Friday, 24thFebruary, 2023

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   Friday, 24thFebruary, 2023

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

______

TIME OF THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, I beg to inform the House that the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, will arrive at 0945 hours to declare the causes of his calling the House to meet today.

I thank you, Madam.

Business was suspended from 0904 hours until 0947 hours.

The President entered the Assembly Chamber escorted by Madam Speaker.

(Assembly resumed)

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

The President (Mr Hakainde Hichilema): Madam Speaker, good morning.

I am greatly honoured to join this august House today to present a report on the Progress Made in the Application of the National Values and Principles. This is in accordance with Article 9(2) of the Constitution of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, before I proceed with the address, allow me to welcome the two hon. Members of Parliament who joined this august House –

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, may I repeat what I said.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Allow me to welcome two hon. Members of Parliament who joined this august House following the by-elections held on 21st October, 2022. In this vein, we congratulate Mr Bernard Kanengo, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

The President: … hon. Member of Parliament for Kabushi Constituency in Ndola, and Mr Charles Abel Mulenga, hon. Member of Parliament for Kwacha Constituency.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, Kwacha in Kitwe on the Copperbelt.

We are confident that the two hon. Members of Parliament will effectively represent the interests of the electorate in the two constituencies as well as serve our country diligently.

Madam Speaker, our national values and principles, as enshrined in our Constitution, are:

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

Madam Speaker, let me now report on the progress that our country has made in the application of these our national values and principles.

Morality and Ethics

Madam Speaker, the Government is committed to promoting morality and ethics among our people. A morally upright nation is key to achieving meaningful development. As a nation, we still experience a high prevalence of vices such as alcohol and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, child marriage and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This is unacceptable.

Madam, during the period under review, the Government intensified the implementation of the National Alcohol Policy as a way of addressing alcohol and substance abuse. We undertook sensitisation programmes on the dangers of this vice in communities, places of work and institutions of learning and, indeed, elsewhere. Since my address last year, 523,973 citizens have been sensitised compared to a lower number of 217,234 of our citizens in 2021. This is progress, indeed.

Further, the Government continued to provide rehabilitation services to our citizens who abuse alcohol and other drugs. In this regard, rehabilitation services were provided to 1,212 citizens in 2022 in comparison, obviously, with a small number of only 810 in 2021. Going forward, your Government will enhance the implementation of the National Alcohol Policy, and we are pleased that various stakeholders have also come on board to assist in this regard because this is a community problem. It is not a Government programme per se, it is a community challenge. All of us, including those in this House, have to be on board.

Madam Speaker, the Government will also continue to vigorously pursue the suppliers of illicit drugs which have contributed to the breakdown of the moral fabric of our society. We want to work from the source as well as we tackle the problem from the consumer side. This is important because we know it has contributed to the breakdown of our moral fabric in our society.

Madam Speaker, child marriages and teenage pregnancy are social ills which continue to be a source of concern to the Government and society as a whole. In this regard, your New Dawn Government has introduced free education.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Some may have not heard, I shall repeat.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

The President: Madam Speaker, in this regard, the New Dawn Government has introduced free education among other interventions.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: This is one way, amongst many, of keeping children longer in school. We saw, as this policy was introduced, that classrooms were overflowing. One does not need any more evidence to prove that children who are of school-going age were out of school. The question is: What were they doing when they were not in school before this policy was implemented? They were engaging in these vices. As a responsible Government, we needed to take a policy and implement it even when others never believed in it.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, our efforts to protect our children from all forms of abuse and promote their rights have been enhanced with the enactment of a very, very revolutionary and worldwide acclaimed Children’s Code Act No. 12 of 2022.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: I would like to say that even the United Nations (UN) has recognised this milestone achievement that your Government has scored, of course, of course, of course.

Hon. Opposition Member: Question!

Laughter

The President: Madam Speaker, we call on society to exercise its parental responsibility of protecting our children from all forms of child abuse and neglect. It starts at the home. That is where it starts from. We are all parents in this House. We must discharge our duties diligently and responsibly. As Government, we will continue to do our part, but society must do its part as well. All of us must do our part.

Madam Speaker, GBV remains a source of concern. The Government has continued to use a multi-sectoral approach in implementing interventions aimed at addressing this vice. Strong marriages, I return to family, and families are a foundation for a healthy and civilised and united society. Education helps to inject some sense of responsibility to our citizens. Do we not know that? We know it.

Madam, the rate at which marriages are breaking up in our country is worrisome. We must all be concerned. I must say, as a community member myself, as all these hon. Members of Parliament are, that sometimes, we misinterpret the meaning of human rights to imply no respect for a partner in the home, and that one can do what they wish because of human rights without regard for the impact that action has for the children, the husband or, indeed, the wife. We should not misinterpret the good intentions of human rights, liberties and freedoms, absolutely!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam, respect for each other in our marriages is very important, absolutely important. I urge families, the Church, civil society and traditional leaders to work together with the Government to intensify our efforts in ensuring that the institution of marriage is respected and safeguarded. It starts there and you can see it later in life when it was absent at an early age in life.

