Thursday, 13^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

ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I have received communication to the effect that in the absence of Her Honour the Vice-President, who is attending to other Government Business, the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Hon. Jacob Jack Mwiimbu, SC., MP, has been appointed Acting Leader of Government Business in the House from today, Thursday, 13^th February, 2025, until further notice.

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM RHODES PARK SCHOOL

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

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

I thank you.

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM SUNSHINE ACADEMY

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

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

I thank you.

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URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

MR J. CHIBUYE, HON. MEMBER FOR ROAN, ON MR MWIIMBU, SC., HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, ON THE ATTACKS AT THE KAFUE ROUNDABOUT IN LUSAKA

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Chibuye: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to raise this Urgent Matter without Notice, and it is directed at the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, who is, at the same time, the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: You may proceed.

Mr J. Chibuye: Madam Speaker, the happenings of late at the Kafue Roundabout leave much to be desired in terms of security.

Madam Speaker, juveniles of different ages have sprung up, attacking especially motorists, grabbing things from them in broad daylight without fear or any remorse. To make matters worse, some of your hon. Members here have been victims of the same, with their phones being grabbed. For instance, the hon. Member for Mufulira is a victim, as his phone was grabbed at the same traffic circle.

Madam Speaker, I would like to know from our able hon. Minister as to what is happening to our security personnel that is making them fail to move in to diffuse that ticking time-bomb at the Kafue Roundabout.

I seek your guidance, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

Indeed, that is worrisome. So, I ask the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security to come to this House on Tuesday and address the situation of security at the Kafue Roundabout in Lusaka. Unfortunately, today, there are three Ministerial Statements and, tomorrow, there will be two Ministerial Statements. So, the hon. Minister will come and issue the Ministerial Statement to the House on Tuesday.

MR KASANDWE, HON. MEMBER FOR BANGWEULU, ON MR MWIIMBU, HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, ON MOBILE ISSUANCE OF NATIONAL REGISTRATION CARDS

Mr Kasandwe (Bangweulu): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Kasandwe: Madam Speaker, my Urgent Matter without Notice is directed at the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

The hon. Minister is busy.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I am listening, hon. Member.

Mr Kasandwe: Thank you, Madam Speaker, again.

Madam Speaker, in December 2023, the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) started in Luapula Province but, around January, last year, the exercise was suspended because it was during the rainy season. When I raised that matter in this House, we were assured that when the next phase of the exercise resumed, Luapula would be considered.

Madam Speaker, indeed, the programme started fifty-five days ago but, again, it resumed in the rainy season, in December, and it is ending tomorrow. Unfortunately, during the fifty-five-day period or six weeks, the officers who were in the field had no materials to use. Yesterday, each district was given about a thousand, but the material ran out. Since the programme is coming to an end tomorrow, I would like to know from the hon. Minister if the exercise is going to be extended because, in the fifty-five days that were given to Luapula Province, the officers did not do anything due to there being no materials to use.

I seek your intervention, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Bangweulu, this is a programme that started a long time ago. Therefore, it is not a new matter. I would urge you to, maybe, come up with a question. Her Honour the Vice-President will have a question-and-answer session tomorrow.  Or you can use other question-and-answer sessions that normally come on the Floor of the House. This is an old issue that does not qualify.

MR MUTALE, HON. MEMBER FOR CHITAMBO, ON THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT AND ARTS, ON THE HEROES STADIUM

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Mutale: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. My Urgent Matter Without Notice goes to the hon. Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts but, since he is not here, I direct it to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam Speaker, when coming from the North into Lusaka, towards Heroes Stadium, you will see that some of the materials of the roof of the stadium are coming off. I am a worried Member of Parliament because that one appears to be the only international stadium that we have, apart from the one in Ndola.

Madam Speaker, I am worried because this is the rainy season and I know that many things there may get damaged. I have seen that it is now getting to one month, but no attention is being paid to that.

Madam Speaker, I need your indulgence so that the hon. Minister can find an urgent way of repairing the damage to that roof.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you hon. Member for Chitambo.

Again, this is not an urgent matter because the damage did not happen in the last twenty-four hours. However, it is an important matter. So, I urge the hon. Member for Chitambo to come up with a Question of Urgent Nature so that the matter can be attended to.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you hon. Member for Chitambo. That is not an urgent matter as it did not happen within twenty-four hours. However, it is an important issue and I urge you to file in a question of urgent nature so that the matter can be attended to as soon as possible.

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FARMER INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR THE  2024/2025 FARMING SEASON

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Madam Speaker, thank you for granting me the opportunity to update the august House on the implementation of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2024/2025 Farming Season.

Madam Speaker, FISP continues to be one of the cornerstones of our agricultural programmes. The programme plays an important role in cushioning small-scale farmers from high input prices. In addition, it facilitates crop production and crop diversification thereby, promoting food and nutrition security. Currently, the programme is being implemented in all the ten provinces covering all the 116 districts. The programme has a target of 1,024,434 beneficiaries who are drawn from the national farmer register.

Madam Speaker, since its introduction in 2002, FISP has mostly been implemented using the Direct Input Supply (DIS) approach. Under the DIS approach, the Government has been procuring, storing and distributing the inputs to farmers. This approach has a lot of logistical challenges, inefficiencies and high administrative costs. Further, the modality does not empower the farmer to choose inputs as this is predetermined.

Madam Speaker, in 2022, the Cabinet approved a three-year migration plan from the DIS modality to the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) System on a phased acceleration basis beginning in the 2023/2024 Farming Season, with Lusaka Province and Central Province. This is aimed at improving the efficiency of the programme. Under this system, the Government provides e-Vouchers to farmers, who in turn, redeem inputs of their choice from selective agro dealers located in their various districts. A catalogue of inputs such as fertilisers, chemicals, lime and seed are part of what a farmer can collect.

Madam Speaker, in the 2024/2025 Farming Season, the DIS modality was implemented in forty-two districts, representing 36 per cent of the programme. This means that 36 per cent of beneficiaries were on this programme, while the e-Voucher System was implemented in seventy-four districts, representing 64 per cent of the 1 million plus farmers.

Madam Speaker, prior to the migration of the seventy-four districts to the e-Voucher System during the 2024/2025 Farming Season, verification was conducted and all the 1,024,434 beneficiaries were verified. All the beneficiaries were bonded and committed to sell a minimum of 10 x 50 kg bags of white maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). To ensure that this commitment is met, the Zambia Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (ZIAMIS) will be integrated with the system at the FRA to make sure that if a farmer does not sell the ten bags to the FRA, he/she is excluded from the programme.

Madam Speaker, in the 2024/2025 Farming Season, under the DIS modality, the Government procured 42,775.2 metric tonnes of D Compound and 42,775.2 metric tonnes of Urea fertiliser at an estimated cost of US$71.8 million. Two suppliers were contracted to supply and deliver D Compound while eleven suppliers were contracted to supply and deliver Urea fertiliser. As at 3^rd February, 2025, the entire procured D Compound as well as Urea fertiliser had been delivered representing a 100 per cent delivery of the fertiliser.

Madam Speaker, the Government has also delivered seed to various districts of the country and as at 3^rd February, 2025, all the allocated quantities of seed had been delivered as follows:

Seed Type                    Quantity (metric tonnes)                     Delivery Percentage

maize                           2,851.68                                              100

soya beans                   1,485.78                                              100

groundnuts                  2,088.73                                             100

Madam Speaker, you will recall that this programme covered sorghum, cowpeas, common beans, sunflower, soya beans, maize, rice and millet.

Madam Speaker, redeeming of inputs by farmers on the DIS modality commenced on 16^th September, 2024. As at 3^rd February, 2025, 285,166 farmers, representing 28 per cent of the farmers on the programme, had redeemed their inputs. Further, under the e-Voucher System, 739,226 farmers, representing 72 per cent of the farmers, had redeemed their inputs too. In other words, as at 3^rd February, 2025, FISP was declared closed.

Madam Speaker, in order to ensure household food security, the Government has committed to meeting the following targets in crop production:

1. 10 million metric tonnes of maize;
2. 1 million metric tonnes of soya beans; and
3. 1 million metric tonnes of wheat.

Further, we shall continue supporting small-scale farmers through various interventions, including fertiliser and seed support, chemicals and lime, irrigation support, provision of access to credit, mechanisation support and other initiatives aimed at increasing productivity and resilience to climate variability.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I would like to reaffirm the commitment of the Government to improving the livelihoods of our people and increasing food security in the country.  Among many interventions that can actualise this aspiration is the prudent implementation of FISP and other programmes outlined above, which the Government is undertaking.

Madam Speaker, we remain thankful to the citizens of Zambia for their patience and, indeed, to the hon. Members of Parliament for their commitment.

Madam Speaker, I have attached to this report a table, which the hon. Members can freely access, as it is too long for me to run through.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the Ministerial Statement.

Madam Speaker, farmers in Mpika, and Muchinga Province as a whole, have been sharing farming inputs particularly, fertiliser in small units such as ma meda, tins and cups, under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). This trend has not changed over the years. How will the Government attain the target of producing 10 million metric tonnes of maize in Muchinga Province, the Northern Province, Luapula Province, part of the Central Province and Copperbelt Province when farmers have been sharing farming inputs in small units?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I am grateful to the hon. Member for that question. We have about 3.5 million small-scale farmers in the country and FISP covers 1,024,434 farmers. The Government introduced other programmes such as the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF) to cater for more farmers.

Madam Speaker, before I sit, let me indicate again that as Government, we do not support sharing of fertiliser or seed in small quantities. That is why we, as the Government, are very happy with the Electronic-Voucher (e-Voucher) System. The e-Voucher System ensures that a farmer can collect what he or she wants. Co-operatives are not involved. A farmer picks what he or she wants under this system. That way, we are hopeful that sharing of inputs in small quantities will not continue. However, I would like to urge the hon. Member to encourage his constituents to apply for funds from the SAFF, which is an affordable credit facility for agricultural production in Zambia. The programme will only get better and benefit many more farmers.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, it is very clear that over the years, the purpose of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has been diluted by politics. I am sure, the hon. Minister will agree with me that he hears about how many bags of fertiliser political parties intend to give to the farmers when they form Government, without necessarily interrogating the huge amount of taxpayers’ money that funds FISP and yet, at the end of the day, a 25 kg bag of mealie meal costs K400. As taxpayers, we invest close to half a billion United States (US) Dollars in just one farming season, yet stabilisation of the price of mealie meal remains elusive. As taxpayers, we invest a lot of money in FISP. Has the ministry ever sat down to ask the question: Where are we coming from? When the programme started in 2001 or 2002, the price of a bag of mealie meal stabilised between K17 and K38. I have already alluded to the politics behind FISP. Now, the price of mealie meal is becoming difficult –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Kantanshi, please, do not debate. Ask your question.

