Wednesday, 12th February, 2025

Wednesday, 12^th February, 2025

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM WINSLOW PREPARATORY SCHOOL, LUSAKA DISTRICT

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

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

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM ASHFORD ACADEMY, LUSAKA DISTRICT

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

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

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM COVENANT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, CHIBOMBO DISTRICT

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence in the Public Gallery of pupils and teachers from Covenant International School in Chibombo District. On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I warmly welcome our visitors into our midst.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

MR CHEWE, HON. MEMBER FOR LUBANSENSHI, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING, DR MUSOKOTWANE, ON NEW KWACHA DENOMINATIONS

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: An Urgent Matter without Notice is raised.

Mr Chewe: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to raise an Urgent Matter without Notice, which goes to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: You may continue, hon. Member.

Mr Chewe: Madam Speaker, the Bank of Zambia has issued a notice, which is circulating on social media, indicating that the Zambian Government, under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, through the Bank of Zambia (BoZ), has introduced new bank notes, which are about to go into circulation. The people of Lubansenshi, Dundumwezi, Mpika, Kamfinsa and other constituencies wish to know if this is the position of the Government so that they can be aware of what is happening. Further, what measures is the Government putting in place to start sensitising the people?

Madam Speaker, I seek your guidance.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you. I think, we are all aware that this is not the first time that this exercise has happened. We have seen in years past the currency be changed. The Bank of Zambia, in line with Article 213 of the Republican Constitution and the Bank of Zambia Act, 2022, announced the issuance of the new family of notes for the Zambian currency. To that effect, a press notice has been issued and the Central Bank Governor has had a press briefing. So, I think, we are all aware of what is happening.

I am very sure, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will issue a Statutory Instrument (SI) on the new currency and specify the period of the transition. The Central Bank will come with a nationwide sensitisation campaign, of which the National Assembly is likely to be one of the target institutions. So, it has happened and it will happen, and the information has already been given to us. Therefore, we can even start informing our people in the constituencies. So, it is not a secret that it is happening.

MR KATAKWE, HON. MEMBER FOR SOLWEZI EAST, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR SYAKALIMA, ON NON-SPECIALISATION OF SOME GRADES 8 AND 9 TEACHERS IN VIEW OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW CURRICULUM

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: An Urgent Matter without Notice is raised.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, the Urgent Matter without Notice that I wish to raise with the hon. Minister of Education, but now with Her Honour the Vice-President, could be similar, but a little different, from the one the hon. Member of Parliament for Nakonde raised. This one has to do with the teachers in respect of the same upgrade of the curriculum.

Madam Speaker, in the schools that were offering Grades 8 and 9, which are now Form I and Form II, you will find that the teachers were not specialised in teaching, say, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and a number of them are now being transferred to schools that have been designated to offer Form 1 and going up. The issue is the absence of teachers specialised in subjects like Biology, Chemistry and Physics. How has the ministry positioned itself to handle this challenging matter in relation to teacher recruitment?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

Since the matter that has been raised is connected, not similar, to the matter that the hon. Member for Nakonde raised, I will request the hon. Minister of Education, as he prepares for the matter that has been raised by the hon. Member for Nakonde, to also factor in the issue of teachers that has been raised by the hon. Member for Solwezi East. The two matters will be addressed in the same Ministerial Statement.

We make progress.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Dr Andeleki (Katombola): Madam Speaker, before I ask my question, I join other hon. Members of Parliament in congratulating the mighty United Party for National Development (UPND) ...

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Andeleki: ... for doing justice in the recently held by-elections. We won by 99.99 per cent. Allow me to also congratulate the New Congress Party (NCP) through its president, Mr Peter Chanda, for bringing its firstborn to the House. He is welcome.

CONNECTION OF MOOMBA CHIEFDOM TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRICITY GRID

171. Dr Andeleki asked the Minister of Energy:

when the Government will connect Moomba Chiefdom in Katombola Parliamentary Constituency to the national electricity grid; and

what the estimated cost of the project is.

The Minister of Energy (Mr Chikote): Madam Speaker, according to the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), Moomba Chiefdom, located in Mulobezi Rural Growth Centre of Katombola Parliamentary Constituency, is scheduled for electrification in 2027. In 2026, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) intends to conduct a feasibility study to establish the cost of electrifying the chiefdom and surrounding areas.

Madam Speaker, due to the response to part (a) of the question, part (b) falls off.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, not long ago, the former hon. Minister of Education indicated that the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) would get about K1 million from each of our Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to contribute to the cost of taking power to areas such as Moomba Chiefdom. What has happened to the K1 million that was contributed towards the electrification exercise? Why can the hon. Member of Parliament not use that money for the electrification of Moomba Chiefdom, instead of waiting for 2027?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, indeed, constituencies have been contributing K1 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) towards electrification of their constituencies. However, that K1 million is not enough to be used for major projects like the one I have just mentioned. The House may also wish to note that the money is not with REA, but with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. For that money to be used, the guidelines that are stipulated for the CDF have to be followed. Development committees have to suggest projects on which to utilise the funds that have been contributed. For instance, if the people of Katombola want to install rooftop solar panels in their constituency, they are free to use the same money. The constituency itself can decide on how to use the money based on the technical advice from REA.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr B. Mpundu: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order directed at the Government Chief Whip. The point of order is in relation to a constitutional breach.

Madam Speaker, in February 2019, a point of order was raised by Hon. Makebi Zulu, in which he alleged that according to the Constitution, Hon. Chishimba Kambwili’s conduct amounted to crossing the Floor.

Madam Speaker, in the cases of the Attorney-General vs Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika and the Attorney-General vs Chishimba Kambwili, the judgments made it very clear as to what amounts to crossing the Floor. In particular, Hon. Chishimba Kambwili’s case was that he had addressed officials of a party he did not belong to.

Madam Speaker, I have compiled videos, which I will lay on the Table, of the activities of Hon. Elias Daka, Hon. Mung’andu, Hon. Jonathan Banda and Hon. Andrew Lubusha. In the recordings, the mentioned hon. Members went to address party officials of the United Party for National Development (UPND) during a by-election in Petauke. According the judgments in the cases I mentioned, those hon. Members’ actions amount to crossing the Floor. By the powers vested in you, as was stated in the case of Hon. Chishimba Kambwili, the hon. Members’ seats must be declared vacant.

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence as to why you should not declare the four seats vacant.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

I reserve my ruling. I will come back with an informed ruling over the same issue in due course.

We make progress.

The hon. Member for Chama South may proceed.

Mr Mung’andu remained seated.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Let us make progress.

Is the hon. Member for Chama South in the House? We are on supplementary questions.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, I know that people are excited, but he himself campaigned for the New Congress Party (NCP).

Interruptions

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, I want to put this on record.

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

Interruptions

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Mr Mung’andu: They were in Kawambwa campaigning for the NCP, yet they are PF hon. Members.

Interruptions

Mr B. Mpundu: He is overriding the Speaker’s ruling!

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

Resume your seat.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Chama South, do you want to make my ruling? I said that I have reserved my ruling so that I gather evidence of what transpired. Then, I will make an informed ruling.

You may continue.

Mr Mung’andu: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was just saying that some points of order are double-edged swords.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: You may continue with your question.

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Energy –

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) was primarily established to electrify our rural areas. The Electricity Act has a component which stipulates that some money should go towards REA. Whenever we buy electricity, a percentage of the money goes to REA. Is the hon. Minister in a position to utilise that money to help our people in Katombola? Is that money being held by ZESCO Limited, or is it being remitted to the ministry so that the funds can be used to provide electricity to our people in Katombola?

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

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question.

Madam Speaker, indeed, the Electricity Act says that. However, we are talking of major projects to connect Moomba Chiefdom. These are huge projects, such that the amount remitted to REA cannot implement them. The electricity master plan gives us room to connect the chiefdom to electricity by 2027. Due to constraints of resources, we have phased the implementation of projects in constituencies.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, I want to seek clarification from the hon. Minister of Energy.

Madam Speaker, when the hon. Minister was addressing the question by Hon. J. Chibuye, Member of Parliament for Roan, he responded that the money that is provided for under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which is K1 million, is not adequate to deal with connecting the area that the hon. Member for Katombola has talked about to the National Electricity Grid. Now, in the substantive response to his question (indicated Dr Andeleki), the hon. Minister indicated that he has not yet established the amount that will be needed to undertake the exercise. So, how does he know that the K1 million is not adequate?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Before the hon. Minister comes in, there is an indication for a point of order.

Mr Anakoka: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to raise this point of order, pursuant to Standing Order No. 71.

Madam Speaker, when we bring information to this House, in whatever manner, the Standing Order enjoins us to be complete and factual.

Madam Speaker, my colleague, the hon. Member for Nkana, is an Independent hon. Member of Parliament, but …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr B. Mpundu: Is he making a ruling on my point of order?

Interruptions

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Can you sit down.

Mr B. Mpundu: Takwaba!

You cannot raise a point of order on another point of order!

Mr Anakoka: … clothed in Patriotic Front (PF) colours, in order to ignore the fact that all the people seated next to him, who, officially in this House, belong to the PF and are serving the people of this country on its ticket, went to Pambashe, Kawambwa and Petauke, thereby crossing the Floor to the ‘National’ Congress party?

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Anakoka: Was he in order to not include that information …

Interruptions

Mr Anakoka: … so that when you rule, you will do so comprehensively and conclusively?

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr B. Mpundu: You cannot raise a point of order on another point of order.

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

I have now come to believe that there is something cooking.

Hon. Member for Luena, you cannot raise a point of order on another point of order.

Let me inform you, hon. Members. As much as you are interested in this matter, whatever angle you take, so long as your issue is connected to a matter that has already been raised, please, just wait for the ruling. I think, the Presiding Officer, me, indicated that she was reserving her ruling for her to study the matter.

Mr B. Mpundu: He must apologise!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I could have ruled straightaway, but I want to look at all angles of this matter and then come back to the House later so that I can make an informed ruling over the same. So, can we have no more issues to do with this matter.

