Friday, 23^rd June, 2023

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

FREE DENTAL SCREENING EXERCISE

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

The singing today was very nice ...

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: ... although I could see that some people were not singing.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: The hon. Leader of the Opposition, however, was singing.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Members, I inform the House that Crown Dental Clinic has been granted permission to conduct a free dental screening exercise for hon. Members of Parliament and staff. The exercise aims at promoting dental healthcare through the detection and treatment of common dental ailments.

The exercise will be conducted from Monday, 26^th to Friday, 30^th June, 2023, from 0900 hours to 1600 hours from Monday to Thursday and 0900 hours to 1300 hours on Friday.

Interested hon. Members are, therefore, encouraged to find time to participate in this important exercise.

I thank you.

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BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma): thank you very much, Madam Speaker, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: … for giving me this opportunity to give a word of congratulations to none other than His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia and Commander-in-Chief of the defence forces.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Ladies and gentlemen, it is a done deal.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: It is a done deal. We have, under our belt, US$6.3 billion in restructured debt. The debt that has been suffocating this economy, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: … created by the previous regime.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Fortunately, we have a visionary leader, a leader of commitment and a leader of love who went through many hardships –

Hon. Government Member: No road run.

Mr Lufuma: No road run, yes.

Laughter

Mr Lufuma: He went through hardships to ensure that Zambians have a possibility to progress and live in prosperity.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: This debt has been relieved from our shoulders. From about US$12 billion debt that was accumulated under the previous regime, we have managed, through the hard work and commitment of our President, to restructure US$6.3 billion. We expect the remainder of the debt, also, to be restructured. We are on our way, ladies and gentlemen, to prosperity.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: The change that they asked for is the change that they have gotten. It is the change that they deserve.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: So, ladies and gentlemen, when a hunter, in my village, goes to hunt and comes back with bounty, there is celebration in splendour.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: So, I would like to ask the whole House to rise up and congratulate the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Government Members rose.

Mr Lufuma: … and the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and, of course, the Government.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Thank you. Let us get back to business.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, let me get to the business of the day.

Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the House Business Committee met on Thursday, 22^ndJune –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, can we listen to the business for next week, please. Can we pay attention.

May the hon. Leader of Government Business in the House continue.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the House Business Committee met on Thursday, 22^nd June, 2023, to determine and schedule the Business of the House for the period 27^th to 30^thJune, 2023. In this regard, the Committee resolved to lay before the House, the following business for consideration:

1. Announcements

The Hon. Speaker may make announcements to the House on any day, when it is necessary to do so.

1. Rulings

The Hon. Madam Speaker may render rulings, if there will be any.

1. Ministerial Statements

Hon. Ministers may make ministerial statements, if there will be any.

1. Private Members’ Motions

1. Mr C. Kang’ombe, MP, will present a Motion entitled “Facilitate Amendment of the Local Government Act” on 28^th June, 2023; and
2. Mr J. E. Banda, MP, will present a Motion entitled “Issue Lifetime Diplomatic Passports to Former State Office Holders” on 28^th June, 2023.

1. Bills

The Bills listed hereunder will be considered:

1. The National Prosecution Authority (Amendment) Bill No.7 of 2023. That will be the Second Reading Stage and the date for consideration is 30^th June, 2023; and
2. The Human Rights Commission Bill No. 8 of 2023. That will be the Second Reading Stage and the date for consideration is 30^th June, 2023.

1. Reports on International Conferences

Reports on International Conferences will be considered, if there will be any.

1. Parliamentary Committee Reports

The House will consider the following Committee Reports during the period:

1. Report of the Committee on National Guidance and Gender Matters on Achieving 50/50 Gender Parity in Governance and Decision-Making Positions in Zambia. This will be considered on 27^th June, 2023;
2. Report of the Committee on Local Governance, Housing and Chiefs Affairs on the Review and Implementation of the Integrated Development Plans in Local Authorities. This will be considered on 28^th June, 2023;
3. Report of the Committee on Energy, Water Development and Tourism on Tourism Sector Development and the Effectiveness of Tourism Development Strategies in Zambia. This will be considered on 29^th June, 2023;
4. Report of the Committee on Cabinet Affairs on the Implementation of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in Zambia. This will be considered on 30^th June, 2023; and
5. Report of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on the Performance Audit Report on the Control of Illegal Migrants in Zambia. This will be considered on 30^th June, 2023.

1. Questions for Oral Answer

Hon. Ministers will respond to twenty Questions for Oral Answer as set out hereunder. The details of the Questions are outlined in the Notice of Questions circulated to all hon. Members as follows:

1. Tuesday

(i) Question No. 381. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security on 27^thJune, 2023;

(ii) Question No. 362. This will be be taken by the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on 27th June, 2023:

(ii) Question No. 318. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Green Economy and Environment on 27th June, 2023;

(iv) Question 328. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Tourism on 27th June, 2023;

(v) Question No. 305. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Technology and Science on 27th June, 2023; and

(vi) Question No. 305. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Tourism on 27th June, 2023.

(b) Wednesday

(i)        Question No. 240. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Technology and Science on 28^th June, 2023;

(ii)        Question No. 246. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics on 28^th June, 2023;

(iii)       Question No. 258. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security on 28^th June, 2023;

(iv)       Question No. 263. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Education on 28^th June, 2023; and

(v)        Question No. 366. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Health           on 28^th June, 2023.

(c) Thursday

(i) Question No. 382. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Education on 29^th June, 2023;

(ii) Question No. 374. This will be taken by the hon.Minister of Technology and Science on 29th June, 2023;

(iii) Question No. 282. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Energy on 29th June, 2023;

(iv) Question No. 349. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development on 29th June, 2023; and

(v) Question No. 272. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Health on 29th June, 2023.

 (d) Friday

(i) Question No.322. This will be taken by the Vice-President on 30^th June, 2023; I am sure hon. Members are looking forward to seeing her here.

(ii) Question No. 337. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Finance and Natioinal Planning on 30th June, 2023;

(iii) Question No. 329. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on 30th June, 2023;

(iv) Question No. 247. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Health on 30th June, 2023; and

(v) Question No. 259. This will be taken by the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development on 30th June, 2023.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the House Business Committee, and in accordance with Standing Order No. 189 (5) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021, I have the pleasure to present the business for next week to this august House.

I thank you, Madam.

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MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

MR KANG’OMBE, HON. MEMBER FOR KAMFINSA, ON MR KABUSWE, HON. MINISTER OF MINES AND MINERALS DEVELOPMENT, ON FQM JOB CUTS

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, I rise in line with Standing Order No. 134, and direct this urgent matter of public importance at the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development. I am assuming, since he is not around, that it is directed at the hon. Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam Speaker, two weeks ago, First Quantum Mining and Operations Limited announced that it is going to close its operations in Ndola. Over 1,000 workers have been affected by the risk of losing employment.

Madam Speaker, First Quantum Mining and Operations Limited was the first registered company in Zambia for First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQM) and had operations in Ndola. With this announcement that over 1,000 workers will lose employment, some of them from across all the many districts on the Copperbelt, –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, without cutting you short, I think that is a matter that qualifies to be asked as a question and not to be raised as a matter of urgent public importance. Please, put in a question and it will be dealt with as such.

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, I am well-guided and I will submit an urgent question.

I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Thank you. Whether it is an urgent or ordinary question will depend on the Journals Department’s advice.

MR ANDELEKI, HON. MEMBER FOR KATOMBOLA, ON THE HON. LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE, ON KWACHA GAINING AGAINST CONVERTIBLE CURRENCIES

Mr Andeleki (Katombola): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

My matter of urgent public importance is directed at the hon. Leader of Government Business in the House. I have been receiving calls from people from Katombola Constituency, and even from people outside Zambia, that the Kwacha is gaining so fast against convertible currencies. Could that mean that we are back in the Champions League?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, even yesterday, there was something asked in those lines, but since the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is not here, I believe he will naturally come to brief us. He does not need to be prompted. I am sure, as soon as he comes back, he will give a ministerial statement in those lines, including the restructuring of the debt that has been secured.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: So, we can leave that to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Hon. Member for Kwacha, you may proceed.

Mr C. Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I rise on a matter of urgent public importance directed at our able hardworking hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Madam Speaker, two days ago, Kitwe District woke up to a rude shock after it was discovered that thieves had pounced on the water utility Nkana Water and Sewerage Company and stole copper cables worth millions of Kwacha. This is a plant which supplies water to parts of Kalulushi …

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, without cutting you, it is better that you put in a question. The hon. Minister will be able to address that issue. Whether it is an urgent or ordinary question, the Journals Department will be able to give advice.

Mr C. Mulenga: Much obliged, Madam Speaker.

Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, the matter I wish to raise is directed towards the hon. Minister of Education or the Acting Leader of Government Business, since the hon. Minister is not around.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, proceed.

Ms Nyirenda: Madam Speaker, three days ago, we woke up to breaking news where it was said, “Sad day for the Ministry of Education”. There was an incidence of a break-in and arson at Kamwala Secondary School, where materials were all burnt to ashes.

Madam Speaker, this is the second incidence concerning schools which are being burnt by whoever is doing it. We experienced this in Kapiri Mposhi where a school was burnt three times, and the hon. Minister had to close the school. As an educator, I am concerned and need your guidance.

Madam Speaker: Again, hon. Member for Lundazi, I understand that issue is very important and needs to be addressed, but it does not qualify to be raised as a matter of urgent public importance. The hon. Member for Lundazi is advised to put in a question and the hon. Minister will be able to address that matter.

Thank you.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

STALLED TARRING OF TOWNSHIP ROADS IN CHADIZA DISTRICT

305. Mr. J. Daka (Chadiza) to ask the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

1. why the tarring of township roads in Chadiza District has stalled;
2. when the project will resume;
3. what the cost of the project is;
4. how much money had been paid to the contractor, as of June 2022; and
5. what the time-frame for the completion of the project is.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Madam Speaker, with your permission, before I answer the hon. Member of Parliament for Chadiza, allow me to join the Acting Leader of Government Business the House in my own capacity and as Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning now to congratulate the President of the Republic of Zambia for making good what went wrong on 23^rd November, 2020, when Zambia became the first country to default on its sovereign debt and, thereby, bringing down the Fitch ratings. Congratulations to the team.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, the tarring of Chadiza township roads stalled due to a lack of financing. The contract has actually been terminated and closed.

Madam Speaker, the project will resume as and when funds are made available.

Madam Speaker, the original contract of 18 km of bituminous standard surfaced road was at a cost of K118,370,863.31.

Madam Speaker, the total sum of money that had been paid to the contractor called Avex International was K43,535,010.46. That is how much has been paid to date.

Madam Speaker, once the project commences, it is expected that it will be completed within a period of fourteen months, which is one year and two months.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, this is a constituency based question. So, I do not expect a lot of questions to come from other constituencies.

Hon. Member for Chadiza, you may proceed.

Mr J. Daka: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the response. The situation that my constituency is facing on the township roads is not only peculiar to the urban roads, but is also affecting the main track and districts roads. Why am I saying that? The Chipata-Chadiza Road, as it traverses through the Chadiza Central Business District (CBD), becomes an urban road. The Chadiza/Vubwi Road, as it traverses through the CBD also becomes and urban road. The same applies to the Katete/Chanida road into Chadiza. They all transform into urban or township roads.

