Debates- Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011

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DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY 

 Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER
__________

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MR SPEAKER

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND SIXTEEN DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that the National Assembly will, on Monday, 28th November, 2011, join the rest of the country and the international community in commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence which will cover the period ranging from Friday, 25th November, to Saturday, 10th December, 2011. The national theme for 2011 is “Create Peace in the Home for Peace in Zambia. United We Stand to End Violence against Women and Children”.

As this event will be commemorated at national level, selected hon. Members of Parliament will participate in the match past on Friday, 25th November, 2011. Details of the programme will be availed to all the hon. Members in due course.

The National Assembly will also hold a sensitisation day for hon. Members of Parliament and staff of the National Assembly on Monday, 28th November, 2011 to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.

 Lunch, on Monday, 28th November, 2011, will be provided for all hon. Members of Parliament at Parliament Buildings. Thereafter, the support to the HIV Aids Response in Zambia will hold a sensitisation talk on HIV and AIDS for all hon. Members of Parliament from 1400 hours to 1630 hours. All hon. Members of Parliament are invited to attend this very important sensitisation day and should be seated in the auditorium by 0900 hours.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FOR THE IPU ZAMBIA NATIONAL GROUP

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform you that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Zambia National Group will hold its first annual general meeting for the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly tomorrow Thursday, 24th November, 2011, at 1000 hours in the auditorium at Parliament Buildings. This being the first meeting, the main business will be to elect members of the executive committee who, according to the rules of the IPU Zambia National Group, shall be vested with the task of managing the group. Hon. Members are encouraged to attend the annual general meeting.

I thank you.

___________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MOTOR VEHICLES FOR DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS

29. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Vice-President:

(a) how many motor vehicles were purchased for District Commissioners (DCs) from January, 2010, to October, 2011; and

 (b) what the total cost of the procurement above was.

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, the Government purchased seventy-four Landrover Defender 110 station wagons for DCs between January, 2010 and October, 2011.

The total cost of the motor vehicles purchased for DCs during the said period was K17,100,475,000.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I would like to know whether all the vehicles have been distributed to various districts.

Dr Scott: Mr Speaker, I am afraid I do not have the information which is required to answer that question. I know that the vehicles were brought into the country as I remember seeing them about six months ago. I should imagine they have almost all been distributed.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

WINDFALL TAX

30. Mr Chisanga (Mkushi South) asked the Minister of Finance and National Planning whether the Government had any plans to reintroduce the windfall tax and, if so, when.

Dr Scott: Mr Speaker, there are no plans at the moment to reintroduce the windfall tax.

Mr Chikwanda walked into the Chamber.

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning may answer question number 30.

Dr Scott: Hon. Chikwanda are you set to take over the answering of the question?

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Mr Chikwanda): Yes, I am.

Laughter

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, let me apologise for arriving late. I had to sign an urgent letter meant for State House for Bills which will come to Parliament. I profusely apologise. No disregard is intended to the House.

Mr Speaker: Your apology is accepted.

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your kindness. The Patriotic Front (PF) Government has started to put in place measures aimed at addressing the challenges in the current tax system as a whole. The PF Government hopes that it will address the taxation and regulation issues in the mining sector as soon as possible. There are arrangements to get enhanced revenue from the mining sector while sustaining its viability.

Mr Speaker, we need to ascertain carefully …

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Chikwanda: … whether this is the appropriate time to effect such taxes. Going forward, the focus of Government regarding the mining sector will include:

(a) creating a robust system so as to ensure the accurate capturing of information relating to mining activities and exports;

(b) enhancing the human resource capacities in the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). This is fundamental in order to ensure that there is adequate capacity to conduct technical and financial mine audits; and

(c) enhancing the efficiency of the procedures involved in the issuance of mining permits and licences including the promotion of transparency in the approval process.

Mr Speaker, the Government believes that when the above is put in place, more revenues can be collected from the mining sector even without imposing the windfall tax.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisanga: Mr Speaker, during the campaigns, the PF Government promised the Zambian people that when it got into power, it would introduce windfall tax.

Sir, may the hon. Minister confirm to this august House that the PF Government misled the people of Zambia in order to win the elections.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, if one took the time to carefully read extensively the manifesto of the PF, he or she would find out that, it does not refer to windfall taxes in any way.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, the views which are held by some hon. Members both on the Opposition and the Government side regarding windfall tax do not reflect the position of the Government regarding the matter.

However, the windfall tax concept can only be tenable when the prices of the minerals are high. Commodity prices range from zero to infinity. When the prices of minerals start going up, it may be justifiable to impose windfall tax. Nevertheless, when the copper prices are going down like they are doing now, it is fatal or suicidal for a country to impose windfall tax unless it wants to tax the mines out of existence. My Government is not prepared to bear that responsibility.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Namugala (Mafinga): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning deny that his party, the PF promised the people of Zambia that once in power, it would reintroduce the windfall tax.

Interruptions

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Mafinga whom I hold in the highest esteem has made a normative statement. I have no intention to dispute her value judgement.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, in the last sitting of this House, the PF and ourselves, the United Party for National Development (UPND), vehemently supported and voted for windfall tax on the Floor of this House, against the the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government. Is the hon. Minister telling us now that the policies of the PF have changed? Are you not introducing windfall tax because you now agree with the MMD’s stance regarding that tax?

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, so much water has gone under the bridge since that time.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chikwanda: It is important for us as a nation not to have immutable policies. These are policies which cannot be realigned or changed, depending on whether the circumstances warrant such at a turn of events.

Sir, the introduction of windfall tax is not part of the policies of the PF. The President has been categorical on this issue. He believes that the PF should not impose punitive taxes, especially, when they have the effect of putting certain industries out of existence.

Mr Speaker, I would like to advise hon. Members that there is no leadership of the nation higher than ourselves. So, we should always reserve the right to realign policies as and when circumstances so dictate.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, not long ago, the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Mr Sichinga, was quoted in the newspapers as having said that the reintroduction of windfall tax was being reconsidered and yet, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, on the other hand, was also quoted as having said that the tax was part of the country’s past.

Could the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning tell the nation and this House the actual position of the PF Government on this matter?

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, I have very categorically and, I think, audibly enough stated that the reintroduction of the so-called windfall taxes is not part of the PF policies for reasons, which I explained earlier. That is the position of the PF Government. Anything which is said which is contrary to that is the personal position of the person saying it.  Hon. Members here are free to express their views. If somebody wants to turn these views into Government policy, they have to submit a Government memorandum to Cabinet so that such views are approved by it. After that point, those can become  Government policies.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, I am impressed with the way the hon. Minister is answering the questions.

Sir, I would like the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning  to confirm that the MMD Government was right by not introducing the windfall tax.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, it would be a fundamentally flawed idea to think that every policy that the MMD Government stood for was wrong.
 
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikwanda: Sir, the MMD did a good thing to rethink the policy of windfall tax. The MMD Government decided at that opportune and appropriate time to do away …

Interruptions

Mr Chikwanda: … with windfall tax because it discovered that the idea behind it was a misconception. Thus, it turned round and did away with it, a move that a lot of us patriots on the Government side of the House warmly applaud.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, can the PF Government confirm, through the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, that it misled the nation over the windfall tax. Why did it do that?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: That question has already been answered.

Mr Kaingu (Mwandi): Through you, Mr Speaker, ba pongoshi,…

Laughter

Mr Kaingu: … do you agree that your failure to reintroduce the windfall tax is tantamount to obtaining votes by false pretences?

Laughter

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, I want to counsel my Ba Pongoshi, …

Laughter

Mr Chikwanda: … the hon. Member for Mwandi, that principles have to be divorced from tactics and strategies. Therefore, maybe, that was a tactic. It is quite distinct from principles.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC. (Muchinga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry and the hon. Minister of Mines and Natural Resources hold different views on windfall tax. The hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry religiously supports the reintroduction of windfall tax whereas the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is against it. This means that, publicly, you have differed on policies. Now, do you know that, under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Code of Conduct Act, a tribunal can be appointed …

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: … to remove you from your ministerial and parliamentary positions because you have violated the principle of collective responsibility? What is your comment on that? Are you going to submit yourselves to the jurisdiction of a tribunal?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, the Government is one and indivisible. We have a very neat division of tasks in the Government. The matters relating to taxation are a province of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. They are not necessarily his private turf because every other hon. Cabinet Minister has an input in that. Therefore, the issue of collective responsibility does not arise. In any case, where it arises, it should not be embraced or stretched to amount to collective irresponsibility.

I thank you.

SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER SCHEME

31. Mr Kaingu asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health:

(a) whether the Government had any plans to improve on the effectiveness of the Social Cash Transfer Scheme;
(b) when the scheme would be extended to all the districts in Zambia; and
(c) whether there were any plans to introduce other means of assisting the vulnerable such as the incapacitated and terminally ill people besides the Social Cash Transfer Scheme (SCTS).
The Deputy Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, the Government has the following plans to improve on the effectiveness of the Social Cash Transfer Scheme namely:

(i) establishment of an automated payment system that will ensure that payments are made on time and provide a means of savings for the beneficiaries;
(ii) the ministry is also in the process of finalising the development of a management information system (MIS) which will facilitate the systematic storage and use of information on the Social Cash Transfer Scheme in Zambia. The MIS will generate information for both policy makers and implementers on the impact of the scheme; and
(iii) my ministry has also recommended to the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) that the contractual staff managing the scheme at the headquarters be put on the Government payroll to ensure sustainability of the scheme. An authority to recruit has since been granted.
Mr Speaker, under the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with our co-operating partners, the Department for International Development (DFID), Irish Aid and United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Government will systematically scale up the Social Cash Transfer Scheme in a phased manner to all the districts, in Zambia, as and when resources are made available.

Sir, the ministry is implementing a number of programmes that provide welfare and empowerment support to the vulnerable, incapacitated and terminally ill people. These include:

(i) Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS);
(ii) care for the aged;
(iii) women empowerment;
(iv) food security pack; and
(v) rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Mr Speaker, with regard to introducing other means of support, the ministry is in the process of introducing a disability allowance for targeted persons with disabilities. This will be implemented in all the districts. The ministry is currently developing a memorandum to seek Cabinet approval to proceed with the implementation.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, when do you think this Social Cash Transfer Scheme will cover Sesheke District?

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, in my answer, I mentioned that we are going to scale out to all districts when funds are available.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

_________

MOTIONS

BUDGET 2012

(Debate resumed)

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, thank you for affording me this chance to contribute to the debate on the Motion on the Floor.

Sir, first of all, I wish to commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for acknowledging, in his Budget Speech, the marked economic strides achieved by the previous government, in particular his predecessor, Hon. Dr Musokotwane.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, it is also worth noting that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has committed itself to building on the foundation left by the previous regime. This is important and progressive for the betterment of our people.

Sir, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is not only a brave man, but he has also demonstrated that he is a true patriotic Zambian. He is an economist who could stand pressure in order to deliver a good Budget in the interest of the nation. Almost on every item of his speech, the hon. Minister never forgot to acknowledge the good works of the MMD Government. That is the way it is supposed to be.

Mr Speaker, the Budget Speech is a good one. First and foremost, what is a budget? It is a plan of revenue and expenditure. In Zambia, whether a person has gone to school or not, when they hear about a budget, they become interested and excited. What they simply want to see is what will happen to the taxes, prices of commodities and infrastructure development in the country. As we stand here, all of us, 158 hon. Members of Parliament, less by three, are all expectant that the Budget will deliver in all corners of the country. A budget is a tool to which expectations are high. If a budget does not address the expectations of the people, then, it is not a good one for the nation.

Sir, why did I say that this was a good Budget? It is because the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning stood up very bravely and acknowledged the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government’s efforts. Even today, he is still acknowledging them.

Mr Speaker, when our colleagues on your right, for example, the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, were here on the left side of the House, the windfall tax was a song of the day, every day and night. However, today, they have u-turned and are speaking the language which we knew and understood better. They did not know that the heat was so hot in the kitchen they were entering.

Laughter

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Muchima: It is not just a matter of merely going in and coming out. That is what it means to be in the Government. There are formulas which you need to apply, but you thought the windfall tax would be easy to cut and paste.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: You need to listen to technocrats.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Address the Chair.

