Thursday, 2nd November, 2023

Thursday, 2^nd November, 2023

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM SPEAKER

PRESENCE OF EVELYN HONE COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND COMMERCE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC GALLERY

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence in the Public Gallery of Students from the Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce Management Board, Lusaka District. On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I warmly welcome our visitors into our midst.

I thank you.

LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I have received communication to the effect that in the absence of Her Honour the Vice-President, who is attending to other Government business, the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Hon. Jack Jacob Mwiimbu, has been appointed Acting Leader of Government Business in the House from today, 2^nd November, 2023, until further notice.

I thank you.

REVOCATION OF APPOINTMENT OF MR J. E. BANDA AS INDEPENDENT MEMBERS GROUP WHIP

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that my office has received letters from four Independent hon. Members of Parliament withdrawing their membership from the Independent Members Group in the House. The four are:

Mr Joel Chibuye, hon. Member of Parliament for Roan;

Mr Misheck Nyambose, hon. Member of Parliament for Chasefu;

Mr Jeffrey Mulebwa, hon. Member of Parliament for Kafulafuta; and

Mr Warren Mwambazi, hon. Member of Parliament for Bwana Mkubwa.

Since there are thirteen Independent hon. Members of Parliament in the House, it follows, therefore, that the number of hon. Members belonging to the Independent Members Group has fallen below the minimum threshold. In this regard, and in accordance with Standing Order No. 48(2), I have with immediate effect revoked the appointment of Mr Emmanuel Jay Banda, hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central, as Whip for the Independent Members Group.

I thank you.

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MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

Madam Speaker: We have agreed to only allow three matters of urgent public importance at the moment. So, according to the indications, the hon. Member for Petauke Central, the hon. Member for Lumezi and the hon. Member for Kamfinsa will raise the matters of urgent public importance in that order.

MR J. E. BANDA, HON. MEMBER FOR PETAUKE CENTRAL, ON HER HONOUR THE VICE-PRESIDENT, MRS NALUMANGO, ON THE PROVISION OF SANITARY TOWELS

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 Central, to raise a matter of urgent public importance. I do not know whether to congratulate you on that announcement of removing the Whip for the Independent Members Group.

Madam Speaker, my matter of urgent public importance is based on Article 134. However, Article 135 says that if a matter requiring Government attention –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Just raise the matter of urgent public importance. You do not have to school anyone. Just mention the matter and then we will see how to proceed.

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, thank you for your guidance.

Madam Speaker, the people of Petauke Central voted for me so that I can represent them, and I do not wish to be clapped for here. I represent the people of Petauke Central, and I speak about their problems. That is why they voted for me.

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

Can we have order. Please, resume your seat.

Mr J. E. Banda interjected.

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

All hon. Members in this House were voted for by their respective constituents to represent them. So, we are raising matters of urgent public importance; we are not talking about who elected whom. You have a matter of urgent public importance. Please, raise it.

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, on Monday, Grade 7 pupils in Petauke Central Constituency started writing examinations. This matter is directed to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House, and it is about the girl child in an examination grade.

Madam Speaker, in 2021, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services announced that the Government would be providing sanitary towels to the girl child. However, right now, the girl child in my constituency is unable to write examinations because of the Government’s failure to provide sanitary towels. The girl child –

Interruptions

Mr J. E. Banda: Go and get it in your constituency.

Madam Speaker, the girl child is a future leader who might one day come to Parliament to represent the good people of Petauke Central or even become Speaker and sit where you are seated. So, she deserves sanitary towels. Is the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House in order to sit quietly and not ensure that sanitary towels are provided for the girl child?

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence, and it is good that the Presiding Officer also comes from a girl child background.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Petauke Central, the matter you have raised is not admitted. File in an ordinary question if you so desire. Otherwise, engage the relevant authorities so that they can attend to that issue.

MR MUNIR ZULU, HON. MEMBER FOR LUMEZI, ON THE ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE, MR MWIIIMBU, ON THE ALLEDGED DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NYANJA AND BEMBA HON. MEMBERS

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): On a matter of urgent public importance, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, my matter of urgent public importance is directed to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House. This is a very serious matter of urgent public importance. We, as elected hon. Members of Parliament, represent thousands of our people who brought us here. It has become common practice however, that Nyanja and Bemba hon. Members of Parliament are easily penalised. Knowing very well that they are the majority on your left –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Lumezi!

May you, please, resume your seat.

Mr Munir Zulu resumed his seat.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lumezi, if you have an urgent matter of public importance, please, raise it. Do not start talking about regions or tribes. We are not here to promote tribalism. So, just raise your matter of urgent public importance. Please, do not refer to any tribe.

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Speaker, I did not know that Nyanja and Bemba are tribes. I thought they were languages. Anyway, it is sad, and that is why I am addressing the matter to the Acting Leader of Government Business. The imposed Leader of the Opposition has gone shopping. It is common knowledge in this House, unless you pretend that it is not true, that he has been given that position because of his special relationship –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

May you resume your seat.

Mr Munir Zulu resumed his seat.

Madam Speaker: That is not a matter that I can delve into as a matter of urgent public importance. So, I will curtail your debate because the matter is not adding value to what we are doing.

MR KANG’OMBE, HON. MEMBER FOR KAMFINSA, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING, DR MUSOKOTWANE, ON DEPRECIATION OF THE KWACHA

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

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

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, allow me to raise a very important urgent matter directed to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam Speaker, over the last couple of months, the exchange rate between the Kwacha and the United States (US) Dollar has continued to depreciate, and the public has been asking me, as a representative of the people not only of Kamfinsa but also of the wider majority, the effect of the exchange rate on trade.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister responsible for finance in order to not explain to this august House the causes of the depreciation of the Kwacha and the steps that the Government is taking to ensure that its impact on the economy is minimised?

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kamfinsa, the matter that you have raised, unfortunately, does not qualify to be raised as a matter of urgent public importance. Please, file in a question if you are interested in knowing how the economy is performing.

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

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order on observing the decorum of this House pursuant to Standing Order No. 205.

Madam Speaker, this morning, I saw communication on my cellular phone from the Clerk’s Office guiding on the sitting arrangement in this House. The whole of my life in this Parliament, we have all obeyed what has been provided for by Parliament in terms of where we sit. I sit here because Parliament has allocated me this seat. To my surprise, the communiqué that came from the Clerk’s Office has been defied by the hon. Members on your left for reasons I am not aware of. I can only speculate that it is because of the announcement that was made yesterday. Are the hon. Members on your left in order to sit the way they are seated and defy the official seating arrangement that has been communicated to all hon. Members of Parliament? This is contrary to Standing Order No. 205(a), which says the following:

“A member commits an act of gross disorderly conduct if the member –

defies a ruling or direction of a Presiding Officer.”

Madam Speaker, I seek your serious ruling.

Madam Speaker: I am aware that there is a seating arrangement that has been made. I am just not sure whether our Information Technology (IT) section has been able to rearrange the connectivity with the microphones. So, hon. Members are expected to sit in their respective places as assigned in accordance with the seating plan that has been circulated. By tomorrow, we should be able to sit in our respective places. That is all I can say.

Thank you for that.

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

DELEGATE FROM THE PARLIAMENT OF MALAWI

Madam Speaker: Before we proceed, I have just been notified that we have in the Public Gallery the Member of Parliament from Malawi, Hon. Mark Botomani, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the hon. Member into our midst.

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Simumba: Madam Speaker, initially, I indicated to raise a matter of urgent public importance but, to my surprise, I was left out. The matter I wanted to raise is very important and the public wants to know. So, I want to find out why I was left out even after I indicated. I am sure, everyone saw that I was number four.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, when we started the proceedings, I am sure, you were in the House and you heard what I said. The House Business Committee has resolved that only three matters of urgent public importance will be allowed every day, and I announced that. So, since you were number four, you were left out. That is why it is important to pay attention to the guidance that is given by Presiding Officers. In any event, that matter is not a matter of urgent public importance.

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FINANCE FACILITY

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to issue a ministerial statement on the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility, which is commonly referred to as a credit window.

Madam Speaker, the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility is a market-based initiative for tailor-made financing to the agricultural sector, especially for small-scale and medium-scale farmers who, more often than not, have limited access more to affordable financing. As the House may recall, during the Official Opening of Parliament, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, indicated that the Government would open a credit window to enable citizens to access affordable agricultural loans.

Madam Speaker, in order to actualise the President’s aspiration, the Government intends to initially empower small-scale and medium-scale farmers, who play a crucial role in Zambia’s agricultural sector in contributing to national food security and rural employment, amongst other positive strides. The Government, through the Comprehensive Agricultural Transformation Support Programme and the Zambia Agriculture and Food Delivery Compact, the Dakar 2 Summit commitment, to produce 10,000,000 metric tonnes of maize, 1,000,000 metric tonnes of soya beans and 1,000,000 metric tonnes of wheat by 2027 in order to meet both domestic and regional demand, and make Zambia a regional hub of maize, soya beans and wheat production.

Madam Speaker, during the 2023/2024 Farming Season, we will provide seasonal loans and financial services, through the credit window, in all the ten provinces for maize production. Soya beans and wheat financing will commence in subsequent years. Going forward, the credit window will also cover farmers who will cultivate more than 5 ha. In the 2023/2024 Farming Season, the loans will be issued in form of farming inputs through local agro-dealer networks to small-scale and medium-scale farmers who are not beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and the Farmer Support Programme. Salaried employees, including civil servants, are also eligible to apply for the loans. There will be no cash given out to beneficiaries. However, there is room to accommodate costs associated with land preparation activities.

Madam Speaker, it is important to note that the credit window will be administered by the private sector through financial institutions, namely Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA) Limited, Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) Plc, Atlas Mara Bank, Indo-Zambia Bank and the National Savings and Credit (NATSAVE) Bank. The loan value will be between K13,000 and K70,000 for farmers with 1 ha and 5 ha, respectively. The loans shall attract a 12 per cent interest, with the repayment in cash expected after harvest, that is, at the end of the farming season. In addition, all the beneficiaries will sign a bonding agreement to sell their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) as market facilitation and to guarantee national food security.

Madam Speaker, may I also mention that the loan facility comes into effect today, Thursday, 2^nd November, 2023, with farmer registration at the District Agriculture Co-ordinator’s (DACO’s) office. The scope of services and coverage will include crop insurance, financial literacy training, agricultural mechanisation and other value chain investments by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this excellent milestone achieved by the New Dawn Government.

Madam Speaker, the people of Mbabala have been looking forward to this development. I have been assuring them about the loan facility, and I am glad that it comes into effect today. However, can the hon. Minister explain why the beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) cannot benefit from the credit window, yet the Government intends to increase production. The beneficiaries of FISP want to produce more, and what I am advocating for is that they have access to the credit window.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Mbabala for the kind words and for sensitising the people in advance about the loan facility, which comes into effect today.

