Wednesday, 17^th July, 2024

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM SPEAKER

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM AFRICAN PREPARATORY ACADEMY

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence in the Public Gallery of pupils and teachers from African Preparatory Academy in Lusaka District.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I wish to welcome the visitors into our midst.

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM ST. EDMUNDS SCHOOL

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence in the Public Gallery of pupils and teachers from St. Edmunds School in Matero, Lusaka District.

On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I warmly welcome the visitors into our midst.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

ELECTIVE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FOR THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION ZAMBIA NATIONAL GROUP

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to remind the House that there will be an Elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Zambia National Group on Wednesday, 24^th July, 2024, at 1030 hours in the auditorium at Parliament Buildings.

Hon. Members are further informed that nomination papers for the elections are available at the Chamber reception desk, at the main entrance to the Chamber. The filled-in nomination papers should be submitted to the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly no later than Monday, 22^nd July, 2024, at 1600 hours.

Hon. Members are, therefore, urged to be on time and prepare adequately for the IPU AGM.

Thank you.

VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE OF SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE OR COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Madam Speaker: It has come to my attention that hon. Members who seek permission to attend the Sitting of the House or Committee meetings virtually are not adhering to the laid down guidelines. For the avoidance of doubt, once permission has been granted for an hon. Member to attend a Sitting of the House or Committee meeting virtually, that hon. Member is expected to have the camera of his or her electronic device on during the entire Sitting and his or her image shall be displayed on the screen in the Chamber. Such an hon. Member is expected to observe all the rules that apply to the House or Committee meetings.

Hon. Members are reminded to refer to the regulations on virtual Sitting, which were circulated to all hon. Members through the circular dated 9^th July, 2024. In that regard, an hon. Member who shall not observe the rules on virtual attendance shall be deemed absent from the Sitting for all intents and purposes.

The screen that displays the profiles of hon. Members who are attending the Sitting virtually is mounted on the wall in front of me. So, when an hon. Member asks for permission to attend the Sitting virtually, I can see whether or not he or she is present. 

Thank you.

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RULING BY MADAM SPEAKER

POINT OF ORDER RAISED BY MR G. G. NKOMBO, HON. MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, AGAINST MR B. MPUNDU, HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR NKANA CONSTITUENCY, FOR NOT SUBSTANTIATING STATEMENTS HE MADE WHILE DEBATING ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE ON THURSDAY, 27^th JUNE, 2024

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, this is a ruling on a point of order raised on Thursday, 27^th June, 2024, by Mr G.G Nkombo, hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, against Mr B. Mpundu, hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana Constituency, for not substantiating statements he made while debating on the Floor of the House.

Hon. Members will recall that on Thursday, 27^th June, 2024, when the House was considering Question for Oral Answer No. 376, and Mr A. Tayengwa, hon. Member of Parliament for Kabwata Constituency was on the Floor, Hon. G. G Nkombo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, raised a point of order against Mr B. Mpundu, hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana Constituency.

In his point of order, Mr G. G Nkombo, MP, enquired whether Mr B. Mpundu, MP, was in order to deliberately and wilfully mislead the House when he stated that the hon. Minister had directed councils to spend US$100,000 to purchase ambulances.

Hon. Members, in my immediate response, I enquired from Mr B. Mpundu, MP, whether he could substantiate his allegation. In response, he indicated that if permitted, he would avail the evidence in that regard. I reserved my ruling in order to study the matter and permitted Mr B. Mpundu, MP, to forward the evidence to my office as he was unable to do so at the time. I have since studied the matter and will now render my ruling.

Hon. Members, the point of order raises the issue of an hon. Member’s duty to ensure that the information he or she provides to the House when debating is factual and verifiable. This is in accordance with Order No. 71(1)(b) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024, a provision that is well-known by all hon. Members.

In view of the foregoing, I had recourse to the verbatim record of the proceedings of Thursday, 27^th June, 2024, to determine whether the alleged statement was made by Mr B. Mpundu, MP. The verbatim record revealed that Mr B. Mpundu, MP, in his debate, alleged that the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development had directed constituencies to spend US$100,000 on buying ambulances.

Hon. Members, I take cognisance of the fact that despite Mr B. Mpundu, MP, being accorded an opportunity to produce evidence to support his allegation, to date, he has not availed my office any documentary or cogent evidence as envisaged by Standing Order No. 71.

Mr B. Mpundu interjected.

Madam Speaker: Order hon. Member for Nkana!

This ruling concerns you. So, I will ask you to pay attention.

In view of the foregoing, hon. Members, I find Mr B. Mpundu, MP, in clear violation of Order No. 71(1)(b) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024 and, therefore, he was out of order.

Thank you.

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URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

Madam Speaker: I will call on hon. Members who have not raised matters previously.

Hon. Member for Chienge, you may proceed.

REV. KATUTA, HON. MEMBER FOR CHIENGE, ON HER HONOUR THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ON A LETTER FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT ABOUT AREAS EARMARKED FOR RESETTLEMENT

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Thank you, Madam Speaker, for allowing me, the voice of Chienge, to raise an urgent matter without notice. The matter is directed to Her Honour the Vice-President and Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam Speaker, there is a letter, which originated from the Office of the Vice-President, about areas that have been earmarked for resettlement. The areas are Luapula Province, the Northern Province, Muchinga Province, the North-Western Province and the Eastern Province. I am concerned, on behalf of many Zambians, because, at the moment, the issue of land has brought a lot of –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, should we give you time to consult one another first? We will not follow what the hon. Member for Chienge is saying if you continue discussing amongst yourselves loudly. I need to listen to her and understand what she is saying for me to give guidance accordingly.

Hon. Member for Chienge, you may continue.

Rev. Katuta: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, as I was saying, the letter has details about areas earmarked for resettlement. Speaking on behalf of many Zambians who are still apprehensive after the issue of the 6 million ha of land was a subject in the country, I would like to find out from Her Honour the Vice-President if any consultations were made with the stakeholders, including area hon. Members, the chiefs and the people, who are from the places that have been earmarked for resettlement.

I seek your guidance on this issue, Madam Speaker, because there is still so much apprehension after we dealt with the issue of the Vietnamese guy. Now, we have resettlement issues in the same areas where people seem to be agitated.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, I would suggest that you file in a question, and Her Honour the Vice-President will address that issue.

The next hon. Member to raise a matter is the hon. Member for Mpika.

Mr Kang’ombe interjected.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kamfinsa, I think, I have given you more opportunities to ask so ­

Mr Kang’ombe interjected.

Madam Speaker: No.

Let us move to the hon. Member for Mpika.

MR KAPYANGA, HON. MEMBER FOR MPIKA, ON MS TAMBATAMBA, HON. MINISTER OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY, ON LOOMING STRIKE BY THE ZAMBIA CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Madam Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity to raise an urgent matter without notice.

Madam Speaker, the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has threatened to embark on countrywide protests. The union has not stated whether the protests will be peaceful or violent. It has just stated that protests will be held if the Government proceeds to amend the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019, in which the union fears that gratuities and other allowances will be removed. I, therefore, direct this matter to the hon. Minister of Labour and Social Security. People are worried that we may experience protests by our employees across the country.

I seek your indulgence, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: I do not think it is in anyone’s interest for people to go on countrywide protests. Zambia is a peaceful country. To avert that situation, for which people are apprehensive about their allowances; gratuities and all that, I will ask the hon. Minister of Labour and Social Security to deliver a ministerial statement.

Is the Bill already before the House?

Ms Tambatamba indicated dissent.

Madam Speaker: It is not yet before the House. So, we are pre-empting the issue. Why do we not –

Anyway, the hon. Minister will explain the Government’s position in the ministerial statement.

The Hon. Speaker deliberated with the Clerks-At-the-Table.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Mpika, you can file in the matter as an urgent question.

Interruptions

Hon. Opposition Members: 48 hours!

Ms Tambatamba rose.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Minister wants to say something.

The Minister of Labour and Social Security (Ms Tambatamba): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Mpika for raising the urgent matter without notice –

Interruptions

Mr Kapyanga: We know them!

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Minister, I do not know if you would like to answer the question now or later. According to our Standing Orders –

Ms Tambatamba: Madam Speaker, I just want to indicate that when I present the ministerial statement, I will only give a brief on the Bill’s road map because, as you have indicated, it is not yet before the House.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Today is Wednesday. So, the hon. Minister can deliver the ministerial statement on that matter on Friday.

MR KATAKWE, HON. MEMBER FOR SOLWEZI EAST, ON THE LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE, ON THE BANNING OF THE MUKANDA TRADITIONAL PRACTICE

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, about a day ago, the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the gender division in Livingstone stated that the Mukanda traditional practice had been banned. This is a practice that has been going on for ages not only in Livingstone but also in the North-Western Province. We understand the benefits of male circumcision. From a medical point of view, it reduces the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV causes cervical cancer.

Madam Speaker, the practice also enhances certain traditions or lessons that help male children, as they become of age, on how to keep their families and so on and so forth. Is the PS in order to say that the practice has been banned? Is it the practice or the bad elements in the tradition that have been banned? The bad elements have been the abduction of people’s children and keeping them in camps for periods of up to six months without their parents’ consent and, of course, asking for sums of money for the children to be released. The PS’s statement has caused apprehension not only in Livingstone but countrywide.

Madam Speaker, I direct this matter to the hon. Leader of Government Business in the House to state the Government’s position on whether the Mukanda practice has been banned to the exclusion of its benefit or it is the bad elements that have been banned.

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence on this matter.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Solwezi, I think that you can file an urgent question, and then it will be tackled or you can raise it on Friday during the Vice-President’s Question Time. File in an urgent question. This is a cultural practice, but it is also how we –

I do not want to start tackling those issues. However, coming from an area where the Mukanda tradition is practiced, I think, some clarification has to be made to avoid unnecessary apprehension in the House.

Hon. Member, file in a question and then clarifications can be made.

We make progress.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Is it the newly acquired cousins who are interested in the Mukanda traditional practice now?

 

Laughter

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

DELIVERY OF MEDICINES AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES

The Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to render a ministerial statement to this august House on the delivery of medicines and medical supplies.

Madam Speaker, to stabilise the availability of medicines and medical supplies in the public health supply chain, the Government, through the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), devised the following strategies, namely:

1. procurement of 42,000 health centre kits every year; and
2. bulk procurement of essential medicines through:
3. government-to-government bulk procurement agreements; and
4. United Nations (UN) agencies, such as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and, indeed, other multilateral agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Global Fund.

Madam Speaker, as far as procuring the health centre kits is concerned, the process was completed, and Missionpharma was identified as the main supplier. At the moment, health centre kits availability levels in all the primary healthcare facilities is over 90 per cent, and it is at 70 per cent for the hospitals.

Madam Speaker, deliveries from the UN agencies into the ZAMMSA central warehouse are currently ongoing, and ZAMMSA is distributing those supplies to all the facilities.

Madam Speaker, regarding government-to-government procurement, we only had one contract with the Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) of the Arab Republic of Egypt. This contract was signed last year in August 2023, and it had a provision for Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) to the ZAMMSA central warehouse. The first delivery under this contract was received in October last year, 2023. The delivery was transported through air freight to ZAMMSA via the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA). So, that first consignment was received, as per the contract, without any additional charges or challenges.

Madam Speaker, as part of the bulk procurement agreement, ZAMMSA received the second shipment of sixteen containers this year, 2024, in January. The containers were delivered to the ZAMMSA central warehouse, as per the contract, but were not offloaded. Instead, the transporter was directed to take them to a private depot in Makeni called J&J Transport Zambia Limited. The containers contained Intravenous (IV) fluids and syringes. Those containers were marooned at that depot till last week Friday when we started moving them to the ZAMMSA central warehouse.

Madam Speaker, in April 2024, ZAMMSA received the third consignment of twenty containers of assorted essential medical supplies, out of which thirteen were offloaded at the ZAMMSA central warehouse and, again, seven containers were diverted to the same private warehouse. That brought the total number of containers diverted to this private warehouse to twenty-three.

Madam Speaker, the fourth consignment of thirty-eight containers of assorted essential medicines from the UPA in Egypt arrived last month, June 2024. That consignment was also not delivered to the ZAMMSA central warehouse. It was directly delivered to the J & J depot by the transporter, and that brought the total number of containers so far received to seventy-four with only thirteen having been offloaded at the ZAMMSA central warehouse, which were from the second consignment. The remaining sixty-one containers were still at the J &J depot until Friday, 12^th July, 2024, when the Ministry of Health was made aware of the situation, and intervened.

Madam Speaker, currently, the containers are being transported from the J&J depot to the ZAMMSA central warehouse using Zambia National Service (ZNS) trucks. This exercise is expected to last between ten days and fifteen days. As indicated earlier, this contract was CIF Lusaka. Regarding that CIF provision, the second, third and fourth consignments were transported by sea. There were notable transportation delays at the port in Beira, Chirundu Border and, indeed, the ZAMMSA central warehouse.

