Tuesday, 26th September, 2023

Tuesday, 26^thSeptember, 2023

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

DECLARATION OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND INCOME BY PRESIDING OFFICERS, HON. MINISTERS AND HON. MEMBERS

Madam Speaker: I wish to inform the House that in accordance with Section 10 of the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act, Cap. 16 of the Laws of Zambia, a person holding the Office of Speaker, Deputy Speaker or a ministerial office is required to make an annual declaration of assets, liabilities and income within thirty days after the appointment and, thereafter, within thirty days of each anniversary of the person’s appointment to the office. By practice, this has been extended to all hon. Members of Parliament. I repeat: by practice, this has been extended to all hon. Members of Parliament. In view of this, all hon. Members of Parliament are kindly requested to fill in the declaration form circulated in their pigeonholes and submit it to the Hon. Chief Justice not later than Friday, 29^th September, 2023.

I thank you.

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MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

MR MUNDUBILE, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MPOROKOSO, ON HON. MINISTERS CONCERNING TIME KEEPING

Mr Mundubile (Mporokoso): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Mundubile: Madam Speaker, mine is just an observation on the modernisation of proceedings in Parliament. Our proceedings are broadcast live. So, I want to appeal to our friends on the right.

Madam Speaker, at the beginning of business, the Frontbench is empty. Parliamentary business takes precedence, and our hon. Colleagues must take parliamentary business seriously.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mundubile: Madam Speaker, these matters should not be trivialised. It gives a very bad picture and, as people who have been charged with the responsibility to govern matters of this nation, they should give us confidence by just keeping time. If they cannot even keep time, what else can we entrust them with?

Madam Speaker, on our side, as a government in waiting, I make sure that hon. Members of the Frontbench are here on time to show that we are ready to take over the Government and govern properly.

I seek your guidance, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

The guilty always want to make the loudest noise. It is friendly advice. Please, take note that when we start business, the Frontbenches should be full to capacity. I can see empty spaces. Parliamentary business, as stated, takes precedence. So, let us make sure that we comply. Even our Standing Orders provide for that. So, I do not think that was meant in bad faith. It was just friendly advice.

MR J. E. BANDA, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR PETAUKE CENTRAL, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF JUSTICE, MR HAIMBE, SC., ON THE ALLEGED STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE IN SUPPORT OF GAY RIGHTS

Mr J. E. Banda (Petauke Central): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the good people of Petauke, to raise a matter of urgent public importance directed to the hon. Minister of Justice.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the Zambian people woke up to a rude shock. The Chief Justice, who is the custodian of the law and is supposed to make sure that our Constitution is protected, was quoted in a newspaper saying that gay rights must be respected.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Petauke Central!

Please, resume your seat.

You know very well that according to the Standing Orders, that matter you are attempting to raise does not qualify to be raised as a matter of urgent public importance. If you do not raise it as a matter of urgent public importance, who is going to die?

Mr J. E. Banda interjected.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

If you want to raise that matter, file in a question then the question will be answered. That issue does not qualify to be a matter of urgent importance. So, it is not admitted.

MR KAPYANGA, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MPIKA, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF JUSTICE, MR HAIMBE, SC., ON THE ALLEGED STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE IN SUPPORT OF GAY RIGHTS

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, let me not even bother the House because I wanted to raise a similar matter to the one raised by Hon. J.E Banda, looking at its magnitude and where the Zambian people are right now.

Madam Speaker: It does not qualify.

Thank you very much.

Laughter

MR ANDELEKI, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR KATOMBOLA, ON HER HONOUR THE VICE-PRESIDENT, MRS NALUMANGO, ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S CONDUCT

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 am wondering whether the issue I want to raise qualifies to be a matter of urgent public importance, but I will attempt to raise it.

Madam Speaker, my matter of urgent public importance is directed to Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker, a fortnight ago, we saw the Former President, who is being taken care of at the taxpayer’s cost and is being paid –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we have order!

Hon. Member for Katombola, you know very well that that matter does not qualify –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

You know that on Friday, a similar question was raised during The Vice-President’s Question Time and Her Honour the Vice-President answered it. So, if you have any other issues around it, you can file in a question. Definitely, it is not a matter of urgent public importance.

Hon. Member for Feira, do you want to attempt?

Laughter

MR E. TEMBO, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR FEIRA, ON THE ALLEGED STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE

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

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

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, not really attempting, but just saying that wars break out because of differences in opinion. A simple thing can lead to war and war leads to death.

Madam Speaker, the issue of the Chief Justice cannot be underplayed. Talking about gays and the clergy –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Please, resume your seat.

I have already guided and, once I have guided, we follow that guidance. That issue does not qualify to be a matter of urgent public importance.

Can we get down to serious business.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

SHORTAGE OF MEALIE MEAL IN PETAUKE CENTRAL

46. Mr J. E. Banda (Petauke Central) asked the Vice-President:

whether the Government is aware that there has been a critical shortage of maize in the past one month in Petauke Central Parliamentary Constituency; and

if so, what urgent measures are being taken to provide relief food to the constituency to avert starvation.

The Vice-President (Mrs Nalumango): Madam Speaker, the Government is not aware that Petauke District has run out of maize because the district was projected to produce 50,317 metric tonnes of maize during the 2022/2023 Farming Season, as announced by the hon. Minister of Agriculture, according to the Crop Forecast Survey. Further, the Government, through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), this year, purchased 3,829 metric tonnes in Petauke District and is currently hoarding carryover stocks of 11,169.9 metric tonnes, bringing the total to 14,998.9 metric tonnes.

Madam Speaker, the Government is aware that the private sector was also active in the district and even offered higher prices. Farmers have been able to sell their surplus stocks and retain some for household consumption as part of their food security.

Madam Speaker, this august House is requested to note that should it be the case that there is a critical shortage of maize, the Government has put in place intervention measures, such as the sale of maize to the community and vulnerable households. That will be supported with relief maize through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) once a vulnerability assessment is conducted. That will be in addition to other support measures the Government is implementing, such as the Social Cash Transfer Scheme for identified and targeted beneficiaries.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Many hon. Members have indicated, but this is a constituency-specific question.

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity, on behalf of the good people of Petauke Central, to ask Her Honour the Vice-President a follow-up question.

Good afternoon, our mother. Greetings from Petauke Central.

Laughter

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, the Government may not have been aware of the situation in Petauke Central, but the good people there have sent their Member of Parliament to ask this question. Now that the Government is aware that in Petauke Central, there is hunger and starvation, and we eat once a day, what immediate measures will it put in place so that I can inform my people its stance on this matter?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member of Parliament for this question. The Government will not react in the manner that he is expecting, but in the right manner.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member, who is a politician, is probably making a political statement because the situation cannot be critical and the Government is not aware. However, as I have stated, we will carry out an assessment and, then, we will respond according to what we will find on the ground. Therefore, I will not make commitments like he wants me to. We will send people to go on the ground. When we get the report, we will react in the right manner.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, I have just seen the newly appointed hon. Minister.

Congratulations, hon. Minister for Central Province.

Laughter

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, I also wish to congratulate my brother on being appointed Minister for Southern Province.

Laughter

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President has said that the Government cannot take immediate action to sort out the hunger situation in Petauke. I come from Petauke and I can assure Her Honour the Vice-President that I am usually the first person to know about the prevailing situation there. I wish I could be included in the team that will be sent to assess the situation so that I show the officials what is happening.

Madam Speaker, many people planted soya beans, not maize. However, the Government did not buy soya beans. So, the farmers sold it at a cheap price. So, we do not have maize. When will the Government send a team to Petauke Central so that I can accompany it and show it the households that are sleeping without food?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I have not said that we will not respond. I have said that we will respond after we have assessed the situation on the ground. The role of the hon. Member is to report, and he has reported, except he should have come to the office, but he chose to use this House, and I am responding using this House. There are officials on the ground, and they will verify his report and, then, we will respond. Otherwise, each one of us will just speak, and then we start running around. We will do our work using the right process, and people will be sent to the area. Definitely, no person will die in Petauke Central. When we find a dire situation, the hon. Member knows what we do. Last year, we even gave his area community sales, but that was after assessing what was on the ground.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: I am looking at the hon. Member for Petauke Central, who is a vegetarian. He does not look like he only eats one meal a day.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: He looks very healthy.

I will allow two more questions.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, allow me to ask a very important supplementary question directed to Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the hon. Minister, is on record assuring the people of Zambia on quite a number of occasions that there is enough food for our people across the country. The hon. Member for Petauke Central raises the very important issue of a lack of maize in his district. Has the Government taken steps to ensure that we do not have a report that is not accurate in terms of the availability of food?

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kamfinsa for this question. Indeed, it was a very important question, and that is why we responded in the manner that we did.

Madam Speaker, as to what we are doing, as the Government, no Government would just sit back. We are following the process, step by step, and we know exactly the maize stock at the FRA and in the private sector. As we are seated here, we know that there will not be a shortage of maize as long as we manage everything properly. We have a lot of maize in the private sector. I am sure, hon. Members know that the private sector purchased maize and that maize is in the country. Therefore, we will ensure that it is available for the Zambian people.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The last question will be from the hon. Member for Chilubi.

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, when answering the question, Her Honour the Vice-President referred to statistics –

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

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Member for Chilubi, there is an indication for a point of order by the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.

Madam Speaker, my point of order is on the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central, Mr Emmanuel J. Banda, and is pursuant to two provisions; Standing Order No. 65 and Cap 12 of the National Assembly, Powers and Privileges, Act.

Allow me to give a preamble to my point of order.

Madam Speaker, sometime last week, the hon. Member for Petauke Central stood on the Floor of this House and made a serious allegation about the existence of a strip club at Lewanika Mall, and he was passionate and emphatic about it.

Madam Speaker, the statement that the hon. Member of Parliament made did not only cause injury to those of us who run the ministry –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Sorry to interrupt, but that does not qualify to be raised as a point of order because it did not happen today. So, the best will be for you to put in a complaint instead of raising the matter as a point of order.

Mr Nkombo: That is fair, Madam Speaker.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President referred to the maize stocks for the 2022/2023 Farming Season. However, the hon. Member wanted to know whether the Government is aware that there has been a critical shortage of maize in the past one month. I believe that the statistics that have been given do not apply to that particular period, especially given that we take long to – Could it be that the critical shortage of maize was caused by maize being moved to a central position during the 2021/2022 Farming Season, as opposed to the 2022/2023 Farming Season? That is the clarity I want to get from Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker: I hope, Her Honour the Vice-President has got the question because it is not clear. However, as you were speaking, there was an indication for a point of order from the hon. Member for Nkana.

May you resume your seat so that I can allow the hon. Member for Nkana to raise the point of order.

A point of order is raised.

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No. 65, I wish to raise this point of order on Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker, the matter of the shortage of maize has not just come up today. I remember informing Her Honour the Vice-President on Friday that there was no maize in the East, and her response –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Raise your point of order. What is the point of order?

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, the response provided by Her Honour the Vice-President suggests that the observed shortage of maize in Petauke Central is a result of private buyers or grain traders who have bought maize, and that the maize is within the country . However, a contrary view was given last week, suggesting that there was no maize in the East because –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Definitely, that does not qualify to be raised as a point of order. So, you are out of order.

May the hon. Member for Chilubi repeat the question and be more precise.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, when answering the question as to whether the Government is aware that there has been a critical shortage of maize in Petauke Central in the past one month, Her Honour the Vice-President gave statistics of the 2022/2023 Farming Season. Could it be that the shortage of maize that was referred to is for the 2021/2022 stocks in Petauke Central? That is my question.

The Vice-President: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chilubi’s question is still not clear.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Petauke Central’s question was whether the Government is aware that there has been a critical shortage of maize in the past one month in Petauke Central, which is from August to date, and I said there is no shortage. In fact, there was left-over maize. So, there could not have been a gap because 11,169.9 metric tonnes were available for last year, and there was an additional purchase of 3,829 metric tonnes. So, I am failing to understand the hon. Member’s question because if that maize was available, it means that there could not have been a critical shortage of maize. That is what I said.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: It appears that the hon. Member did not follow the answer properly.

I am sure, you have got the answer, hon. Member for Chilubi.

Mr Fube indicated assent.

PROGRESS OF PAUL MUSHINDO UNIVERSITY PROJECT

47. Mr Mukosa (Chinsali) asked the Minister of Education:

what the progress, in percentage terms, on the construction of Paul Mushindo University in Chinsali District was as of August, 2023; and

when the project will be completed.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the progress, in percentage terms, in the construction of Paul Mushindo University in Chinsali District, as of August 2023, was at 60 per cent, as indicated below:

two hostel blocks at 75 per cent;

2 x 8 double-story lecture rooms with toilet facilities at 75 per cent;

ten lecturers’ houses at 70 per cent; and

external works at 30 per cent.

