Friday, 14th February, 2025

Friday, 14^th February, 2025

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, we do not have a quorum.

The Whips, it is too early to not have a quorum. This is just the first week. Maybe, it could be because of the rainfall, but we can do better.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER

DEFERMENT OF MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that the two Ministerial Statements on the effect of the suspension of aid from the United States (US) Government and on load shedding that were supposed to be presented to the House will be rendered to the House next week.

I thank you.

PRESENCE IN THE PUBLIC GALLERY OF VISITORS FROM CHINA JIANGXI CORPORATION FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION ZAMBIA LIMITED

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence in the Public Gallery of visitors from China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Co-operation Zambia Limited in Lusaka District.

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

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We make progress.

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URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

MR B. MPUNDU, HON. MEMBER FOR NKANA, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, MR MWIIMBU, SC., ON THREATS BY POLICE ON CITIZENS WHO ENJOY THEIR RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): On and Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, I rise on an Urgent Matter without Notice, which I direct to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Madam Speaker, the law enforcement agencies, in particular, the Zambia Police Service, are there to guarantee the peace and safety of our citizens. Part III of our Constitution speaks to our rights, freedoms and liberties.

Madam Speaker, it has become a trend in Zambia for the Police Service, through its Spokespersons, to continually threaten citizens on any enjoyment of their rights to freedom of speech. I rise on this very serious matter because this trend becoming worrisome. It started with the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security holding a press briefing conference and threatening that any citizen who was going to discuss the health of the President would be prosecuted.

Madam Speaker, in this country, the health of the President is a public matter and subject to public scrutiny.

Interruptions

Mr B. Mpundu (indicating Mr Mwiimbu): Abduction! He cannot question me whether I am normal.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Mr B. Mpundu: What I will say to him will be every bad.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you are given the Floor to raise your matter. Do not engage other hon. Members when you are talking to me.

Mr B Mpundu: You must sensor him.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you are addressing me, not the hon. Members on the right. You have to be focused.

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, the word ‘abduction’ simply means ‘one being taken by force’. It can be by an individual or even the police. In the recent past, citizens have been disappearing, only to be discovered days later, by the actions of the police. That amounts to abduction.

Eng. Nzovu: Question!

Mr B Mpundu: The Police, today, is threatening citizens who are going to suggest that such actions do not amount to abductions.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Hoe Affairs and Internal Security in order to now treat Zambia like a farm where citizens cannot speak; ...

Eng. Nzovu: Question!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr B Mpundu: ... where citizens cannot enjoy their freedom to speak? Is he in order to go out, threatening citizens every time they try to enjoy their freedom of speech?

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Nkana, you have brought out many issues in your Urgent Matter without Notice. You have talked about the Police then you said it was the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security and later brought in another issue of abductions. According to the rules of this House, an Urgent Matter without Notice should be raised within twenty-four hours of its occurrence and it should deal with only one issue. However, your description or the way you have presented this matter was too broad. Moreover, it does not qualify under Urgent Matters without Notice. So, I advise you to find another platform to bring the matter back to the House. Otherwise, it does not qualify as an Urgent Matter without Notice.

We make progress.

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

THEFTS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES AT THE KAFUE ROUNDABOUT IN LUSAKA

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to issue a Ministerial Statement on the prevalence of thefts from motor vehicles at the Kafue Roundabout in Lusaka District.

Madam Speaker, following trending videos circulating on social media, in which criminals are seen stealing from motorists on the Kafue Road near the Kafue Roundabout, the Zambia Police Service intensified patrols in ng that area. We strongly condemn the recent spate of criminal activities targeting motorists in Lusaka, at the Kafue Roundabout. The theft of valuables and personal belongings from vehicles is not only a serious crime, but also a threat to the safety and well-being of our citizens. We urge all motorists to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to secure their vehicles and belongings. We also call on anyone with information about these crimes to come forward and assist the authorities in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to report that we have taken steps to ensure safety of property, motorists and the general public. The Zambia Police Service, working with other law enforcement agencies, apprehended twelve suspects from 12^th February to 13^th February, 2025, two of whom were identified from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. The Zambia Police Service has also recovered properties whose owners have not yet been identified. We encourage members of the public to come forward and identify their properties.

Madam Speaker, the safety of our community is our top priority, and we will not allow any form of criminal activity. Our police officers will continue to work closely with other law enforcement agencies to prevent and combat crime, and to ensure that our communities remain safe. To ensure the safety of our motorists and the general public around the Kafue Roundabout, we have taken the following measures:

conducting undercover operations to help identify and disrupt theft rings;
deploying police officers to deter thieves and provide a visible presence;
engaging with local traders around the area to help build trust and encourage reporting of suspicious activities;
working closely with the traders around the area to identify the criminal elements;
encouraging the community around that area to remain in their trading spaces to make it easier for the police to identify loiterers around the area;
encouraging victims to report cases and help with the identification of the apprehended suspects;
launching public awareness campaigns to educate motorists on the risks of theft and providing tips on how to prevent it;
posting warning signs around the area to alert motorists on the risk of theft; and
deploying CCTV cameras under the Safe City Project.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the Zambia Police Service, supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, remains resolute in its commitment to maintaining law and order. It is the priority of the ministry to ensure safety of all citizens.

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 Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for presenting a Ministerial Statement on the Floor of the House. Indeed, there are a lot of thefts from motor vehicles around the Kafue Roundabout and also, other places. My concern is that the number of police officers deployed to man that area is small. We may have seen a number of traffic police officers manning roads almost on all the roads that we pass through. Why can the hon. Minister not give a directive to the police command to reduce the number of traffic police officers manning roads, so that others can be redeployed to ensure security not only at the Kafue Roundabout but also other places?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, we have put in place measures to minimise crime in those specific areas, but I will not disclose them. I can just assure the hon. Member that the situation will be different from the way it was. I have taken note of the issues that my hon. Colleague has raised pertaining to traffic officers. You may have noticed the reduction in road blocks in the last few days around the country. Members of the traffic section are being re-oriented to ensure that they do not only mount traffic check points, but also provide security. I have noted the issues raised by my hon. Colleague.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, I have seen an increase in the number of young people and the junkies patronising the central business district (CBD) of Lusaka and terrorising citizens. If no measures are taken urgently to contain the situation, these junkies may develop into hardcore criminals. Does the ministry have plans, working with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, to round up all these young people and take them to rehabilitation centres so that our streets can be safe?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, Hon. Mtayachalo has raised an issue I would like to address which touches on the rights of individuals as said by others. He said that we should round-up those individuals and move them from the streets. Those who always champion causes that do not support the interests of the country will rise and say that the Government is violating the rights of citizens. However, as a responsible Government, I agree with the hon. Member because the rights of one person are subject to the rights of the general populous of the country. That is how it is. Where your rights end, other people’s rights start. We will take appropriate measures, and we have been doing that. I assure you that working with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and the Zambia National Service (ZNS), some of the youths we once called junkies were removed from the streets and are being rehabilitated. We are doing everything possible.

Madam Speaker, the House may also wish to note that the phenomenon of street children started a long time ago and we have been discussing it on the Floor of this House. I would like hon. Members to visualise what happened to those who were street children twenty years ago. Where are those individuals and who is looking after them? My analysis is that they are the ones who are committing all the heinous crimes in our communities. They were former street children, and because of negligence on the part of the Government then, they became criminals. They are the same ones who are terrorising motorists along Kafue Road and other places. It is our responsibility to take the matter of street children seriously; rehabilitate them and help them start new lives. I will not mention the country, but you may have heard or read about what that country did about street children. That country’s Government rounded them up, took them to a certain place and shot them. However, we are a law-abiding country, we cannot do such things. Working together, it is our responsibility to find a solution to the challenge of street children. Otherwise, we will continue to have this problem.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi East): Madam Speaker, thank you very much. It is always a pleasure to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, I did not hear the hon. Minister talk about police emergency lines in his statement. When one is under duress, and he/she calls 991 or 3121, the lines go unanswered. Can the ministry not come up with a high-tech method of having emergency lines set up in such a way that if one calls, it immediately picks the call line of the nearest police station like the method that is used when booking a taxi on the Yango Zambia application? When one wants to book a ride on the Yango Zambia application, the application immediately picks the nearest car to one’s location. If we had that kind of innovation, anyone who is either abducted or pounced on by criminals could simply dial a number that is effective and can easily be picked up by the police. Are there any innovations like that?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, we have gone beyond setting up the 991 emergency line. Other toll-free lines are accessible to members of the public using mobile service providers and the Safe City Project National Command Centre. I will ask the Police Public Liaison Unit to publish the numbers so that members of the public can easily access them.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Madam Speaker, what happens on Kafue Road also happens on the Great North Road because of the traffic congestion that builds up on that road. Most of the thieves disguise themselves as street vendors, or may I call them roadside hawkers. What is the ministry going to do with the thieves who disguise themselves as roadside hawkers?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, if you heard me clearly, I alluded to members of the public who trade along the roads. I did not want to call them street vendors. I called them traders. We will liaise with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Health, as the situation is also a health issue, to come up with a lasting solution.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, I want to appreciate the hon. Minister for the measures that the ministry has put in place, which he has outlined in the Ministerial Statement.

Madam Speaker, one of the reasons I believe is causing the problem is that the area around Kafue Roundabout is so crowded that thieves become insolent that even when they see something in a car that interests them, they become so determined that they force the doors open. As seen in the footage that was circulating on social media, the thieves were not even scared enough to run away because the area was crowded. they simply walked comfortably with the items that they grabbed from the car. Amongst the measures that the ministry has put in place, is the ministry not considering working in a multisectoral approach with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development or the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development to put up a barrier around that roundabout island so that people do not crisscross from one lane to the other up to the mall? If a barrier was put up, just like the barrier, which is farther along on that same road going to Kafue Town, I believe that it would reduce crowding on the two lanes. Is the ministry not thinking of doing that with the help of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I would like to appreciate the proposal that has been given by the hon. Member. It is a brilliant proposal, and it will be considered by my ministry, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): Madam Speaker, security is critical. I would like to seek the hon. Minister's opinion on the measures that the ministry has put in place regarding the matter that we are considering. Looking at the level of theft –

Madam Speaker, let me talk about Zambia Police officers who have been managing security issues in this country. When the United Party for National Development (UPND) formed Government in 2021, it worked on reducing unnecessary roadblocks. As a Zambian, I want to say that the Government did a good job. However, we still have issues with police officers in terms of mounting speed traps and what happens at Manda Hill. On one hand, we fight theft that is committed by the lower class. On the other hand, one finds that police officers are busy mounting unnecessary speed traps. They get money from motorists in the name of being on duty, which is another challenge. At the end of the day, they are all thieves. What is the ministry doing to curb the issue at Manda Hill and the unnecessary mounting of speed traps on most of the roads? How is the ministry ensuring the safety of members of the public, or that curbing theft is not just concentrated on one side, but also on the other side? The only difference is that that one is being done in a technical way.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I do not know whether that question is related to the Ministerial Statement.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I just want to mention that the ministry has taken appropriate measures. You may recall that some months back, there were a number of break-ins at shopping malls. We investigated, and checked the closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems, and we identified the culprits. Most of the culprits who broke into cars at trading places and other areas were of Zimbabwean origin. We arrested them and they are appearing in court. At least, for the time being, the situation has stabilised. We have enhanced the closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems around Lusaka to continue monitoring the situation.

Madam Speaker, I want to inform members of the public that through CCTV, we can see what is happening at Soweto Market, along the streets in Lusaka, on the Copperbelt and in Livingstone from our command centre. We are able to see who is inciting members of the public on camera. We record what takes place and it is not a violation of human rights. It is our responsibility to provide security.