Madam Speaker, human trafficking and smuggling have become a moral concern in our country. The Government has continued to intercept illegal migrants who, with the assistance of some of our citizens, sadly, have continued to enter the country. Some stay in the country while others move on to other countries. We have also noted with dismay that some of our people are harbouring illegal immigrants, again, back to family values. It is our responsibility to maintain the rule of law. The police cannot be everywhere, but citizens are everywhere. When citizens take responsibility for staying away from the wrong side of the law, we will have a better country.

Madam Speaker, to prevent these vices, your Government has passed the Anti-Human Trafficking (Amendment) Act of 2022. We are also strengthening our border controls, and we proudly wish to confirm that for the first time in the history of our country, we are employing border guards for effective border management and security of our country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, social media and the internet have increasingly become a part of our daily lives and interactions. We have, however, observed that the abuse of social media has continued to be a vehicle to drive hate speech and divisive sentiments by some of our people. Social media is also being used to defraud unsuspecting users as well as to broadcast indecent material. You definitely do not want to mention them because you will be found wanting.

We urge our citizens to use the national values and principles as well as our cultural heritage as yardsticks as we express ourselves. As we enjoy our freedom of speech, we need to know that freedoms commence somewhere and end at some point in order to allow the citizen next door to you to enjoy their right as you wish to enjoy your rights. This is important. It talks about self-censure. That is the way it should be. We also need to ensure that we support our cultural heritage. In there are imbedded values which we spoke about earlier.

Madam Speaker, as we express ourselves, an individual will know that they have transgressed their rights as they speak about someone else, especially when lies take the lead as opposed to facts about each other. It is very important. This will, in our view, inculcate good behaviour in our children and amongst the adults, most of whom are the ones who are spoiling the children. Sometimes, children follow what they hear in the home. If you harbour hate speech and at the dinner table you talk about it, your children will think that it is normal to exercise hate speech against others. If you harbour a colossal ethnic complex, your children will think that is the norm in society. That is unacceptable. It is we elders who are damaging the young ones, and when the young ones expose what you say behind the scenes, you start looking down, but you are the responsible person for that action. Let us be progressive and responsible adults at the same time.

In this regard, Madam Speaker, we call upon our citizens to use social media to foster what is missing in this country; economic and social development. Epela. EnditaMkwai. That is what we Bembas say. Meaning, that is it.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Patriotism and National Unity

Madam Speaker, patriotism and national unity are key in our quest to attaining social and economic development and national security which is our responsibility, all of us. We need to develop a sense of pride, devotion and attachment to our beloved country, Zambia. It is an estate granted to us by God. He put us in this estate together as seventy-three ethnic groups. God’s wisdom can never be challenged by any one of us. All we need to do as a Christian nation is to respect the choice made to put us together. Beautiful. Great. Indeed.

Madam Speaker, we need to develop a sense of pride, devotion and attachment to our country, including respect for our national symbols, that is, the coat of arms, the national flag, the public seal as well as the motto “One Zambia, One Nation” One People. I shall repeat for someone to hear properly. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: We need to develop a sense of pride, devotion and attachment to our country, including respect for our national symbols, that is, the coat of arms, the national flag, the public seal as well as the motto “One Zambia, One Nation” One People.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Teach our children what is correct and not what is wrong.

Laughter

The President: Our motto must always invoke a sense of pride, national identity and unity amongst all of us without exception.

Madam Speaker, patriotism also entails taking care of both public and private assets or property. These assets, public and private, constitute a summation of what we call the national balance sheet. Someone’s house is part of your asset and the opposite is very, very true. As citizens, let us be progressive, patriotic and protect our buildings, roads, railway lines, power installations, bridges, everything. You knock off just one bolt from a bridge, and the bridge will come down. You wonder how much one would make from selling one bolt or nut in comparison with the value of the whole bridge. It is very little. Why would somebody do it? It is because of no sense of morality, no sense of duty, no sense of commitment.

Madam Speaker, we are glad to report that our people have continued to exhibit patriotism through consumption of locally produced goods and services. It is a very positive thing. It is gratifying to note that the private sector is taking up its rightful role of increasing the range and improving the quality of locally produced goods and services. Since my last address in this august House, the number of companies registered to use the “Proudly Zambian” campaign logo has increased to sixty-nine from a paltry less than fifty in 2021, and we would like this number to increase. If you run a business in this House, use the “Proudly Zambian” motto. I think it is important that charity begins at home. We must do our part to walk on this road.

