Friday, 14th November, 2025

Friday, 14^thNovember, 2025

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER

ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I have received communication to the effect that in the absence of Her Honour the Vice-President, who is attending to other Government business, the Minister of Defence, Hon. Ambrose L. Lufuma, MP, has been appointed Acting Leader of Government Business in the House from today, Friday, 14^th November, 2025, until further notice.

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION ZAMBIA NATIONAL GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, as you may recall, I announced that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Zambia National Group, would hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, 10^th November, 2025. However, it is regrettable that the AGM could not take place due to a lack of quorum.

In view of the foregoing, I would like to inform all hon. Members that the AGM will now take place on Wednesday, 19^th November, 2025, at 0830 hours in the Amphitheatre at Parliament Buildings. I would like to encourage all hon. Members to take this announcement seriously and attend the AGM.

I thank you.

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URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, on an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, my Urgent Matter without Notice is directed at the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam Speaker, Chama District was severely affected by the devastating drought during the 2024/2025 Farming Season, and this greatly affected household food security. Many people are surviving on mangoes and wild fruits, which poses a serious health and nutritional hazard.

Madam Speaker, you always ask us to engage hon. Ministers before bringing matters to the Floor of the House. I personally engaged Her Honour the Vice-President over this matter. I even wrote to her and to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), informing them of the need for the Government to intervene urgently.

Madam Speaker, before that, Hon. Kabuswe was the Guest of Honour at an event in Chama, and he was with the provincial hon. Minister for the Eastern Province and President Hakainde Hichilema’s Political Advisers, and I brought this issue to their attention. They promised the people of Chama that no one was going to die of hunger. However, today, 14^th November, our people do not have relief food. Most families do not have incomes.

Madam Speaker, the farming season has started. How do people become productive on empty stomachs? People are leaving their farms and wandering about at the BOMA, looking for food from their relatives. This is a very serious matter and it needs immediate Government attention.

I seek your serious indulgence, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Thank you, hon. Member for Chama. This matter seems to be an old matter. For an Urgent Matter without Notice to be considered, it should be raised within twenty-four hours of its occurrence. So, I advise the hon. Member for Chama North to file an urgent question.

I thank you.

We make progress.

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

TAZARA REVITALISATION CONCESSION AGREEMENT

The Minister of Transport and Logistics (Mr Tayali): Madam Speaker, I have the high privilege and distinct honour to thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to update this august House and the nation, through this Ministerial Statement, on the landmark Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Revitalisation Concession Agreement recently concluded between the Governments of the Republic of Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania and the People's Republic of China. This historic agreement marks the rebirth of one of Africa's greatest symbols of freedom, friendship and economic independence of TAZARA.

Madam Speaker, TAZARA was born in a time of struggle. Following the unilateral declaration of independence by the minority self-governing regime of Iain Douglas Smith in Southern Rhodesia, Zambia’s southern routes to the sea were cut off. In the Uhuru spirit of our Tanzanian brothers and sisters, and the generous solidarity of the People's Republic of China, Zambia secured a sovereign lifeline to the Indian Ocean through the port of Dar-es-Salaam. This 1,860 km railway line, built between 1970 and 1975, stood as a monument of Pan-African unity and south-to-south co-operation, linking our mineral-rich Copperbelt to the world. However, over the decades this once vital artery suffered severe decline due to chronic underinvestment, equipment failure and management challenges. Freight volumes dropped from a peak of 1.2 million metric tonnes in 1986 to less than 100,000 metric tonnes in recent years. The railway line that once sustained our economy had become a burden on the public purse. Both the Zambian and Tanzanian Governments, therefore, resolved that a private sector-led revitalisation was imperative.

Madam Speaker, after extensive consultations and negotiations among the tripartite partners, the three Governments, a thirty-one-year concession agreement has been signed with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). The total investment amounts to US$1.4 billion and is as follows:

US$1.17 billion for initial capital equipment and rehabilitation; and

US$238 million for periodic re-investment to ensure long-term sustainability.

Madam Speaker, this investment will deliver the followimg:

complete rehabilitation of the whole 1,860 km of track between Dar-es-Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi;

modern signalling system; and

new modern fleet of thirty-four locomotives, 760 wagons and sixteen passenger coaches, together with a state-of-the-art logistics inland port in Kapiri Mposhi, including bonded warehouses, customs clearance facilities and cargo consolidation services. Thus, transforming Kapiri Mposhi from a simple terminus into a dynamic logistics gateway for Zambia and the region.

Madam Speaker, the concessionaire will commence physical rehabilitation works after the ground-breaking ceremony scheduled to take place sometime next week or soon, thereafter. The construction phase is expected to last three years, covering full rehabilitation of the rail line, development of the logistics hub in Kapiri Mposhi and modernisation, as well as equipping of dedicated berths for TAZARA's exclusive use at the port of Dar-es-Salaam. Upon completion, freight volumes are projected to increase from approximately 400,000 metric tonnes to about 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum within two years of full operation and to exceed 3 million metric tonnes within five years.

Madam Speaker, this Government, under the able and visionary leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, made it clear that the welfare of TAZARA workers was to be safeguarded at all material times during and after the negotiation period. Accordingly:

all the workers will be retained. I will repeat. All workers will be retained;

TAZARA will continue to exist as a bi-national entity; and

the concessionaire is, as unequivocally stated in the agreement, legally bound to absorb between 200 and 300 qualified TAZARA employees. Therefore, the 200 to 300 workers will be moved to the CCECC, who also have to be severed or, indeed, paid their full terminal benefits.

Moreover, Madam Speaker, the new operations and the logistics hub are expected to create hundreds of additional jobs in freight handling, customs, warehousing and security. The concession also provides for major rehabilitation every ten years, ensuring that both infrastructure and rolling stock remain in good and pristine condition throughout the thirty-one-year concession period.

Madam Speaker, this agreement delivers both direct and indirect financial benefits to the Zambian Treasury. Firstly, Zambia, through TAZARA, will receive a guaranteed annual concession fee from the first year of operations. Secondly, the Government, through TAZARA, will earn a share of gross revenue from freight operations throughout the concession period. Thirdly, the revitalisation will reduce the cost of imports and exports, enhancing competitiveness for our mining and agricultural sectors, and saving our road network from heavy damage caused by excessive trucking. The resulting economic activities will expand Zambia's tax base through new business formation, job creation and lower logistics costs, thereby, stimulating overall national growth.

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that the concession includes time-bound tax incentives, including a zero per cent corporate tax rate for the initial five years of operations. Let me clarify that the incentives are not giveaways, but strategic instruments designed to make this US$1.4 billion investment bankable and attractive. In global practice, such incentives are standard for large long-term infrastructure concessions, especially in high-risk environments. The incentives are progressive and phased out as the project stabilises, ensuring long-term fiscal returns for the nation, while enabling the private partner to recover their heavy upfront costs.

Madam Speaker, the revitalisation of TAZARA fits squarely with the New Dawn Government's vision of a land-linked Zambia. A modern, efficient railway system integrated with road, water and air transport will position Zambia as the logistics and distribution hub of Southern and Central Africa, as we have long envisioned. The Kapiri Mposhi logistics hub will anchor value addition, storage and trade facilitation, ensuring that goods do not merely pass through Zambia but are processed, packaged and exported from within. This is about economic transformation from raw export dependency to an integrated logistics and industrial economy.

Madam Speaker, the revival of TAZARA represents the reclamation of a historic asset for a modern purpose. It fulfils the original dream of our founding fathers; the late Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Chairman Mao Zedong, not only as a line of freedom but now as a powerful engine of regional trade, job creation and shared responsibility. Our Government remains committed to transparency, accountability and ensuring that every Zambian benefits from this landmark project. With the TAZARA revitalisation now firmly on track, Zambia's future as a land-linked, industrialised and globally connected nation is within reach.

Madam Speaker, at this juncture, please, permit me to yield back the Floor your esteemed self, as I thank you and all the hon. Members for your most kind attention.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government 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 of Transport and Logistics.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to ask a question. I also thank the hon. Minister for that Ministerial Statement.

Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I am happy to note that the interests of the workers at the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) are top on the agenda. We hope that we will not have workers being laid off as a result of this initiative.

Madam Speaker, TAZARA was designed so that locomotives would move at 110 km/h, but due to the old infrastructure and other operational issues, the speed has been reduced to below 30 km/h. With this investment, what will be the speed? We know that in other countries like Tanzania, trains move at 160 km/h. What is the expected speed once the rehabilitation of TAZARA takes effect?

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

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member wants to cast aspersions on the efficacy of the agreement that was signed. There shall be no room for what he wants to speculate as potential job losses along the way. The Ministerial Statement is very emphatic about our plans for a revitalised TAZARA, unlike what we have gone through in the recent past. Allow me also to say that the hon. Member asks a rather unusual question, wanting me to ascertain the speed that trains at TAZARA will be moving. I think that there are more pertinent questions that he could have asked this Minister.

Hon. UPND Members: Eh!

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, first of all, I have stated very clearly that we shall rehabilitate the track in its entirety; the entire 1,860 km. That, therefore, means that with technologically advanced locomotives, TAZARA will be able to operate efficiently and achieve maximum speeds of somewhere around 120 km/h. However, the hon. Member must know that speed is a determination of the existing and prevailing circumstances on a particular day. So, that is a variable that can either be decreased or, indeed, increased to operate optimally as long as what we have is a seamless flow of cargo. We envisage that operations shall normalise to an extent that we will have two freight trains being dispatched daily, one from Dar-es-Salaam, and another from Kapiri Mposhi. Indeed, this is going to turn around the economic fortunes of this great asset, TAZARA.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, I had announced that hon. Members are free to ask questions on points of clarification. So, let them ask any question so long it is attached or linked to the Ministerial Statement. All questions are important.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, we appreciate your guidance. Indeed, all the questions we pose are pertinent. However, before I pose a question to the hon. Minister, I just want to take this rare opportunity to commend him, as one of the leaders on the Copperbelt, for being brave and standing up, and telling his leader the truth when others opted to grandstand after the unfortunate incident that happened in Chingola. That is what leadership should be and how you should care for your leaders.