Mr B. Mpundu: Send him out!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Let us make progress.

We move to the response by the hon. Minister of Energy.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, REA knows the amount required because it has been implementing projects and is very sure that the K1 million that constituencies contribute cannot implement major projects like this one. Hence, my advice was that the K1 million from the CDF is not enough to carry out the project in Katombola Constituency.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, the challenge that we have with electricity is quite serious because our children now use computers and they need some form of solution. If the K1 million that we paid from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is not enough, how much money does the hon. Minister think would be enough so that we can consider increasing that allocation, for the people of Katombola, Moomba and other areas to be connected to the electricity grid?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, indeed, our children in schools require power supply for them to study, so that we are move with the modern world.

Madam Speaker, I will be in a position to give exactly how much is required to connect Moomba Chiefdom and the surrounding areas immediately after the feasibility studies are conducted by the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). We, as a ministry, will advise the hon. Member on how much is required to undertake the project.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Katombola, do you have another question?

Dr Andeleki: Madam Speaker, I do not have a follow-up question. I would like to thank you and the hon. Minister for the opportunity to ask a question.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his responses. He has indicated that the money we contribute towards the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for rural electrification sits at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. What action has the Ministry of Energy taken to move those funds to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) so that the rural electrification exercise is actualised? We have been contributing money for three years and right now, K3 million is being kept in that ministry.

Madam Speaker, in my constituency, we started the works in Simaubi. In the second year, it was Manguza and this year, we have included Kabimba. However, we have only started works in one area, and it has not even been powered up yet. So, what action is the ministry taking?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, our job, as a ministry, is to ensure that we encourage and give the necessary information to the people in the constituencies so that they can take advantage of renewable energy, for example, because that is one source we are encouraging people to divert into from hydro-electric power generation.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member may wish to note that the CDF allocations are in the jurisdiction of the local councils and the CDF committees because the fund belongs to the constituencies. They have the right to indicate how they want to use their money.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, there are too many caucuses, and the voices are becoming louder. Please, if you have serious business to attend to somewhere, you can simply walk out of the Assembly Chamber. Otherwise, let us lower our voices.

Hon. Member for Bwana Mkumbwa, you may proceed.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the three new hon. Members of Parliament. I was one of the hon. Members who ushered them into the House. I would like to particularly, congratulate the new hon. Member of Parliament of the New Congress Party (NCP). I welcome him.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwambazi: Madam Speaker, When the circular was sent to various local authorities, there was collaboration between the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to ensure that the various constituencies contributed K1 million towards REA projects. So, did REA conduct an assessment on what should have been done for it to come up with the K1 million contribution? I am saying so because this money has been sitting idly for a long time. I think it is important to know the authority’s position so that we can make some progress or channel that money into other projects.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, there is always collaboration between the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. As I stated earlier, this money is meant for the constituents and it is in their jurisdiction. The proposal for each constituency to contribute K1 million is not decided by the Ministry of Energy. It was a proposal that was made to ensure that we could expedite the electrification programmes in our constituencies. In fact, in the initial stages, the money was meant to go towards technical advice from the Ministry of Energy.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will take the last hon. Member’s question. We have to make progress.

Hon. Member for Kaumbwe, you may proceed.

Dr Mwanza (Kaumbwe): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity, on behalf of the people of Kaumbwe, to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, I would like to follow suit by congratulating the three new hon. Members of Parliament for Pambashe, Kawambwa and Petauke Central on emerging victorious in the just-ended by-elections.

Madam Speaker, the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), whose objective is to increase electricity distribution in the rural Zambia, has implementation plans at different stages, as per area of interest. In the case of Katombola and Moomba areas, the implementation plan states that in 2026, feasibility studies will be conducted and be implemented in 2027. Is the ministry planning for resources that will match the implementation plans under REMP, countrywide? Are we going to see a budget line in 2026 in the case of Moomba for this project?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, it is the desire of this Government to mobilise resources to implement the plans that we have put in place to ensure that before 2030, the country has access to electricity. Universal access is the target, and it has to be achieved by this Government.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Banda (Muchinga): Madam Speaker, before I indicate my question, let me join other hon. Members in congratulating the three new hon. Members who were elected in Pambashe, Petauke Central and Kawambwa. I would also like to congratulate the New Congress Party (NCP) on producing their first-ever Member of Parliament. Indeed, Zambian democracy is doing well.

REHABILITATION OF ROADS IN MUCHINGA CONSTITUENCY

172. Mr E. Banda asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

whether the Government has any plans to rehabilitate the following roads in Muchinga Parliamentary Constituency:

Kashitu/Nambo/KundaLumwasha;

Teta/Chintankwa;

Kamena/Moyenda; and

Musa Mine/Lusiwasi Power Station;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Madam Speaker, before I respond, let me also join the House in congratulating the brothers who have joined us here, in the people’s House. Mr Simon Banda, also known as Jehovah Jireh Member of Parliament for Petauke Central Constituency, Mr Nason Musonda, Member of Parliament for Kawambwa Constituency and Mr Justine Kapema, Member of Parliament for Pambashe Constituency. Congratulations, hon. Colleagues.

Madam Speaker, the Government, indeed, has plans to rehabilitate the following roads in Muchinga Parliamentary Constituency:

Kashitu/Nambo/Kunda Road;

Lumwasha,Teta/Chintakwa Road

Kamena/Moyenda Road; and

MusaMine/Lusiwasi Power Station.

Madam Speaker, the plans will only be implemented as and when funds are made available.

Madam Speaker, in view of the answer in part (a) above, part (c) of the question falls off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has committed the Government to undertaking works on these particular roads that the hon. Member of Parliament for Muchinga has requested to be done, as and when funds are available.

Madam Speaker, earlier on, the hon. Minister had indicated that the ministry is working on a road sector plan, which will span over a period of ten years. Are those roads in Muchinga Constituency part of that ambitious programme that is called the Road Sector Master Plan?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for that question regarding the Road Sector Master Plan that this Government has embarked upon.

Madam Speaker, as you may know, Muchinga Parliamentary Constituency is among the 156 constituencies of this country. So, the simple answer is yes, these roads are contained in our ten-year road sector development plan. I also wish to indicate to the hon. Member that the plan has not yet been rolled out. The reason the plan has not been rolled out yet is that we have to continue the collaboration between my ministry and our local authorities to give submissions of the roads that are being worked on using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). As the hon. Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa may know, this year, we provided K3 million for every constituency that has purchased earth-moving equipment to facilitate for routine and continuous road rehabilitation in the constituencies that we represent. This is a way in which this Government is going to save colossal sums of money, unlike the way it was before, where perennially, contractors some of whom are fugitives and are not here while others are, were involved in. At this point in time, I can tell the House without any fear of contradicting myself that this route that we have taken has cut the cost of repairing roads by more than 70 per cent.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for according me an opportunity to ask the hon. Minister a supplementary question. It is somehow gratifying to observe that the hon. Minister has a plan to execute the requests from the hon. Member of Parliament for Muchinga as and when funds are made available.

Madam Speaker, does the hon. Minister have a plan of making the funds available? If he does, where is that plan?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I hope I heard the hon. Member correctly. He asked if we have a plan as the Government to make the funds available. The hon. Member of Parliament is part of the process of budgeting in this country. Year in, year out, even at the time when the hon. Member was seated on your right side, where we are now privileged to sit, and his party was controlling the pace, budgets have been presented in this House and passed through an Appropriation Bill and then executed. There is a fundamental difference between the way things were happening before and the way they are happening now. This is because we are trying as much as possible to not continue on the road or on the path of continuously engaging the Government into huge and unsustainable debt as the case is now. My ministry is still sitting on a debt mountain from contractors, some of whom are bogus. Therefore, we made an undertaking to ourselves that we shall no longer contract people when there is no allocation of money to any activity. This is one way of capping the swelling debt that was left by the hon. Colleagues who are asking me the same question.

Madam Speaker, we have priorities. We do have a plan to raise money. One of the priorities and ways of raising money that we have embarked on under the leadership of our able leader, President Hakainde Hichilema, is a rigorous exercise of debt restructuring. That, in itself, is a plan to release resources to do the things that they are asking me to do as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Madam Speaker, at the time the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning presented the Budget here, he made it clear that had it not been for the debt restructuring, the entire money that my colleagues are asking me to spend on roads would not have been available for this country. This means that this country had almost ground to a halt. So, we do have a plan of mobilising resources to ensure these social programmes, such as making roads motorable for our people, become a reality.

Madam Speaker, I urge the hon. Member not to doubt our capability. He is part and parcel of the Government and it is time that we hold hands together to make things happen. As I conclude, it is my hope, and I will check, that Lunte also managed to buy the earth-moving equipment so that we can make it easy for our people in Lunte to communicate. If the constituency has the equipment, then congratulations to him. If not, then we must start questioning ourselves because we are on the road to save money away from wasteful expenditure.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that he has the Road Sector Annual Work Plan (RSAWP) and that the Government will look at rehabilitating roads in Muchinga when the resource envelope allows. Is the RSAWP going to cut across all the 156 constituencies and rehabilitate some township roads, including those in Roan Constituency, when the resource envelope allows?

Mr Kafwaya: On point of order, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing me to rise on a point of order on the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister, first of all, is aware that Lunte District bought earth-moving equipment before his Constituency Development Fund (CDF). However, my point of order is based on the question that I asked the hon. Minister. I asked him specifically because the question has to do with the roads in Muchinga. Does the Government have a plan to make the funds available for the roads, which the hon. Member is asking about? However, the hon. Minister went on to educate me about a process of which I am well aware. He talked about debt restructuring, which has yielded nothing because the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPN) have not repaid the debt.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Kafwaya: They have not repaid the debt at all. The Budget has been executed 100 per cent.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister in order to digress from the issue of informing the hon. Member of Parliament from Muchinga as to whether he has a plan to bring the finance meant for the mentioned roads, and state where that plan is?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte, first of all, you did not even cite the breach. You also were not specific, because, according to the rules of points of order, the points of order are supposed to be brief and precise, or on point, but you went on to discuss so many issues. So, please, in the next point of order, try to be very brief and precise. Because of the issues that I have raised, your point of order is not admissible.