Madam Speaker, as a demonstration of patriotism to our country, we all have a duty to pay taxes. As individuals and as corporate citizens, we also have a duty to ensure that our transactions are tax-compliant.Whenwe do so, we contribute towardsthe construction of public infrastructure anddelivery of public services, including taking more of our children to school, providing health services for those who need health services, which is all of us, looking after the poor, the sick, the differently abled, the old and the retired. That is the story. Sometimes we forget this. If you do not pay your tax, you are denying someone their retirement benefit and you are denying a child a desk to sit on in school. That is the meaning.

 

Madam, to make it easy for our people to meet their tax obligations, the Government has been implementing several measures such as digitising tax management systems to provide an easier, efficient, reliableandsimplifiedprocess that will enhance tax compliance not just to the collector but also make it easy for the taxpayer. Sometimes, people do not pay tax because they do not quite understand what they need to do. So, our tax authorities have been given delegated authority to improve the tax platforms and ease of access and use by all of us.

Madam Speaker,our country has diverse ethnic groupings. Since independence, Zambia has promoted an inclusive society through ournational motto “One Zambia, One Nation” and we have added “One People.” This has been, and should remain the firm foundation upon which this nation is anchored. No one, none of us, should digress from this because if you do, you must know you are damaging this country and its unitary status now and in future. It is not acceptable.

Madam Speaker, as a nation, we do not and we will never condone tribalism. It is retrogressive and denies our people equal opportunities to reach their full potential. It also denies thenationthe opportunity to optimise available human capital, more importantly, competent human capital. I am extremely polite today, but what obtained in the past cannot qualify in this respect.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, numbers do not lie. That is why I encourage citizens to love arithmetic. I am not talking of mathematics because it is a bit scary. I am talking about arithmetic. Just numbers and counting will help some people. Sometimes, we must have a sense of shame when we reflect on what we did wrong.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

The President: Madam Speaker, the opportunity we have, those who are in the Government today, is to do what is right …

Hon. Government Members: Correct!

The President: … and to understand that sometimes, people did certain things for reasons that may not have been what others would understand, but it does not matter. Our duty is to do what is right all the time when we are in public office. That is what matters and that is what a decent human being must do.

Madam Speaker,we are delighted to report that cadreism, negative cadreism and politicalviolence, have been brought largely under control.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Old habits die hard, Madam Speaker. We will continue stamping on the head of those habits when they raise their ugly features. I want to say to the people of Zambia: watch the space.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Our people arenow able to go about their business withoutfear of being harassed. To pass through Lusaka Intercity Bus Station before was a death sentence.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

The President: Today, anyone can ride a bus to any destination at Lusaka Intercity Bus Station without any sense of “America One” or “America Two” harassing them.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President:Bushemulekutika? I am saying “Are you listening?”

As it used to be before, it will not be allowed to continue. We will continue stamping on it. Yes, people will learn bad habits or want to emulate bad habits because that is human nature. However, the issue about leadership is to stay the course to focus on stamping them down when they arise. They will arise, and I think that is what society is. However, it is what we do when those ugly things arise. We stamp them down and not to watch.

I want to be polite, Madam Speaker, and I will continue being polite as part of my character. Patriotism also entails protecting the interests of ourcountry by addressing both internaland external security threats,maintaining peace and stability as well as keeping vital services running, uninterrupted.

Madam, in order to assure the people of Zambia that their country is safe, the New Dawn Government is working on a national security strategy that will be consultative and inclusive. This will be aimed at aaddressingour nation’s fundamental security needsand challengesagainst all threats.

Democracy and Constitutionalism

Madam Speaker,the New Dawn Administration is a firm believer in democratic governancebecause it accords our people the opportunity to actively participate in decision-making forthe betterment of our country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Not betterment of a section, but the county. We are happy that now our people are freely participating in the governance of our country, as evidenced by the recently held by-electionsatlocalgovernment and parliamentary levels.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, not long ago, if there was a by-election, the question was that how many people would die and which route you would go to a by-election area without being stopped on the way. Today, you by-pass each other in a campaign area, one group is going left and another one is going right. Eventually, the election takes place and the winner carries the day.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: No guns. No teargas. No bullets.

Madam Speaker, I shall repeat. No guns. No. bullets. No Lawrence Banda in Kaoma.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: That is the way the country should be.

Madam Speaker,freedom of speech is a critical aspect of democracy.To this effect,the New DawnGovernment has removed, from ourstatutes, the provisions that criminalise Defamation of the President.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: The duty is thrown back to citizens to say and write things that are factually correct and not to abuse this removal of the criminal defamation of the President because when you abuse it, you are actually defiling yourself and not anybody. Self-censure and responsibility is how elders must work in a democratic society. Kwasila.

Hon. Government Member:Kwamana!

The President: Meaning, kwamanabadala.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Meaning, that is it.