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, I am trying to understand what the Government is doing to address the issue. The core reason that the Government invests in FISP is to stabilise the price of mealie meal. Is the Government going back to the drawing board to see how we can use our investment in FISP to produce cheap mealie meal?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, first of all, it is unfortunate that, probably, the hon. Member was not here, was it yesterday, when the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry debated, and it was a very lively debate, on the issue of mealie meal. Having said that, I would like to state that the purpose of FISP is to support farmers who are seen to be vulnerable, but capable of being made viable. So, the vulnerable, but viable, farmers are the ones we put on FISP.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is aware that there is a programme for very vulnerable farmers, and that is under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. So, we are dealing with people who are supposed to be paying back. However, for a long time, FISP has been more or less a 100 per cent subsidy, and there was no benefit to the Government. What do I mean? Firstly, the farmers are not expected to pay back. Secondly, the farmers were not even expected to sell anything to the Government, and that is why I was emphasising the sale of ten bags so that, at least, there can be a benefit to the Government from this, as he rightly put it, almost half a billion United States (US) Dollars expenditure.

Madam Speaker, his question is: What are you doing in order to bring down the price of mealie meal?

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Let him finish.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, we are now buying maize from farmers at K330 per 50 kg bag. This is in order to make the farmer benefit from the agriculture business. At that price, you cannot sell mealie meal at K25 or K50. It has to be a reasonable figure.

Madam Speaker, our aim is to ensure that there are very few people queueing to buy mealie meal. For as long as we support agriculture, we will have more people producing and fewer people queueing for mealie meal. That should be our target. We appreciate that there are provinces that are mining-oriented and where the communities have no time to do agriculture. Those have sufficient funds to buy mealie meal as it is made available. However, those in the rural areas, who are really disadvantaged, we keep telling them to not buy mealie meal; we tell them to get their maize and have it ground, which is quite cheaper, and have their mealie meal in their homes. That is our target. 

Madam Speaker, this is a programme for the vulnerable people. The hon. Member and I will not qualify for it, but will qualify for some programme or other.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, we have a long queue. It is not always that whatever response the hon. Minister gives we are happy with it. Others are not happy while others are. So, please, let us bring out points of order that are really necessary, not when we are not satisfied with the response by the hon. Minister or, maybe, we are not happy with the response. Let us avoid raising points of order, so that we accommodate all the hon. Members on the list.

Hon. Member for Mpika, you may proceed.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, our order paper indicates that the hon. Minister of Agriculture was supposed to address two key issues, that is, the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility, which is SAFF. He has not addressed that part. Further, in his response to my question, he asked me to help him to explain to the people that instead of just depending on FISP, they should also get onto SAFF. However, what is happening under SAFF is that he has instructed all the banks in Zambia to stop issuing that facility to the farmers. So, we needed him to clarify.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

I think, for the sake of progress, the Ministerial Statement on that is still coming. Can we stick to the first Ministerial Statement, instead of pre-empting the second one, which has not been rendered.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that probably, the hon. Member was not here yesterday, when the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry debated. There was a lively debate here on the issue of mealie meal. The purpose of FISP is to support farmers who are vulnerable and turn them into viable farmers. So, the vulnerable but viable farmers are the ones the Government puts on FISP. The hon. Member is aware that there is another programme for vulnerable farmers under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. However, SAFF deals with farmers who are supposed to pay back loans. For a long time, FISP was more or less a 100 per cent subsidy for farmers, and there was no benefit to the Government. What do I mean? Firstly, the farmers on the programme are not expected to pay back. Secondly, the farmers are not expected to sell anything they harvest to the Government. That is why I emphasised that a farmer should sell at least ten bags of maize to the Government so that it benefits. As he rightly put it, almost half a billion United States (US) Dollars is invested in FISP.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member asked the question: What are we doing to bring down the price of mealie meal?

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

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Let him finish answering the question.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, we are now buying maize from farmers at K330 per 50 kg bag in order for farmers to benefit from agricultural business. Considering the price of a 50 kg bag of maize, mealie meal cannot be sold at K25 or K50. It has to be a reasonable figure. Our aim is to have very few people queueing to buy mealie meal. For as long as we support agriculture, there will be more people producing maize and fewer people queueing for mealie meal. That should be our target. I appreciate that there are provinces that are mining oriented and the people there have no time for agriculture. Those people have sufficient funds to buy mealie meal. However, we keep telling those in rural areas who are really disadvantaged not to buy mealie meal. We tell them to grind their maize because it is quite cheap to do that. That way, they will have mealie meal in their homes. That is our target. 

Madam Speaker, FISP is for the vulnerable people. The hon. Member and I will not qualify for this. We qualify for SAFF and other programmes.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, we have a long queue of people who want to ask questions. We will not always be happy with whatever response the hon. Minister will give. Some people will be happy, others will not. Please, raise points of order that are really necessary, but do not bring them out when you are not satisfied or happy with the response by the hon. Minister. Avoid raising points of order so that we accommodate all the hon. Members on the list.

The hon. Member for Mpika may proceed.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, our Order Paper indicates that the hon. Minister of Agriculture will address two key issues, that is, FISP and the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF). However, he did not address that part, and in his response to my question, he asked me to help him tell the people that they should not depend on FISP. Instead, they should use SAFF. However, the hon. Minister has instructed all the banks in Zambia to stop issuing loans to farmers under SAFF. So, I want him to clarify this issue.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

That Ministerial Statement is going to be rendered. I think that for the sake of progress, we should stick to the first Ministerial Statement instead of pre-empting the second one, which has not been rendered.

We make progress.

Hon. Member for Sikongo, you may proceed.

Mr Simushi (Sikongo): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, one of the biggest challenges that we have in this country, which has impacted negatively on agricultural production and productivity, is the cost of inputs. Through the able leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, this country now has a fertiliser plant known as United Capital Fertiliser (UCF), which initially brought the production of D Compound fertiliser, which it even exports. We have also seen the introduction of another Urea plant. Are we likely to see further reductions in the price of fertiliser now that fertiliser production in the country is increasing?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, because I have been to that manufacturing plant, the simple and straightforward answer is yes, we are likely to see a drop in the price of fertiliser. Let me qualify that statement by just looking back at what happened last farming season. While the international price of fertiliser landed in Zambia was about US$1,200 or US$1,300, we bought fertiliser at US$830 or US$850 per tonne. We can only pray that that will be the trend and that we will benefit from the huge plants that are coming up. I encourage hon. Members to visit the plant to see how the country is developing in that field. We are very proud people knowing that in this country this year, we will not import fertiliser; both D Compound and Urea. All the fertiliser would have been produced in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, I look forward to the next statement on the laws.

Madam Speaker, a beneficiary can go to an agro-dealer with their electronic voucher (E-voucher), which has been loaded with a value, and encash it, while here in Lusaka, we expect that farmers will get inputs. Reports on the ground are that some farmers just approach the agro-dealers. Instead of getting inputs, they encash the vouchers for less money. Say, a voucher is loaded with K8,000, they just approach the agro-dealer, get K6000 cash and leave the voucher with them to deal with the rest. That will, obviously, have an effect on the output because it is expected that even the farmers who have encashed the e-vouchers are undertaking farming, especially maize planting. What measures have been put in place to identify those who have transacted their vouchers for cash? Further, what measures have been put in place to stop them and the actions taken? Those farmers do not get the inputs using the e-voucher, instead, they just encash them and walk away.

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

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

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, thank you for permitting me to rise on a point of order, pursuant to Standing Order No. 71(1)(b). However, before that, permit me to convey our condolences to the hon. Minister for Central Province, who lost a beloved child when we were on recess. In a similar token, allow me to welcome the hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama, who has been away for a while, and congratulate her on the newly-born child.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, the point of order I am raising on the hon. Minister of Agriculture is premised on the response that he gave to the question asked by the hon. Member for Kantanshi. In his response, the hon. Minister stated that there has not been a benefit to the Government from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). In his statement, he also informed this august House and the nation that the programme was introduced in 2002 and that it has been implement even now.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister knows that over a period of time, our productive farmers have kept this country food secure.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) does recognise this as a sustainable programme that just requires sealing of certain loopholes.

Madam Speaker, this is a House of records, and our farmers, who have kept this country food secure, must be commended. Therefore, was the hon. Minister in order to insinuate that all the Governments, namely the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), of which he was a part; Patriotic Front (PF); and now, the United Party for National Development (UPND), have been wasting resources on this programme, which he claims has had no benefits for the Government?

Madam Speaker, any Government can only be safe when the people are eating and have food. I mean affordable food, not the way it is now, when a bag of mealie meal is selling at K420. Therefore, was he in order to make that statement?

I seek your serious guidance.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, not knowing at what level the hon. Minister was referring to when he mentioned that the Government does not benefit, I do not know whether there was a study that was undertaken or a survey to evaluate the system that he is talking about.

Hon. Minister, was there such a survey or an evaluation that was done to inform us that the programme was not doing well?

Hon. Members, we are relying on the hon. Minister, since he is from that ministry, to inform us of the status of the programme, which I believe in. The hon. Minister is saying that there was an evaluation that was done regarding the programme. So, I believe that he is just informing the House of the results of the evaluation. In that regard, the hon. Minister was not out of order. He has brought us the information that is at the ministry after an evaluation of the programme was done.

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

Madam Speaker, as I stand on the Floor, I want to put it on record that the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has been successful because 85 per cent of the maize that is secured by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) comes from FISP –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I am sorry, hon. Member, the hon. Minister did not answer the question that was asked by the hon. Member of Parliament for Mufulira.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, indeed, the question asked by Hon. Golden Mwila, Member of Parliament for Mufulira, was not responded to.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member asked about the measures that have been put in place and what the Government is doing about the farmers who are discounting electronic vouchers (e-Vouchers) for cash. What Hon. Mwila has said does, indeed, occur. For example, we have had cases in which beneficiaries of inputs worth K9,000 under the e-Voucher System would decide to get the money at a discount of 10 or 20 per cent instead of getting the inputs. That is not the intention of the programme. That is a variation of the programme and it is illegal. Farmer input support is not meant for beneficiaries to acquire cash. Every beneficiary under the programme is supposed to receive six bags of fertiliser and seed. Those under the e-Voucher System are now receiving fertiliser, seed, chemicals and equipment depending on the quantities that one wants.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture cannot address all the criminal elements on its own. I have come to the House so many times to ask hon. Members of Parliament to help us. Once hon. Members find out that there are beneficiaries who are redeeming inputs for cash, they should inform me or the ministry’s officers in the area so that we take the culprits to the police because that is not the intention of the programme. I am sounding a call to the citizens of this country that when they come across such cases, they should let me know so that we can take the necessary action against the culprits. So, there are such incidences and we need to stop them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe: Madam Speaker, as I indicated earlier, FISP has been very successful. 85 per cent of the 3.6 million metric tonnes of maize procured by the FRA is from small-scale farmers. That means that FISP is very successful. The hon. Minister in charge of agriculture is aware that over 3 million metric tonnes of maize is produced in different areas in Zambia. We have areas that have the potential to produce more than other parts of the country. That is why scientific data confirms that we have three agro-ecological zones. There are places where we can get more agricultural produce if more inputs are allocated to those areas.

Madam Speaker, is it the Government’s position that places that have the potential to give us more output of maize should get more inputs compared with those that have challenges such as poor soil and poor climate?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Kamfinsa has indicated that 85 per cent of our maize production is from small-scale farmers. Yes, I agree with him totally. However, I do not wish to be misquoted regarding my response to the question from the hon. Member for Kantanshi, who said that FISP seems to not have an effect on mealie meal prices. I indicated that we use almost half a million United States (US) Dollars every single year for FISP. I did not say that it is a bad programme. I think, it is important to have things in the right context. We allocate K400 million to K500 million towards FISP and there is no payback. That does not mean that the programme is bad. We need to talk about things in the right context.  What we are saying is that we should improve the programme so that it is sustainable. That is the point I made.