Madam Speaker, the project will be completed under the 2023-2025 Medium-Term Budget Plan.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, what is the value of the remaining works?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the balance of certificate indicates K13.2 million, and the balance on the contract is K55 million. That was after adjusting the initial contract sum of K57 million.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister is aware that the previous Government placed a lot of emphasis on higher education infrastructure, and that is why that project started. In his response, he indicated that the project will be completed between 2023 and 2025. Is the hon. Minister able to indicate to this august House, for the benefit of the people of that area, how much will be allocated in 2024 and 2025 for the completion of the project?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I am unable to indicate the figures off the cuff.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: I was wondering whether we now want to pre-empt the Budget for 2024 and 2025. That was what was on my mind.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, before I pose the question, allow me to congratulate the newly appointed hon. Minister of Information and Media and the hon. Minister for Central Province. I welcome our dear lady, the former hon. Minister of Information and Media, to the Backbench and encourage her to remain strong because this is what happens in the Public Service.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mukosa: What of the filer?

Mr Kampyongo: I do not know how the filer, who has now become Permanent Secretary (PS), will be doing the filing of the files.

Laughter

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, the contractor is no longer on site. What is the status of the contract? Will the ministry reactivate the same contract or will it advertise for a new contractor for the project?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the ministry is in the process of revalidating the contract after taking over the project from the former hon. Minister of Higher Education. So, when the revalidation process is concluded, the project is expected to be completed within eighteen months.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mukosa: Madam Speaker, I am sure, the hon. Minister is aware that the contractor is currently not on site. What is the ministry doing to ensure that the construction works that have been done to date are protected from vandalism, considering that, currently, there is no security?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I do not know who in Chinsali can help us to ensure that the buildings are protected. I think, we can ask the people in the area to make sure that the buildings are not vandalised. However, when the revalidation process is concluded, the contractor will go on site.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chinsali, it is an appeal that you assist in looking after the property, since it is in your constituency.

Mr Mukosa interjected.

Madam Speaker: I am just saying that you can engage the hon. Minister. Please, engage the hon. Minister. The project is in your constituency. I think, it is in your best interest to ensure that it is protected.

CONSTRUCTION OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION OFFICES, POLICE STATION AND POLICE HOUSES IN CHIKANKATA

48. Mrs Sabao (Chikankata) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

why the construction of the following infrastructure in Chikankata District has stalled:

district administration offices;
police station; and
police staff houses;

when the projects will resume;

what the cause of the delay in completing each project is; and

what the cost of the outstanding works on each project is.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, the construction of the District Administration Office Block has stalled due to non-performance by the contractor. The contract has since expired.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the police station has stalled due to inadequate funds as well as the delayed conclusion of price fluctuation adjustments.

Madam Speaker, the construction of staff houses, which is under the same contract as the construction of the police station, stalled due to inadequate funds as well as the delayed conclusion of price fluctuation adjustments.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the District Administration Office Block will resume in the fourth quarter of 2023 after procurement of the replacement contractor. The construction of the police station and staff houses will also resume in the fourth quarter of 2023 after the conclusion of price fluctuation adjustments.

Madam Speaker, the cause of the delay in completing the projects is inadequate funds and the delayed conclusion of price fluctuation adjustments.

Madam Speaker, the cost of completing the outstanding works in the construction of the District Administration Office Block will be known once the replacement contractor is procured. The cost of completing outstanding works for the police station and police staff houses is K3,769,420.88 before price fluctuation adjustments.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Sabao: Madam Speaker, when is the ministry advertising the stalled works in order for the project to resume?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, as stated in the answer, these matters are expected to take root in the fourth quarter of 2023, which is the quarter we are in.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr A. Banda (Chimwemwe): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister spoke about the contractor failing to complete the works on time. Will he, therefore, effect the liquidated damage clause?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, the contracts were awarded in 2015. So, they are some of the projects that we inherited. In fact, the start date of the project was 24^th November, 2014 and the initial date of completion of works was 24^th April, 2015. Since then, the start date has been revised to June 2022 but, as to whether we will effect that clause, I stated in the answer that the contract expired. Therefore, it was terminated.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mapani (Namwala): Madam Speaker, may I know whether the contractor who failed to perform his obligation will be considered when evaluating the tenders?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, it will be an open tender but, when evaluating the bids, the history of contractors is taken into account. I think, that is sufficient for now. Let me state that all factors that led to the non-performance will be taken into account when evaluating the new bids.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chikankata, do you have another question?

Mrs Sabao: Madam Speaker, what measures has the ministry put in place to prevent people from vandalising the structures?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I appeal to the hon. Member of Parliament for the area to take interest in the project …

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: ... and use what is available to protect the infrastructure.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: On that note, we can make progress.

CONSTRUCTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL IN MANDEVU

49. Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu) asked the Minister of Education:

whether the Government has any plans to construct an additional secondary school in Mandevu Parliamentary Constituency;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

what the estimated cost of the project is.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to construct an additional secondary school in Mandevu Parliamentary Constituency.

Madam Speaker, the plans will be implemented once the land is secured, subject to the availability of funds.

Madam Speaker, the project’s cost will only be known when a detailed plan is drawn, taking into account the engineering designs and the market price of materials that will inform the bill of quantites (BoQ).

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members on my right!

As you welcome our dear sister to the Backbench, please, follow the proceedings.

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Speaker, in view of the Free Education Policy, the number of pupils has increased, and this means that there is now demand for classrooms. We are trying to put up new classroom blocks using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), though our colleagues are mocking us over this. Does the Government have any deliberate policy of constructing new schools to alleviate the situation in Mandevu? Is there a plan we can easily follow, constituency by constituency, given the question asked by the hon. Member for Mandevu?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, it is desirable to do that, but it also depends on the constituency. A start-up secondary school costs K2.1 million. So, if hon. Members can manage to start the projects using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), they can do that, then, the Government can easily complete the schools. I agree with the hon. Member that Mandevu has a huge population, and many children have gone back to school because of free education. So, if my colleagues can manage to start constructing functional start-up secondary schools, they can do that, then, they can ask the Government to complete the schools. However, the Government’s desire is to start constructing the schools on its own. Other issues can follow later.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Shakafuswa: Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Zambezi East for the good question he asked the hon. Minister of Education.

Madam Speaker, I note that one of the successes of the New Dawn Government is the implementation of the Free Education Policy, which has resulted in most children and youths going back to school. Does the hon. Minister of Education believe in the New Dawn Government’s policies? If he does, then, why is he failing to construct matching infrastructure in constituencies like Mandevu, where a huge number of children have gone back to school and sit on the floor? Our desk deficit is more than 20,000, and we do not have matching infrastructure to accommodate the children. I asked this question not to politick, but to bring it to the hon. Minister’s attention that the ministry needs to build us a secondary school urgently.

Mr Syakalima: How can you say that I do not believe in my policies?

Laughter

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, this is why we are building schools. Hon. Members can use part of the CDF to construct infrastructure and procure desks. The hon. Member said that there is a shortage of desks in the constituency, but he has the CDF. He just has to put his mind to what exactly the constituency wants to do. The children who were out of school are now in school.

Madam Speaker, I like giving this example. In Mufulira, there were only 40,000 pupils but, after the introduction of free education, the number increased to 80,000. Two months ago, I was in Mufulira and found that there were 87,000 pupils. So, where were we going to take the 47,000 pupils? Those children are not potatoes; we are human beings. So, whilst something looks ugly, it is better to keep children in school, find desks and build more infrastructure for them. We cannot ask that where we are going to take those children. Our colleagues were nursing criminals. In the next twenty years, those children would have become hardcore criminals. The school system is part of social control.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Syakalima: When children are in school, they have a defined day. So, this is what we must struggle with together with the hon. Member. I agree with him that Mandevu is densely populated. After all, I stay in Mandevu. So, I am aware.

Mr Shakafuswa interjected.

Laughter

Mr Syakalima: That is what we are going to do so that the children are confined in an area where they can be controlled. Otherwise, they were going to be social misfits.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Shakafuswa: Madam Speaker, I must alert the hon. Minister that, yes, we are using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to do something about the issue. To this effect, we are building a 1 × 3 classroom block in Justine Kabwe Ward, and a 1 x 4 classroom block, which costs K1.4 million. However, the hon. Minister mentioned that it costs K2.1 million to construct a start-up secondary school. I would like him to share the standard designs with us because we got the costings for the 1 x 4 and 1 x 3 classrooms that we are constructing, and the designs and bill of quantities (BoQ) from the ministry. I think, it is not true that we can build a fully-fledged school with laboratories at a cost of K2.1 million. My question is: When will the hon. Minister engage us to secure the land so that we can build the secondary school as a matter of urgency?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, the figure that I stated is correct. What they are building in the hon. Member’s constituency at about K1 million –

Madam Speaker, the technocrats say it costs approximately K2.1 million to construct a functional start-up secondary school, not a fully-fledged school. That is what I said. We will engage the hon. Member, and he should look for land. We should stop building structures only on the ground and start thinking of building in the air. We should not think that one day we shall not run short of land. So, we must start thinking of building in the air rather than saying that because we have a lot of land around, we should build infrastructure here, there and that side. So, the hon. Member should look for land then we will build in the air.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity on behalf of the people of Chifubu.

Madam Speaker, considering the huge population in Mandevu and the influx of children going back to school due to the wonderful and extraordinary Free Education Policy that the Government is implementing, is the ministry considering bringing on board the co-operating partners to assist constituencies such as Mandevu that have huge deficits of classroom space?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, we deal with various co-operating partners, and some of them will be dealing with early childhood education infrastructure. So, I think, we are on course. We engage many people to help us, and most co-operating partners are excited about getting all children into school. So, we will continue engaging them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD TO LINK ZAMBEZI WEST AND KALABO

50. Mr Mutelo (Mitete) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

whether the Government has any plans to construct a link road connecting Zambezi West Parliamentary Constituency to Kalabo District via Mitete and Liuwa constituencies;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

if there are no such plans, why.

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, yes, the Government has plans to construct a road connecting Zambezi West Parliamentary Constituency to Kalabo District via Mitete and Liuwa constituencies.

Madam Speaker, the construction of the link road will be undertaken once the Treasury secures the required funds.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister is aware that the western bank of the Zambezi River, from Chavuma to Sioma, is like a dark continent. I thank the Government for the plans indicated, but is there any timeframe attached to those plans?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, first of all, I concur with the hon. Member for Mitete that the western bank of the Zambezi River in the places he has mentioned, that is, Chavuma West, Zambezi West, Mitete, which used to be Lukulu West, and all the constituencies west of the river, including Liuwa, Kalabo, Sikongo and Nalolo West, have lacked development from the Colonial Period to date. So, we are cognisant of that fact, and that is why we have those plans.

Madam Speaker, let me provide more information. The Government is already constructing the Luanginga Bridge across the Luanginga River and the Silanda Bridge across Silanda River to provide a link between Kalabo and Liuwa constituencies. This is part of a contract that is ongoing, and those two bridges and the road linking them are scheduled for completion by December 2023. This is probably one of the first roads we are constructing in Zambezi West or areas west of the Zambezi River. The progress on the project is at 58 per cent but, in terms of the road that the hon. Member is talking about, which links Kalabo to Mitete and onwards to Zambezi West, the cost of the project will be known once detailed designs have been prepared. In addition, it is important to note that the areas we have specified, that is, Liuwa, Mitete and Zambezi West, are waterlogged part of the year or have plenty of sand. So, the designs have to be carefully done. Only when that is done will we begin the process of sourcing funds.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, you may be surprised to see that the Member for Zambezi East has interest in Zambezi West. However, this question relates to my good neighbour, and development in Zambezi West would actually affect development in Zambezi East.

Madam Speaker, will the plans to construct the road that connects Zambezi West to Mitete and Liuwa include putting up a bridge across the Zambezi River to connect to Zambezi East? Further, would the hon. Minister care to tell us the path through which it will pass in Zambezi West, in terms of the points? Is it through Muyembe or other areas?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, indeed, ultimately, when resources are available, it is the intention of the Government to ensure that at the two crossing points, bridges are constructed to link Zambezi East, which the hon. Member represents, and Zambezi West. The exact location will depend on a survey to determine the most suitable site for that. You do not just put up a bridge anywhere. There are many factors that determine where a bridge is put. Further, there is a need to ensure that there is a bridge from Lukulu Constituency to Mitete. So, the desire to have those places connected is upper most in the minds of the New Dawn Administration. What is constraining those projects, at the moment, is the availability of resources. However, as we improve the economy, we will ensure that the projects come to fruition.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, I was delighted on Saturday because Her Honour the Vice-President was in Watopa and now has a clear picture of the Mumbezhi/Watopa/Lukulu/Katunda Road.

