking for more than 40 minutes. So, moving forward, we must look at our Standing Orders. It is not helping us. The hon. Member will wind up his debate.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, the topic we are discussing here actually affects farmers from Moomba, where the hon. Member comes from, but I thank you for your guidance.

Madam Speaker, I was saying that we should not forget that some farmers face serious challenges even to raise the same K400 needed to be deposited, so that they can get farming inputs. The problem with us leaders is that when we become comfortable, we sometimes want to forget about the plight of the poor. We want to forget about the plight of these poor farmers. So, you find that when a very important issue concerning farmers is being discussed, we want to quickly gloss over it instead of paying attention.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member thought I was just talking about one issue. The other issue I want to talk about is that there are some farmers who have disability challenges. How can they manage? The hon. Member just wants me to talk about people who are able-bodied. He does not want me to talk about those with disabilities –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, just focus on your debate and not what the other hon. Colleague is thinking about.

Mr Mukosa: He seems to be disenfranchising –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

No. You are on the Floor. Can you, please, just continue with your own views.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, I was saying that some farmers have disabilities. How can they manage, given these challenges we have highlighted? The Government should relook, through the Ministry of Agriculture, at the challenges that our small-scale vulnerable, but viable farmers are facing.

Madam, the second issue pertains to the requirement for each farmer to transport farming inputs for themselves. Until last year, in implementing this programme,the Government ensured that farming inputs were transported to various designated places for farmers on the FISP to collect.

Madam Speaker, being a business and finance person, I understand that the reason the Government stopped offering transport to farmers is that it lessens the burden on the Government Treasury as beneficiaries have to ferry their farming inputs from district warehouses to their various locations. We need to know that even though this move is favourable to the Government, it is not favourable to farmers.

Madam Speaker, most vulnerable farmers who are on the FISP have no means of generating money for transporting the farming inputs from Bomas to where they live. Let me just belabour this point. Some people may not see the difference. The first point I talked about was to do with transport relating to the individual going to collect fertiliser. That is transport for a person. This issue that I am talking about now is the issue of transporting fertiliser or farming inputs.

Madam, what is going to happen is that if a farmer gets a pack which is 3X50kg bags of D-Compound and 3X50kg bags of Urea Fertiliser, making a total of six bags of fertiliser, a 1x10 kg bag of maize seed for each of the 1,024,434 farmers and, either a 1x25kg bag of soya bean seed or a 1x20kg bag of groundnut seed and does not have money to pay for transportation, what is going to happen is that some farmers will be opting to have two bags of fertiliser forfeited to the transporter to clear the transportation cost.

Mr Kampyongo: Yaba! Sure?

Laughter

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, if this is allowed to happen on our watch, we will not be helping our farmers –

Mr Chewe: On a point of order, Madam Speaker

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chewe: Madam Speaker, I apologise to the hon. Member of Parliament for Chinsali, who is debating so well, for interruptinghis debate.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Member of Parliament for Bweengwa and the hon. Minister of Health in order to continue debating when they have not been recognised by the presiding officer? My point of order if pursuant to Standing Order No. 57.

I seek your serious guidance on this matter.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, unfortunately, I was focused on the hon. Member who is debating on the Floor. So, I did not hear any distraction coming from that angle.

Hon. Member, you may continue and please, summarise your debate.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, the people of Chinsali gave me some very pertinent points, which they asked that I present to the hon. Minister, the one seated there.(pointing at the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning).

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Yes, but you can summarise them.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, they will not be happy with me I do not deliver the points. They will chase me with stones.

Interruptions

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, I was saying that if we allow this situation to prevail under our watch, where our farmers will be losing fertiliser to the transporters because of failing to pay for transportation, then, we will not be helping our farmers and ourselves. This will mean that the FISP will not be achieving its objective, which is to increase food security at household level especially, for rural farmers who are vulnerable but viable.

Madam Speaker, to take a simple analysis of how the issues that have been explained earlier on are affecting the agricultural sector in Zambia, we can do a simple trend analysis of how Zambia performed in maize production in the past two years.

Madam Speaker, in the 2020/2021 Agricultural Season, Zambia’s maize production increased from –

Mr Kapyanga: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, my point of order is in accordance with Standing Order No. 204(g), which reads:

“A member shall listen in silence to the debates in the House.”