The hon. Member for Muchinga may proceed.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I am very sorry for that.

The hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development may respond.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I responded to the question that my hon. Colleague has asked, but I will try to shed more light.

Madam Speaker, just like Muchinga, Roan is part of the 156 constituencies of this country. That is how I begun answering the earlier question from my hon. Colleague. I want to confirm, again, in no uncertain terms, that Roan Constituency is part of the plan. Maybe, let me just be more direct now. The K3 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which we ring-fenced for lubricants and fuel is a resource. So, resources are slowly being released, which resources we did not have last year and the preceding year. We bought equipment for road works in constituencies, but there was no budget line for fuel.

Madam Speaker, the CDF is Government money. It should never be mistaken for a resource from somewhere else; it is Government money. That is why I called the hon. Member who raised the point of order to the table. Let us work in unison because we are part of the same Government. Whether you like it or not, or whether it does not feel good on your taste buds, we are stack together. We are all hon. Members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government, except some are in the legislative wing. However, if hon. Colleagues want to alienate themselves, they can make my day. At the end of it all, we have an intersection of society whose interests and aspirations we committed to serve, whether one is in the Opposition or not.

Madam Speaker, I know that in Muchinga Constituency, just like in Lunte Constituency, we have ring-fenced K3 million for fuel to work on roads. That will be part and parcel of the preliminary work before we roll out the plan.

Hon. Kafwaya, my dear friend, my young brother, as a matter of fact, my kid brother, the resources –

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, withdraw the word ‘kid’.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I did not mean a kid in form of a goat.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: My little brother, the hon. Member of Parliament for Lunte, let us work together. Recognise the efforts we are making to meet the interests and aspirations of the people in Muchinga Constituency. It is good to oppose and to remind us that we have a duty to perform. We will do it because that is what we are committed to do.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Chonya (Kafue): Madam Speaker, since Muchinga, like the rest of the constituencies, is expected to use the yellow equipment with the supporting funds from the ministry, I want to know whether there is a deliberate programme to build the capacity of engineers in local authorities so that monies do not go to waste. In Kafue, for instance, we committed K4 million in 2024 towards the work on roads with our yellow equipment before the K3 million was allocated for roads in each constituency. However, I think that the results leave much to be desired. So, to avoid wastage in Muchinga Constituency and elsewhere, is there a programme to help engineers in councils to do a good job?

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, allow me to declare interest because the hon. Member of Parliament who has asked the question is the Member of Parliament for the area in which I live. She is aware that even the road that leads to where I live has not been attended to for some time. Just last Sunday, I spoke to the Council Secretary. I asked him where the road equipment was because the road leading to where I live, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in charge of roads, has washed away. He told me that the equipment is in Shantumbu because the council is fixing the Shantumbu Road. Therefore, I want to comfort the hon. Member of Parliament. Ordinarily, had I not assumed this privileged position, I would have been the one making the loudest noise and saying the hon. Member of Parliament is not helping. I understand where the hon. Member is coming from, but my answer is: get involved. Even the President has said that everybody must check what the councils are doing. It will not do for the hon. Member to ask me when the Council Secretary and the councillors will act. In fact, they are now on suspension.

Interruptions

Mr Nkombo: We lifted the suspension? Fine.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is part and parcel of the planning system in Kafue. The road from Muchuto to Shachinyama is totally damaged. I use it often when I go home. I have insisted that we have a plan for Kafue Constituency and see when we can be in Chiawa, Shachinyama or Shimabala, where I live, so that we can all work together. If the hon. Member doubts how prudently the K4 million was utilised, that is where I come in. She can tell me the part where there was some misapplication of funds. The Auditor-General is available. So, we can have a look at the situation. Part of the reason we bought the CDF vehicles for monitoring projects is for hon. Members to be part and parcel of inspecting projects. The same projects might help hon. Members or not to win elections again. So, again, I say that they should get involved in inspecting projects. In fact, the hon. Member should expect a call from me as an ordinary citizen. I will tell her, “Ba MP, the roads in my place are not working”.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Banda: Madam Speaker, I expected to have two slots but, I think, I will only use one.

Madam Speaker, we really take comfort in the K3.2 million that was given to the constituencies for fuel. I must also mention that we appreciate what the Government is doing in developing our rural constituencies. However, Muchinga is different from most constituencies though we receive the same amount of money.

Madam Speaker, the roads in question need work. If one talks of the Kashitu via Nambo to Kundalumwasha Road, one will see that it is currently cut off. It passes along a mountain and all the water from that mountain just flows over it. Besides that, the road has three bridges and two culverts, which we cannot manage to work on using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). 48 km of the MusaMine to Lusiwasi Power Station Road has been cut off. If we rely on the CDF, we cannot do anything. Further, 54 km of Kabansa Road was cut off, cutting off our people. That is the reason we are asking the Government to supplement us. I have heard the hon. Minister say that the Government has plans for that area. However, the time at which the plans will be executed is what is worrying the people of Muchinga.

Hon. Member: It is too late.

Mr E. Banda: It is not too late. We are still living, we are not dying today. It might come tomorrow or another day. Would you say that it is too late? So –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is your question?

Mr E. Banda: Madam Speaker, my question to the hon. Minister is: What plans can the Government help us with regarding works on the Kashitu/Nambo to Kundalumwasha Road, which is currently cut off, and the MusaMine to Lusiwasi Power Station Road? The roads are very critical. I have left out the other one because I know we can work on it using the CDF.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you will be given another time allocation to ask a question.

Hon. Minister, you may proceed.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, hon. Members know that I have come to the House time and again to ask them to submit the crucial crossing points in their jurisdictions, especially in the rural areas. I think that it is not a secret. In Magoye, where I come from, that is where my ancestors are buried, my own village, Nkombo, where I am the headman, is also cut off. I wanted to just put that out there so that we do not come through with too much emotion about this.

Madam Speaker, Zambia is not expiring today. We inherited an economy in which we were coming from the cold. That is what we did. The efforts that we are trying to put in place now also involve hon. Members invoking some action of communication. Let us promote the communication protocol; for you to come to the office, whenever you have a moment, with Bills of Quantity (BoQ) for the crossing points. I want the hon. Member to know that away from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), my ministry is also a domiciliate for rural road connectivity and we have money. He should ask the hon. Member of Parliament for (Msanzala) Lusangazi he is seated there (he pointed at Hon. E. Daka). He was one of the first who came to report that a road in his constituency was cut off. We put a state-of-the-art bridge in Lusangazi. I have also had conversations with Hon. Mtayachalo about crossing points in his constituency.

Madam Speaker, we respond positively and accommodate hon. Members when they come on time. So, while the CDF is not enough, we have another vault that deals with challenges on crossing points that happen when we have excessive rainfall. Just last month, we had flash floods during which even the portion of the road to the Eastern Province – I am sure you remember – at Rufunsa was cut off. There are measures that the Government puts in place. When that road was cut off, Hon. Mulyata, the Minister for Lusaka Province, was on hand for three days monitoring the repairs on the bridge. So, we have emergency funds that can help our people in Lusiwasi who are currently cut off. The process involves the hon. Member coming to the office. Hon. Members should not just come to this gallery to say this or that and then forget about an issue, bwelani ku office. Hon. Members should come to the boma and we will try to help them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Banda: Madam Speaker, I have heard the hon. Minister speak well. The roads are not cut off as a result of bridges or culverts being washed away, it is because we are in a valley. So, when it rains, the road is washed away. It is not a need for culverts or rather a bridge, I mentioned a bridge because that is what is on the road. I just wanted to let you know that the magnitude of the work is as big as that.

Madam Speaker, on the Lusiwasi /MusaMine Road, we have the Lusiwasi Power Station, why can the ministry not engage ZESCO Limited so that it can help work on that road? Currently, only ZESCO Limited trucks can move on that road, small vehicles cannot. In the last week of my holiday, there was a funeral and the vehicle that was transporting the body took two days to move because it was stuck on the same road. The family had to travel 27 km to carry the body on their shoulders. So, that is the worry that we have. Can the hon. Minister engage the power utility company to see how best it can come on board to help with works on the dangerous parts of the road while the ministry also considers us in the short-term regarding works on the Kashitu/ Nambo to Kundalumwasha Road? If we are to wait until the Government has money, we are going to have many challenges.

Mr Nkombo: Madam Speaker, I think, the hon. Member of Parliament for Muchinga is doing a wonderful job in demonstrating how well he knows his constituency. I sympathise greatly with the families of the people who carried a dead body for a distance of 27 km to his or her resting place.

Madam Speaker, I want the hon. Member to know that no matter how bad one’s situation is, there will always be someone else who has it worse. These are conversations that, as I said in my immediate past response, require the hon. Member to visit the office so that we can write down the issues. I think, Hon. Emmanuel Banda is excellent in terms of engaging my office. He is one of the hon. Members who make my work worthwhile because he engages us effectively. While he can ask questions here, in the House, because this platform is created for that, I would like to encourage him to also engage us more intimately so that we can tick off the things that are bothering him in his constituency.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: My apologies to the hon. Member for Kankoyo, we are behind time. We have to make progress.

Next question, hon. Member for Mbabala.

OPERATIONALISATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY FUND AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE.

173. Mr Munsanje asked the Minister of Health when the Government will operationalise the following:

the Public Health Emergency Fund; and

the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre.

The Minister of Lands (Mrs Masebo) (on behalf of the Minister of Health (Mr Muchima)): Madam Speaker, the Public Health Emergency Fund, which was established under the Zambia National Public Health Institute Act No. 19 of 2020, is not yet operational. The process of operationalising the fund is underway, including the development of regulations, which will be issued through a Statutory Instrument (SI) by the hon. Minister of Health. The Ministry of Health in collaboration with various stakeholders has drafted the regulations and is currently engaged in further consultations to ensure that the regulations are finalised through a transparent and inclusive process. It is anticipated that the fund will become fully operational by the first quarter of 2025. That is once the regulations are finalised.