Madam Speaker, getting to the question from the hon. Member for Kamfinsa, first of all, our small-scale farmers produce less than 2 metric tonnes per hectare. We should not shy away from saying so even if they are the ones feeding us when we look at the overall quantum. We should not shy away from saying that the production was not good or that it was poor.

Mr Kampyongo: Question!

Mr Mtolo: We should aim for better agricultural production, including in Shiwang’andu. When people produce 1.7 metric tonnes per hectare, we should know that the output is not right. I will not stand here to say that we are doing well just to appease myself because it is not right. In other places, people are producing 15 metric tonnes to 20 metric tonnes per hectare. That is what we should be aiming for. It is worrisome that as hon. Members of Parliament, we would encourage low production. So, yes, indeed, FISP is successful and good, but there is room for improvement.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, good afternoon and I thank the hon. Minister for a wonderful statement. It has highlighted important information on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for people out there.

Madam Speaker, Mbabala Constituency is one of the farming giants in this country and we are definitely going to deliver the needed output.

Mr Samakayi: Question!

Mr Munsanje: When you grow up like me, you will have more wisdom.

Laughter

Mr Munsanje: We will produce the ten 50 kg bags per farmer required by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) or even more. So, the FRA should prepare to get more food out of Mbabala.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is the question?

Mr Munsanje: Madam Speaker, we have an issue of agricultural depots or sheds being damaged or unavailable in my constituency. For example, in Macha Ward, there is a shed that has been broken for the last ten years or more. The Patriotic Front (PF) Government never paid attention to it. There is no depot in Kadombo and as such, we have converted classrooms into maize storage sheds at Ndawana in Kalundu Ward as well as in Mayobo, Mutanga and many other wards. This is all because of our current situation. When we harvest more maize –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Mbabala, can you, please, summarise your question.

Mr Munsanje: Madam Speaker, my question is clear. I am trying to lobby the hon. Minister of Agriculture. What action will he take in collaboration with the FRA to rehabilitate the damaged depots and construct new sheds to store the maize that he wants us to produce this year? We have assured him that we will deliver the ten 50 kg bags of maize per farmer or even more. Will the sheds be rehabilitated so that we can secure the maize and deliver it to the depots? Otherwise, it will be wasted.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. Member for Mbabala for all his kind words. I am sure you can agree with me that his is a plea. I take note that we do not have sufficient storage facilities in Mbabala. He said that the storage sheds are damaged and in certain cases not available. So, we will look into the matter.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, now that we are producing fertiliser, both Urea and D Compound, is the hon. Minister able to assure the nation that we will have the commodity throughout the year? Farmers need to have fertiliser readily available as they prepare for the farming season.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, once more, I wish to indicate that we must be a proud country because for a long time, we were importing fertiliser. We are now going to be producing sufficient fertiliser to even export to other countries like Botswana, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Zimbabwe and Burundi. So, I wish to assure the hon. Member for Pemba that whatever quantity of fertiliser he might need is currently available in the country. So, progress is already happening and it will continue to happen.

Madam Speaker, the e-Voucher System does not allow the Government to buy fertiliser, keep it and give it to farmers. The e-Voucher System is premised on the fact that fertiliser will be available in shops, and farmers will go and redeem their vouchers in the shops and get the fertiliser. So, the answer is an obvious yes, because we are producing our own fertiliser now. For the information of the House and the people of Shiwang’andu, another big company will begin constructing a fertiliser company. So, there will be more fertiliser in this country.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Madam Speaker, it is a fact that the fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is shared amongst our farmers. It is also a fact that in the 2024/2025 Farming Season, the country experienced a partial drought. The few farming inputs that farmers got went to waste because crops wilted. What assurance can the hon. Minister give to the farmers who will fail to sell the ten 50 kg bags of maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA)? They have to sell those ten bags to the FRA in order for them not to be excluded from FISP.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, you will recall that the hon. Member for Kamfinsa brought out two issues. The first one was the level of production by small-scale farmers, while the other one was whether the Government is looking at giving more inputs to farmers in areas where rainfall and soils are good. I chose to respond to one issue, but the hon. Member has pleaded with me to respond to the other issue. If it is okay to do so, I can respond.

Madam Speaker, my response is simple. When the ministry allocates fertiliser for areas, it takes into account the ecological zones, the area of production and all scientific data, like the weather to determine how much fertiliser is supposed to be taken to each area. There is a serious debate on this. The ministry is sensitive about the supply of fertiliser to the three provinces which are receiving very good rainfall. I assure the hon. Member that as we look into the distribution of fertiliser procurement in the country for the beneficiaries, that will be taken care of.

Madam Speaker, let me now respond to the hon. Member for Kaumbwe. He wants me to assure those farmers who will fail to produce maize that they will not be asked to sell the ten bags to the FRA. Let me be very clear. If a farmer gets fertiliser from the Government, he or she will be expected to sell ten bags of maize to the FRA. The only time a farmer will be excused is when the relevant departments in the country tell us that area a, b or c suffered a drought. So, farmers in those areas would be excused. Last farming season, only farmers in eighty-four districts were excused from selling the ten bags of maize to the FRA or paying back. The farmers in the other areas were not excused. The farmers who do not sell the stipulated ten bags of maize to the FRA will be pursued. I am not going to give a blanket statement here. It is very dangerous for the hon. Minister of Agriculture to stand in Parliament and say, ‘If your crop failed, you will be excused.’ What if it failed out of negligence? So, I cannot give that statement. I want to make it very clear that whoever got fertiliser from the Government should sell ten bags to the FRA, unless the relevant Government departments say that particular areas suffered a drought. I hope I have made myself clear.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, allow me to congratulate the three newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament who have joined us. Also, I want to appreciate that the New Congress Party (NCP) has found its way into the House through Tonse Alliance.

Madam Speaker, –

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Ms Nyirenda: Yes, it is through Tonse Alliance. We gave you a run for your money.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is your question, hon. Member?

Ms Nyirenda: I do not want to be political. Can I ask the question, please?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lundazi, we have only one minute more. What is your question?

We have to make progress.

Ms Nyirenda: Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture has implemented, monitored and evaluated the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). FISP has been a mess in that the hon. Minister’s cadres have been in the forefront getting fertiliser meant for poor people. What has the ministry done to remove his cadres from taking advantage of the poor people who are feeding the nation?

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I am very grateful for the question from my beloved sister. Maybe, next time, as my sister, she should not point fingers at me. I am her brother, here. She should always calm down. She is always angry. I should mention that one time, she even said, “Why is the President keeping that hon. Minister? He should be fired.’ For what reason?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: You are brother and sister.

Ms Nyirenda: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

I think, I will allow the hon. Minister to answer the question.

Mr Mtolo: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, our role is to give fertiliser to farmers. If we have cadres breeding chaos in a given area, please, let us know. The Government does not desire to have cadres harassing farmers. That was not desirable under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) and the Patriotic Front (PF). It is also not desirable under the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government. You know that if cadres are allowed to harass farmers, the cadres will flourish in this area. However, if we give each other information about this matter, we will stop the problem. I am pleading with hon. Members to let us know where this issue will happen. We will not allow that situation; it will be controlled. FISP is for vulnerable but viable farmers.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

We have to make progress.

I have permitted the hon. Minister of Agriculture to present another ministerial statement.

STATUS OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FINANCING FACILITY

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I thank you. It is a very short statement.

Madam Speaker, I extend my gratitude to you for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the status of the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF) for the 2024/2025 Farming Season.

Madam Speaker, SAFF commenced during the 2023/2024 Agricultural Season, with 23,367 applications, out of which 10,348 were approved and disbursed. The main aim of the facility is to address the huge challenge of lack of access to finance among small-scale farmers in the country, and to support farmers who are not covered by FISP. Therefore, SAFF is empowering small-scale and emerging farmers to access affordable loans for increased productivity. This is achieved through purchasing high-quality farming inputs, including fertiliser, seed, chemicals, lime and farm equipment.

Madam Speaker, to ensure the sustainability of the facility, the Government engaged commercial banks to administer the loans to the farmers who had and have the ability to repay using their resources. Currently, three banks have come on board to provide the loans, and these are, the National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE), Indo Zambia Bank, and Zambia National Commercial Bank Plc (ZANACO).

Madam Speaker, in the current funding system, the Government has so far released K545 million to top-up on K258 million residual funds from the 2023/2024 Farming Season. Additionally, the banks have collectively mobilised K209 million, making the total available funds of K1.1 billion, accessible to eligible farmers. As of 10^th February, 2025, the loan disbursement status was as follows:

1. 53,618 farmers have been verified and approved;
2. 7,730 farmers have received the loans;
3. K687,249,831 has been approved; and
4. K580,266,817 has been disbursed to farmers.

Madam Speaker, I wish to remind the House that initially, the facility only targeted farmers under crop production with loans meant to enable them to access fertiliser and seed. Now, the facility has been enhanced to provide loans for a wider range of agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser, lime and seed; irrigation equipment, farming equipment such as tractors and other machinery.  Further, we are looking seriously into livestock and aquaculture production.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I wish to re-affirm the Government’s commitment to supporting small-scale farmers through the implementation of initiatives, such as SAFF, that will comprehensively transform the agricultural sector and improve productivity.

Madam Speaker, just like in the initial document, I have a table with me that shows the disbursement of funds by province and the amounts of money released and disbursed to the beneficiaries by the banks. This document is accessible and it is for the hon. Members of the House.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the Ministerial Statement presented by the hon. Minister.

Mr Mwila (Mufulira): Madam Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister mentioned that 53,000 applications were received and assessed, and 7,000 applicants have benefited from the facility. In percentage terms, that is a 13 per cent approval rate across the country which, in my view, is a dismal performance. In Mufulira, the agricultural loan scheme has failed, I should say, because all the farmers who were left out of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) were encouraged to apply for loans under the facility. They applied for loans while the rainy season was just setting in, and the sole purpose for applying was to get access to the loans to buy maize seed and fertiliser so that they could benefit from the rainfall. In fact, the percentage rate for approvals is even …

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is your question, hon. Member?

Mr Mwila: … less than 13 per cent of the people in Mufulira District. The farmers who applied for the loans are being advised to wait.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Do not debate, hon. Member.

What is your question?

Mr Mwila: Well-guided, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, what is the purpose of disbursing the loans now or even next month for the people of Mufulira? Where will the people take that money? What is the purpose of getting the money now when the rainy season is coming to an end? The farmers in Mufulira feel duped because they were directed to a programme that was not ready for them. What is there in terms of funding support for them?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Mufulira for indicating that 7,730 approvals out of 53,000 applications, so far, is poor performance. I wish to comfort him by saying that once approved, the loans will be released. As long as 7,730 out of 53,000 applications were approved, loans will be released.  It could be a question of timing, but people will be given loans.

Secondly, there is a serious issue to consider. When one applies for a loan at a bank, an application on its own is not an approval. We should always wait to see how the bank assesses that application. The Government only supports when asked through extension services. The banks conduct their assessments as well.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, the response from the people towards the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF) indicates that it is the best way to go as opposed to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). The FISP has been gobbling our Treasury. If one looks at the benefits of FISP, one will see that there are none. I am comfortable saying that, as a nation, we are not benefiting from the programme. The SAFF approach is the way to go.