Madam Speaker, we were all seated here listening to the debates of the able hon. Member of Parliament for Chinsali when the hon. Member of Parliament for Lubansenshi rose on a very serious point of order. However, the hon. Member of Parliament for Dundumwezi referred to the hon. Member of Parliament for Lubansenshi as Vubwi Member of Parliament.

Laughter

Mr Kapyanga: Talking about a very innocent Member of Parliament, a strong man that this nation is proud of. Is he in order, therefore, to refer to the hon. Member of Parliament for Lubansenshi as Member of Parliament for Vubwi?

Madam Speaker, I seek you very serious ruling.

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is so special about the hon. Member of Parliament for Vubwi?

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: He is not even in the House. Why are we discussing somebody who is not in the House? Hon. Members, without even wasting time, we are not supposed to debate ourselves. The hon. Member of Parliament for Vubwi is a Member of Parliament for Vubwi. The other hon. Member who was on the Floor is another hon. Member for a different constituency. So, let us not mistake or debate each other. Let us not debate people who are not in the House. Continue hon. Member.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, the Deputy Government Chief Whip is disturbing me. She is giving me signs which I do not understand. I do not understand sign language. I need your protection because she is a leader in this House and cannot be giving me –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member! I said, please, continue with your debate.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, I was saying that in the 2020/2021 Agricultural Season, Zambia’s maize production increased from 3,387,469 metric tonnes to 3,620,244 metric tonnes. If we translate this in percentage terms, it is showing us a percentage increase of 7 per cent. That is how the maize production increased in that farming season.

Madam Speaker, if we look at the 2021/2022 Farming Season, we will see that in that agricultural season, Zambia’s maize production decreased from 3,620,244 metric tonnes to somewhere around 2.7 million metric tonnes.

Madam Speaker, when this is translated to percentage terms, it is showing a decrease of –

Mr Chaatila: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chaatila: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you, once again, for giving me an opportunity to rise on a point of order in accordance with Standing Order No. 222, which is to do with the quorum of the House.

Madam Speaker, when I count the hon. Members present here, I note that the quorum, of 130 Members is not made. I, therefore, seek your guidance on whether or not we are in order to sit when the quorum has been compromised.

I seek your ruling.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Clerks at the Table, are we okay with the quorum?

Hon. Member debating, can you guard the time jealously because the more we stay, the more people stop listening. It is even better you are detailed but specific or focused to the topic at hand. The more you talk, the more you remain talking to yourself.

Interruptions

Madam Firs Deputy Speaker: Clerks at the Table, are we okay with the quorum?

Hon. Member on the floor, can you please focus on your topics so that we do not lose direction. Even the people who are listening to you might even be very tired as well. Hon. Member continue, but may you summarise.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, some of the issues I am talking about are quite pertinent. I am trying to give the statistics of how these policies affected the past two farming seasons. I was demonstrating that production has decreased by 25 per cent from 3.6 million tonnes to 2.7 million tonnes as a result of the issues that we raised. It is for this reason that it is being proposed that the Government should establish distribution points in each ward for beneficiaries under FISP to access farming inputs easily.

Madam Speaker, one would ask: The person who is making this proposal is from the Patriotic Front (PF), the party that was in power for ten years, from 2011 to 2021. Why did he not raise these issues with the party so that it could establish distribution points in each ward for the beneficiaries under FISP to access farming inputs or why did his party not do what he is talking about?

Madam Speaker, the answer is that, during the ten years when the PF was in power, the Government ensured that fertiliser was taken to all wards by way of hiring trucks which were transporting farming inputs from the Boma to all wards in various places where people live, and it was easy for the people to collect the inputs without contributing or paying for transportation.

Madam Speaker, the old system where the Government was hiring transporters to take farming inputs to designated locations in all wards was not only helping farmers but also –

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Jamba: I do not know the people who are counting –

Laughter

Mr Jamba: I am checking to see if we have a quorum and I can see that we do not. Maybe, I should count myself. I cannot see one third of the hon. Members here. People are tired of the monotonous debate and they are gone.

Mr Kapyanga: Which Standing Order are you citing?

Mr Jamba: Standing Order No. 122. The quorum in the House has collapsed.

Madam Speaker, I seek your serious ruling. Is the House in order to continue debating when there is no quorum?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, we have a quorum. We have people who are on Zoom. However, I am told it has now collapsed.

Business was suspended from1843 hours to 1845 hours.

(Debate resumed)

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, there is no quorum. There being no further debate, the subject for debate lapses.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

______

The House adjourned at 1850 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 27^th October, 2022.

____________