Madam Speaker,to further strengthen our democracy, considerable progresshas been made to repeal and replace the Public Order Act. Stakeholderconsultations have since been completed or nearly completed, and a draft Bill has been developed.I urge this august House to support the Bill when it ispresented right here.

Human Dignity, Equity, Social Justice, Equality and Non-Discrimination

Madam Speaker, your New Dawn Administration respects the fundamental right to human life. In this regard, is it not a proud moment to formally report to this House, something the world has already acknowledged, that we have abolished the death penalty?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, once again, this country has taken the lead position amongst the league of nations that have removed the death penalty. This is something that has been lingering for years, president after president. I am the Seventh President. The six before me were not able to remove the death penalty.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, we have not ended there. We have commuted death sentences to life imprisonment for all those who were condemned to death. So, an instrument has been signed to convert all those death sentences that were given before we removed this law to life imprisonment. The people who were given death sentences are now in correctional services for life and never to see an axe, a sharp one, over their necks. What a great development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: All of us must join hands as a nation to support this. When you travel outside the country, you must trumpet this development. It does not matter which side of the House you sit, this is a national achievement.

Madam Speaker,foralong time, our correctional facilitieshavehad inadequate and poor infrastructure as well as inhumane living conditions. How do I know? I know. The facilities were overcrowded and are overcrowded and outbreaks of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) and scabie, were common among inmates. As though going to jail is not punishment enough, then you are afflicted with diseases that could kill you in addition to your punishment. This is not correct. Our Government is addressing this situation byproviding25,000mattresses. Count the number of inmates in this country and you will see the correlation between this number and the inmates. Further, there are 50,000blankets, of course, two for each inmate, and we are making 12,000 bunk beds to ensure the human dignity of our inmates in correctional services is restored.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, God uses all of us in different ways. I believe sending us to jail through some people helped this country to get to where we are. Absolutely. I do not want to use our Bemba language, but the wound is explained better by those who have experienced it.

Interjections

The President: Aha ifyofine.

Laughter

The President:Mbombubo. Mwameneumo.

Madam Speaker, I am simply saying, that is the way. That is correct. On a more serious note, the conditions in the correctional services were unacceptable. I have not talked about ventilation. I have not talked about congestion. I have not talked about poor diet and so many other things. This House must take interest in the welfare of those people who are at their lowest in certain situations like when they are condemned to those places. We will be a better society when we are unanimous on certain things and not play politics, and this is one of them.

Madam Speaker, through the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from a paltry K1.6 million per year per constituency to K28.3 million …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: … per constituency every year, we are progressively enhancing equity, equality and social justice in the development process of our local communities in all the provinces of Zambia, in all the 116 districts. All of them without exception, without discrimination. We are glad to report to this House and through this House the nation, that as at December, 2022, all the 156 constituencies had received their full allocation of the CDF.

Hon. Government Members:  Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, the cameras are picking you when you say something wrong. The most important thing to say is that the segregation of the past is no more.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: All consistencies are deemed equal and citizens in those constituencies are deemed equal to others in other constituencies. So, the segregation of the past is over.

Madam Speaker, so far, 3,256 community projects have been approved for implementation in all constituencies across the country. These include the construction and rehabilitation of public infrastructure, such as clinics, classrooms, water and sanitation and police stations, just as an example.

Madam, a total of 11,422 vulnerable pupils in boarding secondary schools in 130 constituencies were provided with boarding bursaries to enable our vulnerable childrento continue with their education.

Madam Speaker, I am the first one to say we need to find ‘X’ ofthe 156 minus 130 constituencies. We need to identify theconstituencies which have not provided bursaries to the vulnerable children. You people seated here, what is happening in your constituencies?Please, do not playpolitics with education. Let us send our children to school. The facility is now here, let us utilise it.

Madam Speaker, at the point of boring people, I wish to reiterate what I have said over and over that education is the best investment,inheritance and equaliser.Hon. Ministers and hon. Members of Parliament here are what they are because of education.

Hon. PF Memberinterjected.

Laughter

Mr President: You, in this House, changed the law in 2016, when you were in Government that one had to be aholder of a Grade 12 certificate to contest elections as Member of Parliament.

So, it means that you recognise the value of education. If you do not send that girl child to secondary school when the facility is there in your constituency,then you are misbehaving. Please, stop misbehaving. Do what is right. In my other life, I would have said let us shame and name those constituencies. However, that is a discussion for another day.

Madam Speaker,further, 29,916 youths from vulnerable families in 145 constituencies accessed skills development bursaries. What is happening with the other small number?

Madam, we are taking care of all categories of our people, including this category. Once more, let us do what is right. I am not blaming a side. I am looking at the right and at the left. Let us do what is right for our people.

TheGovernment has taken measures to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the implementation of the CDF. We have heard the complaints of the people. We are listening and acting on the complaints. That is how a decent and responsible Government operates. Tothis effect, the approval of CDF projects has been decentralised to the provincial administration and guidelines on procurement have been streamlined.