Madam Speaker, when the ministry became fully aware of the issue, ZAMMSA management was called in to thoroughly review the matter. At that stage, it was clear to us, at the ministry, that there was gross mismanagement and negligence bordering on possible criminality. The matter was then reported to law enforcement agencies.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that the suppliers, from the look of things, delivered the containers through air transportation as well as road transportation. Currently, the containers are being moved by Zambia National Service (ZNS) trucks. Was it part of the contract to have the ZNS involved?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, ZNS transportation was not part of the contract.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Minister, I thought that you would explain further why the Zambia National Service (ZNS) is involved.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I did not want to give a long explanation because I was afraid that I would be asked to make the statement brief. Nonetheless, let me give further clarification on that issue.

Madam Speaker, as I mentioned in the ministerial statement, the contract was CIF-based, meaning that the goods had to be delivered to the ZAMMSA central warehouse in Lusaka. When the goods came by air and were offloaded at the KKIA, the Ministry of Health, through ZAMMSA, should have collected the goods and taken them to the warehouse. When the goods reach the port in Beira or Chirundu Border, the ministry has no business in that situation because those areas are not in Lusaka. Lusaka is Lusaka. We are all aware of the boundaries of Lusaka. When transported to Lusaka, the goods are expected to be delivered to the ZAMMSA central warehouse. That is where they should have been offloaded. However, for various reasons that did not happen in some instances.

Madam Speaker, the question is: How did the ZNS come in? ZAMMSA is owned by the Government. So, the Government engaged the ZNS to support ZAMMSA in moving the goods from the private warehouse at which they have been marooned since January 2024 so that they can be transported to the ZAMMSA warehouse because they are at the wrong warehouse.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, thank you for –

Mr Chitotela: On a point of Order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kwacha, please, wait. There is an indication for a point of order from the hon. Member for Pambashe.

What is the point of order, hon. Member?

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, the point of order is based on Standing Order No. 219(1), which has details on the dress code for male hon. Members.

Madam Speaker, when I looked at the hon. Member for Sioma Constituency, I was wondering whether he is dressed in female colours.

 Interruptions

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, I was wondering if it is a protest against the banning of the Mukanda traditional practice in Livingstone.

Madam Speaker, I seek your ruling on whether the hon. Member for Sioma Constituency is allowed to wear female colours.

Laughter.

Madam Speaker: Yaa!

I think, the hon. Member for Sioma Constituency is imitating the hon. Member for Chipili Constituency.

Laughter.

Madam Speaker: Sometimes, you need to add colour. I do not think there is any protest against the Mukanda issue, but –

Mr Peter Phiri: New cousin!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Pambashe, you are a new cousin. So, be careful with what you are saying. You might be co-opted.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kwacha, you may continue.

Mr Charles Mulenga: Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask a question on a point of clarification.

Madam Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify the claims and assertions that there is a serious shortage of medicine in most health facilities across the country. Some of the claims are coming from hon. Members in the House.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, those assertions are not correct. The country has more than enough medications in all the health facilities that are below district level I hospitals. Further, above the district level I hospitals, which are the big hospitals like the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and Levy Mwanawasa Hospital, the ministry can safely say that availability is at 70 per cent. That is not to say that one can go to any of these facilities and find that the medication one is particularly looking for is available. I have always stated that in terms of every level of health facility stock, particularly medication, when the ministry says that there is 70 per cent or 90 per cent availability, it relates to the drugs that are supposed to be stocked. There may be some medication that one might need, which might not be at that health facility. Therefore, that situation requires that person or patient to get the medication from other pharmacies, including private pharmacies, that might stock all the types and formats of medication. Sometimes, for specific diseases, medication is imported. That is why it is important that every Zambian citizen registers with the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) so that he or she is not stranded at any point.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I have always believed that for systems to function properly, discipline is the cornerstone. In her statement, the hon. Minister mentioned that after the ministry had met with the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) management, gross indiscipline was identified as one of the key reasons the containers were being kept somewhere other than the ZAMMSA warehouse, thereby, creating the impression that the country did not have enough medicines or medical equipment. Can the hon. Minister share a step-by-step plan with the House on what the ministry is going to do to ensure that the gross indiscipline does not repeat itself? Further, what should the country expect, as the outcome, in terms of the punishment that will be meted out to address the concerns? The people are concerned that the country has no medicines and that the hon. Minister has not managed the ministry well. The list of concerns goes on, which the hon. Minister already knows.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, although there are triple questions in one, I hope I can answer as much as possible. The first issue to note is that the first containers that arrived in the country were sixteen. They arrived in January 2024, and mainly contained IV fluids. The House may recall that around the said time, the country had an outbreak of cholera, which was almost at its peak. The demand for IV fluids was high. One would wonder why at that time; the country would buy more IV fluids when the Government had bought and paid for a consignment that was already delivered. The conclusion would be that the situation was a result of negligence or a deliberate move.

Madam Speaker, the problem with medicine supply issues is that Zambia imports more than 95 per cent of its medicines and medical supplies. The country only has about three manufacturers, and they are not big manufacturers. They cannot meet the demands of the country. Even if one company produces paracetamol, the Government still has to import more to meet the demand. That is one of the biggest challenges that the health sector has. Local suppliers corrupt public officials in the Government or quasi-Government institutions to have things done their way. Someone said to me that I had done well because the country had many stocks of drugs. That person congratulated me. I told that person that I have always tried to do my best. The difference now is that those who fight the system to make a profit have taken over ZAMMSA. I understood that there was a challenge, but I did not know where it was. It is now clear that the Government, first of all, imports the medical needs, then, somewhere along the supply chain somebody deliberately creates an artificial shortage so that he or she can buy from an hon. Member who is also a supplier of medical needs. In that case, it is easy for that person to speak to hon. Member “X” because he can be given a kickback. However, with a government-to-government deal, it is difficult for one to negotiate a 10 per cent stake, and that is the issue. That is why we decided to report the matter to the relevant organs to investigate and ascertain why such negligence was exhibited, and whether it was natural negligence or deliberate.

Madam Speaker, secondly, at our level as the Government, through the ZAMMSA board, we have instituted disciplinary measures against all the officers whom we think are connected to that contract.

 I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mushanga (Bwacha): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to ask a question.

Madam Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to help the House and the general public understand why the containers were delivered and marooned at the J&J Transport Depot since January 2024. In the statement, she also indicated that the ministry only discovered that issue last week on Friday. Why has it taken so long, almost six months to seven months, for the Government to discover that instead of being taken to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) depot or warehouse, the medicines containers were marooned at a private institution’s depot?

Madam Speaker, lastly, who drafted the supply contract?

Madam Speaker: How many questions are there?

Hon. Minister, you may proceed.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, the first question is very good and important because one can imagine that from January up to last week, as a ministry, we did not realise that there were drugs in Zambia stored in containers at a warehouse, as good as ZAMMSA, and could be distributed across the country. If the hon. Member asked the board, which is the supervisor of the agency’s management, it would tell him that it learnt about the issue when the Ministry of Health raised the red flag. That, again, begs another question. Those are all valid questions that we must leave to the investigative wings to investigate. At an appropriate time, we will get the answers one after the other.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I would have liked the hon. Minister of Health to state how much the country will lose towards the payment of demurrages and other charges because, obviously, the transporter made some losses and would want to recoup.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister is always telling us that drug availability is above a particular percentage. However, when our people visit health centres, they are given prescription notes because there are no drugs in hospitals despite the government-to-government, …

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Kapyanga: … procurement contracts and everything else she is talking about. When will the hon. Minister give the nation the true picture of the drug availability status in hospitals? Our people depend on the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) pharmacies at the moment.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker –

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

Madam Speaker: Before the hon. Minister responds to the question, there is an indication for a point of order from the hon. Member for Solwezi –

Is it Solwezi East?

Hon. Member: Zambezi East!

Madam Speaker: Sorry. It is the hon. Member for Zambezi East.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I am the Member of Parliament for Zambezi East in the North-Western Province.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to raise a point of order.

Madam Speaker, this House has rules. I need to be reminded, of course, of the Standing Order that points to being factual whenever one is raising an issue on the Floor of this House because people listen to the proceedings.

Hon. UPND Member interjected.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I have been reminded that it is Standing Order No. 71.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member who was on the Floor has submitted that there are no drugs in the hospitals. When a submission of that kind is made, people who keenly watch the proceedings of Parliament will believe that is the position. Is the hon. Member in order to continue on that trajectory that has now become the Patriotic Front (PF) model, as many others have been doing, of saying things in the House even when the statements do not hold any truths?

Madam Speaker, I need your ruling so that we can preserve the Standing Order’s instructions.

Madam Speaker: The beauty about this situation is that the hon. Minister is here, in the House. She is going to tackle that question and set the record straight. Let us allow her to answer the question.

Hon. Members, as we ask questions, we should be factual in accordance with our Standing Orders. Let us not be dramatic or politicise our questions.

Hon. Minister, you may proceed.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, in answering the question, I just thought that I should make a few points clear. Firstly, the contract between the UPA and ZAMMSA was drafted and supported by the Ministry of Health and cleared by the Attorney-General’s Office. Secondly, the contract was to be implemented by ZAMMSA, as a Government agency under the Ministry of Health.

Madam Speaker, regarding the amounts of money for demurrage or penalties, as a result of keeping the goods for a longer period than should have been, we have unverified figures standing at K8.7 million, which were given to us last week Friday. As I have said, these are unverified figures, and this is what prompted the ministry to act so that it could get to the depth of this issue. At the end of the day, that is what led us, as the ministry, to the J&J yard. True to that, we found those goods. The good thing was that the company holding the goods simply indicated that it had been waiting for the owners to claim them, and since we had gone to that warehouse, we could collect them that day or the following day. So, the place was surrounded by security for safety and the following morning we started moving those goods from the warehouse. So far, no amount of money has been paid towards the penalties. Initially, the contract should not have attracted penalties because, as I said earlier, there was a provision for CIF Lusaka. At the least, we should have been paying clearing agency fees at the borders or the airport.

Madam Speaker, as the ministry, we handled the first consignment, and there were no issues. Maybe, because the other consignments used the seaport, ZAMMSA may have needed a clearing agent, but those fees should have been dealt with. So, one wonders why it was not dealt with. The ministry was told that the figure was affordable and could have been paid at the beginning by ZAMMSA, but the agency chose to not pay until there was an accumulation of fees. All those issues will be investigated by the police to ascertain what happened and what roles people played, and I hope that we can get the correct answers. What is important is that the goods are now safe at ZAMMSA, and this week distribution throughout the country will start.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, this is the same Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) that failed to present its procurement officers before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last year. As of last year, the procurement department was not functional. In the transition of the medical supply chain from the Ministry of Health to ZAMMSA, what did the ministry do to ensure institutional preparedness and capacity for the agency to get straight into handling such a contract when, as of last year, the agency was struggling to set up a procurement department?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, these are real and correct issues that always need to be dealt with. The problem is prematurely operationalising boards that are created. It was important to have operationalised ZAMMSA when the Government was ready. The Government was not ready at the point at which ZAMMSA was being operationalised. There is a clause in the law that gives the hon. Ministers the power to decide when a Bill or an Act can be operationalised. The Government then, after it had operationalised the agency, realised that, maybe, it was not ready. What we, as the United Party for National Development (UPND), found when we came into power was that the Ministry of Health had a mere letter addressed to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning requesting for authority to continue performing the function of purchasing drugs instead of ZAMMSA. However, because ours is a Government of law, we found that the ministry had no power, according to the Act, to purchase drugs. The drugs had to be purchased through ZAMMSA. So, at that stage, if you noticed, all we could do to capacitate ZAMMSA was to increase the budgetary allocation for drugs, for example, from K1.2 million to K4.8 million or K4.9 billion.

Madam Speaker, the question asked about the capacity of the agency is also correct. The role of the current Government is to look at what it is doing and what it has done concerning ZAMMSA operations. We have since put in place a board because there was no board even when the agency was operationalised. It is, therefore, incumbent on the board to deal with those issues. In some cases, the board has performed well. Unfortunately, when it comes to the daily supervision of the agency, it has been weak. The problem, again, is the law itself. The board consists of seven members of which only one is appointed by the Minister of Health. The Government appointed a woman of high standing in terms of integrity, good morals and hard work by the name of Anna Chifungula. She was once the Auditor-General of this country, and she performed exceptionally well in that role. The rest of the members are appointed through respective Government departments. In my view, those members are all as good as civil servants because officers from the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the ministry of chakuti, …

Laughter

Mrs Masebo: … and the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) are appointed, as members of the board. Those are part-time board officers. Such situations raise the hard policy questions we must ask ourselves, as a country, going forward. Do we think that a board that works on a part-time basis, consisting mainly of civil servants and only one external member, would be able to look after the affairs of that critical facility, which is even a security institution? We still have much work to do.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, Standing Order No. 71 is clear, yet when the hon. Minister is responding to the questions, she is bringing into ridicule and disrepute people who cannot come to this House to defend themselves. Is she in order to mention how certain people are civil servants from ministries and from chakuti? Is she in order to demean and belittle public workers who are offering their services to this Republic?