Madam Speaker, this condition of urban roads, including those roads I have mentioned, is greatly affecting the economic standing of the constituency and the district at large. Therefore, getting such a response from the hon. Minister makes me, as a Member of Parliament, very sad because the economic standing of my constituency is greatly affected by the condition of these roads. Those roads that I have mentioned are the ones that connect my constituency to the rest of the country, and all the works that were constructed on these roads –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, ask a supplementary question. Please, do not debate. Proceed, but ask a supplementary question.

Mr J. Daka: Madam Speaker, my question is: In terms of months or time, when does he intend to remobilise the contractor to the aforesaid roads?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Colleague and friend for that follow-up question. The Chadiza township roads are not an isolated case in terms of how the programme of township roads became dislocated by the very party where the hon. Member who is asking such a question is coming from. The history is that, in 2013, nearly all the districts in the country had been awarded a certain number of kilometres of township roads. They embarked on overzealous, unplanned and haphazard commitments.

They signed contracts and, in this case, it was Avex International Ltd which put in works that included and not limited to the following: earth works, stabilisation of base course, drainage works, cap stones, priming and surface works. They did this in many constituencies, including the constituency where this Minister comes from, Mazabuka.

Madam Speaker, the pain that my dear brother and friend is going through is the same pain that I am going through, but is something that we have to endure. As pain may endure throughout the night, joy comes in the morning. Just today, we have given good information about how we have managed to do what the previous Government failed to do; to restructure our debt and give us breathing space in order for us to create some sort of leverage to attend to the very things that the Government that went out –, and I hope it goes forever – failed to do.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, lets us try to work together as brothers and sisters.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, please, allow me to congratulate the giant of Presidents who has actually managed to negotiate the debt without even involving any international consultants.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayengwa: Madam Speaker, my question is: Now that the debt has been restructured and we expect a lot of money to be saved – money which was supposed to be used to service debt – are we going to see any township roads, not only in Chadiza, but also in Kabwata and Mazabuka where we are –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Kabwata, I guided. This is a –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

This is a constituency-based question. So, if the hon. Member for Kabwata wants to ask questions about other roads, he can, please, put in a question. I know that the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has been here, before this honorable House, to give indication and explanation of what happened. The story is not the same. It applies to each and every constituency. So, please, let us direct our minds to the question that is before us and ask supplementary questions.

Mr Kangombe (Sesheke): Madam Speaker, in giving relief to the people of Chadiza, how would the hon. Minister respond to them using the debt restructuring that this Government has so far achieved?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, in terms of what we have just achieved, let me state that every finishing line is a beginning of a new race. Only half of the US$13 billion debt has so far been restructured, at US$6.3 billion, from public sector lenders. We still have another race to try and restructure the private sector lenders debt, which stands at US$1.3 billion. However, this, indeed, is a good relief. The immediate low-hanging fruit that every hon. Member of this House has and enjoys is the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which is domiciled in the ministry that I am privileged to run.

Madam Speaker, I can confirm to you and to the person who asked this question that most hon. Members of Parliament, in addressing the issue of road connectivity and the standard of roads, have procured earthmoving equipment.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, just this morning, I am going to join my son, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mandevu, to commission that equipment in order to make the roads in his constituency motorable. Therefore, my encouragement to the people of Chadiza is: Do likewise.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Mandevu is also my son.

Laughter

Mr J. Daka: Madam Speaker, we are in the process of procuring a grader, which suits the kind of terrain we have in Chadiza, hence the delay. However, the abandonment of urban roads has left trenches yawning for subsequent works. It has left half-done carriage ways yawning for bituminous surfacing and so on and so forth. There are so many outstanding works such that they have become a human hazard to members of my constituency.

Madam Speaker, for a short-term, immediate and less costly intervention, what does the ministry plan to do to alleviate the suffering of the people of my constituency with regard to what I have referred to?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, a similar question came through in the last Meeting from the hon. Member of Parliament for Sioma. He indicated that there had been piles of laterite and unattended to culverts in his constituency, where someone, as a matter of fact, lost his or her life. That is what, I think, he reported. So, it is on all fours with my dear colleague’s situation. Avex International Ltd’s contract was terminated in 2020. Mark my date, 2020; when his party was in the Government.

So, Madam Speaker, what is it we should do? We have asked everyone to prepare final accounts to close. Why we have done that is that the consequence to what had been done before, in over contracting or over procuring, is that we are not only suffering hazards of causing danger to road users, but also suffering hazard on interests on default. Most of those contractors that his party had contracted are claiming interest on default. That is already a big hazard to us. So, what are we doing immediately to sort this out? I urge the hon. Member to speak to his Council Secretary to use that same motor grader that they have bought to level up and clear the piles of laterite that may have been left as a result of abandonment, which happened in the time of their Government, of these urban roads.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member must, please, mark my words. It is not peculiar to Chadiza. Even in the constituency that this Minister represents, a company called China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group, LTD (CJI), was contracted. It left piles and piles of laterite on the roadsides and some in the middle of the roads, but we have cleared them to make the roads motorable. I urge my hon. Colleague and friend to do the same.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I believe we have exhausted the question, although I see indications from several hon. Members. As earlier guided, this is a constituency-based question. So, please, hon. Members, as I allow you to ask questions, remember we are talking about the roads in Chadiza.

Mr E. Tembo (Feira): Madam Speaker, allow me also to join my colleagues on the right on the debt issue.

Madam Speaker, I almost believed that we had paid our debt, kansi it is just restructuring.

Laughter

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, my question really is: Can the hon. Minister to be categorical.

Is the hon. Minister saying that the township roads project and the plan that was left by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government in Chadiza have been abandoned? I just want to be clear, even without using Venn diagrams and graphs. Is the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government shifting from supporting those plans? I know about the challenges he has raised and I also suffer the same. So, I want clarity.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I thank you and my colleague from Feira. On a lighter note, there are no boundaries in hallucinating, dreaming ....

UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: ... or imagining that a debt can be cancelled just like that, a debt that was accrued by other people. Ours is a responsible Government, and it decided that it was going to work twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year to restructure the debt that our hon. Colleagues left.

Mr Mabeta: Correct!

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, we have managed to go halfway through it, and now, they are calling for debt cancellation. I hope it was in jest, also, that he thought we would be talking about debt cancellation. That is similar to hallucinations.

To my dear friend, –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Maybe the use of the word “hallucinations” towards another hon. Member might be too strong. Please, find another word.

Withdraw it, and use another word.

Mr Nkombo: Thank you for your guidance, Madam Speaker. I withdraw the word.

Madam Speaker, fantasising is also allowed in life. You can fantasise about debt cancellation. If the word “hallucinations” is too strong, I withdraw it wholeheartedly and unreservedly. To fantasise is also permitted.

Madam Speaker, on the issue of abandonment, again, I want to just be a bit clearer that there are many roads that were abandoned in all the districts of this country. So, we must not take Chadiza as an isolated case. I am sorry, but at the expense of repeating myself, I have to say this so that I drill the point into the hon. Colleagues for them to understand.

The situation, Madam Speaker, has been dire. It has been serious in terms of the malaise that this country was left in on the debt standing. So, we would like the patience of our hon. Colleagues to be exercised in full because there is a clear-cut route of how we intend to normalise the debt mountain that they left.

Madam Speaker, one cannot mourn more than the bereaved. In the case of my hon. Colleague from Feira, I have already explained that, yes, we are in a difficult situation, but mourning more than the bereaved is, actually, a matter of melodrama. The Chadiza people, we love, and we will attend to them. The abandonment, again, for ease of reference and removal of any doubt, happened in 2020. We were in the tunnels. In 2020, we were fighting to remove the Patriotic Front (PF) from the Government. We successfully managed to remove it after it had already abandoned many road projects in this country. So, hon. Colleagues in the PF cannot be the ones to whip us into submission on funds that they squandered.

Madam, I thank you.

Mr E. Daka (Msanzala): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I also thank the hon. Minister for that explanation. My question is: As the hon. Minister is also receiving that show of interest from contractors, –

Madam Speaker, in the termination letters, I read parts that said, “You leave the road passable.” What are the measures the Government is taking to ensure that roads that were abandoned are left in passable state?

Madam Speaker: Order!

The hon. Minister actually addressed that issue. I do not know if hon. Members are listening or we are just repeating ourselves. I do not think we should belabour this point.

Let us make progress.

Hon. Michelo and Hon. Katakwe indicated to ask supplementary questions

I know the hon. Member for Solwezi East and the hon. Member for Bweengwa are not from that constituency. So, please, excuse me.

We make progress.

Mr Michelo interjected.

Madam Speaker: I know what you are going to say.

Laughter

Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe): Thank you, Madam Speaker. The people of Mufumbwe join many Zambians in congratulating this Government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, on the successes that have been made in the debt restructuring.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

306. Mr. Kamondo to ask the Vice President:

1. why the construction of the youth resettlement scheme in Mufumbwe Parliamentary Constituency has stalled;
2. when the project will resume;
3. what the size of the scheme is;
4. what facilities will be provided at the scheme;
5. how many youths are targeted to occupy the scheme; and
6. what the social and economic benefits of the scheme are.

Madam Speaker: Order!

The Acting hon. Leader of Government Business, you may proceed.

Mr Lufuma who was conversing with Ms Kasune walked back to his seat.

Madam Speaker: He still went to celebrate.

Laughter

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma): Indeed, Madam Speaker, I was still celebrating. It is so exciting.

Madam Speaker, it is the Government’s desire to construct and operationalise the Mufumbwe Youth Resettlement Scheme in Mufumbwe Constituency. The House may wish to note that the works to construct the youth resettlement scheme stalled due to non-availability of resources.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the youth resettlement scheme will resume once the request for supplementary funding, which has been made to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning under the 2023 National Budget, is approved by this House.

Further, Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts is also engaging co-operating partners for alternative funding to contribute to infrastructure development, which includes youth resettlement schemes in Mufumbwe.

Madam Speaker, the size of the Mufumbwe Youth Resettlement scheme is 26,000 ha of land.

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that when completed, Mufumbwe Resettlement Scheme will be provided with the following facilities:

1. a rural health centre;
2. a police post;
3. a skills centre workshop;
4. sports facilities;
5. production hubs for livestock and agriculture;
6. student hostels;
7. a primary school and a secondary school;
8. running boreholes;

1. administrative blocks; and

1. libraries.

Madam Speaker, a total number of 1,500 youths are targeted to occupy the scheme.

Madam Speaker, once operational, Mufumbwe Youth Resettlement Scheme will improve sustainability of livelihoods for youths through skills acquisition, income generation activities in agriculture and livestock production, quality health care and education facilities, and other social amenities that will come its development. Further, it will contribute to creating agri-business related activities, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, there are many consultations going on. Please, if you are consulting, do that in low tones so that we follow the proceedings of the House.

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the answers he has given to the people of Mufumbwe. He may be aware that in the 2019/2020 Budget, this project appeared in the Yellow Book and some money was allocated to start its implementation. What could have happened that even if the money was allocated, nothing started on the ground?

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member for Mufumbwe that in 1920, there was an allocation to commence this project.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Minister, what year was it, 1920?