Madam Speaker, what measures has the Government put in place to ensure that this good programme has a commercial aspect to it, such as inviting other stakeholders, to ensure that more farmers have access to the financing facility? We know that the farmers will pay back the loans through maize production. Has the ministry put in place measures to ensure that more farmers or investors come on board to supplement the effort of the Government?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I must indicate that the response from the people of Zambia is overwhelming. That means that they love the programme. Now, as the Government, we realise that SAFF is a new programme. So, what we need to do, and we are looking into it, is only to improve on it. Currently, we are not asking for collateral for beneficiaries to obtain this loan. The loan facility is up to K500,000. Therefore, we wanted the programme to be accepted and appreciated by even those who want to get smaller loans. The banks will guide us as we move on.

For those who are getting loans for equipment, like tractors, that forms security for the loan. The problem is in the lower bracket; for those who are getting smaller amounts. When someone wants to get K150,000 or K100,000 just for fertiliser, the fact that there is no collateral and the interest is between 12 per cent and 14 per cent, makes the banks hang back. We are in discussion with the banks so that we can find a way to make it more appealing.

Madam Speaker, you may recall that we said that eight banks were going to participate in the facility. However, so far, only three are participating. Maybe, by next week there could be four or five banks participating. We noticed that the issue of having loans that are not covered by collateral may be a factor. So, we are in discussions to see how we can have our farmers benefit more from this programme by attracting more external funding. That is what I can say for now.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Sefulo (Mwandi): Madam Speaker, we have districts like Mwandi that do not have any bank presence. As a result, many delays happen between the banks releasing the money and the time the Government gives them the money. Most of the time, the blame is on the Government even when it has released the money. I want to find out if there is any co-ordination mechanism in place to ensure that the information that is released is properly co-ordinated even in areas where banks do not exist, especially in our rural areas.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, regrettably, yes, it is true that sixty years after Independence as Zambia, we still have areas and districts where there are no banks, such as Mwandi and Mulobezi. I have had several chats with the hon. Member for Mulobezi, Eng. Mabenga, who has complained that there is no bank in his area for the people to access this service. However, we are working in collaboration with the banks and we ask them to provide mobile facilities. Maybe, going forward, that can be enhanced. I think, the answer, really, is for us hon. Members of Parliament to push for the banks to provide mobile facilities because it is beyond the Ministry of Agriculture. All we can do is ask for Mobile Banking.  That is what we do in areas where we procure grain. So, maybe, outside the Assembly Chamber, I would ask those hon. Members who are in areas without banks that we sit down, brainstorm and see how we can solve this problem.

Madam Speaker, I thank you. 

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Madam Speaker, in Mpika for instance, farmers who were not on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) were told by officers from the Ministry of Agriculture that they could instead apply for the Sustainable Agriculture Finance Facility (SAFF). So, they went ahead and applied, and even put up very big farms.  When they went back to the banks to check on their applications, they were told by the bank that the ministry had stopped issuing more loans. As a result, many farmers in Mpika do not have fertiliser for their fields.

Madam Speaker, what measures would the hon. Minister put in place to ensure that such farmers who get affected by the abrupt end of the programme are helped in a way that would not make them vulnerable?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the facility between a beneficiary and a bank gets actualised when the bank gives the facility to the beneficiary. A mere application is not acceptance by the bank that it will pay such a farmer. A mere receipt of the application does not in itself indicate that the bank will release the funds. Therefore, it is a bit difficult for me, as Minister of Agriculture, to indicate that there is something that can be done. The agreement is between the beneficiary and the bank. If the farmer did not get a loan and then he opted to go and get inputs, I can only encourage that, maybe, the farmer should discuss with the supplier of the inputs for time. Otherwise, how will we get involved, as the Government? We were not there when the farmer was getting inputs and we also do not know whether the farmer really got inputs. So, we have genuine and non-genuine farmers caged together, making it difficult for assessment. However, I hear what the hon. Member has said and I will take it to the office so that we see how we can be of any assistance.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: In trying to balance, I will give an opportunity to the hon. Member for Sinazongwe to also ask a question.

Mr Sialubalo (Sinazongwe): Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity given to me to ask a question.

Madam Speaker, may I put it on record that the Sustainable Agriculture Finance Facility (SAFF) is an excellent initiative created by the Government. We are aware of the teething problems as regards this initiative, but I know that they will be addressed.

Madam Speaker, Gwembe and Sinazongwe had flash floods, and so, many fields were washed away. We want to use the same wetlands just after this rainy season. May the hon. Minister assure the people of Sinazongwe and those of Gwembe that they will assess these SAFF loans for winter farming.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the question.

Madam Speaker, the answer I am giving the hon. Member for Sinazongwe could also help the hon. Member for Mpika. The SAFF loans have not been ceased, they are still being released. Maybe, it is a particular portfolio of the loan which has been stopped. However, the Ministry of Agriculture has not given any instruction to stop the SAFF loans. How can we? Some of them are for irrigation and the others are for a tractor. So, we cannot stop the issuance of the loans.

Madam Speaker, coming to the Gwembe and Sinazongwe issue, where the fields got washed away, I assure the hon. Member that no one will be turned away from accessing the SAFF loans. We are ready to help talk to the banks in the event that we are found in such a situation.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Simumba (Nakonde): Madam Speaker, in Nakonde, more than 350 farmers applied for the Sustainable Agriculture Finance Facility (SAFF) loans and less than twenty have received the loans. The hon. Minister indicated that the Government has engaged banks such as National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE), Indo Zambia Bank Limited (IZB) and the Zambia National Commercial Bank (Zanaco) to issue the loans. When farmers go to NATSAVE to access the loans, they are told that the Government has not funded the bank and so it has stopped giving SAFF loans. When they go to Zanaco, they are told that the bank stopped dealing with the Government because it has not paid back the money that the bank paid out to farmers as loans in the last season.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the process is still on-going. I want to find out from him if farmers get loans and seeds now, in which season are they going to cultivate?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I have before me, information which indicates that Indo Zambia Bank Limited (IZB) has disbursed loans amounting to K147.5 million to 1,753 beneficiaries. NATSAVE has released to 4,671 beneficiaries a total of K447.4 million, Zanaco has released loans to 221 beneficiaries. It came in late, and so, it is just accelerating its releases. So far, Zanaco has released about K11 million. This brings the number of beneficiaries to 6,645 beneficiaries for whom K605 million has been released. Therefore, it would be helpful if the hon. Member came to the office so that we see why the situation is like that.

Madam Speaker, further, SAFF has five portfolios. The first one is fertiliser and seed, the second portfolio is irrigation, the third is the mechanisation of farm power, such as tractors and ploughs, the fourth and fifth, which have not yet been actualised is aquaculture and livestock. Therefore, banks cannot stop giving loans based on the fact that the rainy season is about to come to an end. This is because we are saying that farmers should not rely on the rainfall, but on their own irrigation. We are now going to start giving serious irrigation and mechanisation loans and the hon. Members are encouraged to participate in this facility.

Madam Speaker, I thank you. 

Ms Mabonga (Mfuwe): Madam Speaker, like farmers in other districts in the country, not a single farmer in Lavushimanda District in Mfuwe Constituency has benefitted from the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF). I want to know how funds are disbursed under that facility. In fact, not a single farmer in Muchinga Province has benefitted from the facility. Farmers were told that the facility was closed for a year.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I will investigate what happened in Lavushimanda. However, it is important for the House to note that the loans are disbursed by banks, and not the Ministry of Agriculture. When I receive an issue such as the one highlighted by the hon. Member, I am sensitive enough to find out why citizens in a particular area were not assisted. However, it is difficult for me to answer right now why farmers in a particular area did not receive the loans under the facility. I repeat that the loans are disbursed by commercial banks. The Government is not involved in the disbursing of funds under the facility so as to ensure that people pay back the loans. Had the Government been involved, people would say, “This is money from Boma or this money is from the Government. So, we will not pay back”. So, the loans are being disbursed by banks and, therefore, it is the banks that are answerable for the funds. So, I will find out why no farmer benefited from the facility in Lavushimanda.

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister and the New Dawn Government for introducing a very important programme. There was overwhelming response to the programme in the Central Province and many people applied for loans. As the hon. Minister said, unfortunately, other banks delayed to disburse the loans and, therefore, the National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE) was overwhelmed.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned that all those whose loans were approved will receive the money. I know that a number of farmers applied for loans to buy farming inputs and their applications were approved. However, the planting season is over and those farmers did not plant their fields, despite their loans being approved. What advice can the hon. Minister give banks in this regard? Maybe, banks should redefine the loan conditions so that farmers who did not plant in the last farming season are given the loans because banks want to be paid back the money.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I am grateful to the hon. Member for Kabwe Central for that question. I thank her for her kind words. As I indicated earlier, we appreciate the feedback. We will find out from the banks what will happen to those farmers who were not given the funds to buy fertiliser and seed, despite their loans being approved. So, we will look into that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned that three banks are implementing the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF), namely Indo Zambia Bank Limited, ZANACO (Zambia National Commercial Bank) and the National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE). ZANACO is not a commercial bank.

Madam Speaker, farmers in Chama have challenges with SAFF. In Chama, 380 farmers applied for loans, but only eleven received the loans. NATSAVE told farmers to apply for funds through either ZANACO or Indo Zambia Bank offices, which are hundreds of kilometres away in Lundazi or Chinsali. Since NATSAVE is Government-owned, will the hon. Minister engage the bank so that it can continue giving out the loans under SAFF? That way, people would not have to travel long distances to Lundazi or Chinsali to access the loans.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, ZANACO stands for the Zambia National Commercial Bank.

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: I am a very confused man, here, because I have been told that ZANACO is not a commercial bank. Well, I will respond by saying that I will find out how NATSAVE can assist in addressing the matter. I will definitely have a good chat with my dear hon. Member for Chama North so that we align our efforts and work together.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Sampa (Matero): Madam Speaker, thank you and greetings from us in group six. In the last Meeting, I was in group four, but now I am in group six. In the next Meeting, maybe, I will find myself next to the Serjeant-At-Arms. I must be the hon. Member of Parliament who has moved the most in here. From here, I can only go back to group one.

Madam Speaker, first, allow me to congratulate the three newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament, especially the one for Petauke Central, Hon. Simon Banda.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: I also congratulate Hon. Jay Jay Banda. A win for the New Congress Party (NCP) is a win for the Patriotic front (PF).

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: A win for the Tonse Alliance is a win for the PF ...

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Samakayi: Question!

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

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Sampa: ... because we are all in the Opposition.

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Matero, please, do not educate us. Just pass your congratulations and then ask your question.

Mr Sampa: I congratulate the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central because he is part of the Opposition. He is a giant killer.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Agriculture said that there were 53,000 applicants for loans under the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF), but only 7,000 people were given loans, representing 13 per cent of the applicants in the entire Zambia. What criterion is used to give out loans? Is it based on partisan lines? Earlier on, the hon. Minister said that if a farmer is given a loan for fertiliser and there is no rainfall, the farmer is allowed to use the loan for irrigation. However, SAFF has no component for irrigation. So, how does that work? Finally, what is the recovery rate of the fund? Is the Government recovering the money given out to farmers or is this just a way of giving out loans to partisan applicants?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: You are allowed to ask only one question.