Madam Speaker, for the information of the public, we are not the ones who installed cameras in public places. We found them in place. They were intended to be used against us in the past, but they are now being put to good use to track actual criminals who are terrorising members of the public. So, congratulations to those who installed the cameras. We are using them very well.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Sorry, hon. Minister. You may continue.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, as I said, we are doing everything possible to ensure that public areas are safe. We still have a number of cameras we want to install in certain strategic areas. I am also aware that certain areas are of interest, like the hon. Member for Chitambo indicated. For example, on the Great North Road, around the stadium area, a number of our people have been terrorised. Those who were terrorising people will not do that again because we have put up preventive measures, which I will not disclose, but there will be police presence in such areas.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to appreciate the hon. Minister’s submission.

Madam Speaker, I want to comment on the Safe City Project, which, I think, the hon. Minister has already started submitting on. When will an Act for that project be brought to the House so that it can be fully implemented? As the hon. Minister has already alluded to, through the Safe City Project, the police can view what is happening around cities. We need to advance technology to ensure that we combat crime. So, when will the Safe City Project be fully implemented to ensure that some of the equipment lying idly in districts is put to good use to enhance security in our nation?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, the Bill on the management of the Safe City Project is ready and it will be brought to the House for enactment.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Menyani Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, I am worried that cameras have also been put in our bedrooms. I am scared that the police are checking everywhere. That was on a light note.

Laughter

Mr Menyani Zulu: Madam Speaker, we all know what is happening at the Kafue Roundabout. We cannot pretend or beat about the bush because we know that Chibolya and Kanyama are breeding areas for junkies in the city. My question to the hon. Minister is –

Mr Mweene: Chinkuli!

Mr Menyani Zulu: No, it is not about the area hon. Member of Parliament.

Madam Speaker, is it possible to station a special unit of plain-clothed police officers to stop young boys and men from terrorising us at the same spot? By the way, I lost a phone as well at the same place. I think, setting up a unit of plain-clothed officers is the only way to curb vices around that area.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, if my hon. Colleague listened to what I said earlier, he would have heard me say that we are deploying non-uniformed police officers in certain areas. I further said that we are also deploying uniformed officers to patrol those areas. So, we have already started doing that.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Speaker, for the very first time, the hon. Minister’s words are very assuring.

Mr Samakayi: Question!

Mr B. Mpundu: Members of the public can now be guaranteed safety and security owing to the Safe City Project. With the revelation of people disappearing, we can be assured that the police will not struggle to find out who is abducting them. I hope that the cameras in public places will not be shut down, as was the case when Hon. Jay Jay was abducted. Is that the guarantee that the hon. Minister is giving to the people of Zambia? Should people now be comforted that the police aided by cameras will now be able to address all criminal activities that are being reported?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Before the hon. Minister responds, let me remind hon. Members to avoid bringing in issues that are before the courts.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, allow me to respond comprehensively to the allegations made by the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana. He has been very consistent in this House and outside pertaining to the violation of human rights and abductions. I would like to make it clear that the Zambia Police Service under the New Dawn Government does not abduct people. The police arrest criminals who have offended the law.

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I am aware of the interest the hon. Member of Parliament has. The tendency by leaders to encourage criminality and sponsor online pages such as Munyaule to defame people and make hate speech will not be tolerated. If the workers of Munyaule have been arrested by the police, they should not blame the police. The hon. Member should advise people to be law-abiding citizens.

Madam Speaker, we know what certain people have been doing. They have been sponsoring members of the public to create anarchy in this country through hate speech. Some of them are in this country and others are outside. We have started arresting those who are in the country. Those who are managing Munyaule and other forums of interest will be arrested and they will be answerable to the laws of this country.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Let us not –

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, criminals –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, give me a chance to give guidance.

Hon. Members, why are you debating while seated? Shouting in the House is not good because you are reducing the dignity of the House. Can you, please, stop debating while seated. Only debate when you are given the Floor.

The hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security may respond.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I am happy to note that my hon. Colleagues have been encouraging the police to arrest those who are committing crimes at the Kafue Roundabout. A crime is a crime under the statutes of this country. Those who are deliberately making this country ungovernable will be answerable. If you do not commit any offence, no one is going to touch you. It is the responsibility of the Zambia Police Service to go for all those who are committing crimes in the country. We know those who are financing Munyaule Zambia and other hate fora in this country. The intention of those fora is to bring this country to its knees by creating chaos. Which criminals are worse: Those breaking into cars at Kafue Roundabout, or those who want to cause anarchy and chaos in the country? We should not allow our beautiful country to be destroyed by people who are failing to win elections. We should not allow that. If you want to assume office, form a political party, stand as president and win. There is no need to form ichabaiche and hide behind certain fora.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Come out in the open. Campaign and win elections.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: There are indications for points of order. The hon. Member for Chama South was the first to indicate.

Mr Mung’andu: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I refer to our Standing Order, which clearly states that the information provided on the Floor of this House should not only be factual but verifiable.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Nkana disseminated insinuations to the people of Petauke. When the people in villages are given information, especially information that comes from we hon. Members of Parliament, they take it as truth. The statement that the disappearance of Hon. J. E. Banda from the hospital to wherever he is, was done by the Government, has been repeated by Hon. Binwell Mpundu on the Floor of the House, yet he knows too well that they themselves were behind the movement of Hon. J. E. Banda from –

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, this is very serious.

Interruptions

Mr B. Mpundu and Mr Kapyanga rose.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

You may resume your seat, hon. Member.

Mr Mung’andu resumed his seat.

Mr B. Mpundu walked towards Mr Mung’andu.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Hon. Member for Nkana, can you, please, go back to your seat. Can we have order in the House.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Hon. Member for Nkana, I think that your conduct is not good in the House. I am actually forced to tell you to leave the House.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: There is no way you can behave like that in this dignified House. When you have a problem, just indicate to speak and your matter shall be sorted out. I had not even made a ruling yet. In fact, I was in the process of asking the hon. Member for Chama South to stop raising his point of order, because I had guided that that matter is before the court. However, your reaction is unacceptable. So, hon. Member for Nkana, please, leave the House for today. I want order in the House.

Mr B. Mpundu left the Assembly Chamber.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Chama South, I will not allow you to conclude the point of order. As I indicated, the matter is before the court.

Mr Chisopa: Why did you have to wait?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: We make progress.

I have also permitted the hon. Minister of Health to present a Ministerial Statement.

Hon. Opposition Members walked out of the Assembly Chamber.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Can you leave quietly.

Hon. Member for Milanzi, please, just move quietly. We want to continue with work.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Can we allow the hon. Minister of Health to render his Ministerial Statement.

UPDATE ON THE CHOLERA SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY

The Minister of Health (Mr Muchima): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to express my appreciation for this opportunity to update the nation, through this august House, on events threatening the public health security of our people and our country, Zambia. This is with particular reference to the country's status on the cholera outbreak.

Madam Speaker, allow me to reiterate to this august House that this Government, through the able leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the Republic of Zambia, attaches great importance to securing the health of our people. Zambia has been responding to an outbreak of cholera, which started on 25^th December, 2024, in Nakonde District. After Nakonde, the outbreak has now spread to other parts of the country like Copperbelt Province, Lusaka Province and the North-Western Province.

Madam Speaker, the following is the current situation of the cholera outbreak in the country as of 14^th February, 2025.

Date Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative

Number of cases Brought-in-Dead Deaths

Nakonde 26/12/24 26 1 0

Chililabombwe 24/01/25 230 7 0

Lusaka 31/01/25 1 0 0

Ndola 28/01/25 2 0 0

Kitwe 28/01/25 8 1 0

Chingola 28/01/25 14 0 0

Kalumbila 07/02/25 3 0 0

Solwezi 07/02/25 1 0 0

Ngabwe 09/02/25 1 0 0

Countrywide 14/02/25 286 8 0

total

Madam Speaker, the Government has promptly activated emergency response mechanisms to manage the situation effectively.

Madam Speaker, in order to curb and mitigate the impact of the outbreak, the Government has taken the following measures:

Establishment of Cholera Treatment Centres

Madam Speaker, cholera treatment centres have been set up in all the districts affected by cholera.Staff have been mobilised to provide treatment and care to patients. As a result of the good care that is being provided, no deaths have been recorded in any of the treatment facilities.

Contact Tracing

Madam Speaker, to ensure early detection and management of cases to avoid deaths, contact tracing is being conducted to identify individuals who may have come into contact with confirmed cases.

Case Area Targeted Intervention (CATI)

Madam Speaker, deliberate efforts, which include door-to-door sensitisation, chlorine distribution, disinfection of toilets, and super chlorination of wells in affected areas, are being conducted to reduce transmission of the disease. The efforts have proved to be highly effective in reducing transmission and limiting the geographical spread of the disease.

Provision of Safe Water and Sanitation

Madam Speaker, further, efforts are being made to provide safe water and sanitation facilities to affected communities using water bowsers. In addition, water tanks have been supplied to affected communities.

Cross Border Collaboration

Madam Speaker, for purposes of strengthening response efforts and achieving optimal results, the Government has engaged in cross-border collaboration with Tanzania, which is experiencing a similar outbreak.

Enhanced Health Surveillance

Madam Speaker, rapid response teams have continued to monitor the situation for early detection and management of new cases. This is meant to avoid further spread of the disease across communities.

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

Madam Speaker, risk communication and community engagement activities are key in managing outbreaks for public health importance. They also are crucial in promoting behavioural change. For this particular purpose, dissemination of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials on cholera prevention through community outreach, radio and television (TV) campaigns has been heightened. Further, training of community health workers and leaders to promote hygiene practices and early identification of cases continues to be conducted.

Stockpiles of Medicines and Medical Supplies

Madam Speaker, essential supplies, including oral rehydration salts (ORS), antibiotics and Intravenous (IV) fluids, have been supplied for treatment purposes. Additionally, the cholera vaccination exercises have been conducted in Nakonde and Chililabombwe. In addition, training for the implementation of cholera vaccination campaigns has also been conducted. Vaccination will reduce the number of cholera cases.

Multisectoral Collaboration with Partners

Madam Speaker, we will continue to work closely with both international and local partners, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS), and the World Bank Africa, and several other bodies and agencies, to ensure that healthcare facilities are provided supported with personnel, other technical expertise, and resources to manage the outbreak. Without this support, cholera would not be managed.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Intervention

Madam Speaker, the Government is working on improving access to safe water and sanitation facilities. It is also promoting good hygiene practices. To this effect, the following are being done:

Analysis of water samples and supply of clean and safe water to affected communities using water bowsers;
sinking of boreholes in areas of need;
provision of water storage facilities to affected areas;
donation of bottled chlorine by UNICEF and WHO; and
collection and disposal of waste in affected communities.

Inspection of Sanitary Facilities in Public Premises

Madam Speaker, the district has intensified the inspection of sanitary facilities in public premises at the Kasumbalesa Border. Premises that are failing to meet standards and are operating contrary to the provisions of the existing laws are either demolished or closed down.

Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV)

Madam Speaker, a vaccination campaign is currently underway to protect all eligible people aged one and above, in Chililabombwe District. The Government is targeting 100 per cent of the population in Chililabombwe and Nakonde. Further, with support from WHO, the Government has obtained approval from the International Co-ordinating Group (ICG) on vaccine provision to repurpose the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) from the country’s stockpile of 1.6 million doses to areas that will report cases. That will support the extension of the vaccination campaign to Kitwe, which will be conducted from 17^th February, 2025, to 23^rd February, 2025, targeting hot spot areas in eleven wards in the district.