Madam Speaker, the National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), established under the Zambia National Public Health Institute Act, is currently technically operational. This is because most of the standard operating procedures, plans and guidelines are already in place. Basic infrastructure and equipment have also been installed and adequate personnel have also been assigned to work in the PHEOC. However, it still needs further strengthening. The Ministry of Health is currently working with various partners to ensure that all necessary requirements are met, including finalisation of the regulations. These will be issued by the Minister of Health, through a Statutory Instrument (SI). As it stands now, draft regulations were drawn after a consultative process and they should be finalised in the first quarter of 2025.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Munsanje: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that very good response.

Madam Speaker, is there a set amount or percentage of money, which will be used to operationalise this very important public health institution, given the various epidemics and pandemics that we face in our country and region as a whole?

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, indeed, this fund has already been allocated to ZNPHI, through the line ministry. However, as the hon. Member may be aware, such institutions are also being funded by donors. Donors have been very supportive in the establishment of these centres. The hon. Member may also be aware that part of this process includes building an entire office structure in Chalimbana area, where land was already secured. Resources were already allocated, except as I indicated, for regulations that had to be drawn.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, the Acting hon. Minister of Health, is fully aware that public health awareness is one of the responsibilities of the local authorities. In Kitwe and Kasama, we have departments that are responsible for public health under the local authorities. My question is: Who will fund the Public Health Emergency Fund (PHEF)? Will there be a tax or a levy that will be introduced? Is it Parliament that will be allocating money to the fund every year? I think, it is important that we understand where the money to fund PHEM will come from, considering that there are so many departments of the Government that will be required to perform this particular function.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, the current position of the Government is to make sure that all local authorities in Zambia work with the Ministry of Health. The ministry has already taken the first step of moving some staff from the Ministry of Health to local authorities. I do not know what is happening in Kitwe, but for Chongwe, I am aware that the Director of Health there is now a member of the Chongwe District Council management team. So, the functions of his office have continued except that he is now reporting directly to the Town Clerk. He is now the Head of Department at the District Council. This means that issues of public health are performed at district level. That is what is currently pertaining.

Madam Speaker, whilst the resources may still be coming from the line ministry, with time, that will change. Money for health will be going to the district councils. The hon. Members of Parliament should acquaint themselves with the decentralisation policy so that they all begin to support the councils. That is why it will be very important that this House, by God’s grace, amendments the Constitution to allow hon. Members of Parliament to begin to sit in the councils.

Mr Chisopa: Question!

Mrs Masebo: This is because the council will become the focal point for development. We need to ensure that hon. Members of Parliament who are elected become part of the council to understand and to appreciate –

Mr Chisopa: Question!

Mrs Masebo: Unless the hon. Member does not know what he wants. I would be shocked if there is an hon. Member of Parliament –

Mr Chisopa: Question!

Mrs Masebo: Sorry, Madam Speaker, can I be protected? I do not know what the “question” is about.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Let us give room to the hon. Minister to respond adequately.

Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, thank you.

So, I was saying that after the decentralisation of various sectors of the Government, we shall have the Local Government District Council at local level. So, activities to do with community development, policing, construction of internal roads, small bridges and primary schools will be in the hands of the council. I am aware that the Ministry of Health has already moved some sectors to the local council. It is not possible for the hon. Minister of Health to go to a smallest clinic that is in the remotest part of Kasama to check if it is functioning. So, it is the duty of the hon. Members of Parliament, Councillors, Mayors, District Commissioners and the entire management to check how various sectors are functioning. The hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development advised that hon. Members need to begin to understand how the Government is going to function.

Madam Speaker, in terms of funding, the money will come from the mainstream Government and the donors. So, I urge hon. Members to wait for the regulations to be issued by the hon. Minister of Health so that they know everything about the operationalisation of the fund.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

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

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing the people of Chilubi to raise a point of order on the Acting hon. Minister of Health.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister in order to mislead this august House and Zambians by insinuating that what she is saying will be new, yet it is already in Articles 148 to 152 of the Constitution of Zambia? Is she in order to say that councils and other sectors will be created just now, from the policy arrangement that she has talked about?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Chilubi, you did not even cite the rule that has been breached. You could have just indicated to ask a question instead of rising on a point of order over something that is very insignificant, and the hon. Minister would have attended to that small query that you have. Let us just avoid raising points of order for the sake of doing so. Let us have meaningful points of order. So, next time, hon. Member, try to cite the rule that would have been breached.

Dr Chilufya (Mansa Central): Madam Speaker, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) was established through an Act of Parliament to lead public health security and that means to protect Zambians against public health threats. The Act also provided for the establishment of the Public Health Emergency Fund (PHEF) so that resources are put there under the ZNPHI to ensure that there is immediate availability of resources to respond to epidemics and also, have money for surveillance, epidemic preparedness and epidemic response

Madam Speaker, mine was to provide clarification that when we are talking about the Public Health Emergency Fund, we are talking about public health security under ZNPHI and it is not something to do with local councils.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, it is noted. I think that is exactly what I was trying to say.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Ms S. Mwamba (Kasama Central): Madam Speaker, I will begin by welcoming the three newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament for Petauke Central, Pambashe and Kawambwa constituencies. They are most welcome to this august House.

ENHANCEMENT OF GENERATION CAPACITY AT CHISHIMBA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRICITY POWER STATION

174. Ms S. Mwamba asked the Minister of Energy:

whether the Government has any plans to increase the power generation capacity at Chishimba Falls Hydroelectric Power Station in Kasama District;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

if there are no such plans, why.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to rehabilitate and increase the generation capacity at Chishimba Falls Hydro Power Station from the current installed capacity of 6 MW to 15 MW.

Madam Speaker, the project is being implemented with grant financing from the German Government under KFW Development Bank at a cost of 41.5 million Euros. The preparation of tender documents is in progress, and they are expected to be floated on the market once a no objection is given from KFW Development Bank. The rehabilitated and upgraded plant is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2027.

Madam Speaker, based on the response to part (a) of the question part (c) falls off.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Ms S. Mwamba: Madam Speaker, when a similar question was asked last time, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning informed the House that the tender was already in process. So, I am taken aback to learn that the tender process has not even commenced as a go-ahead has not been given. Are there any anticipated challenges or risks? It seems that funds were availed in 2016, if I am not mistaken. We are currently in 2025. What is causing the delay?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, indeed, this project has delayed. I stated that the project is supposed to be funded by a grant from the German Government under KFW Development Bank. As a ministry, we have done our part. The financier procured the consultant, the consultant did his part, and the tender documents were submitted to the bank. I agree with the hon. Member that the process has delayed, but we are engaging the German Government to expedite the process. The project is entirely financed by the KFW Development Bank.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, between 2011 and 2021, the Patriotic Front (PF) used assets to borrow money, and ZESCO Limited is one the assets that was used. ZESCO Limited still has a US$3.5 billion debt, making it impossible for the company to mobilise its own funds to invest in projects such as the one we are talking about. When will ZESCO Limited clear its books so that it can raise its own funds to invest in critical projects like this one?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, could he repeat his question?

Mr Mabeta: Madam Speaker, given the electricity challenge that we are facing in Zambia, upgrading of hydropower stations like the one we are talking about is important. Had it not been for the debt that ZESCO Limited has, the company could have easily funded the project. The PF borrowed funds and now the company is unable to borrow or raise funds to invest in such projects, hence we are depending on donors to fund a project which is critical to the economy. When is ZESCO Limited going to clear the US$3.5 billion debt, which is making it difficult for the company to raise funds?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, indeed, the project that the hon. Member for Kasama Central has talked about is being financed by our co-operating partners. The hon. Member for Kankoyo said that if ZESCO Limited were in a good position financially, it would have funded this project as it is important for the nation. Indeed, considering the situation ZESCO Limited is in, it cannot fund the project.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Government has been promoting private-public partnerships (PPPs). Since this country has a serious shortage of electricity, is the ministry exploring avenues to finance such projects and even encouraging local investors to get involved? I mean, if the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and the Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) are able to finance road construction, why can we not encourage local investors to invest in power generation projects so that we can meet current and future electricity demands?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question, although it is a bit different from the question on the Floor.

Madam Speaker, upgrading of Chishimba Falls Hydro Power Station is an existing project. The process started somewhere in 2016, but it has been delayed. In terms of creating an environment for private partnerships, the New Dawn Administration is putting in place reforms on such issues. Private investors or the private sector can participate in power generation projects.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms S. Mwamba: Madam Speaker, since the project has delayed, I want to know when the Government had the last formal engagement with the co-operating partners, and what the resolutions from the engagement were.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I know the passion that the hon. Member has. We were put in office to ensure that we address the provision of services that people need. Indeed, the ministry, together with ZESCO Limited, is engaging co-operating partners. We had an engagement last year and there is progress. Actually, next month, I will be travelling to Germany to push for that project.

I think you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, expanding a power generation plant from 6 MW to 15 MW requires a feasibility study to ascertain whether the project can actually happen. All the stages have already been done. Given the delays we have had even though the project is already funded, I want to find out from the hon. Minister if we do not risk losing the funding, which is a grant because the German Government is giving us the money from KfW Development Bank for free. Where is the problem that is causing the delays? A bank that has given you money, but you cannot implement a project. The hon. Member for Kasama Central wants to communicate the feedback to her constituency. What really is the problem? If the money and designs are there and the feasibility study has been done, why can the project not take off?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the project is being run entirely by our co-operating partners. They are aware of all the delays. Hence, they went ahead to procure the consultant. They understand the delays that have affected the project. So, we are in tandem with them. They are aware of what is being done currently. It is their baby. So, there is no risk of, maybe, the co-operating partners withdrawing the money.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Eng. Daka (Chadiza): Madam Speaker, every project, especially those funded by donors, has a window period. Now, after listening to the hon. Minister say that the project has been delayed since 2016, I am sure that the people of Kasama are interested in knowing whether the window period has expired or not.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, our co-operating partners have even extended the period for the project to 2030.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

EMPLOYMENT OF CAREER GUIDANCE TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

175. Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Education:

whether the Government has any plans to employ career guidance teachers in public schools, countrywide;

if so, what qualifications the career guidance teachers are required to possess; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government has plans to employ career guidance and counselling teachers in public schools, as outlined in the approved organisational structure of the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, the House may wish to note that the Government is currently recruiting ninety-six guidance and counselling teachers.