Madam Speaker, modern technology entails rail truck rehabilitation, and that modern railway lines are powered by electricity. We hear the hon. Minister that the Government is going to rehabilitate the railway line. First of all, the assurance that he has given to the workers at Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is commendable, but we would like him to speak more about how the movement from TAZARA to the new company will be. However, my main question is a rider to the question posed by Hon. Mtayachalo. Can the hon. Minister clarify to us what he meant when he said that the Government will rehabilitate the entire rail track of more than 1,800 km. We know that in Tanzania, for example, most of the rail tracks are powered by electricity. Are we likely to see that here because that is what will determine the speed at which the locomotives that the ministry will bring will be moving at?

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

Madam Speaker, first of all, let me also make a comment on his commendation to what he refers to as my bravery. Rather than speak to what he calls bravery, I think that the hon. Member should have seized the moment to merely place on record a condemnation of any attempt by unruly people out there trying to play around with the Presidency. The Presidency is an institution that all Zambians ought to revere and not look at the occupant of that office.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayali: The people in this country, through this august House, must equally commend His Excellency the President. If the hon. Member recalls what I mentioned in my statement, I referred to an incident when something similar happened in Kabwe, where the former Commander-in-Chief, the late President Fredrick Chiluba, issued a directive for people to be sorted out. We all recall how the defence forces moved in and gave a serious beating to the citizens. So, President Hakainde Hichilema, through his action, demonstrated that he is a serious humane Zambian who will not exercise force on his people, and that, I think, is what must be placed on record.

Madam Speaker, coming to the substantive question by the hon. Member, he spoke of electric powering of locomotives as a determinant of the sort of speed at which the train may operate. I think, as Zambians, we must be very clear in our minds that not long ago, under the previous Administration, there were fantasies of bullet trains in this country.

Mr Mubika: Yes!

Mr Tayali: Bullet and electric trains were promised. Eurobonds were invested in the railway systems, albeit with no results whatsoever. If anything, we hear that the US$120 million that was injected into the Zambia Railways dissipated in thin air. This Administration believes that before one can walk, one must first crawl, and before one can run, one must walk. Let us fix that which is broken at the moment. We cannot dream about electric trains when our current locomotives move between 15 km/h and 30 km/h. This Administration is realistic; it believes that development is a process. We have now taken this giant leap forward to fix TAZARA and allow it to operate efficiently. Let us manage our cargo; let us be afforded an opportunity to implement Statutory Instrument No. 35, which speaks about moving heavy cargo from roads to rails. I think that once this is done, indeed, in the not-too-distant future, perhaps we too may be able to see electric trains in Zambia.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Quality!

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

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has issued a statement here. From my understanding, this country is a State, in which the National Assembly of Zambia is a legislative body. The National Assembly of Zambia is the House of representatives, and those representatives represent the population of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, from the way the hon. Minister has explained, the concession is a big deal but this worries me. He mentioned that there will be no income generation for a number of years, meaning the Zambian Government will not generate revenue for a number of years.

For a concession of this nature, would it not have been – can I use the word ‘prudent’? Would it not have been prudent to present the concession to this House so that the House is made aware and approves it?

Mr Tayali: Question!

Mr Miyutu: No, hon. Minister, it is my opinion. I just need clarity.

Madam Speaker, if it is not prudent, the hon. Minister will tell us that it is not. I ask this question because there will be a loss of revenue, which this country is looking for.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, before the hon. Minister comes in to answer the question, there was an indication for a point of order.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, thank you for permitting me to rise on this very important point of order.

Madam Speaker, I want to place it on record publicly that like many well-meaning Zambians, all of us condemned the attack on the President that occurred in Chingola because it is un-Zambian and it must not be tolerated.

Madam Speaker, my point of order is pursuant to Standing Order No. 71 and it is on the hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics. My question was simple. All I wanted to know was how the rehabilitation of the railway line is going to be done and if, indeed, rehabilitation will include powering the tracks electronically. The hon. Minister knows that that is what determines speed. If we revert to diesel-propelled engines, there will be no improvement at all. So, the question was simple. I posed the question to understand the improvement that will be done to the tracks and what sort of locomotives and tracks are going to be improved.

Madam Speaker, was the hon. Minister in order to avoid the question, like my brother here asked?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister is still on the Floor. I am going to give him a chance to address that matter. As he responds to the hon. Member for Kalabo Central, maybe, he should add further information on the question that was raised by the hon. Member for Shiwang’andu.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, thank you very much. It is standard practice for follow-up questions to be restricted to the spirit of the Ministerial Statement that has been presented on the Floor of the House.

Madam Speaker, propulsion of locomotives using diesel is completely different from electric propulsion. As an engineer, I speak with authority on this particular subject. There is nowhere in my Ministerial Statement where I referred to a potential transfer to electric propulsion. I limited myself to explicitly stating that there shall be thirty-four technologically advanced locomotives and those will be diesel-propelled. So, we are not going to delve into the aspect of whether or not we have to introduce an electric line in future. Having an electric line will mean reconfiguring the entire railway line system. There ought to be an overhead powerline to support electric propulsion of locomotives that the hon. Member referred to. I think that this issue must really be emphasised. Hon. Members ought to pay attention as we present national documents on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, coming to Hon. Miyutu’s question, first of all, he lamented the undisputed fact that we are a State. Yes, we are a State. That is undisputed. He talked about what may be referred to as tax incentives, particularly the 0 per cent corporate tax over a period. For the record, I stated that this is a business attribute and we are using it as an incentive to make the project viable or bankable in order for us to attract investment. Zambia is not an island. We must learn that even other jurisdictions such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) forego certain taxes, but in the end, that is what attracts investments to the country. At the end of the day, that is what drives development. I think that this is how this New Dawn Government is trying to run this country, which is providing incentives and a climate that will bring in the necessary capital in order for the country to develop.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for this very exciting Ministerial Statement. The hon. Minister talked about strengthening Zambia’s land-linked capacity in Kapiri, with a view to having warehouses and the like so that goods can be obtained from there. Is the ministry thinking about working with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to create a dry port in Kapiri Mposhi? We would see more business in that town and province if that was done, and people would collect their cars and other transport-related items from Kapiri Mposhi, as opposed to going to collect them all the way to Dar-es-Salaam.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for Mbabala, my brother and friend, for that question. Indeed, my brother has asked a very good question, which, I guess, brings out the essence of what I described as the establishment of a logistics hub at Kapiri Mposhi. In not so many words, that is precisely what we are creating. It may be termed as a logistics hub. In fact, it is a dry port. The hon. Member has talked about warehousing. I did make reference to aspects of customs clearance. Now, you do know that just by the nomenclature, that aspect is the preserve of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZAR) and many other Government departments. Those departments must be present in the logistics centre to pre-clear goods and consolidate goods so that our freight company, TAZARA, will not sit and wait for cargo to be processed. I think that the core responsibility of TAZARA will be to move cargo. So, when I made reference to cargo consolidation, I referred to customs clearance precisely to respond to that particular need.

Madam Speaker, hon. Members will actually do well to realise that when His Excellency the President first formed his Government, he reclassified what used to be the Ministry of Transport and Communication as the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. The logistics component of my ministry, since Independence, has been absent. We are a land-linked country; so, we can ill afford to pay attention to aspects of cargo management for us to achieve seamless movement of not only Zambia’s cargo, but also regional cargo, which we have to process as we promote regional trade and integration.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kafwaya: On a Point of Order, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: A Point of Order is raised.

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, thank you so much for according me this opportunity to raise a Point of Order on the hon. Minister on the Floor of the House.

Madam Speaker, my Point of Order is in relation to the question asked by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kalabo Central.

Madam Speaker, Article 210(2) of the Constitution of Zambia says:

“A major State asset shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, as prescribed, subject to the approval of the National Assembly signified by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Members of Parliament.”

Madam Speaker, the question asked by my hon. Brother from KalaboCentral was very clear. The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a State asset. Over thirty years transferred to a concessionaire is a significant period during which the State will not have control of the benefits arising from its operations. Is the hon. Minister in order to circumvent responding to a serious question that borders on constitutional breach, and instead begins to lecture an hon. Member who is concerned about the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government's adherence to constitutional provisions?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte, the hon. Minister had finished responding to the question asked by the hon. Member for Kalabo Central, and he is still on the Floor. You have not asked a question yet. You have the Floor, so you cano ask the hon. Minister a question so that he can answer, instead of raising a point of order.

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister being fair to my hon. Brother from Kalabo Central? He asked him a question that will enable the House to be clear on whether his Government has adhered to the constitutional provisions. The hon. Minister only decided to lecture him. Why did the Government decide to not adhere to the provisions of Article 210 of the Constitution in the process of coming up with the concession?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister will respond. Please let us stick to the Ministerial Statement.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Lunte for raising that question, which will, no doubt, allow me to elaborate because, perhaps, the Ministerial Statement has been misconstrued.

Madam Speaker, I stated that TAZARA remains a bi-national asset. There has been no sell, transfer or disposal, as the hon. Member may impugn. The concession agreement is specific. That is why I said that only 200 to 300 workers are moving to the concessionaire. By law, because they will be moving to the concessionaire, their severance package or terminal benefits will be paid. That means the majority of the workers will remain working for TAZARA. To shed more light, what has been concessioned is merely the freight business part of TAZARA. If we were selling TAZARA, we would have come to the House to speak to Article 210, as the hon. Member has referred. There has been no sale or transfer. There has only been an agreement that speaks to the component of the business; the freight. I have also stated, for the record, that throughout the period, there is a revenue-sharing mechanism. This is a public-rivate partnership (PPP) agreement.

Madam Speaker, hon. Members will do well to follow the proceedings so that they do not mislead the people of Zambia. It is becoming very common that when hon. Members misunderstand something, they go out there and speak half-truths, rumours and innuendos, a thing that the Government deems extremely regrettable.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, we have seen that when such projects happen in this country, and Zambians would like to venture into contracts with the companies on the projects, it is like the Zambians are at the mercy of the owners. Does the concession include the condition that the concessionaire is supposed to award contracts to Zambian companies to undertake some work during the period of the work?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, the Government’s policy remains that to every such contract, a component is reserved for local contractors. The Zambian people will do well to take a keen interest in concessions as they are signed and look out, particularly, once construction has begun so that we do not sit on the sidelines but avail ourselves and participate in the tender processes for subcontracts, which will, obviously, be made public.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Mwanza (Kaumbwe): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask the hon. Minister a question on a point of clarification.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the New Dawn Government on this important project.