Madam Speaker, the Government committed itself to putting up a bridge in Watopa, but is it not thinking of putting up one on the Lungwebungu River? The Government is doing well on Luanginga and it has put up bailey bridges in Zambezi West. However, putting up a bridge on Lungwebungu River is a must. When will the Government start that project? It has started putting up bridges in Luanginga and Zambezi West, but when will it undertake the project in Mitete?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, let me just make a correction. It has always been the New Dawn Administration’s and the United Party for National Development’s (UPND) desire to construct a bridge across the Kabompo River in Watopa, the road from Katunda via Lukulu to Watopa, and a 20 km stretch from Watopa to Mumbezhi to connect the North-Western Province to the Western Province. This is something we have talked about and, during campaigns, the President also stated this while in the Opposition. We have often stated that it is the UPND Government’s desire to ensure that that corridor is constructed.

Madam Speaker, with regards to the Lungwebungu River, yes, there are many crossing points in that area that require attention. The hon. Member for Zambezi West is putting up Acrow bridges in his constituency, and that is indicative of the fact that things can be done provided we put our minds to them. The Acrow bridges were procured. Whereas the North-Western Province was included, which was not normally the case, the Western Province was not included. I think that in the next order of Acrow bridges or similar bridges, if we include the Western Province, which we think we are going to do, then we will put bridges across the Lungwebungu River. The Lungwebungu is a very fast flowing river. The idea is to make it easier for people in constituencies like Zambezi West and Mitete to communicate with the people in the rest of the country. So, I ask the hon. Member to continue engaging us to ensure that the plans remain active.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Musumali (Zambezi West): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for revealing that the Government has plans to construct roads in Zambezi West or the west bank of the Zambezi. I also thank him for admitting that the area has lacked development since the Colonial Administration days.

Madam Speaker, in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), there is consideration of constructing a ring road from Meza Capital via Muyembe to Mwange/Nyatanda and Chavuma. My question is: When does the hon. Minister think the Government will construct the ring road, considering that the 8NDP will come to an end in 2026?

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, the fact that the plans were put in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) is confirmation of the Government’s plan to ensure that the road is constructed. However, that is not the only road that will be constructed on the west bank of Zambezi. We have talked about constructing the road connecting Zambezi West to Kalabo through Liuwa Constituency and Mitete. We also plan to construct the Kalabo/Kolongola Road in the same area, the west of the Zambezi. What is delaying the implementation of those plans is the availability of resources. Those are expensive roads to construct. However, we hope to construct them because in the two years the New Dawn Administration has been in charge, there are signs that the economy is on a growth trajectory. I think, by 2026, our gross domestic product (GDP) will probably be US$40 billion.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I hear laughter from certain quarters, but let me give them some statistics. In 2011, when the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) left office, the GDP of this country was US$23 billion. By 2020, when certain people were leaving office, the GDP had collapsed to US$18 billion. As of now, the New Dawn Administration of President Hakainde Hichilema has raised the GDP from US$18 billion to US$29 billion. The figures are there, and anyone can take a look at them.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, this is a sign that we are on the right trajectory and all matters of infrastructure development will be attended to.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much.

On that note, we can make progress. We have to make progress. I have to allow many hon. Members to debate. Today is actually the day for hon. Ministers to debate. So, I am being conscious of time. Sincere apologies.

_______

MOTION

MOTION OF THANKS

(Debate resumed)

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to continue with my debate.

Madam Speaker, when the House adjourned last week, I was putting across a point on the cost of living currently in the country. I think, the main issue is the cost of mealie meal, but there is a reason it has gone up. We realise that farmers had stopped growing maize and a number of them had resorted to growing cash crops because of the low price of maize. The New Dawn Government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, decided to increase the price of maize to K280. Definitely, there is no way the price of mealie meal can still be at K140, as it was before, and the millers who are in business had to put a mark-up. I want to appeal to the millers to put a mark-up that is reasonable, and that will be good for the people in this country.

Madam Speaker, many people have been smuggling maize from this country, and we know them very well. We know the people who have been caught at different borders. We cannot mention their names, but they know themselves. That is the reason we are in this situation. However, when the President came here last week, he stated that in no time the price of mealie meal would go down. I urge every hon. Member to venture into maize production so that we can bring down the cost of mealie meal in this country. Otherwise, I thank the Zambian people for being patient. The price of mealie meal will go down any time soon. We are in this together, and we are going to fight hard to ensure that the price falls.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, as was indicated, and according to the announcement made, today, the hon. Ministers are supposed to debate. However, I see indications from hon. Members of the Backbench who still want to debate. The challenge is time. So, I will allow some hon. Members to debate and the hon. Ministers can start after the health break.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Speech.

Madam Speaker, the President’s Speech should contain the achievements made and give orders on the way forward. However, I assess the President’s Speech as one that does not seem to speak to the realities obtaining on the ground.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, understandably, the President has been busy globe-trotting. Therefore, the hon. Members of the Frontbench, when responding, must speak to some of the issues and challenges that have been highlighted in the President’s Speech.

Madam Speaker, I will simply focus on the theme of the address. The President stated the following:

“Our focus today is on the achievements made, so far, in ensuring a brighter future. It is in this regard that the theme for our address is “Building on the Socio-Economic Gains for Improved Livelihoods and a Better Zambia.”

Madam Speaker, what does “livelihood” mean? For an ordinary Zambian, it simply means, ulutoshi lwa bwali, nshima. My colleague who was debating a few minutes ago pointed out the fact that, indeed, we have got –

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, some hon. Ministers will be responding very soon.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

The hon. Member is debating. If you have any point that you want to rebut, please, write it down. When it is your time to debate, you can address that issue. Let us not debate while seated. I do not want to allow points of order because we will lose time in the process.

May the hon. Member continue, and hon. Members should not interrupt him.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I am happy that the President had to go and see what is obtaining on the ground for himself, and I commend him for that. Her Honour the Vice-President did the same, and she knows that what is obtaining on the ground is challenging. The poor woman who was pushed by Her Honour the Vice-President’s security detail was crying for porridge, and that is what is obtaining in the communities. That is leadership, and Her Honour the Vice-President heard for herself how people are complaining.

Madam Speaker, how do we sort out the food problem when there have been inconsistent statements on the Floor of this House from the Ministry of Agriculture, and the farmers who are supposed to grow the food that people are crying for were sharing fertiliser in tumeda? The people of Shiwang’andu, whom the President referred to, do not even know whether they are going to be productive. They are food-insecure because they have to grow something for themselves and some excess to sell. All of us from rural constituencies know the challenge of farming inputs, unless some did not visit their constituencies.

Madam Speaker, on a number of times, on the Floor of this august House, we advised the hon. Minister of Agriculture and the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry that the borders they opened to transport the maize they found in storage sheds would create problems, but they did not listen. The hon. Minister was jumping up and down and saying that the Government would not close the borders for exports and smuggling. Today, all the sheds are empty.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

As you debate, do not dramatise things. Was the hon. Minister jumping? I never saw him do that.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Let us stick to the President’s Speech.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I am talking about the people’s livelihoods. What does ‘livelihood’ mean? You remember how you had to use your wisdom to address one matter when our people were going to clinics and coming back with prescriptions for ordinary medical supplies like chloroquine. It had to take the President coming here and acknowledging that we had a problem in the supply chain of medical supplies meanwhile, those who are charged with the responsibility had the audacity to trash your report on the challenges pertaining to the flow of drugs in our hospitals. The medicines that Her Honour the Vice-President found in Kaoma when she went there had arrived the day before she got there, in case no one told her.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Let us not become witnesses. Let us not give evidence.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, that is our job. The President asked us to be civil when criticising, and we expect those we are offering checks and balances to –

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

Let me guide.

As you debate, hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, do not bring in other issues, unless you have evidence to really prove that those medicines had arrived a day before Her Honour the Vice-President went to Kaoma. Otherwise, keep away from such information. If you have something to lay on the Table, then, you can do that.

You may proceed, hon. Member.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I was going to lay on the Table the report of your Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services, which was thorough, and was also acknowledged by the Zambia Medical Association (ZMA).

Madam Speaker, it is important that the people who have the responsibility to address the sector issues give us proper responses here because they are failing the President. Indeed, how could an hon. Minister deny a problem, but then the President comes here and acknowledges that we have had a challenge? Your report, which spoke to the challenges of the medical sector, was trashed here, and people’s lives have been lost as a result of that negligence.

Madam Speaker, in the last part of the theme of the address, the President spoke about unity. He stated the following:

“Our theme calls upon every citizen and the entire nation to unite and build on our individual and collective achievement forging a more productive and unified nation that future generations will proudly reflect upon.”

Madam Speaker, yes, unity is the cornerstone. Zambia is chairing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, which I was privileged to be a part of more than six years, meaning that the country will be called upon to deal with many post-election matters. Unity must be demonstrated. How is unity demonstrated for the country to understand when one can get matching orders from the top? We have only two father figures in this country: the current President and the Former Head of State. Here, where we are, we have a father figure, whether you like it or not.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members on my right!

You will have an opportunity to rebut all those issues. So, be patient, please. Take down notes, and you will rebut at the appropriate time.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, we would like to see unity between the two father figures anchored on genuineness and openness. It does not show any sign of unity when Her Honour the Vice-President, who is second from the President in the nation, speculates on the Office of the Former Head of State, which is under her office.

Madam Speaker, in coming up with the 2016 Constitution, the President then, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, had to reach out to President RB (Rupiah Banda) even in his retirement. Those of us who were here, including President Mutati and Hon. Mtolo, were given marching orders, and that is how we came up with the 2016 Constitution.

Madam Speaker, let us see to it that the two Presidents unite because they are the only two remaining; the other five are no more. Why should it be a challenge to just look after one Former Head of State? So, unity must be demonstrated. All of us seated here, who look up to this father figure, the Former Head of State, …

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: … will not continue pretending that all is well.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, as we debate, let us stick to the President’s Address. Let us also be civil in the debate. Let us not bring in controversial issues because – I will leave it at that.

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity, on behalf of the people of Chifubu, to contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration is currently constructing schools and bridges across the country, through the public-private partnership (PPP) model, which is a better model compared with the previous method, in which we borrowed money, which has created a burden of debt on our country. This is a clear testimony of ingenuity in administration. Through the PPP Model, we have seen the construction of a 35 km stretch of the road from Chililabombwe to Kasumbalesa and a 227 km stretch of the Lusaka/Ndola Dual Carriageway. So, we have seen that it is an intelligent method that the new Administration is currently using. As I speak, negotiations are under way for the Ndola/Mufulira Road to be constructed through a PPP. Soon, that will be announced.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubozha: Madam Speaker, the Ndola/Mufulira/Mokambo Road is a gateway to Luapula, one of the provinces with the most potential. Luapula Province has potential in mining, fishing and traditional values because of good traditional ceremonies. Above all, the most beautiful women in this country come from Luapula Province, and I can attest to that fact.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Chifubu!

Withdraw “women” from your debate.

Mr Lubozha: Madam Speaker, I withdraw that.

Madam Speaker, because of the potential of the province, we have seen the road going there being constructed. There will be many productive benefits that will accrue from there.

Madam Speaker, the President stated that the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads is currently being done in our country, and that 1,700 km of rural roads have been worked on. That has been done in Luapula Province, Central Province and Muchinga Province under the able leadership of His Excellency the President.

Madam Speaker, still on roads, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has fallen like an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all the 156 constituencies are receiving it at the right time.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubozha: That has enabled all hon. Members to acquire road maintenance equipment that is assisting them to work on roads in their constituencies, unlike the way it was in the past, when money was borrowed and our colleagues concentrated only on Lusaka. Lusaka is not Zambia. We need roads in Luapula, the Western Province and in Chifubu. The President is distributing the national cake evenly so that every constituency benefits.

Madam Speaker, allow me to talk about education. The Government is currently implementing the Free Education Policy, which has accorded most of our children an opportunity to go back to school. To avoid compromising the quality of education, the Government constructed 149 schools across the country to accord our children who have gone back to school enough space. A number of classroom blocks have been constructed in most constituencies using the CDF, and hon. Members of Parliament can attest to this. In every constituency, one, two or three classroom blocks are being constructed using the CDF. In all the 156 constituencies, about 2,000 classrooms have been constructed.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank His Excellency the President for his speech. He knows that the drivers of development in most constituencies and across the country are the Councillors, and he talked about improving their remuneration. So, all the Councillors out there should watch the space. Their good package will come.

Madam Speaker, allow me also to talk about mining. Being a Member of Parliament from the Copperbelt, I want to thank the New Dawn Administration for bringing Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) back to life. The New Dawn Administration has given the mine back to its original owners without impunity, and it has been re-engaged on new terms. We will see the miners go back to work and creditors be paid, and more workers will be recruited in the mining sector. As a Member of Parliament from the Copperbelt Province, I am confident that the Copperbelt is back in the economic Champions League. Surely, we will see those things happen.

With those few remarks, Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you on behalf of the people of Chifubu.

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to debate, especially given that we should have debated last week. I appreciate the opportunity.