Madam Speaker, the required qualifications for career guidance teachers are either a Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Education with specialisation in guidance and counselling.

Madam Speaker, given the response to part (a) of the question, part (c) is not applicable.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr E. Tembo (Feira): Madam Speaker, I take note of the fact that there is a need for career guidance teachers so that we can respond to what is going on in various industries in the country. When the hon. Minister says that the ministry is training career guidance teachers, is it taking into consideration the needs of this country? My worry is that we may be training teachers who are irrelevant. My question is whether the guidance aspect is linked to what is happening in the industry.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I hope I got him correctly. We are taking into account the industry.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, the background to the question is my observation that many public schools, especially those in Kalabo, do not have career masters who can help learners to develop capabilities to build their future. Since the hon. Minister has said that the Government is recruiting teachers, how many have been recruited so far, specifically for guidance and counselling or career mastering?

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, a history lesson might inform the hon. Member. I think, all along, we had no component specifically for career guidance and counselling when training teachers, but people were training in that skill. Currently, we are utilising teachers, but they are not on the payroll as guidance and counselling teachers. They teach other subjects and also work part-time as guidance and counselling teachers. Hon. Members may recall that, as a country, we have not had this before, and that is why I am saying that it is in line with the current revised, if you like, approved organisational structure. It was only approved recently. There was literally nothing on that aspect to say the truth. If we had to employ guidance and counselling teachers today, we would require 10,000 teachers in the schools.

Madam Speaker, the fiscal space has been limited. That is why we are starting that programme now. If we had started a long time ago, that component was going to be functional. If one goes to other jurisdictions, one would find that people who actually do all those things are called school psychologists. We should have been doing that since 1964. This is when we are starting after realising that not only is it about kids’ career paths, it is also about bringing up children who will be functional in what they do. So, there is a difference now. When we talk about career guidance and counselling, it is about the type of children we want to mould starting from the school system itself.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, may I equally join my hon. Colleagues, as the host Member of Parliament of the National Assembly Buildings, …

Mr Samakayi: Question!

Mr Shakafuswa: … the landlord, in welcoming the newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament for Pambashe, Kawambwa and Petauke Central.

Madam Speaker, I wish you had picked on me under the Urgent Matters Without Notice segment. Nonetheless, I want to take advantage of this segment dealing with the question to the hon. Minister of Education, as the question that I wanted to raise concerns the payment portal for the examinations of children who are in Grade 7, Grade 9 and Grade 12.

Madam Speaker, the online payment portal for the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) has been offline. We have been trying to pay for examination fees for our children. The people in Kaumbwe and other parts of the country are failing to pay for the examination fees. If this is not remedied, our children may not sit for their examinations. Apart from that, we also have network issues countrywide. To pay online, one needs to use the network of Airtel Zambia Limited, MTN Zambia Limited or Zamtel Limited. However, the network connectivity is intermittent. Is the ministry going to come up with alternative ways to pay for examinations fees for school children?

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Though the question is totally new, it is up to the hon. Minister to decide whether he can respond to it or not. It is a totally different question from what is on the Floor.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, indeed, the question is different from what I was prepared for. However, if that is the case, the hon. Member should come to the office so that I can go and check with the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ). We do talk about certain things with the hon. Member. So, instead of him coming to ambush me here –

Mr Shakafuswa: I called, but you did not pick up the phone.

Laughter

Mr Syakalima: I could have been in a meeting. So, you could have just sent me a text message. Sometimes, some hon. Members do that. If we do not answer, just send text messages. Please, avoid using the WhatsApp application because I have about 8,000 unread messages. So, hon. Members should just send me text messages asking me to call them back.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

UPGRADING OF COMMUNICATION TOWERS IN MUKUNGULE, KATIBUNGA AND KALUBA

176. Mr Kapyanga (Mpika) asked the Minister of Technology and Science:

whether the Government has any plans to upgrade communication towers in the following areas in Mpika Parliamentary Constituency, to Third Generation (3G), Fourth Generation (4G) and Fifth Generation (5G) internet connectivity:

Mukungule;

Katibunga; and

Kaluba; and

if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Technology and Science (Mr Mutati): Madam Speaker, allow me, before I respond to the substantive question, to place on record a correction regarding a response I gave on the Floor of the House yesterday, in responding to Question No.162 on the Order Paper with respect to the construction of a communication tower in Milanzi Parliamentary Constituency.

Madam Speaker, you may wish to recall that yesterday, I informed the House that the construction of a communication tower at Katuila Secondary School in Katuila Ward had commenced. This was based on the information provided to the ministry by the private mobile network operator.

Madam Speaker, in setting the record straight, let me start by thanking the hon. Member of Parliament for Milanzi for bringing to light that the construction of the said communication tower had not commenced. Following - a probe by the ministry, it has since been established that the private mobile operator has, indeed, not commenced the construction of the communication tower.

Madam Speaker, I have since communicated to the hon. Member of Parliament on the specific sites that have been earmarked for the year 2025 by the ministry. To this effect, the ministry through the regulator, the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), will take appropriate action on the private network operator.

Madam Speaker, in response to the substantive question, I wish to inform the House that the Government has issued a policy directive to all public and private mobile network operators to upgrade all existing Second Generation (2G) and Third Generation (3G) networks to Fourth Generation (4G) network as a minimum standard to allow for broadband internet connectivity. The towers in Mukungule and Katibunga in Chipelembe Ward and Kaluba in Kapamba Ward have been prioritised for upgrade as and when the fiscal space allows. However, under the current forty-nine tower upgrade project, Mpika Parliamentary Constituency has been allocated three sites. These are Chobela, Kaonde and Mufubushi.

Madam Speaker, as stated in part (a) of the question, the Government has commenced upgrading communication towers from 2G to 4G, respectively.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the response.

Madam Speaker, Mukungule, Katibunga and Kaluba are highly populated areas. Currently, the people in those areas are having challenges communicating using the Internet. Others have to go to the nearest tower. Therefore, I want to find out from the hon. Minister when the upgrade for the prioritised areas will be done. It is very important to attach timeframes so that even when we communicate the Government policy to our people, we tell them when the Government intends to do something. When timeframes are not given, it becomes very difficult for us to communicate properly what the Government intends to do for its people.

Mr Mutati: Madam Speaker, in the Budget for 2025, there is no fiscal space for us to undertake those upgrades.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister the approach used in ranking the order of preference for the towers that should be upgraded before the others. I ask this question because I understand that there are about forty-nine towers that are already being upgraded.

Mr Mutati: Madam Speaker, in terms of upgrade, a number of factors are taken into account including the population in the area, the associated cost and contractual obligation.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to learn that the hon. Minister has directed private and public operators to upgrade to Fourth Generation (4G) as a minimum standard, but I am worried for the public operator because as he has said, there is no fiscal space in the 2025 Budget. However, maybe, the private operators may be able to undertake the upgrade. My question is: What is the deadline for both private and public mobile operators to upgrade their communication technology to 4G?

Mr Mutati: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question.

Madam Speaker, you may wish to note that the public operator, whom perhaps you may underestimate, has already concluded the upgrade of a number of towers through a facility secured from China. So, the operators will be doing that. In terms of the timeframe, obviously, it will take a bit of time. The towers that are 2G are probably over a thousand. So, that will take a bit of time on the basis of funds being available by both the private and public operators and other considerations, particularly for the private operator, the issue of profitability.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that Mpika was allocated three communication towers for Mufubushi, Chobela and the other area he mentioned. However, Chobela already has a communication tower that supports the fifth-generation (5G) network. We submitted Kashaita, Chewe and Chipundu, as areas to be allocated communication towers. These areas were even surveyed by the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA). We also submitted that in Nabwalya Chiombo, there is an area called Bemba, which already has a communication tower that was erected by ZICTA, but components have not yet been installed on the communication tower. The communication tower was constructed in 2019. These are the areas we submitted to the hon. Minister’s office so that he could deal with them. How then did those areas change to the areas that the hon. Minister indicated in his response?

Mr Mutati: Madam Speaker, indeed, it is correct that Kashaita and Chewe were submitted to the ministry and were surveyed prior to the conclusion of the contract for the forty-nine communication towers. So, they came after we had already concluded the contract for the upgrade of the forty-nine communication towers. So, the ones I referred to in my response are part of the contract for the forty-nine communication towers.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his responses. All the hon. Members of Parliament here helped his ministry with the gap analysis of where communication towers need to be erected. Is the gap analysis being actualised in a phased-manner or is yet to commence?

Mr Mutati: Madam Speaker, indeed, we are grateful for the information that was given to us by the hon. Members of Parliament, which is indicating the priority areas that need communication towers. In our survey, the areas that were indicated to us by hon. Members of Parliament, were given priority. Technically, we have finished the survey. The next level is to find resources and prioritise the most critical areas, taking into account a number of factors.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

CONSTRUCTION OF STAFF HOUSES AND WARDS AT LUANGWA DISTRICT HOSPITAL

177. Mr E. Tembo (Feira) asked the Minister of Health:

when the construction of the following facilities at Luangwa District Hospital in Luangwa District will be completed;

six staff houses which are at 90 per cent; and

hospital wards;

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

what the time frame for the completion of the project is; and

what the estimated cost of the outstanding works is.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Mrs Masebo) (on behalf of the Minister of Health) (Mr Muchima)): Madam Speaker, the construction of six staff houses and hospital wards at Luangwa District Hospital in Luangwa District will be completed by 30^th April, 2025.