Hon. Members:Hear, hear!

The President:The Government issued the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) Circular No. 1 of 2023. The circular places all CDF procurements under reservation schemes in line with the Zambia Public Procurement Authority Act No. 20 of 2020. This, therefore, entails that citizens who reside in respective constituencies will be given priority and preference in the procurement of CDF projects. This is a departure from the past where a few known names of companies owned by a few people had contracts across the country on CDF projects.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President:Sometimes, we must curtail our greediness and allow others to have a bite at the cherry. That is the intention of this adjustment. The intention is to keep resources in local economic areas totrigger local intra-economic activities.

Hon. GovernmentMemberinterjected.

The President: Yes!That is the Queen’s English.

Madam Speaker,it is deliberate. Those who are administering CDF should ensure that local contractors, including the young people we are recruiting and training in youth skills, are given the opportunity to work as bricklayers, carpenters and as plumbers inthe projects under CDF.

Madam Speaker, to ensure equitable access to social services, the Government is making progress in increasing access to electricity –you have heard me – water supply and sanitation across the country, especially in rural areas.Some of us come from there.

Madam, the Government has allocated K750 million towards rural electrification programmes for 2023 alone. In addition, the Government has set aside K156 million from the CDF, to expedite rural electrification.

Madam Speaker, we are pleased to report that as at December, 2022, a total of 56,341 connections were made against the target of 39,992. We surpassed the target even with the challenges before us, most of which are legacy based, but we are equal to the challenge.

Madam Speaker, to enhance access to water and sanitation, the Government, in 2022, constructed 1,416 boreholes all equipped with hand pumps. During the same period, 1,226 boreholes were rehabilitated and 206 piped water schemes were set up across the country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Indeed.

Madam Speaker, I wish to state that anyone in public office who spends more money on a facility like the reticulation of water, including the price or cost of boreholes, more than what the market price is, will pay the price.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: We have to save money. The extravagancehabits of the past must be brought to an end. All procurements in the Public Servicewill be based on three factors; the price, which of course must be right, benchmarked by the market and not any other criterion. Secondly, the quality must be acceptable and delivery must be on time. Epela, kwasila, meaning that is it.

Madam, I urge this House to legislate when it sees a pattern of divergence from such principles, so that we can protect public resources and stretch the Kwacha to deliver other things.

Madam Speaker, in 2023 and beyond, the CDF will prioritise the construction and rehabilitation of piped water and sanitation schemes for our communities and public institutions, such as schools, health centres, markets and bus stations,just as an example.

Madam Speaker, the Government is actualising its commitment to providing quality and inclusive education and skills training. Last year, the Government recruitedwell over 30,000 teachers across the country. Our young people and children across the country were recruited in an organised and methodical way. If you check the numbers, you will see that the highest number of teachers recruited was in the Northern Province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

ThePresident: Mhm.

Laughter

ThePresident: Madam, most of those who were recruited were deployed to rural schools in order to address the low staffing levels and improve the pupil-teacher ratio, which is a factor to improving the quality of education.

Madam, to reduce the inequalities and improve the learning environment in our schools, the Government is providing desks across the country. I want to encourage hon. Members of Parliament in this House, to please, break down the schools in their constituencies, by polling station and by ward, to make it easy to identify schools and check where desks have not arrived yet. You know the reporting mechanism. So, we can work together.This is not partisan. It is where hon. Members should make noise together.

Hon. Members:Hear, hear!

The President: No child should sit on the floor in a country like ours. It does not matter the financial challenges we face.

Hon. Member: Correct!

The President: Thank you. Nataizya, nasalifya, twalumbu. All of thosewords mean thank you. Taongachomene.

Madam Speaker, our local communities must get involved in this. I just want to draw this House’s attention to the fact that twenty months ago, we were importing desks from foreign countries.

Interruptions

The President: Yes!Today, with this policy, desks are made in Mpika.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyangawaved his handto the House.

The President: Today, desks are made in Sesheke and in Lundazi. Can you see what policies do to a country? Through value addition and theuse of local raw materials and local labour, better quality desks are now going into our classrooms as opposed desks that would warp after six months. So why were people buying poor quality desks?Ka something.

Laughter

The President: That was the issue.Madam Speaker, what we are addressing here is a serious issue. Policies are very important to change the country for the better or for the worse. Just imagine the millions of dollars we were spending. Now, we want to move to other areas. I will not mention them because that isnot the subject for today. However, there are many areas where we should localprocure. The capacity and the raw materials are here. What is needed is leadership. That is what was lacking.

Interruptions

The President: Yes!

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration has also enhanced school feeding programmes for children coming from vulnerable households. We are resolved to improve their nutrition status because these are our children andschool attendance and academic performance will inevitably improve. So far, 2 million out of the targeted 3 million learners are on the school feeding programmes across the country. A total of 5,128 schools are implementing the feeding programme and more schools should come on line.