The hon. Minister may respond.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker thank you for your guidance.

Madam Speaker, I repeat: There are five portfolios under SAFF as follows:

1. fertiliser, seed, chemicals and so forth for crop production;

1. mechanisation, which includes purchase of ploughs, harrows or tractors. Tractors can be hand-held or those on four wheels. It is basically for equipment;
2. irrigation facilities. If the hon. Member for Matero wants an irrigation facility, we will give him money to drill a borehole, buy solar panels or to put up a tank stand and the pipes he needs for irrigation;
3. aquaculture; and
4. livestock.

Madam Speaker, you guided that I should only answer one question, so I will stop here.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mutinta (Itezhi-Tezhi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the statement. I must mention that the people of Itezhi-Tezhi are excited about the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF). The facility is intended to fulfil the agenda of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government. I also want to give feedback to the hon. Minister that farmers in Itezhi-Tezhi are dissatisfied with the manner in which the banks that disburse the loans have treated them when they apply for funding under SAFF. I must mention that while I appreciate that the banks use a capitalistic approach because they are in business, we need to take care of the farmers. First of all, the communication between the farmers and the banks is pathetic. The banks are not using a community approach in engaging the farmers when one introspects. About fifty farmers in my constituency went to Indo Zambia Bank to apply for loans …

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, summarise your question.

Mr Mutinta: … and only two farmers were given. The remaining forty-eight went back without getting the loans as a result of poor communication. In his conscious, does the hon. Minister think that the banks helped us in this programme this past year? What does he think should be done differently so that the farmers can continue loving this Government with its well-intended loan provisions?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for that feedback.

Madam Speaker, we talk to the bank officials. The banks are there for us. We have pushed them down quite a lot in terms of the interest rates on the loans. Therefore, their willingness to participate could be dampened. However, that does not mean that they should fail to communicate with the farmers. We will definitely meet with the three banks involved in the facility to see to it that we improve on communication and the other things that have been well-articulated by hon. Members this afternoon.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will be very quick.

Madam Speaker, the country has about 3.5 million to 4 million small-holder farmers, and about 1 million access the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) leaving a big number, between 2.5 million and 3 million, without any support. The country intends to get to 10 million metric tonnes of maize production, 1 million metric tonnes of rice production and 1 million metric tonnes of wheat production. With the model we are using for FISP, that goal becomes practically unattainable. Does the Government think of migrating or re-thinking FISP? The Government should pump the sort of investment it ploughs into FISP into the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF). The SAFF is a brilliant idea, but what will kill it is the fact that little money goes into it. If we leave the programme to the commercial banks, the value and dividends will still be minimal. If we project the numbers that SAFF has reached against those who need SAFF support, we will realise that we are not creating an impact. Is it the Government’s intention to re-think FISP by bringing in the SAFF so that more people can benefit and migrate from subsidy-based farming to more of farming as a business?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member’s point is that FISP alone in its current state might not make one attain one’s targets. So, we should re-think it. That is accepted. I am happy that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is seated right next to me and has heard that.

Madam Speaker, let me take advantage of the hon. Member’s question to say that the Member of Parliament for Kankoyo, Hon. Mabeta, and the hon. Member who is from speaking have done incredible things with the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in agriculture. Hon. Members who are not doing the same, I think, can adopt that model, it will be one productive line. The hon. Member of Kanchibiya’s constituency has bought motorcycles and tractors, and has cultivated more than 650 ha by giving its people 2 ha each. That is the type of productivity and thought we must be discussing in this House. If we could all work on just a 1,000 ha, it would be 1,000 ha by 156 constituencies. That would be 156,000 ha under close management. That is the type of debate this House should engage in; things which create productivity in the country, not political debate, which has no ending. I am grateful for what the hon. Member has said.

Madam Speaker, we will discuss the issues he has raised as a group of people looking at the agricultural sector.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FAMILY OF THE ZAMBIAN CURRENCY

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Hon. Mubika for encouraging me to come to the Floor.

Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to address the House and the Nation, at large, on the introduction of a new family of the Zambian currency. This development represents a significant step in strengthening our monetary system, improving the security of our currency and enhancing transaction efficiency across our economy.

Background and Legal Framework

Madam Speaker, the decision to introduce a new series of banknotes and coins was made on 30^th July, 2021, at a special meeting of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Board of Directors. This was in line with the constitutional and legal mandate of BoZ, as stipulated in Article 213(2)(a) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, which grants BoZ the authority to issue the currency of the Republic. It is also important to note that the Bank of Zambia Act, 1996, was repealed and replaced by the Bank of Zambia Act, 2022. The updated legislation under Section 17(1) reinforces the exclusive right of BoZ to issue legal tender for the Republic. Accordingly, BoZ is introducing a new family of six banknotes, that is, K500, K200; the two being new denominations, K100, K50, K20 and K10. Then, we also have six coins, that is, K5, K2; which will now become coins instead of notes, K1, 50n, 10n and 5n. Of special note, 10n and 5n coins from the existing currency will be retained to facilitate small transactions and to prevent unnecessary price adjustments.

Madam Speaker, the process of designing, producing and introducing this new family of the Zambian currency is a complex one requiring careful attention to detail to ensure that the notes and coins are secure and durable, particularly, in an era of rapidly evolving technology regarding copying and imaging.

Rationale for Introducing New Currency Series

Madam Speaker, the introduction of this new currency series is driven by a number of factors. The new banknotes will come with enhanced security features to protect it against counterfeiting or copying. This will ensure public confidence in our currency. With economic changes over time, the note-coin boundary, in other words, the boundary between the notes and the coins has also been redefined with the introduction of higher-value coins that will facilitate everyday transactions, and reduce the wear and tear of lower-value banknotes.

Madam Speaker, the new series will help improve transaction efficiency, in that the optimal mix of notes and coins will make cash transactions smoother and more convenient for businesses and individuals. As the House may be aware, the K100 banknote is currently the highest denomination in circulation. However, over time, it has come to represent over 70 per cent of the total currency in circulation by value due to inflation. In other words, for every K1,000 in circulation, over K700 is in K100 banknotes. This exceeds the international benchmark of 60 per cent.

According to international best practice, when the highest denomination exceeds 60 per cent of the currency in circulation by value, it triggers the need to restructure the currency family. While the K100 note has served its purpose, it has surpassed its ideal role as a store of value and is now primarily used for transactions.

Madam Speaker, to address this, two higher-denomination banknotes, K500 and K200 notes, have been introduced to promote more efficient transactions, in line with international best practices. These new denominations will reduce the number of banknotes needed for everyday transactions. It will also reduce the cost associated with printing of the banknotes. For example, for a K500 banknote, under the current circumstances, we would be required to print five banknotes, each worth K100. For the same amount of K500, we now only need to incur the cost of printing one banknote. This, obviously, will reduce the cost.

Madam Speaker, finally, a well-designed and secure currency will boost the trust in the financial system and reinforce the value of the Zambian Kwacha.

Features and Transition Plan

Madam Speaker, the new family of currency has been designed with enhanced security features and a refreshed visual aesthetic that highlights Zambia’s key economic pillars; flora and fauna. The new currency series will maintain the alpha code (ZMW), Numeric Code (967), and currency symbol (K), ensuring a seamless transition with no need for system updates in accounting or financial operations.

Madam Speaker, the official launch date for the new currency series is 31^st March, 2025. Leading up to this date, the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) will coordinate the calibration of all cash-handling equipment across the country to ensure smooth adoption. The bank will also conduct a national sensitisation campaign, targeting major cash handlers, law enforcement agencies, businesses, and the general public. This campaign will also extend to border towns where the Zambian Kwacha is widely used for trade.

Madam Speaker, I must state, that the introduction of the new currency series will not affect the value or purchasing power of the Kwacha. It remains the same currency with the same value.

Withdrawal of the Old Currency Series

Madam Speaker, as required under Section 25 of the Bank of Zambia Act, 2022, we will issue a Statutory Instrument (SI) to guide the withdrawal of the existing currency. The transition period will be twelve months, during which, both the old and new currency series will circulate side-by-side. As I mentioned earlier, the new currency series will neither affect the purchasing power nor the value of the Zambian Kwacha.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, this initiative is a progressive milestone in the continued evolution of our financial system. By modernising our currency, we are ensuring a secure, efficient, and trusted monetary system that supports the national economic growth.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the Ministerial Statement presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his statement.

Madam Speaker, players on the market are questioning why the Government has appetite to make such a decision now, when the economy is going through a phase that it is going through, without considering the cost implication? Are we going to have a situation that whenever we have a new Government, a new currency will be presented in our country?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, did you get the question?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, there is too much noise.  So, I did not hear what the hon. Member said.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Kantanshi, please, repeat your question.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, first of all, I started by commenting on what is currently going on in the country. This is with regard to the conversations that people are having on the economic situation in the country and, of course, the efforts that the Government is making in addressing them.

Madam Speaker, the issue is timing. Is this the right time for us to undertake that exercise?  It looks like every time a new Government comes into power, this exercise tends to happen. Is that how our economy or currency will be handled going forward? That is the concern that people have out there.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, there is absolutely no problem with timing because the last change of currency was in 2013, which is twelve years ago. Before 2013, the change of currency was in 2003. So, the period from 2013 to 2003 is ten years.   The hon. Member will remember that I said that the propensity for forging money now, given the technological changes that are taking place is very high. It has been thirteen years since the last new currency was introduced.  So, it is time for this Government to introduce the new currency with new security features.  I believe that this Government has been very careful and cost-conscious. It was not long ago when hon. Members were saying, on this Floor, that the currency is mutilated, soiled and dirty. Instead of us printing the currency twice, we changed it. We said ‘okay, people are saying the currency is soiled. It has been around for ten or thirteen years, so it is time to change it.’ I believe this is the right time to change it, under the circumstances. Unlike the Government –

Laughter

Dr Musokotwane: I will not go in that direction yet.

Madam Speaker, I believe that the timing is perfect. There is no problem about that.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, before I ask a supplementary question to the hon Minister of Finance and National Planning, allow me to congratulate our brothers, the newcomers in the House, Hon. Nason Musonda, Member for Kawambwa, Hon. Justin Kapema, Member for Pambashe and Hon. Simon Banda, Member for Petauke Central. Our brothers are most welcome to the legislative arm of the Government.

Madam Speaker, there is a general concern from members of the public, especially those in urban areas, regarding the new currency. People have indicated that whilst they welcome the new notes, there is a need to revisit the K500 note, which is the highest denomination. The people want the highest note to be K200. They have a number of reasons for this, but I do not want to go through them. Is it possible to address this concern, so that the K200 note can become the largest denomination?

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, currency denominations are never forced on people. It is up to a person to choose a denomination. What I mentioned here is the whole series of coins and notes, starting from 5n, 10n, K1, K5, K10 up to K500. The fact that there is a K500 note does not mean that people will be forced to carry K500 notes. It is up to them to decide.

Laughter

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, those of us who go to rural areas know that sometimes, when we go to meet people in our constituencies, the people dance. There is a habit of throwing money on the ground for those people. So, what do we do? We choose to carry K2, K5 and K10 notes. If I throw K100 and K500 notes, I will quickly go broke.