Mr Muchima: Sir, these are the technocrats we left in those offices that the PF Government is firing. They are the ones who also prepared this Budget. We are happy and grateful that the PF has a wise hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning …

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: … who cannot be swayed by a few people who are greedy and selfish. I wish to urge the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to continue with this stance because we depend on him.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Zambia has grown because of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) mentality.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Muchima: The MMD broke away from UNIP. Those in the PF found us in here and, today, they are on that side. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should be correcting the young ones.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should help the young ones to be on the right path so that we can build this country collectively. This Budget should address the problems of Zambia as the MMD did.

Mr Mulenga: Where?

Mr Muchima: When the MMD was in power, I was hon. Deputy Minister for the Southern Province. In Livingstone, we dealt with the issue of the Bottom Road and left a contractor on site. The hon. Minister should justify the signature of the works we left. Today, most of the projects that we talked about in the Southern Province, such as the hydropower stations, Kafue Lower and Itezhi-tezhi, the road leading to the airport, and Zambezi Road and markets have been worked on.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: A lot more of the projects have been done and this has not only taken place in the Southern Province. I have restricted myself to it because that was the area which I last represented.

Mr Ngonga: Talk about the Budget!

Mr Muchima: I am talking about the issues which a budget can address.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Address the Chair.

Mr Muchima: Sir, I am talking about the importance of a budget. A budget must bring hope to the people. The reason I am praising the hon. Minister is because the PF Government has continued where the MMD left.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. B. Mwale: Zoona!

Mr Muchima: Except that there has been an increase on borrowing.

Hon. Government Members: Yaah!

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Nevertheless, our interest is how the Government is going to manage the borrowing and maintain the inflation rates. We left the inflation rate at 8.9 per cent, but we want to see them bring it to 5 per cent.

Mr Speaker, we are grateful that the PF Government has thought about increasing the chiefs’ subsidies. Just a few days ago, the subsidies were doubled and so they will have more money in their pockets. However, the Government has forgotten about the teachers, policemen and women and yourselves.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: You have also forgotten about the kaponya on the street, …

Laughter

Mr Muchima: … and yet you said there would be more money in their pockets within ninety days. We need more money in the pockets by having increments; by retaining the inflation rate; and by building roads everywhere. However, when I look at this Budget, it has not addressed every individual constituency despite it being a good one.

Mr Mulenga: Ubulimi bwakale tabutalalika mwana!

Mr Muchima: My PF colleague in the Back Bench, you must be careful because you might not come back.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: I am talking like this because I have been here before …

Laughter

Mr Mulenga: Twalibwela kale!

Laughter

Mr Muchima: … and I am still coming back.

Mr Speaker: Address the Chair.

Interruption

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, my colleagues in the PF Back Bench are speaking as though they are hon. Cabinet Ministers, and yet they are not there when decisions are made.

Mr M. H. Malama: Address the Chair!

Mr Muchima: I am addressing the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. Just support what I am saying and, maybe, you will benefit.

Hon. PF Back Benchers: Question!

Mr Muchima: Sir, the other day, Hon. Lubinda said that there was money available for the Constitution-making process. I find it difficult to comprehend that when they were so mean about increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). The CDF benefits the whole country, but the Constitution-making process involves only a few individuals. In fact, much of the work has already been done. What is required now is either to subtract or add whatever you want to be included, and yet you want to take one year on this process. In addition to that, because you are saying that there is no money allocated towards this in the Budget, you will get money from the reserves. In that regard, you have acquired K80 million …

Mr Kunda, SC.: They use contingent funds!

Mr Muchima: … from the contingency fund. We are saying that you should also use the same contingency funds to increase the CDF. That way, it will put more money into the pockets of the people in the villages.

Mr Muchima: I totally agree with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning when he says a villager is not interested in inflation rates or the gross domestic product (GDP). In fact, the majority of people do not even understand the GDP.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: People on which side?

Mr Muchima: On the right side of the House. There are more economists and accountants on this side than on that side.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, they do not even understand what they are talking about when they talk about the GDP. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should know that people now understand the CDF better, though there are a few cantankerous people who have gone out of their  way to say all sorts of things about it. The majority of Zambians have seen that …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Please withdraw the word ‘cantankerous’.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, I oblige and withdraw it.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: There are a few misguided people who have touched here and there, but the effect of the money under this fund is felt even in Shang’ombo and every remote part of this country. This is money that should be given priority and preferential consideration because people everywhere have benefited from it, including those from Kalabo. My brother from Luapula is not even aware that only a few days ago, a bridge on the main road in Ikeleng’i collapsed. I have talked to every Government official, but they all seem to be completely blank and do not even know where to start from. If money under the CDF was available, we would have used it to repair this bridge.

Mr Ngonga: You were in the Executive.

Mr Muchima: We were there, now we have handed over to you. Why have you gone into Government if you knew that you could not manage?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Address the Chair. You may want to address other people outside the Chamber but, in here, you have to address the Chair.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, why go after a Dora Siliya of today when you cannot even afford to buy her shoes and maintain her hair? She will just give you problems and bring misery into your life.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: My brothers and sisters that side should realise that running a government is not an easy task. It is a ‘hot’ responsibility. If they continue persecuting the members of the MMD, they will fail to run the country properly. Their ninety days deadline will soon be up while they concentrate on attacking the MMD. As MMD, we have left a legacy and made history. They have not yet made history.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, when a man marries, he is given latitude of, at least, five weeks, one month or even two years. If, after three to five years, there are no results, the man will be taken to task.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, these are important issues. Our friends on the other side should sit down and start making plans on how they will make history in this country. We, on this side, have a history of success. UNIP has a history to talk about. However, the PF has not made any history at all.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Of course, the only history they have made, today, is that of taking care of our chiefs. The other history this Government is making is chasing after the MMD to find its members with cases to answer.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

I know it is permitted to draw parallels and analogies of whatever description, but bear in mind that there is a very specific Motion under debate and that is the Budget. We should use our time as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Speaker: You are free to refer to parallels, analogies, examples and so on and so forth, but there is still business to be transacted here, which is the Motion under discussion.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your guidance, but my colleagues on your right should stop heckling.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: I noted that in this Budget, the hon. Minister has increased grants to councils. The councils in Zambia are not mature enough yet. I had a privilege to work in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. There is so much we can do but, first and foremost, the councils need to mature. They are not capable of creating wealth on their own. Even if we have increased the grants to them, if we do not retrain local authority staff and change their mindset, we are just wasting this money. This money to councils should be checked because their priorities are different from what the nation expects of the councils.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ngonga: You should have started with that.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, poverty reduction has been the cry of everybody. However, I want to say that Zambia is not the way it was when we were young. Today, Zambia is a changed and ‘spiced’ country. We used to flock to Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Malawi and Namibia. Today, the people in these countries are coming to Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: There are shopping malls on every corner and more are being built everyday. Very soon, they will even be in shanty compounds. They are in Ndola and everywhere else now. This means that we have a strong foundation for development.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should have just congratulated the MMD. Of course, since the Ruling Party wanted to win the elections, it had to use certain tactics. Otherwise, my colleagues on the other side are still a very good lot indeed.

Mr Speaker, we should not make a budget a trivial issue. The Budget is what gives hope for a better life for the poor in this country. Some people are saying that they have been in the Government for just a few days and so on and so forth. That should not be an excuse. When one intends to marry, he plans how he will look after the marriage or the wife. My brothers and sisters in the PF had ten years to think of a big plan and make a shadow Cabinet and structure of expenditure. I have listened to some of their plans before but, now, that they are in the Government, they are getting surprised. Why get surprised?

Laughter

Mr Muchima: They should not get surprised, but get to work because we want results. They said in ninety days they will construct roads for us. I am still waiting for my road, the T5, to be constructed. That is an important road and it is from Livingstone through Kazungula to Jimbe. However, it is not mentioned in the Budget.

Mr Speaker, for the entire North-Western Province, where most of the Government revenue is generated, only the Mumbwa/Kasempa Road or something like that has been mentioned in the Budget. The rest of the roads in the North-Western Province have not been allocated money for construction. Even if people this province did not vote for the PF, it is in power and, therefore, has the responsibility to look after everyone, including prisoners and imbeciles. Even Mr Mwale, my nephew, here, should be taken care of day and night.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: If the Ruling Party will be using a segregative approach, then it is not worth being in the Government. It needs to show its worthiness by attracting us, the same way a fish is attracted to a bait on a hook and then we can follow.

Mr Speaker, that said, I would also like to say that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is doing very fine. There is a need for three or four more hon. Ministers like him and then everything will be fine. The Government needs to look at what it has done for the North-Western, Western and Southern provinces.  After analysing this, the Government can then address issues at the constituency level. Thereafter, the Ruling Party can then put on the table what it has delivered to the people of Zambia instead of merely …

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: I am talking about the Budget. The Budget should address our problems. The Government is talking about alleviating poverty, but I want to say that there is no poverty in Zambia. Poverty should also be categorised in two aspects. There is genuine poverty and deliberate poverty.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Deliberate poverty is when somebody leaves his village without invitation to come and live in a shanty compound.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: He wakes up early in the morning everyday to stand in Katondo Street. What does he do? Those are the people who are causing us problems. They do not need any sympathy at all.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Genuine poverty is that of an old woman who has no children to take care of her. Those are the people we should sympathise with and talk about going to the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health to receive help. However, I do not know where the social welfare aspect in this ministry has gone.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Let us not be talking about able-bodied people who can use the rain or water and soil, which are readily available, to take care of themselves. These people should not be saying that they are poor and asking for money. By the way, all the kaponyas are expecting to have automated teller machine (ATM) cards …

Laughter

Mr Muchima: … so that they can just go and withdraw money, buy bread and then …

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: Kaponyas are those people who are found at the bus stops calling on people to get on buses. These are the same people my colleagues like my friend, Willie Nsanda, used.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: They are also called ngw’angw’azis. You will find them saying, “Hello Kitwe, Chililabombwe” and so on and so forth.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, we would like our brothers there to look at Zambia as a whole.

With these few words, Sir, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Kazabu (Nkana): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity to contribute to debate on the Motion of revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year 2012. Let me begin by congratulating Hon. Alexander Chikwanda, Minister of Finance and National Planning and the PF Government on a progressive and pro-poor Budget for the fiscal year 2012, presented on the Floor of the House on 11th November, 2011.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kazabu: To you, hon. Minister, I say well done. I also want to join the hon. Minister in acknowledging and appreciating the foundation laid by the previous Government for the future economic development of our country, notwithstanding the wrongs which they committed or may have committed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister’s commendation is not an act of patronage and appeasement but, rather, a demonstration of honesty, decency and patriotism.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Quality!

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, at the outset, I want to state that having studied the hon. Minister’s speech, it is, indeed, in tandem with His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata’s Speech during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, and the PF  Manifesto.

Hon. Government Member: Quality! You will become a Minister.

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, the 2012 Budget is a major milestone in the PF’s Government’s journey of duty and service to realise its goal of making Zambia a better place for all. The Budget has responded to many needs of our people under the four core programmes, namely education and skills, health services, agriculture and local government and housing development. To a large extent, it has also responded to some support programme such as infrastructure development.

Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the limitations of the national resource envelope, I now wish to bring out some positives and gaps of the 2012 Budget.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Next Minister!

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, let me talk about the growth of the national resource envelope. The growth of the resource envelope, from 21 per cent of GDP over the past three years, to 26.5 per cent, is a plausible move. This measure will make a little more financial resources available for economic and social development, resulting in reduced poverty levels. This is, indeed, a departure from the self-limiting mentality that has existed in the past.

Mr Speaker, the increase in the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) threshold from K1 million to K2 million per month is a very positive step. It will put more money in the pockets of the workers, especially the working poor. More money in the pockets of the workers will stimulate demand for goods and services which is essential for the economic growth of our country.

Mr Speaker, it surprises me to hear many of my colleagues on your left argue to the effect that this measure will only benefit 80,000 workers. I do not understand how they interpret the PAYE. My understanding is that each working person will begin from a position where the first K2 million of the individual salary will be exempt from tax, even for those that still earn below K1 million at the moment.

Mr Speaker, I want to submit to this august House that in the course …

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I apologise more sincerely to the whole House to have to stand on a point of order. In bringing out my point of order, I want to refer the House to Page 13 of the Budget Speech and under Paragraph 88 which says,

“Sir, as a first step to honour our commitments, I propose to double the exempt threshold for PAYE from the current K12 million to K24 million per annum. This translates into tax free income of K2 million per month and will result in more than 80,000 lowly-paid workers moving out of the taxable brackets.”

Hon. Government Members: It is more than that.

Mr Nkombo: Can you keep quiet, please.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana …

Mr Speaker: Order!