Madam Speaker, we were given a speech that was prepared by the President’s Office, but the President spoke more than what is contained in that speech. In fact, I would have appreciated it if the speech that were circulated was withdrawn and, instead, the verbatim speech shared with us so that as we debate, we refer to what the President actually said. However, I will proceed.

Madam Speaker, at the beginning of his speech, the President said that the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government was voted into power to restore, among other things, the rule of law. First of all, I understand what the rule of law means, and it means that every Zambian citizen must be treated equally before the law. However, some of the events that we have seen since the UPND Government came into power are making us question whether, indeed, we have the rule of law or we have the rule of mingalato.

Madam Speaker, we have examples.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

You used a foreign word. What does it mean?

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, “mingalato” can mean many things but, in this context, it simply means tricks aimed at frustrating the political activities of opponents.

Madam Speaker, when a rally that is supposed to be held by an opposition political party is cancelled for security concerns but, on the day it is supposed to be held, we see troops of police officers surround the same venue, is that the rule of law?

Madam Speaker, some people are being compensated for unlawful or illegal detention having been released on nolle prosequis, which means that they have not been acquitted. However, they claimed compensation to the tune of K6.4 million each when we know that on the list of those who genuinely deserve to be compensated, there are people who have been waiting for a long time. Why should that not apply to other Zambians who have been released on nolle prosequis? They also deserve the same treatment. However, seeing that others are denied while some are compensated, is that the rule of law? Certainly, it is not the rule of law. So, when the President says that the UPND will restore the rule of law, actions must speak to that statement. Certainly, we are far from having the rule of law and constitutionalism.

Madam Speaker, one hon. Member of Parliament was almost abducted within the precincts of Parliament. We saw police officers come in, yet we know very well …

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

Mr Mwila: ... that there is the separation of powers between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Mufulira!

Hon. Minister, let me first give guidance because I had said that there would be no points of order.

Hon. Member for Mufulira, as you debate, please, stick to facts. There is a law that allows police officers to come here. So, do not debate that issue. Stick to the President’s Speech. As you debate, be mindful of Standing Order No. 67, which talks about irrelevances or repetitions. For the avoidance of doubt, let me read it for the attention of all hon. Members who are yet to debate.

“67. Irrelevance or repetition

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

So, hon. Members, I think, there has been too much repetitions on the issue of the rule of law. As you debate, bring arguments that are fresh. Do not be repetitive and you must offer alternative policy strategies so the other side can also benefit. You can state what you would have done if you were President, as an example.

May the hon. Member for Mufulira continue.

Mr Mwila: Much obliged, Madam Speaker. Actually, you have guided well. If I were on the other side, I would have allowed the Patriotic Front (PF) rally to go ahead …

Laughter

Mr Mwila: ... and provided police officers for security. I would have allowed the former President, Mr Lungu, to proceed to South Korea for his medical check-up.

Hon. Government Members: Speech.

Mr Mwila: I am talking about the rule of law. Actions speak louder than words. Clearly, we are very far from enjoying the rule of law under this Government.

Madam Speaker, let me talk about the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which the President clearly touched on. It is true that everyone, including children, now know about it. However, this Parliament approved K28.3 million for each constituency this year. Three-quarters of the year has elapsed and we are remaining with one quarter, yet the money that has been received is just one-third; K7.7 million out of K28.3 million. How much time do we have to spend the more than K20 million that is yet to be disbursed?

Madam Speaker, the problem is that everyone in the community is pointing at the CDF. Whenever there is a gathering or meeting in the constituency, people say that we have the CDF and tell us to do this and that, but the money is not in our accounts. The money is somewhere but, definitely, not in the CDF accounts. What we have is only K7 million. How are we going to implement the activities and projects that we have already sought approval for? By the way, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has done its part. I do not think that there is any hon. Member today who would say that he/she has not had his/her projects or grants approved. The projects and grants were approved, but we need the whole K28.3 million to be released so that we can spend it.

Madam Speaker, previously, we would complain about the bureaucracy in having projects approved, but we have done better in that respect. Now, where is the money? It is just on paper. We only have K7 million, as we are yet to be given the K20 million. Whom are we going to blame? We have a problem there. When hon. Ministers are given an opportunity to debate, they should not just say that the CDF amount is K28.3 million. They should also say that they have not released K20 million of the amount so that people know exactly where to go and knock.

Mr Mubanga: Question!

Mr Mwila: You can question –

Laughter

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, I will spare my brother because as a Nominated Member of Parliament, he has no constituency.

Laughter

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, lastly, let me talk about the Ndola/Mufulira Road.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Mufulira!

All Members of Parliament are hon. Members regardless of whether they were voted or nominated. So, we should give due respect to all.

Hon. Member for Mufulira, please, withdraw the statement in which you referred to another hon. Member as a Nominated Member without a constituency.

Mr Mwila: Much obliged, Madam Speaker. I wholeheartedly withdraw that.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much. You may proceed.

Mr Mwila: Madam Speaker, let me conclude by talking about the people of Mufulira’s plight concerning the Ndola/Mufulira Road. We were very happy when a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement for the Lusaka/Ndola Dual Carriage Way was signed but, today, I saw that the aeroplane ‘jumped’ from Ndola to the North-Western Province.

Madam Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Interruptions

Mr Mwila: What about the Ndola/Mufulira Road, which equally needs attention?

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Your time is up, thank you very much.

Mr Malambo (Magoye): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Magoye, to contribute to the debate on this very important Motion.

Madam Speaker, the theme of the President’s Speech is the “Building on Socio-Economic Gains for Improved Livelihoods and a Better Zambia”. It cannot be said any better than what the theme says.

Madam Speaker, in the recent past, 30,000 teachers were employed in the country and, as I speak, many people are applying, building on the theme of the President’s Speech. Over 11,000 health workers were employed in 2022 and, in 2023, another batch is yet to be employed. We have seen recruitments in the Zambia Army, the Zambia National Service (ZNS), the Zambia Police Service and many other organisations, and this indicates that the New Dawn Government is living up to the expectations of the people by way of creating jobs for our people in the country.

Madam Speaker, there is increased investment in the country, and the President indicated that new mines are coming on board. The new Nickel Mine, which will be the largest in Africa, is here in Zambia. That is a huge gain because more jobs will be created.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malambo: Madam Speaker, we have seen a lot of progress in the agricultural sector. The farmers in Magoye used to receive three bags of fertiliser but, now, they get six bags. That will enable us be food-secure.

Madam Speaker, K790 million has been pumped into extension services. Extension services are going to help our farmers to be well-informed before they do anything related to agriculture, as they will learn more techniques of being productive. It is of great importance to understand –

Interruptions

Mr Malambo: If you are not venturing in agriculture, you will make noise because you, probably, do not understand.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malambo: We, who have grown up in an agricultural area understand that it is important to impart knowledge to farmers, who put food on the table. Many of us ate before we came here but, if there was no farmer, we would not have food on our tables. Further, there has been investment in the agricultural sector, and United Capital Fertiliser Limited is now producing fertiliser locally, helping to reduce the price of fertiliser.

Madam Speaker, I want to further say that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amount, which was K1.6 million, is, this year, K28.3 million. Our community got soft loans. The people of Magoye have benefited, and twenty-one got loans. In 2022, we got 118 grants and produced 1,593 desks for various schools. This year, we are yet to produce 2,000 desks. All the desks are being produced locally, thereby creating more jobs for our local communities. We have also created classroom space; constructed health posts, police posts and dams and we drilled sixty-two boreholes. All this was done in 2022.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malambo: Madam Speaker, let me also talk about the US$300,000 from the World Bank meant for farming blocks. I appeal to the hon. Minister of Agriculture to consider some of the farming blocks in Magoye. Ngwezi Farming Block has been in existence for many years, but there is no infrastructure there. Ngwezi B Farming Block and Jimbe Farming Block need to benefit from that money.

Madam Speaker, let me also talk about good governance. In the past, the rights of the people of Zambia were denied. As we speak, most people, especially those in the Opposition, can talk anyhow. They are even abusing this right …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malambo: … because under them, we were unable to enjoy our rights. When ten people gathered, that was unlawful assembly but, now, they gather anywhere and even run all over the road while singing that “alebwelelapo”, meaning that someone will come back.

Hon. UPND Members: Where?

Mr Malambo: Madam Speaker, where is he going to come back when people are already working? People are seeing the many things that have already been done in the country.

Madam Speaker, let me talk about how the police were conducting themselves under certain people, which made some of us to be in the bush for eight hours, running away from guns and live bullets.

Mr Mwiimbu: In Sesheke.

Mr Malambo: That was very barbaric behaviour and an abuse of the rule of law.

Madam Speaker, I will not go further. However, I want to indicate that Zambians are breathing a sigh of relief under the New Dawn Government.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malambo: The rule of law has been restored. Those who are abusing the police should tone down. We are seeing them. We are seeing even those telling people in other countries to rise against this country, and we know what to do. We are not going to sit back, and we will follow the necessary procedure to protect this country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, allow me, first of all, to thank the people of Kamfinsa Constituency for facilitating my coming to Parliament. It is on their behalf that I wish to make a few comments on the speech that was delivered by the President when he came to this august House.

Madam Speaker, as you enter the City of Kitwe, the first constituency on your right is Kamfinsa. Over the last couple of weeks, I have had the privilege to interact with the people and inspect projects that are under implementation in the constituency. One of the most challenging issue that I have been able to pick up in my interaction with my people is, obviously, what may have been debated already by everyone.

Madam Speaker, it is possible in this august House to ignore the issue at hand. It is possible in this august House to all assume that everything is okay with our people. We can actually pretend, today, and say all the good things that we can say in this august House. The eight minutes that you have accorded me today can be used to say that everything is okay, but we will not be doing justice to our people if we did that.

Madam Speaker, if we decided, today, to say that everything that is happening in the country is okay and that our people are able to afford everything, we would not be doing justice to our people. What we are supposed to be discussing are issues that, in my view, can be described as checks and balances on the speech that was delivered by the Republican President.

Madam Speaker, I gave a very practical example of the feedback that we are getting as we interact with our people. Our people have told us that they are happy that there is now a bridge that will allow our school going-children to cross from point A to point B, but the question they are asking us is: How can our children go to school without eating? Yes, someone will trivialise this very important aspect, but this is the issue that we have been able to pick. Our people are saying that they cannot afford the basic commodities. We can all pretend and assume that everything is okay, but we have a responsibility, and I know that our colleagues on the right will not raise these fundamental issues because they are in the Government. Our role is simply to advise.

Madam Speaker, the challenge of the cost of living in our communities is not a small issue. Yes, we can pretend here and spend eight minutes saying that everything is okay. However, I want to advise my colleagues that we do not mislead the President. The President of the Republic of Zambia sat where you are seated today and highlighted the public policy steps that the Government is taking. Those steps are not yielding immediate results for our people. Should I pretend here that those steps are achieving the intended objectives? The answer is ‘No’.

Madam Speaker, I will not waste my eight minutes lying to this august House that everything is okay. For my colleagues on the right, we can discuss fifteen good things that we believe can positively impact our people but, if we do not deal with the basic issue of affordability of commodities to our people, we are not doing justice to the issue that we are supposed to be discussing today.

Madam Speaker, the cost of living is a huge challenge, and I will give specific examples. Let me talk about the agricultural sector that everyone has debated today and the last two weeks. You are aware that public policy informs the decisions of Government officers. So, if, today, the hon. Minister of Agriculture says that we are going to export maize to our neighbouring countries and, after two weeks, he receives a report that there is inadequate maize to meet the local demand, that is inconsistency in public policy. Should we remain quiet when we observe public policy inconsistencies? It is our duty to advise the Government that its public policy on agriculture has failed. Should we pretend that that public policy should not be refined?

Madam Speaker, it is our duty to advise our colleagues because I know that they will not advise one another on the Floor of this House. The role of the Opposition is to advise. Should we be malicious? The answer is ‘No’. Our role is to advise. The point I am making is that public policies on specific issues affecting our people need to be consistent. We cannot continue on this path, whereby we have a real problem that is affecting our people and we sit here, pretending that our people are able to afford specific commodities. Yes, there are factors that have led to the price of mealie meal going up, but it is also as a result of the bad public policy on agriculture.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, the bad public policy on agriculture has two components. The first component is, obviously, the cost of production. If you increase the price of fuel and adjust the price of other essential inputs that need to be provided, what happens to the ultimate product? Definitely, the price of the product goes up. So, who is responsible for the public policy on agriculture? Is it the Opposition or the Ruling Party? It is the Government of the day. Our role is to advise the Government that the public policy on agriculture has failed to yield the desired results. So, today, I want to advise my colleagues on the right.

Laughter

Mr Kang’ombe: Pay attention to advice.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Let us listen to the advice.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: May the hon. Member continue.

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, I am grateful for your protection. It is only advice that will help our colleagues perform better, and it is in our interest and their interest that people are able to afford commodities.