Madam Speaker, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway line was built in the 1970s. We have seen it deteriorate to the level it is today. The Government has managed to secure that concession. For the benefit of the nation, I have worked for the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which is the chief designer and concessionaire, for ten years. The TAZARA railway line is 1,860 km long. The beauty that the project brings to the country is that a logistics hub will be established in Kapiri Mposhi, as the hon. Minister has stated. That means when one imports a car, or anything, he or she will collect it in Kapiri Mposhi. So, Kapiri Mposhi will be the port of destination when importing that car. For exports, also –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is the question?

Dr Mwanza: Madam Speaker, I am just excited about this TAZARA project.

Madam Speaker, my question is: Will there be no passenger goods train under the revitalisation project? The design only allows freight. So, how will passengers travelling to Dar es Salaam be taken care of?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my brother, the hon. Member for Kaumbwe, who, obviously, has some passionate insight into TAZARA, having worked for the CCECC for a good ten years. His question is apt because it helps me, once again, shed more light into how the entire agreement was structured.

Madam Speaker, whereas the focus has been on freight operations where we believe we have the best chance of structuring an economic model, which avails the concessionaire an opportunity for a return on their US$1.4 billion investment.

In my statement, I also referred to the support that we will achieve from this particular concession agreement, on passenger coaches which are in a dilapidated state at the moment. However, the concession agreement has a component where several coaches shall be allocated to TAZARA, which is basically to enhance passenger operations.

Madam Speaker, we would like to believe that the reason the passenger business for TAZARA equally went down over the years is because of the poor state of the railway track. We know that the efficiency of any railway operation lies in the integrity of the railway track. So, because over time we have allowed the integrity of the track to deteriorate, we introduced inefficiencies, which did not make it attractive for any person to want to travel by train from Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde or, indeed, to Dar-es-Salaam. The guarantee for one to reach their destination was not there. Half the time, something would happen that would cause one to end up sleeping on the train for several days before proceeding.

Madam Speaker, with a properly rehabilitated track, advanced locomotives, and some of those passenger coaches, we believe that we will be able to bring back those passengers who used to rely on TAZARA as a mode of transport. This will also afford us an opportunity to avoid growing certain trends such as tracks from Tanzania, carrying passengers once they enter Zambia via Nakonde. That must not be tolerated. I think we should stiffen our laws so that signs like, “No unauthorised passengers” on the tracks are put into effect. This will enable even a humble citizen to afford a ticket and, indeed, jump on a train. That is what will bring back those numbers and also, increase our income in the transport or passenger business, apart from the fixed concession fee. That will continuously support us in our operations. The issue of the Government failing to pay salaries will be a thing of the past. So, I thank the hon. Member, for that brilliant question.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to ask a question and also–

Mr Kambita: On a Point of Order, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

There is an indication for a point of order from the hon. Member for Zambezi West.

Mr Kambita: It is Zambezi East, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Yes, Zambezi East.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, I was seated quietly here listening to the debate on the Floor of the House, and the questions being asked by the hon. Members, regarding this very important topic, which actually, leads to a significant milestone in as far as this economy is concerned.

Madam Speaker, Standing Order No. 71 is very instructive on the relevance of speech. Hon. Member for Kaumbwe is an engineer and an expert in the field of railways. He is a well-trained man who really understands such issues. I could see the excitement in him after seeing such a very important milestone we have achieved for ourselves. He is also a Patriotic Front (PF) hon. Member of Parliament, and is showing such excitement.

Madam Speaker, is he in order to be very economical with his excitement and not to provide a comparison of what happened, the attempts that were made with just US$120 million, which was wasted, with such a classical milestone achieved in the New Dawn Administration? Is he in order to be very economical in that fashion without expressing his excitement using his expertise as a doctor in engineering?

Madam Speaker, I seek your serious ruling.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member for Kaumbwe was very excited.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: He brought out his excitement on the Floor using his own views. So, we cannot determine how far he can go. We do not know how far his excitement goes. So, the hon. Member for Kaumbwe was in order.

Which hon. Member was on the Floor?

Hon. Members: The hon. Member for Kwacha.

Mr Charles Mulenga: Madam Speaker, once again, we are grateful to the hon. Minister for that exciting initiative that this Government has actually embarked on, especially for the Committee on Transport, Works and Supply, to which I am a member. These are issues that we have been discussing: how to rehabilitate our railway infrastructure in the country. We are quite grateful for this statement.

Madam Speaker, once the railway infrastructure for TAZARA has been put back, will the hon. Minister come up with a policy where the Government will compile all the heavy cargo entering Zambia through the Great North Road to be shipped through TAZARA so that we can save the huge costs on our road infrastructure that are being damaged by the heavy cargo coming in via that road?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I have added ten more minutes just to allow the hon. Minister to respond and two more hon. Members to ask questions.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, it is very clear that there is excitement in the House. The hon. Member asked a question with regard to what was ably stated in the Ministerial Statement. I did actually allude to Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 35, which speaks to the shipment of heavy cargo from the road subsector to the rail subsector. The statement actually explicitly referred to that, so that we can save our road network from heavy trucks that are currently on our roads.

Madam Speaker, it is truly a monumental achievement by this Administration, which has started to address this particular subject from the very time that we took over Government, courtesy of the people of Zambia. Perhaps, one of the things that we may use this opportunity for is to equally ask hon. Members to also focus on another milestone, which has happened. One hon. Member referred to how this shall promote regional integration and also, promote Zambia as a land-linked country. Recently, we made an announcement regarding the €50 million given to the Zambia Railways, not as a loan but a grant. I will save this House the time because I am instructing my officials to prepare another statement on the €50 million grant to the Zambia Railways, which will basically complement the work that we have done on TAZARA. Finally, we can see that Zambia's rail sub-sector is truly headed for greater days.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Thank you so much, Madam Speaker, and I also thank the hon. Minister for that statement.

Madam Speaker, indeed, the Kapiri Mposhi Logistics Hub is an exciting and successful story for Zambia. I would like to congratulate the New Dawn Government, the President of the Republic of Zambia, and the ministry on this achievement. Connectivity is very important for any country. Of course, it is coming at a time when we also have the €2.3 billion for the Lobito Corridor. It is really exciting.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that Zambia has a revenue share for the period thirty-one years of concession. Would the hon. Minister, tell us the percentage share that the people of Zambia will get from the concession?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, unfortunately, the hon. Member asked a very specific question, and I must do everything possible to not give a half-truth. What I know is that yes, we have a revenue sharing mechanism, and the amount of the mechanism will progress over the entire concession period, depending on the increase in cargo volumes. The hon. Member will do well, perhaps, to file in a question so that I can bring the specifics of how that has been structured.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Madam Speaker, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to ask the hon. Minister a supplementary question, and I thank the hon. Minister for the Ministerial Statement on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) concession.

Madam Speaker, Mpika is the regional headquarters of TAZARA, so we have so much interest in the matter. How I wish the hon. Minister had taken me with him when he toured TAZARA in Mpika. When TAZARA was created in 1976 or so, if I am not mistaken, it had the capacity to generate 10,000 to 14,000 jobs. Currently, that capacity has been reduced to less than 3,000. Hence, my question to the hon. Minister is: How many jobs will be created, if any, under the concession? Will the concessionaire also improve the conditions of service for TAZARA workers?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that question. Unfortunately, he made the comment that he wished he had gone with me when I went to townhall meetings with the workers at TAZARA. The hon. Member would have done well to avail himself and show interest in matters affecting his constituency. I think that we run an open-door policy. Whenever we go to constituencies, we want to be inclusive and involve those who are tasked with the responsibility of representing their people. So, he was not excluded; he was just not available.

Madam Speaker, coming to the question that the hon. Member asked, in the Ministerial Statement, I mentioned the projections or the cargo volumes anticipated. We anticipate that volumes will grow from 400,000 metric tonnes to 2.4 million metric tonnes within two years, and once we cover five years, we should be looking at 3 million metric tonnes. Now, if you have run a business before, you know that numbers are not cast in stone. What we know is that rail operations are labour-intensive. We anticipate that definitely, along with increase in cargo volumes, there shall be job creation. I also spoke about the cargo logistics hub at Kapiri Mposhi, which will come with more jobs, too. Now, regarding putting specific numbers to the targeted volumes, I think that people who are commercially astute understand how things are done, and that giving such an assurance on the Floor of the House would not be ideal.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his Ministerial Statement. I just want to know whether the concession agreement will take up the historical debt of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)? If so, how much is the debt?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, once again, it is unfathomable that we may start to talk about the concessionaire being burdened with historical debt. In commercial terms, there is nowhere where such things happen. First of all, TAZARA remains a going concern dealing with its legacy issues. Hence, it needs to be commercialised and revitalised so that once again, it can begin making money and taking care of some of the legacy debt that has been created over time. As the two shareholder Governments, once we are able to project the revenue from the asset, we will be able to comfortably bail out the company. I think that it is basically impracticable to tell the concessionaire, “Over the years, when you were not here, we incurred debt. So, pay it for us.” No, such things do not happen.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mabumba (Mwense): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his Ministerial Statement. Let me just declare interest. I am a rail man; I worked for the same company that the hon. Minister has talked about in his Ministerial Statement. In case the hon. Minister is not aware, I spent so many years in that company as a young man. I rose through the ranks, and I lived on both sides of the divide of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). So, I am very conversant with it.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister alluded to the issue of management. When you look at TAZARA, you will see that it has three sets of cultures, that is, Chinese, Tanzanian, and Zambian. This largely impacts the deliverables of the management team. I am sure that the hon. Minister might be aware of that by now. I can share with him the inside and the outside of the company. How does the ministry plan to remodel the three cultures so that they do not have an impact on the concessionaire? If this is not dealt with, it might have a negative effect on the concessionaire.

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for sharing his invaluable insights on the cultural aspects that may have contributed to the dismal performance of TAZARA. Suffice it to say that the concession agreement is very specific. The concessionaire, because of the huge investment that they are putting in the company, shall be responsible for the operations of the freight business of TAZARA. This means that the culture of the company will be Chinese. We all know the Chinese culture; it is work, work and more hard work. There is no question about that.