Madam Speaker, I would like to further inform the public through this august House that the OCVs are safe –

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members on my right at the back.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I would further like to inform the public through this august House that the OCVs are a safe, and are an effective short-term measure to prevent cholera infections and transmissions. The OCVs have no side effects.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to implore the general public to adhere to public health preventative measures and guidelines, and emphasise the following:

drink clean and safe water, either boiled or chlorinated and stored in clean containers;
frequent hand washing with soap and clean water, especially before, during and after food preparation;
hand washing after using the toilet;
urgently report or seek medical attention at the nearest healthcare facility if someone experiences watery diarrhoea and vomiting;
maintain healthy sanitation standards and avoid contaminated environments;
use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for suspected cholera patients; and
get vaccinated where eligible.

Madam Speaker, together we can prevent further spread of cholera and protect our communities.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

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 Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, being a town on the Copperbelt Province, Chililabombwe is expected to have better water supply systems. In the hon. Minister’s opinion, does he think the cholera outbreak in that town have anything to do with water contamination due to waste disposal? What has been the main cause of the cholera outbreak, especially in Chililabombwe? What immediate measures have been put in place to ensure that people in that town are safe?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank our good hon. Member for Chama South for that good question.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, as you may know, Kasumbalesa is a trading area. Most people go there for business and they sleep in containers. The total head count of the population there is 19,000, and every day, we have between 5,000 and 6,000 truckers. The total population of people is about 30,000.

Madam Speaker, there are no working public toilets in Kasumbalesa. It has about 3,597 shallow wells and when we tested the water, we discovered that it was all contaminated with faecal matter. In the meantime, this Government decided to first chlorinate the water in those wells and, at the same time, together with my hon. Colleague, the hon. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, we want to connect water sources to tanks. However, tanks are not sufficient, so, we will also sink about eight to ten boreholes in different places. Further, we have asked the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, as an emergency, to help us with financing so that we can connect the water sources and also put up public toilets in conjunction with the council.

Madam Speaker, most cholera cases in Chililabombwe are a result of drinking contaminated water. Using the interventions that we are putting in place, we intend to bury all the shallow wells and pit latrines. At the moment, we have vaccinated nearly everyone, including myself and my hon. Colleague, the area Member of Parliament. We thank him for his quick intervention. He has been helping us with foodstuffs given to people in the affected areas. We are in control, and one good thing is that no one has died at our centres.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chinkuli (Kanyama): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister’s institution for the measures that it has put in place to ensure that the disease does not spread to other parts of the country.

Madam Speaker, learning from the past, I think, a number of measures that were put in place were effected. However, to some extent, we could not reach the much-intended goal.

Hon. Members: Speak up.

The volume on the hon. Member’s microphone was increased.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: That is much better.

Mr Chinkuli: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, but you should have reminded me.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members on my left!

Mr Chinkuli: Madam Speaker, I was thanking the ministry for the efforts it has made to ensure that the spread of the traumatising disease outbreak is controlled. As you may be aware, last year, some of us had even lost some kilogrammes just thinking about the outbreak.

Madam Speaker, the measures that the ministry has put in place are good. We have seen a reduction in the spread of cholera. However, we know that Zambia has, in the past, recorded many disease outbreaks. We have had the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was contained. Among the measures that were put in place are restriction of people’s movement knowing that cholera is transmitted through contact with people who are infected. It started from Nakonde down to – And when we look at that route, we see that there are drivers who come into the country through Nakonde Border or the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). So, among the measures that have been put in place, why can the ministry not look at the movement of the people? We need to see to it that the movement is managed so that people are not just moving carelessly.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I want to thank the colleagues we are working with for being vigilant. If we look at the number of cholera cases, we see that we seem to have contained it, but we should not be too proud. We should remain very vigilant.

Madam Speaker, Nakonde and Kasumbalesa are both at the border. It is difficult to control the movements of people because of trading. However, we have put a barrier at Kasumbalesa Border. Anyone entering or going out of Kasumbalesa is being disinfected; both vehicles and human beings. There are those who travelled earlier, like the case we had in Lusaka, it involved a person who came from Chililabombwe via Lusaka going all the way to Senanga. We traced all the contacts and they are quite safe because he was treated here in Lusaka. It is important to put up barriers, but the issue of cholera is all about personal hygiene.

Madam Speaker, those unplanned settlements are a major cause of cholera outbreaks. Kasumbalesa for example, with that huge population has no public toilets. How do people help themselves there? That is the question we should ask ourselves, but anyway, we have taken it up ourselves as an emergency. We are working with the council. As a public health concern, we will put up public toilets in all areas in Kasumbalesa and we shall also extend that to Nakonde. We will provide clean water supply by sinking boreholes and also connecting the area to a water and sanitation utility company. That is the safe way to go for the people in those areas.

Madam Speaker, in addition, we have provided tanks in various areas for people to be washing their hands, especially after using the toilets and avoid making contacts. We are also actively sensitising members of the public through radio stations and public announcements.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, it is said that prevention is cheaper than treatment. It is a notorious fact that both the previous Government, the Patriotic Front (PF) and the current Government, the United Party for National Development (UPND), which has been in power for three and half years now, have not done much in terms of the recruitment of soldiers who are supposed to fight pandemics; public health nurses. Those nurses are the soldiers who are supposed to go right into our communities and fight those pandemics. I am happy to give credit to Dr Chilufya for having started this initiative. Public health nurses are important soldiers who are supposed to fight …

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Is it possible for you to go straight to the question after summarising all those points because you are now educating us on who the public health nurses are.

Laughter

Mr Tayengwa: Madam Speaker, I want to find out what it is that we are doing to those soldiers who are supposed to fight this scourge of cholera and typhoid in different communities. If we look at the statistics, as has been reported, we see that the number of nurses is very minimal. So, what are we doing about those public health nurses?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Kabwata should thank this Government. Ever since we came into power, the recruitment of personnel in the health sector has increased for both nurses and doctors. It is actually unprecedented.

Madam Speaker, at the moment, we have recruited about 11,000 community health workers, except that the population in Lusaka is too big. When we distribute health personnel countrywide, you cannot see the impact. However, we are recruiting many.

Madam Speaker, I am happy that in Lusaka, the spread of cholera has been contained. It is not like it was before, where we lost 700 lives. I thank the people of Lusaka for adhering to the instructions in our continued sensitisation. We are continuing with the recruitment, but the fact is that we need to have enough money to recruit. The Global Fund is helping us to recruit community health workers. That is the ambitious programme we have embarked on, and it is quite effective. It is not because of Dr Chilufya, who was the hon. Minister of Health before. It is because the resource envelope can allow us to undertake the programme. If we had more money, we would have employed more nurses and doctors to curb diseases.

Madam Speaker, our mindsets should change for us to be disease free. We should be comparing ourselves with other countries. We should be asking how are they managing to prevent cholera through cleanliness and reducing direct contact. Zambia is now a transit area because trucks from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania, for instance, pass through our country. So, diseases are being spread through the movement of traders. We cannot just say that we should get rid of cholera. We need to avoid direct contact with travellers.

Madam Speaker, we have enough human resource to handle cholera outbreaks. That is why you may have seen that in Nakonde, our personnel contained the disease within the shortest possible time. Further, if we had not been vigilant in Kasumbalesa, the disease would have spread widely. We have nurses working in public health, and the number of personnel employed will swell as the fiscal space improves and the Treasury gives us more money.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that sixty years after Independence, we are still recording cases of cholera in Zambia. Needless to say that this is due to people drinking contaminated water and having poor sanitation. As it is said, prevention is better than cure. So, I want to know the progress made in administering cholera vaccines to people. I believe that that is the only way we can eradicate the disease. How many people have been vaccinated so far?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, indeed, it is shameful that sixty years after Independence, we are still grappling with cholera. Cholera is caused by a lack of proper hygiene. I was in Nakonde, where I witnessed health workers vaccinating many people, including health workers themselves. We also requested that our colleagues in uniform at the borders be vaccinated. I think, we have to do that. So, I call on them to be vaccinated.

Madam Speaker, I led by example in Nakonde and Kasumbalesa by getting vaccinated. I urge all hon. Members of Parliament to get vaccinated as well because they are not exempt from contracting the disease. All those administering vaccines at the frontlines have also been vaccinated. In fact, they also wear safety clothing in those areas. Last year, we lost 700 people, but most of our nurses were safe because they wore safety clothing. So, we have taken adequate measures to protect them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is the number of people who have been vaccinated? I think that was the hon. Member’s question.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, let me use statistics. I did not come with the numbers, but we reached a 100 per cent vaccination rate in Nakonde. In Kasumbalesa, we are almost at 100 per cent as well. I did not include the actual numbers in my statement, but we have them at the ministry. We are now moving to Kitwe to carry out the vaccination.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Sabao (Chikankata): Madam Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister said that the Copperbelt Province, Chililabombwe in particular, is topping the list of areas affected by cholera. Lusaka has lower numbers now, but in the past, it used to top the list. What factors have caused such a positive development?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, earlier on, I said that people have been sensitised in Lusaka and they have listened to our messages. I have been talking about this issue for some time. The ministry officials need to go everywhere to sensitise people. Here, in Lusaka, people are now adhering to the messages they are receiving. We also put in place interventions in Kanyama, which was a cholera hotspot. I thank the people of Kanyama, the hon. Member of Parliament and other people for helping us with the interventions in that area. We are also working with marketeers to ensure that they adhere to cleanliness.

Madam Speaker, let me take advantage of this question to explain the stockpile of cholera vaccine doses. We have 1.6 million doses. In Chililabombwe, we vaccinated 120,421 people, representing about 99 per cent of the people targeted. Let me thank everyone for being vigilant because cholera can kill any of us, just like the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) did.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr C. Chibuye (Mkushi North): Madam Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister said that the areas prone to cholera are around borders towns, and he cited Kasumbalesa and Nakonde. He also said that the ministry has taken measures to curb the spread of the disease in those places. Is the ministry considering replicating the same measures in other border districts? I have asked this question because Mkushi North is also on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Does the ministry intend to replicate the same measures in other border areas, like Chirundu and Livingstone?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, yes, we need to move in that direction. First and foremost, we cannot administer vaccines before a cholera outbreak because the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not allow that. If we administer vaccines before an outbreak, it means we have to receive vaccines twice. We receive vaccines once there is an outbreak.

Madam Speaker, I thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, who went to China and addressed the issue of manufacturing vaccines in Zambia. We want to start manufacturing vaccines in this country. Very soon, a team will go to China to pre-test cholera vaccines. Once the vaccines tested in China give us about 3 million doses, I think, we will administer them countrywide. However, that is just a temporary measure. We need to stockpile vaccines so that we can administer them to nearly everyone in the country. We need to spread the measures to all border areas, especially the active borders that the hon. Member mentioned.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, is the Ministry of Health co-ordinating with other ministries, such as the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation? We have challenges in our areas particularly concerning the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Shebeens are mushrooming in residential areas and people are drinking around houses and sharing toilets with family members. The shebeens have become breeding grounds for cholera.

Madam Speaker, hon. Members of Parliament have done their best to acquire earth-moving equipment, but local authorities are not using it to collect garbage. The Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has also not done its part to supply water in affected areas. We have blocked sewerage lines in residential areas, which have become breeding grounds for diseases. What steps has the Ministry of Health taken to co-ordinate with the other two ministries to fight cholera?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Chifubu for bringing up the issue of co-ordination. We are collaborating with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. The key issue we need to tackle is unplanned settlements. Unplanned settlements are a problem. I hope the Constitution amendments will come very soon so that we go back to sitting in council meetings. That way, we can be part and parcel of resolving various issues and helping councils with planning.