Madam Speaker, the Government is determined to have a dignified workforce. In this regard, labour inspections have been intensified. These inspections are aimed at enhancing the protection of workers and their rights and improving the work environment for increased productivity.

Madam, to my colleagues at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, let me be the first one to say these inspections should not drive investments away. They must be done for the intended objectives. Without investments, you will have no economic growth, no jobs and no salaries, even for hon. Members sitting in this House because your salaries are drawn from the taxpayers. Sometimes we forget that. We should never forget that. So, this Parliament or Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary must support clean, local and foreign direct investments. I dare say it here. That is how this economy will grow.

Yes, Madam Speaker, I have noted a tendency where people demonise exports. How can you grow an economy of only 19.6 million people? If you do not export, you will not grow this economy. Full stop! The issue is to support local demand and consumption of any goods, but work beyond that so that you can generate goods and services to export. Then, you will have an economy that will pay your salary increments. I know hon. Members of Parliament want a salary increment. So, how would you get a salary increment if you do not export?

Hon. Members:Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, even this Chamber, must be expanded so that you can sit nicely. To expand this Chamber, we need investment, we need growth.

Hon. Members:Hear, hear!

The President:Mulekutika? I am simply saying are you listening?

Madam Speaker, our administration cares about the welfare and personal development of our youth. To this effect, we are implementing a number of empowerment programmes, including market booster loans, youth skills training programme, which I talked about already, and grants for income generating activities. It is very important. We must teach our population to be self-sustaining. Children must not go to school only to come and get a job after school. They must go to school to aspire to invest and work for themselves. That is our duty.

Good Governance and Integrity

Madam Speaker, in order to foster good governance and integrity, we have intensified the fight against corruption, maladministration in service delivery and financial crimes. These are things we must fight together without demonising them or calling each other names that do not exist in the fight against corruption. No!

Madam Speaker, we have accelerated the pace of digital transformation and decentralisation. The Government service bus is coming on fast and that will help to enhance fair tax revenue collection, not over-taxing people.

Madam, we have continued to strengthen the policy and legal environment as well as governance institutions.

Madam speaker, I know someone and many more want to hear this. To strengthen the fight against corruption, we are reorganising the leadership and management of investigative wings and increasing resources to support their operations.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: Just wait and see in the months ahead.Madam, in our fight against corruption, there shall be no sacred cows.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: There shall be no sacred cows. The corruption of the past, present and the futurewill be fought.

Hon. Members:Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, I listen to what people say, and I was hearing noising and sentiments such as “this Government does notlook at present corruption”. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: You have seen what the Government has done in the last ten days. The President’s own appointees, as at last night, were removed. Here is a message for hon. Members and the nation. Do not call the fight against corruption selective or ethnic based. If you took public money, you did not take it for your ethnic group. You took it for yourself.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, I am engaging our traditional leaders. As late as yesterday, we agreed that no subject of a particular chief would run to a chief when called to account over corruption. This has been the habit of the past.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker,the traditional leaders have agreed that they will inform us when some of you go to them to seek cover.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The President:You will not get the cover.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President:You will be on your own for past corruption, present corruption and future corruption.

Madam Speaker, money lost to corruption is far too much. You are given a contract, you claim to be a businessman or businesswoman, you supply air and invoice it, thenyou say suppliers are not being paid. Aikona man.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President:It will not happen. You can complain as much as you want. The audits are on andthey are establishing strange things. With the changes we have made at Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) levels and the establishment of dedicated court rooms for the Economics and Financial Crimes Court, cases must now end in ninety days, not in two years or three years. We shall see.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President:Madam Speaker, the children of Zambia need money to buy desks andfor feeding programmes. People should not take money that does not belong to them. Those are the values we talked about earlier on. Respect what is not yours. Take what is yours and leave what is not yours for the nation. This is not a joke. I, therefore, call on this respectable and honourableHouse to work together on the cancerous issue of corruption. Now you have seen that there is no one who is exempt. So, you must support this fight.

Madam Speaker, I urge every Zambian, including this House, I dare say the whole Government; the Executive, the Judiciary, the Legislature and the media, we must all work together to stamp out corruption. Watch this space. Corruption has taken far too much money from this country. This is a countrythat is so rich. I go to meet with Presidents of other countries. Their economies are growing, but our economic growth went down to minus 2.8 per cent, largely because of corruption.

Interruptions

The President: Yes!

Now we are rebuilding the economy. Numbers do not lie.

Madam Speaker, I must say that I get embarrassed when countries that were smaller than us economically are now bigger than us. I have a sense of shame. So, I ask everybody to have a sense of shame and accept that we made mistakes. When others are correcting the mistakes you made, sit quietly.The best you can do is acknowledge the wrong doing, repent and offer advice which is progressive. I am serious.