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayali: The maintenance of the tracks is also a preserve of the concessionaire. In Zambian or Tanzanian culture, when you send people to go and do repair works, they will go to a village to do other things. That is not the case with Chinese culture. Again, let us focus on Chinese culture. The Chinese will also come with the requisite experts, and we hope that the experts will transfer certain cultural attributes to our people. We will do well to learn from our colleagues from China. They have demonstrated over the years how they have been able to grow the economy of their country to a level where it is the second-largest economy in the world. As the Government, we are more than happy to work with them. I am sure that I speak on behalf of our partner Government, the Government of Tanzania, when I say that we got back to our original partners, the Chinese, because we stand to benefit.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

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BILL

FIRST READING

THE IMMIGRATION CONTROL BILL, 2025

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, I beg to present as a Bill entitled The Immigration Control Bill No. 18 of 2025. The objects of this Bill are to:

continue the existence of the Immigration Department and redefine its functions;

provide for the appointment of Immigration Border Guards and provide for their functions;

regulate the entry of persons into, and departure of persons from, the Republic;

regulate the remaining of immigrants within the Republic;

repeal and replace the Immigration and Deportation Act, 2010; and

provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The Bill stands referred to the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs. The Committee is required to submit its report on the Bill to the House in due course. Hon. Members who wish to make submissions on the Bill are free to do so within the programme of work of the Committee.

I thank you.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

IMPROVEMENT OF FARMING BLOCKS

74. Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Agriculture what measures the Government is taking to improve the following in the agricultural farm blocks countrywide:

food production; and

employment creation.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Madam Speaker, to improve food production in agricultural farm blocks countrywide, the Government is undertaking the following:

attracting public and private investment;

investing in infrastructure development, including construction of roads and installation of electricity;

promoting irrigation so that, at least, 500,000 ha of arable land can be under irrigation;

ensuring optimal utilisation of irrigation schemes;

integrating new water management technologies and increasing productivity from the current 1.7 tonnes to a better figure for the small-scale farmers; and

engaging the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to create structured investment, and ready agricultural zones to attract private and local foreign investment in the farm blocks.

Madam Speaker, attracting private sector investment will ensure that we trigger increased employment opportunities in the farm blocks. The Government is also undertaking the following:

establishing agricultural mechanisation centres;

implementing a multi-sectoral approach to the farm block development model that will utilise irrigation schemes, resettlement schemes, schools, defence forces, wetlands and commercial farmers;

training and linking farmers to existing Government programmes; and

encouraging private sector investment in value addition, such as processing and packaging.

Madam Speaker, all these efforts are aimed at bringing about employment creation, as more manpower will be needed in the different approaches.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, if the hon. Minister was to rate the amount of investment that has been put in, in terms of infrastructure, that is, roads, means of irrigation and power, which is electricity distribution, how much would he say has been done?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I would say that significant work has been done in these areas. For example, 412 km of roads are being worked on in the farm blocks. 50 km of power lines, for example, have been installed in the Luena farm block in Luapula Province. A network of 2,620 agricultural camps, 469 agricultural farm blocks and fifty-three farming centres has been re-activated to support the sector. The ministry is also operationalising dams. The Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation are operationalising dams and making them more friendly for agriculture. We have many many dams, but they were not prepared to support the farmers, especially the small-scale farmers. So, we are working on that, and a lot of money is being put into that.

Madam Speaker, in terms of mechanisation, I would like to inform the House that the ministry has targeted the establishment of six mechanisation centres in each district. That will be almost 700 mechanisation centres. For the first time, the ministry is also quietly buying tractors. All the farm training centres in Zambia have tractor services. Most provisional centres have centres of excellence. So, I would say that significant work and money are being invested.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the answers he has given to the people of Kalabo Central.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has talked about revitalising dams as a way of job creation in the agricultural value chain. I just want to know how that programme is being rolled out, because almost all the dams in Mbabala Constituency were constructed during the “Kaunda” era, and have silted. So, we have a huge challenge. The community in Kabimba, and many other communities, has been calling me about Kapopo Dam. We are working on three dams using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), working with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation. We have over twenty-five dams that need reworking by the ministry. Does his ministry have any plans to help the people of Mbabala Constituency fix the dams so that more agricultural value chain can be created, in terms of production?

Mr Mtolo: Yes, Madam Speaker. I would like to repeat this because it is very important for the people of Zambia to know. A number of dams were constructed, but there was no facility to move the water to support the farmers. That is what we are now focusing on. What is a dam for if you cannot take the water to the farmers? Most of the dams are just being used by animals to drink water. A few dams are being used by small-scale farmers for irrigation. I will give an example of Sinazongwe to explain what the ministry is doing. The district has three good systems where there are dams, but the dams were not been worked on. Imagine that since construction under the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era, not even a drop of water has flowed into the canals in some of them. So, the ministry will re-activate those canals; fix them, so that people can access the water and use it for irrigation. I would encourage hon. Members whose areas have dams that are not being used for irrigation to send the lists to my office. Then, we will move unit by unit to see what we can do so that their issues can be history.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, I wish to agree with the hon. Minister of Agriculture on the importance of mechanisation. In Mufulira, the results of the five tractors we procured through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) are there. This year, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has managed to collect over 122,000 bags of maize from an average of 22,000 per year in the last thirty years. You can see how much the tractors have transformed agriculture.

Interruptions

Mr Mabeta: Yes, just today, a team from Kalulushi under the Ministry of Agriculture is in Mufulira to learn how mechanisation has improved agriculture there. The district also received two additional tractors from the Ministry of Agriculture, bringing the total to seven tractors. However, the challenge is that the tractors remain parked because they are waiting for someone to officially handle them. We are in the rainy season, and the rainfall is good. The tractors, which were given to us to add to the existing five, are parked because no one has come to officially handle them.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: So, what is the question?

Mr Mabeta: When will someone come to officially handle them so that farmers can continue to benefit from the mechanisation programme?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, let me start by appreciating the fact that Kankoyo has given us 122,000 bags of maize from an average of 22,000 per year, and this is all because of mechanisation. Hand and human power will take us nowhere. We need farm power in order to reach acceptable levels. So, well done, Kankoyo. There is another constituency, which is doing very well in this, and that is Kanchibiya.

Madam Speaker, now that we have bought the yellow machines, graders, and road construction equipment, I encourage the hon. Members, that in the next phase, they should buy tractors. Then Zambia will change.

Madam Speaker, if you go out to any town, you will see a number of agro-shops. It shows that the country is on the right trajectory. Agriculture is what will change this country. So, I thank the hon. Member for Kankoyo for what he is doing.

Madam Speaker, concerning his question, I am saddened to hear what he has said about the tractors. When the tractors were delivered to Kankoyo, they were left with someone who had been trained to use tractors. I will have a chat with the hon. Member so that the tractors can be put to use. Here I am feeling very well and nice, that we are doing mechanisation, yet five tractors are packed. That is not right. I will have a discussion with the hon. Member so that the tractors are operational.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The last question will be by the hon. Member for Kamfinsa.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, the question that has been asked refers to agricultural farming blocks. I would like to understand something. Are the interventions the hon. Minister has highlighted, ranging from mechanisation and how to ensure that jobs are created, only applicable to farming blocks that are designated by the Government? Or, are they also applicable to farming blocks which people in constituencies organise? I am using Kamfinsa as an example. There are farmers who are not in designated farming blocks, but they are actually farming. They are occupying part of the Mwekera National Forest and have been farming for the last thirty years without any ownership documents. So, when the hon. Minister talks about agricultural farming blocks, which farming blocks does he refer to?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, that is a very important question, because we tend to misunderstand each other. The farming blocks in this country were created during the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era. They just have different names. Some were created as resettlement so they would be called resettlement schemes, while others were created for a development niche. They were given different names. So, when we talk of farming blocks, I am not necessarily discussing the ten, which we tried very hard to promote. I am talking about every arrangement where a group of farms exists, and the farmers are involved in farming. Not where they were given land for farming, but they have built shops. No, but where there is agricultural activity going on. For example, there are farming groups in areas like Msekera in Chipata, Kanakantapa in Chongwe, and Luena, which is a new one, in Luapula, or what we wish to create in the Western Province. It is a pity my dear cousins are not here, the General and the hon. Minister. So, I am talking of groups of farmers. They do not necessarily need to be registered, but the Government has a duty to support them. So, if there are areas like that in Kamfinsa, the hon. Member should, please, come, so that we can see what we can do for them.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE COMPLETION OF PETAUKE STADIUM

75. Mr S. Banda (Petauke Central) asked the Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts:

whether the Government has any plans to provide additional funding for the completion of Petauke Stadium in Petauke District;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development (Mr Mubanga) (on behalf of the Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts (Mr Nkandu)): Madam Speaker, the area hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the ministry has no plans to finance the construction of Petauke Stadium in Nyika Ward. Further, the area hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the construction of Petauke Stadium, in Nyika Ward, is entirely, and I emphasise, entirely funded under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in a phased approach.

Madam Speaker, the construction works have been contracted at a sum of K524,384.39. Additionally, the area hon. Member of Parliament may wish to know that the Phase I funding of the works has been allocated under the 2026 CDF budget of the constituency. To this end, K212,148.04 of the total contracted sum has been paid, leaving a balance of K312,237.35, which has been considered for funding in next year's Budget cycle under the CDF.

Madam Speaker, as indicated in part (a) of the response, the hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the ministry has no such plans. Nevertheless, it is the desire of the Government to have state-of-the-art sports infrastructure in all provinces and districts to support the implementation of community sport, a function which the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts devolved to local authorities.

Madam Speaker, as is stated above, the ministry has no such plans. However, I would like to commend the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central for taking up the construction of the sports facility under the CDF.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kang’ombe (Kamfinsa): Madam Speaker, the Acting hon. Minister is aware that the cost of modernising or upgrading a sports facility is quite colossal. It does not involve a small amount of money. Obviously, for the hon. Member of Parliament for Petauke Central to take the initiative to commence works under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) with the community clearly shows that there is a need coming from the community. The question is asking the Government to add to the CDF allocation. Is it possible that, based on the work the community has done as Petauke Central, the ministry should now be able to say, “This is where the funding gap is. Can we also add something extra to ensure that the modernisation is properly achieved?”