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence.

Madam Speaker: Of course, it is not proper to mention people who are not before this House because they cannot defend themselves. However, the hon. Minister did not mention any particular names.

For the avoidance of doubt, hon. Minister, let us avoid bringing into debate people who are not before this House to defend themselves. I understand your frustrations and the need to change what is obtaining at present but, maybe, we should stick to the provisions of our Standing Orders.

We will now listen to the hon. Member for Kabwe Central who is joining us virtually.

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to ask a question.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned that delivery of the containers containing medicines to the private warehouse can, possibly, involve issues of criminality. Further, she mentioned that the containers are being ferried back to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) central warehouse. I just want to find out whether inspections were done on the containers to ensure that the goods were intact. The mention of criminality can mean that, maybe, people swapped the Intravenous (IV) fluids and drugs, or were, probably, stolen. If anything was swapped, somebody could end up exposing something dangerous to the community. Were inspections done to ensure that the containers were sealed and that there was no tempering?

Dr Chilufya: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised by the hon. Member for Mansa Central.

Dr Chilufya: Madam Speaker, I anchor my point of order on Standing Order No. 71.

Madam Speaker, the composition of the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) board is guided by the Act. Some of the members are from the civil society, the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) and the community. Is the hon. Minister in order to mislead the country, through this House, by saying that only one person is appointed externally while the rest are civil servants?

Madam Speaker, I seek your ruling.

Madam Speaker: You are right, hon. Member for Mansa Central. A board’s composition is usually determined according to the Act, especially if that organisation is established in accordance with the Act. I have noted that the problem that the hon. Minister has is that, as she mentioned, the board members are part-time, and she was wondering in terms of policy –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Do you want to handle the point of order?  Do you want to usurp my powers?

The hon. Minister is complaining that the board members are not doing their work. Maybe, she is looking at having a policy direction change on how the members are appointed. I thought that was what she was saying. She even said something like the ministry of nanikane. We do not know if there is a ministry of nanikane. She was just expressing frustration at the fact that the Act is not helping the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) operate accordingly.

We can leave the issue at that. We are losing time. Many hon. Members have expressed interest to ask questions.

Hon. Member for Katombola, you may proceed.

Mr Andeleki (Katombola): Madam Speaker, thank you for according me, on behalf of the people of Katombola Constituency –

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Member. The hon. Minister is supposed to answer the question that was asked by the hon. Member for Kabwe Central.

Hon. Minister, you may proceed.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I want to state that inspections are going on at the moment between ZAMMSA and the depot holding the goods, as the goods are picked up, to ensure that we are picking up the exact containers, they have not been tampered with and everything is fine. I think that is what is going on at the moment. So far, I want to confirm that the goods we are collecting are the actual goods that were supposed to be delivered to the ZAMMSA warehouse.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker: Stop the clock.

 With the number of points of order that are being raised, we will not make much progress. We have to go through the business for the day on the Order Paper.

Hon. Member for Mongu Central, what is your point of order?

Mr Amutike: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me, on behalf of the people of Mongu Central, this chance to raise a point of order.

My point of order is related to the dress code for female hon. Members of Parliament. Is the hon. Member for Kalulushi in order to come to this honourable House dressed as if she is from selling hairpieces?

I seek your ruling, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order! 

Let us maintain harmony in the House.

Hon. Member for Mongu Central, you are out of order for attacking a woman who is –

Ms Mulenga who was seated next to Ms Chisenga interjected.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kalulushi, I am protecting you, but you are still talking.

Let us not attack one another to that extent.

Hon. Minister, did you finish responding to the question? 

Mrs Masebo indicated assent.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Katombola, you may proceed.

Mr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, thank you very much, for affording me, on behalf of the people of Katombola Constituency, this opportunity –

Ms Mulenga interjected.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Kalulushi!

 The hon. Member for Mongu Central was just extending the new cousinship that you have acquired. Do not feel injured. It is okay.

Laughter

Ms Mulenga walked back to her seat.

Madam Speaker: That is our new cousin there.

Laughter

Mr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the ministerial statement by asking a question from the perspective of Katombola Constituency.

Madam Speaker, before I do so, allow me to congratulate the mighty United Party of National Development (UPND) for scooping 99.9 per cent of the votes during the by-elections that took place last week. We, as the people of Katombola, consider that a vote of confidence in the New Dawn Government. 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, the revelation made in the ministerial statement rendered by the hon. Minister has pricked my heart. It is painful knowing that the Government, through the Cabinet; the President, the Vice-President and everyone else, is working very hard, yet people can have the guts to divert important materials and medical supplies needed to service our people. I know that this problem may have been going on since the Patriotic Front (PF) days, but we thank the New Dawn for discovering the leakage. What measures have been put in place to ensure that the thieving officers, who may have been involved, are removed to ensure that the agency is cleaned up? 

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I indicated that looking at the case and some of the questions that hon. Members are asking, how possible is it that the board can claim that it did not know that the agency had drugs marooned here, in Lusaka. How can the ministry also claim that it did not know that the drugs were in Lusaka? Both entities had heard about the movement of the stock from Egypt through Beira Port, and since January some of the drugs were already in town. What then was the motive?  That is why I said that it could be plain negligence or negligence bordering on criminality. There are different possibilities which is why we do not have the answers. The best institution to probe these queries will not be the Ministry of Health, but the police service; the combined security agencies who are looking into this issue. They are currently interviewing the Ministry of Health staff, the ZAMMSA board members and other officers. As the ministry, we are also taking administrative action against ZAMMSA. Further, we are ensuring that steps are taken to protect the products and the Government from losing more money than what has already been lost in detention fees for late clearance of the goods from the warehouse.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Speaker, this is a very important matter. I wish that the system at Parliament enabled us to interrogate this matter thoroughly by way of asking more than one question. I have personally taken the time to study the matter.

Madam Speaker, while the country has been grappling with the non-availability of drugs in many facilities, we have drugs that were marooned at the named warehouse for over four months to five months. The issue of efficacy comes into play. Even when we collect those drugs is efficacy guaranteed?

Madam Speaker, by appropriation, the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) is funded through Parliament. The ministry has to give authority to ZAMMSA to spend the funds. From my investigations, the authority to spend funds was withheld from ZAMMSA by the hon. Minister’s office. It so happened that when the drugs came into the country, they were taken to the warehouse because ZAMMSA did not pay the required fees due to a lack of spending authority, which was withheld from them.

Mr Mubanga interjected.

Mr B. Mpundu: These are facts, ba Mubanga.

Madam Speaker, there seems to be a serious breakdown in communication. The ministry does not interface with ZAMMSA, it interfaces with the board. ZAMMSA is claiming that the reason those drugs were taken to that warehouse is that it could not pay for them. Is it an issue of management, a breakdown in communication, funding or the instruction to withhold authority? What is the problem?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, firstly, hon. Members should not feel restricted in asking further questions beyond the minutes that are given. They are free to visit the ministry and ZAMMSA. They are also free to take information to the police service or the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) because all the law enforcement agencies have been combined to investigate this matter. In that way, we will not push rumours because they can be dangerous. Rumours will not help us move forward. We are in governance together, and that is why this matter has been brought to the public to allow hon. Members who may have good information to give to the investigative wings of the Government to do so.

Secondly, Madam Speaker, with regard to the specific question relating to withholding authority from the agency to spend resources, the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency Act has what is called the Drug Fund, for which resources come from this Parliament, the Government, through NHIMA, and donors. The fund is supposed to be managed by the Minister of Health. Sometime last year in August or September, if I am right in terms of the time, ZAMMSA asked for the exclusive authority to manage this fund. Since I had confidence in the board and its management, I wrote a letter authorising the agency to manage the fund, and it had to ensure that quarterly reports were given to the ministry. Last month, in June, I decided, as the Minister responsible, to withhold that delegation. The reason was that in one of the review meetings when ZAMMSA was asking for extra resources, the agency said that it had run out of operational funds because the work that it was doing was huge. The amounts it is managing, unlike before, are huge and it needs more operational funds. At that point, the agency said that in the last two months, it had drawn resources from the Drug Fund to pay salaries, and that was done without express approval from the Ministry of Health. The agency was further applying to be allowed to use part of that fund’s allocation to pay salaries for the month of June as well. I refused that request. I told the agency that it could not do that. I also advised it to apply for extra resources, but have nothing to do with the Drug Fund because we need consistency in Government policy. The money in the fund may not just be from the Government but the donors as well, and we do not want to lose their confidence in us. When parties agree that money is meant for drugs, the money had better be used to purchase drugs. If parties say that the money is for operations, it better be used for operations. It was at that stage that I instructed the Permanent Secretary (PS), who is the controlling officer, to write to ZAMMSA indicating that the Minister had withdrawn the delegation for the agency to be withdrawing money from that fund without the second signature from the PS in charge of administration. That letter was written in May. It is only being put into effect, I think, this week by way of writing to the bank informing it that every time there is a cheque issued to pay for drugs, the cheque must be signed by the ZAMMSA Director-General (DG), the accountant and the PS in charge of administration. Remember, the cheques are normally issued for bulk purchases. That is the position.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, I would like to ask hon. Colleagues to visit the office to get information, and not to guess. There is no need to get rumours. We will give them any information that they want.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker: I think, at this rate, we will not make progress.

Hon. Member, what is your point of order?

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, let me mention that I was also in Egypt during the medicines procurement process. The boxes and the containers were clearly marked, and the ZAMMSA address was on the containers. So, one wonders why the containers were diverted to private property.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has stated that this matter is under investigation. So, is the House in order to continue discussing a matter that is under investigation? That is against our Standing Orders.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, before you rose, I was going to share my observation that, in view of the fact that there are many more hon. Members who have indicated to ask questions, we seem to have more questions than answers. Since this matter is being investigated, without having the correct position before investigations are concluded, we will just be speculating.

Also, did the hon. Members not pass the Access to Information Act recently? Why do we not use it to find out information so that when we come before this House, we can produce information and evidence, then, we will be able to move? That will help us ensure that the hon. Ministers are held accountable for what they say.

The hon. Minister has also made a call on hon. Members to not feel inhibited by the time that we spend dealing with matters in the House. You should feel free to approach her for any clarifications. I know that the hon. Member for Kankoyo also travelled to Egypt for the verification of the medical stock that was procured. I was even wondering if he should say more on the matter.

There are so many questions, as I have said, but we do not have the answers. Even the hon. Minister does not know the answers at the moment because we do not know what happened, and who instructed that the trucks be diverted to J & J Transport Depot. I think, let us wait for the investigations to be concluded, then, we will know who played what role, and whether it was the ZAMMSA board that was negligent, individuals who just wanted to take advantage of the situation or it was a political issue. We do not know.

Let us make progress. We move on to the next item.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

RIOTS IN MANSA DISTRICT

Mr Chitotela (Pambashe): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, my question is No. 388.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister responsible has not yet signed the Commencement Order for the Access to Information Act. So, tell him to sign it.

Madam Speaker: Is that a point of order or a complaint?

Mr Chitotela: It is a complaint to you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: I thought that the Act was operationalised. Has it not been operationalised?

The hon. Minister is not in the House. I will have a chat with him later, then, the hon. Member for Pambashe can visit my office for feedback.

 388. Mr. Chitotela asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security: 

1. what caused the riots at Senama and Chilyapa markets in Mansa District on 10^th July, 2024;
2. whether there were any lives lost or property damaged; and
3. what urgent measures the Government is taking to maintain peace and tranquillity in Mansa District and other parts of the country.

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, I have noted that hon. Members want to ask me questions before I make the statement.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the riot started after the removal of a person from Namwandwe Market who was repeatedly playing a recorded voice saying, “ubunga, nabalunda” on a megaphone when he was selling chitenge materials, not mealie meal. He was removed from the market by the Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU) officers. The brief facts of the matter are that on 10^th July, 2024, at 1100 hours, Mansa Central Police Station received a call from the District Commissioner (DC) for Mansa District who reported that people were rioting at Namwandwe Market, and that police assistance was urgently needed to prevent escalation. Acting on the report, a team of police officers was dispatched to the market where it found that commotion had engulfed the market. The officers managed to get to the CCPU office and picked up the person. The said person had gone into the market to sell chitenge materials but had started repeatedly playing a recording saying, “ubunga, nabalunda” on a megaphone. The market chairperson, who is a United Party for National Development (UPND) member, approached and advised the person to refrain from playing such a recording in the market. At that point, the former market chairperson, a Patriotic Front (PF) member, and other PF members confronted, …

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: … the market chairperson for cautioning the person who was playing the recording. During the confrontation, the CCPU officers removed the person from the market and took him to their office. The confrontation degenerated into a riot after the marketeers joined in to protest the removal of the man from the market by the officers. When police officers arrived at the scene, and picked up the person conveying him to Mansa Central Police Station, the crowd became riotous to the extent of pelting the police motor vehicles. Investigations were instituted, and thirty persons were arrested and charged for conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. They have since been released after paying admission of guilt fees.