Madam Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Madam Speaker: Thank you. Your time is up.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kang’ombe: I thank you most sincerely, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Although I did not get to hear what the advice was.

Laughter

Mr Mulaliki (Senanga): Madam Speaker, from the outset, let me state that the wonderful people in Senanga were very excited when the President sat there and delivered his speech.

Madam Speaker, I will start with the theme of the President’s Speech, which is ‘Building on the Socio-Economic Gains for Improved Livelihoods and a Better Zambia.’

Madam Speaker, hon. Members may recall that our President campaigned on the basis of creating a better Zambia. That better Zambia is the theme of his address.

Madam Speaker, our President has given hope to this country. It is the hope that he has given to this country that has brought about investor confidence.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, when the President assumed office, there are certain things he had to do immediately. I want the people of Zambia to know that the first thing that the Government does when it collects all the monies is to service the debt and, then, pay Public Service salaries. So, after paying debt and salaries, there is little money for any other development. No wonder, the President’s immediate task was to engage with the people whom we owe money because of the previous Government that over-borrowed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, the President cleaned, not the ‘mess’, because the word is unparliamentarily, but the debt that was contracted by the previous Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, today, the Government is being asked to take the route that the previous Government took of borrowing. However, we have a very intelligent President …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: … who said that what happened should not happen again.

Madam Speaker, you may recall that when the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) was in the Government, we were again given debt relief.

Ms Sefulo: HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries).

Mr Mulaliki: The Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, as it was famously called, was a good thing. However, the previous Government put us in a much worse situation than we were in, such that we now have a big load of debt on our shoulders. The people who have done wrong should be remorseful because their continuing to talk of the same things is injuring many Zambians out there.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, our President has been at the helm of this country for two years. Last year, we recorded a 4.7 per cent economic growth rate, and that is positive growth. I am certain that had he not been there, we would have been in negative growth.

Madam Speaker, many people do not understand the real advantages that we have got from the debt relief. Let me cite a very good example. Some people here and those in the Civil Service and elsewhere, who contracted loans are complaining. They know the impact of deductions. When you borrow money, you are supposed to pay it back with interest, whether you like it or not. However, when you have a President who negotiates so that instead of paying the money as you should, you pay it over a longer period and at reduced interest rates, we should be grateful, as a country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, people should understand the situation we are in. Yes, the cost of mealie meal is high, but who is to blame?

Hon. Government Members: PF (Patriotic Front).

Mr Mulaliki: Whose job is it to grow maize?

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

That is not the manner in which we are supposed to debate.

Please, hon. Member, just debate. Do not attract the participation of the whole House in your debate. Otherwise, we will ask you to pay the debt.

You may proceed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Thank you for the guidance, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I believe, it is the duty of every Zambian to grow the maize that every one of us should consume. It is not the duty of the President to do so. So, blaming the President because you and I have not grown enough maize is not fair.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members on my left!

You were behaving very well and listening quietly. Now, I do not know what has happened.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we allow the hon. Member to wind up.

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, the President is encouraging the production of winter maize and improvement of road networks so that the people in areas where maize grows well can grow sufficient stocks. He is also of the idea that farming blocks should developed at an accelerated rate.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the President stated the following:

“Development is not a straightforward journey, but we are determined to ensure that all that we have envisioned is fulfilled.”

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, the President is fixing this economy as he promised. Bally is fixing the economy. That was the campaign message.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda (Lupososhi): Madam Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to comment on the President Address to the nation and this Parliament.

Madam Speaker, two documents were produced on that day, but I will stick to the verbatim one. I will straight away state what the President stated, which was as follows:

“we must be honest with ourselves and in our relations with one another. In running public affairs, we carry additional obligations, we cannot escape this. If we choose to work for the public, there is an added layer of responsibility of being honest.”

Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President lost the opportunity on that day to tell Zambians the truth.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: He was voted based on the promises he made to Zambians; that he was going to deliver within two or three hours after being sworn in.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

According to our Standing Orders, you should not impute any improper motives on the President. You said that he was not being truthful. I think, that is not proper. I refer you to Standing Order No. 65(2)(a) which provides as follows:

“Impute any improper motives to the President, Vice-President or any other member”.

As you are debating, you are imputing improper motives on the President. Please, can you rephrase and continue debating.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, most obliged, but I was referring to the verbatim report.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Ms Sefulo: You have been guided.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Yes, I have been guided, and I have said, “most obliged”.

Madam Speaker, what I was saying is that the President had the opportunity to tell Zambians that development is not a straightforward route and that he is not able to fulfil the promises that he made to this nation.

Madam Speaker, the previous debater, my brother and friend, –

Interruptions

Mr Mulaliki: Question!

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Please, can we observe our Standing Orders. His time is not yet up. He still has six minutes and twenty-seven seconds.

May the hon. Member continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, thank you for your protection.

Madam Speaker, my brother who is from debating –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, before I was interrupted by heckling and the health break, I was saying that the President lost an opportunity to tell Zambians the truth.

Madam Speaker, wise leaders tell their followers the truth, and must be honest in speech and conduct. I support what the hon. Member for Senanga Central said; that those who have committed crimes, lied or have not said the truth must own up and tell Zambians the truth. Before 2021, our colleagues said that they would deliver on their promises. The President should have owned up, as he, himself, said that we need to be honest with ourselves and say, banene, mukuli walema.

Interruptions

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Walema mukuli.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What does that mean, hon. Member?

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, meaning that the burden of leadership of this country is too heavy for His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Hon. Member on the Floor, I think, you were guided by the Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lupososhi, I am addressing you. Can you, please, be focused. Do not bring in things that were not mentioned by the President. Focus on the speech. We have copies of the speech. Let us be mindful of the things we are bringing into the debate. Let us follow what is in the speech. If you are giving examples, be very sure that what you are talking about is the truth, according to Standing Order No. 65. So, without wasting much time, can you, please, be focused. Debate the content of the speech.

You may continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, most obliged.

Mr Mposha pointed at Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, may I be protected from the finger-pointing by the hon. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we, please, give him the chance to debate because hon. Ministers are supposed to start debating. He is the last one. So, please, let us be mindful of the time.

May the hon. Member continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, the other thing I want to talk about is what the President mentioned on the Floor of this House, and I will stick to that, as guided by Hon. Speaker. If I were the President, what would I have said? What was going to be my reaction to the President’s Speech?

Madam Speaker, according to the verbatim report, the President stated the following:

“We need to criticise each other and deal with each other, and we should do so with civility.”

Madam Speaker, according to the dictionary, civility means formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or speech.

Interruptions

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, may I be protected.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, Members!

Interruptions

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

There is only one person on the Floor. Can we, please, give him the chance to wind up his debate so that I can allow as many hon. Ministers as possible to respond.

Hon. Member on the Floor, you may continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, I was saying that civility means formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: … speech, polite action or expression. Wise leaders are civil in speech.

Madam Speaker, the Office of the President is ‘sacroca’ – sorry.

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: The Office of the President is sacrosanct. I am sorry for that mispronunciation.

Madam Speaker, the President’s Speech in public or Parliament ought to be civil. The President ought to be civil when relating to his predecessor in public and elsewhere. What the President has been saying in public is that, “Mambala, aikuta ichimbala, camukola, mailo ati alebwelelapo”.

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

You are now deviating. We are looking at the speech, not the meetings that the President attended. We are looking at the speech that was delivered to this House. Let us focus on the speech. Otherwise, we will just talk about everywhere the President has been. Let us focus on the speech.

You may continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, kindly guide me. The President used the term civility. He said that we need to be civil in how we conduct ourselves and how we talk to each other. May I be guided on how I can quote what the President has been saying in public. I need to be guided because I am debating what the President said on the Floor of this House.

Interruptions

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, for the sake of the hon. Members on your right, I will repeat –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

May you resume your seat.

Hon. Members, please, do not debate while seated. There is supposed to be one hon. Member debating at a time. Give him the chance to debate. Those are his views.

Mr B. Mpundu: Ba Elvis Nkandu!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Let us give him time.

Mr Nkandu: Follow the rules.

Ms Mabonga: Especially ba Elvis Nkandu!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

I am guiding, and people are exchanging words. Can we have order in the House!

Hon. Member for Lupososhi, please, continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the guidance.

Madam Speaker, I am just talking about civility, and you have seen for yourself what being uncivilised is. The President clearly guided us to be civil in how we engage one another in parliamentary debates, in public and in our speech. Already, the hon. Members on your right are not being civil. I commend His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for bringing the term ‘civility’ into Parliament because his Ministers are not civil in Parliament.

Hon. UPND Members: Ah!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Please, do not debate your hon. Colleagues. Our Standing Orders do not allow us to debate ourselves or, indeed, other hon. Members in the House. Just focus on the speech.

You may continue.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for your guidance. I think, I have handled the issue of civility enough. I hope, the hon. Members on your right have got what His Excellency the President meant.

Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President was misled. He announced to this House …

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: … that 149 secondary schools are being constructed countrywide. I have traversed this country and I know it very well. I have been to the North-Western Province, the Southern Province and the Western Province, and I have not seen any new secondary school being constructed by the New Dawn Government. Even in Monze Central, the constituency of Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, who is my friend, I did not see any new secondary school. So, where are the 149 secondary schools being constructed? People should stop misleading His Excellency the President with the information they are feeding him. The truth is that there are no 149 secondary schools being constructed under the New Dawn Government. What we have are secondary schools that were started by the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Government and continued by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government. Some are now being completed. That is what should have been said to the President.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: That is the truth, Madam Speaker.

Mr Amutike: Ignorance at its best.

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: You are misleading His Excellency the President, imwe ba nene, please, twakaka. Tell the President the truth.

Mr Chikote: Meaning?

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Meaning –

Laughter

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda: Madam Speaker, can I be protected from the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock.

With those few words, thank you, mudala.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

We are now going to hear from the hon. Ministers. We will start with the hon. Minister for Southern Province.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa was not in the Assembly Chamber.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I cannot see him in the House.

The hon. Minister for North-Western Province may take the Floor.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkandu: Pineapples!

Mr B. Mpundu: Tule michita ububi naimwe!

Laughter

The Minister for North-Western Province (Mr Lihefu): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving the people of the North-Western Province this opportunity, through me.

Madam Speaker, before I get to my main speech, allow me, on behalf of the people of the North-Western Province, to thank the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and his Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Council for signing the concession agreement for the PPP project for the Lumwana/Kambimba Road and a border post in the province today. That will promote trade and create employment for our people.

Madam Speaker, let me congratulate His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and the New Dawn Administration on the second anniversary of being in charge of the affairs of this great nation, Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the Government has achieved a lot in the macroeconomic environment, in particular with regard to the sealing of financial leakages, introduction of financial prudence, maintenance of macroeconomic stability and signing of the debt restructuring agreement with official creditors for sustained growth. The people of the North-Western Province can testify to this achievement in that they have seen huge amounts of funds get down to the constituency, through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) that we have been talking about. In the past, if we were lucky, we received K750 in a year but, today, our hon. Colleagues are proud of receiving K7 million. The CDF has enabled us to construct schools in our constituencies.

Mr Kampyongo interjected.

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, our hon. Colleagues do not know what was happening. In the North-Western Province, we did not get any development at all. We would only get development in the province when the then Government wanted to buy Councillors.

Madam Speaker, in the North-Western Province, clinics and maternity annexes have been constructed, and desks for pupils have been procured. Funds are trickling down to our provinces through the CDF. Our children would sit on –

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

I think, a ruling was made to the effect that we will proceed without points of order so that we accommodate as many hon. Ministers as possible. However, let us be responsible for what we are talking about. Let us be factual.

Hon. Minister for North-Western Province, please, be factual.

Mr Lihefu: Thank you very much –

Mr Kampyongo: Listen first.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Be factual according to Standing Order No. 65.

You may continue.

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for your guidance, but you are aware that that is what was happening everywhere in Zambia in the previous regime. So, we have to say it if our colleagues were doing wrong things.

Madam Speaker, the President explained in his speech the importance of agriculture and the measures that have been put in place, such as increasing the purchase price of maize from K180 to K280. That has encouraged the peasant farmers in rural areas. The people complaining about the price of maize are those who do not want to go back …

Hon. UPND Member: To the land!

Mr Lihefu: … to the land and start farming. The people of Zambia should migrate from being peasant farmers to being commercial farmers.

Mr Kampyongo: Where?

Mr Lihefu: The North-Western Province being a province that receives good rainfall, our farmers are encouraged by the good price that they have been given, and the province is food-secure.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, I am just from the North-Western Province. To those who are asking “where”? If you do not have a farm near your yard, just keep quiet. That is what is happening in the North-Western Province.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, the Government is working hard to facilitate trade, including the smooth clearing of goods, through improved and modernised border infrastructure, and I congratulate the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development on that.