Madam Speaker, that was the question from the hon. Member of Parliament from Petauke, and I hope that the hon. Minister can clarify if provision can be made for supplementary funding.

Mr Mubanga: Madam Speaker, there is no supplementary funding. As a ministry, our main priority this year is to rehabilitate the two stadia, the Heroes Stadium and the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The total amount allocated to that rehabilitation is K9 million.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, I appreciate the response from the Acting hon. Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts.

Madam Speaker, we appreciate that the hon. Minister is standing in for his counterpart. I wish to ride on the supplementary question from the hon. Member of Parliament for Kamfinsa. The hon. Member for Peutauke Central has already commenced the works but he wanted to know if there are plans to supplement funds to rehabilitate the stadia. Is there a possibility for the ministry to supplement the initiative of the hon. Member considering that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has many areas to cover? If the rehabilitation has to be meaningful, the whole annual CDF allocation needs to be channeled to that project. Realising that the hon. Member came up with that initiative, can the ministry find a way of supplementing his efforts, since that is public infrastructure? I think that was the gist of the question.

Mr Mubanga: Madam Speaker, I indicated that the balance will be paid out in the next phase, in 2026, under the CDF. So, there are no plans in the ministry to provide additional funding for that infrastructure in Petauke.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, as the chairman of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Child Matters, I value what sports can do for this country so much. So, I am here to plead with the hon. Minister to consider the request from the hon. Member for Petauke Central and support it. It is from cities like Petauke and Chipata that we get stars like Fashion Sakala. So, there is so much talent we can tap from the districts which are off the line of rail.

Madam Speaker, would the hon. Minister consider giving Petauke Central more money to finish the project? It is very critical to finish such projects in order to achieve our sports agenda.

Mr Mubanga: Madam Speaker, this question keeps popping every time, but as I indicated earlier, we do not have additional funding for the project. That is a fact.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MILITARY PERSONNEL SEPARATED FROM EMPLOYERS IN UNCLEAR CIRCUMSTANCES

76. Mr Mapani (Namwala) asked the Minister of Defence:

how many military personnel were separated from the employer in unclear circumstances from January 2016 to August 2021;

whether any of the affected officers have been reinstated;

if so, how many were reinstated as of August 2025; and

if none have been reinstated, why?

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.) (on behalf of the Minister of Defence (Mr Lufuma)): Madam Speaker, the number of military personnel who were separated from their employers in unclear circumstances from January 2016 to August 2021 was seventy-three. This figure is broken down as follows:

Name of Employer No. of employees

Zambia Army 23

Zambia Air Force 13

Zambia National Service 37

Madam Speaker, the response to part c of the question is yes.

Madam Speaker, twenty-eight of the affected personnel were reinstated during the period under review, and these are as follows:

Name of Employer No. of Employees

Zambia Army 10

Zambia Air Force 06

Zambia National Service 04

Madam Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that forty-five were not reinstated due to various reasons, such as non-provision of clear evidence to support their claims. It is also important to note that some affected personnel are still applying for consideration.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mapani: Madam Speaker, I want to find out whether those who were reinstated maintained their ranks.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, if you are reinstated, you are reinstated to the same rank you held.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Twasa (Kasenengwa): Madam Speaker, I seek clarification from the Acting hon. Minister of Defence. Officers were dismissed under unclear circumstances. Some were reinstated while others were not. What is the definition of “unclear circumstances”? In “unclear circumstances,” some were considered for reinstatement while others were not. So, I wish to know the definition of “unclear circumstances” which favour some and disadvantage others.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, it is a notorious fact that the Patriotic Front (PF) regime used to retire officers and public workers in national interest. In most instances, no reasons were given, apart from that particular provision, and those are the unclear circumstances. When officers applied to be reinstated, they were interviewed and evidence was tendered. Those who were found suitable and whose evidence was clear were reinstated.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that the defence personnel are being unfairly retired in national interest–

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours.

_______

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was about to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, the cancer of retiring security personnel unfairly is retrogressive for the nation because we are losing many experienced personnel. I want to know what measures the ministry is putting in place to stop this trend. I know that the trend has continued even under the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, can the hon. Member repeat the question.

Mr Mtayachalo: Madam Speaker, I was saying that the cancer of retiring military personnel unjustly is retrogressive for this nation because we are losing many experienced personnel, and I know that it is not only military personnel, but also personnel in other sectors of the Civil Service. So, my question is: What measures is the ministry putting in place to ensure that this trend comes to an end? I know that this trend has continued even under the UPND Administration.

Mr Amutike: Question!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has insinuated that the trend of retiring public officers and military personnel under the clause of national interest or public interest has continued. I would like to state, without any fear of any contradiction, that we have not retired anyone in national interest from the time we came into office. That is a fact.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, if the hon. Member has any evidence, I challenge him to lay it on the Table of the House, because we have never done that.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Eng. Milupi: He must apologise!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, as the United Party for National Development (UPND) Administration, we believe in fairness. If any officer is found wanting, we charge him or her according to the conditions of service, and that officer responds.

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, we will never retire anyone in national interest without giving reasons. We do not want to do that. We believe that particular provision was abused by the Patriotic Front (PF), and we would not want to follow what the PF used to do.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, I am humbled.

Madam Speaker, it is quite interesting to hear that your Government, my Government, has not retired anyone in national interest, unlike the previous Government, the Patriotic Front (PF). What message does the hon. Minister have for the Zambian people, looking at how the Government has taken care of the Zambian employees without discrimination and without retiring anyone in national interest?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I have been requested to make a statement to the Zambian people, as to what they should do in the interest of good governance.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, the only thing the people of Zambia should do …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: … on 13^th August, 2026, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: … is vote for the President of the Republic of Zambia in the name of Mr Hakainde Hichilema, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: …, and kwenyu.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: What about Monze?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: I forgot. I hear that there is a constituency in Monze.

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: They should do what they would do for the President.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

______

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM HIGHRIDGE SECONDARY SCHOOL

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

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

Thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

______

DEPLETION OF FISH STOCKS IN MOST WATER BODIES

77. Mr Miyutu asked the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock:

whether fish stocks have been depleting in most water bodies countrywide;

if so, what the cause of the depletion is; and

what measures are being taken to avert a potential extinction of fish in Zambia.

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock (Mr Kapala): Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that fish stocks in most water bodies across the country have not been entirely depleted. However, there is clear evidence of reduced fish stocks in most water bodies due to overfishing. This has led to significant changes in the composition of fish species being harvested. Smaller, fast-breeding species are increasingly dominating catches, while larger, traditionally preferred species, such as breams and tilapia, are declining due to sustained fishing pressure.

Madam Speaker, this shift indicates that fish species that were previously under-exploited are now appearing more frequently in catches. A case in point is the increased presence of chisense in Luapula Province, which has become a dominant species in recent harvests, replacing the once-abundant breams and tilapia. This trend underscores the resilience of smaller species to fishing pressure, attributed to their rapid reproductive cycles and reduced competition from larger species, whose populations have diminished.

Madam Speaker, the reduction of fish stocks in natural water bodies countrywide is driven by a combination of interrelated ecological, social, economic and governance factors. These key causes include:

Illegal and Destructive Fishing Practices

Madam Speaker, the use of prohibited gear, such as fine mesh nets, explosives and chemicals, causes severe damage to aquatic habitats and indiscriminate removal of juvenile fish, undermining stock regeneration.

Increased Fishing Pressure

Madam Speaker, rising populations in riparian communities have led to intensified fishing activities, placing unsustainable pressure on fish resources.

Weak Enforcement Capacity

Madam Speaker, inadequate staffing and logistical support for fisheries enforcement officers hinder effective monitoring and compliance with regulations.

Entitlement Mentality among Fishers and Traditional Communities

Madam Speaker, cultural perceptions that water resources are communal and inexhaustible often lead to resistance against conservation measures and regulatory interventions.

Limited Alternative Livelihoods

Madam Speaker, during fishing bans or closed seasons, lack of viable income-generating options compels communities to over-exploit fisheries as their primary source of livelihood.

Invasive Alien Species

Madam Speaker, the introduction and spread of non-native species disrupt aquatic ecosystems, compete with indigenous fish for food and habitat and alter ecological balance.

Climate Change Impacts

Madam Speaker, rising water temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts affect breeding cycles, water quality and overall fish productivity.

Madam Speaker, my ministry has put in place a comprehensive set of interventions aimed at safeguarding Zambia’s fish resources and preventing the extinction of fish species. These measures include the following:

Strict Enforcement of Fisheries Regulations

Madam Speaker, my ministry continues to enforce existing fisheries regulations to deter illegal and destructive fishing practices. This enforcement is supported by intensified patrols and community-based monitoring systems. A key component of this effort is the implementation of the annual fishing ban in most natural water bodies from 1^st December to 31^st March, which allows fish stocks to regenerate.

Madam Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to inform the House that in addition to that, my ministry has extended the fishing ban to Lake Tanganyika, covering the period, 15^th May to 15^th August annually. This measure is aimed at protecting critical breeding cycles and sustaining fish populations in one of Zambia’s most important fisheries.

Revision of the Fisheries Act

Madam Speaker, the Government is reviewing the Fisheries Act No. 22 of 2011 to introduce more penalties for offences, thereby strengthening deterrence against illegal fishing activities.

Strengthening Governance and Co-Management

Madam Speaker, efforts are underway to enhance the management and governance of fishery resources through inclusive approaches that ensure full participation of resource users, traditional leaders and local communities.

Establishment of Fishery Reserves

Madam Speaker, to protect critical habitats and preserve fish species in their natural ecosystems, my ministry has identified and declared the following as fishery reserves, like a game park:

Lake Itezhi-Tezhi Fishery: Mataka Bay, Malala Bay, Mongoshiya Bay, Mutukushi Bay and Top Musa Bay;

Tanganyika Fisheries: Chituta, Tonga, Munjela, Mbete, Mwela and Chipwa; and

Lower Zambia Fisheries: Namoomba.

Devolution of Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Services

Madam Speaker, to optimise service delivery, the Government has developed extension services of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to local authorities so that conservation and management activities are implemented from grassroots.

Promotion of Alternative Livelihoods

Madam Speaker, the Government continues to promote various livelihood alternatives to diversify households’ incomes and nutrition. These include aquaculture, small livestock production and horticulture. Such initiatives also build adaptive capabilities to climate change impacts in riparian communities.