Madam Speaker, it is important for every citizen to promote peace, co-existence and harmony if we are to live in a safe and peaceful environment. In this regard, I urge all peace-loving Zambians to refrain from acts that may incite members of the public to act in an undesirable manner. Similarly, I urge all members of the public to avoid taking the law into their own hands. The Government will not tolerate unbefitting conduct and anarchy.

Madam Speaker, no lives were lost during the riot. However, two police officers were injured. They sustained injuries after a rubber ball grenade one of them was attempting to detonate exploded within the cabin of the motor vehicle they were in. The grenade exploded in the right arm of one of the officers causing him to lose a part of the palm. The other officer sustained burns when parts of the exploding grenade hit his face and head. The driver managed to drive to Mansa General Hospital to seek medical attention. The only property so far to have been damaged during the riot is the windscreen of the Mansa Central Police Landcruiser, which developed cracks after being hit with stones by the rioting people.

Madam Speaker, some of the measures put in place include the following:

1. intensified daily foot and motorised patrols to ensure the visibility of police officers;
2. enhanced community policing through co-operation and collaboration with the community in the prevention of crime by engaging all stakeholders in the communities and encouraging them to participate and work closely with the police;
3. re-training police officers on the effective handling of hand grenades and other arms;
4. sensitising the community on the dangers of involving themselves in riotous behaviour and other crimes;
5. sensitising the general public through radio and television programmes on the importance of upholding law and order, among others; and
6. enhancing intelligence information gathering.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, I do not know whether the officers on the ground withheld some information from the hon. Minister or he is the one who has chosen to not give the true picture.

Madam Speaker, it is with regret that I say that the house of the market chairperson has been extensively damaged and burnt to ashes. Is the hon. Minister aware of that situation?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Pambashe for revealing to this House that the house of the market chairperson was gutted. The information I have is that only the Landcruiser belonging to Mansa Central Constituency was damaged.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chibombwe (Bahati): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Pambashe asked the hon. Minister two questions. He asked about what caused the riots at Senama, and what caused the riots at Chilyapa.

Madam Speaker, Senama is in Bahati Constituency –

Mr Nkombo interjected.

Mr Chibombwe: Shut up, Garry!

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Bahati, what did you say?

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, I was just trying to ask the hon. Minister to –

Hon. PF Member: Sit Senama!

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, withdraw what you said to the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, I withdraw the utterance.

Madam Speaker: Thank you.

Mr Chibombwe: Hon. Garry, I will explain to you when we go outside the Chamber.

Laughter

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, the riots at Senama were caused by suspicions of witchcraft. The riot at Chilyapa was caused by the fact that a marketeer was simply playing the song titled alebwelelapo, not the song that the hon. Minister alluded to in his statement. The market chairperson got upset and asked the neighbourhood watch to take that marketeer to the police station. So, what caused the riot was the unprofessional behaviour displayed by the police officers. The officers rushed to Chilyapa and started beating up the said man, then, the marketeers also got upset and started rioting. I do not know if it is the hon. Minister who is trying to mislead us or it is the officers from Mansa Police, …

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Chibombwe: …who have not given him the facts.

Madam Speaker, the other thing I want to bring to the attention of the hon. Minister is that –

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, we do not know whether you are debating, giving evidence or asking a supplementary question. This is the time to ask supplementary questions.

Mr Chibombwe: Much obliged, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: You have already asked one question so –

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, the said marketeer is still in police custody. I just want to ask the hon. Minister when that person is going to be released from police custody.

Madam Speaker: You have asked two questions, but only one question is allowed. The hon. Minister will pick one question to answer.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I am going to answer the first part of the question in which the hon. Member has mentioned the infamous township called Senama in Bahati. The hon. Member has also said that a member of the public at the market within the same area was playing the song called alebwelelapo. Maybe, the hon. Member was at the market, according to what he has said.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: He has information contrary to what I have.

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Yes!

Mr Chibombwe interjected.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Bahati, you know the rules.  Restrain yourself, please.

Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is disputing my report. According to him, because he was there also listening to the song, the people were unhappy that a song called alebwelelapo was playing, yet the one the song is about will never come back. According to the report I have, the people started rioting.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Bahati, did you want to explain what Senama is all about? What does it mean?

Laughter

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, Senama is the biggest township in Bahati Constituency. It is a beautiful and peaceful township. I have been there before. I have also had lunch with Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, SC. in that township. If you consult me outside the House, I will explain the meaning of the name.

 Laughter

Madam Speaker: No. Your answers are too loaded.

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Luena, to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that there are people who tend to incite the public, especially over mistaken and misguided beliefs that there is anybody who can “bwelelapo”. Not too long ago, one of the alleged secretary-generals of a named political party said that if a ruling were to be made that a certain individual is not eligible to re-contest elections, then, there would be no elections.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Luena!

 Let us just ask supplementary questions. We do not want to degenerate into a political debate.

Ask the question, please.

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

Madam Speaker, is the Government going to enhance measures to ensure that there is no lawlessness, and that there is peace and order in the nation by nipping in the bud indications that some people seek to cause disturbances in the country?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, as the New Dawn Administration, we are on record informing members of the public that we shall not allow political party activities or cadreism in marketplaces, and we have lived up to that instruction. Those places are for all the members of the public irrespective of political affiliation. From the time we came into office, we have ensured that there are no political party offices in the markets. As a result of that instruction emanating from the Head of State and actualised by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, there has been relative peace in trading spaces in the country.

 Madam Speaker, the unusual conduct on that day in the market is what led to the riot. That sad incident should invoke patriotism on the part of Zambians that such activities should not be allowed in markets. If people want to engage in politics, there are other areas in which they can do so. I have no doubt in my mind that Zambians are proud that sanity has returned to the markets and bus stations, unlike the way it was in the past.

Madam Speaker, I call upon all the leaders in the House to ensure that we do not allow lawlessness. If we allow law and order to break down, it will be difficult to retain peace and tranquillity. We are aware of what is happening in other countries where peace and stability have been lost. We cannot allow that to happen. We want everyone to trade freely in markets or public spaces without any hindrance from any member of the public. That is our appeal.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Mr Chitotela: Yes, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister’s appeal is well noted. However, the actions of his officers on the ground are the opposite of what he is saying.

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

Madam Speaker: There is another indication for a point of order. Like I said before, at this rate, we will not make much progress.

Hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, what is your point of order?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, my point of order is pursuant to Standing Order No. 65.

Interruptions

Mr Nkombo: We are compelled ­

Hon. UPND Members: It is Standing Order No. 71. It changed.

Mr Nkombo: It changed? It is now Standing Order No. 71?

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I apologise. I am living in the past.

Madam Speaker: If you are referring to the former Standing Order No. 65, it is now Standing Order No. 71.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, my point of order is on the hon. Member for Pambashe, Mr Ronald Chitotela.

Madam Speaker, last week, when we were debating the Motion to adopt the Report of the Zambian Delegation to the 148^th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, which was presented by the Committee’s chairperson, Mr Chitotela is on record having rendered a public apology for the manner in which his political party allowed cadreism. He was clear in his apology, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: … and I thought therein lies a gentleman who can apologise for the atrocities and mayhem that his political party, the Patriotic Front (PF), caused in markets and bus stations. The cadres reached the extent of annihilating and assaulting anyone, even those who were mere Manchester United Football Club supporters, for wearing red replica jerseys. Now, the hon. Member seems to have the answer to the question that he has asked on the Floor, which has been augmented by his colleague, the hon. Member for Bahati. In that market, the people were playing a deafening and irritating song called alebwelelapo to signify the attempt to re-kindle that very act that caused Mr Chitotela to apologise.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Member in order to not remain consistent with his apology? Instead, he is asking a question for which he already knows the answer, which is that some people are trying to re-kindle cadreism in the marketplace.

 I seek your ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Pambashe attempted to raise this matter as an urgent matter without notice. He was advised to file an urgent question, which he submitted, and it was admitted. The hon. Minister is just answering the questions. I do not know about the apologies he made. Since the question was admitted, we will go through it. Let us just avoid politicising the issue of “alebwelelapo” or the “Trump” saga and whatnot. Let us not get into that. Some people want him to come back, and others do not want him to come back. Let us leave that issue for discussions outside the House when we discuss matters as politicians. The hon. Member’s question was asked on the Floor of the House, and it was admitted. Let us deal with it. We are almost done.

The hon. Member for Pambashe is in order to ask the question.

Hon. Member for Pambashe, please, remain consistent.

You may proceed.

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, whenever there is emerging discontent in the community, it is out of consistency that, as leaders, we stand and provide leadership. To them that much is given, more is demanded. The riots must be a matter of interest for the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development so that members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) do not start doing what members of the Patriotic Front (PF) were doing –

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Pambashe, order!

The point of order was dealt with, and the ruling was delivered.

Ask your follow-up question.

Mr Chitotela: Madam Speaker, what the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security has said here, on the Floor, is totally different from what is happening on the ground. That level of inconsistency is what may be causing disturbances among the people. The hon. Minister has clearly indicated that thirty people were picked up, charged and made to pay admission of guilt fines. The individual who was allegedly playing the song alebwelelapo in the market is still in police custody. In case the hon. Minister is not aware, yesterday that individual was taken to court for a hearing. My question is: What are we trying to achieve in having double standards, and not telling the truth before the Hon. Speaker?

Madam Speaker, our friends in Chirundu ran away with a box of ballot papers, which is a serious offence, …

Interruptions

Mr Chitotela: … but they were just made to pay admission of guilt fines for the conduct, yet a person who was playing a song was arrested, detained for over a week and taken to court. Is that the justice system we expect to see in Zambia?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has raised a matter that I did not want to address here, in the House. However, I am going to address it.

Mr Amutike: Hammer, hammer!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, my colleague, the hon. Member for Pambashe, knows what the PF Government used to do.

Interruptions

Hon. Opposition Members: Now!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: I am going to get to what is happening now.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member knows that during the PF reign, when one of their members committed a heinous act, that person would be arrested for a minor offence so that he or she is protected by the law. If it was procedural to do so, I would have named the individuals who were arrested for minor offences when they had committed serious ones during the PF time. Our Government has been consistent about not repeating what used to happen under the PF Government. We would not want to do that.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has brought in the issue that happened in Chirundu, …

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: … but he has no evidence about what happened. We, as the police, know what transpired, and we took appropriate action. The PF Government would not have done that, it would have protected the individuals.

Mr Katakwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, we took action. We immediately arrested those who were responsible, unlike what the PF Government used to do.

Madam Speaker, regarding the issue that my hon. Colleague has raised, if an hon. Member is aware of the facts of an incident, it is not prudent to bring the matter here, to this House. Matters are raised if one wants to solicit information, that is the essence of asking a question. If the hon. Member has information, why not lay it on the Table? Why ask me the question? If he has an issue pertaining to the conduct of the police, my office is open for him to lodge a complaint. He also has the power and the authority to lodge a complaint through the Police Public Complaints Commission (PPCC). The law was promulgated by this House. If a police officer misconducts himself, and the police service does nothing about it, one can take action against that police officer, and he or she will be answerable to the commission. That is what the law stipulates.

Madam Speaker, it is not appropriate for the hon. Member to come to this House to start lecturing me on issues for which he knows what transpired. I give statements based on the information I have been given. That is what I have.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Let us make progress.

Hon. Member for Pambashe, if you have information that is contrary to what the hon. Minister has said, please, lay it on the Table or bring it to my office so that we can make progress.

_______

MOTION

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ASSURANCES

Mr Mandandi (Sioma): Madam Speaker –

Interruptions

Mr Kang’ombe: Party regalia!

 Laughter

Mr Mandandi: Iwe! (pointing at Hon. Kang’ombe).

Madam Speaker: So, there was a purpose for wearing that outfit. He is debating today.

You may proceed, hon. Member.

Mr Mandandi: Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Government Assurances, for the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on Friday, 12^th July, 2024.

Madam Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr E. Tembo (Feira): Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Mandandi: Madam Speaker, in performing its duties, your Committee was guided by its terms of reference, as set out in the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024. During this Session, your Committee considered forty-three new Government assurances. Some assurances have already been implemented and closed, while 211 are outstanding.

Madam Speaker, allow me from inception to state that your Committee’s observations and recommendations on various assurances that were probed are documented in the Committee’s report. I am sure that the hon. Members have taken the time to read the report. Therefore, I will only highlight a few of the assurances.

Madam Speaker, allow me to inform the nation, through this august House, that the Government has successfully implemented a number of assurances, including the following:

1. construction of the Chilanga Fuel Depot in Chilanga District;
2.  rehabilitation of the Kenneth Kaunda Stadium in the Eastern Province; and
3.  connection of Lumezi Mission Hospital to the national electricity grid.