It is not in order to direct another hon. Member to keep quiet. That is a function of the Chair.

Can you continue, please.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, having quoted from the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning’s own submission at Paragraph 88, is the hon. Member for Nkana, therefore, in order to state that hon. Members on your left are insinuating that only 80,000 workers are going to benefit from this tax threshold when it is contained in this Budget Speech? I seek your ruling.

Mr Mulenga: It is more than that.

Mr Speaker: The paragraph that the hon. Member for Mazabuka Central has referred to clearly states that more than 80,000 workers will benefit from the proposed tax regime. How that 80,000 is arrived at, is open to interpretation. Therefore, the hon. Member is in order to explain how more than 80,000 citizens will benefit from the new proposed tax administration system.

May the hon. Member continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, all those of our colleagues who are employed and are paid below K1 million will also benefit from this measure as soon as they cross the K1 million mark. That will happen in the course of the 2012 fiscal year because, as we all know, various employers review and adjust salaries and wages of their employees, beginning 1st April of each year. This is what we call deferred relief or deferred benefits. What I mean is that, as soon as one crosses that K1 million mark, which, at the moment, is the tax threshold for one’s income to be exempted, one will benefit from the raised tax free band as well.

Mr Speaker, the increase in the mineral royalty tax from 3 per cent to 6 per cent is a timely move. This measure will make the mining companies contribute a little more to the National Treasury. With that little more, as a nation, we can do a lot to improve the lives of many Zambian people.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has increased the allocation to the education sector by 26.7 per cent to K4,850.5 billion. Out of this amount, K796.4 billion has been allocated for infrastructure development. This money will be used to complete the schools that are still under construction and to build another additional 2,000 classroom blocks. This is as it should be. We are putting our money where it matters most.

Mr Speaker, I am very interested in the scaling up of youth skills development programmes through the construction of an additional nine technical training institutes. At the moment, and if my memory serves me well, we have twelve of such institutions. However, they also require rehabilitation. In terms of developing youth skills, I want to submit to this House that our focus as a nation should be on the skills that are lacking at the moment. I have in mind bricklaying, plumbing, carpentry and joinery. These skills appear to be missing. No wonder we are now importing Chinese, South Africans, Zimbabweans and, recently, Kenyan artisans. This is sad for the nation. Therefore, there is a lot of wisdom in the hon. Minister allocating resources to developing such skills and prevent the use of expatriates.

Mr Speaker, out of the total amount of money which has been allocated to the education sector, the hon. Minister has stated in his Budget Speech that part of the money will be utilised to employ an additional 5,000 teachers. That is a progressive move.

Sir, the employment of the 5,000 additional teachers will only reduce the current shortfall of 14,000 teachers. However, it will not address the problem of the very high teacher-pupil ratio which, in some cases, stands at one teacher to seventy pupils. I do not see how we can talk about giving our children quality education with that kind of a ratio.

Mr Speaker, further, I would like to suggest to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning that a little more money be allocated to this sector. Although the allocation has been increased by 37.9 per cent to K1,698 billion in agriculture, the amounts of K500 billion to a redesigned input support programme and K300 billion for crop purchases for strategic food reserves falls short of what is required. I am aware that the Government is the buyer of the last resort. However, notwithstanding that, I would like to suggest that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning looks at the total Budget to see if it is possible for him to increase that allocation to approximately K2.5 trillion to cater for livestock development, fisheries and aquaculture.

The hon. Minister has talked about improving both production and productivity in the agriculture sector. That is as it should be and, with that in mind, I am also reminded of the very abnormal ratio of one extension service officer to 1,000 farmers. That does not augur well with the desire to increase production, and indeed, productivity in this sector.

Mr Speaker, in addition, I submit to this House that we also need to anchor our economy on livestock development. All hon. Members are aware that the European markets are yearning for our high quality beef, but for the cattle disease hindrance. It is against this background that more dip tanks need to be built in areas where they do not exist. By so doing, cattle diseases can be fought effectively. The Government should consider the agriculture sector to be very important because of its multiple benefits, namely; food security, economic growth and indeed, job creation.  I want to appeal to the hon. Minister to find money from some votes that can wait and push it in the agricultural sector.

Mr Speaker, on local government and housing development, the hon. Member who spoke before me talked about grants which have been increased by 100 per cent. However, I want to submit to this House that this is just a drop in the ocean because the local authorities countrywide are faced with many serious problems that include the local authorities failing to sustain their wage bills. They are failing to deliver quality services to their residents or citizens. They are also failing to invest in physical infrastructure.

Lastly, let me comment the issue of sanitation. This is a critical issue. I would like to appeal to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to consider allocating a substantial amount of money to a countrywide sewerage project so that pit latrines and communal toilets that exist in statutory residential areas are done away with.

Mr Speaker, once again, I would like to commend the hon. Minister for his progressive Budget.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Konga (Chavuma): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for allowing me to contribute to the Motion moved by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2012.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, allow me, however, to commend the hon. Minister for his magnanimity in acknowledging the very strong economic foundation left behind by the MMD Government.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Konga: The domestic growth we are expecting for this year at 6.5 per cent is higher than the global growth of 30 per cent and this is because of the very good policies the MMD implemented. I truly hope and trust that the PF Government will build on this foundation so that the theme of the Budget which is “Making Zambia a Better Place for All”, can be a reality for all the citizens of this country.

Mr Speaker, the Budget theme, “Making Zambia a Better Place for All” is very appropriate. It is very important that we, the national leaders, contribute to the realisation of this theme so that our people, wherever they are, can live a better life. However, this will require a lot of hard work. It is not by merely making pronouncements like more money in our pockets in ninety days, but also making sure that we are more focused as a country. We need to make difficult decisions like we have heard from the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning make the decision not to reintroduce windfall tax. The decision has been made in the interest of the citizens of Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, as regards the Budget, we are all aware that Zambia’s economy is copper based and, therefore, I concur with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning that we must diversify the focus of our Budget. In the Budget Address in the table on page 10, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has indicated the 2012 Expenditure by function. I commend him for having increased the agricultural sector allocation by about 38 per cent. However, we observe that 50 per cent of this agriculture budget is only going to two aspects of agriculture, that is, the FISP as well as the strategic food security reserves. This means that the other aspects of agriculture, especially as regards the diversification of the economy, will not be addressed. Agriculture is the mainstay of this economy, but we are not allocating adequate resources to the sector. We would like to see the establishment of disease-free zones so that we can breed more cattle, possibly for export and earn more foreign exchange. We would like to see the development of the irrigation sector so that we are not dependent on God all the time for water.

Zambia, as you are aware, Mr Speaker, is endowed with almost 40 per cent of the water resources in the SADC region. Therefore, it would be good to see that irrigation is adequately supported. Also, Zambia is endowed with a lot of surface water but, most of the times, our people go hungry. There is not enough fish in the Luapula Province and in other parts of the country, I am sure. We need to restock and apply more resources to the fish industry and aquaculture development.

Mr Speaker, the other point I would like to talk about is on energy. As the saying goes, ‘energy is to the economy as blood is to the body.’ Recently, we have had the challenge of inadequate energy to go round. Our industries are closing because of load shedding. I, therefore, commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for his kind consideration in allocating almost K1.4 trillion to the energy sector. I also observe that K864 billion is going towards the development of the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro-Power Project.

Mr Speaker, this is as it should be. Without energy, our economy will not grow. It is good that the hon. Minister has allocated this money to the energy sector so that, finally, the Government can develop the Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station, which can bring on board 700 megawatts of power. Imagine what 700 megawatts.  It will, truly, boost all economic activities in the country, be they in tourism, manufacturing or agriculture. Ultimately, our GDP will grow at the rate that it is planned to. This will also reduce the nuisance of load-shedding, which has negatively impacted many households because of the inadequate supply of energy around the country.

Mr Speaker, another commendable gesture is the hon. Minister’s allocation of K437 billion to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). Most of my colleagues will agree with me in welcoming this move because the REA implements various electrification programmes in the rural areas.

Hon. Member: Hear, Hear!

Mr Konga: It is undoubted that almost 70 per cent of the hon. Members of Parliament represent rural constituencies and will see the relevance of this allocation when the REA starts to implement various electrification projects.

Mr Speaker, while I commend the hon. Minister for all these things and take into account that the resource envelope is, truly, not adequate, I would like to urge him to urgently embark on other capital projects on the basis of the public-private partnership (PPP) mode so that we can release other resources for social development. We must let investors invest in other capital projects such as roads and power stations on the basis of the PPP mode.

Hon. Member: Chamwaza mwane.

Mr Konga: Vulye mwane.

Hon. Member: Hanjika mwata, hanjika!

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, most of the other issues in the Budget Speech have been adequately debated. Needless to say, the windfall tax, which I would have wanted to speak about, was also adequately debated on this afternoon.

Therefore, with those few words, I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC. (Muchinga): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the Budget Speech. As observed by many of those who have contributed, this Budget is essentially an MMD Budget.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: It would appear, to us, that it was plagiarised from the 2011 Speech delivered by Hon. Dr Musokotwane. However, we have no problem with that because the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has acknowledged the good work done by the MMD Government and, in particular, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, the immediate past hon. Minister of Finance and National planning.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, this is how it should be.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: As the MMD, we were very cautious in the way we managed national affairs.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: We planned our activities. We left you with the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) and, as mentioned by Hon. Mucheleka in one of his debates, the SNDP is a national document that came out of consultations with various stakeholders at the national level. Therefore, it is a document that you should embrace. In any case, it is gratifying to note that you will continue with the many developmental programmes under the SNDP, which include infrastructure development. It is good that you will continue with the FISP, construction of hospitals, schools, roads, multi-facility economic zones (MFEZs) and various other projects under the SNDP.

Mr Speaker, it is also gratifying to note that the benchmarks that you intend to achieve, on page 4 of the Budget Speech, include a real GDP growth of 7 per cent, attainment of end-year inflation rate of not more than 7 per cent and limiting the overall fiscal deficit to 4.3 per cent. All these are similar to the plans which the MMD had for this country for this year.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.:  This is commendable.

Mr Chikwanda interjected.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Yes. In fact, this is the reason our President decided to poach some Members of the MMD and appointed them hon. Deputy Ministers. He knows that they are from a party that believes in planning. We can say that we are running a coalition Government with the PF.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: This will ensure continuity. I feel pity for my friends, especially those from Luapula Province, who are in the Back Bench because the President has preferred to get enlightened hon. Members from the MMD.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: Maybe your chance will come. I can see that there are many brilliant hon. Members of Parliament from the Northern and Luapula provinces. Perhaps, your turn will come in the future.

Laughter{mospagebreak}

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we note that the Budget which was presented is K27 trillion. This money has to be collected and the donors have to make their contribution. It is hoped that the donor community and co-operating partners will honour their pledges and contribute.

Sir, we also hope that the PF Government, in coalition with us, will collect the taxes …

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: … to come up with the K27 trillion so that we implement the Budget.

Mr Speaker, the development of this country will depend on how the PF governs and manages the affairs of this country. If it proceeds with the haphazard implementation of the Budget, it might not realise its objectives.

Sir, the questions to be asked are: Will the PF respect the Budget and adhere to it religiously? Will our President, especially, respect the Budget? Will he not introduce ad-hoc measures or programme that are not budgeted for along the way? Are we committed to good governance and the respect for human rights?

Hon. MMD Members: No!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, those are very serious issues. If, along the way, the donor community detects that there is no respect for human rights and that there is bad governance, they will withdraw their support.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: If they sense that the Government is autocratic, repressive, dictatorial or corrupt, they will withdraw their support. For example, as the MMD, we have found out that investigations into allegations of plunder are being pursued in a lopsided manner against our members.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: For example, on donations, it is on record that one of the PF Members, Hon. Kambwili, got containers of medical equipment and computers from the United Kingdom (UK) and donated them to Roan Antelope Hospital. That is charitable work. If the same is done on the Opposition side, it becomes a crime or corruption.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, that kind of law enforcement constitutes bad governance.

Sir, I also advise them to pursue the Millennium Challenge Account Programme on good governance. You will get more money from the American Government by implementing this kind of programmes religiously.

Mr Speaker, we started programmes like the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). I advise them to continue implementing such programmes in order to get the support that we need as a country. For example, for the media, there are danger signs. The President is saying that we should now regulate the internet and that newspapers must be registered. Do you intend to introduce statutory regulation of the media? You must answer those questions.