Strategic Partnerships

Madam Speaker, the Government is collaborating with local and international partners to ensure the conservation of fishery resources in several landscapes. Key partners include the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Conservation, Lower Zambezi, the Nature Conservancy, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Simalaha Conservancy and Frankfurt Zoological Society, among others.

Investment in Research and Development

Madam Speaker, to monitor fish stock performance and improve indigenous species for aquaculture, the Government has committed K34.7 million towards fisheries research and genetic improvement programmes in 2026.

Community Awareness and Education

Madam Speaker, the Ministry is conducting sensitisation campaigns on sustainable fishing practices and the importance of biodiversity conservation.

Climate Adaptation Initiatives

Madam Speaker, the Government is implementing measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems, including water resource management and climate-resilience aquaculture systems.

Madam Speaker, these interventions reflect the Government’s unwavering commitment to conserving Zambia’s fishery resources for present and future generations by combining strict enforcement, legislative reforms, community engagement, research and climate adaptation strategies. We aim to restore ecological balance, secure livelihoods and ensure the sustainability of our aquatic ecosystem.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the elaborate response he has given. Regarding the matter of engaging traditional leaders, I would like to know how much co-operation, assistance or positive responses the ministry receives during the fish ban. How much support does the ministry receive from the traditional leadership?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, this is a very tricky question. As I stated in my statement, there is a sense of entitlement that water bodies are inherited from forefathers. As a result, it is usually difficult to implement the fish ban. This is mainly due to inadequate resources during the fish ban.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister comes from Luapula Province. He agrees with me that in the olden days, it was easy to find fish species such as imbowa and sampa, but now they cannot be found. The hon. Minister will correct me if I am wrong, but my concern is over the fingerlings imported from other countries. Some of them are diseased and others feed on small fish. What measures have been put in place to ensure that the diseased fingerlings and those that feed on small fish when they grow do not disturb the ecosystem?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, I do not have any record that indicates that we are importing fingerlings. As far as I know, we have enough fingerlings to satisfy the local market. So, I do not think any diseased fingerlings are being imported into the country.

I thank you, Madan Speaker.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that the ministry wants to embark on enforcing measures to curb illegalities during the fish ban. Does the ministry have personnel and utilities to effectively carry out the measures that he has indicated so that the ban is successful?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, unfortunately I do not have the data relating to that with me. The hon. Member of Parliament for Kwacha is free to come to my office, then I can share the actual number of staff dedicated to enforcing measures during the fish ban and the equipment that is available.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, I would like to know the volumes of fingerlings produced by the Government. We have ten provinces, and all of them have natural water bodies. I will give an example of Kalabo District. Our fish stocks have drastically reduced. Is there a mode of helping districts to create facilities for producing fingerlings so that locals who have the intention of going into aquaculture can access fingerlings, instead of searching for them elsewhere?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, that is a good question, but I do not have data regarding fingerling production in the Western Province. Many sites in Luapula as well as in the Southern Province are producing fingerlings. I have to go back to the office to confirm whether we have any hatcheries for fingerlings in the Western Province.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will get the last two questions from the hon. Member for Pemba and the hon. Member for Kabwe Central.

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, indeed, one of the best ways of ensuring that our fish is not depleted is enforcing the fish ban. I want to single out two water bodies, that is, Lake Kariba, which is between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Lake Tanganyika, which is shared by Zambia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania. Regarding the fish ban, how does the Government collaborate with other countries that share our water bodies to ensure that the ban is effective to protect our fish?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, there is a lot of collaboration with all the other countries during the fish ban. For instance, during the fish ban on Lake Tanganyika, there is collaboration with Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi. Now, the fish ban is more effective because there is even an inter-ministerial committee that looks into this matter.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Halwiindi (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, there are lessons we have learned from the benchmarking visits that we have undertaken. For example, Egypt is doing well, even if it is a desert. It has only one river, the Nile, but it supports more than 4,500 fish ponds. So, in the programmes of sensitising communities about fish farming, is there a deliberate programme to encourage communities to engage in fish farming so that during the fish ban, people can harvest fish from their own fish ponds?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, that is an interesting question. Indeed, we have a programme to encourage people to go into aquaculture. The programme is there, but the major hurdle in the development of aquaculture farming in Zambia is fish feed. As a ministry, we are currently considering ways and means of coming up with an accessible and cheap recipe so that more farmers can dig fish ponds and use them for production.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Solwezi East, please, indicate in good time.

Mr Katakwe (Solwezi): Madam Speaker, if the hon. Minister recalls, there was an aquaculture project in Mushindamo. The facilities and everything else are in place. The last time I approached him, he said that the ministry wanted to run the facility using a public-private partnership (PPP) model. My fear is that the facility may be vandalised. What is the plan now to enhance fingerling production in Mushindamo?

Mr Kapala: Madam Speaker, we recently built three aquaculture parks in Samfya, Mushindamo and Kasempa. These facilities have now been handed over to the Zambia National Service (ZNS), which will be managing them. The official hand over of the facilities is expected to be done sometime this month.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

MOTION

REPORT OF THE ZAMBIAN DELEGATION TO THE 68^TH COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE

Mr Nyambose (Chasefu): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this House adopts the Report of the Zambian Delegation to the 68^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 5^th to 12^th October, 2025, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 5^th November, 2025.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mrs Munashabantu (Mapatizya): Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Nyambose: Madam Speaker, this report is being presented to the House pursuant to Order No. 154 of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024.

Madam Speaker, allow me to begin by acquainting the House with the fact that the Rt. Hon. Madam Speaker led a delegation to the 68^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 5^th October, 2025, to 12^th October, 2025. As the report of this–

Mrs Masebo: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

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

Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, apologies to my brother, the hon. Member for Chasefu, for disrupting his presentation.

Madam Speaker, I rise on a procedural point of order. If you look to your left, you will find that almost all the Patriotic Front (PF) hon. Members have left the House, as they were told to go and endorse one hon. Member as their president. Are they in order to do that during this time when we are supposed to be dealing with national issues here, in Parliament? They have gone to endorse President Mundubile.

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: He is also an hon. Member of the House.

Mrs Masebo: Yes.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: As we all know, Parliament takes precedence. We are supposed to put Parliament first in whatever we do. A few hon. Members from the Patriotic Front (PF) are in the House. All the hon. Members who are not here, in the House, leaving matters in Parliament of national interest, because they are attending to something else, which they could have attended to at some other time, are out of order. We do not know where the PF Whip is. He is supposed to help the Presiding Officers call the hon. Members on my left. The hon. Members are out of order. Parliament takes precedence.

Hon. Member for Chasefu, you may continue.

Mr Nyambose: Madam Speaker, I will read that paragraph again.

Madam Speaker, allow me to begin by acquainting the House to the fact that the Rt. Hon. Madam Speaker led a delegation to the 68^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 5^th October, 2025, to 12^th October, 2025.

Madam Speaker, as the report of this undertaking was Tabled on Wednesday, 5^th November, 2025, it is my expectation that hon. Members have had the opportunity to read it. As such, I will only highlight some of the salient features contained therein.

Madam Speaker, the 68^th CPC was held under the theme: “The Commonwealth: A Global Partner”. This theme underscored the Commonwealth's collective commitment to serving as a coherent, value-based partner in addressing shared global challenges, including democratic resilience, climate vulnerability, technological change and multilateral governance.

Madam Speaker, on the margins of the conference, several other conferences and meetings were held, including the 41^st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Small Branches Conference, the 9^th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference, meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disability (CPwD) Network, governance meetings of the CPA executive committee, the 59^th Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT) Meeting, dedicated CPC workshops, the 3^rd Emilia Monjowa Lifaka Lecture, and the 2025 CPA General Conference.

Madam Speaker, one of the most significant highlights of our engagements at the 68^th CPC was the official announcement that an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom (UK) to transform the legal status of the CPA from a charity registered under British law to an international inter-parliamentary organisation had been passed by the UK Parliament and assented to by His Majesty King Charles III. This momentous reform marks the culmination of long-standing efforts by the CPA to secure its international legal personality and operational autonomy. It was further highlighted that the UK Government would issue a Statutory Instrument (SI) to accompany the Act and bring it into full legal effect before the end of 2025, thereby, enabling the CPA to operate with enhanced institutional legitimacy and a strengthened mandate to support member parliaments across the Commonwealth more effectively. The Zambian delegation rightly recognised this as a historical achievement, and as one that elevates the standing of the CPA globally and reinforces its capacity to champion parliamentary strengthening, democratic governance and institutional resilience across our shared Commonwealth family.

Madam Speaker, the 68^th CPC also saw the adoption of the 2026-2029 CPA Strategic Plan, which will guide the association's work for the next three years, placing emphasis on digital transformation, climate resilience, youth and gender inclusion, and enforcing parliamentary oversight and transparency. Furthermore, the 2024 CPA Annual Report, including audited financial statements, membership statistics and programme performance, was approved by the general assembly. Reports from the three CPA networks, namely the CWP, CPwD and the Small Branches Network, were also endorsed, reflecting significant progress in advancing diversity, equality, accessibility and parliamentary capacity development.

Madam Speaker, the 68^th CPC also addressed a range of topical governance issues through a series of workshops and thematic sessions. Key among these were:

strengthening institutions to support democracy;

leveraging technology to enhance democratic participation while tackling the digital divide;

building trust and transparency in parliaments and elections through improved financial accountability;

climate change and its threats to global health; and

evolving role of the Commonwealth in good governance, multilateralism and international relations.

Madam Speaker, one workshop of particular relevance to our Parliament examined the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation in legislative processes. While some Parliaments, such as that of Brazil, are making significant headways in integrating AI tools into legislative scrutiny and citizen-engagement systems, many CPA Member Parliaments are still in the early stages of exploring how such technologies can be responsibly adopted.

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Wind up, hon. Member.