Madam Speaker, this is not a joke. I want this House to know that this is not a joke. We must be embarrassed. The reforms that the Government is putting in place are to push the growth of the economy.

Mr Kapyanga:Abantubalechula!

The President: A bit of pain yes, I understand. Penicillin is painful, but you have to take it in order to get a cure. However, the sight of where we are going is clear. What we need is to work as a team and as a decent group of leaders. Let us ask ourselves. What will our children say about us thirty years from now? We should be the ones the children will call great men and women who turned around the country and took it where it needed to go.

Madam Speaker, we need a different session for this subject, not this one. Let us find sometime and talk as adults, not as children.

Laughter

The President:Madam Speaker, our citizens deserve efficient and effective services from public institutions. It is for this reason that we have dedicated this year to getting rid of all forms of rigidities or blockers that stand in the way of progress in service delivery and economic growth.Some sit in this House, and some rigidities have been injected by the decisions of this House. the winded procurement procedurescame from this House. Why should it take eighteen months to get a Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) certification for an investment? Who has eighteen months to wait? We are tackling all these issues.

Madam Speaker, this President will focus on the grassroots this year.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President:Even in your constituencies, I am coming.

Madam Speaker, money laundering and terrorism financing are emerging crimes that present a risk to our national security and development efforts. It is in this regard that the Government has developed the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Policy to curb these crimes. In order to enhance the provision of services to our people, the Government has made progress in implementing digital transformation, I mentioned this earlier. Our motorists can now access electronic services on licensing and inspections. Retirees can now access their pension and social benefits electronically, taking away the hand of corruption, as much as possible, and delays.Taxpayers are now able to pay taxes online. This is great news and it is very important.

Madam Speaker, decentralisation is good for all of us. It takes decision-making and services closer to our people. Itimproves accountability and transparency in the management of public affairs. During the period under review, the Government decentralised the human resource management system in the Public Service to the provincial and district levels. In 2022, the decentralised systems contributed to the efficient and transparent recruitment of more than 40,000 Public Service workers across the country.It has never been done before, in the history of this country, that in one year, youemploy over 40,000 Public Service workers across the country.

Interruptions

The President:Yes,numbers do not lie. Please, just do a little bit of reading. You do not need more.

Madam Speaker, we are pleased to inform this august house that the Ward Development Committees (WDCs) and Constituency Development Fund Committees (CDFCs)are now operational,countrywide. Local communities are now empowered to participate in local development and empowerment programmes through these governance structures. I dare say that the auditors will follow up these changes so that the money we have saved from the big thieves in Lusaka does not create small thieves inthe constituencies. So, auditing will follow. I am sure you are aware that even the Judiciary is going to the provinces and the districts so that we can protect the money. Small thieving is as bad as big thieving.

Sustainable Development

Madam Speaker, sustainable development is the key to our survival and prosperity as a nation. It is, therefore, at the centre of all our developmental interventions that we engage in. We all have an obligation to advance the developmental agenda of our country in a manner that ensures that future generations have a better Zambia to live in, one better than we found it. That is extremely important.

Madam Speaker, the Government recognises climate change and its associated threats that continue to affect the sustainability of our development trajectory. For instance, we have recently experienced devastating floods in some parts of our country. This is the negative effect of climate change. We have floods here, but Kenya has droughts. Today, we have floods, next yearwe may have droughts. These are serious challenges. So, we must work together to mitigate the negative effects of climate change by polluting the environment less.

Madam, we have had an opportunity to visit some flood-hit areas. Some of us in this room visited those areas. I went there, myself. This weekend, I will be in Lusaka checking on the floods. It is very bad and sad. However, standing together with this House, we will ameliorate the negative impact of climate change such as floods. Of course, we need to drain our towns better.We need to design and build better bridges that allow water to move. Water is too powerful, I know it. I was born in a flood-prone area. The roads must be designed better, not where you are to construct a 100 km road,you build only 20 km andby the time you construct 30 km, the first 5 km behind are ripping off but you get paid and you call yourself a businessman.Aikona man.No, no!

Interruptions

ThePresident: That is equivalent to thieving.

Madam Speaker, we have had an opportunity to visit flood-hit areas. So, I want to encourage all of us in this House to visit flood-hit areasand see how our people are living. If you have a normal heart like mine…

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The President: …you will realise the urgency with which we must place decisions that we are making to remedy this situation. It is unfortunate, but we must work as a team. People’s livelihoods have been affected and their property destroyed. In some cases, we have lost lives, and that is very unfortunate. We, therefore, wish to offer our heartfelt condolences to our families that have lost their dear ones, including young children, even here in Lusaka.