Laughter

Dr Musokotwane: So, that is a choice that you make.

Madam Speaker, suppose one goes to rural areas to buy beans, fish or cattle, that person may need to carry K50,000 or 60,000. Can one carry K2 or K5 notes? It would not make sense to carry such small notes. One needs to carry a reduced load of notes. So, we have provided a whole menu of notes and people can choose the most convenient one to use.

Madam Speaker, I think, I have answered and clarified the issue.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, indeed, inflation has caused the Government to print more notes.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, the people of Zambia, particularly those in Mpika, are interested in knowing which company printed the new notes. The hon. Minister has not talked about how the contract was awarded, which company will print the new notes, and what the contract amount is. The people of Zambia need to know the details. That is called transparency.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is your question, hon. Member?

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, could the hon. Minister address the concerns I have raised on behalf of the people of Zambia.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is asking as though there is something we are hiding. We are not hiding anything. So, he should just ask the question, and then I will answer him. The answer is –

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Mtayachalo rose.

Dr Musokotwane: Please, sit down so that I answer.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Do not debate while seated.

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, the order for the new currency was based on selective tenders. In other words, the most reputable companies in the world that print cash were invited to bid. As you can imagine, the printing of notes is a highly specialised area. We cannot just issue an order for a dealer somewhere to print the currency for us. We cannot do that. We have to go to the ones we know. So, we invited reputable companies in the world to bid. That is how the tender was done, and it is provided for in the laws of Zambia. When you have a specialised item to be supplied, you can go directly to reputable companies and ask them to bid. That is what happened.

Madam Speaker, in terms of how much it cost to print the new currency, I can ask the bank to issue a statement.

Interruptions

Dr Musokotwane: People are not listening.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, regarding which company was awarded the contract, you know that at the back of a note, there is normally an inscription indicating the company that printed it. I cannot tell the hon. Member the exact company printing the notes for now because of security considerations as the new currency is still coming into the country. We do not want the company to be waylaid. However, I can assure him that there will be total transparency. When the notes become available, he should pick one and flip it. The back part will tell him which company printed the note. 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Ms S. Mwamba (Kasama): Madam Speaker, during currency transitions, there is a lot of misinformation because certain sections of society do not get the actual information because they are not privy to the facts. How will the Government prevent hoarding of money or black market activities during the transition?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is absolutely right to say that there can be many instances of cheating during the time of transition because people are not yet used to the new banknotes. Anyone can print something and pretend that it is the new money to cheat people. I remember well that the last time we changed the banknotes, in 2013, when our hon. Colleagues the Patriotic Front (PF) were in office, there were stories of people who were swindling members of the public by presenting fake or illegal banknotes. To take care of that, there will be massive campaigns, which is why the transition programme will start in March this year. The campaigns will take place between now and the end of March 2025. The campaigns will not just be on television (TV). They will be taken deep into the countryside to every ward, district, and constituency to show pictures and descriptions of the new banknotes. I want to say that even a person who is blind will be able to tell, just by the feel of the currency, particularly the coins, that they are holding new money because the texture will be described to them. So, the campaigns will be very important and a lot of effort will be put into that exercise.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Madam Speaker, what is the hon. Minister’s advice on the effects that the introduction of the new family of banknotes will have between now and the time that the new money will be in circulation, especially on people who have stacks of money either in their homes or buried at their farms?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Kasama Central mentioned the campaigns for letting people know about the new notes. In those campaigns, obviously, there is a need for law enforcement agencies to also understand what is going to happen. Law enforcement agencies are aware of the fact that there is a change and they are skilled in dealing with the matters that the hon. Member has talked about. So, that being the case, I think, Hon. Mwiimbu’s team is also preparing itself.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Sampa (Matero): Muzuhile, bo hon. Minister.

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

Mr Sampa: I said, “Good afternoon, hon. Minister”.

Laughter

Mr Sampa: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has not stated whether the tender for the production of new banknotes was an open tender or single-sourcing. The public does not know what happened. The people of Matero were not given a chance to submit bids for the tender. The hon. Minister has given a convincing answer on why he cannot tell us the name of the suppliers of the new notes. He has not stated whether it is Thomas De La Rue Plc, for example. He has said that he cannot mention the name for security reasons. That is a satisfactory answer. However, I am not satisfied with his response on the amount that the venture of printing new banknotes will cost the nation. He is the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and is the one who approves public expenditure. Printing new money is not an easy undertaking. From my estimation, about US$10 million must have been paid by the Zambian Government to the company that designed the new banknotes.

Madam Speaker, how urgent was the need to change the banknotes for the Government to spend not less than US$10 million? Looking at all the challenges that this country is going through, such as issues of the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) Scheme and hospitals being without medicine, should that money not have been used for more urgent things than a cosmetic venture of just changing the type of money that we use?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, I said that the banknotes that we have currently in circulation are coming to the end of their life cycle. They are getting soiled. So, when the hon. Member says that we should not have spent money printing new currency banknotes and that we should have used the money on something else …

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Dr Musokotwane: … what then was he thinking the people of Zambia would be using for currency? Is he suggesting that we should now be using cowrie shells and stuff like that for money? It was time to print new notes.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, I am sure that the hon. Minister is aware that we are already grappling with getting our change when purchasing something, especially when we go to most chain stores. Shops literally fail to give us change such as 5n, 10n or 20n. Now that the Government has increased the highest denomination note from K100 to K500, how much sensitisation is the ministry going to conduct to ensure that the people of Zambia, who work very hard for their money, are given the correct change when they buy something in chain stores like Pick n Pay, Shoprite or Choppies?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, as I said, as a consumer, one also has a role to play in facilitating smooth payments. If I am going to buy a sachet of groundnuts, it is up to me to make sure that before buying those groundnuts, my pockets do not just have K200 or K500 notes. I must have a 20n or K5 somewhere. So, the first point is that, as a consumer, whether in a minibus or elsewhere, one should plan for every transaction. Secondly, I said that in spite of the fact that the highest denomination will be K500, there will be small units such as 5n 10n and K1. I want to appeal to members of the public who keep coins stuck at home. Unless people develop a habit of taking coins back to the stores, it will be a problem for sellers to give change because the change would, unfortunately, be in our homes.

Finally, Madam Speaker, I think, we should recognise that coins and notes are not the only mode of payment. The BoZ has done a lot of work in sensitising all of us on other forms of payment. In particular, people can use mobile money on cellular phones and bank transactions. If one uses those methods then, of course, there is never any need for change because the exact amount is paid. The more we use such payment platforms, the more we, as a country, will save money because circulation and loss of banknotes will be reduced. Therefore, the need to spend money on printing notes would be reduced. I hope that is a satisfactory answer for the hon. Member.

I thank you, Madam Speaker

Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, since Parliament is the one that approves public expenditure, I would like to find out which budget line the Government used to have the new money printed or if the expenditure is going to be brought before this House after the money has been delivered. Further, which year will be reflected on the banknotes, is it going to be 2024?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

______

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Lundazi would like to know whether this Parliament approved the budget for printing the new notes. The answer is that: In the same way we do not approve salaries, BoZ does not present a budget for salaries, operations and others alike here, in Parliament. So, that expense is fully absorbed by BoZ, not the National Treasury.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr A. Banda (Chimwemwe): Mr Speaker, not so long ago, the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) encouraged us to go cashless. As a result, many people have started trading using mobile money. They also use their credit and debit cards. Surprisingly, we have seen the introduction of a K500 note, which shows that we have to halt the avenue of going cashless, because we all believe that we are going to have a cash economy.

Interruptions

Dr Musokotwane gestured that he had not heard the question.

Mr A. Banda: Mr Speaker, I repeat; not so long ago, BoZ encouraged people to trade without cash. As a result, people have embraced cashless transactions including banks. We all have mobile money accounts and credit cards. Now that BoZ has introduced a K500 note, people are asking whether we have aborted the avenue of going cashless following the footsteps of Sweden, which has a cash economy. May the hon. Minister, please, clarify that.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, there was a bit of noise so I could not hear the hon. Member properly. If I heard him correctly, he said that BoZ has been on a campaign, encouraging people to use other means other than cash. In other words, cashless. So, why are we introducing a K500 note? That is the question, right?

Mr A. Banda indicated assent.

Dr Musokotwane: The answer is yes, we are encouraging people to go cashless, but Rome was not built in a day, it is a process. So, it will take some time. Let us also remember that some of our citizens have no access to technology that enables them to go cashless. So, in the interim, it is still necessary to have the banknotes and the coins. Similarly, even in countries like the United States of America (USA), Germany and most parts of Europe, where the cashless habits started from long ago, to this day, they still use banknotes and coins. So, it is a process. We are getting there but not quite there.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Mr Speaker, one of the challenges we have had following the announcement has been different reasons the new banknotes have to be issued. There are too many different versions. In the hon. Minister’s statement, he referred to the issue of inflation. Is he confirming, therefore, that one of the reasons the Government has taken this particular step is that it has realised that the economy is not doing very well?

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, actually, the economy is doing better and it is going to be even better.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: I say so because we have been issuing statements that the economic growth of this country, which is a general measure of performance, is going to be higher than ever before.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: When we think about it, even just using common sense, from the time the two mining companies were shut to the time when two critical mines were reopened and more coming on the scene, obviously, common sense suggests that the economy can only be better.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, in terms of inflation, yes, I did explain here that at the time the K100 note was introduced, it could buy more than what it is buying today, meaning that now, one has to carry more banknotes for a given item but this is normal. In every country, prices go up. It is an issue of, to what extent are prices going up. I would say that, yes, the level of inflation in Zambia is fairly high, but we have to recognise that despite the drought that was there, the level of inflation is lower than where it got to in the last period because we inherited inflation at 22 per cent. Inflation has never reached 22 per cent under our Government, meaning that it is lower than before.

Mr Speaker, I said that prices have been going up and that that is normal. Even in the USA, a house that cost US$250,000 ten years ago is no longer US$250,000, it is higher. A car that was at US$20,000 fifteen years ago, is no longer US$20,000, it has gone up. So, the hon. Member’s question would be: Why is it that in those other countries, they have not introduced higher denominations? That is his question, is it not? The answer is this: It also depends on the transaction habits in countries. In countries where prices have also gone up, whether it is Germany, the United States of America (USA) or Japan, denominations have not been increased because the transaction habits are around paying with cards. No one carries a bunch of cash in Japan to go and buy a fridge. No one carries a bunch of cash in Germany to buy a car. What do they do? They pay by cheques. The need to increase the value of the denomination goes down because people have the habit of paying using mobile money and bank transfers. The value or the necessity of increasing the value of the denomination goes down. Even in South Africa, people do not buy fridges using cash. Most of the time, they buy on credit or use cards. So, why should a high denomination note be issued? In Zambia, the situation is different. I hope the hon. Member has understood me.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, we need to make progress. I allowed the hon. Minister to go over the required time.