Mr Nyambose: Just a minute, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, it is, therefore, gratifying to note that the National Assembly of Zambia has already begun navigating its frontier, with training on the use of AI in parliamentary work to be concluded during the CPA local seminar scheduled for November 2025. This early initiative demonstrates our Parliament’s commitment to embracing innovation as a part of the broader institutional reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, allow me to thank all the members of staff who constituted the delegation to the 68^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) for their commitment, diligence and hard work in the execution of their duties throughout the conference. May I also, on behalf of the delegation, place on record our gratitude to the Office of the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly for facilitating our participation in the conference.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

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

Ms Munashabantu: Now, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I rise to second the Motion to adopt the Report of the Zambian Delegation to the 68^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), which was held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 5^th to 12^th October, 2025.

Madam Speaker, allow me to begin by commending the mover for the clear and articulate manner in which he has presented this Motion. I further congratulate the Zambian delegation for ably representing this Parliament and continuing to give a voice on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) about the Zambian Parliament and the State as well.

Madam Speaker, one of the most historical developments reported in the report, which happened at the 68^th CPC, is the Act of Parliament, which was passed in the United Kingdom (UK) concerning the status of the CPA. The Parliament of the UK passed legislation granting the CPA full international interparliamentary organisation status. The status indicates that the CPA will be a full-time international interparliamentary organisation. This transformation marks a successful conclusion of long years of advocacy concerning the same. The position of the CPA now becomes stronger not only as a charity but this time around, an autonomous actor in parliamentary strengthening. The achievement is not only significant for the Commonwealth but also for us as a country, as we are aware that one of our own, Dr Kalila, holds a position at the CPA.

Madam Speaker, the delegation also participated in deliberations surrounding the adoption of the CPA Strategic Plan 2026-2029, which rightly focuses on digital transformation, strengthening oversight, climate resilience and enhanced transparency in parliamentary systems.

Madam Speaker, another important area of discussion was the work being undertaken by CPA networks, that is, the work of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities and Small Branches Network. These platforms continue to advance inclusion and accessibility and equal participation in the values of the Zambian National Parliament.

Madam Speaker, the workshop of particular relevance to our institution focused on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the legislative process. Many members are still exploring how these emerging technologies can improve legislative scrutiny, public participation and administrative efficiency. It is, therefore, encouraging that our Parliament is preparing for AI capacity building during the CPA local seminar, which is going to be held this November.

Madam Speaker, I wish to join the mover in urging hon. Members to take this opportunity seriously. AI is not a future concept only; it is already reshaping governance and democratic engagement. As representatives of the people, we must remain focused, equipped and ready to adapt.

Madam Speaker, the report also notes the use of parliamentary benchmarks as a tool for strengthening institutions.

Madam Speaker, with these few remarks, I fully support the adoption of this report and commend the delegation for its dedication and service.

Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Any further debate? I see none.

Hon. Member for Chasefu, wind up debate.

Mr Nyambose: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Indeed, it is a very straightforward report.

Madam Speaker, I will be failing in my duty if I do not thank the seconder of this report. Further, I want to state to this House and the nation that the ascendance to international chairmanship of our own, Dr Kalila, is not a mean achievement. Dr Kalila has put our country and our branch on the map. Everywhere we go as a delegation, Zambia is a model, having produced an international chairman in the name of Dr Kalila. Not only is he representing this country, but also the caliber of leadership that he has brought to the CPA is admirable. I think, people admire this country.

Madam Speaker, I urge this branch to continue with the active participation in international affairs and maintain the consistency it has demonstrated. I think, we are being admired. As a branch representative, I appreciate the delegation and everyone else who participated. I would also like to thank your office for facilitating our attendance at this important conference.

Madam Speaker, before I conclude, let me acknowledge the signing of the Act to transform the CPA into an international organisation. So many years have passed, and they have been dragging their feet, and finally now, the CPA will become a fully recognised international organisation for Parliamentarians.

With those remarks, I beg to move.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Question put and agreed to.

______

BILL

REPORT STAGE

The Small Claims Court (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Report adopted.

Third Reading on Tuesday, 18^th November, 2025.

_______

MOTION OF SUPPLY

(Debate resumed)

Mr Mubika was not in the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Members: He is not in the House.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member is not in the House. He was supposed to be the last one to debate from the Backbench. We now move on to the Frontbench.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (Eng. Milupi): Madam Speaker, I am honoured to contribute to the debate on the 2026 National Budget, presented by the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Member of Parliament. I support the Budget, and unreservedly so, because it is a clear and deliberate continuation of the New Dawn Government’s transformative agenda, aimed at consolidating the remarkable socio-economic gains achieved to date and propelling our nation towards a prosperous, resilient and equitable Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the theme of the 2026 Budget, “Consolidating Economic and Social Gains Towards a Prosperous, Resilient and Equitable Zambia”, is not mere rhetoric, but a demonstration of the New Dawn Government’s vision and aspirations. It reflects our unwavering commitment to economic stability, inclusive development, social justice, job creation and improved livelihoods for all Zambians.

Madam Speaker, over the past four years, despite global and domestic shocks that included the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), debt distress and the devastating drought in 2024, our economy has remained resilient under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema. The New Dawn Government has restored macroeconomic credibility, recorded average growth of 5.2 per cent, reduced inflation from a high of 16.7 per cent to 12.3 per cent, stabilised the exchange rate and successfully restructured the bulk of our external debt. These achievements form the foundation upon which the 2026 Budget is anchored.

Madam Speaker, on human capital development, the 2026 Budget deepens our investment in the most powerful equaliser, which is education. Free education remains intact and strongly supported. Over 42,000 teachers have been recruited, and additional teachers will be recruited in 2026. The expansion of school infrastructure, including the completion of 120 secondary schools, the continued procurement of desks and the rollout of the home-grown School Feeding Programme to all districts directly advance the aspiration of universal access to quality and equitable education. This aligns with the New Dawn Government’s long-term vision of building a knowledgeable, skilled, innovative and competitive nation.

Madam Speaker, on health, the 2026 Budget reaffirms our commitment to universal health coverage. With the construction of new hospitals, mini-hospitals and health posts, as well as the recruitment of health personnel and improved availability of essential medicines, we are steadily restoring public confidence in our health system. This is consistent with the Government’s aspirations to ensure that every Zambian, regardless of location or status, has access to dignified and quality health care services.

Madam Speaker, the 2026 Budget makes strategic allocations to social protection, safeguarding the vulnerable and supporting livelihoods, increasing Social Cash Transfer beneficiaries to 1.5 million households and scaling up the Food Security Pack (FSP). This demonstrates that this Government remains committed to inclusive growth that does not leave behind the poor, elderly, women, youth or persons with disabilities.

Madam Speaker, with regard to economic transformation, the 2026 Budget boldly positions Zambia as a competitive and diversified economy. It prioritises mining expansion through stability in the regulatory environment and investment in geological mapping. It enhances agricultural productivity by rolling out the electronic-Voucher (e-Voucher) system nationwide, improving irrigation infrastructure, promoting climate-smart agriculture and strengthening livestock disease control. These measures will ensure food security, create jobs and promote export-led growth.

Madam Speaker, the 2026 Budget accelerates investment in tourism, energy, manufacturing, information and communication technology (ICT) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These are not standalone initiatives; they are deliberate pillars of the industrialisation and diversification agenda which the New Dawn Government pledged to champion.

Madam Speaker, the 2026 Budget also places emphasis on infrastructure development as a catalyst for economic growth. Investment in roads, airports, water transport, rural electrification, water supply and sanitation is at the core of national transformation. The New Dawn Government envisions a Zambia that is land-linked, productive, competitive and ready to seize both regional and global market opportunities. The road sector is supported through both Treasury allocations and public-private partnerships (PPPs), which demonstrates our practical approach to infrastructure financing under fiscal constraints. We are moving forward responsibly without burdening future generations with unsustainable debt. The allocation of K14.5 billion towards road infrastructure, supplemented by on-going PPP initiatives, directly enhances my ministry’s mandate to develop, rehabilitate and maintain national urban and rural road networks. This resource envelope advances the Government’s strategic goal of improving mobility, accessibility and connectivity as enablers of economic growth, trade facilitation, service delivery and market integration. The continued privatisation of flagship corridors, including the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway, border connectivity routes and rural feeder roads, aligns with the New Dawn Government’s policy of creating resilient, efficient and climate-responsive transport infrastructure countrywide.

Madam Speaker, the prioritisation of provincial airport infrastructure aligns with the Government's ambition to transform the country into a transport and logistics hub. Upgrades of airports in Mansa, Mfuwe, Solwezi and Kasama, as well as planned works for Choma, Kasaba Bay and Nakonde, directly support the Government's strategic intent to improve connectivity, stimulate tourism and facilitate trade and emergency response capabilities.

Madam Speaker, I further wish to emphasise that the Budget’s continued support to the expanded Constituency Development Fund (CDF) enables unprecedented community-level infrastructure development.

Madam Speaker, the measures I have illustrated are a clear demonstration that the economy has been placed on a growth trajectory. In fact, by the end of 2026, which is the implementation year of the Budget we are discussing, it is planned that Zambia’s gross domestic product (GDP) will be about US$36 billion. If you remember where we have come from, when we took over the reins of Government, the GDP was about US$18 billion to US$19 billion. So, by the end of 2026, which is just five years in office, this Government would have doubled the GDP. Not only that, this Government is not a one-term Government.

Hon. Government: Hear, hear!

Eng. Milupi: Madam Speaker, I am of the view that with this growth trajectory that this economy is on, by the end of the second term in 2031, this economy will be in the order of US$70 billion and US$80 billion. That is possible because Singapore, for example, which is twice the physical size of Lusaka City, with few resources, had a GDP of US$400 when Zambia had US$1,000 at Independence, now that country has a GDP of over US$500 billion. Zambia can be in that same ballpark. President Hakainde Hichilema and his Government have placed the country on that growth trajectory. We need to support this Budget and support him, even in 2026, so that he can come back.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will allow the hon. Backbenchers who have indicated to debate, as we do not have any more hon. Ministers who have indicated to debate. They will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hon. Member for Roan, you may proceed.

Mr J. Chibuye (Roan): Madam Speaker, thank you, sincerely, for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Roan Constituency, to add my voice to the debate on the 2026 National Budget, even though I was not supposed to debate today.