Madam Speaker, in this country, there are 3 million small-scale farmers. We have supporting 1 million farmers through FISP, leaving the remaining 2 million unattended to, and that is why we heard that people were sharing fertiliser and seed. In order to curb that, we have established the credit window, which is basically an affordable loan from the banks, at 12 per cent interest, so that the two-thirds who were not attended to can be attended to. Further, hon. Members, those who are about to start farming, members of staff at National Assembly, the police, teachers, the army and all civil servants are free to apply for the loan. So, we want to cover those who are not covered by FISP.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: What about hon. Members of Parliament?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, they were the first I mentioned. Hon. Members of Parliament who have 5 ha –

Hon. Government Member: Kampyongo!

Mr Kampyongo interjected.

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the question was asked by you, and I am saying that hon. Members of Parliament are free to apply as long as their fields are 5 ha or bigger.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Sialubalo (Sinazongwe): Madam Speaker, that is great news for the entire nation. However, I come from a constituency where the rain pattern is unpredictable. Sometimes, we do not even harvest anything. In the event that my people in Sinazongwe get loans, but do not harvest anything, how will they be treated, since it would not be their desire, but the result of a calamity?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, this programme is basically an improvement. However, both FISP and the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility have insurance covers. The loan facility will be managed by ABSA Bank Plc, Zanaco Plc, NATSAVE Bank and Indo-Zambia Bank, and other banks can come in as we roll out the programme. We are very certain that other banks will come in and offer their resources. The banks, together with our extension staff, will assess whether the crops were, indeed, wasted by the vagaries of nature and, if that be the case, the beneficiary will not be harassed. However, when a beneficiary decides to not abide by the laid-down conditions, definitely, the banks will follow up on the payment. The interest is only 12 per cent, and only a strange farmer would not go for that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Sing'ombe (Dundumwezi): Madam Speaker, what is the period that the banks have been given to give the farmers money? For example, if I apply today, when am I expected to get the money? Some banks are failing to give us the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, that is a very important question like all the previous questions.

Madam Speaker, in agriculture, we have a very serious commitment to time. A farmer can only plant at a given time, after which the loan becomes useless. So, I want to assure the nation that banks are already implementing many agricultural programmes that are sensitive to time. Further, the giving out of loans will not be complicated. The binding forms have already been prepared and, for me to issue this statement, it means that we are ready. So, the giving out of loans will not take long. Once one submits the application, one will get the finances within a short period, and we will be surprised if it takes more than three or four days. Of course, the banks will have to see the fields and get information so that we know whether the hon. Member for Dundumwezi is a genuine farmer, not only masquerading as one. We are not exporting the ills of FISP to this programme. We are not going to allow that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the ministerial statement, and the people of Zambia, especially the farmers, are very happy.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has talked about the programme and the people of Zambia are very happy. I think, members of the Patriotic Front (PF) are happy to hear this good news, too. However, the country at large would like to know what the value of this programme is so that Zambians, especially members of the PF, and the new Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Chabinga, appreciate what the New Dawn Government is doing?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, as I indicated, in Zambia, there are 3 million small-scale farmers and FISP targets 1,024,434 of them, leaving out 2 million. Assuming that 1 million are supporting themselves, our target is the 1 million farmers who are not covered, as we slowly clean up the teething problems.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the statement.

Madam Speaker, I wish the hon. Minister can hold a workshop for hon. Members of Parliament so that he can address our questions because we cannot ask all of them right now. Under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) System, it was the agro-dealers who were making money out of those programmes. I hope, that will not happen again. Is the fertiliser in Mwembezhi going to be the same as the one in Chongwe, Zambezi or Shangombo? How will the programme be implemented, since the hon. Minister said that people will get inputs instead of money?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has raised an important point about the ministry, the banks and the hon. Members of Parliament interacting, which I wish to not gloss over. We have already put in a request to you, through the Clerk, to hold a workshop and we were told that we can hold it after one week, but we negotiated for it to be held earlier. So, immediately we are given a new date, we will inform the people involved.

Madam Speaker, coming to the issue of the pricing of fertiliser, there should be no anxiety. Currently, under FISP, the pricing of fertiliser in Sinazongwe is the same as in Chama, Lundazi, Choma and everywhere else because we buy the fertiliser at a certain capping. However, the price of fertiliser will not be high. In fact, the agro-dealers will only be competing downwards, not upwards, in terms of fertiliser pricing because we have a ceiling. So, the price of fertiliser in Mwembezhi and Liuwa will be the same. If anything, it will be lower in Mwembezhi because Mwembezhi is closer to the source. So, there is a capping, and there will be no price above a certain level. If the price goes beyond a certain level, then, there will be a problem.

Madam Speaker, the issue that the hon. Member has raised is very important. The Government of Zambia is phasing out the Direct Input Support Programme, whereby farmers go physically to collect the fertiliser. We will use the e-Voucher System countrywide. This year, we have done that in forty-three districts. Next year, we will do it in seventy-seven districts and, after next year, we will do it in the whole country, that is, 116 districts. So, we are perfecting the art.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for actualising the assurance that was made on the Floor of this House. However, the banks the hon. Minister mentioned, such as the National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE), Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) Plc, Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA) Limited, Atlas Mara Bank and Indo-Zambia Bank (IZB) Limited may not be found in Mufumbwe and many other places in Zambia. So, how is the ministry going to service the people in those areas so that they also benefit from this good programme?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, we have looked at that in our planning, and it is good that the hon. Member has brought up the issue. If there is any area where we have that situation, hon. Members should let us know. However, through the Ministry of Science and Technology, technology is now available for dealing with such situations. I will give you the example of NATSAVE Bank. The bank is able to cover any part of this country without physically being there. That is what we will also do. However, in certain areas, we will use the mobile arrangement so that people are not anxious. No one should fear because there is technology now. So, we do not need a physical bank in order to provide banking facilities.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr J. E. Banda: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Petauke Central, what is your point of order?

Mr J. E. Banda: Madam Speaker, my point of order relates to Standing Order No. 202, on the privileges of hon. Members.

Madam Speaker, I was told by hon. Members here that you are going to make my life difficult. Is the Speaker, who is the Presiding Officer ...

Madam Speaker: Order!

Mr J. E. Banda: ... in order to tell an hon. Member that ...

Madam Speaker: Order!

Mr J. E. Banda: ... he/she will make his/her life difficult when he/she was voted for by the people?

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Interruptions

Mr Simushi: Question!

Mr J. E. Banda: You can say “Question!”, but it will come to you.

Madam Speaker: You are completely out of order, hon. Member for Petauke Central.

Mr J. E. Banda resumed his seat.

Madam Speaker: You are completely out of order. You know the rules. If you are versatile and knowledgeable about the rules, please, apply them and comply with them.

Mr J. E. Banda interjected.

Madam Speaker: I will name you. Maybe, I can start with you.

Hon. Member for Petauke Central, Mr J. E. Banda, can you stand up.

Mr J. E. Banda rose.

Madam Speaker: I find your behaviour grossly disorderly and sending you away for today’s Sitting is insufficient punishment. I, therefore, in accordance with Standing Order No. 208, name you.

I suspend business for a few minutes.

Business was suspended from 1515 hours until 1528 hours.

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

Question that Mr Emmanuel J. Banda be suspended from the service of the House for a period of seven sitting days, from 3^rd November, 2023, to 15^th November, 2023, inclusive, put and agreed to.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Petauke Central, please, stand up.

Mr J. E. Banda rose.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Petauke Central is suspended accordingly.

Before I order you to withdraw from the Chamber, let me inform you, Hon. Emmanuel J. Banda, that in accordance with the decision of this House, you have been suspended from the service of the Assembly for a period of seven sitting days. During the period of your suspension, and in accordance with Standing Order No. 209(1) and (2), and Section 28(3) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, Cap. 12 of the Laws of Zambia, you will not enter the precincts of the Assembly. You will also not participate in any business or activities of the Assembly and its Committees, including those in which, if any, you participate in your capacity as an hon. Member of the National Assembly and receive a salary or allowances that you are entitled to.

I now order you to leave the Chamber through the Main Entrance.

Interruptions

Mr J. E. Banda: You are even standing in my way (telling the security). I will go.

Madam Speaker: Order!

In view of the continued disorderly conduct, the hon. Member will be suspended for fourteen sitting days effective today.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Please, Serjeant-at-Arms, can you restore order in the House.

Mr J. E. Banda left the Assembly Chamber.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can you resume your seats. Can we resume business.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we get back to business.

Hon. Minister, you may answer the question from the hon. Member for Mufumbwe.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I answered it.

Madam Speaker: The next question will be from the hon. Member for Kabwata.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, it is sad to see some hon. Members conduct themselves in a disorderly way.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister did not mention the number of insurance companies that are going to insure the crops. However, I feel, the question asked by the hon. Member of Parliament for Bweengwa was not answered adequately because we know the number of farmers in the country. We want to know how much money has been allocated to the programme.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the reason I answered the hon. Member for Bweengwa’s question in that manner is that it is not possible for me to say that we are going to deal with 30,000 farmers or 50,000 farmers. It will depend on the number of people who will apply. However, our target is 1 million farmers. The number of banks that will be disbursing the funds is not yet known because this is a new programme and the funds will continue increasing. So, it is not fair for me to say that we are going to deal with 150 farmers or 300,000 farmers. I think, it is good enough to say that we are targeting more than 1 million farmers who are not covered under FISP.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, please, note that I will not allow points of order.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for explaining the credit window, which will facilitate positive strides in the agricultural sector once it kicks off. However, when will the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) be completely phased out so that the new programme can kick off to allow more farmers to participate and benefit?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, you will recall that the issue of FISP being phased out was a bone of contention in this House. So, FISP will run side by side with the credit window, and I want to make this clear. However, between the two, the preferred one is the credit window, and I will continue saying that. There is a serious problem of production in the country. We have, for a long time, been producing around 3 million tonnes of maize, but we intend to produce 10 million tonnes. The mining sector’s target is to produce 3 million tonnes of copper while our target is to produce 10 million tonnes of maize. So, we will not disrupt the current programme. We want the two programmes to run side by side so that we achieve our target of producing 10 million tonnes of maize.

Mr Katambo indicated assent.