Interruptions

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, I am sorry. It was 2020. I am a bit ancient, but we will correct that. There was an allocation, but, as you know, these are the issues we are talking about; the mountain of debt that was acquired without prudent expenditure and, because of that, we lacked the necessary money, despite it. We lacked the necessary money to be able to undertake this project, unfortunately. So, there was an allocation and an estimate, but there was no physical money to execute and implement that project, unfortunately. So, that was the case. However, there is a K50 million in supplementary funding that has been applied for, and we hope that part of that money will be utilised on this project.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, my question may be similar to that of Hon. Kamondo. However, I want to find out whether this project, on its commencement, had a budget. Was there a budget that was set aside specifically for this project to commence?

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, yes, there was a budget, and that is what the hon. Member for Mufumbwe asked. He indicated that there was a budget in the year 2020, estimated. So, there was a budget. The only hustle was that it was not supported by the necessary funding. So, there was no money behind that budget and, therefore, the project could not be executed.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Madam Speaker, the people of Solwezi East congratulate this Government for winning this battle on debt restructuring, knowing that they shall also have a share of an allocation to construct the Mushindamo Central Business District.

Madam Speaker, I have a follow-up question on what the hon. Leader of Government Business in the House stated about the resettlement scheme. I know that Mufumbwe is intending to buy earthmoving equipment in order to open up the roads in the resettlement area. Is the Government considering giving a waiver of duty on the earthmoving equipment that Mufumbwe is intending to buy, and extend it to us in other constituencies?

Madam Speaker: Order!

Ask one question, hon. Member.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, because there were several questions, I could not get the question. Could the hon. Member repeat it, so that I am able to answer?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, just repeat one question and be precise.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, is the Government intending to give a waiver of duty for the earthmoving equipment that Mufumbwe is intending to buy in order to open up the roads in the resettlement area?

Madam Speaker: I am sure the question is clear now, Acting hon. Leader of Government Business in the House.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question, although, seriously, it should be answered by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning because it is under his ambit and jurisdiction. I will, nevertheless, say, on behalf of the Government, that yes, a waiver will be given, especially for this equipment. It is agricultural equipment, and I am sure it will be bought using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), and that arrangement has been made so that we buy those items free of tax.

Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to add on as regards the question that the hon. Member for Mufumbwe asked and assure him that the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts is currently in talks with the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). There is positive indication that they will assist us and give us the necessary funding to be able to put up some infrastructure so that we can start taking care of the unemployed army of youths in Mufumbwe.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kamondo: Madam Speaker, all I can say is that I thank the New Dawn Government for providing that solution.

Madam Speaker: There is a last question. Hon. Member for Nyimba, you are now in Mufumbwe. What is your question?

Laughter

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, the question from the hon. Member of Parliament for Solwezi East, the hon. Minister has not answered it.

Madam Speaker, it is a very simple question. It affects even the hon. Minister, as the hon. Member of Parliament for Kabompo. The question is: This equipment we are buying, which my good friend from Kaputa is also trying to buy, just as the hon. Member for Mufumbwe, is the Government considering giving it a tax waiver since it is the Government of the Republic of Zambia’s (GRZ) equipment? It is simple and straightforward.

Madam Speaker: I believe the hon. Acting Leader of Government Business answered that question. Maybe, for the benefit of the hon. Member for Nyimba who was not listening, the Acting hon. Leader of Government business in the House can repeat the answer.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, what I said was – we are talking about a resettlement scheme here, so, the agricultural equipment that the hon. Member of Parliament for Mufumbwe and Mufumbwe Constituency are going to purchase will benefit from that waiver. I could not be more precise than that.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much. With regard to the other questions that you wanted to extend, I think you can put in a question for the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to give some clarity.

We can make progress.

The next question, unfortunately, was supposed to be asked by the hon. Member for Chinsali. However, I have received information that the hon. Member has not been cleared to be on leave by the Government Chief Whip. So, under the circumstances his question lapses

_______

MOTIONS

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, WORKS AND SUPPLY

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Transport, Works and Supply on the Operations and Management of Zambia Airways – Challenges and Opportunities, for the Second Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 16^th June, 2023.

Madam Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, in accordance with the terms of reference as provided for in the Standing Orders, the Committee undertook a study on the Operations and Management of Zambia Airways – Challenges and Opportunities.

Madam Speaker, the objectives of the Committee’s study were, among other things, to:

(a)        appreciate the benefits of a national airline in Zambia;

(b)        appreciate the mechanisms put in place to ensure profitability of Zambia Airways; and

(c)        appreciate the challenges and opportunities of having a national airline.

Madam Speaker, I am confident that all hon. Members have thoroughly read the Committees’ report. Therefore, I will limit my speech to a few pertinent issues.

Madam Speaker, in order to help fully interrogate the matter under review, the committee also undertook tours to selected airports in the country. Allow me to now briefly comment on some of the observations made in almost all the provincial airports visited by the Committee on their suitability to support the operations of a national airline. During the site visits, the Committee observed that airports in Chipata, Kasama, Mfuwe and Mansa are in urgent need of upgrading and renovation.

Madam, Chipata Airport, in particular, needs to be upgraded and transformed into a commercial facility. The Committee notes that the airport has sufficient space for such an upgrade, following the donation of land to the Zambia Airports Corporation in Chief Mazimawe’s area. This will open up the tourism potential and business of the Eastern Province, in particular, and the country as a whole.

Madam Speaker, the Committee’s tours revealed that most runways in the airports visited have no appropriate perimeter fencing. This poses a danger to the landing aircrafts as the runways are trespassed on by people and stray animals. This is unacceptable and is in direct contravention of aviation standards for commercial airports.

In view of this, Madam Speaker, the Committee urges the Government, through the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, working together with the Zambia Airports Corporation, to ensure that all the airports are urgently fenced off with the appropriate material which is not prone to vandalism, as recommended by the aviation experts.

Madam Speaker, of great concern to the Committee is an aspect arising out of the partnership between Zambia Airways and Ethiopian Airlines in the ownership of the national airline. For example, the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport has no approved maintenance organisation to provide routine maintenance works for Zambia Airways. This means that the airline relies on services provided in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This practice makes it impossible for the enhancement of skills transfer to the local engineers and is also very costly.

In view of this, Madam Speaker, the Committee recommends that an aircraft hangar with necessary equipment to undertake maintenance checks that are currently being undertaken in Ethiopia should be set up at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. In addition, local engineers should be equipped with the necessary skills for such undertakings.

Madam Speaker, the Committee also observes with concern that the expert agreement between Ethiopian Airlines and Zambia Airways represents a skewed contract in favour of Ethiopian Airlines. This, in the Committee’s view, is meant to ensure that Zambia Airways is constantly dependent on its partner for most aviation services. The contract is also designed to ensure that there is no loss on the Ethiopian Airlines, regardless of the business conditions for the Zambia Airways.

Madam Speaker, in view of this, the Committee recommends that the contract terms be renegotiated to represent a fair share of contributions by each party. In addition, when renegotiating the terms of partnership, there should be wider consultation by the Zambian Government, especially with the local aviation experts with traceable record in the aviation industry as well as experts from the Zambia Air Services Training Institute.

Madam Speaker, as I end, I wish to put on record that the aviation industry in Zambia has great potential to grow. The country should capitalise on the location of the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, which is within less than two hours of air travel to eight regional destinations. This is consistent with the aspirations of making Zambia an aviation hub for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and Africa in general.

Madam Speaker, lastly, I pay tribute, on behalf of the Committee, to all the stakeholders who tendered both oral and written submissions before us. We also thank you, hon. Madam Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support services accorded to us throughout our deliberations. I beg to move.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

Mr Munsanje: Now, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, thank you so much for allowing me, on behalf of the good people of Mbabala, to second the Motion on the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Transport, Works and Supply, ably moved by our Committee Chairperson, Hon. Mubika Mubika.

Madam Speaker, may I, first of all, join the nation in congratulating His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Musokotwane, the Cabinet and the entire nation of Zambia for attaining the Debt Restructuring, #HakaindeHichilema, #AProsperousZambia. Congratulations.

Madam Speaker, in seconding the Motion on the Floor this august House to adopt the Report of the Committee on Transport, Works and Supply, allow me to thank the Chairperson, which I have done. Let me draw the attention of the House to a few items that I wish to highlight. One is on the need for the streamlining of the acquisition of foreign operator permits.

We noted that Zambia Airways had struggled to obtain an operator pilot to go to other destinations in the region. It took it almost a year or more to get that. We are glad that it has been achieved now, with the inaugural flight which we saw recently for it when it went to South Africa.

Madam Speaker, we, therefore, urge the Government to help the airline obtain foreign operator permits for other destinations, so that it can easily move to those areas because the essence of having a national carrier is for it to easily take our people to other countries, especially our regional neighbours. We should easily be going into Rwanda, Maputo, Johannesburg, Harare, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and many other destinations that surround us. Without the foreign operator permits for our national carrier, which is the Zambia Airways now, it becomes very difficult. So, the airline really needs help in that area.

Madam Speaker, we also noted that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seems to have a number of bureaucratic processes which contributed to the delays of obtaining relevant permits and licences for the Zambia Airways. We call for these bureaucratic processes to be reduced. In the words of His Excellency, he talks about removing rigidities. So, we are calling for the removal of some of the rigidities that hinder the operations of local airlines in the country by the civil aviation authority.

Madam Speaker, we are also asking that we put up a qualified and experienced management team at the CAA, of both people who are experienced in pilot duties and management functions. It was observed that some of the challenges could be due to the fact that some of the people who are in that authority may not have experience in pilot duties. As such, they may not easily overcome some of the issues that arise in operating air transport.

Madam Speaker, the other issue is on airport charges for local airlines. Your Committee notes that airport charges weigh down local airline companies in costs. This is another area which is costing the local airline.

In this vein, Madam Speaker, your Committee recommends for a deliberate policy framework that provides incentives to locally operated airlines to be put in place, so that they can compete with foreign registered airlines. We found that the costs of parking and refuelling aeroplanes are quite high, especially for the local airlines. Therefore, we are calling for a policy that will help in the booming of this sector, especially now that we are a land-linked country that needs to take advantage of its central location in the southern African region where one can easily get, within one or two hours, to almost ten or more destinations around the region. So, let us use that as a comparative advantage for ourselves.

Madam Speaker, the other issue is the participation of local contractors in contractual works in the aviation sector. We saw that a number of tasks are given to different operators. I think some of the issues we had raised, for example, in the Ethiopian Airways contract, were the contracts for the supply of uniforms, food stuffs and the servicing of planes in Addis Ababa. We said these must come down to Zambia so that we can create jobs for our local people.

Madam Speaker, when we visited the Kasama Airport, for example, we saw the works which have been sub-contracted to the Zambia National Service (ZNS), which is doing excellent work in terms of earth works and the like and we are saying that let more works be contracted to local contractors such as the ZNS. We are also calling on the Ministry of Defence to strengthen the engineering capacity of the ZNS, so that it can do more, countrywide, of these works, demonstrated by the quality work it is delivering at the Kasama Airport, which will allow us, in July, to fly there for the UkusefyapaNg’wena traditional ceremony. This is the work of the New Dawn Government #NewDawnGovernment. We are going to be flying to Kasama for that kind of ceremony and many other things. That is opening Zambia.

Madam Speaker, with these remarks, I note the good work that the New Dawn Government is doing in revamping and having a national airline and ensuring that the various airports are functional, including my airport in Choma. This will allow us, as hon. Members of Parliament, to be able to fly home and quickly do our work in constituencies and come back. This is important. So, a number of airports are being rehabilitated, as ably moved by my chairperson.