Mr Chisopa: Question!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, unplanned settlements like Kasumbalesa and Nakonde and other areas; the shanty compounds, are a source of these problems we are talking about. We need to be clear about how we plan our communities so that we can provide water and sewerage lines in an organised manner. At present, in Kasumbalesa, there is no water and sewerage lines. Even the public toilets do not have any system in place. We just dislodged them recently using the ministry’s Public Health Department. That is what we also want to do in Nakonde. The ministry is working with the Local Government in the areas, as you are aware that there is now decentralisation, on public health concerns in those communities to ensure that we provide public toilets to contain these diseases.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Madam Speaker, allow me to take a different angle and speak on our culture. We ought to be ashamed as a nation that we can be talking about cholera year in and year out because it is not just about medical interventions and so on and so forth, it is also about who we are as a people. We have a lot of work to do in dealing with the indiscriminate dumping of garbage and poor hygiene practices. For example, reminding Easterners to wash their hands before eating. Just observe some of them at break time, from here, the House, they will go and touch food without even washing their hands. There is a sense of discipline that ought to work if we are going to re-align the mindsets of our people. It is not just about teaching and lecturing but a certain level of discipline. My question is: Will the Government consider making use of the military just to get our people to re-align? It is a shame when one looks at the amount of garbage on the Copperbelt Province, for example. It is not acceptable.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanchibiya on cultural mindset. I do not know where we adopted the habit of throwing litter and garbage anyhow. Working with my hon. Colleague, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, we also shut down people who were building structures on top of drainage systems.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the people of Lusaka for co-operating with the Government. I think that is the way to go. Everyone must get involved.

Madam Speaker, the good news is that your President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, who travelled to Japan, found new technology in that country, which is coming into our country. Does anyone see scrap metal in town? No, because there is value in scrap metal. People pick it everywhere. The President has invited a company, which will come with new technology. People will be rushing to collect garbage, which will be transformed and used for energy creation. Very soon people will be looking for garbage. Those are the initiatives that this Government is working on. I wish the company could come tomorrow so that people can start collecting garbage and supplying it, and there would be no issues with garbage. I think that is one indirect way of dealing with this issue. We thank the President for that innovation.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has highlighted the measures that the ministry has taken, especially in the border areas. I just want clarification on whether the people who cross the borders in the affected areas are also compelled to take the cholera vaccine apart from being disinfected.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I think that is the ideal situation, but capturing them has been difficult at times. Maybe, we need to set up tables at the checkpoints. It is a good suggestion. We have to vaccinate them as well. However, getting vaccinated is voluntary. One cannot force a person to get vaccinated. Maybe, because of the spread, I think, we shall look into it.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, let me start by wishing you and the rest of our gallant ladies a happy valentine’s day.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, most of my hon. Colleagues are patriarchal.

Madam Speaker, the movement of our people in the border areas; Nakonde and Kasumbalesa, is open-ended. Non-restrictive border controls allow our people to flow in and out daily. That movement might actually render the efforts the ministry has made to vaccinate our people on one side futile because the daily movements are something one cannot avoid. What efforts is the ministry putting in place to ensure that when it is undertaking such an important activity on the Zambian side, be it in Nakonde or Kasumbalesa, there is a reciprocal arrangement on the other side of the border so that movement is somehow dealt with by vaccinating people on both sides? If we do not do that, I assure the hon. Minister that all the efforts that the ministry has put in place and the money it is spending might just be fruitless.

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

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

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, transparency and accountability on the part of the Executive is a constitutional requirement. However, the hon. Minister of Health, when responding to a question, referred to the fact that constitutional amendments are coming soon. The Constitution is not a document for the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government; it is a document for the people of Zambia. Why is the UPND Government hiding from the Zambian people the fact that it wants to amend the Constitution soon? Why does it want to amend the Constitution without telling the people? Why not tell us so that we go to our constituencies to tell our people that this Government wants to amend the constitution one year before it leaves office?

Madam Speaker, this point of order is on the entire UPND Government.

Madam Speaker, I seek your ruling.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

From what I heard being mentioned, the hon. Minister, indeed, said that there will be some Constitution amendments. However, the timeframe he did not give us. Had he given us the timeframe, it would have been different. All I know is that there is usually a procedure for amending the Constitution, which goes together with a timeframe. As at now, it is just a mention that there will be a constitutional amendment. We do not know when that will take place. Actually, that is supposed to be announced. However, just mentioning that there will be a constitutional amendment does not necessarily mean that the Government is hiding something. Moreover, you are supposed to offer checks and balances. If the constitutional amendment will not be done the way it is supposed to be done, you are there to give guidance. For now, we are just hearing that there will be a constitutional amendment. I heard that yesterday and today. On how it will be done, I think, the Executive is supposed to come and inform the House and the nation at large.

Hon. Members, the Executive will come back when it is ready to announce its road map. It is not only the people in this House who are interested in the constitutional amendment, but also the people out there. So, when the Executive is ready, it will come to the House and tell the nation when that constitutional amendment will take place and the road map. As at now, I do not think that it is right to say that the Executive is hiding something. This is national matter, which has to be brought to the House and the country at large.

Hon. Members, I think, the hon. Minister, in his own way, when he said that there will be a constitutional amendment, is not out of order. We are all waiting to hear what next; when the amendment will be brought to the House and the nation informed.

So, we make progress.

Interruptions

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will allow the hon. Member for Kankoyo to ask a question.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has not yet answered my question.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Sorry, hon. Member. That is the problem of having points of order.

The hon. Minister of Health can respond to the question that was raised by the hon. Member of Parliament for Shiwang’andu.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I said that in the council, there is a gap, and I thank you for clarifying that matter. I used the words, “If there will be …” Anyway –

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Shiwang’andu for his contribution. He has mentioned what is supposed to be done and his point is valid. We are currently having discussions with our colleagues in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, we have no control over the measures they are taking to vaccinate their people. Bilaterally, there are mechanisms that countries need to follow and we will need to bring them up.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, further, I wish to state that Zambia is the chair of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC). So, as we meet as Africa-CDC group, we shall bring this issue up to compel the neighbouring countries to have their people vaccinated.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

TRANSFER OF HEALTH WORKERS FROM CHITAMBO DISTRICT

189. Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North) asked the Minister of Health:

why the Government, as of 31^st January, 2025, transferred about 52 health workers from various health facilities in Chama District, without replacing them, thereby affecting health service delivery in the District; and
what urgent measures are being taken to fill-up the vacancies and ensure staff retention in the District.

The Minister of Health (Mr Muchima): Madam Speaker, I wish to acknowledge the concerns over staff movement of about fifty-two health workers under Chama District Health Office payroll. This movement spans over the last three years. Indeed, it is regrettable that it was an anomaly not to replace those health workers. The officers in question were administratively transferred from the district to various other institutions where they have joined their spouses. One officer was convicted in 2024, and her salary has been locked pending the conclusion of disciplinary procedures. Out of the fifty-two workers, twenty-four are serving in Muchinga Province, while eleven are serving within the Eastern Province. The rest are spread across the country pending normalisation of their transfers to their new stations.

Madam Speaker, in order to mitigate that challenge, the Government is implementing the following measures:

normalise transfers of officers that are misplaced on payroll;
discontinue processing administrative transfers except in exceptional circumstances as approved by the Civil Service Commission; and
recruit health workers for 2024. Out of the twenty-one positions allocated to Chama District, seventeen have since reported as of 13^th February, 2025.

Madam Speaker, the Government will continue to prioritise recruitment from local communities to enhance retention for staff especially in the rural and underserved areas.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, Chama District has a population of 147,000 people. The transfers under discussion have created a huge deficit of health workers in the district. For example, at Chama General Hospital, there are only twelve midwives who work in shifts. The hon. Minister may be aware that two nurses must be on duty in the morning, afternoon and evening. They do not rest. The transfers of health workers have even increased the number of maternal deaths in the district.

Madam Speaker, I know that some people are working in urban areas but their payslips show that they are in Chama. Are those workers going to be sent back to Chama or the Government will employ the fifty-two workers? I think the essence of the Government to employ people in their respective districts was to avoid them being transferred to other places. What measures is the ministry putting in place to resolve this issue?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I sympathise with my hon. Colleague. Indeed, that is an anomaly. However, when this Government came into power, it found a terrible habit of transferring, dismissing and transferring people on political lines. For example, if the wife to the hon. Member of Parliament was working in Chama, she would be transferred to Chavuma if she did not support a certain party.

Madam Speaker, we are trying to normalise the situation, and one of the reasons for the transfers was to reunite families. Since we have realised that this is a case-by-case issue, we shall synchronise and see exactly how we can deal with it. The hon. Member should rest assured that the ministry is going to address it. The ministry wants to take stock of the members of staff in every district so that it can normalise and place nurses and doctors according to the size of the needs of the health care. This Government cares for everyone. It does not segregate.

Madam Speaker, I have heard the hon. Member very clearly and the numbers are quite alarming, I shall address the issue.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member to ask Question No.190 is not in the House, therefore, the question lapses.

REHABILITATION OF CHINSALI/MPIKA ROAD

191 Mr. Mukosa (Chinsali) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

whether the Government has engaged a contractor to rehabilitate the Chinsali–Mpika stretch of the Great North Road;
if so, who the contractor for the project is;
when the rehabilitation works will commence; and
what interim measures are being taken to ensure that the road is motorable while awaiting the completion of the rehabilitation works.

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours.

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Mr Speaker, the Government circulated a tender for the engagement of a contractor to undertake the rehabilitation works, which closed in the third week of September 2024. The evaluation of the bids for the works was completed and is awaiting a ‘No Objection’ from the European Investment Bank (EIB), who are the financiers of the project.

Mr Speaker, the contractor for the project will be known once the contract has been awarded.

Mr Speaker, the rehabilitation works are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025.

Mr Speaker, in the interim, the Road Development Agency (RDA) is carrying out routine maintenance works to keep the road in a motorable condition.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mukosa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that the evaluation process has been completed, but the Government is waiting for a ‘No Objection’ from the financier. When will we get the ‘No Objection’ answer so that in the event that it does not come, we can make a follow-up?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, it must be understood that when a project is funded by external agencies, such as the European Investment Fund (EIF), we have to go by their conditions. Part of their conditions is that upon selection of a contractor after we have done adjudication, the financier has to give us the ‘No Objection’ statement. What is important is that I stated that we expect the work to commence by the second quarter of 2025. The first quarter of the year is almost ending. I hope that by then, we would have received the ‘No Objection’ statement.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Mr Speaker, indeed, the longest stretch of the road is in Shiwang’andu. I equally acknowledge the patch-up work done to make it motorable.

Mr Speaker, when we secured the African Development Bank (AfDB) financing for the Nakonde/Isoka Road, the negotiations for the Chinsali/Mpika Road had almost started and a financier had been identified. What happened to the issue?

Mr Mubika: No money!

Mr Kampyongo: Keep quiet, iwe.

Order! That is why you lost where you were.