Mr Speaker, that is what the media fought us for when we were in the Government. They fought us tooth and nail on that. Now, is the PF Government going …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Please, allow the hon. Member to contribute. May you continue.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, is the PF Government going to shut down internet publications like the Zambian Watchdog? Does it intend to clamp down on the media? What about civil society? Is it still as vibrant as it was during the MMD’s rule?

Hon. MMD Members: No!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Civil society organisations like Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) have now been appointed to some of the commissions. They are now quiet because you are eating together.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we want the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) to be as vibrant as it has always been.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! They are dead!

Mr Kunda, SC.: We want The Post to continue fighting for justice. If those from The Post start eating with the politicians and forget the people of Zambia, …

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: … they will be betraying the nation.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, the next question is: Is the investor confidence going to be sustained at the same level?

Now, what we mean by this …

Mr Mulenga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, if you checked my record, I have never risen on a point of order.

Mr Speaker: Order!

It is not criminal.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member for Muchinga, who is a Back Bencher and now debating in order to debate in the manner that he is doing? Instead of debating the Motion on the Floor of the House, he is debating cross-country, bringing in even institutions, like the LAZ, which are not here to defend themselves. I seek your serious ruling.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

As I understand the hon. Member for Muchinga, he is simply drawing a nexus or connection between good governance and budgetary support. So, he is order.

May the hon. Member continue, please.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, let me talk about labour relations, and it is good that the hon. Minister of Labour, Youth and Sport is here. Are we assured of stable labour and industrial relations in Zambia? This is very important.

Sir, there are a number of things that are important in the implementation of the Budget. We are introducing programmes that are not budgeted for. For example, we have appointed five or six commissions and people are getting money. I read on the Zambian Watchdog website that each commissioner is paid US$500 per sitting. We need clarifications regarding such issues. How much are those sitting on the commissions getting paid? How much are the sittings going to cost the nation? We need clear statements on such issues.

Mr Speaker, the Constitution review process will include a referendum. There are records here where hon. Members have asked how much it will cost to run a referendum. We have figures like K350 billion or K400 billion. So, the Government should tell us how much it is going to cost.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Why have they not budgeted for all these things? Can you do all these things from the contingency funding? Is that good budgeting?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, that is very poor budgeting. The Constitutional review process is already controversial.

   Members of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia have not been included on the commission and they are complaining. The President should listen to all those people who have been left out from the process, otherwise, we will end up wasting money at the end of the day because those who are against will campaign against the process and the referendum is going to fail. That is what is going to happen. President Sata is very kind. Already he has given chiefs K4.5 million per month. That is now the benchmark. We are all waiting for more money in our pockets.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, he has started with chiefs. From there, he will move to hon. Members of Parliament and then civil servants such as teachers, soldiers and the police. The MMD Government appointed a Public Service Salaries Review Commission which must have completed its work. I am sure the increment of salaries for everyone is in the pipeline. All of us, including kaponyas in the streets, need money. It should not just be 80,000 people. 

Mr Speaker, we also have the issue of Barotse Agreement. We promised that we were going to restore the Barotse Agreement. Its restoration has significant financial implications. Where is the allocation for the restoration of the Barotse Agreement in the Budget? If you read that agreement, you will see that when we restore it within ninety days, we are going to require a lot of money.

Sir, the Chongwe Commission is going around the country and the people sitting on it are making money. I think our listening President is going to attend to all these issues. At the end of the day, we are going to have money in our pockets. The process has begun with the chiefs. They have been given a 300 per cent increment. This is the benchmark. Therefore, we are talking about more than 80,000 people who have benefited from the K2 million tax exemption.

Mr Chikwanda interrupted.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we all need money. Zambia’s population is 13 million. The PF promised all of us that we were going to have more money in our pockets.

Mr Speaker, the other issue is that there is a lot of uncertainty in the governance of this country. The surrendering of a bank to its original owner and the reversal of its privatisation will lead to very expensive litigations.

Hon. Government Members: It is ok!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, have we budgeted for them? With us, we used to budget for things such as legal fees and the Constitution review process. Why have you not budgeted for all these things? Today, I was reading The Post. I think it is a very good newspaper.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, I needed another twenty minutes, but time has gone.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, before we went on break, I was praising The Post Newspaper for the way it does  its editorials. They are of a very high standard.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Sir, today, The Post has turned its arsenals from the MMD. It is now attacking the PF Government. That is how it should be.  Where mistakes are made, they should be pointed out and brought to the attention of the public. In this paper, the 2012 National Budget and the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning have been heavily criticised. He was writing very good articles before he became an hon. Minister and they have quoted him extensio on how he used to think at that time. Now, they are saying that he is just adopting the MMD Budget and that there is no correlation between the promises which were made when the PF was campaigning and the Budget. The Budget contains different things altogether. I think this is a very good newspaper.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, this paper has also talked about tribalism. It has cautioned the PF Government against the dangers of tribalism. This is very important and relevant to the implementation of the Budget. During our stay in power every province, without exception, was represented in the Government. The reason is simple. When you are making the Budget, every province should have an input. Now, if you have only one tribe in the Cabinet or 50 per cent of it being made up of one tribe, that is nepotism. Family trees or forests in a Cabinet have repercussions because …

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.:…there is a tendency of starting with your own family when you are sharing resources. That is dangerous for this country.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, let us promote the equitable representation which was started by Dr Kenneth Kaunda. I can see that Mr Sata is now very close to Dr Kenneth Kaunda. Therefore, they should discuss these things. We need equitable representation of all the tribes in the sharing of national resources.  I have run out of time.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Ms Siliya (Petauke): Mr Speaker, I am sure that I will be protected against the unnecessary heckling.

Sir, to begin with, I wish to share with the House something that I read. That is that we are told never to cross a bridge until we get to it, but that this world is owned by the men and women who have crossed bridges in their imagination far ahead of the crowd. Beginning with that, I do wish to congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for presenting a Budget Speech whose tone was really to reach out to all Zambians. Very early in his speech, he does as many others have actually pointed out, congratulate the MMD for setting a good foundation because he recognises that there have been many others before him and he can only continue from where they have left. With development, there is no finishing line. We just have to continue from where others left. He made a good case about the importance of micro stability which the MMD Government left. He also made a case that micro stability statistics are just one side of the story. The other side of the story involves actually attacking poverty, especially at household level.

Mr Speaker, during the course of my debate, I will also try to connect the Budget Speech to our mindsets. A budget is supposed to be an instrument that should make it possible for citizens to access and create wealth. However, this morning, while I visited the Task Force, I really wondered how we are going to access and create wealth, when we are seeing a trend in this country where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals are being criminalised for owning bicycles.

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Ms Siliya: Sir, the Budget, as an instrument for accessing and creating wealth, can be meaningful to Zambians as was alluded to earlier by Hon. George Kunda, SC.  Last year, instead of waiting upon Government, Hon. Kambwili, as a good hon. Member of Parliament used his initiative to source for equipment for a hospital in his area. He went out of his way to bring into the country two containers of hospital equipment. However, we are now seeing a trend in which initiatives to complement the Government’s developmental efforts are being questioned.

Mr Speaker, I do not know how the Budget, as an instrument for accessing and creating wealth, can truly be executed if respect for private asset ownership is not respected in this country.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I do not see the Budget delivering lasting benefits if, indeed, the owning of a simple electric bicycle, even by an hon. Member of Parliament, can be criminalised.

Interruptions

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I believe that it is very difficult for us to believe that we can continue to access and create wealth if, indeed, our mindsets, even as political leaders, are going to be that whenever we have a problem …

Mr C. Zulu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr C. Zulu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke in order to debate her case, which is under investigation, in this House.

Interruptions

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. B. Mwale: Seminar!

Mr Speaker: I think it is not correct. At least the Chair is not aware of any case in court.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: That is the first point. Secondly, I said yesterday that we should guard against bringing unrelated issues into this Motion. I note that there is a lot of ingenuity being applied to try and bring unrelated issues into the debate on the Motion. The Speaker can discern that ingenuity.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Please, let us refrain from using this Motion as a platform on which to air personal grievances.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I think we need to focus on the Budget. I know it may amount to trying to separate white from rice, but I still think we can manage not to mix issues. Earlier on, I stated that you can use analogies, parallels and examples, but still stick to the debate of the Motion on the Floor of the House. The Chair is able to discern any attempts to digress from the topic because of his background.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: I will not say much about my background.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I think it is in the public domain.

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: However, if you pursue that line, I am afraid I may have to stop you from continuing to do so.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: Long live the Chair!

Mr Speaker: May the hon. Member continue, please.

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I will continue to make my point about the Budget being an instrument to access and create wealth. We all must be in tune with the mindset of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, who has shown true leadership by trying to reach out to all Zambians.

Sir, I wish to share a story just to emphasise my point. While driving around my constituency in Petauke, I saw this very beautiful big house being constructed. When I asked who owned this house, I was told that it was a teacher. Subsequently, at one of the meetings in my constituency, I met this teacher and came to learn that his family was involved in cross border trading, especially that which involved maize. He was lucky he had very responsible sons because they did not steal from him. This enabled him to create wealth at household level.

Mr M. B. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: This means that this family did not wait for the Government to do something for them. This teacher was not of the view that he could not stay in a big house because he was a teacher. He took it upon himself to attack poverty at the family level.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: That is the mindset of that teacher, Mr Speaker. When I met him, I told him that he was lucky we were not in the UNIP times because he would have been arrested for alleged corruption.

Mr M. B. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Colonel Kaunda: Question!

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: UNIP!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, through many experiences, we have come to learn that the budget revenue collection and expenditure is at the centre of any society. We have also come to learn that the easy part about any process is the call for change. We saw it in Egypt. What was easy was to call for the change. We saw it even here that the easy part was to call for change under the “Don’t kubeba” slogan. We have seen that the easy part is to be elected as an hon. Member of Parliament or even to get a flag on your car. We have also seen that the easy part is to fire people, whether they are Permanent Secretaries or District Commissioners (DCs) at a cost of K25 billion as we heard yesterday. The easy part is to be able to set up commissions of inquiry and get a few people to put money in their pockets because of allowances.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: The easy part of the governance is to be able to reverse the decisions made by a former government and even imply that, sometimes, in those decisions they under sold government assets when all the documents are there for them to see.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, the easy part of governance is to continue to create this impression that former leaders who are citizens of this country, are all corrupt and must be persecuted. That is the easy part as regards to this Budget.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! Hammer!

Ms Siliya: However, Mr Speaker, the difficult part in terms of implementation of the Budget …

Interruptions

Dr E. Lungu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr E. Lungu: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Is the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke in order to debate her issues instead of looking at what the Budget is all about? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Interruptions

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Up to this point, I have not yet discerned anything personal.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: If I do, as I indicated, I will stop the hon. Member from doing so. I have already issued a caveat anyway.

You may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Long live the Chair! Easy part!

Ms Siliya: The easy part is to raise points of order unnecessarily.

Laughter

Ms Siliya: As far as we see the challenge for the PF Government, the difficult part of implementing the Budget is to ensure. That it aligns its campaign promises to reality.

I recognise the debate by the hon. Member of Parliament for Lupososhi because I believe that he has already begun to accept the reality of being in the Government.

Mr Speaker, just before the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning presented his Budget, the whole country was pregnant with expectations. The young people, who did not have jobs on the 19th of September, did believe that on the 23rd of September, once President Sata had been inaugurated, they would truly have jobs.

Laughter

Ms Siliya: Many of them felt that the very next day, their empty cargo pant pockets would all be filled with money. However, I am happy that the hon. Member of Parliament for Lupososhi clearly stated yesterday that it is not possible to achieve meaningful development in ninety days and that, maybe, we should be aiming for at least five years. It is very clear now that most of these campaign promises are truly going be a premature baby.

Mr Speaker, I wish to continue with the issue of the Budget being an instrument of accessing and creating wealth. Hon. Kunda, SC. also referred to this matter and I, particularly, want to draw the attention of the House to the picture on the last page of the Budget Speech. We recognise the good work done by Dr Kaunda for this country. I also hope that the significance of this picture is not that the PF Government is going to draw inspiration from some of the failures we saw under the UNIP era, especially in terms of us becoming a  police State …

Laughter

Ms Siliya: … because, if that is really the case, we are not going to be able to truly make the Budget as an instrument that can help us access and, indeed, create wealth.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, on the very first page of the Budget Address, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning calls for hard work. We all appreciate that there is no substitute for hard work and that our mindsets must be resolved to make tough choices. We cannot be seen to criminalise wealth in this country and have a budget that we are saying should help us to access and create wealth and attack poverty.