Madam Speaker, the cause of the delay has been due to the rainy weather and the mandatory industrial break at National Council for Construction (NCC), which fell in December, 2024. In this case, the contractor went on industrial break and only resumed work in February, 2025. I wish to assure the House that the contractor is on site.

Madam Speaker, the timeframe for project is from March, 2024 to 30^th April, 2025. This timeframe is inclusive of the no cost extension of the initial completion date that was granted to the contractor.

Madam Speaker, the estimated cost of the outstanding works is factored in the total cost of the project, which is K26.258 million.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr E. Tembo: Madam Speaker, I recall that we took a tour of those facilities when the hon. Minister (Mrs Masebo) was in charge of the Ministry of Health and I appreciate her response. We have two months before the completion date. I checked the works just a few weeks ago. I want to know if there is any outstanding money that needs to be paid to the contractor for the works that have already been done. We have had a problem accommodating health workers because of lack of housing within the hospital grounds. They have to move to and from the hospital on a daily basis.

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, the good news is that the contractor was advanced K8 million. We are confident that with that amount of money, he will be able to finish the works on time.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

REPEAL OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT

78. Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo) asked the Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts:

what the cause of the delay in facilitating the repeal and replacement of the National Youth Development Council Act Chapter 144 of the Laws of Zambia is; and

when the Bill will be introduced.

The Minister of Tourism (Mr Sikumba) (on behalf of the Minister of Youth Sport and Arts (Mr Nkandu)): Madam Speaker, the ministry wishes to acknowledge the delay in introducing the National Youth Development Council of Zambia Bill to Parliament, and would like to inform the House on the cause and the progress made so far.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the approval by Cabinet to repeal and replace the National Youth Development Council Act Chapter 144 was granted in early 2022. However, during the 2022 National Youth Indaba, a presidential directive was given to the ministry to review the 2015 National Youth Policy in order to enhance the policy that is being requested for.

Madam Speaker this meant that the review process of the National Youth Development Council Act Chapter 144 of the Laws of Zambia was to be put on hold to ensure that the National Youth Policy was reviewed and that some of the issues in the Revised Youth Policy were addressed by the Act, which was also under review. To this effect, the Revised National Youth Policy was launched on 15^th March, 2024, by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema. It should be noted that the review of both the Act and the Policy is a very consultative process, hence the delay. We want it to be very inclusive. In addition, you may wish to note that further delays were caused by the review of other strategic documents by the ministry. which include:

development of the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan;

development of the 2024 National Youth Policy;

development of the 2024 National Youth Policy Implementation Plan;

development of the first-ever National Arts Policy;

development of the Arts Policy Implementation Plan;

development of the Film Policy;

development of the Film Policy Implementation Plan;

development of the National Sports Policy;

development of the National Sports Policy Implementation Plan;

development of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts Devolution Plan for Community Sport; and

development of the Communication Strategy.

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that the above-highlighted strategic documents were developed between 2022 and 2024, in the first quarter. As I have already mentioned, I inherited a ministry that had no strategic document, which forms the cornerstone for implementing various programmes and activities in a well-structured manner. The ministry is working in collaboration with other line ministries and youth organisations to make progress in ensuring that the drafting of the National Youth Development Council of Zambia Act No. 144 Layman's Bill is done. The hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the Layman’s Bill is being subjected to consultation, which involves both hybrid meetings and physical engagements to ensure that we have a proper document to review.

Madam Speaker, the ministry remains committed to introducing this Bill in Parliament. It is envisioned that the Bill will be introduced in the next Legislative Meeting which, obviously, is the one we are currently sitting in.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has tabulated the challenges that the Bill faced for it to not be introduced in Parliament. However, I also note that in the 16^th Cabinet Meeting, which was held on 11^thAugust, 2022, this Bill was one of the seven that were supposed to be introduced in Parliament. Other Bills were introduced, and I think, we debated under their Motions. The hon. Minister does not seem to –

Madam Speaker, though the hon. Minister has stated that the Bill will be presented to the House in this Meeting, we need a clear roadmap, especially since it deals with the majority of the population in the nation. When we look at the age group that this Bill targets, we see that it is the fifteen years to thirty-five years group. I think that the other things he referred to, such as the National Youth Policy, are just supplementary, the Bill is standalone. This Bill needed to be repealed as soon as possible because it was enacted during the “Kaunda” times. I am interested in a proper roadmap, especially since this Bill is a fall-off from the other six Bills. We need a proper roadmap to specify when it will be brought to the House.

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I appreciate the fact that, indeed, this Bill was tabled in Cabinet in early 2022 if you heard me correctly, I mentioned that in the subsequent discussions that we had on 15^th March, 2024, during the Youth Indaba, we realised that more submissions were being made. Next month, we will commemorate the National Youth Week. You will agree with me that some of the critical issues that were raised last year by the majority of the population are what are going to be contained in that piece of legislation. I can guarantee you that in this Meeting of Parliament, the Bill will come into effect.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Wamunyima: Madam Speaker, as a lawmaker and member of the Youth Parliamentary Caucus, I am struggling to understand how a Bill approved by the Cabinet in August 2022, has not been tabled, and this is February 2025. This Bill covers 70 per cent of the population. There is no legal framework for the young people. Can the hon. Minister advise why this Bill’s implementation is being related to policies? When a Bill has a structural legal framework, it has nothing to do with policies in its enactment.

Mr Sikumba: Madam Speaker, I think, the House needs to appreciate one simple fact. We inherited a Government that had fragmentated pieces of legislation. We had pieces of legislation promulgated without requisite policies that fall into them. Since we were elected on a ticket of change, we needed a complete surgical review of the number of pieces of legislation together with the policies that accompany them. You will agree with me that any piece of legislation should have a solid national policy, which is what we have been looking out for. If you heard my response much earlier – I will repeat it – I said that over time, the ministry was being run without relevant pieces of legislation to look after 70 per cent of the population that needs to be taken care of. That is the reason I am saying that we need to be consultative. We have been engaging the youths. Some submissions from the last Youth Indaba were given to the ministry to be imputed into the National Youth Policy that we are talking about, which will invariably be put in the National Youth Development Council of Zambia Act Chapter 144 of the Laws of Zambia, and that is exactly what we are trying to achieve.

Madam Speaker, we do not need to hasten this process. We must allow proper consultation, which will invariably give us a good piece of legislation that will look after the 70 per cent of the population, which the hon. Member is a part of.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised by the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu.

Mr Kampyongo: I rise on a point of order pursuant to Standing Order No. 71(1)(b).

Madam Speaker, I have followed the hon. Minister’s responses, and he has, on the Floor of this august House, insinuated that he inherited fragmented pieces of legislation. He knows – I know he might be relatively new but, by now, he should be acquainted with the processes of making laws. This institution is charged with the responsibility of making laws and harmonising those laws that are at variance. So, is he in order to insinuate that the hon. Members of Parliament who have been to this august House, which he inherited, were not discharging their responsibilities as assigned? Is this hon. Minister in order ...

Hon. Opposition Member: To insult us?

Mr Kampyongo: ... to degrade the collective intelligence of all the Parliamentarians we have inherited this institution from?

I seek your ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, please, consider that we are talking about a particular Bill, not all outstanding Bills or laws that were enacted or not enacted. We are very specific to the one that is mentioned here. So, I do not think, there is a need to involve the whole House and bring everything under one basket. We look at this Bill and attend to the way the hon. Minister has responded.

Mr Kampyongo interjected.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: No, he is specific to the Bill at hand. So, I would say that the hon. Minister was not out of order, because we are looking at one specific Bill. In your point of order, you went out of the way and mentioned so many Bills and the hon. Members as not having functioned well in attending to all the Bills and the outdated laws. We are looking at this particular Bill. So, I do not think, the hon. Minister was out of order.

Mr Kampyongo interjected.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I think, I have made the ruling. If you are not happy, you can ask a follow-up question so that the hon. Minister explains further. However, I disagree with what you brought out because we are looking at a particular Bill under the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts.

We can make progress.

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask a question during break time.

Laughter

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Sorry. I did not even notice the time.

Order!

Business was suspended from 1641 hours until 1700 hours.

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Mr Speaker, in one of his answers, the hon. Minister indicated that the Government is working with youth organisations to ensure that the National Youth Development Council Act is repealed and replaced. He further indicated that youths are being consulted extensively. Given that background, I would like to know the key issues that have been raised by youths that the new Bill will address.

Mr Sikumba: Mr Speaker, I think, we all appreciate that the National Youth Development Council Act encompasses various sports disciplines in our country. To a large extent, most sports in this country are undertaken by youths.

Mr Speaker, we have had serious engagements with youths, as I mentioned in my earlier response, and one of the issues that came up in those engagements is inclusivity. You may have heard many of us on various forums, including the President, saying that there is no such thing as a minor sport in this country. All sports are the same and they need to be supported as such. Those are some of the mischiefs that the mentioned piece of legislation will try to cure. We have to ensure that there is inclusivity of all youths, including those living with disabilities.

Mr Speaker, another issue that came up in our engagements with youths is empowerment. In the last indaba that was held in 2024, youths raised the issue of monetising particular sports disciplines through the National Youth Development Council (NYDC). It is on that background that we have decided to include the many submissions from various youths in our country in that particular piece of legislation.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Minister for his responses. For the last ten years, the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) has not had a board. In the absence of a board, the Government has continued to fund the council. I can say without any shadow of doubt that young people have complained that the NYDC has over the last ten years been a cash cow for some people. As a matter of urgency, is the Government considering investigating what has happened over the last ten years with regard to financial misappropriation at the NYDC? Clearly, the evidence is there, as alleged by many young people, that over the last ten years, the NYDC has turned into a cash cow. Maybe, that is why certain forces have been against bringing that particular Bill to this House.