Madam, this is an excellent thing which could not have happened in the past. It is due to the vision of His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema. We have an excellent son of this soil who has a vision for this country. He has demonstrated that this country can be interlinked by having all these airports functional; Kasama and Mansa and we are even coming to Nakonde. We will put one there within the New Dawn period.

Mr Simumba: Are you sure?

Mr Munsanje: So, we are all going to be happy and enjoy ourselves.

Mr Nyambose interjected.

Mr Munsanje: To Hon. Nyambose, we are also coming to Lundazi. I see him everywhere.

Madam Speaker, thank you so much for this wonderful time.

Madam Speaker: You have not mentioned Mongu.

Laughter

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, allow me, first of all, to thank the hon. Member of Parliament and Chairperson of your Committee, Hon. Mubika, for this report. This report is timely. At the same time, allow me to thank your Committee for the work it did to prepare this very important report.

Madam Speaker, I want to begin by indicating that for a nation to prosper, certain decisions have to be made. Some of these decisions require a lot of thought. Obviously, in the aviation industry, as a nation, we have lagged behind. We have lagged behind in the sense that we have not been able to take the necessary step to start.

Madam Speaker, let me indicate and thank the previous Government for taking very important steps. The first one, which is very critical to the success of the aviation industry, was supporting infrastructure. Hon. Members are aware that in Zambia, today, we have three international airports that are able to receive international visitors. We have airports in Livingstone, Ndola and, obviously, the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), which is able to manage a lot of traffic coming into this country.

Madam Speaker, given that very important step, it is important that we continue improving. For us to continue improving, we have to build on the good decisions that were made in the past. That is why, today, we are even able to discuss the issue of what is missing. What is missing, firstly, is, obviously, beginning to market our country. I am sure that the Ministry of Tourism, which is responsible for the marketing of our country, will take advantage of some of the already taken steps. We have the infrastructure and an airline which is jointly managed between Zambia and Ethiopia. If there are things that need to be done to improve that partnership agreement, those are things that I am sure the chairperson and his Committee have ably tackled in our report.

Madam Speaker, the point I want to make, firstly, is that we cannot be discussing today without looking at where we are coming from. Where we are coming from, we did not have the infrastructure. Today, however, we have the airports. How are we utilising these airports to ensure that we get enough traffic into these airports?

Madam Speaker, I have been to Ndola Airport before and have found that there is no traffic in the airport. There are very few planes that are landing into Zambia. Therefore, we need to find strategies to improve the volume of traffic in that particular airport. That is a beautiful airport and what we need is traffic. How do we get traffic into an airport? First of all, we need to have enough economic activity in the country. If there is enough economic activity in the country and have enough people who want to trade, there will be activity in the airport. If there is activity in the airport, jobs will be created. Our young people who are looking for jobs, such as those who have gone for training on how to manage planes, will have jobs, provided there is activity in the country.

Madam Speaker, as we discuss this very important topic, we must link it to other aspects. What are these other aspects? Firstly, we need to raise our efforts in managing the marketing of our country. Is Zambia well marketed? Recently, we had an opportunity to host a legends football match between Zambia and the legends of Barcelona. Those are the things that can enhance the image of the country to the outside world. So, as we discuss the airline; Zambian Airways, and how we should have these planes maintained in Zambia, the point we must ask ourselves is: Are we approaching this matter comprehensively in the sense that it is not just a matter of employing one engineer to repair plane locally? The question is: Is there commercial value out of operating an airline, currently, in Zambia? If there is no commercial value, what we should be discussing, and what I was expecting the report to tackle, is: How do we ensure that there is enough economic activity to support the beautiful airports that have been built already, the partnership agreements that exists between Zambia and the Ethiopian Airlines and that we are able to create enough local jobs?

Madam Speaker, if we do not do these basic things, even if we demanded, today, that out of the revenue for the Zambia Airways, we get 90 per cent, we can only get 90 per cent of a profitable organisation. Even if, today, we said, let us get 70 per cent, we can only get 70 per cent out of a profitable organisation.

Madam Speaker, for me, the report deals with some basic important issues, but it will be important, beyond what has been captured in the report, for us to ask ourselves how we link the operations of the Zambian Airways to ensuring that there is enough economic activity. How many people are willing, today, to get on a plane between Ndola and Lusaka? There are very few people because, sometimes, it is quite expensive for one to get on a plane. So, we must tackle this issue from a very holistic and well-integrated point of view. That point of view is that, let us look beyond the challenges that we have identified.

The bigger picture is that if there is enough economic activity in our country, many people will opt to get on a plane. Why should we wait for an airline to reduce its tickets when we know that profitability will be affected? What should drive the process of a profitable airline is economic activity in Zambia. If people are able to move between Mongu and Lusaka and there is economic value that they will get, they will prefer to get on a plane. If someone is in Mansa, today, and he/she prefers to move by plane coming to Lusaka, and there is profitability for the airline, Madam Speaker, he/she will start using the airline.

Madam Speaker, the point I make is that I support the report in as far as it addresses some of the challenges. However, moving forward, infrastructure has already been built; three beautiful airports have been built in Zambia. We have an airline that has been put in place. We cannot define the success of an airline simply by forcing it to start doing certain things. Let us create economic activity in our country and people will decide that it is better to use an aeroplane as opposed to driving 400 or 500 km between two provinces.

Madam Speaker, I support the report and do hope that the Committee has taken note of some of the issues that have been raised. Further, I place on record gratitude to the previous Government for building three beautiful airports.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, I would like to add my voice, on behalf of the people of Chilubi, on the debate on the issues that have been highlighted in the report.

Madam, the starting point, I think, is the legal and policy framework. We know, as we talk about the aviation industry, that it is also linked to other laws and policies such as the National Industrial Policy, National Trade Policy, Zambia Tourism Policy, National Investment Policy and Tourism Master Plan.

Madam Speaker, why the people of Chilubi would like to take that route, is simple. We all know that market demand for air transport is low, especially that the airline in question is meant to do local trips. If it is meant to do local trips, there is a need to activate or trigger consumer behaviour that goes hand in hand with the demand for air transport.

Madam Speaker, among the things that have prohibited positive consumer behaviour towards air transport is the escalating and unstable fuel prices in the country which have, of course, been triggered recently. If we consider the years between 2012 and 2021, we will realise that most of the fuel prices were being increased by 90n per year, for ten years. However, when we look at the current fuel prices, we have had an increase of K13 just after one year and four months, and that has affected the aero market.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Chilubi, I will be missing a point if I do not address market demand in line with what goes on at airports. In the interest of time, allow me to just pick the Mfuwe Airport and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport. The Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport, per annum, only takes in 300,000 passengers on average, but has the capacity to take in one million passengers. When it comes to the Mfuwe Airport, which is more of a tourist’s intentional airport, it takes in 25,000 passengers per annum, yet it has better capacity than that.

Madam Speaker, some of the factors that contribute to such intake are mainly back to consumer behaviour. I think the previous speaker did allude to the economic environment in the country. There is an attitude that air transport is only supposed to be associated with the apa mwambas. When I say apa mwamba, it is an issue where you find that certain brackets of our population are more like prohibited because of the economic status.

Madam Speaker, as we speak, I know that, today, we are celebrating the issue of – is it debt restructuring? I have even forgotten.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Fube: Debt restructuring. The people of Chilubi are expectant that certain things in the country will change so that they can also jump on the plane because Chilubi is one of the prohibitive places. Travelling to Chilubi and coming back, in any place, even when one is doing trade is so prohibitive because even the roads are not so motorable. We will rely on air transport, especially with an improved economy after restructuring the debt.

Laughter

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, when we talk about aviation related fees, among them ground handling, landing and navigation and parking fees, they contribute to the low consumption behaviour that hinders air transport from operating at full capacity.

Madam Speaker, allow me, on behalf of the people of Chilubi, to compare the journey the Malawi Airlines travelled, especially that we are now in partnership with the Ethiopian Airways. I will come back to the Ethiopian Airways later. When Malawi Airlines was launched, it had been posting loses until 2022 when it posted a US$4 million in the Treasury. One of the contributing factors was the work on the consumer behaviour of the people. Air transport, unlike the other four modes of transport locally, attracts the lowest in terms of consumption.

Water transport is active because it caters for the common man. Road transport also caters for the common man. For railway transport, in as much as the infrastructure may not be in tune, it is still used by many people. However, air transport has certain prohibitions.

Madam Speaker, this speaks to how we have tailored the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Civil Aviation Act No. 5 of 2016. Restructuring starts from there. The removal of prohibitions such as certification and many other factors should open up the space. If the airline does not have participants in form of passengers, then that is where everything starts from. Currently, the largest contributing factor is the price of jet fuel, apart from the parking, landing and handling fees. Jet fuel, is where the problem is. As we celebrate – I hope that the Kwacha will get to K5 per Dollar – we need to handle the price of jet fuel. I think that is the starting point.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I support the report.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you.

From the tone of your voice, you are really celebrating.

Laughter

Dr Mwanza (Kaumbwe): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for giving me, on behalf of the people of Kaumbwe, an opportunity to add a voice to the debate on the Motion on the Floor of the House on the Operations and Management of Zambia Airways – Challenges and Opportunities.

Madam Speaker, from the outset, I thank the mover of the Motion, Hon. Mubika Mubika, and the seconder, Hon. Munsanje, for ably moving this Motion.

Madam Speaker, air travel is a major and integral part of transportation integration to every country. There are four modes of transport; air, road, sea and rail. There is a need for transport integration. From the beginning, I echo the sentiments of the previous speaker on the Patriotic Front (PF) Government having actually constructed international airports from debt that was accrued. The debt was used wisely to construct the three international airports that are of –

Mr Munsanje: Where?

Dr Mwanza: Where?

Mr Munsanje: Question!

Dr. Mwanza: The Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Allow the hon. Member to debate, quietly. Please, let us follow. Let us not debate from our seats. We are going back to our old habits. Please, let us listen to the debate on the Floor.

Dr Mwanza: The KKIA, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (HMNIA) were built to international standards. In fact, KKIA has a new international area which was constructed at, I think, US$360 million and the SMKIA at US$397 million.

Madam Speaker, I now also thank the New Dawn Government for clinching the deal or for securing US$1.3 billion. This US$ 1.3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal will assist to facilitate debt restructuring that will amount, somehow, to US$6.3 billion. For this, looking at the challenges that are in the transport sector, through the recreation of the Zambia Airways, we hope to sort out many more issues patterning to the operational characteristics of this airline.

Madam Speaker, there are more benefits in the operation of the Zambia Airways. Looking at the infrastructure challenges that your Committee saw or met in the field when visiting all the provincial airports, they are not new. Infrastructure challenges that exist at the Chipata, Mfuwe, Kasama, ...

Hon. Member: Mongu

Dr Mwanza: ... Mongu airports and everywhere else are all basic.

Laughter

Dr Mwanza: We need, first of all, to integrate by improving these provincial airports and bringing in inter model transport arrangements. What do I mean? We need roads leading to these airports to be in good shape. We need, also, the basic infrastructure such as runways and aprons, as alluded to in the report, to be improved to international standards.

Madam Speaker, Zambia, due to its geophysical position, is well placed to be a regional transport hub for Southern Africa. It is only two hours away from all capital cities in the region of Southern Africa. We also look at the advantage of being a peace haven in the world. Zambia is a well-known tourist destination. Therefore, we need to explore the potential through the creation of the Zambia Airways.