Mr Speaker, would the hon. Minister say that there has been a change in terms of the financier, which has then prolonged the period? Had it been the same financier, I think, by now, we would have been talking of a different story regarding the contraction of that project.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, some of the money that remained from the Chinsali/Isoka/Nakonde Road works was assigned to another stretch of the same corridor from Mpika to Nakonde. We felt that in order to complete the job, the money from the African Development Bank (AfDB) was insufficient to undertake works on the Mpika/Chinsali stretch. This is the correct route to go, whereby the project will be given as one lot and high quality works will be undertaken, such as what we have on the Chinsali/Isoka Road. I think, we are almost completing the project, as long as we get the no objection clause dealt with.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that rehabilitation works on the Chinsali/Mpika Road are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025. In this regard, we also expect job creation for the people of Muchinga Province. What measures is the ministry putting in place to ensure that local contractors, including the youths of Chinsali, Shiwang’andu and Mpika or the whole Muchinga Province, benefit from the 20 per cent sub-contracting policy?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, when works are being undertaken on projects such as that, it is the Government’s policy to ensure, as much as possible, that employees who are to work on the road are from surrounding areas. The Government enforces that provision through the Road Development Agency (RDA). Secondly, there is a percentage of sub-contracting that must go to local contractors. We insist that where available, contractors in the area where the road passes must be given priority. There have been lapses in the past in situations where certain officers have gone to sleep, and contractors have done as they please. That has been rectified and the RDA has been directed in no uncertain terms that that is one of the conditions that we must ensure is adhered to. Thirdly, I have said that when we talk about road works in various places, we expect the people along such corridors to take advantage of the high quality road to be constructed to engage in business. That is the other aspect of benefiting from such projects. Tarred roads are not just meant for people to travel on from point A to point B. We want to see businesses coming up in areas where road construction is taking place. That is what makes development and creates wealth for local people. So, wherever there is road development, we urge the people in those areas to look at the high potential for businesses along the corridors.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to ask a supplementary question.

Mr Speaker, the Mpika/Chinsali stretch is as important to the people of Muchinga Province as the Mpika/Kasama stretch is to the people of the Northern Province. I am pleased to hear that the ministry may have a contractor in place by the end of the second quarter of this year. Does the ministry intend to appoint the contractor at the same time that it will appoint a consultant, unlike the situation that is obtaining on the Lusaka/Ndola Dual Carriageway Project, whose works have been undertaken without a consultant?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Lunte is actually a good man, but he tries very hard to show that he is not as good as he is.

Laughter

Eng. Milupi: He is my nephew. So, I can say that.

Mr Speaker, I think, we should leave the Lusaka/Ndola Dual Carriageway out of this conversation because the project is being worked on. I do not even know what the hon. Member’s question was. Was he asking about the appointment of a consultant or about the Mpika to Kasama stretch? If the hon. Member is talking about the Mpika to Kasama stretch, the project is well within our plans. In fact, it is not just the Mpika to Kasama stretch, but the stretch from Mpika to Kasama/Mbala/Mpulungu as well. I cannot give the House the details, but we are discussing the matter with the relevant authorities.

Interruptions

Eng. Milupi: That is why I have not mentioned the project. I have just said that we are working on it. A Government assurance should prove that we are working on it.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker gave the Floor to Mr Sing’ombe.

Mr Sing’ombe was inaudible.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Is he absent?

Interruptions

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Maybe, there is a technical challenge. I think, we will proceed with his question as he gets connected via Zoom because our system shows that he is online.

Hon. PF Members: How?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member is present. However, due to technical challenges, he cannot get connected. So, we proceed with Question No. 192.

REHABILITATION OF LUNGUNYA VETERINARY CAMP

192. Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi) asked the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock:

whether the Government has any plans to rehabilitate Lungunya Veterinary Camp in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency;
if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
what the estimated cost of the project is.

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock (Mr Kapala): Mr Speaker, before I address the question at hand, allow me to clarify to the House that a veterinary camp is a huge catchment area with different facilities that are owned by public and private players. In this regard, a veterinary camp cannot be rehabilitated.

Mr Speaker, the Government has intentions to rehabilitate the dilapidated Lungunya Tse-tse Control Centre, which is one of the facilities within the veterinary camp, and convert it into a tier-three livestock service centre. The House may wish to note that livestock service centres are infrastructure facilities that offer livestock and animal health services to farmers. The centres are classified into three categories depending on the livestock population and the type of services to be offered.

Mr Speaker, Tier I provides basic livestock services such as a crush pen, a forcing pen, a holding pen, a neck cramp, Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilets and water supply. Tier II provides facilities that include two low-cost houses, an office block, a cattle dip tank, a farmers' shelter and water supply.

Mr Speaker, with regard to Lungunya Tsetse Control Centre, which the ministry plans to convert to a Tier III livestock Service Centre, the centre shall provide the following services to farmers in Lungunya and the surrounding camps in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency:

a training centre for livestock farmers: The training centre will provide training in pasture production, breeding services, dehorning, castration and hay production, among other training;
a dip tank and training in dipping services;
hostels for training farmers;
accommodation for staff at the training centre;
loading bay; and
demonstration sites.

Mr Speaker, it is envisaged that the conversion of the Tsetse Control Centre to a Tier III Livestock Service Centre will enhance livestock production and productivity in Dundumwezi and surrounding constituencies.

Mr Speaker, in order to have concrete plans on the conversion of Lungunya Tsetse Control Centre to a Tier III Livestock Service Centre, my ministry is required to conduct a technical assessment to determine the exact extent of work to be undertaken. The technical assessment is planned for this year.

Mr Speaker, the cost will be determined once the assessment in part (b) of the response, is completed, which in turn shall inform the budgetary provision.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the response to the question from the hon. Member for Dundumwezi on the rehabilitation of Lungunya Veterinary Camp. I grew up in Macha Ward, which is near Dundumwezi, where we got a lot of wonderful services both from Lungunya and Macha veterinary camps.

Mr Speaker, my question is: What will constitute that Tier III type of service? What is it, specifically, that our livestock farmers will get when the centre is converted to Tier III type of veterinary service? Maybe, what is Tier I, Tier II and Tier III so that we can know and have context as farmers in those areas. As you know, we have too many cattle in that area that need the services of the ministry.

Mr Kapala: Mr Speaker, we were anticipating that question. Tier I has handling facilities which comprise of a crush pen, a forcing pen, a holding pen, a neck cramp, VIP toilets and water supply. Tier II has two low-cost houses, an office block, a cattle dip tank, a farmers' shelter and water supply. Tier III has eleven houses composed of seven low-cost houses, three medium-cost houses, and one high-cost house, an office block, a cattle dip tank, a farmers’ shelter, water supply, dormitories for eighty participants, kitchen and dining areas, a 1 x 2 classroom block, a 2 x 20 pen piggery, a rabbit house, a 1,000 bird capacity poultry and one-night paddock for 4 x 50 x 50.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

CONSTRUCTION OF MORTUARY UNITS AT KANCHIBIYA HEALTH CENTRES

193. Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya) asked the Minister of Health:

when the Government will construct mortuary units at the following health centres in Kanchibiya Parliamentary Constituency;

Chalabesa;
Luchembe; and
Mpepo; and
what the capacity of the mortuary units will be.

The Minister of Health (Mr Muchima): Mr Speaker, the Government takes note that Kanchibiya District is relatively a new district without a Level 1 hospital that offers mortuary services. The Government policy has been to place mortuary units at Levels 1, 2 3 and selected specialist hospitals. However, considerations are being made to place mortuary units at selected mini-hospitals, on a case-by-case basis, considering the volume of patients, proximity to a police station, availability of a medical doctor and distance to the nearest facility with mortuary services among other parameters. As such, Chalabesa, Luchembe and Mpepo health centres will be considered once they satisfy the assessment criteria.

Mr Speaker, the capacity of the mortuary units will be determined at the time of implementation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chanda: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the response. I am a bearer of greetings from the four royal highnesses from Kanchibiya, whom the hon. Minister met on his last tour of the district and constituency. They send their regards. I wish the women on their behalf, a happy valentine too.

Mr Speaker, we do understand the Government policy and appreciate that these facilities ought to be at the district hospital, which we do not have as Kanchibiya. Just to look at the numbers, Luchembe’s catchment area is 22,000, Mpepo, 34,000, and Chalabesa, 34,000 in excess and without a single mortuary unit. To every general rule, there are exceptions. We appeal that the Government considers our earnest plea.

Mr Speaker, let me also mention that we constructed the first mortuary in Kanchibiya at Kopa Mini Hospital using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). So, we have shown that we can do something but, due to competing needs, we are unable to do the same for the remaining facilities.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Hon. Chanda, my colleague from the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE).

Mr Speaker, as we said, we shall look at the distance and the population in an area. To every rule, there is an exception. The hon. Member should be guaranteed that if the infrastructure is in place, we shall consider it. I know Kanchibiya very well. My regards to the three royal highnesses whom I interact with very well. Hon. Members should make sure that, maybe, using the CDF, they put up the infrastructure that is required. I have already given instructions to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to consider purchasing those mortuary units. One unit costs about K806,000. Maybe, we can combine our efforts but, anywhere, we can consider Kanchibiya. I know the distances; they are quite far apart with a minimum of 103 km. We shall look at the plight in Kanchibiya.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chanda: Mr Speaker, I just want to confirm that we are ready to put up super structures using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) at the three institutions.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I think that was just a comment.

______

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER

RESTORATION OF QUESTION NO. 190 ON THE ORDER PAPER

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, the House will recall that earlier in the day when the House was about to consider Question No. 190 on the Order Paper, the First Deputy Speaker directed that the question lapses due to the absence of the hon. Member asking the question in accordance with Standing Order No. 85. However, it has been brought to my attention that the question should have not lapsed because the hon. Member was in the Chamber, though not in her seat. In this regard, I direct that the question be restored on the Order Paper and that, in accordance with Standing Order No. 61 (1), Question No. 190 be considered after the House completes considering Question No. 199.

I thank you.

______

Mr Twasa interjected.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Kasenengwa, avoid passing running comments, especially when I am transacting business.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: The next question is from the hon. Member for Kalabo Central.

PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH COUNTRYWIDE

194. Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Health:

what measures the Government is taking to promote mental health in communities, countrywide; and
if there are no such measures, why.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, mental health is an integral component of health and well-being. The Government, through the Ministry of Health, has prioritised the promotion of mental health by investing in various interventions at individual, specific group, and national population levels. Various measures have been put in place to promote mental health in communities countrywide, and these include:

mental health and psychosocial support services have been fully integrated into both routine healthcare services and community-based responses. This ensures that mental health is addressed alongside physical health and can be accessed at every level of care;
in October 2024, the Government launched the Zambia Mental Health Package, drawing from the National Health Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which includes a clear implementation roadmap to extend mental health services to more rural areas;
decentralisation of mental health services to all ten provinces. Decentralisation ensures that mental healthcare is more accessible to people at the community level, bridging the gap between specialised care and everyday health services. Furthermore, psychiatric units have been set up in all Level 1, Level II and Level III hospitals to increase access to mental healthcare. I wish to share with the House that substance abuse and mental disorders are among the leading causes of hospital attendance among the youths, while depression is common among women;
collaboration with several line ministries to increase awareness and de-stigmatise mental health issues is being strengthened. For example, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, school debates have been organised to promote mental health awareness, particularly among youth;
the National Mental Health Technical Working Group was constituted to promote a collaborative approach with stakeholders, with representation from line ministries, religious, community and youth organisations;
the Government has prioritised availability of psychotropic medicines and are now part of the essential medicines list. This means that they form part of the medicines that satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the population. Furthermore, a specific psychotropic medicines budget line has been introduced to ensure adequate psychotropic medicines are procured and distributed;
the Government enacted the Mental Health Act of 2019, to establish the Mental Health Council, which will be dedicated to overseeing mental health services, including ensuring that psychotropic medicines are available at the point of care. The board of Mental Health Council has been appointed and a budget line of K2 million operational fund has been provided for;
the Government is continuously investing in capacity building for community mental health support. This includes training in Psychological First Aid (PFA) to enable community members to support one another during crises. These trainings have been rolled-out in various districts across the country. To date, over 10,000 households have received psychological first aid with links established to mental health services;
the commemoration of the World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) and World Mental Health Day (WMHD) promoting the significance of mental health;
community mental health sensitisation and awareness have been enhanced using congregate settings such as churches and schools;
other initiatives include community radio programmes. For example, Lumuno, a community mental health project, has piloted a radio programme in Mazabuka. It broadcasts topics of mental health, such as depression, anxiety and psychosis in local languages. In addition, monthly television and radio programmes are broadcast in local languages to raise awareness of mental health issues. These efforts have been instrumental in normalising mental health discussions in communities and increasing public engagement with available services;
the Mental Health Training Package for primary healthcare providers has been developed with the support of the World Bank as well as a Psychosocial Counselling Training Package with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in which primary healthcare providers are being trained on community mental health services, including prevention, care and support. This package is now available online to support ongoing learning and mentorship for healthcare workers and other governmental sectors; and
telemedicine has been integrated into mental healthcare as part of health systems strengthening efforts. A mentorship programme for sub-district healthcare and community workers has been established to provide real-time mental health care. Since March, 2024, a weekly webinar has been conducted to mentor community and primary healthcare workers throughout the country. This initiative additionally, guarantees that patients can receive timely support without the need to travel to specialised facilities such as the Chainama Hills College Hospital.