Mr Sikumba: Mr Speaker, indeed, concerns have been raised by many sections of our society with regard to the absence of a board at the NYDC. Obviously, the ministry is not sitting idle and we really want to have that matter settled quickly. As the hon. Member has mentioned, it is true that it is becoming increasingly difficult to have oversight without a board for an institution that is grant-aided by the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, I just want to give the hon. Member some comfort by saying that my ministry is working tirelessly to ensuring that all the funds disbursed to the NYDC are accounted for. Any individual or institution that will be found wanting with regard to the misuse of those funds will definitely be brought to book.

Mr Speaker, I just want to give additional comfort by stating that, as the Government, we will ensure that institutions such as the NYDC are run properly. The NYDC might not have a board at the moment, but the House can rest assured that a board will definitely be appointed as soon as we finalise with the earlier mentioned piece of legislation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, as chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth, Sports and Child Matters, I am very ready to look at the Bill in question and have it enacted. When will the hon. Minister bring that Bill to the Committee?

Mr Sikumba: Mr Speaker, in my earlier response, I did mention that the Bill will be brought to the House in the next Legislative Meeting of Parliament.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Mr Speaker, since the board of the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) has not been in place since 2015, has the institution ever been audited during this time and if not, why?

ACCUMULATION OF DEBT IN THE PROCUREMENT OF FUEL FROM JULY 2021 TO JUNE 2024

179. Mr Kafwaya (Lunte) asked the Minister of Energy:

how much debt the Government had accumulated for the procurement of fuel as of July, 2021; and

how much the debt had accumulated to, as of June, 2024.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the outstanding petroleum debt as of 31^st July, 2021, stood at US$477 798,993.10 comprising the principal amount of US$280,149,213.47 and late payment interest of US$197,649,779.63.

Mr Speaker, the principal debt accumulated to US$445,779,233.90 prior to the cessation of supply on 1^st October, 2022, when the Government policy to disengage from procurement took effect. As of 30^th June, 2024, the interest accumulated to US$431,395 924.37, bringing the total petroleum debt to US$877,175,158.27.

Mr Speaker, you may wish to note that the supply contracts that were signed between 2016 and 2019 contained the provision for late payment interest, and there have been no new supply contracts entered into by this Government. During 2024, the Government negotiated for the capping of interest of 31^st March, 2024, and the debt is no longer growing. The Government further negotiated discounts on late payment interest of US$20,275,717.83 and paid US$109,108 092.01. As of 31^st December, 2024, the outstanding debt stood at US$735,819 423.26.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Energy has informed the nation this afternoon that the debt, which was about US$400 million, has risen to about US$735 million. The hon. Minister is aware, and I am sure he has been briefed that, initially there was no duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel. The new Government decided to introduce those two taxes. Where has that extra money been going to? Has the Government used the money to clear the debt, or was the money used for a different purpose?

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, I wish to remind the House that this is a legacy debt. The House is aware of the efforts the Government is making. In my response, I mentioned that US$109,108,092.01 was paid to clear part of the debt. We have been using the money prudently to service the debt.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kafwaya: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the hon. Minister’s response. I would like to know what Government ledger the fuel debt is on.

Interruptions

Mr Kafwaya: On what Government ledger is the fuel debt, assuming the Government has cleared the debt? I recall that we had a Supplementary Budget to clear the debt. In case the Government has not cleared it, where is the debt on the Government ledger? If the Government cleared the debt, where was it on the Government ledger?

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, I did not say that we have cleared the debt. I was stating what efforts this Government is making to clear the debt. I have stipulated the amounts that have been paid towards clearing it. I have also stated that currently, this Government has held negotiations to make sure that the interest that is being paid on the debt does not grow. I even went further to state how much the outstanding balance on the debt is. That is the question the hon. Member was asking. I have given out the figures as well.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

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

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kambita: Mr Speaker, I was seated here, following the debate.

Mr Mubika: Undisturbed!

Mr Kambita: Undisturbed, until the hon. Member for Lunte asked the question he asked.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: State what rule has been breached.

Mr Kambita: Mr Speaker, it is Standing Order No. 71.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: What about Standing Order No. 71?

Mr Kambita: The relevance of speech and debate.

Is the hon. Member for Lunte in order to ask the hon. Minister to specify the name of the ledger on which the debt is sitting?

Interruptions

Mr Kambita: We are all aware that the Government has been magnanimous enough to explain all the arrears.

Mr B. Mpundu: Awe, imwe naimwe! We are not aware.

Mr Kambita: We are all aware, and this is in the public domain.

Hon. UPND Member: Correct!

Mr Kambita: The hon. Minister went ahead to even specify the figure. These are arrears. All public arrears are well known. Do we need to name a ledger, honestly speaking, thereby confusing the people out there by making them believe that the hon. Minister’s role is to come here and explain ledgers? Is the hon. Member in order to sit there and cause drama in the House in that fashion?

Mr Speaker, I need your serious ruling.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member for Lunte was completely out of order.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: There is no reason, whatsoever, for the hon. Minister to be in a position to specify a particular ledger on where the debt is standing. Most importantly, there has been an acknowledgement that the debt is sitting. The question of how it is positioned by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning is absolutely the duty of the Government, but let us –

Mr B. Mpundu interjected.

Interruptions

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon Member for Nkana, I will send you out of the House. When I am giving guidance, you should listen attentively.

The hon. Member for Lunte was completely out of order.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: You should ensure that there is relevance in your speech to avoid misleading the people.

Hon. Member for Lukashya, you may proceed.

Mr Chisanga (Lukashya): Mr Speaker, I hope I will not drown in fear.

Mr Speaker, of the debt that the hon. Minister has disclosed to the House, how much was owed to Agro-Fuel Investments Limited, whose contract was recently terminated by the Government? Furthermore, what plans does the Government have to repay the debt after terminating the contract?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I do not know whether the hon. Minister can specify the details about the companies that are owed because that is a different question altogether.

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I think you can engage the hon. Minister on that.

Let us make progress.

Hon. Member for Nkana, you may proceed.

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Mr Speaker, I am particularly interested in the period when the Government disengaged –

Mr Chikote conversed with Eng. Nzovu.

Mr B. Mpundu: Ba hon. Minister, akumfweni!

Dr Andeleki: Iwe!

Mr B. Mpundu: Mr Speaker, when the Government disengaged from the fuel sub-sector, the debt that was incurred included the agreed payment to Agro-Fuel Investments Ltd for clearing the pipeline, which was US$18 million. The agreement between the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) was that the company was going to be paid off by way of using the pipeline. The hon. Minister is now aware that this debt was paid off. However, the Government continued to pay off the company beyond that. The ERB brought the fact that the Government overpaid the company, which in essence amounts to a crime being committed, to the attention of the ministry. How is the ministry treating the issue of having overpaid that company?

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member has taken me aback. The question on the Floor asked to state the debt that has been accumulated in the procurement of fuel. I am not aware that Agro-Fuel Investments Ltd was overpaid by this Government. I do not have those facts.

Interruptions

Mr Nkandu: If he is not aware, then, he is not aware.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, I do not know why the hon. Member is trying to give me those figures. I am sure that he is even aware of the figures that the Government paid Agro-Fuel Investments Limited. I do not know how much was paid out. That is information that the hon. Member can bring to the ministry and engage his Government.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr B. Mpundu interjected.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Nkana, you asked a question and while the hon. Minister was responding, you kept debating whilst seated.

Mr B. Mpundu: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I will not grant you that point of order.

Hon. Member for Kabwata, you may proceed.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Mr Speaker, I am sure you can tell that the people who were presiding over the affairs of Zambia were plunderers who are serious criminals. I wonder how someone can sign a contract with a provision for late-payment interest. That was stealing from the people of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, what rationale did the plunderers use to come up with the late-payment interest provision?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, withdraw the word “plunderers”.

Mr Tayengwa: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word and replace it with ‘misappropriation’.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, I missed the hon. Member’s question.

Mr Tayengwa: Mr Speaker, I am trying to find out what rationale the people who presided over the affairs of this country used to come up with a provision for late-payment interest in the agreement they signed for issues that should have been signed without adding interest.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, it is difficult for this Minister to understand the rationale that was used in signing the contract. Whatever rationale was used at that time has landed us in debt.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, sometimes, I feel bad for the people of Zambia whom the hon. Minister feels do not understand simple things. Even when talking about a ledger, he thinks that he is confusing them.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Just ask your question.

Mr Kafwaya: Mr Speaker, you may recall that this House appropriated a Supplement Budget for two components; the drought mitigation issues and payment of fuel debt. Every amount appropriated by this House goes through the Government ledger, otherwise known as a Head and Sub-Head. How can the Government pay money through a ledger towards an amount that is sitting outside of the Government ledger, that is, if his Government paid that debt for which this House appropriated? By answering that question, the hon. Minister will state what ledger that debt was sitting on.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, I gave you guidance earlier. Some questions are too academic.

Maybe, the hon. Minister can comment but, as a Presiding Officer, I feel that his questions are very academic.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the question gives me a lot of doubt because the hon. Member said “If”, meaning that he is not sure of the facts. I find it difficult to respond to the hon. Member. I cannot speculate.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Mr Speaker, I have followed the hon. Minister of Energy as he has given us the figures, and I stand to be corrected. He started with a principle of US$280 million and that there was interest of US$198 million. He then mentioned US$445 million; principle plus interest. From the US$445 million, we, as a country, had interest of US$431 million and then he went to US$877 million. Then, from US$877 million, the Government negotiated for a US$20 million off the interest, I should presume. I love figures. It then, paid US$109 million and now we are sitting at US$735 million. I stand to be corrected, that is the hon. Minister’s submission.