Madam Speaker, allow me to talk about the challenges through the contractual agreements between the Zambia Airways and the Ethiopian Airline. Zambia Airways struck a raw deal as we saw in the report. The contractual terms of the expert agreement, favours the Ethiopian Airline. However, there is still room to renegotiate. To renegotiate, on what terms? I checked in the report, and the Ethiopian Airline is gobbling US$5,280,000 per year, regardless of the business environment in the country. The maintenance of aircraft is done in Ethiopia. Of course, this can be renegotiated and the Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI) should be recapitalised by equipping it with training equipment as well as aircraft simulators.

Madam Speaker, in order to expand the clientele base and traffic demand in Zambia, there is a need for the Ministry of Tourism and the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) to co-operate with the Zambia Airways so that famous destinations, leading to tourist centres, have certain kinds of agreements with the Zambia Airways. Even for the Government, when leaders have certain business trips on the Zambia Airways routes, it should be mandatory that it uses the Zambia Airways. For the ministry of sport too, when the Zambia National Football Team goes to appear at the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), there is a need that there is that kind of mandatory instruction that officials use the Zambia Airways.

Interruptions

Dr Mwanza: Madam Speaker, even for our local tours by your committees, we should use the Zambia Airways.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Dr Mwanza: Whenever the route favours us as we travel, it should be mandatory to use Zambia Airways.

Madam Speaker, to this effect, let me state that our infrastructure challenges are not insurmountable. So, all provincial centres in Zambia should have airports to international standards.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours 

______

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, this country, if we look at its historical background, we will discover that we were the first country in Southern Africa to pioneer civil aviation through the Zambia Airways. We were actually doing much better than our new partners, the Ethiopian Airways, but where did we lose it? You cannot talk about a thriving aviation industry without looking at its backbone, that is, the economic performance of the country coupled with the need to attract travellers into the country. We managed, as a country, to successfully run the Zambia Airways because the country owned its resources through the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM). No wonder we are saying that at the time of independence, the Gross Domestic product (GDP) of Zambia was equal to the GDP of South Korea. That was the basis.

Madam Speaker, among the challenges that this airline is facing is the price of Jet A1 fuel, not to mention the landing fees, as compared to our neighbouring countries. So, it is very important that as we look at the operations of the Zambia Airways, we should look at the holistic nature of our country with regard to its economy.

Madam Speaker, Zambia has the highest number of protected areas in sub-Sahara Africa. Actually, we can even boast that the Kafue National Park is bigger than two or three countries in Europe put together.

Madam Speaker, for this airline to be productive, we need, as a country, to ensure that tourist attractions, such as our game management areas (GMAs) and national parks are developed to an extent where, when tourists comes into this country, they should be able to carry stories when they go back to their countries. By so doing, we are likely to have more travellers yearning to visit this country and, in order for them to do that, there is a need for our domestic carrier to play a significant role.

Madam Speaker, that is not the only thing. My colleague already hinted that the previous Government upgraded a number of our international airports. We have the green field Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) on the Copperbelt which was built from the scratch. There is the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), which was expanded. We know also that the Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (HMNIA) in Livingstone was upgraded.

Madam Speaker, I will be appealing to this New Dawn Government. I know it has plans on the cards. I was told, the other day, by the hon. Minister for Muchinga Province, that money has been released to upgrade the Chinsali Air Strip to a 3km bituminous airstrip. That is something that is welcome. However, I request that Government kindly goes further.

Madam Speaker, there is an airstrip in Chama District. Chama is one of the districts that pose great potential for tourist activities. The previous Government started an airstrip there. Earth works started, but, mid-way, were abandoned. We need such types of airstrips throughout the country. In the northern circuit, we have another airstrip which was started there. I think, as a country, we need to be serious. I have learnt that almost all the amounts that were budgeted for that airstrip were released, but the Government is paying penalties beyond the amounts which were released for an airstrip which was not completed. So, I think, as a country, we need to be very serious with the plans that we have for diversifying our economy.

Madam Speaker, this Zambia Airways will not become profitable for as long as we do not remove our people from the poverty quagmire. For people to use air services, they need to have extra income. Therefore, the first focus for this country should be to ensure that we do whatever it takes to move our people, probably, from the levels of poverty in which we are, to middle income or to even higher income. This is very much possible because we have everything. We sing about gold. Foreigners come here, mine our gold, of course, working with a few us and it goes out of the country. We have West African brothers who have been exploiting our emeralds from time immemorial. These are things that are supposed to be owned by ourselves as Zambians.

Madam Speaker, it should not become a crime for a Zambian who has genuinely worked and acquired resources for his own benefit. It should not be a crime provided legal means have been followed. If anything, this Parliament should start discussing means and ways of ensuring that Zambians own the factors of production. Unless we do that, we will never have a sustainable airline or an airline which will be a going concern.

Madam Speaker, honestly, are we not ashamed that we have more resources than Ethiopia, but now, are relying on Ethiopia to help us run an airline? If we managed our gold in Kasenseli, our resources on the Copperbelt and in the North-Western Province, which we are giving away, I can assure the House that we would be able to buy those big Boeing or Airbus aeroplanes without even looking for debt or credit.

Madam Speaker, I know that hon. Ministers are very happy about the debt restructuring. We are all happy, but the question that I want to ask our colleagues is: will this not come with its own conditions? Among the conditions is that, for the first time, we will start paying interest, which we had not been paying. Have we started preparing Zambians to understand those technicalities? Otherwise, for Zambians, when they hear debt restructuring, they think now there will be money free for all. However, that is not the situation.

Madam Speaker, for me, I conclude by saying: Can we build our economy so that our airline can depend on us.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Minister for Southern Province (Mr Mweetwa): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity that I may add our voice to the debate on the Motion on the Floor of the House in support thereof. I would like to pick it from where the hon. Member of Parliament for Chama South Constituency ended on the question of debt restructuring.

Madam Speaker, let me indicate that whereas it is a pleasant moment for us, as a people, in Zambia, to celebrate the debt restructuring, it is only to the extent that we have trusted in the good and prudent leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, which the international community has trusted enough for us to attain this feet. However, we should also not forget to say, “How did we get here?”

Mr Musanje: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, that question must accompany this celebration.

Hon. UPND Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, we had issues here where the US$750 million Eurobond was borrowed and hon. Members of the previous administration on the Floor of this House were dancing here, celebrating the acquisition of the debt. They told us that they were going to restructure the railway line and, to date, we have not seen even a single rail sleeper being worked on.

Mr Kapyanga: That issue is not in the report.

Mr Mweetwa: We are talking about transportation.

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Mpika, you just have to indicate electronically instead of continuously saying, “On a point of order” when there is somebody on the Floor, and I heard you the first time you indicated for a point of order. So, there is an indication for a point of order. What is your point of order?

A point of order is raised.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order pursuant to Standing Order No. 65. The report we are debating is very clear. The House is considering the report presented by the Chairperson of the Committee on Transport, Works and Supply on the Zambia Airways and other infrastructure in the aviation sector. How, then, have we found ourselves discussing the debt?

Madam Speaker, I seek your serious guidance on whether other debaters who are coming should debate debt or the report? Which one is which?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, thank you so much for that point of order. In fact, both debaters brought in the issue of the debt, which in my view, I thought they would link to the report at hand. So, my guide to the hon. Minister who is debating is that when we bring in issues, for example, of debt, can you try, as much as possible, relate it to the report on the Floor. The report is very specific. So, if you want to bring in other issues, let us not move away from the report. Let us concentrate on the report. The hon. Minister for Southern Province will continue, with that guide.

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the guidance. I had indicated that it was a prelude to my submission, but I understand the vagaries of a foreign language.

Madam Speaker, let me now zero in on my substantive submission this morning by beginning to acknowledge and commend the previous administration of the Patriotic Front (PF) for the conceptualisation to have upgraded a number of our aviation infrastructure in this country. Then, by that move alone, have set the stage for Zambia’s take off and progress in the aviation sector.

Madam Speaker, lamentably, however, it has since come to my knowledge that a number of these infrastructure upgrades were acquired at exorbitant, inflated and unsubstantiatable costs.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, for instance, I am told that the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) upgrade cost US$97 million.

Mr Kampyongo: Question!

Mr Mweetwa: I am told that it was actually US$360 million, by the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development.

Madam Speaker, when you look at this amount of money, we are struggling to request the international community to give us a bailout. This is the money we should have used prudently.

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

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

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, thank you so much. I raise this point of order pursuant to Standing Order 65 (1) (a) (b).

Madam Speaker, we have a report; a very elaborate report which we are debating on the Floor. Is the hon. Minister for Southern Province in order to start sensualising matters here and figures that are not in this report; figures which he cannot lay on the Table?

Ms Mulenga: He is saying that he heard.

Mr Kampyongo: By so doing, he is misleading this august House and the nation at large. Is he in order to continue on that trajectory? We appreciate that he does not get enough platform to speak in this august House.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, I think that is enough, we have gotten the point of order.

Mr Kampyongo: I seek your serious guidance, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Yes, let us not discuss ourselves in that manner. We are one. The hon. Minister for Southern Province, you mentioned an amount, do you have evidence of that?

Mr Mweetwa: Yes!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: If we do not have the evidence, I advise the hon. Minister as he goes on with his debate, that if there is mention of any figures which are not contained in the report, we shall need evidence for that. So, for that, hon. Minister for Southern Province, please, let us try to stick to the report. I am sure there are a lot of figures that are mentioned in the report which we can make use of. However, if you have evidence of any report with figures, please, you can lay it on the Table so that we continue with your debate. So, hon. Minister, with that guide, may you please continue.

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, the amounts I am making reference to are in the public domain.

For instance, Madam Speaker, the upgrade of the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) in Ndola is in the region of US$400 million. Compare that with the cost of the upgrade of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC), the new facility and the entire state-of-the-art infrastructure that has been put there, which was a donation worth US$60 million. Let us look at the quality that is at the MICC and the quality that is at the airports and the amounts differential. We would be on firm ground to say those prices were highly inflated.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Had not the upgrade of the MICC been a donation, we would have been talking about huge amounts of money, maybe, US$200 or US$300 million, but it cost US$60 million because it was a donation. The Patriotic Front (PF) Government was extravagant, and we are bringing out these issues so that the United Party for National Development (UPND) does not fall prey to those same vagaries.

Interruptions

Mr Mweetwa: So, if I were someone who did something wrong, sometimes, I would keep quiet.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilubi made reference to fuel prices. He said that under the PF, there was per year increase of 90 ngwee. That was an artificial and false economy. That amount of money did not reflect the actual commercial pricing. That is why, today, as we speak, the PF administration left this country, to a tune of more than US$700 million, in debt to oil marketing companies (OMCs).

Madam Speaker, politics of appeasement should have no place anymore in Zambia. That is why we need the UPND Administration to continue. That is why hon. Members have seen ...

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

Mr Mweetwa: ... we now have a country that is on the move. Not too long ago, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, assured the Chitimukulu that the Kasama Airport would be worked on. As we speak, it has already been worked on. I have reliable information that it is being worked on to become a regional hub. The Kasaba Bay Airstrip is also being worked on, and a number of other airstrips are being worked on to bituminous standard.

Madam Speaker, not too long ago, we went for the Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony. At Chipata Airport, where we were told there was a lot of work happening, there were so many potholes and animals were crossing. We were lucky to have landed safely. This, notwithstanding, the PF Administration left this country in huge debt. However, they are the first ones, today, asking us questions such as, “Where is the mealie meal for K50 and fertiliser for K250?”