Mr Mtolo: I can see my colleague, the former hon. Minister of Agriculture, nodding because this was also his target and it is now being actualised. So, we will not do away with FISP because doing that would disadvantage many farmers. One million farmers need support, and we have to accommodate the two groups. However, the preferred programme is the credit window. Let me take advantage of this opportunity to state that today, the hon. Member for Dundumwezi was telling me that he called some people and they told him that they were ready to submit their applications. So, all would-be beneficiaries and civil servants who are not members of co-operatives should submit the forms to the DACO, and he will take the forms to the banks. I think, I needed to clarify that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that some officers will go around to ascertain land ownership. What kind of documentation will they be looking at to ascertain that the land belongs to the applicant?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, for one to qualify to get a loan, just like under FISP, one has to prove that one is a Zambian and should have a green National Registration Card (NRC), a field et cetera. However, under FISP, we have had a problem because fields have not been ascertained appropriately. This time, it is the banks that will be giving out the money, but before doing that, bank officials will have to see the fields. For example, if the hon. Member has a field in Mukonchi in Kabwe, she will have to take the bank officials there and they will have to get the co-ordinates to prove that it is a farm. That is an unavoidable part of the process; it has to happen.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Mwanza (Kaumbwe): Madam Speaker, from my understanding, more banks will come on board to provide financial services, through the credit window, to the farmers. So far, the hon. Minister has named four or five banks. What is the role of the Government in this arrangement?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the role of the Government is huge, and it is to help to de-risk the whole process. Further, a due service will be provided in that both the banks and the Government will offer services in a more enhanced and effective manner in ensuring that the money is used for the right purpose. So, at a high level, the role of the Government will be to de-risk the process and, at a lower level, to monitor it.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

PURPORTED RISE IN NEWLY-BORN DEATHS AT PETAUKE DISTRICT HOSPITAL

The Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo): Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you for granting me this opportunity to update the House and the nation at large on the purported rise in newly-born deaths at Petauke District Hospital. The House may recall that on 26^th October, 2023, during the segment on matters of urgent public importance, the Hon. Madam First Deputy Speaker directed me to issue a ministerial statement on the purported rise in newly-born deaths at Petauke District Hospital. The directive followed a matter of urgent public importance raised by Hon. Emmanuel Jay Banda, Member of Parliament for Petauke Central Constituency, who was concerned with the purported rise in newly-born deaths.

Madam Speaker, from the outset, I wish to inform the House that the number of newly-born deaths recorded this year in Zambia from January to September is 2,870, of which 278 were in the Eastern Province, and twenty-six were specifically from Petauke District. While it is of serious concern that we are losing many newly-born babies in the country, our data does not agree with the assertion about losing five newly-born babies per day in Petauke, as alleged by the hon. Member for Petauke Central. The Government has put in place measures to ensure that newly-born deaths are kept as low as reasonably or practicably achievable.

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that most of the neo-natal deaths, that is, 95 per cent, tend to occur in referral hospitals where neo-natal Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and special baby care units are established. About 4.5 per cent of newly-born deaths occur at primary healthcare facilities and 0.5 per cent die at the community level. The largest medical cause of neo-natal deaths is asphyxia, accounting for 49 per cent. Asphyxia refers to the failure to initiate spontaneous breathing at birth, commonly due to a difficult delivery. The next highest cause prematurity or babies being born before their due date, at 40 per cent. Infections that come due to unclean delivery account for 7 per cent.

Madam Speaker, the Government has put in place the following measures to ensure that the gains that have been achieved so far are sustained:

a new programme to train nurses and doctors specialised in newly-born care;

standards and training materials for the care of small and sick newly-borns;

expanded kangaroo mother care units to all health facilities for the care of stable pre-term babies;

procured drugs to treat prematurity before birth and after birth;

establishment and refurbishing of neo-natal ICUs in referral facilities; and

procurement of appropriate ambulances to facilitate the movement of newly-born babies during referral.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central also alluded to the status of mothers’ waiting shelter at Petauke District Hospital. I wish to inform the House that Petauke District Hospital is a very old piece of infrastructure, having been built in the 1950s. As such, it is both dilapidated and inadequate. The current mothers’ shelter at the hospital is inadequate, as it has a capacity of thirty to forty mothers while on average, there are about eighty mothers at the shelter at any one point. That facility also did not have adequate ablution services until early this year when the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was used to attend to that requirement. In light of the foregoing, I wish to inform this august House that the District Health Team has submitted a request for the construction of a bigger and modern mothers’ shelter using the 2024 CDF.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I wish to request the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central and, indeed, all hon. Members of Parliament to work with communities, the local authorities and other stakeholders, and to support the district health offices, especially in meeting the requirements for improving maternal and child health. Allow me to also inform the House that the Government, through the Ministry of Health, has put in place a robust tracking system for key national health indicators, such as infant mortality, under-five mortality and maternal mortality. The gains made in these indicators are due to increased investments in health infrastructure, recruitment of health workers, strong Government leadership and political will from the highest office, the Presidency, leveraging on newer technology for service delivery and increased financial investment, among other investments.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, as the Parliamentary Caucus on Children, we are definitely concerned about maternal and neo-natal deaths, and I commend the hon. Minister for the response given. However, has the ministry undertaken an investment case on maternal and neo-natal deaths to ensure that Parliament allocates adequate resources to eradicate such deaths? I ask this question with a solemn heart because of the loss of those children.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for the supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, the issue of whether we have undertaken an investment case should not even arise because His Excellency the President has clearly talked about this. In fact, no mother should die when giving birth neither should the child. In view of the number of neo-natal deaths that I gave, it is sufficient for us to take appropriate measures, and one such measure was announced by His Excellency the President. When five, ten or 100 mothers die, that is a big number, and we can avoid that. To that effect, there is a Government policy directing all hon. Members of Parliament to ensure that all health facilities within their jurisdictions have maternity wings to ensure that we do not refer every mother to referral hospitals. This shows that we are putting money where we think there is a need for it. So, I appeal to hon. Members to ensure that we work together in 2024 and construct maternity wings and mothers’ shelters.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Minister that the hospital was built in the 1950s when Petauke District was moved to Nyimba District. Does the ministry have any plan to rehabilitate the hospital, since it is in bad shape? Further, Petauke is the most populous district in the province, and I know that the hon. Minister knows that. Does the ministry have any plans to put aside money so that it can give a facelift to Petauke District Hospital?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for the supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, first of all, the ministry has a strategic plan that runs from 2022 to 2026, wherein the issue of maternal mortality has been articulated, and the ministry consulted all stakeholders, including the districts. We already know what is needed –

Mrs Masebo moved to her seat.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I am sorry. I was under fisheries.

Madam Speaker, I was saying that we have a strategic plan that will run for five years, wherein the issue of maternal mortality has ably been articulated. An investment case has been costed, and what we now require are resources. As hon. Members may be aware, the Government is supporting us. Previously, 7 per cent of the National Budget was allocated to health but, in the past two years, it has been 11.8 per cent allocated. That shows that the Government of the day is committed to achieving what has been articulated in the plan. Further, the House may be aware that the New Dawn Government, under His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, has received excellent support from its partners. The House may recall that in 2021, most of our partners left the country but, now, they have all come back. So, we are receiving excellent support from our partners, civil society, communities and the Church, and everybody is doing their best. We are also getting good support from the traditional leadership. Further, primary health has been handed over to local authorities. So, we feel that it is getting good support in terms of financing, be it for infrastructure, human resource issues, equipment or, indeed, fighting diseases. So, we are on the right track.

Madam Speaker, I appeal to hon. Members of Parliament to ensure that health matters are taken into account under the CDF. We should look at the strategic plan and see what has been articulated. However, in Petauke, for instance, there is already a very big hospital, considering the number of people accessing it. The number of people in Petauke is less than in Kitwe. So, the people of Petauke are lucky because they have a very big hospital. Of course, there is the issue to do with specialised human resources, but the hospital is operational. I can safely say that the people in that region have a good hospital.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Mwanza (Kaumbwe): Madam Speaker, as the hon. Minister has rightly stated, there are two big hospitals in Petauke District, Kalindawalo General Hospital and Petauke District Hospital. Of course, Petauke District Hospital was built many years ago and is in a dilapidated state. Will health service delivery be enhanced at Kalindawalo General Hospital whilst the three constituencies in Petauke use the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to finance other infrastructure needed at Petauke District Hospital?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I think, that is a fair request. I will be happy to work with the hon. Members of Parliament in the district and ensure that the infrastructure is worked on using the CDF and that the resources from the Central Government are used on the bigger hospital, which is Kalindawalo General Hospital.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Madam Speaker, I note that the hon. Member who raised this issue claimed that five newly-borns were dying on a daily basis, which is quite alarming and not true according to the statement. The hon. Minister has stated that from January to September, there were only twenty-six newly-born deaths, translating into three newly-borns dying every month, which is not as bad as it had been portrayed. What message does the hon. Minister have for hon. Members who wish to raise questions of this nature without any evidence whatsoever to back their claims?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for this very important question.

Madam Speaker, you have always guided hon. Members of Parliament to be factual because that is very important, and it helps us. However, when a situation is dramatised, it becomes difficult even for people to appreciate. Whilst we are generally losing newly-borns in the country, what the hon. Member for Petauke Central said is not true. I think, he was trying to get some special attention by dramatising the situation, and we should not do that. We are called hon. Members, and we should live by that title. Otherwise, even the public will not take us seriously.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Daka (Msanzala): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the answers, and I just want to make the correction that Msanzala is not among the constituencies in Petauke. However, now that the hon. Minister knows that there are no specialist doctors at Petauke District Hospital, how is she going to help the people of Petauke District?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, the issue of specialised health workers is not just a problem in Petauke District, but in the whole country, and the Government is aware of that. The Government knows that the number of health workers is not sufficient, and that is why, every year, it employs health workers. The previous Administration did not have a deliberate policy on continuous employment. Otherwise, we would not be in this situation. However, we now have a policy and, in the next three years, we will continue employing health workers. Last year, we employed 11,000 health workers and we are in the process of employing 3,000. We heard the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and the President announce that we will employ 4,000 health workers and, we hope, that will continue for the next five years. We hope to get somewhere by the end of five years.

Madam Speaker, specialities in the health sector are not as many as we would like them to be because some people who trained in those fields either work outside the country or for the private sector. However, we are working with the Ministry of Education to get the right mix. This year, we will ensure that there are four key specialists in all the ten provinces. That is what we decided and how we will proceed. There was the cry that there were no specialised health workers in rural areas, but specialised health workers are among the 3,000 who will be employed. You will be shocked to learn that some people do not want to work in some provinces even when they are promoted. We seem to have the problem of doctors preferring to work on the line of rail. We have engaged the Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) and the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ), and we are working well with them to help us to identify doctors who will be willing to work in rural areas. Those who will go to work in rural areas will be promoted, and given a hardship allowance.

Madam Speaker, I think, the Government is responding to the issue of health workers, and we are moving forward. I can safely say that by the end of this year, there will be improvement and, next year, before June, we will see even better results. We are also considering employing people from outside the country who are specialised in certain fields. We do not want to continue sending people outside of the country when they get sick because it is proving to be expensive. We are also working with the private sector because it is capable of getting specialists from other countries. Instead of sending people to India, China or South Africa for certain operations, it is better they go to private hospitals here, in Zambia, so that the money remains in the country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

________

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

PROCUREMENT OF PONTOON TO SERVICE LAKE CHAYA AND CHAMBESHI RIVER

135. Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya) asked the Minister of Transport and Logistics:

whether the Government has any plans to procure a pontoon to service Lake Chaya and Chambeshi River in Kanchibiya District so as to cater for the following areas:

Kanchibiya;

Lunga Highlands; and

areas connected to Lake Bangweulu; and

if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Transport and Logistics (Mr Tayali): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to provide a pontoon to service Lake Chaya in Kanchibiya Constituency. However, the pontoon will only service Lulingila Ward and operate between Kalulu and Kate on Lake Chaya.