Mr Speaker, as outlined above, the Government is taking measures to promote mental health in communities. Therefore part (b) of the question falls off.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the response given by the hon. Minister. However, when it comes to the availability of drugs, district hospitals also referred to as first level hospitals, do not have drugs for mental conditions readily available. Is the Government making efforts to ensure that patients do not travel long distances to access these drugs from Chainama Hills Hospital in Lusaka?

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, only yesterday, I visited Chainama Hills Hospital, and the issue of drugs for people with mental conditions came up. Indeed, I think that we have neglected that sector. Firstly, the building itself is dilapidated; we need to do something about it. The patients in that place are human beings. They are our colleagues, and they need our attention. The drug that the hon. Member has talked about is quite costly for it to be sustained within the grant. This morning, I gave instructions to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) management to include all the drugs on the list. The drugs will be distributed to all the hospitals in the country. We have taken note and we shall pay attention to it.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Mr Speaker, various challenges affect mental health. Some of them are stigma and a lack of qualified health professionals in the field. What is the ministry doing to address the challenges, especially the two that I have mentioned?

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, the college is being run by professional people and the syllabus has taken care of the aspects of stigma. Lessons are currently being conducted and even yesterday, as we were on a tour of the facility, we found out that staffing levels had greatly improved. The college received some members of staff, of course, they are not adequate, but the numbers will be increased. The only thing that people who were previously admitted to a mental institution face is rejection. Those who are discharged are rejected as they try to re-integrate in their communities. However, the school has a plan of establishing a centre, which will be a halfway home, where those who are rejected can be taken care of. All these issues are being addressed.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisanga (Lukashya): Mr Speaker, it is said that the number of psycho-social counsellors and psychiatrists in the country is less relative to the challenges that we are facing. What measures is the Government putting in place to ensure that we stem the deficit?

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, the Government recognises that there is a shortage. So, all the Directors of Health at the district level (DHDs) have been sensitised and trained to conduct such programmes to mitigate the shortage of personnel.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

CONSTRUCTION OF FEEDER ROADS IN ISOKA CONSTITUENCY

195. Ms Nakaponda (Isoka) asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

When construction of the following feeder roads in Isoka Parliamentary Constituency will resume:

Mwenicombe/Ndande; and
Kantenshya/Londamara; and

Why the project has stalled.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that construction of the Mwenicombe/Ndande Road and the Kanteshya/Londamara Road will resume once the Government secures enough funds to work on them, as they are part of the projects that were terminated last year due to the non-availability of funds.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Nakaponda: Mr Speaker, what was the original completion date for the roads in question? Are there any plans to revise the project timeline or budget? What measures are being taken to prevent similar delays on future projects?

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member’s question is loaded. It has three parts in one.

Mr Speaker, let me explain to my hon. Colleague, once again, with a bit of additional information. The Mwenicombe/Ndande Road, which is 20 km, was contracted for works at a sum in the region of K30 million, and to be precise, K29.9 million. At the time of termination of the contract, not much work had been done. We took the bold decision to cancel more than 242 contracts that we found in place, which did not have the support of available funds. The same applies to Kanteshya/Londamara Road, whose length is 75 km. The road was contracted at K95.5 million and, at the time of termination of the contract, only 25 per cent of works on that road had been done. This Government made a bold decision to cancel the contracts, and I want to use the Kanteshya/Londamara Road as an example of why it was logical to cancel the contracts worth K95.5 million, or of almost K100 million, which could easily get ten sets of earth-moving equipment. So, it could have been ten sets by seven types of equipment, that is, a bulldozer, grader, water bowser, compactor, low bed and excavator, which makes six. At the moment, that only costs about K6.5 million.

Mr Speaker, we made the decision to terminate the contracts because no money was assigned to the contracts. As I have said many times before, those who were there before us did not even respect the Appropriation Law that was passed by this House, which spoke to ring-fenced funds that would be attached to an approved activity. They over-committed, and if we carried on with those projects, I can assure you that it would have just swelled up domestic debt. It became a matter of prudence to ask Isoka, in this case, to cancel the contracts and buy a set of eight road earth-moving equipment so that it could continuously maintain its roads. It makes more logical sense than pouring out money for the Kanteshya/Londamara Road. The money, which is about K100 million, which can buy a set of eight road earth-moving equipment, would have gone to one individual. The logic was to capacitate the local councils to be able to undertake such works continuously for a period of even thirty years. If one buys, for instance, Shantui or Caterpillar brand equipment, the equipment can last a lifetime. We think that was a better way to go than continuously pouring money into roads when we have above-normal rainfall, like we are experiencing at present. It goes without saying that the roads that were contracted at such colossal amounts of money would have been washed away, then, the following year, we would have gone back to the same story, which would have meant pouring resources into a bottomless pit.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Nakaponda: Mr Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister if the project was fully funded or not. When will the funds be available for the works on those roads to be completed? Farmers in my constituency are finding it difficult to pass through the roads.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, the question has come through as though it is a revision exercise. Let me take the hon. Member back to 2021, when I came to this House to give a report. The figures I provided then are still very clear in my head. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, only about K300 million per year was allocated by this House for rural road connectivity and maintenance, which makes a total of K1.2 million.

Mr Speaker, the total amount of money that was supposed to be paid on interim payment certificates (IPC) at the time I took office was about K5 billion. The total amount for contracts that were signed, which were not performing, was about K13 billion, or K12.9 billion to be specific. So, the question that my hon. Colleague has asked me has a clear answer, which is that despite all the contracts that were signed, no money was set aside to complete the project in question. It made sense to discontinue the project since there was no money allocated in the budget.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: The question was constituency-specific and, therefore, let us move on.

CONSTRUCTION OF POLICE POST IN FISENGE WARD

196. Mr Simbao (Luanshya) asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security:

(a) whether the Government has any plans to construct a police post in Fisenge Ward in Luanshya

Parliamentary Constituency;

(b) if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

(c) if there are no such plans, why.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the people of Luanshya would like to withdraw the question because the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Committee has since decided to build a police post in the said ward.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, what is your question or have you withdrawn it?

Mr Simbao: Yes, Mr Speaker, I have withdrawn it.

Question, by leave, accordingly withdrawn.

CONSTRUCTION OF LUANO BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOL

197. Mr Chisopa (Mkushi South) to ask the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

when the construction of Luano Boarding Secondary School in Mkushi South Parliamentary Constituency will be completed;
what the cause of the delay in completing the project is;
what the contract sum for the project is;
who the contractor for the project is;
how much money was paid to the contractor, as of April 2024;
at what level of completion, in percentage terms, the project was, as of the date at (e); and
what the timeframe for the completion of the outstanding works is.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, the construction of Luano Boarding Secondary School in Mkushi South Parliamentary Constitution will be completed once the contractor has been procured.

Mr Speaker, the delay in completing the project is due to funding constraints.

Mr Speaker, the contract sum for the project is K59,163,229.92.

Mr Speaker, the contractor for the project is Savenda Management Services Limited.

Mr Speaker, the amount paid as of April 2024 was K14,195,841.51.

Mr Speaker, the level of completion of the project as of April 2024 was 50 per cent.

Mr Speaker, the expected time of completion of the outstanding works is eighteen months from the date of commencement.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Mr Speaker, in his response, the hon. Minister has indicated that the project will go ahead once the contractor is procured, if I got him correctly. My question is: What steps has the ministry taken to procure a contractor or at what stage are we in that process?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Chitambo, Mr Remember, for that question. What steps have we taken to make sure that the procurement of a contractor is done? We have prepared the bill of quantities (BoQ) for the remaining works and procurement of the new contract will commence in the third quarter of 2025. The first step is to ensure that we know what we want to do, assess what was done, what is outstanding, prepare the BoQs and then follow through with the procurement. That is what we are doing.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chisopa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that the contract will be worked on once the contractor is procured. At the same time, he has indicated that the contractor is Savenda Management Services Limited and that the amount that has been paid so far is K14 million. The project is not at 50 per cent, but almost at 80 per cent complete.

Mr Speaker, one of the reasons that project had continued was because of the position of the Government that all projects that were at or above 80 per cent should proceed so that they can be completed. The amount of work that has been done on the project so far is quite immense and if we leave it as it is, it will be vandalised, which would be a waste of the Government’s resources. How fast is the ministry working to ensure that the project is completed on time?

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, it appears we are talking at cross purposes here. As the Government, we have not said that we will not undertake the completion of the project. As a response to the follow-up question from Hon. Mutale, the Member of Parliament for Chitambo, I stated the measures we are undertaking to ensure that the works are eventually done. So, that is what we have to wait for.

Mr Speaker, we understand that unfinished work sometimes invites vandals and we expect the area hon. Member of Parliament to liaise with the community and sensitise his constituents against things like that. Our role as the Government is to ensure that we complete that work. The role of the community is to make sure that facilities that the Government constructs in the area are looked after.

Mr Speaker, whether the project is at 50 per cent or 80 per cent complete is a technical matter. Sometimes, when a building has a roof on it, we assume that the percentage of completion is so high. We neglect the fittings that require to go in, but that is beside the point. I think, what is necessary is to complete the work within the timeframe that I have already stated.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisopa: Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to tell the people of Luano District why the contract was terminated.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, let me give the hon. Member more details. The initial contractor for the works was Savenda Management Services Limited and he was given the contract on 14^th August, 2013. We know who was in office in 2013. The works at that stage were expected to be completed on 10^th February, 2015. However, the contract expired due to lapse of time. The scope of works included construction of twenty-eight staff houses, 1 x 3 classroom blocks, three 1 x 2 classroom blocks and a 1x 2 home economics block. So, if the hon. Member wants to find out why this contract was not completed at the time, maybe we should ask those who were in office at the time. What we are saying, as the New Dawn Government, is that we are continuing with this project. We will complete the project.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

REHABILITATION OF CHINKHOMBE AND VULAMKOKO ROADS

198. Ms Phiri (Milanzi) (on behalf of Mr P. Phiri (Mkaika)) asked the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development:

when rehabilitation works on Chinkhombe and Vulamkoko roads in Mkaika Parliamentary Constituency funded by the World Bank will commence; and
what the estimated timeframe for the completion of the project is.

Eng. Milupi: Mr Speaker, Vulamkoko Road has been fully rehabilitated except for the urban section, which is about 600 m, but it is currently being finalised. The remaining works on the 19 km of Chinkhombe Road will commence after the rainy season.