Madam Speaker, your Committee had an opportunity to visit the project sites of the Government assurances during its local tour programme. I will briefly comment on some of the assurances made on the Floor of the House.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, 24^th March, 2023, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security made an assurance that the Government had plans to construct the Katete National Registration, Passport and Citizenship Office. The contractor, Merchant General Dealers, was paid the contract sum of K554,730 for all arrears as of March 2022. During its local tour, your Committee visited the project in Katete to appreciate its implementation. Your Committee noted with concern that the project that was supposed to be completed in three months has taken twelve years. Your Committee further observed with disappointment that the quality of workmanship is poor and the materials used are substandard. It, therefore, recommends that the works be re-done and that the contractor be engaged to replace the substandard materials with good quality materials. In addition, it strongly urges the Executive to ensure that technical staff from the Department of Preventive Maintenance Services at the Chipata Provincial Administration are incorporated into the construction team to guarantee good workmanship.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, 15^th February, 2022, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development informed the nation, through this august House, that construction of Nyimba District Hospital, as at September 2021, was at 65 per cent. The hospital was expected to be completed within six months by 31^st June, 2022, at an estimated cost of K18,450,000. During its local tour, your Committee visited the hospital and learnt with disappointment that the works had stalled and the contractor was not on site. That was contrary to what was reported in the Action-Taken Report. Your Committee further observed that although the hospital is partially open to the public, it operates without certain key departments, such as radiology, the mortuary, wards and laundry, which can only be accessed at Nyimba Urban Clinic. Your Committee also observed that the hospital building has developed serious cracks, especially along the corridor of the main entrance. In light of those disheartening findings, it strongly urges the Executive to immediately summon the contractor to address the poor workmanship and to ensure that the remaining works are completed in good time so that the hospital can begin to operate at full capacity.

Madam Speaker, your Committee is saddened by the huge number of unfulfilled assurances, and finds the situation unacceptable. Some of the assurances date as far back as 2013. Your Committee is further concerned that the Executive continues to make assurances on the Floor of the House without matching resources to implement them. Further, your Committee is not satisfied with the responses given in the Action-Taken Reports. In that regard, it recommends that the Executive critically examines the assurances given so far and ensures that they are fulfilled before presenting new ones. Your Committee further recommends that every assurance given on the Floor of the House be allocated the resources required for its completion.

As I conclude, Madam Speaker, permit me to express my sincere gratitude to you and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support rendered to your Committee during its deliberations. Your Committee is also indebted to all the stakeholders who appeared before it for their co-operation in providing the necessary information that formed the Committee's report.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Mr E. Tembo: Now, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I was going to wear my green suit as well, but it was not ironed because of loadshedding.

Hon. UPND Member: Question!

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to second the Motion, which is extremely important, on behalf of the people of Feira.

Madam Speaker, allow me to also thank the mover of the Motion, the chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Kaliye Mandandi, for the able manner in which he presided over the Committee's deliberations.

Madam Speaker, in seconding the Motion before the House, allow me to augment a few issues that the Committee observed during the local tour and the testimonies received from the witnesses. With regard to the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ), the Committee was briefed that the NCZ is yet to receive the balance of K43 million, which at the time was equivalent to US$2 million, meant for topping up on the amount for the procurement of a fertiliser blending plant. The lack of that blending plant has undermined the production of much-needed fertiliser in the country. During the tour of the NCZ, the Committee was also informed that the promise to recapitalise the NCZ, which was made in 2022, was yet to be fulfilled as no further funding had been made available to the company. The process of procuring the blending plant was reported as completed by the witnesses. However, when the Committee went on the ground, it discovered that the process had not been completed. The Committee noted serious disparities between the verbal and written reports of the controlling officers in the ministries, and what was obtaining on the ground.

Madam Speaker, the Committee was also privileged to travel to Vubwi District where a boarding school, Vubwi Boarding Secondary School, was under construction. The Committee noted with displeasure the inconsistencies in the Action-Taken Report of the Ministry of Education, that the school had been completed when it was not so. It was discovered that the contractor to whom an amount of K4 million had been allocated was not on site. That being the case, after touring the school, the Committee discovered that not only was the contractor not on site, but the works were also not as reported. The Committee wonders what happened to the money that was released. Therefore, it recommends that the Executive immediately secures the funds to complete the remaining works at the school, as that is the only boarding school in the district. Further, the Executive should consider partially opening up the school, as the pupils who should have been at the school are squatting at Mbande Boarding School. That will help to reduce the instances of teenage pregnancies, which have been confirmed to be on the rise in the district.

Madam Speaker, the Committee also toured Chanida and Kalemba Day secondary schools. It was discovered that works on the school projects had stalled. Chanida Secondary School was at 80 per cent while Kalemba Secondary School was at 90 per cent. However, the Action-Taken Report submitted by the Executive reported that the two schools had been completed.

Madam Speaker, the Committee was privileged to undertake a number of visits to the projects that were reported to have been completed, and some disparities were noted. It is important for the House to note that most of the reports that the Committee received turned out to be false.

Madam Speaker, the Committee also undertook a foreign tour to Ghana where best practices for quality healthcare were to be learnt. The Committee noted how the Ghanaian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is operating and how it is being actualised for more people to access health services. The Committee noted that in Zambia, the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) provides that a member fully contributes towards his or her health insurance policy and the money that is realised is used to provide the service. In Ghana, the source of funding for the NHIS comes from 2 per cent of the goods and services sold by the country. Further, the other 2 per cent comes from each person’s contribution to the basic social security, contributions from the informal sector as well as their national budgetary allocation.

Madam Speaker, I would like to emphasise that Ghanaians have looked outside the normal source of income to ensure that there is funding for their health sector. I am particularly referring to the mining sector. I suggest that a tax be introduced by the Government for some of the companies and mining corporations as a contribution towards NHIMA. That will be a means for the Government to raise money for health services.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, allow me to emphasise the importance of this Committee. I am of the view that, perhaps the House has not utilised this Committee as an institution and, as a third wing of Government. The Committee is there to provide oversight to the Government, yet it has few sittings in a year. The days that the Committee goes on tour for the projects are also not adequate. There is a need for the Government to look at the Committee on Government Assurances as much as it looks at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which merely looks at the expenses. I am not saying that it is not important. There is accountability that is ensured through PAC. However, there is also a need to pay more attention to the physical structures that the money disbursed goes towards. The structures should be checked, and ensure that the expenditure aligns with the quality and the construction of the projects.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you. Hon. Member, I would say that each Committee is important. It does not matter if it is the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) or the Committee on Government Assurances. They are all equally important, as the House provides oversight to the Executive.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, thank you for according me, on behalf of the people of Chama North Constituency, an opportunity to add a few words to the debate on this Motion to adopt the report.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Hon. Mandandi who moved the Motion and Hon. E. Tembo who seconded it.

Madam Speaker, indeed, this is a very important Committee. This Committee is supposed to come up with issues so that hon. Members can hold Government leaders accountable. When hon. Ministers stand on the Floor of the House and make promises to the nation, it is important that the Government honours the promises made.

Madam Speaker, I want to quickly look at certain areas of concern for the people of Chama District. Your Committee noted with great concern the continued stalled works in the tarring of the Chama/Matumbo Road. The House cannot continue to talk about that road, which has been a subject from the time that Zambia got its Independence. I remember that the project started when I was in Grade 3 at Chama Primary School in 1973. However, it has remained a song to date. Your Committee is right in urging the Government to complete this project as soon as possible because it is important.

Madam Speaker, the people of Chama District deserve a fair share of the national cake. They also pay taxes to the Government. The country had the United National Independent Party (UNIP), the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), the Patriotic Front (PF) and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) governments. I hope that the New Dawn Government will complete the project. The PF Government completed about 65 km of the road, but for some years, there have been no funds allocated to the project. The Chama/Matumbo Road and the Chama/Lundazi Road are key trade roads because of their proximity to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Madam Speaker, the distance from Dar es Salaam to Chipata District using Kapiri Mposhi Road is 2,600 km, but the distance is 1,600 km using Chama Road, meaning that if the road is worked on, the country will save 1,000 km on transportation distance. This project will trigger many economic activities, not only in Chama District but the entire Eastern Province and neighbouring countries, such as Mozambique and Malawi.

Madam Speaker, your Committee also noted the assurances that the Government has made on the Floor of this House on the Chama/Lundazi Road. I started hearing about those assurances as early as 1980. On the Floor of this House, hon. Ministers would say that the Government would tar the Chama/Lundazi Road, but how many years have passed? The people of Chama District continue to lament over this project because it is very important. As the hon. Ministers make assurances to the people of Chama District that the Chama/Lundazi Road will be tarred, I would like to urge the Government to keep its promises.

Madam Speaker, I am happy because, currently, there are discussions underway between the Government and certain co-operating partners concerning the roads in Chama District. I hope that the discussions will be fruitful. I would like to see the people of the district receive good news from the New Dawn Government about the roads.

Madam Speaker, your Committee also highlighted the delay in completing Chibale Boarding Secondary School. The school is a modern secondary school, and it is at 85 per cent. However, works have been abandoned for many years. When I took a tour there, the grass had overgrown. People have started vandalising its structures. How can the Government allow a modern institution to go to waste? I am happy that, through engagement with the Government, funds were released so that Chibale Boarding School can be completed as quickly as possible. I want to urge the Government to honour the promise of completing the school, and ensure that it is completed as soon as possible so that the pupils in the area can access a boarding school.

Madam Speaker, I am aware that what is remaining are works on the water reticulation system. All the designs were done according to the reports. Your Committee was sent to Chibale Boarding School, and I had a meeting with the officers in Chinsali District to discuss the same issue. The school is very critical. So, it is my appeal that the issue of water reticulation and electrification is handled urgently. Nonetheless, the Government has engaged ZESCO Limited and the Ministry of Education. I also appeal to the Ministry of Education to speed up the process to ensure that electrification is done.

Madam Speaker, the issue of drilling boreholes in Chama District is very sad. There is no way a contractor should take two years to three years to execute a contract. Chama District was earmarked for the sinking of twenty-four boreholes. Twelve were supposed to be drilled in Chama North and the other twelve in Chama South. From 2022 to date, the contractor has not been on the ground, yet the response from the Executive was that the contractor was siting in preparation for the project. That is not true. The contractor has not stepped foot in Chama North and Chama South. Some contractors must be blacklisted whether they are Zambian contractors or not. Work must be taken seriously. Indian contractors have proven to be better in borehole drilling. I think that the Government should be particular about the people it awards contracts. What your Committee’s report is talking about is true. How can the Government give one contractor a contract to drill boreholes in the entire Eastern Province and Muchinga Province? That is where the problem is. This is a serious issue. People cannot be lamenting not having access to water because of some contractors, yet money is available.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I noted that your Committee’s report also dealt with the issue of communication towers. It is taking too long to put them up. I am happy to see the hon. Minister of Technology and Science in the House. The contractor is on-site for the project to erect communication towers in Chibale and Chilubanama in Chama North Constituency.

Madam Speaker, I think, it is important to mention that the procurement processes are retarding progress. There is no way a procurement process should take one year or two years. I think that there is a way in which the Government can ensure that the contracts are executed as quickly as possible so that people can receive services within a short period.

Madam Speaker, with those few remarks, I would like to say that I support this report.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mutelo: Hear, hear!

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, I support the recommendations and everything else that has come out of this report presented by your Committee. The report is on point. A number of projects have not been done. The problem has not only been on the part of the Government but also the contractors. The worst part is that the Government keeps giving contracts to the same contractors who have failed us, as a country.

Madam Speaker, most of the water sources in the Eastern Province have dried up. Contracts were given to contractors to drill boreholes and if the House checked the records, those contractors may have been paid, yet they are neither on-site nor working. When I look at the money that was paid for some projects and the job that was executed –

Mr B. Mpundu: Order, time is up!

Madam Speaker: Order!

Thank you for the reminder hon. Member.

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Menyani Zulu: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended, I was explaining that one wonders what the rationale was in giving the contract to drill boreholes in more than one province to one company. My question to the Executive is: Where is the patriotism for our nation in the way we use resources? We keep assuring people that the boreholes will be drilled and they are being drilled, yet shallow boreholes are sunk. A practical example is the eleven boreholes that were drilled in Nyimba last year. Out of the eleven drilled boreholes, only one survived. The rest were shallow boreholes. There is nothing to show for the work done on those shallow boreholes.

Madam Speaker, I agree with the observations made in the report on the electrification and upgrade of power supply in our schools and health facilities across the country. I think, we need to do more. The Executive needs to give enough resources to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) or the Ministry of Energy to upgrade the country's power supply needs. We need to move from the reliance on hydropower, with which we are facing problems, to green energy. In that way, each district or province can set up solar farms to ensure electricity supply. Densely populated constituencies, like Nyimba which has over 150,000 people, only have access to 20 per cent of electricity in the country. That does not help us.