Interruptions

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, another story I wish to share is connected to what a Nigerian diplomat told me about we, Zambians, being so content with the little we have. When one is an hon. Minister of a given ministry, managing director, hon. Member of Parliament or teacher, he or she is very happy. However, the day he or she gets fired or loses elections, that person thinks it is everybody’s problem that he or she is poor. It is important that each one of us, at family level, makes a decision to use this Budget as an instrument for accessing and creating wealth effectively so that we can begin to attack poverty.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, in doing that, the Government must be seen to be in the forefront to decriminalise wealth making because we want to believe that hon. Members such as my dear brother-in-law there, Hon. G. B. Mwamba, can go back to his wonderful rich life after politics and will not be labeled a criminal.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I wish to believe that when the MMD left the Government, we put in place enough processes to give confidence to this Government to be able to attack poverty. We made sure that there were lawful processes to make it possible for these hon. Ministers to have the discretion in terms of decision-making, including the Zambia Public Procurement Authority Act of December, 2008, where single-sourcing is lawful.

Mr Speaker, I believe that in trying to meet the objectives laid out in the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning’s speech, which are very good and in line mostly with what the MMD left, it is important that we begin to use law and order rightfully so that citizens and foreigners alike can believe that investing in this economy is the right thing to do and that the law will definitely protect them in terms of asset ownership.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, allow me to come back to the issue of changing our mindset. I said what was easy to do in politics was getting into the Government, but to actually work is another thing. Political statements, wonderful Budget speeches or huge Yellow Books will not address poverty. In order for this country to address poverty, we must recognise, first of all, that we need a mindset that is determined to work hard, encourage wealth creation and the participation of indigenous Zambians in the private sector so that they become wealthy in their own country.

Mr Speaker, this means that we must stop paying lip service to empowering citizens. I know that the MMD, through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), made attempts to do this. However, I believe that the PF Government, through the Budget of the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, must go further to ensure that a deliberate system is in place to ensure that Zambians become rich. We must not be ashamed to use the word ‘rich’.

Mr Speaker, I believe that we cannot share poverty. We can only share wealth and if we do not continue to systematically move the economy into Zambian hands, we are going to continue coming to this House and making budgets and foreigners will come to make money and go out of this country and we will be very happy just talking about the fight against corruption. The fight against corruption cannot make sense unless citizens continue to see the benefits of some of these instruments such as the Budget in terms of the fight against poverty.

Mr Speaker, I am happy that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning recognises, just like we did, that we have to invest in manufacturing. We have to invest in education beyond just formal education of having degrees and diplomas, but in skills that are related to the labour market so that manufacturing can truly be the next take-off after the copper mines and agriculture in our country.

Mr Speaker, I based my debate on the Budget Speech, truly, changing the mindset. We need to have a new mindset if we are to access and create wealth based on this Budget Speech that was presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning in his speech.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, I stand here to pay my respect to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for moving the Motion and passing a very good Budget. I stand here with a copy of the Budget Speech before me and I have read it more than two times.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I feel the benefits for the people of Kalabo in this Budget are very hard to find. Before I came to this House, I was longing to come here. I thought that if I came to Parliament, where the National Budget is approved, Kalabo could move away from its poor state. Now, this Budget, here, is very hard on the people of Kalabo and I just wished all of us in Kalabo could get transferred to Lusaka so that we become street vendors here.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: I was born and raised in the village and, therefore, know poverty very well. I do not know when we shall have a budget that will address poverty. When people repeatedly say ‘pro-poverty’, I just look at them because I ask myself whether they understand poverty.

Mr Speaker, first of all, I would like to say that very good photographs have been put on the cover of this Budget Speech. These are very nice pictures and I will go with this speech when I go back to my constituency.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: However, I do not know which school really looks like the one in the photograph on the cover of the Budget Speech.

Mr Speaker, it is high time we changed. You have heard from the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke that there is a need for a change of our mindsets. I admire people who have gone to school, have degrees and are even professors. However, such people leave the issue of poverty aside and that is why I have no interest, in my life, to continue my education to the level of being a professor or doctor.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, my idea is just to pray to God to give my physique the strength it needs to do work that will raise the money which the PF Government is talking about.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, the theme of the Budget which is “Making Zambia a better place for all,” does not apply to Kalabo.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I am urging the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to find a place for Kalabo in this Budget because it is not encompassed therein. Just in my time here, today, I have received two phone calls from Kalabo. One was from Mr Ndonji who wants a loan so that he makes blocks. Now, the nearest place to this person is a post office which is not a bank because it cannot offer loans.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: So, as we are in this House, we have to think very seriously. Usually, I say that let us not concentrate on the Lusaka City Council (LCC). My request is that we look at those people in the villages because that is where poverty is.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I have my own definition of poverty. Poverty simply means when you fail to acquire adequate food for tomorrow, adequate shelter for your family and basic medicine to treat the family. Those are the things which are lacking in Kalabo.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, let me turn to education now. I know and appreciate that there is an allocation of K4 trillion towards education in the Budget. However, I would like to caution the Government to refrain from labour-based contracts during the construction of these 2,000 classroom blocks because that issue troubles us in Kalabo. We are not in favour of full contracts, which cost billions of kwacha, being awarded to the Chinese, when only K180,000 is given to Mr Muleta who is a local contractor. That is not fair and that is breeding poverty because …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: … these foreigners who come to Zambia do not subscribe to the poverty in this country. This means that we are widening the gap. Why? Surely, why can we not award these contracts to local contractors so that as they get these billions, employ the locals who will, in turn, feed their families? It is as simple as that.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I do not need to go to the university in order to analyse a simple situation like that one. No. I do not need to be a professor to know that …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: … because I feel for the poor person.

Sir, the Budget has to be real for it to succeed.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, if what is stated here is just on paper and the money will not be disbursed, then, the Budget will not work out. It will just be a very sweet Budget on a white piece of paper which will practically fail to work. We want a Budget which will deliver.

Sir, the Budget is a tool which we will use to source money from donors. You know, the aspect of going on my knees to beg for something is absent in my life. Surely, we still have the room in our minds to ask for money when we have Zambians who are physically fit. They just need assistance. We do not want to get money from the investors in the mines just because we fear that if we tax them, the mine will be closed down. Why is that the case when we have the School of Mines at the university where we have engineers and geologists?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Miyutu: Why can we not empower these people so that they dig this copper?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Let us not have a phobia. Phobia will make us poorer.

Mr Muntanga: Not begging.

Mr Miyutu: The idea of begging, Mr Speaker, is not my habit.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: We should not have a Government that cherishes begging because we shall become beggars.  As you have heard from the previous debaters, they are saying that the level of begging has increased and this is not justified. Let us not beg. Let us empower the locals so that they create employment on which you will tax them.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Is it not the tax you are looking for?

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, the money that we beg for is other people’s taxes.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, do we not know that when we ask for money from Germany, it is the Germans who have paid tax? Do we not know that?

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Therefore, why can the Government not tax its own citizens? What is wrong with that? What is wrong with taxing Miyutu? What is wrong with taxing his children who run businesses?

Mr Speaker, remember that the Prime Minister for Malaysia was invited to the National Indaba. Although I stay in Kalabo, I heard that there was a conversation between the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the former President, Mr Rupiah Banda, over empowerment. I have kept in mind what the Prime Minister had to say. He said the following: 

“We have empowered our people in Malaysia and, therefore, you empower your people as well. When you empower them, empower them fully. ”

Hon. UPND Member: Yes, not even half, half.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, in Zambia, when someone needs to be empowered and even when it is known that he or she has no money, that person is told, “Miyutu, if you want a loan, just bring a …

Hon. Opposition Member: A title deed.

Mr Miyutu: … a title deed”, which this person does not have.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, twenty minutes is a very short time. I am asking for some more minutes.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: They ask for a title deed which Mr Miyutu does not possess because the council has failed to deliver it to him. Therefore, how can he get this loan? Will he ever get it?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Miyutu: Will this poverty end in Zambia?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Miyutu: Are we happy to be here to be leading people who are poor?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Miyutu: Sir, yesterday, I was at the Ministry of Health. I told the Director for Epidemiology, Dr Tambatamba, that if she does not buy drugs, I will surrender my salary.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: I do not believe in hiding my feelings. I told her that if they will not supply drugs to my people in Kalabo, I will instruct the Hon. Mr Speaker to channel my salary to the purchase of drugs.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: I am prepared to do. In short, I do not think we should look through the Budget and say this budget niyandani? Let us not follow the principles in budgets in London. Can you compare London to Zambia?

Hon. Opposition Members: No, no!

Mr Miyutu: Those are the mistakes we make because those principles cannot work in Zambia. Today, China is a threat economically to other countries. As you all know, when China started developing, it was regarded as a dictatorial nation. Children in villages used to be forced to go to school.

When people refer Dr Kaunda as a dictator, it pains me because he took us to school free of charge.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: If it were not for Dr Kaunda, I would not have been able to stand in this House today and speak English.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: He had practical compulsory education.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: This twenty-minute timing, I do not trust it.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I have never travelled out of this country. I have never been to Nigeria, I just read about it because I was a teacher.

Hon. Opposition Members: Go on!

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, this is for the information of the PF Government.  Although I have never been to Nigeria, and I am not even interested in going there, I read that there are boreholes which are solar driven …

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: … and not those that are operated manually. The 3,000 boreholes that we talk about can be solar driven and that is the kind of Government we want here.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: A Government is like an engine of a vehicle or aeroplane. An engine has the function of doing a job which a person must do. Therefore, we must have a Government which should not become fat, but must be slim because if it does, it will be burning too much energy. We must make this world better through this Budget by putting more money in research and bring solar energy to the people of Kalabo. That way, we will say that we are eradicating poverty.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: Do I need to have gone to the university to know this?

Hon. Members: No!!

Mr Miyutu: No, I do not need to.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I have one cardinal issue which I want to request from the PF Government.  I want them to revisit the CDF this year for my sake. My earnest appeal to the Government is that I should, at least, deliver to the people of Kalabo.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I do not know why the Government is scared of raising the CDF. To me, when the CDF works well in constituencies …

Hon. UPND Members: They will be the ones who will be praised.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Where is your fear?

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: Does it mean that the PF Government does not want to win again in 2016?

Hon. UPND Members: No, they do not.

Mr Miyutu: Let me tell you and I do not hide. If you, as PF Government, want to win the 2016 elections, increase the CDF up to K2.5 billion. I am saying so because this is the only way the PF Government will prove that it has worked in Kalabo.

Mr Speaker, if you ask people who went for elections in Mongu, they will tell you that they want Miyutu to deliver because they know who Miyutu is. I have never stolen or lied. I have also never been involved in corrupt activities, hence my appeal for this Government to deliver so that we improve people’s livelihood.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: These are natural principles. When you bear a good child and portray a good picture, who will be praised?

Hon. Members: The parents.

Mr Miyutu: Therefore, despite Miyutu being in the Opposition, in the United Party for National Development (UPND), if development is delivered in Kalabo, …

Hon. Members: The Government.

Mr Miyutu: … the hon. Ministers of Finance and Local Government, Housing Early Education and Environmental Protection will be praised. If you do not do that, you will not win in 2016.

Hon. UPND Members: They are not interested.

Mr Miyutu: Please, let us be mindful of the CDF. Even the K2.5 billion will be enough for us to improve our constituencies. 

Mr Speaker, usually, time is not controllable but, one day, again, I shall have a chance to contribute to the debate on the Floor of this House. 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ngonga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to join the many hon. Members who have debated the Motion which was presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Mr Speaker, may I join many of my colleagues who have congratulated the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for presenting the 2012 Budget in a manner that he did. It is a Budget that has brought a lot of hope, especially for those of us from rural constituencies.

Mr Speaker, before I go into the Budget, allow me to share one of the exciting things that have happened within the ninety days the PF Government has been in power.

I remember, four weeks ago, when I stood before the House, debating the President’s Speech, I indicated that Kaputa was one of the rural constituencies that was not connected to the telecommunication mobile services. However, as I stand here now, I want to say, with happiness, that half of Kaputa can now be contacted. Also, the other half of Chimbamilonga is connected. We say bravo to the partners that have worked tirelessly to bring these services closer to the people. We know that our colleagues started that but, because of the zeal of our President and his hard work, that has happened within ninety days, and I say thank you very much.