Mr Speaker, the estimated timeframe for the completion of the project was sixty months.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Phiri: Mr Speaker, I have no further questions.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: We make progress.

Mr Sampa interjected.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: These questions are constituency-based. That is why all hon. Members of Parliament have an opportunity to ask questions on behalf of their constituents. Hon. Members represent their respective constituencies. The hon. Member who asked the question wanted to know what is obtaining in his constituency. Obviously, in Matero, just like in any other constituency, there are people appealing for things. You should have the audacity to ask questions on behalf of the people you represent.

Interruptions

Mr Chisopa: On a point of order, Sir.

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

Mr Chisopa: Mr Speaker, when we come here, we do not come here to pray or to play. We come here for serious business.

Sir, the hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development –

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

Mr Chisopa: 71, Mr Speaker?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: What 71?

Mr Chisopa: Mr Speaker, Standing Order 71; that we must speak with facts.

Mr Speaker, I asked the hon. Minister seated there (indicating Eng. Milupi) to tell the people of Luano why the contract was terminated and he is telling me that I should ask the Government which was there then. Is he in order to run away from his responsibility? He knows that the Government is a going concern. He also knows very well that it is his responsibility to complete the infrastructure that is rotting in Luano? He is referring me to a Government which was there then when he knows that he is the one who is carrying the purse now.

Mr Speaker, I seek your serious ruling.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much.

As hon. Members of Parliament, we should all know that once a contract has been entered into, it has certain obligations that are supposed to be met and that the timeline is at the centre of the operation of a contract. So, what the hon. Minister said is that the construction period lapsed, and that is one critical contract obligation. However, he has given you the hope that his Administration feels that that project is necessary and that the procurement process has commenced.

Hon. Member, if I were you, I would engage the hon. Minister so that the project is implemented, as opposed to brining in unnecessary arguments. So, the hon. Minister is not out of order.

CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN BUS STATION AND MARKET IN MKUSHI

199. Mr C. Chibuye (Mkushi North) asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

whether the Government has any plans to construct the following infrastructure in Mkushi District:

a modern bus station; and
a market;

if so, when the plans will be implemented;
what the estimated cost of each project is; and
if there are no such plans, why.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, the Government has plans to rehabilitate the following infrastructure in Mkushi District subject to availability of funds:

a modern bus station, and
a market

Mr Speaker, the plans will be implemented when funds are made available.

Mr Speaker, the estimated cost of the project will be established when the draft designs and Bills of Quantity (BoQ) are developed for the projects.

Mr Speaker, as indicated above, plans to construct the infrastructure are there. Consequently, part (d) of the question falls away.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr C. Chibuye: Mr Speaker, could the hon. Minister assure the people of Mkushi North that the project will commence before the next elections and that, indeed, a modern bus stop and market will be constructed.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, in the absence of a formulated and approved 2026 National Budget, which is the year of the general elections, it would be an irresponsible thing for me to make such a commitment because my political party, which is privileged to be in the Government, does not believe in populist statements. I cannot guarantee that the infrastructure will be constructed before the coming elections because the two are unrelated.

Mr Speaker, currently, the Government is building bus stations and markets in Lundazi, Chipata, Katete, Sinda, Kabwe and Mazabuka, the constituency that I am privileged to represent, because the money to repair the structures in the mentioned districts was provided by our co-operating partner, a German bank called Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW).

Mr Speaker, I would like to encourage my dear hon. Colleagues to visit our offices, which are their offices and are wide open, whenever they want infrastructure to be built in their constituencies. They should not be shy about going to the ministry to present their issues. Whereas, it is fine to present their issues here in the people's House, it is more effective when they go to the ministry in the same way that Hon. Mtayachalo and Hon. Nakaponda do. The two hon. Members are part of the few who are engaged in taking development to their constituencies. My encouragement to all the hon. Members is to not be shy. After all, the ministry I am privileged to head runs the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which is a flagship programme of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government. Therefore, hon. Members and I must be like a phone and subscriber identity module (SIM) card in delivering the much-desired development to the people whose interests and aspirations we seek to serve.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Sampa (Matero): Mr Speaker, thank you, for finally recognising me here in the Humanism Hill.

Mr Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity that you have given me to ask a supplementary question to wish all the female hon. Members in the House a happy valentine's day.

Female Hon. Members: Thank you!

Mr Samakayi: Question!

Mr Sampa: I will send them roses with green petals. This wish extends to the Speaker, the First Deputy Speaker, and not the Second Deputy Speaker.

Mr Speaker, I want to agree with the hon. Minister’s statement and also, put it on record that I commend him for being impartial in the way that he runs his office with regard to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). He welcomes everyone and does not use his office to settle political scores. He should keep it up.

Ms Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, I am talking about the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Garry Nkombo.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, when responding to the question regarding Mkushi North, the hon. Minister said that the Government has plans to construct a bus station and market in the constituency. Does the ministry have funds to credit the Mkushi North CDF account so that while plans are being made by the Government, the constituency can use its CDF allocation as a stopgap measure? Does the ministry have funds for all the CDF accounts, including Matero? I know that planning is one thing, but having the money credited to the CDF account is another.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to answer the question asked by my hon. Colleague, the Member for Matero Constituency, and an old-time friend of mine, Mr Miles Sampa.

Mr Speaker, maybe, let me take everyone two steps back so that we can move together. Sometime last year, when we observed that the utilisation rate of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was not being done at a pace that was desirable by the Government, we decided to recall the money. I am sure the House knows that that action was taken. When the money was recalled to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Central Bank, we made an undertaking to the effect that when constituencies are ready, the money would be credited to cover given activities within seventy-two hours of their requests. I want to concede that we have had a few challenges in meeting the seventy-two-hour undertaking. Sometimes, it has taken slightly longer than desired, but the intention was good.

Mr Speaker, the question of whether or not Mkushi North can use the CDF as a stopgap measure for the bus stop is up to its people. The process begins with the ward. If all the Ward Development Committees (WDC) agree – I do not know how many wards are in Mkushi North – there is no problem. For instance, all nine wards in Mazabuka agreed to put money together to buy eight earth-moving equipment using the 2022 CDF. Further, about thirty wards in three constituencies; Mufulira, Kantanshi, and Kankoyo, also agreed to amalgamate resources. It is possible if that is what constituencies want to do. We would not be in their way.

Mr Speaker, my ministry's job is to ensure that it co-ordinates development. For instance, in the last two weeks, the hon. Member for Matero has been lamenting about money not being remitted to his constituency to meet approved projects. The background, again is: I am not ashamed to say this and it should not be taken as a failure on the part of the hon. Members of Parliament in Lusaka Province. It is a fact that the province has the worst CDF absorption rating. I want to put it clearly that we have had several meetings and called everybody to the office to ask them what the problem is and why they are operating at 5 per cent or 6 per cent. Chongwe and Rufunsa constituencies have elevated their ratings to above 60 per cent. The average rating for Lusaka Province, as of the last time we engaged, was less than 10 per cent. We have a problem in all the constituencies that are in Lusaka Province. Of course, I think, the absorption rate for Munali Constituency is a bit higher than constituencies such as Chawama, Kanyama and Matero. The hon. Member for Kanyama has been extremely intimate about how things should be done. He visits the office, and we talk a lot to try and resolve the issues.

Mr Speaker, the fight between the decision-makers in Matero is another example of the issues that are affecting absorption rates. There is a situation where, on one hand, a councillor wants to fund a gymnasium for bodybuilding and, on the other hand, the hon. Member wants to fund a football stadium. That matter has been brought to my office and we will need to rationalise because all the decisions are taken from the bottom. We will have to satisfy both the councillor and the hon. Member to ensure that we make a decision that is beneficial to more people in Matero Constituency. I am not ashamed to say that the hon. Member’s request to fund a football stadium seems to be weighing more than the councillor’s request to build a gymnasium. So, a decision will be made and once that is done, we will fund the hon. member so that he can attend to the issues in his Constituency.

Mr Speaker, my other encouragement is that, just like in Mkushi North, if the hon. Member thinks that the Central Government or bilateral partners are delaying in dealing with the issue of the bus stops and the market, he should sit with all his councillors and Ward Development Committees (WDCs) and make a decision. We will approve it because it is all Government’s money after all.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr C. Chibuye: Mr Speaker, could there be any other model to use other than the Central Government’s pool and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)? What about considering the public-private partnership (PPP) model that may be available under the ministry so that the structures can be constructed?

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I want to make an open invitation to the hon. Member of Parliament for Mkushi Northto come to the office so that we can sit and discuss the issue surrounding his haste or desire to achieve what the people are looking for in his constituency.

Mr Speaker, a public-private partnership (PPP) model is most welcome anytime, as long as the parties involved are clear about what they want to achieve. Remember, there has to be a return on investment (ROI) for any private player to come and embark on any project. I do not know if the traffic in Mkushi is heavy enough for the bus stations and the markets to generate enough money to enable whoever goes to invest gets the money within the desired time. The PPP is the model that we have adopted and embraced as the Government, starting with huge projects such as the Ndola/Lusaka Road and many others that are coming. For instance, the former Munyaule Market that we brought down is a clear PPP project. Initially, private investors came and signed up with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to run the market for fifteen years. We actualised the contract that we found, which was signed in 2018. If you recall, at the time the developer was ready to move on site, political players were scared of losing an election, so they decided to not demolish the market. However, we went ahead and demolished it. If the hon. Member goes there now, he will see that there is a double-storey state-of-the-art market coming up as a result of the model that the hon. Member is speaking about. So, PPPs are welcome, but the hon. Member should make sure that even as he goes to solicit for partners to do this, they understand what their return on their investment will be, how long it will take for them to get their money back, and if it is a build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode, they should know how long it will take for them to build, operate and transfer it back to the council. Ultimately, that is the way in which we would get the Zambians to benefit. We do not want a situation such as what we have at the Luburma Market where somebody who was sitting in my office before me and many others, signed up for a sixty-five-year contract. The LCC will not see the benefit of the deal that was done many years ago.

Hon. Member interjected.

Mr Nkombo: Sixty-five years is more than the life expectancy of anybody. So, when you go for the PPP model, ensure that it is within reasonable time and bounds, and that it makes sense to the country as well.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: The next question is from the hon. Member for Kasama Central.

Ms S. Mwamba (Kasama Central): Mr Speaker, I will begin by wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much.

Ms S. Mwamba: I also wish all the hon. Men a Happy Valentine's Day, not forgetting my hon. Sisters. Happy Valentine's Day to you all.

BAN ON CHARCOAL PRODUCTION COUNTRYWIDE

190. Ms S. Mwamba asked the Minister of Green Economy and Environment:

what measures are being taken to implement the ban on charcoal production, countrywide;
what awareness programmes are in place to sensitise the public on the ban and the implications of charcoal production to the environment; and
what sustainable and affordable alternatives to charcoal are being promoted, especially in rural areas where people are highly dependent on charcoal.

The Minister of Green Economy and Environment (Mr Mposha): Mr Speaker, let me also wish all our ladies in the House a Happy Valentine's Day.

Mr Speaker, currently, there is no countrywide ban on charcoal production. However, my ministry, last year suspended the issuance of charcoal permits in three districts, namely Itezhi-Tezhi, Mumbwa, and Shibuyunji, owing to the rampant felling of trees for charcoal production. The Government is in the process of extending the suspension to other hotspot districts where illegal charcoal production is rampant.

Further, Mr Speaker, the Government may also extend this suspension countrywide as alternative sources of energy become widely accessible and affordable.