Madam Speaker, some good schools, like Kacholola Boarding Secondary School and Chibale Boarding Secondary School, enrol many pupils from other districts but they have no power supply. The money the schools are paying to meet electricity needs is more than the money we need to build solar farms for the same facilities. We need to be innovative and change the way we do things. It cannot be business as usual because the money we waste, as a country, on prolonged projects is too much. We forget that there are viable projects that are profitable for the country. The attitude of saying ‘Ni ndalama za boma’, meaning that people can do anything they want with Government money, should come to an end so that we can do something sensible. I am expecting the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to allocate enough funds to REA so that the authority can improve on connecting our schools and health facilities to electricity supply.

Madam Speaker, in February 2022, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development assured this House that by December 2022, Nyimba District Hospital would be up and running. Again, in 2023, a promise was made that the same hospital would be up and running in December that year. As at today, nothing is happening at that hospital. We were told that the contractor had mobilised and was on-site. I argued that no company was working on that hospital’s infrastructure, but I was challenged and told that everything was in order. Today we are discussing the report that states that nothing has been done, and the infrastructure has developed cracks. We only needed K18 million to complete the project. We are now being told that the rates have to be revised so that we can have new rates for the works, and that means that the value of work needed to complete that hospital has increased. We are losing out on resources needed to develop other clinics.

Madam Speaker, as big as Nyimba is, there is no Government mini-hospital. The mini-hospitals that were planned for construction in Nyimba were taken elsewhere. The mini-hospital operating in the district in Chamilala Ward is managed by the Catholic Church, and it services Rufunsa, Nyimba and Feira constituencies. That mini-hospital has no power supply.

Madam Speaker, we do not have power. What kind of people do you think we are? The Government needs to move in to see to it that the hospital is worked on. A number of people will attend the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony this month. That place is a black spot or trauma centre, and anything can happen at Chamilala. It is the nearest hospital provided to us by the Catholic Church, and it is equipped with modern equipment. However, that equipment is still lying in the containers. Earlier, we were talking about medicines being in containers. Equipment that is meant for the mini-hospital has not been connected because we do not have power supply. We use the little money that we have to buy diesel for the generators. That is the kind of people we are, yet we are here, in the House, telling people that we are going to manage these things.

Madam Speaker, I am disappointed by the Ministry of Justice. The ministry was supposed to have completed the only court infrastructure in our district. I agree with the chairperson of the Committee that the workmanship at that court is something that is a disgrace to us, as a nation. We need to see to it that proper work is done.

Madam Speaker, the contractors working on Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in Nyimba are far better than the contractors who come from Lusaka. Unfortunately, that kind of decision is beyond any Member of Parliament. If it were within my powers, I would have asked that only contractors from Nyimba work on projects in our district because they have the district at heart. The people whom we are given from the ministries in Lusaka do not do anything to help us.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Kamfinsa, I am interested in this report for reasons that I wish to refer to on pages No. 11 and No. 25 as well as No. 26. For the benefit of our dear residents in the constituency as well as the members of the public, a Government assurance is, basically, a commitment to honour something that has to be undertaken.

Madam Speaker, Standing Order No. 80, which is in the new Standing Orders, allows us to bring up questions for oral answer. When a question is asked, in most cases, it is a result of the requests, and challenges that our people face. In the last three years, I have consistently raised the water challenges that the residents of Kamfinsa are facing. I am on record through segments like questions for oral answer, points of orders and urgent matters without notice because this is one key issue that affects the people of Kamfinsa Constituency. I note from this report under Government assurances that the matter which I had raised in 2022, 2023 and, more recently, this year has been highlighted as an issue that was taken to the Committee.

Madam Speaker, for the purposes of this conversation and the future, I wish to suggest that hon. Members of Parliament who bring questions here, to this House, be invited to the sessions when the Committee is sitting. I know that resources may not allow but, sometimes, it is necessary to invite them because, for example, the responses that have been provided in the report are totally different from what is prevailing on the ground.

Madam Speaker, on the water challenges in Kamfinsa Constituency, this report, on page No. 26, gives a general view that efforts are being made. However, people are not interested in the efforts that are being made. The public would want us to resolve these challenges. Considering that this is a key issue in our constituency, it is in the interest of the Government and the public that water reaches our homes. So, the first suggestion that I want to submit to the Committee is that, as it begins to work in the next Session, if it is possible, when, for example, the hon. Member for Nyimba raises an issue and an assurance is given, there is no harm in asking that hon. Member to confirm what the technocrats say during their Committee meetings. If the technocrats said that the water problems in Kamfinsa have been resolved, I stand on the Floor, as the Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa, to disagree. Further, I do not agree with some of the provisions that have been indicated in the Executive’s response because that gives the impression that suddenly all the water challenges have been resolved.

Madam Speaker, Mulenga Compound in Kamfinsa Constituency does not have water. We also have water challenges in Ndeke Village. On many occasions when I have stood in this position, you have given guidance to the hon. Minister to do something about the supply challenge. Without even repeating the same argument, you have probably become accustomed to the fact that when the Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa rises, it is mostly about the issue of water.

Madam Speaker, on pages No. 25 and No. 26, this report gives the picture that US$59 million has been released by the Government to resolve water challenges in Kitwe as well as Chambeshi and Kalulushi. At present, there is no activity happening in Kamfinsa Constituency related to that. Am I standing here, on the Floor, to support this report? I am reluctant to do so, and I have my reasons. I do not think that I am being malicious.

Madam Speaker, the point I wish to make is that the solution to the challenges that our people are facing concerning water requires attention. When will Parliament take some of the submissions that we make? These are not political statements. They are issues concerning water and sanitation for our people.

Madam Speaker, my appeal to the new hon. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation is that when we raise these issues, the ministry should create an opportunity or platform for the hon. Members to say what they believe should be done or the solutions needed. In Kamfinsa, we have had countless meetings with the water utility company. Sometimes, we have had to use part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to make some resources available to deal with the water issue. However, our problems require millions of United States (US) Dollars. We cannot utilise the money that we are given under the CDF to provide a long-term solution.

Madam Speaker, that is why in the same way the Government decides in the Cabinet to allocate resources to needy areas, the people of Kamfinsa, through their Member of Parliament, are passionately appealing to the Government to work on the water challenges without looking at the fact that this Member of Parliament comes from whatever political party. The issue is about helping our people. Those are people who want a service and deserve to access to water.

Madam Speaker, when I stand here, on the Floor, I speak with passion. We need to get water into Kamfinsa Constituency. The people in Zamtan, Mulenga Compound and Mukuba Natwange are waiting for water. I believe, we can do something.

Madam Speaker, I would like to speak to the conscious of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, and Her Honour the Vice-President and Leader of the Government Business in the House to consider the fact that Kitwe needs to be looked at from the perspective of water provision when the Government is discussing priority areas. When we resolve our water challenges, we are going to free up some resources for other needy areas.

Madam Speaker, sectors like education can be catered for under the CDF. However, for the scale of problems that we have in the constituency in terms of the water sector, the people following this conversation would want to get another assurance. The assurance should have a timeline and resources allocated without having the Government just say that it is doing something in, for example, Kwacha Constituency. We are discussing Kamfinsa Constituency. I do not know who is going to respond to some of these queries that we are raising. However, the Government assurance that was given is not sufficient. I hope that through this conversation, the hon. Minister responsible for water development and sanitation will take my submission as a submission on behalf of the people of Kamfinsa Constituency.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will be alternating between the hon. Members on the left and right side.

Hon. Member for Solwezi East, you may proceed.

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the people of Solwezi East, I am grateful for this opportunity to add a voice to the debate on the Motion to adopt the report, which is on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, allow me to just dwell on page No. 9 of the report, which contains matters relating to the Ministry of Health. The subtopic is entitled, “Actualise the Provision of Health Services to the Poor and Vulnerable”. The report of your Committee highlights as follows:

“Madam Speaker, to actualise the provision of health services to the poor and vulnerable under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Ministry of Health, through the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA), will implement the above measures and progressively bring on-board the poor and vulnerable under the Social Cash Transfer programme, working closely with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, beginning in 2024. Furthermore, NHIMA will extend its accreditation to mini-hospitals, zonal clinics and rural health centres, which are closer to poor and vulnerable communities.”

Madam Speaker, it is against this background that I will talk about your Committee’s observation. On the same page, your Committee observed that the Ministry of Health, through NHIMA, had only accredited 143 hospitals out of 218 hospitals in the country, and this information is given in the table. These are just hospitals, but the report talks about accrediting mini-hospitals, zonal health facilities, and so on and so forth. I come from a rural constituency and the people I represent are very poor and vulnerable. Accessing universal health, indeed, is a challenge. What the report is stating are facts, which require the Ministry of Health to give those health facilities NHIMA accreditation. For example, one member in my constituency had an accident and was not able to move –

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The voices are becoming louder. The conversation between the hon. Minister and the hon. Member for Kamfinsa is loud. Please, lower your voices.

Hon. Member, you may continue.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, I am giving an example about one member in my constituency who had an accident, and was airlifted by the Flying Doctor Services (FDS) to Lusaka to seek medical services. The requirements were beyond his means or that of his family because he was poor and vulnerable. That life was lost. If we had NHIMA-accredited rural health facilities, it would have been possible for measures to be taken, and that life could have been saved. So, in supporting this report, the people of Solwezi East are encouraging the Ministry of Health to expedite the issue of NHIMA’s accreditation to zonal and rural health centres so that the poor and vulnerable can access health services through the provision of the insurance scheme.

Madam Speaker, I do not want to bore you much. I just wanted to emphasise the issue of health. As stated in the report, your Committee awaits the Ministry of Health to take action. We need to see the implementation of the accreditation of NHIMA to most health facilities across the country so that the poor and vulnerable can benefit. It is stated that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. This is what the people of Solwezi East expect, as I support this report.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to say a few words on this report that has been prepared by the Committee on Government Assurances.

Madam Speaker, I will narrow my debate to four assurances that the Government made in the past, namely the rehabilitation of the Chinsali/Mpika Road, the construction of the Mbesuma Bridge, the rehabilitation of the Mbesuma/Kafwimbi Road and the rehabilitation of the Chinsali/Chilubanama Road.

Madam Speaker, according to what has been revealed in the report, on 6^th October, 2021, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development gave an assurance that the Government would undertake rehabilitation works on the Chinsali/Mpika Road. That position was echoed by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning during the 2024 Budget presentation. He indicated that in 2024, the Government was going to work on the Chinsali/Mpika Road.

Madam Speaker, in the first quarter of 2024, the Government, in line with the Annual Borrowing Plan that was approved for 2024, secured financing of about €162.5 million ‘European Pounds’ meant for the rehabilitation works on the Chinsali/Mpika Road. The Government further indicated that it was going to find a contractor to start working on that road by 31^st March, 2024. However, to date, that has not happened. The Government has not yet found a contractor and consultant engineer to work on that important road. Your Committee noted that it is important that the Government expedites the process of procuring the contractor to work on the road. The people who use the road are suffering and many people are dying. The road is usually busy, and the delay in the works is also slowing down commerce. Instead of people taking one hour and thirty minutes from Chinsali to Mpika, they take three hours to four hours, which is bad for commerce in the country.

Madam Speaker, the second issue that I want to talk about is the construction of the Mbesuma Bridge. The construction has been delayed because the project lapsed, but I appreciate the goodwill that the Government has shown. The Government intends to single-source Messrs China Railway Seventh Group Company Ltd to work on the bridge. At the same time, I am expressing concern because in February, in a newspaper print, I saw that the Government was looking for a contractor to work on this bridge but, to date, it has not finished that process. So, I advise the Government and the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development to ensure that the Road Development Agency (RDA) and all relevant departments expedite the process of single-sourcing Messrs China Railway Seventh Group Company Ltd so that the company can start working on the bridge because it connects Chinsali to Kasama. During the rainy season, the pontoon is usually closed because we experience a lot of rainfall in our area. The people from Kasama end up passing through Mpika when going to Isoka, which is a very short distance of just about 200 km, but they cover a distance of more than 400 km.

Madam Speaker, on 14^th October, 2021, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development made an assurance that the Government would undertake maintenance and spot-improvement works on the Mbesuma/Kafwimbi Road. The report that has been prepared by your Committee has revealed that little work has been done on that important road. The report further indicates that the RDA has allocated K3.5 million out of the K5 million that is needed to resume rehabilitation works on the road, but nothing is happening at the present. Therefore, I appeal to the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development to talk to the RDA so that it can quickly resume the maintenance and spot-improvement works on the road.

Madam Speaker, this year, the Government promised the people of Chinsali and Chama that it was going to work on the Chinsali/Chilubanama Road. Currently, there are no works that are being done on that road. We urge the Government to fulfil this promise.

Madam Speaker, many other promises were made. It is important that when the Government makes promises and assurances, it ensures that they are fulfilled, at least, during the specified timeframe. People have so much confidence in the Government, but if it keeps on failing to fulfil its obligations and assurances, it can make people lose that confidence in it. It is, therefore, my desire and appeal that the Government ensures that works are expedited on all the Government assurances I have talked about.