Madam Speaker, border areas in the North-Western Province are being opened up. The route from Kambimba Border Post in Lualaba Province, where there is Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine, which produces 1 million metric tonnes, is being opened. Very soon, those on the Copperbelt Province who are complaining will see PPP projects being implemented.

Madam Speaker, the Kambimba and Kipushi border posts in the North-Western Province are earmarked for urgent modernisation. Let me thank the American Government and the European Union (EU) for coming on board and rendering help to the Lobito Corridor Project because that is the only way we will open up the North-Western Province.

Madam Speaker, the President illustrated to this House the need for the Government to formalise artisanal and small-scale mining to increase participation of our citizens in the mining sector. That can only be achieved if citizens involved in small-scale mining formalise their businesses and comply with the relevant laws and regulations. As I speak, our youths are actively participating in mining activities in Kasempa in the North-Western Province. That is what we want as a country, not leaders having fifty-two licences. That is unacceptable.

Madam Speaker, the President further indicated that his Administration will embark on a geological mapping of the country. That will result in increased mining activities that will benefit the country as a whole and the province in particular.

Madam Speaker, we are excited, as a province, to hear that the Government is committed to finishing all provincial airports because of the business activities and the three big mines in the province. When Solwezi Airport is finished, I think, a lot of business will trickle down to the province.

Madam Speaker, with those few words, I thank you for the opportunity.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

The Minister of Justice (Mr Haimbe, SC.): Madam Speaker, I wish to join my fellow hon. Members of Parliament who have already expressed gratitude for the speech for the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly delivered by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on 8^th September, 2023, in this august House.

Madam Speaker, as Minister responsible for justice, under which democracy, the rule of law and governance issues in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) are co-ordinated, I feel indebted to appreciate the statement delivered by His Excellency the President in this House, as aforementioned.

Madam Speaker, I rise before you today not only as Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament for Lusaka Central Constituency, but also as a steward of democracy and the rule of law in our beloved Zambia. It is with immense gratitude and profound reverence that I extend this heartfelt vote of thanks to the Official Opening Statement by His Excellency the President.

Madam Speaker, today, as we gather here in this Chamber, we commemorate not only the inauguration of another parliamentary Session but also the preservation of the democratic values and principles that form the bedrock of our nation. Democracy, with its intricacies of rights and responsibilities, is the very essence of our identity as a sovereign and free people. It is also a testimony to the sacrifices made by our forefathers and the unwavering commitment of our citizens to safeguarding the core tenets of liberty and justice. Indeed, the address by His Excellency the President is the epitome of the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, I want to echo what His Excellency the President said regarding the fight against corruption. Indeed, we stand strong in the fight against corruption. In this regard, investigations into cases of corruption and recovery of stolen assets have been intensified. However, our fight against corruption is not politically motivated. We will continue to be fair and relentless in fighting past, present and future corruption. There should be no sympathy for the corrupt in our society if we are to secure our country’s future. This is not only good for the nation, but the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, if not the whole continent of Africa.

Madam Speaker, in order to be strategic in our fight against corruption, the Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with other Government agencies, has revised the National Anti-Corruption Policy. If this is not the rule of law, then, what is? We are not only walking the talk, but also ensuring that the environment in which we all exist and operate is free and fair and brings the best out of us.

Madam Speaker, let me discuss the good governance environment of our beloved country. In line with our commitment to taking services and decision-making closer to the people, the National Decentralisation Policy has been revised and its implementation has commenced. In this regard, the Office of the Attorney-General has devolved to the North-Western Province, Central Province, the Northern Province, the Southern Province and the Eastern Province. Those offices are open and taking the services of the State much closer to the people. That can no doubt only be done by a responsive Government whose interests are those of the people of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the Government has approved a new structure for the Legal Aid Board to allow for the employment of more lawyers and other members of staff. Last week, I officially launched offices for the Legal Aid Board in Mbala and Nakonde and, in the coming week, I will launch the office in Mwinilunga. In accordance with the clear direction provided by the Head of State, we are walking the talk and ensuring that the people of Zambia receive the best service from their Government.

Madam Speaker, I wish to also take this opportunity to express my commendation and appreciation of His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s, exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to fostering a good governance environment and advancing the implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy. Let us remember that democracy and the rule of law are not mere words, but living principles that require our constant vigilance and dedication.

Madam Speaker, allow me, at this point, to digress very briefly and respond to some of the lamentations that were put before the Floor of the House. It was suggested by some hon. Members, who have strangely absconded the time for us to respond, that the law is for politicians and the poor. That could never be further from the truth. We are not a Government of mere rhetoric; we are there to ensure that the past wrongs are corrected, and corrected effectively, and to equalise the enjoyment of the rights and liberties by all Zambians. What do I mean by that? Recently, the Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, completed a prison audit so as to ensure that individuals who may have found themselves in detention facilities in an unfair manner, particularly the good number of political prisoners who were placed in detention facilities without having committed an offence, are identified and brought before the law. If they are found wanting, so be it, but the likelihood is that they will not. Political persecution, in short, has come to an end.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Haimbe, SC.: Madam Speaker, I have already referred to the opening of Legal Aid Board offices. Perhaps, the hon. Member of Parliament who was debating that issue did not understand that the devolution of those offices to the various districts entails that the very persons who are referred to in the debate as “poor persons” who are not being given access to the law will be properly represented. It has been years since such a progressive move was taken to ensure that the rights and liberties of our citizens are protected. There is no inequality before the law, contrary to the assertions that were made on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, there was also the suggestion that those who have received compensation following their persecution and violation of their rights are not entitled to that compensation. There is an expression in our local language to the effect that being ashamed of one’s actions is the essence of humanity. Violating rights through trumped-up and exaggerated motor vehicle charges based on road traffic accidents or similar events could lead to a treason charge, and those individuals alleged that they were tortured and mistreated in the worst possible way, yet someone is suggesting that they should not receive compensation. That is inhumane, to say the least. So, the New Dawn Government steps in to deal with such matters.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government has also ensured that the families who lost their relatives through extra-judicial killing, I need not mention the names, are compensated. The people alleging that they have had the law work against them under the Administration of the New Dawn Government simply have to sue and approach the Attorney-General, and they will be treated fairly and equally like any other Zambian citizen, contrary to the assertion that has been made on the Floor of this House; that there is discrimination in the manner in which the law is applied.

Madam Speaker, it was suggested that a nolle prosequi was entered for some of our colleagues who received compensation. Let us be sure when we put forward legal arguments and state the correct facts and the law. In the case of those individuals, no nolle prosequi in the normal sense of the word was entered. In fact, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) discontinued the proceedings pursuant to Article 180, Sub-Article 7, which says that where there has been abuse of the law, the DPP may discontinue a matter to avoid a continued flawed legal process. So, let us be clear when we speak to the people of Zambia on these matters.

Madam Speaker, the President of the Republic of Zambia, in his speech, spoke of equality before the law. That is the essence of the rule of law.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Mr Muchima): Madam Speaker, I am very grateful for this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech during the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly. I must hasten to say that we thank the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for the visionary speech delivered to this country.

Madam Speaker, in line with the theme of the President’s Speech, “Building on the Socio-Economic Gains for Improved Livelihoods and a Better Zambia”, the President is calling on every Zambian citizen and the entire nation to unite and build upon our individual and collective achievements to forge a more productive and unified nation that future generations will proudly reflect upon. My ministry has taken measures to enhance land administration in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, through the implementation of the Zambia Integrated Land Administration System (ZILAS), the ministry is contributing to the digital transformation agenda by providing for the online issuance of certificates of title and registration of rights and interests in the land for effective and efficient service delivery.

Madam Speaker, in line with the Decentralisation Policy, my ministry has established Lands and Deeds Provincial Registries in Chipata, Choma and Lusaka, in addition to the existing registries, which will ensure that different services are taken to the people. The Ministry of Finance and National Planning has supported my ministry in the construction of the registries to ensure proper filing of documents.

Madam Speaker, my ministry has further embarked on an ambitious systematic National Land Titling Programme to expedite the issuance of title deeds for State land to property owners. My ministry will support the constituencies that will acquire land for the construction of offices to have the land put on title.

Madam Speaker, let me also hasten to respond to some assertions by our colleagues. First of all, let me talk about public policy, which my colleague talked about. I heard him say that it is a public policy when there is supply and demand and that policies have fallen short, but I wanted him to further explain what he meant. For sure, there is a high demand for our maize for consumption in Zambia and for export to neighbouring countries. What policy was the hon. Member talking about? Zambia, under President Hakainde Hichilema, has allowed the export of maize but not at the expense of our people. The increase in the production of maize is in line with the increase in the price of mealie meal. The two are equal because many people have not been producing maize. When people in this country produce more maize, the price of mealie meal will drastically drop, and this Government is addressing that issue.

Madam Speaker, when the President took over power, he made a graph. Those who have done mathematics, accounting and economics know that in the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government, there was positive growth, but it dropped to negative. People criticised that graph because they lacked information and did not understand it. The graph helps one to understand exactly where we are, where we were, and where we are going. It was pointed out that the growth rate of the economy of the country had dropped and that there was no fiscal space. People had over-borrowed and the money had not benefitted the people of Zambia. However, today, that graph, from nowhere, is going up towards positive growth.

Hon. Opposition Members: How? Show us the graph.

Mr Muchima: How? Today, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is assured in every constituency in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, my colleague talked about unity. Look at the Cabinet. It reflects a true picture of Zambia. That is unity in its essence. The CDF is being disbursed everywhere, meaning that the little money the Government has is reaching every citizen of Zambia, unlike what used to happen before. The North-Western Province was completely ignored. Even the appointments to leadership positions, such as Permanent Secretaries (PSs) and Ministers, were of people from only two provinces. However, this Government is uniting this country. In any appointment, it picks every Zambian –

Hon. Opposition Members: How many are you?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

You do not have to question the hon. Member who is debating. Further, do not debate while seated.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

It is time for the hon. Ministers to respond. You debated, and your time has now finished. The hon. Ministers are now responding, and the people out there have many questions that they want feedback on. So, let us allow the hon. Ministers to respond.

The hon. Minister may continue.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, under President Hakainde Hichilema, there is a Minister and a PS from every province. That is unity. If there is borrowing, that borrowing affects every Zambian because the money is distributed equally everywhere without the political discrimination that was there all the time.

Madam Speaker, this is my fourth term in Parliament. Under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, I never saw any road being worked on but, today, go and see what is happening. Look at the desks. Look at the recruitment of nurses. Look at whatever is happening. There is activity in this country everywhere; in every corner. Some people were saying that the Government has only released K7 million. They are not utilising the CDF. They have kept the money in the banks. So, they should retire that money and then they can be given some more. This Government has said that by the end of the year, a constituency can be given everything, but people should be prudent enough by retiring what they have collected.

Madam Speaker, President Hakainde has brought peace to this country, but that does not mean that all those who have offended, who steal, who pick Government money anyhow, should be let scot-free.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, the word “steal” is unparliamentary.

Mr Muchima: Those who have misappropriated money. I am responding to what people said.

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: I am responding to what was said, which is misleading the whole country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: We cannot sit idly here and not respond to what you have been saying.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we, please, give room to the hon. Minister to respond.

Mr Muchima: You see, if you write an examination and you get eight out of ten, you have got a distinction. So, Mr Hakainde Hichilema has got a distinction.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: There was load-shedding. Today, do you have load-shedding?

Hon. Government Members: No!

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Muchima: It is only you. However, let me tell you that Mr Hakainde Hichilema has started addressing issues –

Hon. Opposition Member: Are you the hon. Minister of Energy?

Mr Muchima: Yes. I mean, ours is a collective Cabinet –

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

Do not involve other hon. Members. Do not listen to what they are talking about or respond to what they are asking you. Please, address your debate to me.

Hon. Members, please, stop disturbing the hon. Minister on the Floor.

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Muchima: We are responding to what you are saying to mislead this country. You are misleading this country. You had the opportunity to run this country with prudence, but you made it go down. This time, President HH (Hakainde Hichilema) is not sleeping; he is making efforts to revive the economy by bringing everybody on board. All of us here must be objective. What is true is what is true. It does not matter what we are talking about, whether it is the hon. Minister of Energy speaking or not, ours is a collective responsibility. I am telling you what is happening in this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, the PF Government tried to install solar hammer mills in the country. Today, the mills are white elephants. What was the PF Government trying to address? It is the same mealie meal issue. This is a cancer in this country. Let President Hakainde Hichilema and as an economist, sit down, plan properly, and find a proper formula for every Zambian. He is not sitting idly. The other day, he went to eastern Europe, and you condemned him, saying that had gone to the capitalists and what have you. Then he went to China and, now you are quiet and ashamed. President HH is going to liberate this country.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

The word “ashamed” is unparliamentary, especially when –

Mr Muchima: I withdraw it. Those who thought –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Mr Muchima: I have withdrawn it and replace it with –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Let us be orderly. I was saying that the word “ashamed” is unparliamentary. Kindly withdraw that word.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I withdrew it.