Mr Speaker, to sustain the suspension, the Government is further introducing stiffer punishment on illegal charcoal production, increased penalties for illegal charcoal trade and frequent monitoring of production sites. The Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, is conducting regular inspections, patrols, and crackdowns on illegal charcoal producers and traders.

Additionally, the Government is working with local communities and traditional leaders to promote compliance to the Forest Act No. 4 of 2015 and encourage sustainable land use practices.

Mr Speaker, efforts are also being made to integrate technology such as satellite monitoring and digital tracking systems to detect and prevent illegal deforestation linked to charcoal production. Further, punitive measures on illegally harvested charcoal are expected to be introduced during the review of the Forest Act No. 4 of 2015.

Mr Speaker, public awareness campaigns are being conducted through multiple channels, including radio broadcasts, television programmes, social media platforms, and community meetings to ensure widespread outreach and engagement.

Mr Speaker, my ministry is working in close collaboration with other ministries such as the Ministry of Energy and on projects such as the Alternatives to Charcoal (A2C) project. It is promoting the use of improved cook stoves, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), sustainable biomass briquettes and wood pellets as affordable A2C.

Mr Speaker, pilot projects are also being implemented to introduce solar energy solutions in rural communities. An example is the Lundazi Green Village (LGV) project in Chaseful District, whose budget was approved in this House and is sitting under my ministry.

Mr Speaker, in Lusaka District, which is a major consumer of charcoal owing to the vast population and economic activities, the Government, in collaboration with the private sector, is actively establishing designated selling points for coal briquettes at existing charcoal markets. This initiative is aimed at providing a seamless transition for charcoal traders, particularly women, by offering them an alternative and sustainable source of income. Public awareness campaigns are also being carried out within the markets to educate both sellers and consumers about the benefits of coal briquettes, including their cost effectiveness, longer burning time and reduced environmental impact, as compared to traditional charcoal produced from wood. Through this initiative and many more, the Government aims to create a sustainable and eco-friendly energy market, while simultaneously empowering women economically.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms S. Mwamba: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his response. In his response, the hon. Minister mentioned that liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is an alternative source of energy. Unfortunately, it is not easily accessible and cost effective. Currently, the average price is about K50 per kg. Therefore, LPG is not affordable for low-income households. Does the Government plan to incentivise households and businesses that intend to switch to cleaner energy sources? Is it considering subsidies for cleaner energy?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Kasama Central for that follow-up question.

Mr Speaker, it is true that LPG is not easily accessible. Obviously, one of the factors causing that situation is the rise in demand for LPG. As a ministry, we are engaging various suppliers to come on board so that we increase the supply of LPG. It is also true that the cost is on the high side. This is why I said in my response that we are providing various alternatives other than just LPG. As to whether we shall provide incentives, I want to take that as a proposal. As we roll out various interventions, I will be happy to explore the aspect of what incentives we can provide.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo: Mr Speaker, currently, forestry officers are facing many logistical challenges, such as transport. Therefore, they are failing to combat the charcoal business. What measures is the ministry putting in place to ensure that forestry officers have adequate transport so that they can visit many areas and ensure that people do not cut down trees for charcoal?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, I thank Hon. Mtayachalo, the Member of Parliament for Chama North, for that very important question.

Mr Speaker, it is true that many of our officers in varioius districts and provinces have challenges in terms of tools for work, including transportation. The Government is working on modalities to ensure that our officers are well-equipped with transportation. We are also exploring the possibility of providing motorcycles in certain areas for patrols. That programme is being rolled out. If resources allow, we will reach out to all our district officers in terms of provision of transport. We have started providing the Provincial Forestry Officers with motor vehicles to assist them in supervising districts. So, yes, we acknowledge the challenges being faced by our officers, but we are addressing them.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mulebwa (Kafulafuta): Mr Speaker, I think that in many situations in life, there are exceptional cases. In my constituency, a good number of people have charcoal businesses. People buy charcoal from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and sell it in Zambia. Does the hon. Minister have measures in place to ensure that when the exercise of confiscating charcoal starts, such traders do not fall victim to the exercise? What measures have been put in place to ensure that there is no abuse by officers who go on patrols? All the time when charcoal is confiscated, the traders are not given notes indicating that their items have been seized by public officers. In the end, the confiscated commodity is sold by the forestry officers themselves. So, what measures are in place to ensure that, first of all, the people who import charcoal from the DRC do not lose their commodity because of being accused of cutting down trees in Zambia? Also, how will the ministry ensure that thieves do not take advantage of the forestry officers’ operations to rob people of their commodity?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, I thank Hon. Mulebwa, the Member of Parliament for Kafulafuta, for that question.

Mr Speaker, the people who are bringing in goods from across the borders must have documentation. You cannot tell whether bags of charcoal are from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Tanzania or Zambia by looking at them. So, my advice is that those who are bringing commodities into the country, be it charcoal or otherwise, must have documentation. Equally, production of charcoal in the country should be based on permits. People who want to produce charcoal are supposed to be issued permits through the District Forestry Officers or Provincial Forestry Officers. Once we find charcoal traders without proper documentation to prove that the charcoal was produced legally in the country or outside the country, it means that the charcoal was produced and traded illegally. So, it will be confiscated. My advice is that anyone who is trading or importing things into the country must have proper documentation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms S. Mwamba: Mr Speaker, while climate change is a contributing factor to droughts, it is not the sole cause. Human activity such as deforestation also influences the phenomena. I am sure that the hon. Minister has noticed that we are battling with electricity load management because of drought. Many people have now resorted to using charcoal. Has the ministry put in place reforestation or afforestation programmes to mitigate the damage caused by charcoal making?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, one of our biggest enemies in the fight against climate change is deforestation; the loss of trees, as the hon. Member for Kasama Central has ably put it. The Government is working on various interventions to avert the high scale of deforestation. That is why we suspended the production of charcoal in three districts, which I mentioned earlier. The intention is to extend the suspension to other hot spot areas. That is all being done to ensure that we reduce the numbers on the deforestation scale.

Mr Speaker, in terms of what we are doing to reverse deforestation, the Government has been planting trees as afforestation or reforestation efforts. We are in the tree-planting season, which is running throughout the country from December 2024 to December 2025. We are also encouraging hon. Members to join hands with my ministry and the Speaker’s Office, which has been promoting the planting of trees in the tree-planting exercise. So, we have put various interventions in place to ensure that we plant trees in various districts.

Mr Speaker, the other measure that we have put in place to promote the replacement of trees that have been cut down is ensuring that each district has a vibrant nursery. So, all our districts under the District Forest Officers have vibrant nurseries. So, if the hon. Member of Kasama Central wants to promote tree planting in Kasama, she is free to visit our nursery in Kasama to find a variety of trees, which she can promote to the residents of her constituency to buy and plant. We encourage the citizens of this country to develop a habit of planting trees even within their yards. They should reach out to our District Forest Officers. Recently, I was in the Eastern Province where I visited Luangeni Constituency. I was impressed with the level of community participation in the establishment of nurseries. They keep vibrant nurseries where one can find a variety of trees, which our people are free to buy. I want to emphasise that all our districts have been encouraged to have nurseries where people can buy plants. So, we are putting various measures in place to promote the planting of trees. This is what will help us reverse the damage that has been caused by the high levels of deforestation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Twasa (Kasenengwa): Mr Speaker, going by the hon. Minister’s statement that the ministry will soon put up a ban on charcoal burning, is the Government ever going to come up with other alternative means for people to earn money or how can the people be empowered other than engaging in charcoal burning? When one drives from Copperbelt Province to Lusaka Province and from Chipata City to Lusaka Province, one finds many people along the road selling charcoal. Most of us stop to buy the charcoal because we know that we are helping empower them to earn a living. Is there an alternative to charcoal trading to help them earn a living?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, the Government is putting in place various measures to ensure that it empowers the people who depend on the charcoal trade. I highlighted some of the measures in my response earlier. We are also encouraging our people to venture into smart agriculture where we give them some resources. Instead of cutting down trees to produce charcoal, the people must venture into agriculture to produce food. We are also encouraging people to see the value in the trees by using the forests to venture into beekeeping so that we can harvest a lot of honey. The House may be aware that the demand for honey on the world market has shot up and the price is very good. I think that if we improve the levels of beekeeping, it can prove to be a source of good money. Further, there is also carbon trading, which mainly depends on conservation. We need to conserve trees. We need to use them to control the levels of greenhouse emissions. Those who will be protecting the trees will be paid. So, we have many people who have shown interest.

Mr Speaker, I am happy to mention that Zambia is one of the countries that receives international law firms on a daily basis to visit the ministry because the country is coming up on the world market in carbon trading. We are doing well. With the Green Economy and Climate Change Law, which this House passed last December, we think that if most of the people who currently depend on charcoal production transitioned into taking care of the trees and worked with the private developers of this project, we would all benefit a lot from the carbon trade. So, many interventions are being put in place to ensure that those who depend on the charcoal trade can transition to making money without necessarily having to cut down trees to produce charcoal.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Mabonga (Mfuwe): Mr Speaker, people cut down trees and burn charcoal because there is a huge market for charcoal, especially in urban areas. I believe that the Government banning charcoal burning may not be the solution. What measures have been put in place to ensure that the need for charcoal in urban areas is reduced?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Mfuwe for that question.

eaker, in the last part of my response, I did mention that the ministry is promoting longer burning, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly coal briquettes. We are identifying areas where people are selling charcoal, in Maropodi, Chawama, Mutendere and various points in Munali Constituency. We are rolling-out the sale of coal briquettes, which will substitute charcoal. In addition, we are also promoting the sale of pallets. All these interventions are to ensure that we reduce dependency on charcoal.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Member is right to say that the demand for charcoal is higher in urban areas. That is why we targeted points not only in Lusaka but also, in various urban areas.

Mr Chisanga (Lukashya): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for making sure that this question is put back on the Order Paper, for the importance that it bears to the Business of the House. It is such a pleasant surprise.

Mr Speaker, there is very slow implementation of the Rural Electricity Authority (REA) services and other low-priced solar services, especially in rural areas. As the hon. Minister may know, those are very good alternatives to charcoal burning. I know that the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment is working in his collaboration with the Ministry of Energy. What specific programmes will the Government put in place to ensure that the implementation of REA services and low-priced solar services in rural areas is enhanced?

Mr Mposha: Mr Speaker, as alluded to earlier in my written response, the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment is collaborating with the Ministry of Energy, after realising that it has a role to play in ensuring that activities under the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) are scaled-up. In terms of the lined-up programme for activities and the period of implementation, the Ministry of Energy will be in a better position to tell us. However, the collaboration is to encourage the Ministry of Energy to ensure that the electrification of rural areas is positively rolled-out to reduce high dependency on charcoal.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, the reality is that the demand for charcoal historically, has been as a result of lack of alternative sources of energy. Even as we talk about the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) this time, I do not think it would want to roll-out any connections for electricity because it is h is not available.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister, talked about the alternative sources that he is trying to encourage people to embark on. People are utilising charcoal everywhere, be it in urban areas, high-density areas, and low-density areas because there is no electricity. So, with all the alternative sources we are mentioning, how readily available are they to the citizens? That is a rider on the question by the hon. Member for Lukashya.

Mr Speaker, before we talk about connecting the rural people –

Eng. Nzovu: Question!

Mr Kampyongo: You can question! You have electricity twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, yet all of us are using charcoal. That is the reality.

Ms Mulenga: Imagine!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, may you ask your question.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, just like you also have bags of charcoal on standby – How available are the energy sources that the hon. Minister has mentioned on the market?

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

_________

The House adjourned at 1255 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 18^th February, 2025.

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