Madam Speaker, I would like to go straight into discussing Vote 52 Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation. Roan Constituency, and Luanshya District, is predominantly a mining constituency. As you may be aware, mining activities in Luanshya were established in the 1930s and, as such, the infrastructure was designed to cater for a certain population size. Today, if you travelled to Roan or Luanshya constituencies, you would realise that the population has increased. The houses that were designed to cater for ba nkungulume or those who are single, are catering for large families. Why am I saying so? The allocation to the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation is K2.69 billion, representing only 1.06 per cent of the National Budget. The allocation to water resource management remains inadequate for addressing climate change-related risks. Above all, disbursement of the persistently low budgetary allocation has also been a challenge.

Madam Speaker, I would like to centre my debate on a few areas. Firstly, the delayed release of funds, as I have said, undermines the ministry’s ability to implement planned projects, including dam construction, rural water schemes and sanitation infrastructure, which I underline. As I have alluded to, if you visited the constituency, you would see that people are living like they are not human beings, honestly. The sanitation infrastructure has collapsed and kegged. There is nothing to write home about. That is why I am saying that the K2.69 billion allocation to the ministry is inadequate. We want the ministry to replace all the collapsed and old concrete pipes that carry faecal matter from the homes. People are living in unsanitary conditions, and all the blame is centred on the Members of Parliament. We would like the ministry to kick-start the replacement. As a district, we can try to do something with the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), but that will not clear all the problems. All the old pipes need to be removed. As I said, the areas that were designed to cater for ten people now caters for 100 people. The diameter of the infrastructure is 6 mm, designed to cater to a small number of people, and that is failing to cope with the flow for a larger population. That has led to many unsanitary issues. I am afraid that with the onset of the rainy season, we may have a challenge with outbreaks of waterborne diseases, such as typhoid and cholera.

Madam Speaker, I can see that the hon. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, the engineer, is not in the House, but I would like to call upon him to ensure that something is allocated to Luanshya out of the allocation to the ministry. I know that he is capable. He should visit Luanshya, and see how the people are living. I would like him to step up and ensure that the constituency gets part of the allocation to the ministry, and ensure that the old pipes are replaced.

Madam Speaker, quickly moving on to Vote 14, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. The overall budgetary allocation to the ministry increased by 76.8 per cent. That means the allocation has moved to K1.202.1 billion from K680 million in 2025. This reflects the Government's commitment to mineral exploration and management, which I will focus my debate on. Luanshya, as I have said, has predominantly been a mining district, particularly Roan Constituency. If you visit Luanshya, you will realise that life is coming back into the constituency. The New Dawn Government has brought life to my constituency. Water is being pumped out of the Luanshya Copper Mine Plc Shaft 28. Soon, 3,000 people will be employed. My constituency was hit below the belt in terms of financial activities when the mines were closing down from time to time. Luanshya District has the Luanshya Copper Mine Plc Shaft 28 project, which will run for the next twenty-five years because His Excellency the President cares. Kudos to the Republican President.

Madam Speaker, under exploration, Luanshya Copper Mines Plc is undertaking more exploration. Last week, I was in the constituency. I am pleased to announce that apart from Luanshya Copper Mine Shaft 28 project, the mine is sinking a shaft at another location close to Shaft 28. The mine is also working on another entrance to the shafts. That means the exploration exercise is attaining the desired results.

This means that the exploration is attaining the desired results. The Mashiba Shaft that will be sunk and Shaft 28 will produce another 25 million metric tonnes of copper. What does this mean? It means that there will be life in Luanshya again. For this reason, I can only say, “thank you” to the Government.

Madam Speaker, when we are campaigning for votes, we promise people that will take development to their areas. Today, the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government, stakeholders and I, have ensured that development is taken to Roan Constituency. Going forward, Roan Constituency and Luanshya District in particular, shall not be the same. We have received a better share of good roads in our district. Currently, the road that was not worked on for so many years, the Town/Roan/Mpatamato Road, including roads in the Central Business District (CBD) have been worked on. I can only say, “Thank you very much”.

Madam Speaker, with those few words, with your indulgence, I wish to thank you for allowing me to contribute to the debate on the Motion of Supply.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I will allow the last two hon. Members, the hon. Member for Shangombo and the hon. Member for Pemba to debate.

Hon. Member for Shangombo, you only remained with a few minutes of your debate yesterday. May you continue.

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Madam Speaker, I thank you, and may God continue to protect you.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: From what?

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended yesterday, I was saying that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which is provided by this Government is changing lives of the people in our rural constituencies.

Madam Speaker, when the President came to this House, he praised the hon. Minister of Technology and Science. I am actually happy that the hon. Minister is in the House. However, I wish to state that I am part of the Government, and I can say that he has done exceptionally well in other parts of the country except for Shangombo where he has not done anything. I am aware that in the 2026 Budget, funds have been allocated to improve communication. I therefore, wish to invite the hon. Minister to visit Shangombo. I know he can do that because we have come a long way.

Interruptions

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, in Shangombo, we requested for six communication towers but none have been erected. One communication tower, which the previous Government erected at a place called Matunda, is not working. It just needs activation. I do not know what is missing there but it can be worked on. It is now four years and nothing has been done. I have been going to the ministry so that that tower can be activated, but to date, nothing has been done. I know that the hon. Minister cannot be to every part of the country, but I urge him to take note of that tower so that it can be activated.

Madam Speaker, the Government is paying beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and Cash-for-Work through mobile money transfers. So, if the network is not improved in the rural parts, how will people benefit? The people who handle such cash usually misplace it, and they just give stories, with no proper explanation. So, people in the rural parts of Zambia are begging the hon. Minister to ensure that network is provided to their areas.

Madam Speaker, we are aware that our teachers and other civil servants in the rural areas of Zambia are upgrading their education using the internet. We have also introduced the Electronic Learning (e-Learning). Now, how will they improve or use the e-Learning services in Shangombo, if there is no network or internet? The batteries for the towers that are in Shangombo have expired. So, we only have network from about 0900 hours to 1500 hours. The rest of the day, there is no network. We are used to having internet twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7). Now, it becomes difficult when one goes to a place where there is no internet, and people can only use voice calls from 0900 hours to 1500 hours. It feels like we are not being considered as Zambians, yet we have a very caring Government. May the hon. Minister of Technology and Science, please, work on that. I know he is capable of doing that.

Madam Speaker, let me also address the hon. Minister of Tourism. The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) is failing to perform. Already, elephants are back in Shangombo. Just last week, they started terrorising people again. The ministry has allowed people to farm in the Kafue National Park. May the ministry please ensure that Kafue National Park is left for animals so that animals do not go to terrorise the people of Shangombo.

Madam Speaker, let me also address the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. The security and safety of our citizens depend on this very important ministry under the capable leadership of Hon. J. J. Mwiimbu, SC. That is why we cannot even allow him to retire because we still need his protection and wisdom. The hon. Minister should be on the ground. His officers in rural areas need to be motivated. He must ensure that police officers in rural areas are also considered for promotions. They are also his children. He should ensure that when there are promotions, he accompanies his senior officers to see the condition of police officers in rural areas. Our security is in his hands, given that next year we will be holding general elections.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Education should ensure that teachers who have upgraded their qualifications also have their salary scale upgraded. They should be considered for promotions, especially in the rural areas like Shangombo. Teachers and civil servants in general, who live in rural areas deserve better conditions. They should be given their rural hardship allowances so that they are motivated and remain there.

Madam Speaker, in terms of recruitment, the hon. Minister of Education should ensure that next year, all the teachers in Shangombo are recruited. Currently, there are We only thirty trained teachers in Shangombo. I therefore, request that the ministry considers all of them.

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, your time is up.

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, thank you and may God continue to protect you for us.

Hon. Members: Amen!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Hamwaata (Pemba): Madam Speaker, from the outset, I wish to state that the good people of Pemba Constituency do support the 2026 Budget for the reasons that I am going to outline.

Madam Speaker, I am so happy that currently, our health sector, in terms of medicine, is doing very fine. I have checked several health facilities in my constituency, and I found that the stock levels of essential medicines are between 80 and 90 per cent. I am so happy that in 2026, we expect to have a mini-hospital constructed at Siabunkululu.

Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to appreciate the Government for increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation for all the 156 constituencies, from K36 million to K40 million. This increment means a lot, especially to rural constituencies. As for Pemba Constituency, we have seen massive development. We have constructed dormitories in areas that do not have dormitories, especially in Siazwela and Magomba.

Madam Speaker, regarding free education, which is one of the components under the CDF, we now have the skills training courses and the secondary school bursaries from Form 1 to Form 5. I am a proud hon. Member of Parliament. During my tenure, under the Leadership of His Excellency, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, we are sponsoring 701 pupils from Form 1 to Form 5.

Over 600 youths have been trained under the skills training component. These are youths who would not have had an opportunity to access tertiary education had the New Dawn Government not introduced free education. I stand here to appreciate this Government for what it has done in my constituency. A girl child would have been married by now if the New Dawn Government had not implemented free education. A young boy would have been just herding cattle because his parents cannot afford to pay school fees, but thanks to the New Dawn Government, these children are now in school. Countrywide, over 2 million children have gone back to school. These children would have been roaming the streets because their parents cannot afford school fees.

Madam Speaker, we are using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in rural constituencies. May I simply say that our rural constituencies have been turned into construction sites. A lot of work has been done, and a lot of construction work is going on. Classroom blocks have been constructed across the country. Maternity annexes have been constructed across the country. Our children, who used to sit on the floor while attending classes, now sit on desks. It is the New Dawn Government which has provided desks. Our children, who used to attend classes under trees, now have well-constructed classroom blocks, and they are not subjected to the inhumane situations of the past.

Madam Speaker, dignity has been restored to our mothers. In some areas, unfortunately mothers used to deliver babies under trees. Now, maternity annexes are being constructed.

Madam Speaker, I do not have enough time, but let me inform the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security that the good people of Pemba Constituency want the police station that was promised to them to be constructed. We also still need the ten houses for our able officers who are providing security in Pemba Constituency to be constructed.

Madam Speaker, I wish I had more time to appreciate the New Dawn Government. May I also extend my appreciation to the Ministry of Education for releasing funds for the completion of Ndondi Secondary School. The construction of this school started around 2014. Kudos to the New Dawn Government, because this secondary school is going to be completed. May I simply say that, as we approach the 2026 General Elections, may the New Dawn Government receive honour from God and win the elections big.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

_____

The House adjourned at 1224 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 18^th November, 2025.

____________

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