Madam Speaker, the plans will be implemented next year once the proposed budgetary provision is approved.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, I filed this question sometime back and the ministry dispatched a team to Kanchibiya. So, the people of Kanchibiya and, in particular, of Lulingila Ward remain hopeful that there will be a pontoon between Kate and Kalulu.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kanchibiya for being a very responsible representative of the people of Kanchibiya …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayali: …by bringing to this august House questions that bring development. It is the responsibility of this Government to be there for the citizens of this country wherever they live.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, what is the cost of the pontoon?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I am not able to speak to the cost element. Suffice it for me to say that we shall provide a twenty-five tonne pontoon. This Government will bring a much larger one, should the capacity increase.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Sialubalo indicated.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Sinazongwe, do you want to be in Kanchibiya? We do not have much time. What is your question?

Mr Sialubalo (Sinazongwe): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for being proactive. However, is there a national programme for procuring pontoons for all areas in the country, like in Sinazongwe into Binga in Zimbabwe?

Madam Speaker: Since this is a constituency-specific question, you can file in a question relating to that aspect. Otherwise, you will take the hon. Minister by surprise. So, let us make progress and catch up with work.

_______

SECOND READING

THE MARRIAGE (Amendment) BILL, 2023

The Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo) (on behalf of the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo)): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, through the local authorities, is responsible for the function of registration of marriages on behalf of the Registrar-General of Marriages under the provisions of Section 4 of the Marriage Act, Chapter 50 of the Laws of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the Government has undertaken to amend the Marriage Act to align it with the Children’s Code Act No. 12 of 2022 and the Constitution of Zambia. The key objective for the alignment is to strengthen the provisions of the Marriage Act to clearly prohibit marriage with a child. This is a key provision to ending child marriage.

Madam Speaker, the Children’s Code Act and the Constitution have clearly prohibited child marriage. Further to this, Section 170(1)(g) of the Children’s Code Act grants powers to the court to make certain orders where a child needs care and protection, including rendering child marriages void and requiring a child to undergo education in an education institution and to be placed in a place of safety or under care if the child is subjected to child marriage. On this basis, it has become necessary to amend provisions in the Marriage Act that are inconsistent with the Children’s Code Act and the Constitution, particularly Sections 2 and 33 of the Marriage Act. Section 2 allows a marriage to be solemnised with a child who is sixteen years old and above.

Madam Speaker, the amendment will, therefore, be as follows:

The Short Title is amended to read as follows:

“This Act may be cited as the Marriage (Amendment) Act 2023, and shall be read asone with the Marriage Act, in this Act referred to as the principal Act.”

The principal Act is amended in Section 2 by the insertion of the following new definition in the appropriate place:

““child” has the meaning assigned to the word in the Constitution;”

The principal Act is amended by the repeal of Section 33 and the substitution therefor of the following:

“A marriage between persons either of whom is a child is void.”

Mwamvera amuna?

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: “A marriage between persons either of whom is a child is void.”

Madam Speaker, further, it is proposed that Section 34 be amended to align with the amended Section 33. In its current state, Section 34 recognises as valid all marriages under the African Customary Law, and is, therefore, inconsistent with the prohibition of marriage with a child. The amendment will, therefore, allow the recognition of marriages under African Customary Law notwithstanding the provisions of the amended Section 33, which prohibits marriage with a child.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the amendments proposed to the Marriage Act are critical to the function of registration of marriages by the ministry through local authorities. Through the proposed provisions, local authorities will refuse the registration of marriages between persons either of who is a child, and will be able to act as prescribed by the law. I am very happy about this.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kamboni (Kalomo Central): Madam Speaker, I rise to present the report on the Marriage (Amendment) Bill No. 13 of 2023. The Bill was referred to the Committee on National Guidance and Gender Matters for scrutiny on Tuesday, 25^th July, 2023.

Madam Speaker, your Committee was tasked to consider the Bill in line with its terms of reference as set out under Standing Orders No.198 and 197(g).

Madam Speaker, the Marriage (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Marriage Act, Chapter 50 of the Laws of Zambia, so as to revise the age of a void marriage. Your Committee is of the considered view that the amendment is progressive, as it will not only conform to the provisions of the Constitution of Zambia and the Children’s Code Act No. 12 of 2022, but also to international instruments that Zambia has ratified in relation to the prohibition of child marriage. Further, the amendment will strengthen measures aimed at curbing child marriage, which is detrimental to the growth and development of the nation.

Madam Speaker, while the Bill has generally been supported by all the stakeholders who appeared before your Committee, there are a few areas of concern that I now wish to highlight.

Madam Speaker, your Committee observes that although the proposed amendment to Section 33 of the Marriage Act is progressive, the Act still lags behind on issues to do with customary marriage, where age is not a determining factor for the validity of a marriage. Your Committee, therefore, recommends that Section 34 of the Marriage Act be amended to ensure conformity with the prescribed minimum marriage age of eighteen years.

Madam Speaker, the insertion of the definition of “child” in Section 2 of the Marriage Act cross- references the definition of a child in the Constitution and the Children’s Code Act. In this regard, for purposes of consistency, your Committee recommends that other pieces of legislation where there is “child” be made consistent with the definition prescribed in the Constitution.

Madam Speaker, your Committee observes, with concern, that there is no specific provision in the Penal Code Act, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia, that prescribes the punishment for perpetrators of child marriage. In light of this, your Committee recommends that the Government considers enacting an express provision in the Penal Code Act that will criminalise child marriage so as to enhance the protection of children against child marriage.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, allow me to render my sincere gratitude to all the stakeholders who made both written and oral submissions to your Committee. That greatly assisted the work of your Committee. I also wish to thank you and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support services rendered to your Committee throughout its deliberations.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament, who was the Chairperson of your Committee that looked at this Bill.

Madam Speaker, the Government has taken note of the investigations. This amendment was specifically on the Constitution and the Act on marriages, which is administered by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development through local authorities. We appreciate what your Committee talked about, and the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security will take note of that. Further, I thank all hon. Members of Parliament for supporting the Bill.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Thursday, 9^th November, 2023.

_______

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

VOTE 01 – (Office of the President – State House – K144,181,842)

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mwiimbu): Madam Chairperson, I wish to thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to present the 2024 Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure for Vote 01, Office of the President, State House, whose mandate is as stated below:

“To provide overall governance of the people of Zambia and ensuring that the sovereignty and integrity of the nation is upheld for the sole purpose of protecting and safeguarding the interest of the country, its citizens and residents. The mandate of the Presidency of the Republic of Zambia is derived from Article 91 of the Constitution of Zambia, as amended by the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016.”

Madam Chairperson, State House is a key Government institution, which is also the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Zambia. As the apex institution of the Government, State House plays an important role in supporting the Presidency in the provision of national guidance and overall policy direction of the country.

Madam Chairperson, the role of State House has been developed in line with the mission statement below:

“To deliver inspirational and visionary leadership to the nation and promote inclusive governance in order to achieve a better life for all Zambians.”

Madam Chairperson, in support of the mission statement, the institution’s goal is as follows:

“To achieve efficient and effective advisory and support services for enhanced execution of the Executive function by His Excellency the President.”

Review of 2023 Operations

Madam Chairperson, in 2023, State House was allocated K118,604,941 and utilised the money on the following institutional functions:

Presidential Advisory Services;

Presidential Affairs and Initiatives; and

Management and Support Services.

Madam Chairperson, during the year under review, State House recorded a number of successes, among them the following:

Advisory Services

provided leadership in engagement with international bodies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), leading to the debt restructuring agreement;

facilitated the successful hosting of the Summit for Democracy under the theme “Free, Fair and Transparent Elections as the Foundation of Democratic Governance”;

facilitated the successful hosting of the 22^nd Summit of the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) under the theme “Economic Integration for a Thriving COMESA”;

facilitated the successful hosting of the African Union (AU) Summit under the theme “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa Driven by its Own Citizens and Representing a Dynamic Force in the Global Arena”;

provided leadership regarding the signing of various memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in sectors such as energy, tourism as well as trade and investment;

provided leadership on the implementation of the policy on delivery of equitable access to quality health care through supplying health centre kits to all primary healthcare centres in the country;

provided leadership in the revision and implementation of the Decentralisation Policy;

provided guidance on the expansion of the scope for the utilisation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF);

established the Presidential Delivery Unit to facilitate and expedite the actualisation of developmental initiatives undertaken by Government institutions; and

the President assented to numerous Bills, including the National Insurance Scheme Authority Bill, and leading to the partial withdrawal of 20 per cent of members’ accumulated pension contributions.

Presidential Affairs and Initiatives

acquired 1,000 ha earmarked for the development of a State ranch in Chieftainess Chiawa’s area;

enhanced fish farming activities; and

embarked on vegetable production.

Human Resource and Administration

filled almost all vacant positions at State House;

maintained State House buildings, including the accelerated renovation of both Kabelenga Presidential Guest House in Ndola and Kitwe Presidential Guest House, while others, such as the Ndola Golf Course and Mongu Presidential Guest Houses are works in progress;

capacity-built State House staff through short-term and long-term programmes; and

streamlined the establishment of structures under Presidential Advisory Services where, each Special Assistant has an officer below them.

Challenges

old and dilapidated State House.

The 2024 Budget Estimates

Madam Chairperson, State House functions are performed through three key programmes, namely:

Presidential Advisory Services, which comprises eight distinct sub-programmes with the critical role of providing professional and technical backstopping to His Excellency the President. The programme summary estimate is at K26,601,685. The following are the sub-programmes;

Legal;
Political;
Economic;

(iv) Communication and media;

Project Implementation and Monitoring;
National Security;
Public Health;
Finance and Investment; and
Policy Compliance;

Presidential Affairs and Initiatives, which is responsible for the provision of catering and house-keeping services for the President, the First Family and the institution, and upholding Presidential initiatives. The programme summary estimate is at K22,149,614. The two sub-programmes are:

Diplomatic and Hospitality Services; and
Presidential Initiatives;

(c) Management and Support Services, which undertakes the role of efficient and effective management of staff, and provision of logistical and material support services in order to facilitate the smooth operations of the institution. The programme summary estimate is at K95,430,543. The sub-programmes are the following:

Executive Office Management;
Human Resource and Administration;
Financial Management and Accounting;
Financial and Internal Audit;
Procurement and Supplies Management;
Landscaping and Gardening Services;
Transport Management; and
Records Management.