Interruptions

Mr Mweetwa: They have forgotten about the debt they left, which they should have addressed to the critical infrastructure in the aviation sector.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, as I windup debate, may I indicate that for us who have the opportunity to be in the Government and those who will come after us, let us not repeat the mistakes of the PF because it has cost this country the economic opportunity for progress.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Tembo (Feira): Madam Speaker,

Hon. PF Member: Hammer!

Mr E. Tembo: I thank the Chairperson of your Committee for ably moving this Motion.

Madam Speaker, let me also just say that as a villager, I looked forward to flying.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I want to hear the debate by the hon. Member from Feira. Let us lower our voices as we are doing consultations.

Hon. Member for Feira, you may continue.

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, I was saying that I looked forward to flying. Fortunately, God gave me the opportunity to fly around the world and I saw a number of airports.

Madam Speaker, coming home, before the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, naturally, I did see how the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) used to look. I had not travelled for a long time, but recently, when I went there, I actually thought I was in Johannesburg. This did not come from anywhere.

Madam, even as I debate the issue of the Zambia Airways and respond to some of the issues raised, let us look at these major airports. The KKIA; the newly built Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) – actually it was not an upgrade, but was built from the ground; and the Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (HMNIA), in the Southern Province, where the New Dawn Government claims to have a stronghold. Even there, the PF Government put up that new airport.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, this infrastructure did not come from “the talking too much” that we have seen in the new era. It is because we had to work hard, as a party.

Madam Speaker, the Zambia Airways was liquidated. However, today, we are talking about the Zambia Airways because the PF had a vision to ensure that Zambia had an impact on the international scene. I am glad that, today, our colleagues have taken over trying to improve the airline. I urge the Government to learn and look at the good plans that we had instead of talking about debt and so on and so forth. As for the debt that hon. Colleagues are talking about, we can see what it was used for. Other than that or beyond the aviation industry, we can see the massive district hospitals, the heart disease hospital just nearby and several other things. However, I do not want to go into that.

Madam Speaker, let me emphasise that, as a country, we have a duty to ensure that we are united and move forward. Therefore, we should be careful what we say on the Floor of the House. We need to ensure that – I agree with what Hon. Mung’andu said – that we need to empower our Zambians. Not this thing we are seeing where we are looking at the private sector to mean foreigners. At least, we should be talking about the private sector being made up of Zambian.

Hon. Member: Yes, not whites.

Mr E. Tembo: We need to have our own people. Just owning a small plane has become a crime. Let me tell hon. Members that there are several people who have personal jets, such as pastors and many others. In Zambia ... how do we even improve?

Hon. Opposition Member: Unless whites!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Please, do not move away from the report, try as much as possible to discuss matters that are in the report.

You may continue.

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, yes, I am talking about aviation in view of some of the issues that were raised. My point was that the vision that the previous Government, in particular, the PF, had was to ensure that it boosted the tourism sector. So, the Zambia Airways is not being discussed in a vacuum. It is vis a vis the promotion of tourism and economic development, people coming in and out. So, it is important that we look at all the efforts that were made positively rather than trivialising what is important.

Madam Speaker, today, people arrive at KKIA and travel on the Great East Road –

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

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

Mr Michelo: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Bweengwa, thank you so much for allowing me to rise on a very serious a point of order on the hon. Member of Parliament for Feira who is debating. What he is trying to say is not even in the report.

Mr Kapyanga: Standing Order!

Mr Michelo: Standing Order No. 65.

He said here in Zambia, we are not allowed to own planes. As citizens of this country, we are allowed to buy, even ten planes, as long we are doing clean business. However, when one is a thief, in Zambia, we cannot allow.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: I need your serious ruling.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Michelo: Are the thieves or an hon. Member of Parliament in order to celebrate –

Mr Michelo’s microphone switched off.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Ms Mulenga interjected.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Kalulushi.

Let us be mindful in the way we put up our points of order. It should not be in a very provocative manner – in fact, not “very”, but “not in a provocative manner”. Raising a point of order is simple and straightforward. I got it in the beginning when you said, “Is the hon. Member in order to say no Zambian is allowed to buy a plane?” It should have ended there.

Of course, my ruling is that the hon. Member who is on the Floor was, actually, out of order to say that no Zambian is allowed to buy planes in the country.

If you had an issue, maybe, you could have found a better way of bringing it forward. I am sure there are a lot of Zambians who would want to buy and who own planes. So, as far as I know, there is no restriction. However, if you have a point that you want to bring forward, find a better way.

The hon. Member may continue.

Mr E. Tembo: Thank you for your guidance, Madam Speaker. Indeed, my point was that Zambians should be encouraged to own private planes, as business people, and so on and so forth. However, we have noted that whenever someone has an asset such as a small plane, security wings are sent his/her way. My point, really, is that we need to appreciate the good that previous governments did in the aviation industry. Zambia has not started today. There is a history where we came from. The PF, for instance, ensured that it revamped the Zambia Airways …

Mr Kapyanga: Yes! It was privatised.

Mr E. Tembo: … because it saw the need. It was in view of the economic development that we envisioned for this country.

Madam Speaker, I also take note that a number of investments, also, went into airstrips. In fact, I am glad that there is talk, notwithstanding that there is normally too much talk without action, that the Government will work on all the airstrips around the country. Even in Luangwa, I will wait to see, in view of the debt restructuring that has been talked about.

Madam Speaker, before I resume my seat, may I just say to the Government that since there is this celebration about debt restructuring, we will be expectant to see even more infrastructure than the massive infrastructure the PF left as a result of it –

Hon. UPND Member: Question!

Mr E. Tembo: In fact, Madam Speaker, we, also, expect mealie meal prices to come down.

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Now you are moving away from the report. How does mealie meal come into the report for the Zambia Airways, honestly speaking? Can you wind up in a better way, using the report. We value your input, but, please, wind up in a better way so that people may learn something from your debate.

You may continue, hon. Member.

Mr E. Tembo: Thank you for your guidance, Madam Speaker. I am sorry. I was just responding to hon. – I will not say his name because it will appear as if I hate Hon. Mweetwa.

Mr Mubika: You have mentioned names.

Mr E. Tembo: Oh, sorry. Did I mention?

Madam Speaker, I was simply saying that as far as the issue of debt restructuring is concerned, we have been given an impression that the aviation industry will perform well, and so will other things. We are also expecting that issues of mealie meal, ulutoshi – We cannot do away with them.

Laughter

Mr E. Tembo: So, we are expecting that the price also comes down.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simumba (Nakonde): Thank you, Madam Speaker, for this opportunity you have given me, on behalf of the people of Nakonde, to add a voice to the debate on this Motion. I thank the mover of the Motion, Hon. Mubika, –

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

There is an indication for a point of order. The hon. Minister for Southern Province, what is your point of order?

A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, thank you for the occasion. You know I rarely rise on points of order.

Mr Mwila: You always rise.

Laughter

Mr Mweetwa: Madam Speaker, my point of order is premised on the traditions and practices of this House, where we are not allowed to debate ourselves as hon. Members.

Madam Speaker, I have taken note that each time I rise to debate, which is the right of every hon. Member, some hon. Members of the former ruling party, the Patriotic Party (PF), which miserably lost elections, rise and accuse me of debating because I am a Provincial Minister and do not have the occasion to be in the House.

Are they in order, Madam Speaker, to try and use this political gimmick to stop me from telling them off because they were a terrible and bad Government?

Madam Speaker, I need your serious ruling.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, I think we have come in, from time to time, to just guide the House that we should work as a team. We are all hon. Members, and each one of us is very important because we represent thousands of people. So, each one of your contributions is very vital to this House.

So, let us try to co-exist and work together as a team. In fact, I like this report because we are trying to come up with something that Zambia will be proud of. However, if we disagree in this House, I do not know what the people out there will think.

So, please, my guide is that each one of you is very important in this House. We value your contributions. Let us work as a team. The hon. Minister for Southern Province is also valued in this House, together with his contributions.

The hon. Member for Nakonde may continue.

Mr Simumba: Thank you, Madam Speaker. You will forgive some of the hon. Members. I am sure they are very frustrated because of the positions that they have found themselves in.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

You have been called to debate the Motion to adopt the report and not your colleagues. So, could you, please, go straight to the report.

Mr Simumba: Thank you very much for your guidance, Madam Speaker.

I am here to stress the importance of infrastructure. There is a theory in this House that you cannot talk about the present without talking about the past. So, today, I will join my hon. Colleagues in talking about the past so that we move together.

Mr Mulunda: The decent past!

Mr Simumba: The decent past that saw the goodness of infrastructure. Madam Speaker, as regards the debt that each and every hon. Member on your right talks about, they have seen the infrastructure that the Patriotic Front (PF) left, built from it.

Hon. UPND Member: Where?

Mr Simumba: The Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) has been voted the best airport in Africa, …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simumba: … beating those in South Africa and Ethiopia, and all other airports in Zambia. Now, because of the frustrations that some people have, they were hoping that they would be …

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Can you move away from the microphone. It is becoming too loud. Just move away from the microphone as you debate.

You may continue.

Mr Amutike interjected.

Mr Simumba: Thank you very much for your guidance, Madam Speaker. I was talking about the infrastructure that the New Dawn Government should now concentrate on. The PF did its part.

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

We are now seeing a lot of indications for points of order. I do not know whether we are going to make progress. There is an indication for a point of order by the hon. Member for Mongu Central. Hon. Member, what is your point of order?

A point of order is raised.

Mr Amutike: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

The hon. Member who is on the Floor of the House has just made a statement that is aimed at misleading this House. He has claimed that the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) was voted the best in Africa. The fact of the matter is that the Cape Town International Airport was voted the best in Africa.

Is the hon. Member in order, Madam Speaker, to mislead this House and himself with such careless statements?

I seek your ruling, Madam Speaker, based on Standing Order No. 65.

Mr Kapyanga: Why are you screaming?

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I reserve my ruling because I have to get more information on whether, indeed, the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) is the best airport in Africa or that is not true. So, I will come back to the House at a later date to make the ruling.

Hon. Member on the Floor, please, can you be more factual and stick to the report so that we avoid many points of order. We want to make progress. Otherwise, I will be forced to stop the points of order.

Mr Simumba: Madam Speaker, the Zambia Airways was revamped by the Patriotic Front (PF), when it was privatised by unknown or known people. We cannot talk about the Zambia Airways in isolation without talking about the airports and the airstrips. The PF constructed provincial airstrips. The Kasama airport that they are talking about was started by the PF.

Interruptions

Mr Simumba: These are real issues. Even the Mansa Airport was started by the PF. Those are the things on which the debt they were talking about was spent.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member on the Floor.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I wonder why we are trying to divide ourselves when we have a single report that is telling us the status of the Zambia Airways – the challenges and management. It is very simple. However, we are now trying to politicise the report. People are eager to hear the progress on this issue. So, as you debate, please, think of your people. What is it that they want to hear? Instead of saying the Patriotic Front (PF) did this and the Untied Party for National Development (UPND) did that, can we be united. Please, let us talk about progressive issues that will benefit people.

Hon. Mulenga: Long live, Madam Speaker!

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member on the Floor, please, try, as much as possible, to be focused on the report. There is a lot of good information that people would like to hear. Please, I think, for the last time, you are guided. Try to be focused and produce a very good debate that your people and, indeed, the whole country will benefit from. The whole country is listening to you. Let us not divide the country.