Madam, further, I ask our people not to swim in heavy waters. Water is too strong. It is a quick killer. It is not just lives that have been lost. Some children are not in school today because they cannot access schools. Some mothers who are about to deliver cannot access maternity wings in clinicstoday because they cannot just cross over. Honestly, hon. Members and the people of Zambia, tubombelechapamo, like we Bembas say, meaning, let us work together. Let us put politics aside and work together to manage these floods.

Madam Speaker, I also invite citizens who are able to donate something. Not something, but something.

Laughter

The President:Donate something through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and through direct interventions in their local areas to do so. Hon. Members can also go back to their constituencies on weekends.

Hon. PF Member interjected.

The President:umh, endani.

Laughter

The President: Please, go. Collective effort is needed. This is serious, it is not a joke.

Madam Speaker, we commend all Government institutions and other stakeholders that are responding timely tothe call to help duringcalamities. We must move beyond responding to disasters and focus more on disaster prevention by strengthening our early warning systems. As I said earlier on, we need to do this by the redesigning of our roads, bridges and dams. Imagine if we had invested in proper water harvesting. With all this water, we would be smiling in September and October. We would do irrigation,produce food and other things.

Madam Speaker, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the effects of deforestation on the climate and our people’s livelihood. To this effect, we are partnering with the private sector to plant in excess of 2 million trees over the next five years across the country. Although in my view, it is still a small number. We should grow this number. Other countries are doing better than us. However, as we reconstruct the economy, we will do more. As hon. Members of Parliament, we can do a little bit more in our constituencies by planting trees. We can double this number by private sector effort,including ourselves. The CDF can also be relooked at properly to support this area.

Madam, once again, I urge each and every one of us to take part in these measures such as tree planting then we can deliver significance as opposed to tinkering with the margins.

Madam Speaker, our local communities are the gatekeepersof our natural resources. We have, therefore, embraced the paradigm of strong community involvement and partnership in the management of our natural resources. The Government, in 2022, adopted the National Community-Based Natural Resource Management Policy. The policy is providing a framework for promoting community participation and strengthening governance in the management of our natural resources at that local level.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude,…

Mr Kapyanga:Apane!

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: …we are making steady progress in entrenching our national values and principles. Our citizens are increasingly appreciating the significance of these values and principles in shaping and providing a shared heritage for our living generations and those to come, bound by duty and responsibility. We want to see a nation with morally upright, ethical, patriotic and united citizens that embrace the art of hard work. We want a nation that embraces the fact that the human machine was designed in a complex way, that it can deliver work and work and more work rather than pate after pate.

Laughter

The President:This culture is what will endearour developmental aspirations and move away from getting rich without work. It is a sin to want to be rich without working. It is teaching our children bad habits. They see you driving aMBW (BayerischeMotoren Werke AG) vehicle, but they know that you do not work. You do nothing.

Laughter

The President: That is not right.

Mr Mabeta: Correct!

Interruptions

The President: Let us embrace the culture of hard work in return for what we want. It is achievable.

Madam Speaker, let us work hard and awaken the virtues of what God put within us and live our lives based on our shared national values and principles. I am convinced that when we do this, the country will be in a much better position than where it was. We should work as a team. Hon. Membersin this House should compete over ideas and on how to work better nothow to cheat more.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The President: Madam Speaker, may God inspire our words and deeds as a people. May God bless us all. May God bless our country, Zambia.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for your kind attention.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Presidentleft the Assembly Chamber.

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[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

MOTIONS

MOTION OF THANKS

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that at its rising today, the House do adjourn until Tuesday, 28thFebruary, 2023.

Madam, on behalf of the House, and, indeed, on my own behalf, I express my sincere appreciation to the President of the Republic of Zambia,…

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: …Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for the speech that he has just delivered on the Progress Made in the Application of National Values and Principles.

Madam Speaker, I have no doubt and the House will agree with me that the President has raised a number of important issues that require serious and careful analysis by all of us.

Consequently, I am of the view that the House should rise now so that hon. Members have ample time to study and analyse the speech and reflect on the important issues that His Excellency the President has raised. This will enable hon. Members to make informed contributions during the debate on the address starting on Tuesday, 28thFebruary, 2023.

Madam, this is a procedural Motion, and I request all hon. Members to support it.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Government Members:Hear, hear!

Mrs Munashabantu (Mapatizya):Madam Speaker, allow me to put on record my sincere gratitude for the opportunity accorded to me to speak on the Motion just moved by Her Honour the Vice-President on the occasion of the Special Address to Parliament by His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on the Progress Made in the Application of National Values and Principles.

Madam Speaker, I fully support the Motion by Her Honour the Vice-President that the House adjourns now to afford hon. Members ample time to digest and critically analyse the speech so that when we come back to the House next week, we are fully prepared to debate with an informed mind on the various issues contained therein.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I am very grateful for the support that the hon. Members have unanimously givento this Motion.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Question put and agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1125 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 27thFebruary, 2023.

 

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