Madam Chairperson, in summary, the State House operational budget estimates for 2024 stand at 144,181,842, of which K55,330,062 is for personal emoluments while K88,851,780 is for non-personal emoluments.

Madam Chairperson, the budget estimates before this august House will enable State House to operate efficiently and effectively. State House will continue to aspire for excellence in its quest to provide services to the people of Zambia. In this regard, I wish to appeal to hon. Members to support the Estimates of Expenditure for State House as presented.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Chairperson, I would like to sincerely thank you for giving me the first opportunity to debate the Budget Line for State House. Indeed, State House is the nexus of good governance. Everything starts from State House insofar as leadership and governance of this country is concerned. Therefore, its activities must be appropriately funded because it is a very important office of our country.

Madam Chairperson, I will speak about the milestones achieved because of the sound leadership that State House has provided in this country in the past two years. Going forward, next year, we expect many activities to enhance economic transformation, including the growth that is envisaged in the Budget that we are debating in this Budget Meeting.

Madam Chairperson, what is very important at State House, in terms of it offering sound leadership, is exemplifying the necessary integrity. Integrity and prudence, in themselves, are tenets of good governance that we have seen demonstrated by State House. In doing so, we have seen our international relations re-established. There are considerably better international relations now than it was in the previous regime, before the 2021 Elections. We have seen a couple of visits that have been made to this country, attesting to the fact that our international relations are now enhanced, and that is the reason we have achieved some of the milestones we are talking about.

The Chairperson: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF committees in the

Chair]

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES

REPORT OF THE EXPANDED PLANNING AND BUDGETING COMMITTEE ON THE 2024 ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE

The Chairperson: Hon. Members, the procedure in the Committee of Supply, when considering individual Heads of Expenditure, requires that the Committee of Supply takes into account the Report of the Expanded Planning and Budgeting Committee on the Estimates. This is in accordance with Order No. 158(2) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021. However, the report of the Committee, which should have been presented to the House yesterday, Wednesday, 1^st November, 2023, was mistakenly not presented. Despite the fact that the report was not presented, hon. Members are at liberty to take into account the report when debating.

I thank you.

_______

Mr Kambita: Madam Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to continue with my debate.

Madam Chairperson, before business was suspended, I was explaining that State House is the nexus of governance institutions, and decisions that are made at that level trickle down and affect other institutions of governance. To that effect, there must be integrity and prudence, which are tenets of good governance that have been demonstrated by the Head of State, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, both locally and internationally. I was just summing up by saying that we have seen integrity demonstrated through the number of visits by foreign dignitaries. We have also seen the mending of wrecked international relations, which we did not experience in the previous regime.

Madam Chairperson, let me now explain how good governance has been achieved in light of what is provided for in our Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP). In the Yellow Book, we see that the 2024 Budget is targeting Development Outcome No. 4 of the 8NDP, which provides for the items in the Yellow Book concerning personnel, goods and services, transfers and assets.

Madam Chairperson, I will comment briefly on the milestones that have been achieved and what State House needs in order for it to achieve much more, than what it has already done very well.

Madam Chairperson, in providing leadership in economic transformation, the President has helped us to arrive at a situation in which our debt mountain has been restructured. We are now on our way to mending the economy, which was pathetically wrecked to the current level.

Madam Chairperson, in an attempt to devolve the Government’s service delivery to the lowest organs of the country through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), we have seen how people have been engaged in the governance of the country and in deciding how development should reach their places through the CDF. As hon. Members are aware, Ward Development Committees (WDCs) sit with the community to decide the projects to implement in various constituencies. In this country, there are 156 constituencies, meaning that development is reaching all places equitably without leaving anyone behind. This can only be achieved because of a good policy direction. When Parliament is being opened, the President comes to address the House and the nation at large to give policy direction. If you have listened carefully to the President’s policy direction, these are the issues he has been mentioning. Therefore, we need to support this Budget Line so that we can continue getting the things that are lined up to attain good governance.

Madam Chairperson, we have also seen how, through good leadership, we have arrived at a solution to the impasse over Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and the former owners. An investor has been brought back and the plight of our people on the Copperbelt will now be addressed. We are very optimistic that the Mopani Copper Mines issue will also soon be addressed because of good governance and the way State House has been operating in a very transparent and prudent manner in engaging international investors.

Madam Chairperson, we have also seen how the policy direction around improving production, which is very important to the economy of this country, especially in the agricultural sector, has led to farming blocks now being revamped and enhanced. In the Budget Address, that is one key pronouncement that emanates from the policy direction from State House.

Madam Chairperson, we have also seen infrastructure development, which has been enhanced, and will not be done in a business-as-usual manner. We are alive to the fact that we are sitting on a big debt mountain. Therefore, we need to be prudent in how we invest in infrastructure, and the public-private partnership (PPP) model, a policy that has been suggested by the Head of State as the only way we can survive in a shrinking fiscal space, is being rolled out. For example, the Chililabombwe Road, which leads to Kasumbalesa Border Post, was completed, and the Ndola/Lusaka Dual Carriageway will now be worked on. There are many other examples, and this is because of how State House is now well managed.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Madam Chairperson, I want to add my voice to those in support of Vote 01, State House.

Madam Chairperson, State House, being the seat of the Government and the residence of the Head of State, symbolises the people’s freedoms and the pride of the nation. It also serves as the Office of the Head of State. Therefore, it goes without saying that the resources that we allocate to it must reflect these facts.

Madam Chairperson, I want to bring a different angle to the debate. Apart from supporting this Vote, I feel that more money needs to be allocated to State House on account of the fact that it is an old piece of real estate. Having been inhabited by the Governor of Northern Rhodesia, State House is basically a colonial relic. Fifty-nine years after Independence, as a people, we need to create a conducive environment and atmosphere that befits our Head of State. We need a modern structure that should symbolise a free Zambia and whose design will take into consideration the fact that fifty-nine years after Independence, the population has increased. There is a need to have more office space, spacious parking and several other offices at State House, as we have seen in neighbouring countries, most of whom have built better, spacious and modern facilities for their heads of state to function in a conducive atmosphere that fits in with all the functions that my colleague, Hon. Kambita, mentioned. A tent has to be pitched up at State House to accommodate most of us for various aspects. I think that, as a people, we are fairly able to prioritise that piece of real estate to ensure that it projects who we are; that we are a free people who are now in charge of our own affairs.

Madam Chairperson, I will not take too long. I support fully this budget, but we need to go further and provide a better environment for our Head of State and all the functionaries that go with this office. Recently, I was in Ghana where the residence of the Vice-President is a complex. I think, we need to emulate that.

Madam Chairperson, I end here.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the good people of Mbabala, to support Vote 01, State House in the Motion of Committee of Supply ably moved by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane.

Madam Chairperson, may I first recognise the presence of the new Chief Whip, Hon. Mung’andu, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Munsanje: ...who is now pamu pando.

Madam Chairperson, the people of Mbabala support the budget for State House as allocated in the Yellow Book. This is in continued support of the vision carrier, His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

Madam Chairperson, the Office for the Head of State has other support functions to ensure that this country continues to function very well, has a vision and makes progress in all areas of human development as envisaged in the speeches delivered by the President when he has come to address Parliament, on the Progress Made in the Implementation of National Values and Principles. The President is also uniting this country by distributing the same amount of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to all the 156 constituencies at the same time.

Madam Chairperson, the President has continued supporting the education sector, and I am a bearer of an excellent message. On Sunday night, I visited Chobanganga Community School in Mbabala Ward where four teachers were deployed. One or two are already there and the others will go there. The school, which has 340 pupils, will receive a grant of K26,000, and schools across the country will receive grants because of the vision of His Excellency the President, who understands that education is an equaliser. Every child has been given the opportunity to go to school, and that vision is being realised.

Madam Chairperson, we also need to support the budget for State House because of the debt restructuring, which is a major milestone and will see many issues fixed as per our campaign slogan. There are a number of challenges, which I have continuously preached about here, such as the need for bridges and dams in Mbabala, and the Muyombe/Macha Road. All these will get headroom now that we have a debt restructuring agreement, which His Excellency the President secured by virtue of his excellent negotiating skills and the facilitation of this Parliament of funding the 2023 Budget, which we want to continue with in 2024.

Madam Chairperson, I support this budget, but we want Zambia to be a middle-income country by 2030 so that we can continue providing quality care and human development for our people. We need to change the indices on the various areas of the Human Development Index, the Anti-Corruption Index and many others. All these efforts need our support, and His Excellency the President has already taken this country to the league of nations. So, the offices that support the President, in terms of monitoring and evaluation, to ensure that the projects in the country are going on well, the Presidential Delivery Team, the media team, the advisory team, political team, economic team and legal services are all crucial because they make his work easier.

Madam Chairperson, as a country, we need to change our mentality on tourism. Most of us line up at Birmingham Palace in London, Number 10 Downing Street, and many other state houses around the world. Therefore, to enhance tourism, State House should be a tourism site so that people who want to see it can spend money in Zambia, which can improve our revenue. People can be charged for taking pictures in front of State House, thereby bringing revenue to the country. That way, State House will add value, and we see that in other jurisdictions. People go and take pictures at Number 10 Downing Street, and England makes money. So, that should happen in Zambia too.

Madam Chairperson, I support the budgetary allocation for State House and look forward to this Parliament approving it to ensure that His Excellency the President continues to provide visionary leadership. So far, he has done very well. He has a good heart, and he cares for the people of Zambia.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank the House for the overwhelming support to Vote 01, State House. In particular, I would like to thank my colleagues, Hon. Kambita and the hon. Member of Parliament for Mbabala, for their support.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Vote 01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 02 – (Office of the Vice-President – K159,876,284).

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to present the policy statement in support of the 2024 Budget Estimates for Vote 02, Office of the Vice-President.

Madam Chairperson, the Office of the Vice-President is established under Article 110(1) and Article 112 of the Republican Constitution, which includes functions assigned to the Vice-President by the President and performance of Executive functions during periods specified in the Constitution. The statutory functions of the Office of the Vice-President are derived from the Government Gazette Notice No.1123 of 2021.

Mission Statement

Madam Chairperson, the mission statement of the Office of the Vice-President is:

“To ensure effective conduct of Government Business in Parliament, enhance livelihoods and reduce disaster risks.”

In addition, the office has the responsibility of co-ordinating the multi-sectoral response to food and nutrition in accordance with the Food and Nutrition Act No.3 of 2020.

Overall Budget Performance for 2023

Madam Chairperson, the office, in 2023, was allocated K159,972,085. The following programmes were implemented:

Government Business

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, the office executed its functions as required by the Constitution through the Executive and Legislative Services Sub-committee.