Mr Simumba: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much. I give kudos to the former regime for making sure that all the provincial headquarters had almost done the construction of airports, so that the movement of goods and services and people is eased.

Madam Speaker, now that the United Party for National Development administration has successfully –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Please, try to be very specific and correct as you debate because I have read the report and not all the airstrips or airports are completed. So, let us try to be factual.

Hon. PF Member: Almost.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Yes, almost is not being complete.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members! 

We are trying to tell people in the nation the progress; where we are. Now, if we tell them that this airport has been completed when, in fact, it is not yet complete, then, we are misleading them. Let us tell the people the findings of this report. It will help them. If you tell them it has been completed, you are denying them of that particular area seeing the works completed.

So, hon. Member on the Floor, please, continue, with that guide.

Mr Simumba: Madam Speaker, the good people of Nakonde are now expecting that there will be an airstrip that will be constructed by the New Dawn Administration since it has had its debt successfully restructured.

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Simumba: These are the things that we are talking about. We want the New Dawn Administration to take a step where the PF left. We want to start seeing buildings being constructed and things happening. We do not want, when there is a question, to be given an answer that, “When the money is made available.” The money is available now. So, we want things to start happening. This is what the good people Nakonde are expecting.

Madam Speaker, on the issue of infrastructure at airports, we want, by 2026, to see something erected. Something should be seen and not only the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and one by two classroom black and so on and so forth. We want the Central Government to start operating. We want us, the managers of the CDF, the hon. Members of Parliament, to start managing the CDF and not whereby we see the Secretary General (SG) coming from wherever –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member on the Floor, this report does not include issues of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). You are moving away from the report. I have seen that we are not making progress, hon. Member. I think we will move on to the next person ...

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: ... because I have been guiding you, hon. Member.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I think those comparisons are not good. I have been guiding the hon. Member, who is taking much of our time, on the same issue. He has been guided to avoid. Hon. Member for Nakonde, I will give you the last chance. Otherwise, I am going to curtail your debate if you are not following my guide.

Mr Simumba: Madam Speaker, these are the issues that our people are expecting; to see development; and to see more airports and airstrips, especially in Nakonde because they do not have an airstrip. So, if there is an event such as this, where debt has been restructured, we need to give kudos to our friends because we expect more work to be done. Is that political? This is something that the people of Nakonde are expecting.

Madam Speaker, in supporting the very Motion, I expect the New Dawn Administration to buy more planes for the Zambia Airways, so that it can be easy for people to move around Zambia, and whoever wants to go to Nakonde. Even now, if the Zambia Airways can purchase some more planes, I can even go to Nakonde and come back tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, with these remarks, I submit and support the report.

Mr Kapyanga: Quality Nakonde rice.

Interruption

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will call on the hon. Member of Parliament for Mbabala.

Mr Munsanje: Madam Speaker, it was point of order.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Then I will call on the hon. Member of Parliament for Namwala because I want to balance up.

Mr Mapani (Namwala): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me, on behalf of the people of Namwala, an opportunity to add two or three sentences to the debate on this very important Motion which is on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, to start with, let me put on record that much as we appreciate the infrastructure –

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I am taking the last point of order so that we make progress.

A point of order is raised.

Mr Munsanje: Madam Speaker, my point of order is on the hon. Member who just debated and misled the House. The Kasama Airport was fully abandoned. The contract had expired, and there was not even a shovel or a pick left by the previous regime at that airport. Therefore, the New Dawn Government, through His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema, – I mean, as Committee Members, we were at the palace of His Royal Highness Chief Chitimukulu. He was very categorical and clear that this work was abandoned and the contract expired. Nothing was done. Not even a shovel or a pick was left, and not one brick was laid.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Mr Munsanje: The New Dawn Government entered into a new contract. It renewed it and put everything in place and, today, the airport is being finished.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Mbabala!

You are debating the point of order.

Mr Mundubile: Why is he telling lies?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Please, state your point of order.

Mr Munsanje: The breach was on Standing Order No. 65, misleading this House with wrong data. He does not have the data.

Hon. Opposition Members: Which data?

Mr Munsanje: I have the data and Committee members who were with me have the data.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you, hon. Member for Mbabala. That assignment or the response will come from the Acting hon. Minister. The Acting hon. Minister is going to give us a response. He is going to inform the public on where we are on the construction of those airports in the country. I am sure it is indicated somewhere in his response. So, let us not trouble ourselves thinking that the information was not correctly put or that it was omitted. Let us wait for the hon. Minister to respond to the issues. I am sure the Acting hon. Minister was also busy taking down notes on the issues that were brought out by all the debaters that had an opportunity to debate. So, we will wait for the hon. Minister to give us that response or information.

That was the last point of order. I urge the people who are debating to concentrate on the report.

The hon. Member for Namwala will continue.

Mr Mapani: Madam Speaker, as I said before, I stand to strongly support this Motion. The issue of constructing or upgrading airports in this country is inevitable. This will not only be a cheaper mode of transport, but also will make it possible for the people of Zambia to be able to move and do their business within a reasonable space or time.

Secondly, it is very important that when we are talking of issues that border on national interest, we ought to sail above board, meaning that we need to debate from an informed angle. An informed angle is where we have the information which can be justified and easily checked to counter whether, indeed, what is said is correct. Once we stand on those grounds, a lot of time will not be wasted. One among other issues is that when we talk about the grading of airports on our continent, our international airport, currently, is not even among the best ten in Africa. That is the information that is actually obtaining. However, as I said, we need to sail above board. We are not here for personal issues. Issues ought to be debated, as I said, from the angle of evenness, which is knowledge. We cannot be here to articulate issues that cannot be substantiated. So, the issue of –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member.

Is it possible that you can now refer to the report?

Mr Mapani: Madam Speaker, thank you very much. As I indicated, air transport is very important as regards cost and time. I urge our Government leaders to go around and see exactly where the airports ought to be constructed.

Madam Speaker, we have many points in this country which can be upgraded or we can establish to build those airports on so that the people of Zambia can carry out their business, as I said, within a reasonable space.

Madam Speaker, apart from that, we saw other countries that, nearly every town, not, per se, cities, but every town, have airstrips, and those alone tend to attract people from other countries to go and see exactly what happens or why they were put there, and are taken back to their countries.

Madam Speaker, the best example we can give is what is happening in Rwanda. The capital city and towns in Rwanda, we find, have airstrips that are actually to the standards of what we would call, in Zambia, international airports. Why is it doing that? It is one way of attracting people to visit the country. That, of course, falls under tourism. It is my appeal that what is being recommended in the report is put into force. Of course, it has to move according to the money that we, currently, have in the country. With what has been indicated in the report, we shall always endeavour to support it, and we urge the Executive to come up with plans on how it can actually implement what is in there.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I thank you.

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, ...

Hon. PF Member: Hammer!

Mr Mwila: ... thank you very much for this opportunity. Today, we are discussing the operations of the Zambia Airways which, indeed, is a very important factor in the development of this country. The story of the current Zambia Airways starts with the sad ending of its predecessor in 1994, when the Zambia Airways was liquidated, unjustifiably so, because that company should not have gone under. Had we let the Zambia Airways operate or had it been resuscitated, today, this airline that we are talking about would have even been ranking among the top airlines. We would be competing with the likes of the Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and even South African Airlines. However, because the minds that were there at that time, which could not think beyond the challenges that the institution was facing, thought it wise to liquidate it, which was a very sad situation.

Madam Speaker, today, first of all, I thank the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government for carrying on from where the Patriotic Front (PF) left by ensuring that this airline that we are talking about now, the Zambia Airways, which was incorporated in 2018, and took to the skies in November 2021 – Indeed, governance is a continuous process, but I want to thank the PF because it was through the PF Government’s mind and vision to build the economy of this country that, today, we are talking about the Zambia Airways operating.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: It started with the formation of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in 2014. The mandate of the IDC is to ensure that the industrial capacity of this country is developed. We are talking of a good story of the Zambia Airways, today, because the PF laid the foundation. Where we are now, we need to see the Zambia Airways achieve what we should have achieved twenty years ago in taking command of the skies of Africa and Zambia.

Madam Speaker, we cannot talk about the Zambia Airways, now, without the platform on which it operates, which are the airports. Today, we are talking about debt restructuring, and people have been questioning, politically, “Where did the debt go?” Without that debt that we are talking about, today, could we have had the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) in Ndola and the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (HMNIA) in Livingstone in the Southern Province in their form?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, we could not. Sometimes, people here politick and say, “Where did the debt go?”

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, let us not debate while seated. Let us give him the chance to continue with his debate.

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, today, people question, “Where did the debt go?” When I read the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), and I urge people who have not read it to find time and read it, developed by the current Government, I see the praises that have been made on the construction of these airports.

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: Today, we are talking about tourism being one of the anchors of industrial development and job creation because the 8NDP, being implemented by this Government, acknowledges the importance of the airports that were constructed by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government. We cannot talk about developing tourism without having the functional airports that we have now and, for that, we need to knowledge what the PF did.

Hon. PF Member: Yes.

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, the borrowing that we are talking about is there for everyone to see.

Hon. UPND Member: Where?

Mr Mwila: It is there even in the official documents of this Government that because of the beautiful airports that we have, we are now going to promote tourism. We are going to create jobs in the tourism sector because of the beautiful airports. Even our Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC), the new Kenneth Kaunda wing, is part of the circle that we are talking about. So, let us not trivialise issues. Governance is a continuous process and the PF did its part. That, we must acknowledge.

Madam Speaker, now, when we talk about the future of Zambia Airways, previous speakers spoke about what will cause people to use the airline. It is to travel. They travel for what? It is for business and tourism.

If we have to sustain the operations of the Zambia Airways, industrial creation of companies and job creation is key. If we want people to travel on the Zambia Airways to the Copperbelt, we need to revamp the industrial base of the Copperbelt. Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) need to be revamped. People will use the airline to travel to the Copperbelt to do business. Without industrial development, we will stifle the growth of this airline.

Madam Speaker, even in the tourism sector, when we talk about developing tourism in Mfuwe and in Luapula Province and the Northern Province; the northern circuit, we need to invest money so that people can fly there. It is very costly to spend five or seven hours just on the road to go and reach Samfya. However, if we have an airport in Mansa operating, it is very easy for an airline to fly there. If we have an airport in Samfya, we must take these infrastructures closer to where business is happening, and that is the task that this Government now has. Let us not just look within the infrastructure that is there.

Madam Speaker, with the recently announced debt restructuring, which has been an excuse on many of the developmental projects, we expect green-field investment. Let us construct an airport to Samfya. There should be no excuse.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: Let us construct an airport in Nakonde. People travel a lot for business, especially cross border traders. To avoid their spending twelve hours on the road on buses, let us construct an airport there. We now have the capacity. We have money that we are saying has been freed. So, let us drive that investment to the sectors that we have identified.