Let us make progress.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL COURT BUILDINGS IN LUNDAZI

183. Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi) asked the Minister of Justice:

1. whether the Government has any plans to construct local court buildings in the following areas in Lundazi District:
2. Mwase Sub-Boma in Mwase Chiefdom; and
3. Mphamba Chiefdom;
4. if so, when the plans will be implemented;
5. what the estimated cost of the project is; and
6. if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi) (on behalf of the Minister of Justice (Ms Kasune)): Mr Speaker, I am sorry, the explanation by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was so good that I forgot to log in. I have done so now.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, the Government of the Republic of Zambia reiterates its commitment to support the construction of court infrastructure, countrywide. To that end, the Judiciary has, in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Budget Policy Paper 2025/2027, made a provision for capital projects to cater for the construction and rehabilitation of subordinate and local court buildings, and staff houses, countrywide. The plan to construct local courts in Mwase Sub-Boma in Mwase Chiefdom and Mphamba Chiefdom is part of the aforementioned MTEF Budget Policy Paper 2025/2027.

Mr Speaker, the works under the MTEF Budget Policy Paper 2025/2027, will commence once all the outstanding stalled capital projects awarded in 2010 and 2011, and re-tendered in 2022, are completed.

Mr Speaker, the estimated cost of the construction of the two local courts is K3,800,000.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Nyirenda: Mr Speaker, what is obtaining at the moment is that some workers in Mwase Sub-Boma, in Mwase Chiefdom, are operating under a tree. The unfortunate part is that the Lady Justice there is an amputee and she cannot manage to access the archaic building there. Would the ministry consider constructing a modern local court office in Mwase? In Mphamba, unfortunately, the local court got burnt and currently, justice is not being served there, especially that it is always denied. I would like to have the hon. Minister’s intervention on this matter.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for the follow-up question. I do not think anyone would be happy with the situation the hon. Member has described, of the Lady Justice who is differently abled. The hon. Member has also mentioned that in Mwase, people have to sit outside to dispense justice, and that in Mphamba, justice is not being served because the court building got burnt. 

Mr Speaker, the issues that the hon. Member has referred to are categorised in the overall plan, from the Ministry of Justice, which is the MTEF Budget Policy Paper. This particular paper was for the period 2025 to 2027. However, where there are urgent needs like these, I encourage hon. Members of Parliament to engage the respective ministries, and in this particular case, the Ministry of Justice, and explain the situation as it exists. If it is an emergency, the Government will respond, because it always does so. I am aware that the substantive hon. Minister of Justice has been visiting all corners of the country, making assessments as to what is prevailing on the ground. So, my advice to the hon. Member for Lundazi is to engage the ministry, because it sounds like those two areas have emergency situations. 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Nyirenda: Mr Speaker, I thank the Acting hon. Minister of Justice for advising me to engage the ministry. I have actually done so already. At the moment, there is a high rate of teenage pregnancies in Lundazi. Some of the girls who are raped or abused are failing to access justice on time. Apart from depending on this big programme, which is meant for the whole country, is the hon. Minister not in a position to consider the situation in Lundazi an emergency, and lobby for funds from other entities to construct local courts in Lundazi?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I understand the need to do something and also, the need to lobby for funds. Lobbying is not just for the Government. Hon. Members of Parliament can also have access to agencies that might help to resolve the problem. The hon. Member can work with the Government to lobby for funds, and the Government will stay close. However, I did not understand something when she made reference to young girls who were impregnated. That sounds like defilement, and it is a criminal offence. Why would such a case be in a local court? That should be beyond the local courts. The essence of the answer is that, where there is a need to lobby, the hon. Member should work with the Government. Hon. Members of Parliament can also lobby, and when help is given, they work with the Government to ensure that projects are actualised. 

I thank you, Mr Speaker. 

Mr Simbao (Luanshya): Mr Speaker, on behalf of the people of Luanshya. I would like to join the rest of the hon. Members in congratulating the newly-elected hon. Members and welcoming them to the House.

STALLED CONSTRUCTION OF HOSPITAL IN FISENGE

184. Mr Simbao asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

1. why the construction of a hospital in Fisenge area in Luanshya Parliamentary Constituency has stalled;
2. when the project will resume;
3. what the cost of the project is;
4. how much money had been paid to the contractor for the project, as of March 2024; and
5. when the project will be completed.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, construction of the hospital in Fisenge area in Luanshya Parliamentary Constituency was a community initiative, and works stalled because the community failed to mobilise the funds to complete it.

Mr Speaker, the project will not resume as the Government has no plans of constructing a hospital in Fisenge.

Mr Speaker, construction of the hospital was financed by the community, thereby, making it difficult to estimate the cost.

Mr Speaker, the project had no designated contractor, as it was a community initiative.

Mr Speaker, as indicated in response to part (b) of the question, the Government has no plans to complete the hospital.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Munir Zulu (Lumezi): Mr Speaker, thank you, for giving the voice of Lumezi this opportunity to ask a supplementary question.

Mr Speaker, taking advantage of this platform, permit me to congratulate the newly-elected hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central, who brings the total number of hon. Members of Parliament from different political parties in Parliament to four. He ought to know that he has not come here to win contracts under the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). He has not come here –

Laughter

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lumezi, resume your seat.

You have been allowed to ask a supplementary question and that is what is expected of you. I think, you should proceed in that direction.

Mr Munir Zulu: Mr Speaker, as I congratulate the newly-elected hon. Member of Parliament –

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you have already done that. Ask your question.

Mr Munir Zulu: Mr Speaker, the Constitution, under Article 78 gives us freedom of speech here in the House. So, I wish that you would allow me to finish, then, you speak. I am congratulating the –

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, if you want to argue with me, I will curtail you. I have given you the opportunity to ask a question.

Mr Munir Zulu: Mr Speaker, I want the hon. Member to know that those who could not abduct his election process are here in the House.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, resume your seat.

Next. Hon. Member for Luanshya, you may proceed.

Interruptions

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, it really saddens the people of Luanshya to hear that the ministry technocrats told the hon. Minister that it was a community project. If it was a community project, why did the Ministry of Health collect the cement that was at the site just like in the case of Kapupulu? The works were still going on. The ministry collected the materials and took them back to its centre. If it was really a community project, where did the ministry take the cement? Can it take the cement back to Fisenge so that we may continue with the project?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I think, the hon. Member is referring to the fact that the Ministry of Health collected cement and took it somewhere. If the question is about having the cement returned, first of all, I do not have the facts regarding the collection of the cement. Obviously, the hon. Member would have more information because he is on the ground. If the question is on the return of what was collected, the community is at liberty to approach those who collected the cement and request that it be taken back and continue with the project.

Mr Speaker, with respect to the involvement of the Government in community-initiated projects, we have community clinics, schools and many others all over the country. There comes a time when some of such projects are taken over by the Government and they become Government projects. However, in this case, that has not happened. Further, an assessment of the area indicates that there is the Thomson District Hospital in Luanshya, which is 12 km away from Fisenge. So, from that assessment, the ministry cannot construct a hospital in the area for now because of the proximity of the already existing hospital.

Mr Speaker, I know that the community began the construction of a health post to complement the health centre, however, it experienced financial difficulties. Maybe, at the time it started experiencing the financial difficulties, it had already bought the cement, which may have been collected and stored to be looked after somewhere. The hon. Member can follow up on that.

Mr Speaker, I have no doubt that on some future day, there may be a need for the Government to be involved in putting up a health facility in that locality.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

REHABILITATION OF MPIKA/KATIBUNGA ROAD

185. Mr Kapyanga (Mpika) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

1. whether the Government has any plans to rehabilitate the Mpika/Katibunga Road in Mpika Parliamentary Constituency, which is in a deplorable state;
2. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
3. if there are no such plans, why.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Rural Development (read from the document on his table) –

Oh, sorry. The document I am using is supposed to read ‘The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development’. There is a typing error. The document reads “The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Rural Development”.

Clerks-At-the-Table, take note of that and do the needful.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, the Government has plans to rehabilitate the Mpika/Katibunga Road in Mpika Parliamentary Constituency. The plans will be implemented once the funds are secured by the Treasury.

Mr Speaker, because of the response to part (b) of the question, part (c) falls off.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to ask a follow-up question.

Mr Speaker, the road in question is a stretch of about 58 km. I do not understand how the entire Government can fail to mobilise funds to rehabilitate a gravel road of that length. The Mpika/Katibunga Road has economic significance because it links Mpika to the North Luangwa National Park. Tourists use the same road to access the park. So, it must be a priority. Although we can attend to it using the equipment we have acquired using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), what is needed is proper rehabilitation under the Improved Rural Connectivity Project (IRCP), for example. I was advised by the Provincial Road Development Agency Engineer to submit a proposal under the IRCP, but after I did that, nothing was done. Would the hon. Minister consider placing the road under the World Bank-funded programmes to ensure that it is worked on?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I do not know why sometimes we turn matters into confrontational questions, when we can simply seek information. First of all, let me make a point of correction. The stretch in question is not 50 km, but rather 80 km. Secondly, the question of how a whole Government can fail to complete that stretch should be directed to the previous Government of the Patriotic Front (PF). The contract was awarded in 2015 at a cost of K267,727,318. Our hon. Colleagues failed to complete the project. That is why the Government terminated the contract in August 2021. It was terminated before we formed the New Dawn Government. At the time of terminating the contract, K43.6 million was certified for payment and only 8.5 per cent progress had been achieved on the project.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Mpika will recall –

Mr Mabeta: He is a former DC!

Eng. Milupi: Well, he could have been an hon. Minister or District Commissioner (DC), that is very immaterial.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Mpika will recall that the previous Government, in which he was a senior official as a DC …

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: … came up with the policy of suspending any project that was below 80 per cent complete. The project in question was at 8.5 per cent.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Mr Speaker, for the first time, I need to commend the hon. Minister for the patch-up works done on the Serenje/Mpika stretch, which we requested to be attended to.

Mr Speaker, as the hon. Minister has heard, the stretch in question is very important. It gives access to the North Luangwa National Park, which has many tourism activities. Yes, the contract for the road was terminated, but I do not think that the hon. Minister should go back to the people in Mpika with the story that the contract was terminated and nothing was done. This is because when asking for their vote, the people will expect him to show how his Government has done better than the previous Government. What will the hon. Minister do since he knows that the challenge we faced in the previous Government is the same one that the current Government is facing, which is mobilising resources for the road network? What plans does the Government have for the people of Mpika, who needed that road like yesterday?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, even though the Member for Shiwang’andu, Hon. Kampyongo, was not here when I was first in Parliament, I think that he has acquired much experience in this House.

Mr Kampyongo: I have been here longer!

Eng. Milupi: You have acquired a lot of experience.

Mr Speaker, my answer to the follow-up question was in relation to the way the question was structured and not that we are not going to work on the road. We were accused of failing to work on the project. So, I provided a background on the road project, which the previous Government failed to complete. We have stated here, repeatedly, that we shall endeavour to complete any project that was commenced using Government funds. However, we have to wait until the resources are available. There is no single project anywhere in this country that was commenced using public resources that we will cancel. We may reschedule projects just to give ourselves time to accumulate enough resources. The Government wants to grow the economy. That is our number one priority, and part of it is to get all the sectors firing on all cylinders, including the tourism sector.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member rightly mentioned that the road under discussion leads to a tourist destination. So, we shall work on it. We are constrained at the moment because we do not have resources. At an appropriate time, we will revive the Improved Rural Connectivity Project (IRCP). If we get resources from the World Bank, that is one of the roads that would be considered, but at the moment, we do not have resources. We are dealing with projects that are near 80 per cent so that we can complete them.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I am inviting the hon. Minister for a tour on the said road so that he can see how the people are suffering to move on that stretch because of its bad state. I will go to the hon. Minister’s office so that we can make the necessary arrangements to go there and, maybe, when he sees the state of the road, an urgent measure can be considered.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: That was not a question. It was just a statement.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to join the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu in thanking the hon. Minister for the good work done on the road from Serenje to Chinsali. For the past ten years, that road has been in a bad state. I even stopped using it. However, last month, I was shocked to find that it had been worked on and is in a good state.  Once again, I thank the hon. Minister for that wonderful job.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mung’andu: That is why I have joined Hon. Kampyongo in thanking the hon. Minister for a job well done.