Parliamentary Business

Madam Chairperson, this is an overarching wing of the Executive that co-ordinates Parliamentary business. The following were the achievements:

received and processed 841 Questions for oral and written answers;

co-ordinated the presentation of sixty-eight ministerial statements;

co-ordinated the processing of Action-Taken Reports on thirty-seven Committee reports;

facilitated the tabling of fifty-four annual reports;

co-ordinated the tabling of twenty-one Bills; and

monitored the implementation of selected Government assurances cited in various Parliamentary oversight instruments.

Resettlement Management

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, the following notable activities were undertaken:

developed five value chains, which included soya beans, sunflower, cassava, maize and small livestock;

constructed six water reticulation systems to support former refugees and their host communities;

created 724 jobs in agriculture;

established a cassava seed multiplication farm at Lukanda Resettlement Scheme;

opened up, cleared and stumped 91.1 km of access roads; and

drilled and equipped thirty-eight water boreholes.

National Values, Principles and Guidance

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, the following were done:

conducted thirteen sensitisation meetings on National Values and Principles in various institutions and organisations;

conducted sensitisation activities in thirty chiefdoms on national values and principles in seven provinces;

prepared and disseminated information and education and communication materials during public events;

engaged the Ministry of Education on the inclusion of National Values and Principles in the school curriculum;

conducted seven dialogue meetings with Church mother bodies to identify areas of collaboration; and

trained thirty-five chaplains and thirty-five focal point persons on National Values and Principles.

Management and Support Services

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, the following were done:

commenced the review of policies for the Office of the Vice-President;

co-ordinated, monitored and evaluated institutional programmes and projects;

facilitated consultative meetings on food and nutrition amongst State and non-State actors; and

facilitated the recruitment of 186 staff in various positions in the expanded establishment of the Office of the Vice-President.

2024 Budget Estimates and Policy Direction

Madam Chairperson, the office, in 2024, has been allocated K159,876,284. In line with this budgetary provision, the office will implement five key programmes as follows:

Government Business

Madam Chairperson, an allocation of K93,250,000 has been assigned under this programme.

Parliamentary Business

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, an allocation of K10,067,603 has been assigned to continue co-ordinating the processing of responses to Parliamentary oversight as well as providing technical support to ministries, provinces and other spending agencies (MPSAs) on Parliamentary processes and procedures. Further, in keeping with the digital transformation agenda, the Office of the Vice-President, in collaboration with the Smart Zambia Institute, has embarked on the path to migrate Parliamentary Business to a digital platform known as e-Parliament. The platform is aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs in the performance of Parliamentary duties by the Executive and the Legislature.

Resettlement Management

Madam Chairperson, an allocation of K19,883,075 has been assigned to this programme. This will include resettling of targeted citizens in the various resettlement schemes, facilitation of land acquisition, skills training, and provision of road infrastructure and water reticulation systems for improved livelihoods and productivity.

National Values, Principles and Guidance

Madam Chairperson, under this programme, K5,954,819 has been allocated for undertaking the following:

provide national guidance and engage various stakeholders in the propagation as well as inculcation of the National Values, Principles and Ethics; and

facilitate the actualisation of the declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation into practical and workable interventions in all aspects of society.

Management and Support Services

Madam Chairperson, the Office of the Vice-President, under this programme, has allocated K30,720,787 to support services as well as capacity building. The office will also strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of programmes and activities. Further, in observing the policy direction towards the use of digital platforms, the office will also prioritise the optimisation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for improved service delivery.

Madam Chairperson, in conclusion, the office is committed to contributing to the development agenda of the nation as prescribed in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP). With support from various stakeholders, we anticipate that service delivery will be realised accordingly. May I also take this opportunity to thank hon. Members for the interest they continue to show in the operations of the Office of the Vice-President. I, in this vein, wish to appeal for their support for the Estimates of Expenditure for the Office of the Vice-President as presented.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr Chinkuli (Kanyama): Madam Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on this Vote.

Madam Chairperson, the Executive depends on the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU). Why do I say so? There has been a number of disasters in the country, and wherever there is any disaster, the DMMU comes into play. Last year, a number of disasters struck Kanyama and, within a short time, the DMMU alleviated the problems that the people had.

Madam Chairperson, I consider the Vice-President part of –

The Chairperson: Order, Hon. Chinkuli!

Please, do not talk about the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) because that is a different Vote.

You may proceed.

Mr Chinkuli: Madam Chairperson, then, I wish to resume my seat. I will debate on the Vote for the DMMU.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank the House for the overwhelming support.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Vote 02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 19 – (Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit – K125,437,7790).

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for according me this platform to present the policy statement in support of the 2024 Budget Estimates for Vote 19, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Office of the Vice-President.

Madam Chairperson, the mission statement of the DMMU is:

“To develop, co-ordinate and monitor disaster risk management programmes in order to minimise loss of life, damage to property and the environment.”

Overview of 2023 Budget Performance

Madam Chairperson, the following programmes were implemented:

Disaster Risk Management

Madam Chairperson, under Disaster Risk Management, two sub-programmes were implemented, namely Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Early Warning and Preparedness. Under prevention and mitigation, 144 rapid assessments were conducted to ascertain the impact of hazards, such as floods, strong winds, fires and prolonged dry spells, to inform humanitarian responses. Further, the 2023 In-depth Vulnerability and Needs Assessment Survey was undertaken in seventy-six districts to inform response, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities, consequently leading to the identification of sixty-nine districts as being in need of relief food for the period October 2023 to March 2024.

Madam Chairperson, under Early Warning and Preparedness, the DMMU undertook public awareness activities and disseminated multi-hazard early warning information to communities at risk. The unit designed and implemented an early warning, early action and finance platform to enhance disaster preparedness. Additionally, the 2023/2024 National Contingency Plan as well as National Provincial Multi-Hazard Preparedness Plans were developed. The 2023 Flood Response Plan was also developed following a spate of floods that affected most parts of the country. Further, through the twenty-four-hour National Emergency Operations Centre, the unit continued to receive incident reports from the general public while the hazard and risk mapping for communities at risk was also conducted.

Disaster and Humanitarian Operations Management

Madam Chairperson, the programme was implemented through three sub-programmes, which included:

Disaster Response Management;

Humanitarian Relief Services; and

Disaster Management Co-ordination.

Disaster Response Management

Madam Chairperson, under Disaster Response Management, the DMMU undertook the following activities:

delivered 200 metric tonnes of relief maize as well as non-food relief items, such as blankets, tents and kitchen sets, to both Malawi and Mozambique for humanitarian assistance to the people affected by Cyclone Freddy;

initiated the construction of two warehouses to enhance disaster preparedness;

food and non-food relief items were provided to the families of the twenty-four victims of the Kapiringozi Road traffic accident and the fourteen victims of the Bangweulu marine accident; and

logistical support for the search, rescue and handover to the Congolese Government of the bodies of the twelve Congolese nationals who drowned on Lake Mweru was also provided.

Madam Chairperson, under Humanitarian Relief Services, the DMMU undertook the following activities:

provided 2,635 and 50 metric tonnes of relief food to vulnerable communities in twenty districts, and provided rental relief amounting to K158 million to 582 households affected by floods in Lusaka District;

provided humanitarian assistance to 236,043 people who were affected by floods across the country during the 2022/2023 Rainy Season;

provided resources for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of five markets, two bridges ten schools and two clinics; and

provided food and non-food relief to 7,932 internally displaced persons in twenty-three camps across the country who were forced to flee from their habitual residences due to floods.

Management and Support Services

Madam Chairperson, during the period under review, the DMMU recruited nine Senior Disaster Management Officers and 105 District Disaster Management Officers to enhance operations at the provincial and district levels, respectively.

Budget Estimates for 2024

Madam Chairperson, in 2024, the DMMU has been allocated K125,437,779. This amount will be used to implement three core programmes, namely:

Disaster Risk Management

Madam Chairperson, K48,120,810 has been allocated to this programme, representing an increase of 138 per cent in the 2023 allocation of K20,215,245. This allocation will be used to implement interventions under the Prevention and Mitigation sub-programme as well as Early Warning and Preparedness sub-programme. The 138 per cent increase in 2024 is meant to enhance disaster preparedness and risk reduction, and to build the resilience of communities to disasters and climate-related shocks.

Prevention and Mitigation

Madam Chairperson, community-based risk management and risk financing initiatives for disaster and climatic shocks will be implemented.

Early Warning and Preparedness

Madam Chairperson, the unit will strengthen community adaptive capacity, effective preparedness and early action to emergencies, as well as equip Emergency Operations Centres. In addition, the institution plans to establish the National Incident Management Control System to enable the ‘whole of society’ approach to disaster incident management.

Disaster and Humanitarian Operations Management

Madam Chairperson, in 2024, K54,842,325 has been allocated to this programme, representing a 23.2 per cent increase in the 2023 allocation of K44,530,014. The funds will be used to implement interventions under the Disaster Response Management and Humanitarian Relief Services sub-programmes.

Disaster Response Management

Madam Chairperson, the Government will construct warehouses for enhanced disaster preparedness and the provision of food and non-food relief items to vulnerable households through the main relief pipeline.

Humanitarian Relief Services

Madam Chairperson, the provision of food and non-food relief items to vulnerable households, rehabilitation and reconstruction of critical infrastructure, such as markets, crossing points, bridges, schools, health centres and heath posts, and clearing of blocked drainages.

Management and Support Services

Madam Chairperson, this programme has been allocated K22,474,644, representing an increase of 54.3 per cent in the 2023 allocation of K14,570,230, which is meant to facilitate the implementation of activities across Human Resource and Administration, Financial Management Accounting, Internal Audits, Procurement, Planning and Information for efficient and effective delivery of administrative services and financial controls.

Madam Chairperson, as I conclude, I wish to state that in response to the increased frequency, scale and intensity of disasters in the country, an innovative way of addressing disaster risks is required. The Government will continue to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacities at all levels by devolving functions to the provinces and districts. I, therefore, call upon hon. Members of Parliament to support the 2024 Budget Estimates of Expenditure for Vote 19.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

The Chairperson: Hon. Chinkuli, are you ready now?

You may go ahead.

Laughter

Mr Chinkuli: Madam Chairperson, thank you very much, and my apologies. I think, I was thinking ahead because I really need this organ.

Madam Chairperson, this organ has a huge task ahead of it. When a disaster occurs in the country, everyone rushes to the DMMU to ensure that people are helped. A week ago, there was a disaster in Kanyama when roofs of a number of houses were blown off. Immediately I contacted the DMMU, it quickly conducted an assessment and started looking for funds to help the people. Further, last year, there was a huge disaster in Kanyama when water went into people’s houses and some houses were damaged. Since it is the duty of the DMMU to ensure that people’s livelihoods are improved, it relocated the people who needed to be relocated, and provided relief food and chlorine for safe drinking water. So, this organ needs to be adequately funded. In Kanyama, there are disasters perpetually, and I have informed the DMMU to be ready to attend to the disasters that will occur in the event that it rains heavily. I think, in that regard, the DMMU is equal to the task.