Madam Speaker, the last thing I want to talk about is the assurance that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning made when he was presenting the 2024 Budget. He assured the people of Chinsali that an airport was going to be constructed in the district this year. However, that decision has changed. The airport project has been moved to Nakonde, yet the hon. Minister has not informed Parliament or, at least, just had the courtesy of informing the people of Chinsali.

Madam Speaker, with those few remarks, I support the Committee’s report.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kafwaya interjected.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte, do you have a point of order?

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for according me this opportunity to raise a point of order on Hon. Kaliye Mandandi and Her Honour the Vice-President.

Madam Speaker, Hon. Kaliye Mandandi is the chairperson of your Committee on Government Assurances, and Her Honour the Vice-President chairs Parliamentary Business meetings within Cabinet and she is also the Leader of Government Business in the House. Her Honour the Vice-President and Hon. Kaliye Mandandi brought a report to this House, which is under consideration. This report has 129 pages. However, these 129 pages do not contain an assurance by the Government to reduce the cost of mealie meal.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, Standing Order No. 204(3)(a), which is about the Committee on Government Assurances, states as follows:

“The Committee shall perform the following functions:

Scrutinise the assurances, promises or undertakings given by the Vice-President or a Minister on the Floor of the House.”

Madam Speaker, you may agree with me that several hon. Members of Parliament, particularly those on your left, have raised issues directed to Her Honour the Vice-President on how the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government is going to reduce the cost of mealie meal, and Her Honour the Vice-President has made declarations on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Member of Parliament for Sioma, who is the chairperson of the Committee on Government Assurances, and Her Honour the Vice-President in order to bring a 129-page report without an assurance concerning the reduction of the cost of mealie meal? This is something that has been pronounced not only by Her Honour the Vice-President, but also by the hon. Minister of Agriculture and several other hon. Ministers.

Interruptions

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, I can hear someone shouting, “Question!” It only demonstrates to me that some of the hon. Ministers in the UPND Government do not want their Government to reduce the cost of mealie meal.

I seek your ruling on that matter, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you were supposed to be specific and brief, but you went on debating. We have no control over what the Committee is supposed to bring out or cover in its report. It is up to the Committee to state its programme of work in terms of what it wants to cover in the report. We have no control over that and, therefore, you are actually out of order.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Rev. Katuta (Chienge): Madam Speaker, the debaters who spoke before me laboured to describe or explain what a Government assurance is.

Madam Speaker, I will take the House quickly to page No. 23 of your Committee’s report, which talks about water reticulation in Chienge. The Government assured the people of Chienge that there would be three water reservoirs constructed at a cost of K30 million and that by the end of 2022, the district would have water. Further, I move to page No. 31, which talks about Kalungwishi Boarding Secondary School also in Chienge. There was an assurance by the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development that a phased approach would be used to complete the construction of the school. That is a total mockery of the people of Chienge. I feel sad because it is like the people are being taken for granted. Water is life and according to the charter of the United Nations (UN), no one should be deprived of the human right to access clean water.

Madam Speaker, this year is 2024, and I have not seen any contractor on any site in Chienge for the projects I have mentioned. I have not even seen any contractor using water pumps to give water to the people of Chienge from Kalungwishi River, Lake Mweru or any other source. Therefore, I urge the Executive to remain mute rather than give fake promises to the people of Chienge. Everyone is looking up to the Government to supply clean tap water, and there is a Government assurance in the report regarding this issue. I have read the report, and it shows that nothing has been done for Chienge. Should the Executive be what we say in Bemba, ukalamyanga abantu mumatwi?

Hon. Members: Meaning?

Rev. Katuta: Madam Speaker, that means entertaining the people’s ears so that they feel that the Government is doing something. That puts the area Member of Parliament in an awkward position. Three days ago, a group of youths who have a WhatsApp group invited me to be interviewed about the water situation in my area. As far as they are concerned, the people of Chienge are supposed to have water. There was an assurance given by the Government, and the youths watched that on Parliament Television. They were promised that in the fourth quarter of 2022, three reservoirs would be constructed in Chienge, but we are in 2024.

Madam Speaker, my earnest appeal to the Executive is that it should not mock the people of Chienge. We have suffered enough. The kind of water that the people of Chienge drink is poisonous because it contains high volumes of salt. When I ask for water infrastructure to be provided, the Executive says that it is constructing water reservoirs that cost K30 million. If I may ask, where has that K30 million gone? The assurance means that K30 million was allocated for the water reservoir project. Where is that money? There is no contractor in Chienge constructing a water reservoir.

Madam Speaker, I have talked about the construction of a boarding school in Chienge, which can take in thousands of children and prevent young girls from getting pregnant or getting married early. That school is a far-fetched story for us in Chienge. I beg the Executive to not advertise the Kalungwishi project. It should just get any contractor to complete that big project.

Madam Speaker, my appeal to the Executive is that it should have proper answers for us, hon. Members of Parliament, so that our people in the constituencies know that they are being taken care of and not being mocked. This is my second term as a Member of Parliament. I want to tell the Government that if it does not provide water, construct the Kashikishi/Lunchinda and Lambwe/Chomba roads, and not complete the other projects for the people of Chienge, it would have taken the people for granted and, in 2026, members of the Executive should not come to Chienge.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Kolala (Lufubu): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, on behalf of the people of Lufubu, I thank the Committee chairperson and the seconder for bringing the Motion to the Floor of the House.

Madam Speaker, the report is gratifying to the people of Lufubu because many issues to do with Ngabwe District are outlined. There are many issues in the report on Ngabwe District, but I am prompted to only talk about four of them. On page No. 45, the Kabwe/Ngabwe Road is mentioned. The people of Lufubu thank the Government for having assured them that works on the road would commence. At present, the works are happening. The only thing that the people request is that the Road Development Agency (RDA) must be properly supervised even as it is doing a good job. I think that the RDA can do better than it is doing now. There are areas where it has not done a good job. The best thing for it to do is go back and redo the work. As a country, we should not spend more money fixing the road after works have been completed. Further, if it is possible, the people of Lufubu request that the Kabwe/Ngabwe Road be improved to bituminous standard before 2026. I know that the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development is working on the road. I pray that the improvement of the road to bituminous standard will work out.

Madam Speaker, on page 51, Ngabwe District feeder roads have been addressed. Again, on behalf of the people of Lufubu, I thank the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for including works on the feeder roads in the area in their response. For the first time, Ngabwe will have feeder roads. The only request that the people have is that the contractor moves on site as soon as possible because it will be difficult to move equipment to the sites when the rainy season starts. I plead with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to ensure that the contractor goes on-site by the end of this month if it is possible.

Madam Speaker, on page No. 81, there is an issue of infrastructure development in Ngabwe. The houses that are being constructed by the Government are almost complete, but the pace at which the work is moving is too slow. Therefore, I request the Government to move faster and ensure that this infrastructure is completed as soon as possible. I know that it is doing a good job.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, I will talk about the civic centre being built. The work on that infrastructure is too slow as well. All in all, the people of Lufubu Constituency thank the Government for those projects because now the reports on the Floor of the House talk about Ngabwe. This is so gratifying.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Chibuye (Mkushi North): Madam Speaker, I will debate the report from a general perspective and not restrict myself to a specific area or constituency.

Madam Speaker, even though every Committee is important, I think that this Committee should be given more time because of the loaded Action-Taken reports that it deals with. We are talking about Government assurances from ten years or fifteen years ago in the reports. So, the Committee should be given enough time to interrogate the assurances. There is no point in interrogating assurances that are ten years old; it does not make any logical sense. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), is almost up-to-date with all the happenings in the nation because it interrogates current issues. However, the Committee on Government Assurances interrogates old issues such that we do not know when they will be actualised. Let us be mindful of the fact that we look at assurances from the Government that should come to fruition within the shortest time.

Madam Speaker, that brings me to the point about who appears before the Committee. The controlling officers appear before it, but that is not enough. We need to up the game and invite other witnesses, especially from the ministries, to appear before the Committee. We should not only have controlling officers appearing before the Committee but also hon. Ministers. Hon. Ministers should appear before the Committee because they look at policies and they are the ones who make the assurances on the Floor of the House. As the witnesses appear before this Committee, let the hon. Ministers also defend the assurances that they make. That will help the Committee to come up with very viable reports.

Madam Speaker, let me also bring to the attention of the House the fact that the Committee’s proceedings are not televised or broadcast on radio. The issues that are brought out during the Committee hearings are important and viable. Therefore, they have to be heard by the public. However, currently, when the witnesses appear before the Committee, the proceedings are not televised or broadcast on radio.

Madam Speaker, let me also hasten to mention that the time that is given to your Committees for the tours is not adequate. I know that, across the board, they should be able to undertake local tours within the specified days. However, considering the backlog of the assurances, why not allocate some of the Committees more time to look at the assurances or any other reports that may be deemed viable so that they can come up with good reports unlike restricting every Committee despite the workload that they have. Some of the Committees should be given more time to interrogate the assurances, which include the recent and past assurances.

Madam Speaker, I am sure that the interrogations that were made are not even for the recent assurances, but for the past. When will the assurances that are being given now going to be interrogated? Is it five years from now? What would the purpose be? Some of the hon. Members of the Committee might not even be present by then. So, let us ensure that even as the hon. Members of the Committee move around to form their reports, they speak to the current assurances, which they know and, indeed, have institutional memory of.

Madam Speaker, I thought I could add those words to the debate on this report as I support it.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutelo (Mitete): Madam Speaker, I will go straight to pages No. 73, 74 and 75 of the report. I wish to state that a Government assurance remains a promise or a guarantee. So, picking it from the recent debater, there are assurances that were made ten years to fifteen years ago. When an assurance is made, there must be political will, economic growth and stability for it to be fulfilled. According to this report, one or two old assurances are now being answered. It takes the Government's political will to do that. Pages No. 73 and 74 of the report indicated that ten staff houses have already been completed in Mitete. So, why not give those houses to the teachers whom the Government employed?

Madam Speaker, on pages No. 74 and 75, the report shows that the New Dawn Government will fulfil the assurance on the Tateyoyo/Katunda Road. That will be done in the last quarter of this year. This goes with the political will of the Government of the day and the discipline in the way the finances of the country are handled.

Madam Speaker, the Government has to start with the mines. It has to first bring back Mopani Copper Mines PLC and Shaft 28 into operation, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: … so that we can generate the resources needed to fulfil Government assurances. The Government must have the political will.

Madam Speaker, for example, when the hon. Member for Gwembe was looking for a wife, the assurance was given.

Laughter

Mr Mutelo: So, with the assurance given, the hon. Member went ahead to marry his wife.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Is that in the report?

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, I withdraw that part. I was just giving an example to help us understand Government assurances.

Madam Speaker, we have been asking for the erection of communication towers in some parts of the country on the Floor of the House. With the debt restructuring deal done, we will start seeing some of these projects being worked on. The Government can employ teachers and nurses now. However, there are still some assurances that were made ten years to fifteen years ago that have not been fulfilled. With the restructuring of the debt, the New Dawn Government should be able to fulfil a number of assurances. We are waiting to see staff houses in Mitete worked on. We are also waiting for the Government assurance on the Tateyoyo/Katunda Road to Lukulu, Watopa and Mwembezhi to be fulfilled. We have the confidence that it will be fulfilled because there is light at the end of the tunnel with the mines coming on board. That is how Government assurances should be handled. It is not chipante pante. Chipante pante means abracadabra with everything being done upside down and in total confusion. We have to work methodically.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, that is how we should handle Government assurances.

Mr Nkandu: Indeed!

Mr Mutelo: Madam Speaker, for Government assurances to be fulfilled, there must be political will and economic stability. So, whether it takes ten years to fifteen years, the New Dawn Government, under the leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema, will attend to some of these assurances. For example, in Mitete works on some road projects have stalled for ten years. This year, the Tateyoyo/Katunda Road will be attended to. No wonder I gave the example of the hon. Member for Gwembe.

Madam Speaker, allow me to end by thanking your Committee for its good work. Indeed, the work of your Committee has shaken the Government by bringing to light what is supposed to be done. Rest assured that this Government has the political will, and is working on the economy by responding to the assurances.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I am a man of few words today. I also want to put my voice on record.

Madam Speaker, your Committee on Government Assurances has bemoaned the pace at which the assurances are being implemented. The report indicates that some assurances go as far back as ten years ago. Out of the reported 212 outstanding assurances, only about thirty were completed in the last Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly. It is important to, perhaps, remind ourselves of our role, as the august House. Being one of the arms of the Government, we have three distinct responsibilities; to legislate, pass the Budget and provide oversight to the Executive. Part of what we do in the House and through your committees is how this Parliament provides oversight to the Executive. I fear we risk becoming a rubber stamp if we do not pay attention to what the Executive does regarding the issues that we bring forward to it. If it takes ten years for the Executive to work on the promises it makes, we must follow-up. When we talk about assurances, they are undertakings or commitments made by the Government. We do not force the Government to make commitments to do those things, it makes those commitments.