Ms Mulenga interjected.

Mr Mung’andu:  No, it is a fact, hon. Member for Kalulushi. You do not come from that region. I come from the region, so I know what I am talking about.

Mr Speaker, a number of constituencies, including Mpika Constituency, have bought all the necessary machinery using the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF), an initiative by President Hakainde Hichilema. I know that the hardworking hon. Member for Mpika has bought the yellow machines for road works using the CDF.

Mr Speaker, apart from the K3 million, which President Hakainde Hichilema has already given us under the CDF to work on roads, are there other arrangements the ministry is putting together with another hardworking hon. Minister, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, to ensure that those machines for road works work on Mpika/Katibunga Road, Chikwa/Imusa Road in Chama South, and many other stretches?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Chama South for the encouraging question, as usual. These are the types of hon. Members of Parliament we need to have in the House.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I would like to go back to the invitation from the hon. Member for Mpika. I will definitely take him up on his invitation to go and drive on the road. He will have noticed that I go to all corners of the country, regardless of the state of the road. It helps us to know the conditions our people prevail under.

Mr Speaker, the substantive question from the hon. Member for Chama South referred to the use of the machines being bought under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). I quite agree with him that these machines are bought using public resources, so they must be utilised. Where we have capital equipment like aeroplanes or buses, the intention is always to keep them. If it is aeroplanes, keep them in the air so that you can get the maximum benefit out of them. The same applies to the equipment for road works. I know that sometimes, there are constraints with operators, fuel, and so on and so forth. I think that those are some of the issues that I will address with my colleague, the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. We shall see how we can better utilise those machines, especially on rural roads. I also thank the hon. Member for mentioning the Serenje/Mpika Road. When we came into office, people who sell roasted maize along the road did not even wait for trucks to stop because the speed of the trucks was so slow. The condition of the road was so bad that vendors would just walk alongside the truck and transact. That is no longer the case.

Mr Speaker, with respect to the Serenje/Mpika Road, we are going to improve it further using funding from the Transport Corridors for Economic Resilience (TRACER) project. So, it will be a brand-new road, similar to the roads from Chinsali to Isoka and Makonde. The road will go all the way from Serenje to Mpika and Chinsali.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

RECONSTRUCTION OF BULANGILILO WATER WORKS BRIDGE

186. Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha) asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

1. whether the Government has any plans to reconstruct the Bulangililo Water Works Bridge across the Kafue River in Kwacha Parliamentary Constituency, which is in a deplorable state;
2. if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
3. if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Mr Speaker, the Government has plans to construct a bridge at Bulangililo Water Works across the Kafue River in Kwacha Parliamentary Constituency. Bulangililo Water Works Bridge is a one-lane bridge across the Kafue River linking Bulangililo Compound to New Kitwe area, where there are industrial developments or an industrial yard under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) as well as a residential area. The bridge has been in a state of disrepair for quite some time. Indeed, it requires re-construction and expansion to a double lane.

Mr Speaker, the Government plans to re-construct the bridge after a very detailed assessment is conducted, and designs and Bill of Quantity (BoQ) are developed to ascertain the cost. However, there is no definite date set for the assessment of the bridge due to financial constraints.

 Mr Speaker, in the short term, between November 2023 and February 2024, the Kitwe City Council (KCC) undertook some maintenance activities, including provision of guardrails for the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

Mr Speaker, as stated above, the plans are there. Therefore, part (c) of the question automatically becomes irrelevant.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Charles Mulenga: Mr Speaker, the bridge we are talking about was constructed a long time ago, during the colonial period. Its lifespan has ended. The bridge has economic value and provides people in Kitwe with easy access to towns like Mufulira and Ndola. Now, the people who use the bridge complain that they are afraid to use it because of its poor state. The hon. Minister has indicated that the bridge will be subjected to a lot of scrutiny before it is worked on. Now, the bridge has become an emergency. Can the hon. Minister put smiles on the faces of the people of Kwacha and other areas, by stating when the Government will work on the bridge? The people need confidence that the Government is committed to reconstructing the bridge.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I thank my friend and hon. Colleague for that question. In terms of the Government’s commitment, I think, it has already demonstrated commitment through the short-term works conducted in 2023, as I stated in my maiden answer. It is the Government's idea to keep the smile on the people's faces in the entire country. I encourage the hon. Member, like I have encouraged many other hon. Members, to engage with the ministry on the issue of crossing points. I like to use the hon. Member of Parliament for Chama North as well as the hon. Member for Lusangazi as examples. These two hon. Members have intimately engaged with the ministry to deal with crossing points. I want the hon. Member to understand that there are so many dilapidated crossing points in the country that need to be attended to, but the resource envelope is tiny. However, I still invite him to come to my office so that we can sit together and understand whether or not we can work on a plan, maybe, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) or any other way, to put smiles on the faces of the people of Bulangililo that he talked about.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Next question.

Rev. Katuta was not in the Assembly Chamber.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Okay. The question lapses. I do not have any notice.

Next question. The hon. Member for Chipili.

Rev. Katuta (Chienge) (via Zoom): Mr Speaker, I am in the constituency right now. It takes about two days to get here. I spoke to the Clerk of the National Assembly about my arrangement. I am currently on leave and I will be attending a Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) meeting tomorrow. So, I made arrangements for the hon. Member for Mpika to ask the question on my behalf. You may ask the Clerk, Mr Roy Ngulube.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I was not informed. Since you are appearing online, you can proceed. Next time, ensure that you inform the Office of the Speaker in time that you will not be in the House. You can proceed, hon. Member.

Rev. Katuta: Are you able to hear me, Mr Speaker?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Yes, I can hear you.

If you do not know the number –

Rev. Katuta: Mr Speaker, No. 187.

DISMISSAL OF FOURTEEN CHIENGE TOWN COUNCIL EMPLOYEES

187. Rev. Katuta asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development why fourteen employees of the Chienge Town Council were dismissed in February 2024.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Mr Speaker, just to help the hon. Member for Chienge, according to my record, the question is No. 190.

Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that from time to time, particularly, during the rainy season, Chienge Town Council engages casual workers. Casual workers mean casual daily employees who control vegetation growth and manage waste collection in the markets, specifically, in Mununga, Puta and Lupiya areas. This is done on a three-month basis. At the end of those short-term contracts, renewals are not guaranteed nor automatic, but are based on the volume of work that is available. Therefore, it should be known by the hon. Member that the fourteen individuals being referred to as having been dismissed by the Chienge Town Council were casual daily employees, who reported as having been dismissed. They were not dismissed, but their short-term contracts of engagement expired.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Rev. Katuta: Mr Speaker, after the contracts of the fourteen workers came to an end, was it not necessary to renew their contracts? The issue is that the people who have been replaced are being accused of being aligned with a certain political party. Why did the council not renew the contracts of the fourteen workers?

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I do not know how much clarity one needs to give on a matter that I feel I have explained clearly. A casual daily employee is a casual daily employee, and they are classified as such. For example, the Government is conducting a drought relief programme called Cash-for-Work, which is specific to working for ten days, for one to get paid in order to ameliorate the effects of the drought. Can you imagine that someone can bring such a programme designed for casual daily engagement to the people's representation House, and claim that people have been dismissed on account of belonging or sympathising with a certain political party? It makes sad reading. In Tonga, we say “Buza bulanenga”, which means that kindness boomerangs.

Mr Speaker, I want to take advantage of this platform to ask the hon. Member to request the fourteen people to calm down. If, indeed, they are claiming that they have been laid off as a result of political belonging, they must calm down because in the ministry that I am privileged to run, we still have many people who sympathise with those there (he pointed at the Patriotic Front (PF) Bench), who left the Government. They are still working because we are a balanced group of people. We cannot and shall not take the position of victimising people based on their political beliefs, as it were before. That is not our state of mind. Again, it is fair to tell people to stop poking us in the eyes because the next thing will be that the fourteen individuals will be blacklisted. They will not get jobs for fear of them making unnecessary noise.

Mr Speaker, after concluding our run as hon. Members for five years, why would one come the following year before elections to report to Parliament, when the Parliament and the contract term are done?

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: One has to seek another mandate for one to be engaged.

Mr Speaker, I am using that simple example to state that when a contract comes to an end, it ends. So, I wish to urge Hon. Katuta, who is my sister, not to be misled by the fourteen individuals, who are her constituents. There is another channel called litigation. If the fourteen individuals feel that they have been unfairly laid off, they should go to court, and we will be present to defend ourselves. We are not a jungle law kind of Government. We are an organised group of people. We know who is PF and other political parties, but they are still enjoying the freedom of finding employment in this country. That is the difference that we bring.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Any other follow-up question, Hon. Rev. Katuta? You are entitled to one more.

Rev. Katuta: No, Mr Speaker. I am satisfied.

CONSTRUCTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL IN MUSALANGO WARD

188. Mr Chala (Chipili) asked the Minister of Education:

1. whether the funds for the construction of a secondary school funded by the World Bank, in Musalango Ward in Chipili Parliamentary Constituency were released as of March 2024;
2. if so, when the construction works will commence;
3. what the cost of the project is; and
4. if the funds were not released, why.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the funds for the construction of Musalango Weekly Boarding Secondary School funded by the World Bank in Musalango Ward of Chipili Parliamentary Constituency were not released as of March, 2024. The funds were released in June, 2024, as disbursement could only proceed upon completion of all pre-construction activities, including the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).

Mr Speaker, construction has already commenced with all the structures currently at slab level, at least.

Mr Speaker, the estimated cost of the secondary school project is ZMW 23,650,000.

Mr Speaker, in view of the response to part (a) of the question, part (d) is not applicable.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chala: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his response.

Mr Speaker, I had filed in that question before the money was released. When I visited the school, I did not find the contractor on site. That is the reason I had to file in that question. However, the contractor will construct twelve staff houses. Looking at the location of the school, we see that it is deep in the rural area. Teachers might have challenges with accommodation.

Mr Speaker, is the ministry in a position to add more staff houses so that the challenges of accommodation can be alleviated as we complete the school?

Mr Syakalima: Mr Speaker, infrastructure development, especially for teachers is very important.  We know that teachers are attracted by accommodation.  So, we will be given the fiscal space countrywide, to construct more schools, especially for rural areas so that our teachers are attracted to go there. We will certainly look into that.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chala: Mr Speaker, I will continue making follow-ups to ensure that we take care of the teachers. Looking at the location of the school, it is deep in the rural area and there are no houses nearby for teachers to live in.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Thank you. That was not a question, but a comment. The hon. Member can start using part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation for this year.  Maybe, you construct one or two staff houses as the hon. Minister is trying to put his house in order, and he will compliment your efforts.

_______

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

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The House adjourned at 1805 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 14^th February, 2025.

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