Mr Anakoka: You are lobbying.

Mr Chinkuli: I am lobbying at the same time.

Madam Chairperson, we have seen the DMMU go as far as the Western Province and the Northern Province to attend to people whenever their property gets damaged or crops are washed away. So, it is imperative that it is adequately funded. If I had a way, I would have added a percentage more to what has been budgeted for so that when any disaster occurs, we are able to –

Hon. Member: In Kanyama!

Mr Chinkuli: You may say in “Kanyama”; it is fine. However, disasters happen in Kanyama, and the people there need to be taken care of. The Government is taking care of them through the DMMU. So, this organ should be supported financially so that each time we cry – We represent people, and if we do not support such an organ, we will not be helped. I rarely contribute to debates on the Budget, but I decided to debate after seeing how the people of Kanyama are suffering.

Hon. Member: Junkies!

Mr Chinkuli: You can call them junkies, but they are my children.

Madam Chairperson, I want to make an earnest appeal to the ministry in charge of finances to put in place a contingent fund so that when disasters occur, the staff at the DMMU can quickly mobilise themselves and attend to those disasters. There is cholera right now, if it accelerates, we will call upon the DMMU and the Ministry of Health to help the people. Like I said last time, Kanyama, by nature, is a gathering, and it needs serious attention. We, as the people of Kanyama, are seriously lobbying that a contingent fund be reserved for disasters because Kanyama is prone to disasters.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Chairperson, I thank you for this opportunity to discuss the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

Madam Chairperson, let me start by stating that the Budget we are labouring to appropriate is financed by Zambians through their tax contributions. Therefore, we must not allow our people to beg us to attend to them whenever a disaster befalls them.

Madam Vice-Chairperson, the people who crafted the governance system established the DMMU under the Office of the Vice-President, and the principal officer is the National Co-ordinator, who is complemented by staff.

The Chairperson: Hon. Mpundu, I am not the Vice-Chairperson. I am the Chairperson.

Mr B. Mpundu: Thank you for the guidance, Madam Chairperson.

Madam Chairperson, the National Co-ordinator at the DMMU is complemented by a team that goes all the way down to the districts. Today, there are even satellite teams in the wards. I am privileged to have served as a co-ordinator for disasters when I was District Commissioner (DC) because, ordinarily, when one is appointed DC, one is part of the management of disasters. However, there will never be enough resources. We cannot be adequately prepared for disasters because disasters are only prepared for in anticipation, but we are very fortunate. Whereas in other countries they deal with huge disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, here, our disasters can easily be predicted, like cholera, anthrax, hunger and small cases, such as blown-off roofs.

Madam Chairperson, resources have been a challenge from time immemorial. Even the meagre resources of K124 million allocated to the DMMU are not enough to attend to disasters because disasters are not known before hand. One cannot estimate the quantum of disasters that will happen. However, what is key is proactiveness of the team that is tasked to manage disasters, starting from the National Co-ordinator to the lowest member of the team. When cholera broke out in Kitwe, we did not have a single Ngwee, but we mobilised resources from stakeholders and, in no time, we contained the disease. So, this speaks to the issue of proactiveness of the people tasked to manage disasters, especially those on the ground. Today, you will find officers busy positioning themselves to take over Parliamentary seats instead of watching out for disasters in the communities.

Laughter

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Chairperson, I want to highlight some of the things that, I think, are An indication of our laissez-faire attitude or ineptitude. I have taken certain issues to the Office of the Vice-President before. Let me remind you that when I served as DC, I asked the Parliament that was Sitting then to go to Kitwe and look at the disaster that was bound to happen. In view of the vining activities, over 100 houses in Chachacha in Nkana Constituency may go down, and I have brought this issue to Parliament before. Families there are living in a scare because, at any time, those houses may go down. The excuse I was given is that the matter was in court. However, today, that matter is out of court. Why should we wait until a disaster happens? In disaster management, there is risk management, mitigation and the entire management of disasters. So, when we see a would-be disaster, why are we not proactive? Why do we want to be reactive? When we allocate money to this group of people, we want them to be proactive.

Madam Chairperson, today, we are lucky because under the enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF), 5 per cent has been reserved for disasters under the component of Community Projects. In December, last year, the roof of Kamitondo Combined School, which is in my constituency, was blown off. That problem has not been attended to and the rainy season is already here. Why should we sit on money, yet there is a team that should ensure that such a disaster is attended to? If it were an excuse of money, it would be understandable, not when resources and the team are available. This speaks to how prepared we are, mind-wise, and how competent the teams that we have tasked to manage problems as they occur are.

Madam Chairperson, in Kitwe, there is an uproar. There were two fire outbreaks in Chisokone Market, and there was a pronouncement on television to the effect that the Government had released money to support the traders at the market, and they were promised packages. Today, those traders are still crying foul because only a pocket of them was given the resources. Over sixty of them were not given. The question is: Where is the pronounced package? So, it speaks to the issue of leadership. Are the people at the top ensuring that when we embark on mitigating disasters, we manage those disasters?

Madam Chairperson, today, we have big problems. There is anthrax which, according to reports, is ravaging our communities. Disasters are about multi-sectoral approaches. When a disaster, such as anthrax, befalls you, you must assemble a team from a cross-section of society to help you because, like I said, you may not have enough resources and may not have planned for that disaster, which is why I still want to speak about leadership. The people in high offices and the satellite teams that we are setting up must not look at resources as a constraint to their attending to disasters because stakeholders are willing to be part of disaster management. Everywhere you go in the world, when there is a disaster, every member of the community comes on board. So, resources may not be an issue because everybody is committed to ensuring that we work. However, people can only support a team that they see is committed, serious and proactive throughout the year. I support this Vote, but I call for seriousness as we address disasters.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr Mutinta (Itezhi-Tezhi): Madam Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Itezhi-Tezhi, to also support this important Vote.

Madam Chairperson, first of all, I want to thank the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government for the progressive increase that we have observed in the allocation to this important wing of the Government, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU). There is a 58 per cent increment, and this demonstrates how the Government wants to be proactive in ensuring that there is disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Madam Chairperson, this Government is aware that climate change is real and that Zambia is one of the countries that are prone to many climate disruptions, which eventually affects the delivery of services, school-going children, businesses and, ultimately, the gross domestic product (GDP) of this country. In Zambia, we anticipate to have bad climatic conditions similar to last year. Based on that, it is important that this Vote is supported. Like the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanyama stated, if it were within our power, we would expand this budget a bit more. All hon. Members of Parliament seated in this House are clients of the DMMU. Last year, we were all running to the DMMU for support. We witnessed what happened in Bweengwa, Itezhi-Tezhi and Namwala. In Namwala, over 8,000 families were affected by floods and over 6,000 families were displaced. Therefore, we need to increase the budget for the DMMU more next year.

Madam Chairperson, on early warning and preparedness, we need to enhance the structures. According to the DMMU guidelines, there are satellite groupings at the community level. However, these groupings need a lot of capacity. They do not understand how to report disasters when they happen. When a disaster happens, you will get a call from the Ward Chairperson or a teacher. Meanwhile, there are established structures that, I feel, need capacity building, which can be provided through this budget, so that the channel of communication is followed and we can respond to disasters affecting our people.

Madam Chairperson, last year, five bridges in Itezhi-Tezhi and Dundumwezi were washed away but, to date, they have not been repaired. Over 200 children were not going to school as a result of disruption; they could not cross the streams. However, I thank the DMMU for giving us four boats that we will use in the coming season in case we have the weather pattern that we had last year.

Madam Chairperson, in terms of humanitarian support, one cannot plan for a disaster. However, the DMMU needs adequate funds for food rations. It cannot know how much food will be needed in Bweengwa or how many bridges will be broken. Therefore, we need to plan ahead and allocate adequate resources to the DMMU so that it can respond to the various disasters that the country anticipates. The hon. Minister told us that this year’s weather pattern will be similar to last year’s, and we anticipate disruptions in service delivery as a result of climate change.

Madam Chairperson, I do not think that the DMMU even has a helicopter. However, some areas are not reachable during the rainy season and the DMMU struggles to reach such areas and uses borrowed transport. We want to see a time when this wing of the Government will have adequate transport to enable it to be mobile and respond to disasters. To a large extent, disasters disrupt service delivery, and our people, especially children and women, are affected.

Madam Chairperson, co-ordination between various sectors of the Government is very critical and, through this Budget, the newly recruited DMMU officers in our districts need to be supported through capacity building. They also need to be proactive. The officers do not engage with the offices of the Members of Parliament. Right now, I know that they are working on disaster preparedness plans, and most hon. Members of Parliament are not part of the process. I am lucky because I have been engaged, but I know that other hon. Members of Parliament are not aware of this process. We, as hon. Members of Parliament, need to be engaged because we are the first line of defence. When disasters occur, people call us. So, we need to co-ordinate with the newly recruited officers so that we can plan together, execute the mitigation processes and provide humanitarian support to the affected communities.

Madam Chairperson, the people of Itezhi-Tezhi strongly support this Vote. However, we want to see more money allocated to this Vote next year because we know that our Government is proactive and that it understands that climate change is real. So, we need to mitigate the effects of climate change and invest in programmes that will enhance preparedness to ensure that our people’s lives are not disrupted and service delivery remains constant even with bad climatic conditions.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr Musokotwane indicated.

The Chairperson: Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, do you want to debate?

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Yes, Madam Chairperson.

The Chairperson: You will debate towards the end.

Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo): Madam Chairperson, I would like, from the outset, to support this Budget and make a few comments.

Madam Chairperson, the allocation for personal emoluments has been increased from K5 million to K23 million, which is over 300 per cent. We understand that there have been recruitments, but I expected this increase to be in the allocation to disaster prevention and mitigation. The budgetary allocation for disaster prevention and mitigation has been increased from K14 million to K36 million, yet we have had two poor farming seasons. As I speak, in the west bank of Nalolo Constituency, there is hunger, but the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has no resources to provide relief maize. Some roofs were also blown off. So, as we increase staffing in the DMMU, what is required is response and prevention, because the ugly face of climate change has appeared. It is a global issue, and the Climate Change Bill, which should provide for the Climate Fund, has not yet been presented to this House for enactment. So, the DMMU requires more resources because there has been poor rainfall in this country compared with past times, resulting in poor yields.

Madam Chairperson, in this Budget, we have seen a slight improvement in allocations. However, it is critical to note that this is still not enough considering, that one can only reach certain areas in far-flung constituencies like Chilubi and Nalolo by boat.