Madam Speaker, I do not know the position our colleagues are taking now. When our President concentrated on the capitalist side, they thought he would not address the other side. There is an equation; it is 1+ 1 and then you add x + y. He has concluded with China, and our relationship is even more sound. You cannot ignore China in this world. Further, debt restructuring has brought more benefits to this country.

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: My time is up. I would have continued lecturing Hon. Mukosa.

I thank you, Madam.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

The hon. Minister for Western Province, the hon. Minister for Copperbelt Province, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the hon. Minister for Eastern Province and the hon. Minister for Northern Province will debate today, in that order.

The Minister for Western Province (Mr Mbangweta): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to say a few words on the debate on the speech that was rendered to this House by the President last week.

Madam Speaker, from the outset, I would like to commend the President for a clear speech, which highlighted the milestones of the New Dawn Government and the path we are taking for the future. On page 40 of the speech, the President said the following:

“The United Party for National Development (UPND) New Dawn Administration remains committed to serving with diligence, in an orderly manner, the twenty million Zambians. Today, our people have a Government that is visionary, stable and truly committed to progress. A Government that believes in the rule of law and abhors corruption. A Government that cherishes hard work, integrity and inclusive development. A Government that respects, protects and values the country’s resources.”

Madam Speaker, I would like to applaud the Government’s unwavering fight against corruption. The commitment to relentlessly fighting past, present and future corruption is, indeed, commendable. I also agree with the President when he says that when people are called to order for their actions, they should not run to the traditional authorities, to their parties or churches, because when they were exercising their long fingers, they were doing that on their own behalf, not on behalf of those institutions. So, let them just explain themselves. If they are innocent, nobody will be bothered.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank the President and his economic team for reaching a debt restructuring agreement with our official creditors under two years of being in office. Whereas other people put this country in trouble with a huge debt stock that was acquired without corresponding assets to show for it, the President has managed to resolve this problem within two years. However, surprisingly, the people beating the drums on top of houses are the same ones who created that problem. We ask them to sit down if they have nothing to say because capacity is demonstrated by doing, not by pontificating. That is our earnest appeal. That issue that has been resolved will enable this country to resolve a number of other issues that were difficult to resolve before.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government is also committed to infrastructure development in various parts of this country. In this regard, I would like to thank the Government and the President for putting up a bridge on the Luanginga River, which will connect Kalabo District to Liuwa. The people of the Western Province are truly indebted to this Government for this action, and they can see how their taxes are working for them now. The people who failed to make the taxes work for us are the ones making noise, which is very unfortunate.

Madam Speaker, the initiative of constructing provincial airports is most appreciated. We hope that when Mongu Airport is constructed, it will open up the province to more tourists. We also note the serious strides the Government has made towards increasing productivity in the medium term to long term. The intention to accelerate the development of farming blocks, through the US$300,000 million Growth Opportunity Project, which will involve improving road networks and providing power and skills centres, will go a long way in opening up those places.

Madam Speaker, as a matter of fact, the differentiator among provinces will be the extent to which the provinces appreciate what the Government is doing. The other day, I heard somebody say the US$300,000 million was not being utilised. To the contrary, the Ministry of Agriculture has started acquiring equipment. However, you will be surprised to note that in the areas where the local people are not very much connected with what the Government is doing, those assets are lying idly. That is what I mean by saying that the differentiator will be the extent to which those areas will welcome the development that the Government is providing.

Madam Speaker, it is also gratifying to see that the Government’s desire to provide agricultural mechanisation services to our small-scale farmers is becoming a reality. We commend the Government and the President for providing 4,000 small-scale farmers with tractor-based mechanisation services in 2022, exceeding the annual target of 1,500. These are positive strides that cannot be ignored. So, we wonder why people have continued saying that this Government is not working, contrary to what is on the ground. It is also heart-warming that the New Dawn Government has prioritised the provision of irrigation facilities, including the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of water-harvesting infrastructure across the country, because that is the only way productivity in the agricultural sector will be increased.

Madam Speaker, we also strongly support the President and the New Dawn Government for the practical steps they have taken to protect the lives of the people of the Western Province, in the context of their heritage, in relation to cattle management by ensuring that the livestock disease burden, especially Contagious Bovine Pleural Pneumonia (CBPP), is reduced. As I speak, K6 million has, so far, been released in the Western Province for mass screening and vaccination against the disease, and the target is 632,000 herds of cattle. None of the previous Governments did this. So, when we say that this Government is working, this is what we mean.

Madam Speaker, we are happy to also note the commendable effort that the Government is making in scaling up investment in the renewable energy sector. It is comforting to hear that our national power utility company, ZESCO Limited, has signed several power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with various local and international investors. We are now coming up with PPAs in a few days, as opposed to many years in the past. On this basis, we, the people of the Western Province, are now confident that the Western Power Company Project in Sioma District of the Western Province will take off.

Madam Speaker, in the speech, the President indicated that the Government is promoting equity between rural and urban areas through enhanced service provision. For example, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has escalated its projects in rural areas, which was not done in the past. In the last three weeks, REA in the Western Province handed over 9.13 km of 33 Kv grid extension projects to contractors to supply electricity to Mbanyutu, Kalundwana, Lutende, Mweeke and Ikwichi in Limulunga District of the Western Province. Those projects will supply electricity to a number of primary schools, rural health centres as well as Chief Chiengele’s Palace. With all this, how can the naysayers continue pontificating that the New Dawn Government is doing nothing? Conventional wisdom will detect that our colleagues ought to not say anything because they had their time and nobody stopped them from doing all this. That is our take on the matter.

Madam Speaker, we also want to put on record –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Minister’s time expired.

The Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Matambo): Madam Speaker, I am greatly honoured to be given the opportunity to address the House in response to the speech that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, delivered under the theme “Building on the Socio-Economic Gains for Improved Livelihoods and a Better Zambia”.

Madam Speaker, as the President indicated, his speech came off the back drop of the second anniversary of the New Dawn Administration. As such, on behalf of the people of the Copperbelt Province, I am grateful for the support given to our leadership by the Zambian people during our successful two years in office.

Madam Speaker, let me talk about the mining industry. As the nation is aware, the New Dawn Administration inherited a mining sector that was in bad shape. Production had fallen, there was no investor confidence and suppliers and contractors were not being paid. To worsen the already deteriorating situation, the deal on Mopani Copper Mine (MCM) was done in bad faith. The liquidation of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) was also done against the advice of many Zambians. It was crisis after crisis when it came to the mining sector. However, as I assured the people of the Copperbelt Province last year before this House, the situation in the mining industry is being resolved, and I wish to inform them that His Excellency the President, in his methodical approach, managed conclusively to find a solution to problems in the mining sector in the province.

Madam Speaker, the challenges faced due to the unreasonable manner in which KCM was liquidated have been resolved with the coming back of Vedanta Resources Limited following a lengthy court process after the previous Government forcefully took over the mine and started running it instead of liquidating it as it promised. I will leave it to my counterpart, the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, to give the details and implications of Vedanta Resources Limited’s return. May it suffice for me to say that, for the people of Copperbelt Province, it means employment opportunities, payment of debts owed to contractors and major investments in mine development. Further, in view of the expected announcement by the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development on the way forward only implied one thing, which is that the Copperbelt Province is back on track. There will be more investment in the mines, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: … more employment opportunities, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: … more engagements with mine contractors, suppliers and workers, and more liquidity in the economy of the province, in particular, and the country, generally. For that, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to President Hakainde Hichilema for his well-thought-out, meticulous and constructive engagement with the investors, which has created a very conducive business environment, unlike the way it was in the past.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, let me talk about the construction of road infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, driving and walking through the streets of the Copperbelt Province, one would think that the province was recovering from a civil war. The state of the road network was embarrassingly poor. So, I salute His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and the New Dawn Government for successfully clinching and signing the deal for the Lusaka/Ndola Dual Carriage Way, which was supposed to cost US$1.2 billion under the previous regime. Now, it will only cost half that price. I want to ask a question through you. Where did our colleagues want to take the other US$600 million?

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, the people of the Copperbelt Province are grateful to the President. I am here to report, on their behalf, that they appreciate the transformation that for many years had eluded them, due mainly to, the poor quality and inflated costs of projects. As I speak, besides the Lusaka/Ndola Road, the investor for the long-awaited Chibuluma Road in Kitwe is on site.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, the road leading to Chingola, Chililabombwe and Kasumbalesa is almost at 70 per cent.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, the contractor for the road from Ndola to Mufulira, passing through Sakanya, is about to be announced, and I have advised that the signing ceremony be held on the Copperbelt Province. The previous Government took K350 million without carrying out works on the road. The contractor working on the Lusaka/Ndola Road will also work on the Masangano/Fisenge/Luanshya Road.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: When going to Luanshya from Fisenge, one would take one hour instead of twenty minutes, as if there was war there. However, the roads in rural areas, such as like Machiya Road will be worked on. The Lumpuma/Mutukuma Road in Lufwanyama and several other roads in township areas are earmarked for construction, and we salute President Hakainde Hichilema for that.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, I know that the Government intends to modernise the border post at Kasumbalesa. Sakanya Border will equally be modernised, and several road networks will be built on the Copperbelt Province. There is a massive transformation of the road network on the Copperbelt Province under the leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: For sure, President Hakainde Hichilema wakulekafye.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Mulekeni abombe. Mwamutonya tonya pafula.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, in short, I am saying that people should let him work because he knows what he is doing.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, I want to talk about law and order. Not long ago, violence in our markets and bus stations was not only the norm, but our youths were handsomely rewarded by the previous Government for unleashing violence on their fellow citizens for merely belonging to different political parties. As a result, some members of opposition political parties were killed while others were injured, maimed, shot at or beaten to death. Some people have continued nursing their physical and emotional wounds while others, unfortunately, died, leaving children orphaned. While that was happening, senior Government officials, some of whom are seated on the left side of this House, cheered as the perpetrators of violence left a trail of destruction.

Madam Speaker, law enforcement agents were abused to achieve the political objectives of the previous regime, leaving communities divided and the Civil Service polarised. That also reduced investor confidence and severely dented the image of our country. It was in my province where the current President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, survived three assassination attempts, one at Sun FM Radio, another one at Moba and when ten days before the elections, live bullets were fired at him in Chingola. Fortunately, because he was covered by the blood of Jesus, the bullets only destroyed the door handle. The President was not allowed to go and campaign on the Copperbelt Province.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Madam Speaker, the Provincial Youth Chairperson died in a road accident, but the President was stopped to flying to the Copperbelt Province to attend the funeral. He watched the funeral proceedings and addressed the people of the Copperbelt Province via Zoom. When our colleagues talk about law and order, it pains some of us, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: … as we remember what the people of the Copperbelt Province went through. Teargas was like sugar and a drink while machetes were like spoons. There is law and order on the Copperbelt Province now…

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: … because of the pronouncement made by President Hakainde Hichilema. Everyone is free to put on any T-shirt. Those days, when you put on a red T-shirt, you were committing suicide.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Matambo: Today, you will find someone wearing a red T-shirt, another one wearing a green T-shirt and yet another one wearing a United National Independence Party (UNIP) T-shirt on the Copperbelt Province. There is law and order, and people have their freedom.

Madam Speaker, the police have been given back its power. Previously, cadres were more powerful than the police, but not this time under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema. So, I advise the people of the Copperbelt Province to not listen to those who destroyed the country and made the Copperbelt be nicknamed Beirut. We are living in peace, and we will continue living in peace. President Hakainde Hichilema will complete his five-year tenure and win the 2026 elections. Thereafter, Zambia will not be the same again.

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Your time is up.

Mr Matambo: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the speech of the President that was delivered on the Floor of this House, and to respond to the issues that were raised by my colleagues.

As I start to debate, Madam Speaker, I just want to state that I have acknowledged one key issue arising from the statements that have been made by our colleagues on the Floor of the House. The most important issue, and the only one they have been raising, is that of mealie meal. The President of the Republic of Zambia was magnanimous over that issue and informed the nation that he was addressing it for the benefit of Zambians.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: I have no doubt in my mind that once that issue is resolved, my colleagues on your left will become dumb. They will not be able to speak because that is the only issue that they are raising currently.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, in the President’s Speech, many significant socio-economic milestones were mentioned. For example, the President talked about the New Dawn Administration’s ever-growing desire to restore law and order in the country, and the relentless fight to uncover and rid our country of corruption, including recovering the country’s misappropriated resources.

Madam Speaker, law and order lead to peace, which is a recipe for national development. This Government is restoring law and order, and law and order ranks top on our agenda, as there cannot be meaningful socio-economic development without peace. The New Dawn Administration has successfully managed to bring back law and order in all parts of the country, especially in public places.