Madam Speaker, I empathise with the hon. Ministers because it is clear that whenever they respond to requests that are made by the hon. Members, there seems to be a response that is almost recited. The hon. Ministers are almost starting to sound like broken records because they have a common response, an example is when they say that the Government is going to attend to a particular request when funds permit. We have trouble reporting back to our people about what actions are being taken to address their issues.

Madam Speaker, you may wish to note that one of the biggest problems I have in my constituency is addressing water provision. Out of the eight wards in Nkana, one ward, Mindolo, needs about K53 million to deal with the water problem. It would take almost four years’ worth of the current Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation to attend to just one problem of water provision in that ward because even if we have enhanced the CDF allocation to K30.6 million, the only component we can use to deal with community problems is about K14 million to K15 million. So, if you compare that amount with the K53 million that I need to work on a problem in one area, it would take forever to resolve issues. It will take the whole period of being a Member of Parliament for me to address that problem. That is why when we bring issues to the Central Government, we, basically, ask it to come on board. Further, can you imagine that works on Chibuluma Road will cost K93 million? If I had not made “noise” for two years, I would have been a laughing stock in Nkana.

Mr Mubika: You are still a laughing stock.

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, how can we handle these problems? It seems that the common denominator in addressing these problems and assurances is the resources. We have been talking about issues of resources today. If we are serious about addressing the challenges of the people, then, we should not be wasteful. We should harness all the resources we have. There is no way a country grappling with many challenges would be reporting the misappropriation of US$13.5 billion. There is no way that a country grappling with many problems can attend to only thirty assurances out of 212, yet people are sharing money from fake compensation schemes in Central Government chambers. Those are the resources that we should harness to attend to the problems we have. If we are committed to addressing the problems that are brought to this august House by the hon. Members on your right and left, there is no way we could be making reckless decisions, such as allowing US$2.7 billion to be transferred to Panama just like that.

Madam Speaker, there is no way that a country grappling with many problems, like electricity blackouts, would allow a company that owes the Government US$1 billion in taxes to only pay US$23 million. If we are a group of people committed to addressing the needs of our people, we should not be wasteful. The revelation made about the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) gives me shivers. I feel sick because people who act like angels and promise to stay away from bad vices they sing about, cannot be as wasteful as the reports we are reading indicate. We are failing our people because we prioritise our interests, as opposed to the interests of our people.

Madam Speaker, in this day and age, when a country is endowed with huge deposits of resources like gold, sugilite, lithium, cobalt and manganese, there is no way it must continue borrowing and servicing debts.

Madam Speaker, some of the infrastructure that has not been attended to is going to waste, yet students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) squat in unhealthy situations or accommodation. We have infrastructure projects that we could have easily completed to address such challenges if we were harnessing the resources properly. The US$13.5 billion that was looted could have addressed problems faced by the students. Students at the Copperbelt University (CBU) also squat in ram shackles and our people in Mindolo Township drink dirty water. If the people seated on your right had harnessed the resources that are being shared, many things would have been achieved. The resources are being shared through fake compensation schemes. For example, people meet and agree to take certain matters to court to get compensated. That money could have been used to address the issues your people bring to this august House. Out of 212 assurances, there would not have been only thirty met. 

Madam Speaker, I feel sad, as a young Member of Parliament, knowing that we are reckless people who allow wasteful expenditure when our people wallow with serious challenges.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We are now going to allow hon. Ministers to respond.

Hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics, you may proceed.

The Minister of Transport and Logistics (Mr Tayali): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion to adopt the Report of the Committee on Government Assurances, laid on the Table of the House for the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly.

Madam Speaker, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the Committee for its work in highlighting the progress made by the Executive on the many well-intentioned assurances made on the Floor of the House. As a ministry, we acknowledge the observations made and take note of the recommendations set out in the Committee’s report.

Madam Speaker, the report presents the broad ambitions of the Government to deliver development to all the corners of this great nation. The report also presents the challenges we face in the delivery of much-needed infrastructure given the challenging fiscal position the Government is in. The Government’s good intentions to deliver development to our people remain constrained due to the huge debt burden, much of which is linked to the many infrastructure contracts procured in the past without the commensurate allocation of resources.

Madam Speaker, despite the constrained fiscal environment, my ministry has continued to make progress in completing some of the many stalled projects. Just recently, we commissioned a number of Acrow bridges, district civic centres and other infrastructure that had stalled for a long time. While many projects remain stalled at different levels of completion, the ministry will continue to systematically address the problem in order to complete them. Indeed, we take note of projects such as the Chama/Matumbo Road, the Chinsali/Mpika Road and many others.

Madam Speaker, today, we seem to have learnt of a new currency that this House may not have been aware of called the ‘European Pound’ that one hon. Member referred to.

Madam Speaker, my ministry will analyse each project highlighted in the Committee's report, and report back on the progress, and the way forward on the efforts being made to complete them.

Madam Speaker, transparency and accountability are our core governance principles in undertaking infrastructure projects. We have instituted rigorous oversight mechanisms to ensure that public funds are used efficiently and effectively. We are further reviewing all stalled projects to ensure prioritisation of those that are critical to improved delivery of public services. This is also being done to safeguard public resources already invested in the projects.

Madam Chairperson, as we look ahead, I want to assure you –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, we are not in Committee.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, sorry.

Laughter

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, as we look ahead, I want to assure you that the Government will continue to prioritise infrastructure development, as the cornerstone of our national development agenda. We will forge ahead with determination; harnessing innovation and international best practices, to build stronger, more interconnected and resilient infrastructure. We shall also continue to be guided by the three principles put forward by President Hakainde Hichilema of infrastructure procured at the correct price, delivered to prescribed quality and delivered on time. The observations and recommendations of your Committee are, therefore, critical, as they will help the Government ensure that projects are delivered in line with the President's directives and decisions, in alignment with the National Development Plans (NDPs) and priorities.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I wish to register my support for the work of your Committee and reiterate the New Dawn Government's commitment to addressing the issues raised in the Committee's report.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

The Minister of Health (Mrs Masebo): Madam Speaker, firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to you for allowing me to respond to the report of the Committee on Government Assurances. I sincerely appreciate the efforts of your Committee members in preparing the report.

Madam Speaker, we have carefully considered the observations and recommendations made by your Committee regarding my ministry. As per our standard practice and procedure, my ministry will provide a detailed Action-Taken Report for this august House. However, allow me to give my specific and general comments on some of the observations and recommendations made by your Committee.

Madam Speaker, on actualising the provision of health services to the poor and vulnerable, I wish to update the House that the following has so far been done towards the achievement of universal health coverage:

1. mapping the distribution of the poor and vulnerable under the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme was conducted. The aim of this exercise was to assist in planning for accreditation of institutions that would provide health services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to the poor and vulnerable households in the country;
2. accreditation of identified facilities from the mapping exercise is ongoing. The National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) has been directed by the Government to ensure that each district has a NHIMA-accredited health facility and NHIMA registration presence. NHIMA is prioritising the accreditation of all Government hospitals throughout the country as they serve most of our population. So far, I am happy that this year, over forty-five mini-hospitals have been accredited countrywide. We are also accrediting rural and urban points, and those are health facilities that we think are good enough to do that. We hope that by the end of this year or even before, every district will have NHIMA presence and accredited public facilities;
3. the Government, through NHIMA, has put in place measures to ensure that all elderly citizens and established residents aged sixty-five and above are registered and have access to NHIMA services for free; and
4. the Government, working with co-operating partners, has begun the registration process to bring on-board 100,000 SCT beneficiaries as NHIMA members. In addition, NHIMA has launched a nationwide registration exercise to increase membership to the scheme, especially those in the informal sector, in our drive towards universal health coverage.

Madam Speaker, in line with your Committee’s recommendation, my ministry, through NHIMA, is reviewing the benefit package and financing modalities to enhance NHIMA’s collection capacity and financial sustainability. We hope that this will be done before the end of this year. NHIMA has also collaborated with mobile service providers to make it possible for members of the public to make contributions by simply dialling *115# on all the three mobile networks.

Madam Speaker, on the construction of Mulema Sampa Health Post in Malole, I wish to report to the House that all the outstanding works on the health post are completed and the incinerator has now been constructed at the facility. That will ensure that waste disposal is done, as per standard. However, the staff house is still under construction.

Madam Speaker, on the construction of the 650 health posts and other outstanding infrastructure projects, I wish to inform the House that significant progress has been made to have a contractor complete the remaining eighty-seven health posts countrywide. Currently, procurement processes are ongoing to engage a contractor following the expired contract of the previous contractor. It is hoped that once approvals from various stakeholders, who include the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General, are concluded, the contractor will re-mobilise within 2024. Other infrastructure projects cited in the report are at various levels.

Madam Speaker, on the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Bone-Scanning Machine, I wish to report that the Government plans to procure a Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT-CT) Scan machine for the UTH, and the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) commenced the procurement process. Further, the Government, through NHIMA, also procured one SPECT-CT Scan machine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for the UTH, which are currently under shipment.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, allow me to make specific statements relating to some of the statements that were made in the report regarding assurances and a seemingly non-positive response from the Government. When you look at this report, we all agree that many of these issues are ten years old. Obviously, with time and looking at the exchange rate of the United States (US) Dollar to the Zambian Kwacha, some projects are delayed because they become expensive.

Secondly, Madam Speaker, there has been a change in the Government. The priority of this Government has been to rationalise some assurances that were made on the Floor of this House for the sake of making them. Now, we have to implement some of them. I would like the hon. Members of this House and the public to appreciate that this Government will ensure that all the outstanding projects that are at 80 per cent are completed before beginning new ones. I think that this Government has lived up to its assurances except to say that some of them may not have been implemented not because the Government does not want to work on them, but that those assurances could have been planned without due reference to other issues.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, I want to reiterate my gratitude to your Committee for this report. I have taken note of the observations and recommendations that were made.

Madam Speaker, I support the adoption of this report by the House.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Before the hon. Minister of Energy presents his statement, there is an indication for a point of order.

What is the point of order, hon. Member?

Mr Chisanga: Madam Speaker, I was reluctant about raising this point of order because I have just seen the hon. Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development enter the Chamber.

Madam Speaker, I want to find out if the House is in order to continue with the proceedings when the quorum has collapsed, going by the required number.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Usually, the Clerks-At-the-Table advise me if there is no quorum.

Madam First Deputy Speaker consulted the Clerks-At-the-Table.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I am advised that we have a quorum.

Hon. Minister, you may proceed.

The Minister of Energy (Mr Kapala): Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you, most sincerely, for allowing me to give a few remarks on the Motion to adopt the Report of the Committee on Government Assurances for the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly.

Madam Speaker, I also wish to thank and appreciate the Committee for the work it did in reviewing the new submissions. The Committee made observations on outstanding assurances from the Action-Taken Report submitted by my ministry, which have been well received. Among the notable observations include the following:

Pending Electricity Connections in Kalabo

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Energy, through ZESCO Limited, is pleased to inform this august House that all the twenty-seven pending works involving electricity connections for individual customers in Kalabo were completed by September 2023.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapala: Kalabo is not a rural area anymore.

Electrification of Some Areas in Katombola Constituency

Madam Speaker, the Nyawa Grid Extension Project has since been completed. It was commissioned in the first quarter of 2024 at a total cost of K23.2 million. Further, under the 2024 Work Plan and Budget, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has commenced the implementation of the Kauwe Grid Extension Project at a contract sum of K12.9 million. The project involves the electrification of Kauwe Primary School, Kauwe Secondary School, Kauwe Rural Health Centre, the market, Bowwood Community School and surrounding areas. The scope of work involves the construction of 25 km of 33 kV Overhead lines and 3.5 km of 0.4 kV Overhead lines. This project was handed over to the contractor on 16^th July, 2024, and the project duration is forty weeks.

Connection of Health Facilities in Kasenengwa Constituency

Madam Speaker, in line with the activities outlined in the Energy Sector Drought Recovery Plan, REA re-aligned the activities in its 2024 Work Plan and Budget to increase the number of projects powering small-holder farmers for irrigation in selected farming blocks. Due to the Budget re-alignment, the funds allocated to the Chizenje Project, among the other projects, were re-aligned to agricultural support projects. The project will be implemented under the 2025 Work Plan and Budget under a phased approach, and the remaining health facilities will be electrified in subsequent years.

Electrification of Chiefdoms in Milanzi Constituency

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Chieftainess Kawaza Grid Intensification Project commenced in the first quarter of 2024 following contract clearance. At the end of the second quarter, the project was in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. Further, the Kathumba Grid Extension Project was completed and commissioned in the last quarter of 2023 at a total cost of K15.3 million.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, the Government is committed to ensuring that electricity projects are completed within the specified timeframe because access to electricity fosters the growth of industries and creates jobs. Electrification raises the standards of living and overall improvement in the quality of life for our people.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

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ADJOURNMENT

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

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The House adjourned at 1827 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 18^th July, 2024.

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