Madam Chairperson, I implore the Executive to consider finding a way of integrating the unit in the Zambia National Service (ZNS) that has the equipment to build bridges and clear roads in the DMMU. That unit should fall under the DMMU so that the response is multi-sectoral, and this is happening in other jurisdictions. When floods sweep away bridges, the response of the DMMU might not be efficient because of a lack of equipment. So, there is a need to ensure that the ZNS unit that has graders and other heavy-duty equipment works with the DMMU so that prevention and mitigation responses can be effective and sufficient.

Madam Speaker, I would like to outrightly support this Vote.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Mr E. Daka (Msanzala): Madam Chairperson, my contribution to the debate on this Vote is that as a country, we need to be proactive. Why do I say so? Many efforts are made to mitigate a problem when it erupts, but we have a laissez-faire type of attitude when there is a disaster. So, I would like to urge all of us here to regard this as a very important issue.

Madam Chairperson, I hope, the President can create a ministry that can be dealing with disasters because disasters are hitting our people directly, as already alluded to by my colleagues. In my constituency, some bridges, like the Lusangazi Bridge, which has been there for years, have not been worked on, maybe, because of priorities. However, if there was a full Cabinet Minister in charge of this unit, it would carry more weight. Placing this unit under the Office of the Vice-President is okay, but the Vice-President also has other objectives that she needs to attain. Therefore, the idea of having this unit as a full ministry is very important.

Madam Chairperson, I can cite other examples in rural constituencies where our people are prone to disasters. I know, efforts are always made to address disasters and we see choppers delivering food. However, if we worked proactively, it would really help us to even cut down some of the costs that we incur to just carry food, such as ten or twenty bags, using a chopper. If we can be proactive, it will help the nation to save money so that the people can benefit from the little resources that we have.

Madam Chairperson, communities, especially those in constituencies where there are human/animal conflicts, face a challenge. When farmers cultivate their fields, they harvest very little because of human/animal conflicts. So, we need to plan ahead. Officers to deal with this situation are there, and my colleagues have already mentioned that a good number of workers have been employed for this purpose. However, some of them have not educated the local communities on how best they can mitigate this challenge that they are facing. So, I urge the unit to train people on how they can mitigate this problem.

Madam Chairperson, under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the money meant for emergencies is very little. However, when there are disasters, people want us to use that money, which is not enough. In my constituency, the roofs of some schools and clinics were blown off, and some bridges were washed away, but the 10 per cent for disasters is not enough. So, I suggest that we increase the budget for the DMMU so as to accommodate the recruitment of many officers who can help to mitigate the challenges that our people are facing. Planning when there is a problem does not help us as a country. So, we need to plan now because climate change is really affecting the people in this country. Going forward, we should consider increasing this budget to enable us to support our people.

With those few remarks, I support the budget.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Ms Sefulo (Mwandi): Madam Chairperson, thank you very much for allowing the people of Mwandi, through me, to contribute to the debate on this Vote.

Madam Chairperson, let me begin by saying that I support this Vote. One can see how committed the Government is to responding to disasters, having increased the budget for the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) from K79,315,496 to K125,437,799.

Madam Chairperson, let me also take this opportunity to applaud the Government for delinking the DMMU from politics. Previously, we saw the DMMU associate itself with politics, not disasters. Right now, there is a by-election in my constituency and, previously, some officials would have camped in Mwandi and would have been taking supplies there. However, because of the good appointments made by the President in the DMMU structures, one can see that the people there are technocrats.

Madam Chairperson, two weeks ago, there was a disaster concerning water in Mwandi, and since the unit is very serious, one can report an incident using the right channel. However, a lot of sensitisation needs to be done at the district and constituency levels with regard to reporting disasters. When the rainy season starts next week, we, hon. Members of Parliament, will be raising matters of urgent public importance when disasters occur instead of reporting to the DMMU. So, it takes time for those disasters to be attended to because we do not report using the proper channel.

Madam Chairperson, let me applaud the Government for increasing the budgetary allocation for disaster management preparedness because this component is very important. The DMMU should not just mitigate a disaster, but also prepare for disasters. In March, we saw the DMMU come to the aid of our neighbours in Malawi, which is commendable. So, as I said, this unit is really responding to disasters.

Madam Chairperson, let me also talk about the K18 million that has been allocated towards the African Risk Sovereign Insurance Policy to respond to extreme weather conditions. It is important that we capitalise the ‘P’ in planning. One can see that the DMMU is planning ahead by ensuring that there is an insurance policy because it is not every disaster that will be responded to using the budget that has been provided.

Madam Chairperson, the DMMU needs to carry out sensitisations in our constituencies. My observation is that when there is a disaster in our constituencies, people call hon. Members of Parliament, and it takes time for that disaster to be reported through the established channels. So, I encourage people to report disasters through the established channels so that they are easily mitigated. Having said that, the DMMU is doing a great job, and we support it. We would advocate for this unit to have better funding because of the great job that it is doing. However, when disasters happen, it is very difficult to reach some areas, and you will agree with me that the DMMU is not well equipped when it comes to transportation. So, we would have liked to see the DMMU provided with transport.

Madam Chairperson, I support this Vote but, in future, we would like to see it increased further.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Chairperson, I want to thank all the colleagues who have debated. We are debating the Vote for the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), which is a department of the Government responsible for responding to disasters.

Madam Chairperson, there are different types of disasters. One type is the destruction of infrastructure, such as, roads bridges and classrooms. Another important type is that of food insecurity like what we experienced last year. In certain parts of the country, there was drought and, therefore, crops did not grow well, while in other parts, there was excessive rain, leading to floods. That, too, reduced food security at the household level and, indeed, at the national level.

Madam Chairperson, let me focus on food security and disasters. It would be unfortunate that the previous two years of food insecurity are complemented by another year of food insecurity in the agricultural season. However, we cannot rule that out because my friend across there, who talked about the environment and rains, said that there is a possibility of food insecurity because in certain parts of the country, there will not be sufficient rainfall once again, while in other parts, there will be excessive rainfall. Therefore, we cannot rule out the possibility that there may be food insecurity next year.

Madam Chairperson, a colleague mentioned the fact that it is difficult to budget for disasters because disasters are not predictable. Also, when food insecurity is rampant, it is expensive for the Government to meet every person’s food requirements. So, it follows that even as the DMMU stands ready to provide relief food where there is a need, it is also imperative that at the household level, every person in the country does something in case a calamity occurs. What is it that we can do? I think, the experts have told us over and over again that it does not require much to secure one’s food requirements. One report we got said that if one can cultivate a 40 m by 40 m field and manage it well, one can yield sufficient food at the household level. A 40 m by 40 m field can produce twenty 50 kg bags of maize. Most households require only twelve 50 kg bags of maize to be food secure the whole year, but a 40 m by 40 m field can potentially produce twenty bags if properly managed. This is very important in case there is a drought. When a household plants maize on a 40 m by 40 m field, but it does not rain, the household can water that maize using watering cans or, indeed, pails or dishes. A family of six can certainly irrigate a 40 m by 40 m maize field.

Madam Chairperson, it is important that as we enter this season of uncertainty, we all make an effort to grow maize on a 40 m by 40 m field that we can water. If that happened, the DMMU will be relieved and can concentrate on the most critical disasters; those that are beyond the capability of families, and that is the connection. So, if we prepare ourselves in terms of food security, since the DMMU is incapable of budgeting for every household, we will be able to provide sufficient resources for the country. I thought that I needed to add this to the debate because there is no amount of resources that the DMMU can ever be given for everybody to be food secure. However, if every one of us secure our food, we will, thereby, direct the resources to only those beyond our capability.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munir Zulu: On a point of order, Madam Chairperson.

The Chairperson: Hon. Member, is your point of order compelling?

Mr Munir Zulu: Madam Chairperson, permit me to take this House to Sections 19(c) and Section 25 of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Madam Chairperson, when the hon. Member for Petauke Central was asked to leave the Assembly Chamber, some hon. Members of Parliament led by Hon. Kasauta Michelo charged towards him, wanting to beat him up, hence disturbing the House. The Business of the House was disrupted, and the practice is that a point of order should be raised contemporaneously. Were Hon. Clement Andeleki and the others in order to physically approach the hon. Member for Petauke Central?

Madam Chairperson, I seek your serious ruling.

The Chairperson: Hon. Member, that incident has already passed. So, you have to write a written complaint because it has already –

Mr Munir Zulu: No!

The Chairperson: Yes!

Mr Munir Zulu interjected.

The Chairperson: That happened before tea break, and we have moved on. So, you have to write a complaint.

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank you for according me this opportunity to respond to some of the issues that have been raised by my colleagues.

Madam Chairperson, first and foremost, I thank the hon. Members who have debated in support of the DMMU, which is in charge of managing disasters in this country.

Madam Chairperson, I just want to make it clear that it is not possible to adequately budget for disasters in the country. As you are aware, a disaster is an event that one does not anticipate. What usually happens when there is a major disaster is that the DMMU makes a request through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning so that the Contingency Fund can be used to respond to that disaster. What we are providing for are those matters whose occurrences we can foresee. For issues of a major character, we rely on the Vote for contingencies, which we will eventually debate on the Floor of the House.

Madam Chairperson, my colleagues also stated that we need to manage disasters in the country in an efficient way rather than reacting to them when they occur. The DMMU is aware of the issues that the hon. Members have raised, hence its decision to create offices in all the districts of the Republic of Zambia so that it co-ordinates disasters in the localities working together with local authorities and communities. I think that with the establishment of the offices in the districts, the ineffective co-ordination of disasters will be a thing of the past. So, I request that we give the DMMU an opportunity to actualise its intention of establishing offices in the various localities.

Madam Chairperson, I have also taken note of the complaint wherein hon. Members have indicated that most major disasters have not been attended to. What usually happens is that when there is a disaster of a magnitude that cannot be resolved immediately, the DMMU collaborates with other Government ministries. If the disaster is infrastructure related, the DMMU works with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, and it carries out an assessment and presents the report to the ministry so that the disaster is taken care of. You may have noted that even in the budget for the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, there is a Vote for attending to such issues. So, there is always co-ordination among various departments.

Madam Chairperson, I appreciate the issues raised by Hon. Chinkuli, specifically those pertaining to the problem in Kanyama, which is a special case that needs special attention. The drainage system in Kanyama is almost non-existent. I am aware that urgent remedial measures were taken, but that was not enough. My officers are listening and, I hope, they will take appropriate action. We do not want to have a similar occurrence this year or next year. You will recall that when there was a disaster in Kanyama, a number of people died. Even when there are diseases, Kanyama is not spared because of the drainage system there. So, we have taken note of the issues raised by Hon. Chinkuli.

Madam Chairperson, the other issues are advisory, and my officers have taken note of them. We hope to address some of them because we may not be able to address all of them.

Madam Chairperson, I thank the hon. Members most sincerely for supporting Vote 19.

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

VOTE 19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

The Chairperson: Order!

_______

HOUSE RESUMED

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

(Progress reported)

_______

The House adjourned at 1839 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 3^rdNovember, 2023

_____________

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