Madam Speaker, as my colleague, the hon. Minister for Copperbelt Province, indicated, when one wore United Party for National Development (UPND) regalia in public spaces, one was committing suicide. However, currently, when one moves around in Lusaka, one only sees people wearing Patriotic Front (PF) regalia. No one is harassing those people because there is law and order, which is being promoted by this Government. We shall ensure that law and order reigns supreme in this country.

Madam Speaker, our colleagues stated that those in the Opposition are being persecuted. There is no persecution against anyone in this country. Anyone who has been arrested and is appearing in court is being arraigned for specific offences. I repeat: no one is being persecuted. What our colleagues are trying to do is create a narrative that will make members of the public start thinking that they are being persecuted. I challenge my colleagues on your left to indicate any individual who is being persecuted. As far as we are concerned, there are specific charges that have been levelled against those currently appearing in court.

Madam Speaker, I also want to state that for the first time, after the reign of the PF, members of the public who are arraigned before the courts of law are given bail. Those who are yet to appear in court are being given police bond, something that was very rare under the PF regime. However, I will not state that there are no exceptions. Obviously, there are people who believed, and still believe, that the rule of law should not be applied, but those are exceptions. The general situation is that anyone who has been arrested has been accorded his/her rights by this Administration. I have no doubt in my mind that those who are raising issues here are trying to politick.

Madam Speaker, we are aware that some of our colleagues on your left and those not in this House are deliberately committing offences so that members of public can start thinking that they are being persecuted. I would like to advise them to not deliberately commit offences because, when they do, the long arm of the law will follow them. We will not be distracted by the assertions being made by our colleagues.

Madam Speaker, our colleagues on your left were alleging that members of the PF and other opposition political parties are being denied their right to assemble, and they mentioned the purported denial of the rally they wanted to hold in Matero. The police did not allow them to go ahead with the rally because security was at risk. They appealed to me, and I had a meeting with three hon. Members of this House in my office, and I advised them to suggest a different date and inform the police, promising them that their rally would then go ahead. However, as usual, with impunity, they decided to not adhere to the advice I gave them. They did not adhere to the agreement we made in my office and suggested the same day we had told them they could not hold the rally on. What do you expect the police to do in such a situation?

Mr Nkandu: To stop them.

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, the police had the right to stop them from going ahead with the rally because we knew what their intentions were on that day. I am proud to state that the police behaved professionally and ensured that there was peace and stability in this country.

Madam Speaker, an issue was raised about the police stopping the Former President from attending a church service in Ndola. As a security institution, we investigate. We had information to the effect that there was an ulterior motive behind that function scheduled to take place in Ndola. As a responsible Government institution, the police had to advise the Former President to not attend the function, but the function went ahead; it was not stopped. That is what transpired. There is no way we can deny anyone his rights. However, our the rights end where the others’ begin.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: That is how it is.

Madam Speaker, it is our responsibility to ensure that this country is governed by laws. We shall ensure, for the sake of all of us, that the rule of law in this country applies to everyone. The President of the Republic of Zambia said that we shall ensure that there is law and order in this country, and we are not going to deviate from that position.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister for Eastern Province (Mr Phiri): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the good people of the Eastern Province and, particularly, Malambo Constituency to add my voice to the debate on the President’s Speech.

Madam Speaker, the people of the Eastern Province join the rest of the country in thanking the Republican President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for continuing to provide good leadership and showing untiring commitment to turning around the economy, and setting the country on course to prosperity in the two years the United Party for National Development (UPND) has been in office.

Madam Speaker, as the people of Eastern Province, we are happy to note that this Government is transforming the agriculture sector to make it more efficient and productive for the benefit of the people of Zambia. We appreciate that the Government values small-scale farmers, as evidenced by continued support through the provision of inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Currently, there are 194,543 farmers from the Eastern Province on the programme. In addition, we are grateful that the New Dawn Government will continue to implement the Food Security Pack (FSP) Programme for vulnerable but viable farmers to ensure food security at the household level. We also support the establishment of a credit window to support small-scale farmers, public sector workers and others with affordable financing for inputs, mechanisation and irrigation.

Madam speaker, we appreciate our Government’s desire to expand the coverage of extension services to our farmers by recruiting more frontline staff to support farmers in the crop, livestock and fisheries sub-sectors, which will enhance production. We also appreciate the fact that surveillance and management of livestock diseases has been heightened and vaccination has also been intensified in the province. I am happy to report that our officers are in the field and are targeting the vaccination of 30,000 animals against East Coast Fever (ECF) in the first phase. Further, 444,909 animals have been vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), against the target of 505,050 animals. This is surely commendable.

Madam Speaker, as a province, we are also happy to note in President Hakainde Hichilema’s Speech that the New Dawn Government is formalising artisanal and small-scale mining to increase the participation of citizens in the mining sector. In a province where the majority of those engaged in mining are in informal and illegal mining of gold and precious stones, such interventions will not only empower those engaged in mining, but also help the Government to broaden the revenue base. We are also excited about the investments and diversification in exploration, mining and processing of minerals, and that this Administration intends to undertake a geological mapping of this country. This will put the Eastern Province on the map for potentially huge investment in the mining sector, as it will enable us to get accurate data on our mineral resource endowment in the province.

Madam Speaker, as stated by His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the importance of infrastructure to our country cannot be overemphasised. We are happy to learn that this Government is negotiating for the construction of the Katete/Chanida Road through a public private partnership (PPP), among other projects in the province. The road is important not only to the people of the Eastern Province, but also the country as a whole as it connects us to Mozambique, which will enhance trade between the two countries and other countries beyond Africa through the Port of Nacala.

Madam Speaker, we commend our President for rehabilitating and maintaining most rural roads and crossing points in the province. The people of Vubwi are very grateful that their road, which has been impassable, is being worked on and they will stop going through Malawi to access the district. The Chama/Lundazi Road is also being worked on. When completed, it will reduce wear and tear on our vehicles.

Madam Speaker, I am glad to report that our local authorities are also constructing, rehabilitating and maintaining a number of feeder roads through the enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which saw them buy earth-moving equipment. By June 2023, 128 km of roads had been rehabilitated and maintained, and twenty-six crossing points had been maintained or rehabilitated.

Madam Speaker, as a province, we are glad that this Government’s Free Education Policy has created opportunities for all citizens to access education. In this regard, allow me to say that enrollments have tremendously increased at all levels. In the province, 83,109 children were enrolled into early childhood education, 50,883 into Grade 1, and 7,999 out of school children into alternative education centres. We are also glad that this Government has continued to increase learning spaces through infrastructure development. As of June 2023, we had procured more than 20,000 desks using the CDF to ensure that no child sits on the floor in the province by December 2023. Moreover, we are glad that 4,000 more teachers will be recruited this year, as that will further reduce the teacher-pupil ratio in our public schools.

Madam Speaker, we applaud the Government for improving access to quality healthcare, especially for our expectant mothers. The people appreciate the fact that this Government is committed to providing every health facility with a maternity annex and water reticulation system. The province has benefitted from the maternity annexes that are being constructed around the country. The people also appreciate the fact that 3,000 health personnel will be recruited this year. That will further reduce the health worker-patient ratio, resulting in enhanced delivery of quality health services.

Madam Speaker, we commend the President for increasing the number of Social Cash Transfer Programme beneficiary households across the country. We also thank him for the consistent and timely payment of those funds, as it is important in building resilience and protecting households from social and economic hardships. The social safety net will reduce poverty and vulnerability of poor people in our country.

Madam Speaker, the youths in the province are grateful that this Government is implementing the National Internship, Apprenticeship, Volunteer and Graduate Programme, which will see over 2,000 youths placed in various institutions this year. They are also thankful for the various youth empowerment programmes this Government is implementing. Fifteen youth co-operatives and 105 youth enterprises were empowered with motorcycles in the province this year. The motorcycles will not only ease movement for our youths, but also be an income-generating tool.

Madam Speaker, I request for extra time.

Laughter

Mr Phiri: Noteworthy is this Government’s efforts to reverse deforestation and land degradation. As a province, we continue implementing initiatives that seek to reverse the trend of deforestation and forest degradation, such as reforestation and afforestation. During the 2022/2023 Rainy Season, the province managed to establish over forty-nine ha of forest plantations and 46,705 ha of woodland in communities. We also have other initiatives in the province, such as the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Project, through which communities are empowered with supplements to engage in alternative …

The hon. Minister’s time expired.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Your time is up.

Mr Phiri: … and sustainable livelihoods, thereby discouraging them from –

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Your time is up!

Laughter

Mr Phiri: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The last debator, for today, is the hon. Minister for Northern Province.

The Minister for Northern Province (Mr Mbao): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of the Northern Province, I wish to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for the well-timed speech that he delivered on the progress we are making, as a nation, towards our developmental aspirations.

Madam Speaker, I want to echo what some people who have spoken before me today have said. The people on your left have found it very difficult to criticise what the President stated in this House because the President’s Speech was cross-cutting. We have not had straightforward information like that provided in this House by His Excellency the President.

Madam Speaker, as the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security stated, people are just talking about the cost of mealie meal because everything that was mentioned in the speech is okay. They have nothing to talk about and have tried to see where there are question marks in the statement, but there is nothing they have found. Therefore, the people of the Northern Province, including those from Mpulungu and Kaputa, are very happy with what the President stated here, in the House.

Madam Speaker, if our friends on your left do not understand what the United Party for National Development (UPND) stands for, let them be magnanimous enough and look for our manifesto. However, if they do not have the time to understand and read the manifesto, let them understand the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), because that is a mirror of the UPND Manifesto. When you understand what the UPND stands up for, even as you oppose, what you say will be meaningful.

Madam Speaker, on page 4, paragraph 11, of the speech, the President says the following:

“Upon assuming office, our priority was to restore the rule of law, fix the economy by sealing leakages, introducing financial prudence and maintaining macroeconomic stability for sustained growth.”

Madam Speaker, what we are saying is that this Government is not working like the others that we know. Today, people are talking about the cost of mealie meal, but the President was very clear on that issue, and he is looking into it. As was said, our friends on your left are the ones responsible for the high cost of mealie meal and the problems that are there. Why am I saying that? Zambia has been producing 3 million metric tonnes, 2 million metric tonnes and 1 million metric tonnes for a very long time, and we have not seen any improvement in production. Even under President Mwanawasa, we were producing 3 million metric tonnes, and we are still producing that.

Madam Speaker, we who read understand the Patriotic Front (PF) Manifesto. Our colleagues talked about growing the economy and ensuring that we did more things. In the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), there were plans to improve the agricultural sector, but the question is: What did the PF Government achieve in ten years? The PF Government would say that it wanted to grow the economy and increase non-traditional exports and other things, but nothing was done. However, the President was quoted saying that the UPND Government would remove cadreism.

Madam Speaker, let me talk about the four pillars. The first is economic transformation and job creation. The second is human and social development. The third is environmental sustainability, and the fourth is good governance environment.

Madam Speaker, in terms of a good governance environment, we are ticking, and no one can say that it is bad. That is why one can even go and run anywhere, and no one stops him/her. That is what we call good governance.

Madam Speaker, the second thing I want to talk about is sustainability. You will not hear that we have degazetted a forest because we want to buy plots there and build. That will not happen. We are logical and doing things by the book.

Madam Speaker, on human and social development, even the people on your left are very happy because their children are going to school without paying anything. No parent is asking for a K2 for their child to go to school because children are going to school without paying a Ngwee. Let us call a spade a spade.

Madam Speaker, the President said that since a number of things have been done, we should move on start tackling economic transformation. That is what this Government wants to do. We are talking about agricultural issues, not the 3 million metric tonnes of maize that we have been producing. We have to tackle agricultural issues head-on.

Madam Speaker, our colleagues failed to increase the fuel price because they thought that if they did that, people would be upset. They should have done things that are straightforward and correct. We cannot punish a farmer because we want to have cheap mealie meal. How can you kill a farmer? Where are you going to get mealie meal from tomorrow? So, we must support the farmer, as that will improve productivity. That is what the President talked about.

Madam Speaker, the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is not only for poor people. Hon. Members of Parliament and everyone else can venture into farming. The Government is also providing the credit window. So, let us venture into agriculture as a business. I am lecturing the people from the Copperbelt, ba Nkana, so that they understand and not speak from without. We want them to understand Government policies, and I am not politicking. I am talking about Government policies.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbao: Madam Speaker, the Government is providing a credit window, something that has never happened. The initial amount is US$300 million but, going forward, this Government will increase it to US$1 billion, if possible. That is what we call development, and we are moving systematically, as the Government.

Hon. Government Member: That is what we call progress.

Mr Mbao: That is progress. There are many things that we want to do, as the Government. The President is rightfully in the position and has a vision. Everyone can see that the Government is on a trajectory to ensuring that there is no longer poverty in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Eh ma Northerners aba.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1840 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 27^th September, 2023.

____________

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Tuesday, 26th September, 2023

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