Mr Speaker, as I start debating the Motion that was presented to this House by our hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, I will limit myself to a few issues because a number of them have been highlighted and ably debated by many hon. Members.

I also wish to concern with some of my colleagues who really find this Budget to be pro-poor. One of the issues that I want to bring to the attention of the hon. Members is that of poverty.

Mr Speaker, I listened very attentively when my colleague from Kalabo Central (Hon. Miyutu) was debating with the passion that he has for his constituency. I probably share the same sentiments when he talks about certain things.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

   Mr Ngonga: Mr Speaker, poverty, as defined by the United Nations (UN), includes the following:

(i) a denial of choices and opportunities;

(ii) a violation of human dignity;

(iii) lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society;

(iv) not having enough food and clothes for the family;

(v) not having a school or clinic to go to;

(vi) not having a job to earn one’s living;

(vii) not having access to credit; and

(viii) not having access to clean water and/or sanitation.

   This firmly defines what the community of Kaputa is embroiled in.

   When I was looking at the Budget presented by the hon. Minister, one issue that came out very clearly is that the President has directed, through the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, to fight poverty. We have celebrated forty-seven years of independence but, in some communities, there is very little they can point at in terms of development.  This is very alarming. Zambia is endowed with a lot of natural resources and can boast of having adequate manpower. It is not like the days of Dr D. K. Kaunda who took over this country from the British without manpower. There were few educated people, but we now have people that can drive this country to a level where they can leave landmarks. It is very worrying when people say we have celebrated forty-seven years of independence, and yet we see societies embroiled in poverty.

   Mr Speaker, I agree with the President’s resolve to fight poverty and I am sure everybody who has debated concurs with what the President has said. Poverty cannot be fought with simple gloves. It is an issue that has to be fought with a lot of energy, resilience and people have to put their minds to it. One of the things that have brought this country backward for many years is probably the way we have allowed resources to go to waste. This is a fact whether or not we refer to past governments. For example, road construction, year in and year out is allocated with huge amounts of money for rehabilitation. There are some roads in this country that receive a budget for resurfacing every year and we know some of these companies that have been doing this sort of job. I have travelled on the Great East Road. There is a stretch between Kacholola and Chipata, which is resurfaced year in and year out, but it is still bad, and yet money is always allocated to resurface it and no one bothers to question where the money is spent.

   In 2006, we had a road resurfaced very quickly at a great cost in Kaputa because of the forthcoming elections but, at the moment, you cannot even tell whether this road is bigger or smaller than it was initially. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning presented a good Budget but, if we do not take it upon ourselves to ensure that this wastage of resources is minimised, we will continue wallowing in poverty.

   Mr Speaker, I agreed with the President when he said that there are certain assumptions or very hard choices that the hon. Minister and his team have actually taken into account in order to come up with the Budget. They have assumed that this economy will continue with the current growth probably up to 7.7 per cent and even above. There are also assumptions that our copper prices will remain the same without any changes on the international market.  However, these are assumptions which can change because we may not have control over them, but we should keep the same conviction of wanting to develop this country. So, as we debate and later execute the Budget, we must be mindful of the team that worked very hard to prepare it. I congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning because this Budget was presented barely forty days to fifty days from the time he assumed office. This was a fantastic job done for the people of Zambia. Let hon. Members perform the oversight function so that we provide not only the checks and balances, but also wherever we are in our rural places, we must make ensure that the funds are used for the intended purpose and not wasted.

   Mr Speaker, allow me now to comment on the core development areas which have been highlighted in this Budget which are agriculture, education and skills development, health services and local government and housing. Of interest is agriculture. This Budget is anchored on the fact that it is pro-poor and we know for sure that the rural communities are basically agricultural-based and derive their incomes from agriculture. Of course, there is an increase of K1.7 trillion to the agriculture sector compared to K1.2 trillion, but it is not sufficient. Although this is the first Budget under the PF, I am sure the hon. Minister will be able to increase this figure so that it addresses issues in the agriculture sector adequately.

  The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock indicated that already K1.8 trillion has been spent on maize purchasing and marketing arrangements. This means that if there was an allocation of K150 million in the current Budget that is being executed, it has already over shot. So, chances are that even the 2012 Budget will over shoot. Agriculture is an engine which to drive this economy. Even with the limited resource envelope, we must be able to find resources that can adequately address our agricultural difficulties and requirements.

   Mr Speaker, another issue that most hon. Members have discussed is the bumper harvest. If you are an agriculturist, you can say that the yields that we got in this country cannot be referred to as a bumper harvest. The country does not have enough storage capacity and good marketing principles. Otherwise, these are not yields to write home about.

   Hon. Opposition Members: Question.

   Mr Ngonga: The average yield is 2.3 tonnes per hectare for an average farmer household. We now have technologies. We have seed varieties that can yield up to 6, 7 or 8 tonnes per hectare for an average household. So, why celebrate a yield of 2 tonnes per hectare? We can actually increase the yield to 8 tonnes per hectare.

   Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

   Mr Ngonga: At that level, we would be talking about bumper harvests. So, all we have done is that we have increased the number of family households to a million plus giving us this yield and we are talking about a bumper harvest. The challenge is that we have work to do. We can actually get 2.9 million tonnes that we are harvesting this year from a much smaller number of farmers than we actually have. This is what we are talking about when we say that the Government in power now will be able to do that. With fewer people, they can be able to get these results. However, when people talk about diversification in agriculture, they are not stopping farmers from growing maize. All they are saying is that farmers can grow maize at the household level for food security.  However, the farmers must be educated to a level where they can be able to grow crops that are economically viable in their own areas that can actually create more money for them. I have an example in areas where cotton is grown.

Although maize is subsidised, more money can be realised from growing cotton than from growing maize. For a Government that wants to rethink this position, there is a scope to increase these yields and lessen the costs of production in these areas. That was all about the bumper harvest.

Mr Speaker, let me quickly touch on the issue of education which is at the core of my heart, especially as regards Kaputa. When you come from a rural set up such as Kaputa, you see your children in what we call community schools. It is distasteful to find children in this age and era going to community schools. I know that the hon. Minister of Education, Science and Vocational Training is here and I would like to urge that, if it is possible, the new 2,000 classroom blocks be given to places that have community schools. Let us not take these classroom blocks to places that already have Governemnt schools.

Mr Speaker, this idea of community schools is a fallacy. I challenge all of you, hon. Members, to say that you can take your child to a community school. There is nobody in here who can do that. These are the children we want to be Presidents and Vice-Presidents tomorrow, and yet we are not providing for them. Hon. Minister, if these funds are there, let us ensure that those areas that have community schools are the ones that are given classroom blocks so that we can do away with community schools.

Mr Speaker, education and skills training is extremely important for any nation. Nations that have been cited as having developed and moved up in rankings on the Development Index have designed programmes to address training not only to university levels, but in skills. I can give you an example of Zimbabwe just before 2000 when its economy was booming. It had a huge pool of trained technicians and skills in whichever industry that one could go in. That probably gave them the impetus to grow the economy as compared to its neighbouring countries.

 Hon. Minister, we thank you that you have allocated resources to skills training. It is something that we all must strive for so that even areas such as Kaputa and Mporokoso can also have a trades training centre. We do not have one up to now. We do not even have a farmers’ training centre. When a farmer wants to be trained, he has to travel to Kasama which is a distance of 400 km away. If it were possible, we would like to be given a training institute nearby. It should not necessarily be situated in Kaputa, but anywhere nearby. I am looking at Chienge, Nchelenge, and Mporokoso. An institute built anywhere in those areas could reduce the distance that currently have to cover to get trained.

Mr Speaker, let me talk about the Budget to the health sector. As I was going through the Budget Speech, I observed that the hon. Minister has said that this is a starting budget which will continually graduate and increase. I thank him for that. The budget for the health sector is far below what it should have been. If the resource envelope was big enough, we should have given it a much bigger consideration.

 However, we are thankful that the user fees have been abolished. Although it was claimed previously that user fees had been abolished in the rural areas, it never filtered to Kaputa because people feared to go to the clinic on account of user fees. They instead preferred to go to the ing’angas and herbalists. With the abolition of user fees, I see the people in my constituency going to the clinic for medical attention. However, hon. Minister of Health, we do not have a doctor. We call our clinicians or those with certificates from Chainama School of Mental and Health Sciences our doctors because we do not have a doctor. If you can help us in this regard, it will make us happy and we will appreciate it.

In conclusion, I would like to join my able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning in mentioning the many ways in which the Budget is significant to the different sectors of our society. For us in Kaputa, the unemployed have seen a lot of hope in that there will be skills training that will come their way which will open up the capacity of the uneducated children to create resources for themselves.

The peasant farmers have seen funds for extension training in this Budget. We have also seen the continuation of the provision of inputs, albeit with the caveat to try and change their mindset so that they can realise that growing maize in Kaputa may give them money now, but it is not sustainable and cannot give them the money they need.

For the hardworking school pupils, there are improved classrooms coming their way and the provision of teachers whom we have been promised in this Budget.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Chikusu): Mr Speaker, I feel honoured to be given this time to contribute to the Motion on the Floor and would like to immediately commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for his brilliant and accurate Budget presentation.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was once a Minister of Health. What he has done reflects his knowledge about the health sector.

Sir, the Patriotic Front Government believes that good health is an essential pre-requisite for national development and this caring belief is contained in all the documents which the ministry will talk about. The Government shall strive to provide a whole package of health services, including promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative ones. It is committed to implementing the aspects relating to health in the SNDP. This is as its mission states that the Government under the health sector shall provide to the people of Zambia a clean, caring and competent health service, using primary health care as the main vehicle for achieving our vision equitably.

Mr Speaker, the ministry is happy that the 2012 Budget has been increased from a paltry K1.7 trillion to K2.5 trillion. This represents an increase of 46 per cent which translates into 9.3 per cent of the total National Budget. This development is essentially welcome when viewed in the light of the shrinking donor support to the health sector.

I also wish to commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the timely disbursement of funds. By the end of October this year, about 77 per cent of funds budgeted for the Ministry of Health had been released. This should be highly commended as it facilitates timely execution of the planned programmes and activities under the health sector.

Mr Speaker, this presentation will focus on three parts. Firstly, there will be highlights on the performance and achievements in 2011. Secondly, it will mention the challenges that were faced. Thirdly, it will give the outlook for the Budget year 2012.

Ms Kalima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I rise on a serious point of order. Is the hon. Member in order to speak in a low voice as though he is in a bedroom, straining our ears to hear and tempting us to sleep?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order! Well, the reference to the bedroom is out of order.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: On a serious note, could the hon. Member debating be as audible as possible.

Laughter

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the attainment of our health objectives will require the country to have adequate skilled human resources to deliver the services.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: The health sector has, however, continued to be plagued by critical shortages of human resources despite years of investment in the health sector.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Sir, to address this crisis, my ministry has continued with the recruitment of core health workers. By October, 2011, a total of 1,161 health personnel had been recruited compared to 834 in 2010. This brings the total cumulative number of personnel in post to 32,150 against the required 56,621 for the entire Ministry of Health establishment.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, I would also like to inform the House that the ministry is working on a programme to increase the production of skilled health workers by expanding the capacity of existing training institutions and constructing new ones.

Sir, in pursuit of this strategic objective, the Ministry of Health continued implementing its classroom and hostel rehabilitation and expansion programme. This is an intervention that has resulted in an increase in enrolment and graduation rates.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, a total of K6.6 billion was disbursed to all training schools in 2011, to support this programme.

Sir, in addition, the ministry has introduced the direct entry Midwifery Programme. It has also embarked on implementing a Community Health Assistants Training Programme at Ndola Central Hospital, School of Nursing.

Mr Speaker, a total of 330 Community Health Assistants have been enrolled for training and are expected to graduate in June, 2012.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: This cadre is earmarked for the lowest level of service delivery at the health post.

Mr Speaker, I am happy to mention that the PF Government will continue to scale up the Zambian Health Workers Retention Scheme (ZHWRS) whose objective is to improve the distribution of health workers in favour of rural areas.

Sir, this retention scheme was initially piloted for medical doctors only, but has now been extended to other health workers. The scheme now covers doctors, nurses and paramedics serving in hard-to-reach facilities, covering a total of 1,067.

Mr Speaker, the implementation of this programme has helped to attract and retain qualified health professionals in the undeserved areas. A total of K18.7 billion was budgetted for in 2011 to support this programme.