Mr Speaker, when we were sitting as a committee to receive submissions on a special report on public debt, one of the submissions was that there would be debt restructuring and negotiations with some of the suppliers. In liaison with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, is the hon. Minister able to tell us how much of the haircut has been obtained in terms of interest from the suppliers? We would like to know the actual indebtedness of the country.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the figures are as the hon. Member has quoted them, and like I said, Zambia’s debt stands at US$735 million. However, regarding the principle amount that we negotiated, I will need to come back to the House after the calculations so that I can give the hon. Member the exact figure that we managed to negotiate.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, from the time I was a child, I have never bought fuel on nkongole or credit at a filling station. How did we end up with this debt, yet we were buying fuel by paying in cash at filling stations? How did this debt come up?

Laughter

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, in the previous Government, there were grey areas regarding important aspects of management and control. This is because the previous Government maintained a low pump price without paying for imported fuel hence ending up with this debt. So, this was the previous Government’s style of management.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, you did not answer the question. The hon. Member’s question was that despite Zambians paying in cash for fuel at filling stations, why did the country end up accruing this debt? That was the question.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, we are where we are because the previous Government was not paying. Some of the oil marketing companies (OMCs) went away with nkongole, credit. This is why we have found ourselves in this position. There was no payment being made by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chala (Chipili): Mr Speaker, actually, my question has been asked by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kankoyo. However, let me say that when the Government imports fuel, it is distributed to various filling stations and the consumers pay cash for it. So, I was wondering if there is any general explanation that the hon. Minister can give to the Zambian people regarding why the country has this debt. That is what I wanted to ask, but it has been answered.

Interruptions

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Let us make progress. We will have the next question from the hon. Member for Nyimba.

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Mr Speaker, let me also congratulate the newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament from Luapula, Kawambwa and Mushota and the new hon. Member of Parliament from the New Congress Party (NCP) for joining us in this Session.

CONSTRUCTION OF NYIMBA DISTRICT HOSPITAL

180. Mr. Menyani Zulu asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

when the construction of Nyimba District Hospital in Nyimba District will be completed;

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

what the estimated timeframe for the completion of the project is.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Mr Speaker, the construction of Nyimba District Hospital in Nyimba District will be completed once the contractor has been procured.

Mr Speaker, the delay in completing the project is due to the expiry of the initial contract.

Mr Speaker, the timeframe for completion of the project is eight months from the date the contractor will be re-procured.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Menyani Zulu: Mr Speaker, where I come from we say kaloba mumatu kayazya mpasa, meaning that when you tell me something, that thing will be implanted in me and I will keep on remembering it as a promise.

Mr Speaker, on 15^th February, 2022, the hon. Minister gave a very beautiful answer to the people of Nyimba and it was very easy to swallow because it was tasty. He said that the Government would complete the construction of the hospital in six months, that was by June 2022 because the question was asked on 15^th February, 2022. I posed a question to the hon. Minister asking if he was sure. I have the hon. Minister’s replay here. He said – I will not read it because he is my big man. However, in his answer, he said that the construction of the hospital would be completed by June 2022. The following year, the hon. Minister again promised the good people of Nyimba that the Government would complete the project by December 2023.

Mr Speaker, the contractor who was to construct Chipata District Hospital was the same one to construct Nyimba District Hospital. The contractor has managed to complete Chipata District Hospital, but has failed to complete Nyimba District Hospital. What is so special about our colleagues in Chipata that their hospital has been completed? What is so bad about Nyimba that a project cannot be completed?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for his concern of his constituency and district.

Mr Speaker, let me state that a lot of work has been done on that hospital. I will give a bit of history. The project was being implemented in a phased manner. The first phase involved the construction of the out-patient department (OPD), administration block and associated external works. This phase was completed and is operational.

Mr Speaker, the second phase is currently on-going and the scope of works includes the construction of the maternity wing, theatre block, service block, mortuary, four medium-cost houses and associated external works. The contract was awarded to SunShare Investment Limited at a cost of K33 million and the works commenced in July 2017. It is one of the legacy projects we inherited from, you know who.

Mr Speaker, the contract expired in December 2023 due to a lapse of time, as mentioned earlier. The end-user, the Ministry of Health, commenced the process of re-procuring the same contractor through direct bidding. At the time the contract expired, the project was at 55 per cent completion and K12,057,134.76 was paid for the works done. The completed works include roofing of all structures and finishing, while external works are not yet completed. Currently, the process of preparing bills of quantity (BoQs) for the outstanding works is underway and the tendering process will be concluded by the end of the second quarter of 2025. The last phase of the project will include six low-cost houses and in-patient department wards.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member is concerned that there is invidious comparison between the people of Chipata and the people of Nyimba. Let me assure him that the New Dawn Government takes this country as one. From corner to corner, we are all Zambians. We belong to the same country. At the moment, we have one Government of His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema. The President emphasises that we must share the resources of this country equitably. So, there is no invidious comparison. When we have limited resources, sometimes allocations might go to one place while other places wait. The hon. Member of Parliament is free to engage me on ensuring that the project is completed as quickly as possible. So, I await his visit to our ministry.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Menyani Zulu: Mr Speaker, I trust the hon. Minister because when he makes promises, things happen. I hope he will fulfil his promise, just as he did regarding the Mvuvye Bridge. I congratulate him because there was no bridge before. This is the first time we are seeing a bridge on the Mvuvye River.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Menyani Zulu: Mr Speaker, I will go to the hon. Minister’s office. However, even if I will engage him, can he tell the good people of Nyimba when the new contractor will be engaged to complete the hospital.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, I think that the hon. Minister has answered the question. He said that the procurement of a new contractor would begin before the end of the second quarter of the year.

Let us make progress.

ELECTRIFICATION OF SCHOOLS IN MILANZI CONSTITUENCY

181. Ms Phiri (Milanzi) asked the Minister of Energy when the following schools in Milanzi Parliamentary Constituency will be electrified under the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP):

Kathumba Primary;

Milanzi Primary;

Chiwoza Primary;

Mnthipa Primary;

Katawa Primary;

Mbinga Primary;

Kakula Primary;

Chimwalala Primary;

Chimiwawa Primary;

Kazala Primary;

Kaputu Primary;

Chisindiko Primary;

Lunga Primary;

Chadzuma Primary;

Bombwe Primary;

Zakonkha Primary;

Chilowa Primary;

Mwandafisi Primary; and

Katiula Secondary

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, according to the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), the above listed schools were supposed to be electrified in 2009. However, the previous Government did not prioritise rural electrification. The New Dawn Government, under the able leadership of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, implemented the Kathumba Grid Extension Project in Milanzi Parliamentary Constituency in 2023 through the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). The project involved electricity supply to Ndaula Mini Hospital, Gunda Primary School, Chinzule Primary School and Chief Kathumba’s palace. It also involved the construction of 17.8 km of a 33 kV high voltage line and a 20 km medium voltage line with a total number of 500 household connections at a cost of K15.3 million.

Mr Speaker, with regard to the above listed schools, the Government, through REA, conducted feasibility studies for their electrification. The total cost of electrifying the schools was estimated at K102 million. The feasibility studies conducted did not include the electrification of Lunga Primary, Chadzuma Primary, Bombwe Primary, Zakonkha Primary and Chilowa Primary. The Government plans to mobilise resources for implementation of the projects and attain universal access to electricity by 2030.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Phiri: Mr Speaker, let me bring it to the attention of the hon. Minister that Chinzule Primary School is not in Milanzi Constituency, but in Kapoche Constituency. Further, Kathumba Primary School has not been electrified. Since the hon. Minister has indicated that feasibility studies have been conducted, I would like to know when works will be done in the areas where the studies have been undertaken. He also indicated that funds are not readily available. When will the money be available for those areas to be electrified?

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, as I stated, feasibility studies were conducted and we are looking forward to mobilising resources to enable us electrify those schools.

Further, as the New Dawn Government, we have indicated in our energy compact strategies and targets that before 2030, all areas in the rural set-up should have access to electricity. These are the plans that are in the compact to ensure that universal access to electricity is achieved by 2030. This Government is mobilising the resources.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Phiri: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister able to share those plans?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I think, you can engage him. You can follow him to his office to discuss the matter. You are all Parliamentarians.

SETTING UP A SOLAR PLANT IN KALABO DISTRICT

182. Mr Miyutu asked the Minister of Energy:

whether the Government has any plans to set up a solar plant for electricity production in Kalabo District;

if so, when the plans will be implemented;

what the estimated cost of the project is; and

if there are no such plans, why.

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through REA, has plans to set up eight solar plants in Kalabo District for areas that are far from the national grid. These plans will be implemented in phases from 2026 to 2030 according to the newly updated Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), which focuses on universal access. The following are the eight planned sites:

Nang'ole;

Kuuli;

Kaluwe;

Lilambo;

Tuuwa;

Siluwe;

Mishulundu; and

Lutwi.

Mr Speaker, to meet the energy demand for the district, the Government has also undertaken measures to enhance the electricity infrastructure in Kalabo District. Through ZESCO Limited, the Government plans to upgrade electricity supply to the Western Province by constructing a 330 kV transmission line from the Victoria Falls Power Station in Livingstone to Mongu. Further, REA is implementing a grid development project called Namatinda Buleya in Kalabo District with a high voltage line length of 1.26 km and medium voltage line of about 8.86 km at K5.3 million. The project is targeting 248 initial connections and is expected to be completed within 2025.

Mr Speaker, as part of the universal access target, the eight solar mini-grids in Kalabo will be implemented between 2026 and 2030 in a phased manner. The estimated cost for implementing the solar power plants is US$2 million.

Mr Speaker, based on the answer provided above, part (d) of the question falls off.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, every change has the good and the bad. The response given by the hon. Minister is a delight for the people of Kalabo District. However, 2026 is just ten months away. In 2021, we were sure that we would win the elections. How sure are we that the contractors will be on site come 2026?

Mr Chikote: Mr Speaker, the reason you have us in public office is to provide you with information that we are sure of. Since this is a national programme, I said that we are going to undertake the projects in a phased manner. The eight solar mini-grids are part of the national programme that we have for this country. The hon. Member should rest assure that come 2026, we will start phasing the projects in Kalabo District.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

–––––––

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1757 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 13^th February, 2025.

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