Madam Speaker, without continuing with the infrastructure development that the PF started, it will be very difficult to open up this country. One of those is the national airline. So, we need to look beyond what is happening now. There are other industries that exist within this sector, as we have read in the report. Why should we be taking an aircraft for maintenance in Ethiopia when we have our own aircraft maintenance engineers trained at the Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI)? They are here in Zambia, but what do they do? They are actually hired to go and maintain these aircrafts in Mkushi in the farms and those owned by tourism operators. Why can we not tap into that talent and bring it on board, so that it can work on the maintenance of airlines locally? We are talking about job creation, and these are the industries that should support our vision for the transformation of our economy.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for the time that you have given me.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The last hon. Member to debate is for Shiwang’andu.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for allowing me to make a few comments on the Motion, ably moved by the Chairperson of your Committee on Transport, Works and Supply. I am happy that the hon. Chairperson has been at the Ministry of Works and Supply before and is well placed.

Madam Speaker, may I place on record that we value the contributions of the hon. Minister for Southern Province, who has been in this august House for many years. Those of us who started with him are very proud of him and, in our view, he could have been sitting there (pointing at the Government Frontbench) with his competence.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, please, do not discuss the hon. Minister for Southern Province.

Mr Kampyongo: It was on a lighter moment, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Let us focus on the report.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, your Committee’s report brings out very interesting insights insofar as the aviation industry is concerned. What I would urge hon. Colleagues in this august House is to see how we can support the recommendations that are contained in this report by acquainting ourselves with the contents, so that we speak to them meaningfully.

Madam Speaker, having gone through the report, I was sitting here listening to some of the contributions that were coming out away from the report and could see that we need to do a little bit more.

Madam Speaker, my starting point is to thank hon. Members of your Committee for the local tours they undertook to assess the status of local infrastructure in the aviation industry. In their tours, they included Kasama. I will take you to page 12, so that it can help you, even as you make a ruling, there is a report on their tour of the Kasama Airport. In their report, they are saying Kasama Airport occupies about 1,080 ha of land.

Madam Speaker, with regard to the status of works, the report says that the works were initially started in 2014 by Anhui-Shuin Construction Group of China and Zambia National Service (ZNS). Due to the passage of time and escalation of costs, the contracts were terminated. However, they were eventually re-entered into the works and the works by both contractors were at 60 per cent complete. The original cost of the contracts was K144 million, and K104 million had so far been paid out towards the contracts. Your Committee was further informed that both contactors were expected to finish the works at the end of June.

Madam Speaker, I do not see how the talk of shovels could have arisen had this report been read for what it is. The works at the Kasama Airport, not to stress you to even look for the facts for the ruling, were contracted in 2014 and so much of work was done. So, what I am just trying to emphasise is that the Government is a going concern. The current Government will start certain works that it will not complete. Others will come and complete them and that is how the Government should function. There are certain works that we inherited when we formed the Government.

Madam Speaker, let me say that the showcasing of our hon. Colleagues should be, “Now that you have upgraded the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), Mfuwe still needs infrastructure and we are going to do the same works at this cheap cost.” Then, we can have a comparative analysis.

Ms Mulenga: Quality!

Mr Kampyongo: However, to just come here and say, no, this was constructed at a high cost without comparing with anything is really off the mark. So, it is important that as we debate these matters, we are realistic.

Madam Speaker, the previous Government was as strategic as other Governments. If we look at the KKIA, we knew that it was going to be at a high cost, but how could we maximise the potential? The hon. Minister of Health came and put up a modern specialised hospital just next to the airport, meaning that other people from the region could come for health services, land at a proper airport, go to the hotel and access medical health. It is called health tourism.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: There are so many citizens who have been going to India, Madam Speaker, every year, at a huge cost, for the same specialised health services that will be offered at that specialised hospital near the KKIA.

Ms Mulenga: Quality!

Mr Kampyongo: Madam, we realised that we needed to maximise the potential that lies in our natural capital, the minerals. How do we get investors to come? We had a ka airport in Ndola. When one landed there, it was like a makeshift airport or arriving in a village. Today, we have built that modern airport so that, when investors are coming to explore our minerals – in fact, we need to start exploring ourselves. We should not place caveats on our prospects, as citizens. This is why someone was saying that we see many choppers flying in Mkushi and many private jets, but when we observe, they are for white persons. Why should we not, as blacks, also start feeling proud? We have natural capital. So, it should not be unusual for a citizen to genuinely own property. The inferiority complex that we have, as citizens, must be cast out.

Madam speaker, we expect our colleagues to ensure that the air services training school that is next to the international airport is invested into because that is where we are supposed train pilots that should fly aircrafts for the Zambia Airways (2014) Limited which is partnering with the Ethiopian Airlines.

Madam Speaker, today, as one of my colleagues said, the Zambia Airways (QZ) was ahead of all the three leading airlines on the continent. South Africa did not have because it was under apartheid. So, we were competing with the Kenyan Airways (KQ) and Ethiopian Airways, which were trailing behind. Of course, a bad decision was made, but we should not cry over spilt milk. What we need to see is a flag carrier, which can compete in the region.

Madam Speaker, you can imagine that just flying into Kampala, one has go to Nairobi, from Nairobi to Kigali and Kigali to Kampala. It takes two days. So, these are some of the things that we need to address. If we have a flag carrier that can collaborate with other airlines, it is a one way trip and you are back. Within two or five hours, one would be in Kampala and, probably, do business, and would be back the following day. This is what we should be looking at.

So, I end by thanking your Committee Chairperson, who is the former hon. Minister at Works and Supply. He did a good job, but we want to see progress. Unless, we have informed discussions about this bailout, we will mislead the nation. We will heighten the expectations of the people, but when reality dawns on this debt restructuring, we will be scampering.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I think, earlier in the morning, the hon. Madam Speaker guided that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will come to this House to update the nation about where we are with the debt restructuring. So, we should not rush to give people incomplete information.

I invite the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House to respond to the report.

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma):  Madam Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to respond and put on record the Government’s comments on your very important report by your Committee.

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me this chance to add my voice, the voice of the Government, to this very important Motion on the operations and management of the Zambia Airways (2014) Limited.

Madam Speaker, allow me to also thank the committee for its extensive consultations and deliberations on this very important subject. My gratitude also goes to the stakeholders who spared their time to give an input on the matter.

Madam Speaker, the partnership between Zambia Airways (2014) Limited and Ethiopian Airlines was envisaged to create positive synergies that would see the growth of the national airline through skills development, technical, commercial as well as management capabilities. These would ultimately make the airline self-sufficient in the aviation sector.

Madam Speaker, with the projected growth of 13 per cent in air traffic in the region and the Government’s desire to transform Zambia into an aviation hub for the region, the airline is poised to benefit from this growth.

This august House may wish to note that the airline has currently introduced regional flights to Johannesburg, South Africa and Harare in Zimbabwe as well. Notwithstanding, the Government appreciates the challenges that the airline has been facing and will work at resolving them in order to make the airline more viable and profitable.

Madam Speaker, allow me to address some of the observations and recommendations made by your Committee.

Opening up of Operations in other Markets in Africa

Madam Speaker, this august House may wish to note that the Zambia Airways Limited has been granted Foreign Operator Permits by the Republic of South Africa, Republic of Zimbabwe, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Currently, the airline has started operations into Johannesburg and Harare, awaiting flights to Kenya and the DRC. Further, the airline, through the Government of the Republic of Zambia, is in talks with the Republics of Angola, Tanzania and Mozambique to obtain permits to commence flights into these countries. 

Upgrading of Provincial Airports

Madam Speaker, the Government of the Republic of Zambia has embarked upon an exercise to upgrade all the provincial airports countrywide in order to open up the country to domestic air travel and promote exports from the provinces. For the period 2022 to 2026, Kasama, Solwezi, Mongu, Mansa and Mbala airports have been prioritised for rehabilitation and upgrade whereas Kasaba Bay and Choma Airports will be constructed.

Madam Speaker, Kasama Airport runway was, indeed, abandoned. Works are progressing well and are expected to be completed by 15^th July, 2023. It goes without saying that, definitely, from the report, the works stalled and were abandoned until later when the New Dawn Government reactivated this contract. We are expecting progress and completion of the same by 15^th July, 2023.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Once all the provincial airports are rehabilitated, it will present an opportunity for the Zambia Airways (2014) Limited to increase its domestic routes, and this will promote trade from all the provincial centres.

Industrialisation of Excess land at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport for Cargo Handling Facilities

Madam Speaker, the august House may wish to note that the two major international airports, the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport and Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, are designed to handle cargo and passengers. Further, all provincial aerodromes will be designed to handle cargo as well as passengers in order to promote export.

Madam Speaker, I agree with your Committee’s report that airports and other infrastructure, definitely, open up the country to tourism and trade, it goes without saying. There is no argument about that. However, the argument that the New Dawn Government has been advancing is that we could have built many more airports from the money or the monies that were used by the previous administration to construct the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (SMKIA) and any other airports. The bone of contention is not the construction of these facilities, but the exorbitant, I repeat, the exorbitant prices that were attached to these facilities, which monies were imprudently used, and which could have been used to develop other airports that are still to be developed.

Hon. Member interjected!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Mr Lufuma: That is the argument that the New Dawn Government is –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Let us not debate while seated. Let us give the hon. Minister the chance to respond.

Hon. Member interjected.

Mr Lufuma: It was on the Floor of Parliament. So, I am responding to it.

Madam Speaker, that is what the New Dawn Government is advancing. We are not saying these facilities are not there, no! They are there. We can see them. However, the quality and the amount of money that was used are not measurable. They are not in sync. Therefore, we could have used the money more prudently and, by now, would have finished building all the airports that were supposed to have been built.

Madam Speaker, maybe, we need a little clarification on the debt restructuring.

Mr Kampyongo: He is offside now.

Mr Lufuma: The debt restructure issue was on the Floor. I need to explain.

Madam, debt restructuring does not mean debt cancellation.

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

Interruptions

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

I had ruled that we are not going to take any more points of order.

The hon. Minister on the Floor, please, respond to the report. I know that there were issues that came in which were not part and parcel of the report. We heard them mentioned. However, hon. Minister, do not spend so much time on issues that are not in the report. I think there will be another time when the hon. Minister will come and give us an update on debt restructuring. So, do not go much into details over that issue. You can mention and proceed with responding to the report.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, I take your guidance with much pleasure and will endeavour now to conclude.

Madam Speaker, your Committee did a damn good job, a damn good job, indeed.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: It did the assessment and it was on point. The recommendations thereof are taken by the Government and will seriously be addressed.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for this opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I thank all the Members of Parliament who debated this Motion, starting with the hon. Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilubi, the hon. Member of Parliament for Kaumbwe, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chama South, the hon. Minister for Southern Province, the hon. Member of Parliament for Feira, the hon. Member of Parliament for Nakonde, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mufulira and the hon. Member of Parliament for Shiwang’andu, except that the Member of Parliament for Nakonde almost misled the House by stating that all the provincial airports have been worked on.

Madam Speaker, on the issue of the Kasama Airport, yes, the Patriotic Front (PF) started the works in 2014, but due to a lack of funds, cancelled them. Last year, when the President went to the Northern Province, he had to land in Mbala. When he asked, “Why am I landing in Mbala instead of Kasama?” He was then told that there is was no airport in Kasama.

Mr Kasandwe: There is a runway!

Mr Mubika: The runway at the Kasama Airport was gravel. It could not allow any jet, but a helicopter.

It was then the President ordered the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to look for funds. So, a new contract was signed last year and work started this year. As I speak, the runaway in Kasama is complete and a Boeing737800 can now land at Kasama Airport.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, having clarified that issue, I thank all the hon. Members of Parliament for the support.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Question put and agreed to.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

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The House adjourned at 1227 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 27^th June, 2023.

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