Sir, for the year 2012, the Government has allocated K23 billion to support, further, the expansion of the programme. The ministry procured nurses’ uniforms and commissioned flats for health professionals on the Copperbelt and Lusaka. These efforts aim to address staff morale and welfare.

Mr Speaker, with regard to infrastructure, our national target on health infrastructure is to significantly improve the availability, distribution and condition of essential infrastructure and equipment so as to improve equity of access to quality health services at all levels.

Sir, to this effect, the Government continued with the construction of health facilities in the various parts of the country. In 2011, twenty-seven district hospitals and 125 health posts had reached various stages under construction.

Mr Speaker, it is the intention of this Government to ensure construction works are concluded quickly, and equipment and personnel sourced to facilitate the opening of these facilities.

Sir, provision of quality health services requires modern and reliable equipment. Over the years, due to inadequate investment, in replacing medical equipment, the state of medical equipment in our health facilities has reached a deplorable state. To reverse this trend, the PF Government has made it its priority to equip all hospitals and clinics during the 2012 Budget. It has, therefore, accordingly allocated K174 billion to this programme.

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, as regards essential drugs and medical supplies, continuous availability of quality, safe and efficacious essential drugs and medical supplies at all levels is a necessary condition for the provision of optimal health services.

Sir, the main focus of the Ministry of Health has been to ensure that all commodities needed for provision of health services such as drugs and medical supplies are available in health facilities at all times.

However, there have been some challenges in ensuring continuous availability of essential medical commodities arising from inadequate funding and poor logistical management. This has tended to compromise the quality of health services provided by our health facilities.

Mr Speaker, despite these challenges, essential drugs and medical supplies continued to be procured under framework contracts and distributed by Medical Stores Limited to all health facilities.

Sir, in 2011, a total of K138 billion was budgeted for the procurement of essential medical drugs, vaccines and other medical supplies. Thus, despite occasional shortages, tremendous progress was made in ensuring availability of drugs, vaccines and other medical supplies in the country through improvements in drug forecasting and quantification, and proactive procurements to avoid stock-outs.

Mr Speaker, concerning provision of health services, the core business of the Ministry of Health is the provision of health services to reduce the high burden of diseases that the country faces.

Sir, while communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS have continued to be important drivers of morbidity and mortality, the country now faces a growing problem of non-communicable diseases.

Mr Speaker, in response to this changing epidemiological pattern, the Ministry of Health has intensified its efforts on strengthening multi-sectoral response and improving the coverage and quality of services delivered.

It is important that hon. Members go for exercises.

Laughter

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the scaling up of the Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) programme has continued with a number of new anti-retroviral sites established in most districts. The total number of centres providing prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) in Zambia increased to 1,200 in 2011 from 936 in 2009. By the end of 2010, there were 344,407 known people living with HIV (PLWH) receiving treatment out of 434,000 known PLWH who needed ART, representing a coverage of 79 per cent compared with 68 in 2009. This programme is so crucial that we should encourage our people to follow it.

Sir, the number of HIV/AIDS positive pregnant women who received ARVs to prevent mother to child transmission increased from 47,175 to 69,650 in 2011. The Ministry of Health has continued to prioritise maternal child health and, accordingly, invested in planning the deliveries through skilled man power.

Sir, hon. Members of Parliament may wish to note that malaria is still a major public health concern and, indeed, requires action from all through the use of insecticide treated nets (ITN), indoor residual spraying (IRS) and intermediate presumptive therapy (IPT). These are the measures or interventions that will reduce the disease significantly.

Mr Speaker, it is also important to note that a national health research authority is going to be established. We are also scaling up on the impact of interventions, especially, in the areas of improving the medical drugs management and logistics systems. This is important because we need a very good system to deliver the drugs to the communities.

Sir, in conclusion, I wish to say that improving the health status of the nation cannot be done by the ministry alone. Priority areas, including good nutrition, safe water and sanitation, better housing and improved literacy are key determinants of health status of the population.

Mr Speaker, addressing these social determinants of health needs collaborative efforts among Government ministries as well as communities. My ministry will, through the multi-sectoral approach to service delivery, endeavour to work very closely with other ministries, especially at the district level, to work towards improving the health status of the nation. 

Mr Speaker, we all can play a role in improving the health status of our beloved country, Zambia. It should be noted that health is life and it is a source of wealth. We must not talk about economic empowerment unless we invest in health. I, therefore, ask this House to support the 2012 Budget for the Ministry of Health and I promise to attempt to be louder next time.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the 2012 Budget Address delivered by Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP, Minister of Finance and National Planning under the theme: “Making Zambia a better place for all.”

Mr Speaker, before I really dwell on the speech, allow me to address those who are calling for the CDF to be increased by more than 600 per cent, which my ministry feels is unrealistic.

Interruptions

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, let me give a brief history of the CDF. The CDF was approved by Parliament in 1995 with an initial disbursement of K10 million. This figure has risen over the years to about K720 million per constituency. The budgetary allocations of the CDF per constituency over the years are broken down as follows:

Year              Amount K (million)

1995/1996 10

2002 30

2004 30

2005 60

2006 60

2007 60

2010                     560

2011     720

Sir, may I take this opportunity to remind the House that, as a nation, we have various competing needs more often than…

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Can you allow the hon. Member to make her presentation.

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, we have heard the need to construct schools, hospitals, clinics, roads and bridges. The Government is also expected to pay farmers for their produce, retirees are expected to be paid their benefits and social protection must be provided to the disadvantaged in society. They are not taking cognisance of the fact that the Government has prioritised what will serve the interest of the nation well. I wish to say that this call is being made in a vacuum. There are priorities, such as the empowerment of the youths …

Interruptions

Mr Mucheleka: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Is it in order for the hon. Deputy Minister to mislead this House by not understanding the time value of money? What K10 million was in 1995 is certainly not what it is today.  I need your serious ruling, Mr Speaker.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member has actually debated his own point of order. Can the hon. Deputy Minister continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, I am talking about priorities, such as the empowerment of the youths, women and persons with disabilities. The call for an increase in the CDF lacks justification on the account that we, as the Government, believe that, if it is increased, the CDF will be misapplied.

Interruptions

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, examples and lessons are there on how the previous CDF was abused.

Sir, allow me to state that this call has been made in bad faith. If they are aware that the financial resources required to uplift the work of the nation are enormous, they would not have been requesting for K5 billion. This is poor judgement and poor character on the part of the people calling for that K5 billion.

Interruptions

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, on the Floor of this House, hon. Members asked the Government to scale up the Social Cash Transfer Scheme to the national level …

Dr Kalila: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr Kalila: Mr Speaker, let it be on record that this is my first point of order. Is the hon. Deputy Minister who is debating on this Floor in order to mislead the House when she is on record having told this House that much of the development in Mandevu Constituency was as a result of the CDF, yet, today, she says we do not need the CDF? I need your serious ruling.

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member is urged to bear that point of order in mind.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, with regard to health services, allow me to remind the House that the Government has made a commitment to the Zambian people that the budgetary allocation to this sector will progressively increase in line with the Abuja Declaration. With your permission, I would like to inform hon. Members of this august House that we are fully aware that the civil and political rights in international conventions and protocols should be realised or implemented immediately.

Mr Speaker, however, social and economic rights and services should be implemented progressively as these charters are alive to the fact that member states are at various levels of economic development and hence the progressive realisation of the Abuja Declaration, like any other conventions.

Mr Speaker, my Government has also prioritised local government and in 2012, the hon. Minister of Finance has increased the grants to councils by more than 100 per cent. This shows the PF Government’s political will and commitment to support councils 100 per cent.

Mr Speaker, the Government in its endeavour to increase access to clean water and sanitation by our people, the hon. Minister of Finance has allocated resources towards improving water supply and sanitation facilities. This will be addressed through the rehabilitation of more than 850 boreholes and the construction of about 3,000 new ones in rural areas. In urban areas, rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation infrastructure systems will also be done.

Mr Speaker, lastly, I would like to turn to my sector which is social protection, though I talked about it earlier. The Government has increased the allocation of resources to core programmes such as the Social Cash Transfer Scheme, which is being scaled-up to the rest of the country in a phased manner. Further, the food security pack programme will be redesigned and we will ensure that agro-dealers participate in the provision of inputs and are part of the distribution chain. This programme will also be exploring the use of new technologies such as the e-voucher system to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

Sir, with these few words, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Mushanga (Bwacha): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according an opportunity to add my voice to what other hon. Members of Parliament have contributed towards the motion on the 2012 National Budget address. In the first place, I want to agree with one of the hon. Members of Parliament who said the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning presented a well articulated Budget for 2012 because of emulating the strategies of UNIP. I am speaking from my own experience as well as from what the people of Bwacha Constituency have gone through.

Mr Speaker, I think I mentioned during my maiden speech that I have been following the governance of this nation since my childhood. It is very true that the national Budgets which were presented during the twenty-seven years period of United National Independence Party (UNIP) rule were very good and perfect. I will cite examples to justify why I say so.

Mr Speaker, the House where hon. Members of Parliament are seated today was constructed using our National Budget which was presented by UNIP at that time. All the international airports we have in Zambia were constructed using the national Budgets by UNIP. Even the two oldest public universities, the University of Zambia and Copperbelt University, were constructed using the Budget drafted by UNIP. If we look at the vocational training institutions we have here in Zambia, including Kabwe Trades Training Institute in Kabwe, they were all constructed under the Budget by UNIP.

The most important institutions we have here in Zambia have been constructed using the National Budget. The people of Bwacha Constituency can bear me witness that even the institutions we have in my constituency like secondary and primary schools and roads, just to mention a few, were all constructed in the time of UNIP using the National Budget.

Mr Speaker, let us talk about the twenty-seven years that the MMD Government was in power, especially with regard to developing Bwacha Constituency. The MMD Government is on record of one time informing the people of Zambia and Bwacha Constituency that it built schools during its rule. The people of Bwacha Constituency did see these schools. I ask the people on your left to rise, even on a point of order, to challenge me if what I am saying is not true. The two hospitals we have in Kabwe District, with one located in Bwacha Constituency …

Mr Chipungu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member debating so badly in order to keep condemning the MMD Government which did so well, especially that he was a member of the MMD? Is he, therefore, in order to condemn his own party? I need your serious ruling.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member is in order to proceed in the fashion he is debating.

You may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, thank you so much for your protection. I think I mentioned when I was delivering my maiden speech that I was a member of the MMD who later on saw that it was departing from the path of assisting the people of Bwacha Constituency especially. I saw that the party had moved away from serving the aspirations of the people of Bwacha Constituency and I feel I had a right to move and join the most progressive party; the PF.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushanga: Just to continue, I was talking about the health infrastructure we have in Bwacha Constituency. All those were built using the Budget presented by UNIP. Let me also talk about roads in Bwacha Constituency and I want someone to rise and challenge me on this issue. The roads in Bwacha Constituency …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours. 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that all the infrastructure in Bwacha Constituency, that is schools, health institutions and even roads, were constructed in the time of  UNIP. In fact, in 1991, when UNIP left the governance of this nation, the potholes it left in Bwacha Constituency cannot be compared to the buffer holes the MMD left on 20th September, 2011.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank UNIP, especially the Ministers of Finance and National Planning in that era, for thinking of the people of Bwacha Constituency. These Ministers are Hon. Alex Chikwanda, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushanga: … and I remember at that time when I was young that the Minister of Finance and National Planning was the late Gibson Chigaga. I also remember that a lot of projects were approved for the people of Bwacha Constituency during that time.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Bebe!

Mr Mushanga: Now, when you look at what we have, so far, in Bwacha Constituency, in short, I can say that UNIP did a lot for the people of Bwacha Constituency while the MMD did very little. I think this is a wake-up call for our party, the PF. I am very sure that with the able leadership of our President, His Excellency Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, with the collaboration of the hon. Members in Cabinet and the skills of our able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, the first secondary school and even a primary school will be built by the PF Government in this constituency.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, I am very sure that the people of Bwacha Constituency will have health institutions constructed by the PF Government.

Mr Speaker, I now come to the Budget for 2012. It has highlighted a lot of issues. It has talked about the continuation of projects that the MMD left such as construction of roads.

Mr Speaker, if you went through the Budget, which was presented by our able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, you would see that the bank rates have been reduced and banks are actually complying.

Mr Speaker, the Budget also talked about four core main areas, among which is agriculture. Under this sector, there was mention of the Farmer Input Support Programme that has continued under the governance of the PF and it is running very well.

Mr Speaker, as regards education, a lot of money has been allocated to this sector.

Mr Speaker, if you talk about the health sector through the Budget that was presented to this House, I am very confident that more health centres will be built because the allocation to this sector has been increased by 45 per cent.

Mr Speaker, with regard to young people, especially the young people from Bwacha Constituency, I am very confident that, through the skills training, they will be equipped with skills which will help them to find employment and enable them fend for themselves. I know that once this is done, it will contribute to fighting poverty. This will, in turn, assist in transforming people’s lives in Bwacha Constituency. As a result, this will translate into more money being put in the pockets of the young people and women.

Mr Speaker, it has been mentioned that nine more new skills training centres will be constructed. This is a plus on the part of the PF Government. The already existing ones will be renovated and this is giving hope to the young people of Bwacha Constituency and the people of Zambia at large.

Mr Speaker, the abolishing of all user fees, especially in the rural areas, cannot be over emphasised. Health is very important and I know this will benefit our people so much.

Mr Speaker, if I can quote from the Budget Address, which was presented by our able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, in his conclusion he said:

 “Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front Government won the 2011 Elections because it listened to the needs of the people at all levels.”

I believe this includes the people of Bwacha Constituency. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning went on to say that:

 “Now, that we are in the Government, we have not, and we will never distance ourselves from our people. His Excellency the President and his entire Cabinet have committed themselves to working tirelessly so that the Government responds, in practical ways, to ensure that the economy is put on a path of rapid growth and that its benefits are widely shared by every Zambian.”

Mr Speaker, this is giving hope to the hopeless, especially to the vulnerable people who have been marginalised for a long time, the people of Bwacha Constituency. I am repeating, today, like I mentioned in my maiden speech that the calling from God is what has made His Excellency the President and the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to be in the positions there are in today.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning went on to mention, in his presentation of the Budget Speech, to this House that:

 “To the unemployed youth who feels this nation has little use for his energies, it means more opportunities for appropriate skills training and thus greater prospects for income-earning activities through which he can positively contribute to the development of this nation.”

Mr Speaker, I am very sure, like I have mentioned previously, that the budgets of the UNIP Government in a quest to create employment left the Zambia/China Mulungushi Textiles, Kabwe Industrial Fabrics Company (KIFCO), General Pharmaceutical, National Milling and Kabwe Milling which no longer exist.

Mr Speaker, I stand here as a representative of the people and ask myself a lot of questions such as:

“What is it that our friends on your left, especially those who have been in the governance of this nation, the MMD, have done for the people of Bwacha or Kabwe in general?”

Interruptions

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, I am very confident that the Budget that has been presented to this House by the able hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will help to transform people’s lives in Bwacha Constituency.

Hon. Opposition Member: Finally!

Mr Mushanga: For those who are saying finally, I am very sure that they are touched by my debate.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Mushanga: What I have discovered in this House is that there is too much politicking. Instead of providing services to our people, they are busy politicking. In Bemba we say: “Chimbwi nangu afwale suit, nichimbwi”, meaning even if a hyena puts on a suit, it will still remain a hyena.

Mr Speaker, this is what I have seen in this House. There is a lot of pretence. Some of the hon. Members of Parliament are not here to represent the people from their constituencies. I believe they are here to represent their own aspirations …

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I want to apologise, once again. The rules of this House are that we do not debate ourselves. Is the hon. Member for Bwacha, therefore, in order to start describing hon. Members of Parliament in that manner? I beg your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: He is more of a hyena himself.

Mr Speaker: Certainly, the hon. Member for Bwacha exceeded his limit.

Mr Mushanga: I am sorry and I thank you for your guidance. However, I will continue with the few minutes remaining.

Mr Speaker, people out there expect the promises that were made during the campaigns to be fulfilled.

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

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Mr Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the Budget presentation. I also want to thank you for giving me an opportunity to debate this Motion on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for January, 2012 to December, 2012.

Mr Speaker, may I just say that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is a humble man; a man who has shown leadership. I say so because it is very difficult for anyone to attack him in any way because of his humility.

Hon. Opposition Members: He is in a wrong party.

Mr Mufalali: I would urge other hon. Members and Ministers to emulate him. I really sympathise with him because the man has proved to be a leader.

Hon. Opposition Members: In a wrong party.

Mr Mufalali: In 1970 to 1971 he was a hon. Minister. I sympathise with him because he had to prevail over many difficult decisions that time after the 1969 reforms. Before him and after him, we saw the mortgage crisis and the oil crisis in the 1970s. The mortgage crisis has continued to date, hence the crisis in this industry.

Mr Speaker, I sympathise with him, again, because the man was there in the first MMD Government and he was the advisor then, but I think he had difficulties in that office. However, I believe he prevailed because one of the leaders did something that was not good, but he survived. I am referring to the issue of brown envelopes. Today, he has come back as a hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

I sympathise with him because it is difficult for him, to some extent, to ensure that what he desires in this Budget is accomplished.

Mr Speaker, page 3, paragraph 21 of the Budget Speech says:

“Sir Preliminary figures, as at end of September, indicate that domestic revenues at K14,580.2 billion have over performed. This trend is expected to continue and result in an over performance of 23.2 per cent by the end of the year. This performance is mainly attributed to payment of mining tax arrears and improved tax administration.”

Mr Speaker, may I congratulate Hon. Dr Musokotwane, the former Minister, on the award that he was given as Minister of Finance for the year. To him, we say thank you. You have done us proud.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, this is no mean achievement. May I also recognise the team of Hon. Dr Musokotwane, especially the Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Ndalamei, a man of good standing.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali: For Hon. Dr Musokotwane to perform, he needed a prudent person who was genuine enough to ensure that tax was collected accordingly. To the contrary, we hear of many other things. It is a challenge to the PF Government to ensure that they appoint someone who will be able to fit in those shoes. The issue is to ensure that you go for credibility, professionalism and expertise rather than appointing a relative or brother-in-law because that position is demanding.

Mr Speaker, may I also come to part 2 of the hon. Minister’s Budget Speech. In paragraph 30, the hon. Minister says:

“Mr Speaker, maintaining a sound financial system is essential for investment and economic growth. To this effect, the Bank of Zambia will continue to promote stability of the financial sector through strong supervision of financial institutions and by ensuring compliance with regulations.”

Mr Speaker, I agree with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and I look forward to a time when the Governor of the Bank of Zambia (BOZ) is appointed. I think Dr Fundanga did his best. Therefore, we look forward to seeing a better personality there. We know some appointments were made. To some extent, I think governance demands that we put the best that we can in that position other than the Deputies that are there. It is not enough to get someone who is not an economist in that position or to get a psychologist again or a relative to someone as deputy.

If our economy has to flourish, it must be based on quality. We must look for people who have the capacity and the speciality in that field.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister on page 5, paragraph 34 of the 2012 Budget Address said:

“Sir, this Government will ensure transparent and accountable use of loans by strengthening parliamentary oversight. Further, the capacity to appraise projects in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and other ministries implementing major projects will be strengthened. The Government will also review the existing framework in order to strengthen debt management.”

Mr Speaker, I agree with the sentiments made by the hon. Minister on transparency, corruption and accountability. However, I also sympathise with him because he is in an awkward position because accountability and transparency are not being adhered to. Instead of having a vote on the Constitution, allocations have been made from some unknown account. That, again, puts the man in an awkward position. We have seen cadres from political parties addressing Government officials. Again, this puts the man in a very difficult position.

On page 5, paragraph 37 reads as follows;

“According to the 2011 Human Development Report, Zambia is still ranked among the poorest at 164th position out of 189 countries.”

Sir, the poverty levels are high. The challenge the man has is to either go up or down. Looking at what is prevailing in his Cabinet, we are not very sure whether this challenge will be overcome.

Mr Speaker, on public financial management, the man, again, insists that consultation, transparency and accountability are cardinal principles upon which this administration will manage public finances.

Mr Speaker: Order!

To avoid doubt, could you be specific as to whom you are referring as ‘the man’? The usual way of addressing the House is honourable. Assuming this man is present in this House, he should be addressed as honourable. Unless he is referring to somebody outside who has membership of this House.

You may continue.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, I am sorry.

Again, the hon. Minister emphasised the need for consultation, transparency and accountability. I realise that the hon. Minister will have difficulties in monitoring the way things are being governed. We have seen many things going wrong due to the fact that people are not transparent, consultative and accountable.

Interruptions

Mr Mufalali: Of late, commissioners are being appointed everyday. I do not know whether or not this will be the order of the day when there are institutions such as the Zambia Police Force that are budgeted for to carry out thorough investigations.

Mr Speaker, we are aware that bureaucracy is at play here. Bureaucracy will demand that people’s pockets are oiled, hence they misinform the President to ensure that they are part of the commissions every time they are set up.

Hon. PF Members: Aah!

Mr Mufalali: This is true. Therefore, I advise the PF Government that if it is not sure when you have a Government like yours that came in in the way that it did, it will have difficulties ...

Interruptions

Mr Mufalali:  ... if it does not believe in what it says. Revolutions eat up those who create them sometimes. Otherwise ...

Mr Speaker: Order!

I indicated earlier in the day that we have a very specific Motion before us and I have noted this trend and attempts to continue bringing irrelevant issues under the guise of debating the Budget. It is very obvious and also important that we debate factually and not with generality. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has presented proposals for the Budget. There are, of course, policy statements and factual issues, but let us be focused. It is discernible as I said earlier on.

The hon. Member may continue and bear that in mind.

Mr Mufalali: Thank you, Sir. Again, it is an issue of governance.

Mr Speaker, let me now talk about the Value Added Tax (VAT) which is at 16 per cent. I congratulate the hon. Minister for removing copper, cobalt ores and concentrates from the Import VAT Deferment Scheme. This was sometimes abused by some companies which were able to enjoy tax free holidays and thereafter, fold up. This is a good job.

On customs and excise, Mr Speaker, much as we accept the tax regime, the tax that is based on capital has been very bad on our citizenry because if a car is imported today, duty to be paid will be more than 50 per cent. Actually the value will come to 95 per cent of the value of the vehicle. We wonder whether we have what they term in customs ‘scrap value’ because many of our vehicles, no matter how old, are valued and it is ensured that its duty is like that of a new car. Therefore, I ask the Government if it is possible to look at the issue of valuing cars. The tax on motor vehicles is too high. I think driving is no longer a luxury. It is something which each and every person, if our economy has to grow, should be enabled to have. So, the valuation of motor vehicles needs serious consideration.

Mr Speaker, let me now talk about the windfall tax. In the hon. Minister’s concluding remarks, he said that the hardworking copper miners, the committed artisan and the industrious businessman will have more money in their pockets from which they can raise their living standards and those of their families. I am aware that our people are working very hard in the mines. I am also aware that our economy can be grown to better levels if we are to collect the windfall tax, as promised by the PF Government. May I indicate here that the occupied Wall Street did not come by mistake, but because leaders failed to listen.

There is this issue of Governments taking care of business houses instead of their citizens. Therefore, the citizens have realised that it is the wealth that is being taken away by corporations that has brought about their misery and also the failure by Governments to ensure that they collect the taxes as they should. There is always environmental degradation and pollution that is brought about by many of these corporations. If we have to avoid ‘Occupy Lusaka Street’ or ‘Occupy Independence Avenue’, we have to listen to the people’s views.

Mr Speaker, as regards the PAYE, I observe that, in 2010, it was K3.7 billion while, in 2011, it was K4.2 billion. I have failed to comprehend this because I realised that there should have been a reduction in PAYE in 2011 because of the increment of the tax threshold from K1 million to K2 million, hence getting some of the people away from PAYE.

Mr Speaker, as regards the allocation to the agricultural sector, I see marginal increments that should have been a little higher than six percent.

Mr Speaker, on education, we have come down to 17.5 per cent. In my constituency, we need more schools and teachers. We have very few schools in Senanga Central and I believe that if the percentages against the Budget were increased, we would benefit more than we did in the previous years.

Mr Speaker, on health, there was an increase of almost 3.0 percent, which came to 9.3 per cent. Again, I see it to be very marginal. I believe that we should have increased our allocation more than what we have done.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister says he wants to grow the GDP by 7 per cent. I expected him to aim at growing it by at least 8 per cent.

Mr Speaker, I believe that if the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is supported, he can do much better. However, I know that he has found himself in a position in which he wants to do a professional job, but he has politicians around him, hence, finding it difficult to ensure that he does the right job.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

__________

The House adjourned at 1904 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 24th November, 2011.