Wednesday, 4th February, 2026

Wednesday, 4^thFebruary, 2026

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama, will address the House on Thursday, 5^th February, 2026.

Her Honour the Vice-President will move a Motion on Tuesday, 10^th February, 2028, to place on record the thanks of the House to His Excellency Mr John Dramani Mahama on the occasion of his special address to the Assembly.

Thank you.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC. interjected.

Madam Speaker: No, the Motion is different. We have two Motions, hon. Minister. The announcement I have read is on the Motion of Thanks. Now, we move on to the –

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: It is 2026, sorry. Did I read 2028?

Okay, let me read it again. I have flu. Maybe, that is why that happened.

Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama, will address the House on Thursday, 5^th February, 2026.

Her Honour the Vice-President will move a Motion on Tuesday, 10^th February, 2026, to place on record the thanks of the House to His Excellency Mr John Dramani Mahama on the occasion of his special address to the Assembly.

Thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

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

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Madam Speaker: What is the point of order, Hon. Member? You have just come in. Anyway, a point of order is raised.

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to raise a point of order.

Madam Speaker, for the sake of clarity, I came in before your procession. So, I have been in the House.

Madam Speaker, I am very surprised. You gave a clear announcement. As usual, it is supposed to be seamless, but the hon. Minister started arguing with you. Why would the hon. Minister seated there start arguing with you when your announcement was clear? There was no need for anybody to argue, forcing you to start explaining yourself. In fact, what you said is procedural and known even by people who are not members of this House.

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Mr B. Mpundu: Hear, hear!

Elyo nabamwikata na flu!

Mr Kafwaya: Is he in order to start arguing in that manner, Madam Speaker?

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte, your point of order is not admitted. There was no argument. Apparently, I read, “2028”. I am flying. I had to correct myself because we are a House of record. I needed to ensure that what I read was corrected to ‘2026’.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: You see!

Madam Speaker: So, it is okay. There is no argument.

Let us make progress.

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MOTION

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NO. 26 AND 55

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that Orders No. 26 and 55 of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024, be suspended to enable the House hear the address by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday, 5^th February, 2026.

Madam Speaker, as the House may be aware, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama, will address the House on Thursday, 5^th February, 2026. Standing Order No. 26 provides for the suspension of business for twenty minutes at 1640 hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while Standing Order No. 55 outlines the order of business of the day for each day. It is, therefore, necessary to suspend the two Standing Orders to accommodate the address of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana to the House.

Madam Speaker, this is a procedural and non-controversial Motion. I, therefore, urge all hon. Members to support it.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr B. Mpundu (Nkana): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity you have given me to add my voice to the debate on the Motion.

Madam Speaker, as stated, this is a procedural Motion. It is non-controversial and we all ought to support it. In supporting the Motion, I would like to place it on record that representing Independent hon. Members who are here, in this House, we wholeheartedly welcome the leader of the Ghanaian people to Zambia. The President of Ghana is visiting Zambia at a very important time when this country is grappling with a similar problem that Ghana has faced in recent times, which is illegal gold mining. You may be aware that we, as a country, have faced that challenge and, perhaps, the visit of the Ghanaian President will offer the country an opportunity to learn from people who have faced a similar problem. I visited Ghana not long ago, and I had interactions with the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod). I learnt of the strides that the Ghanaian Government has made in managing the problem of illegal mining. In recent years, we have managed illegal gold mining by way of our State agencies going into areas where the gold mining activities are taking place and opening fire on some of our citizens, who are young people. It is on record that some young people have died –

Madam Speaker: Order, Hon. Member!

I do not mean to interrupt your debate, but the Motion is on the suspension of Standing Orders No. 26 and 55.

Mr B. Mpundu: Yes!

Madam Speaker: However, you are debating and introducing other matters that are not on the Floor of the House. Why do you not wait for the debate on the Motion of Thanks and then, you can debate along those lines. For now, that is premature, hon. Member.

Mr B. Mpundu: Madam Speaker, thank you for your guidance.

Madam Speaker, this procedural Motion is indicating that the House will receive a Head of State from a country called Ghana. It would be remiss of us to not take advantage of the visiting Head of State to learn how that country has dealt with one of the problems that we too are dealing with at the moment. It is the responsibility of this House to hold the Executive accountable for its actions and inactions. We want to place on record that while the President of Ghana will be visiting our country, the Executive must not miss that opportunity. We have seen how it has mishandled the issue of illegal gold mining. I do not think that it is a problem to remind our friends in the Executive to take this opportunity to interact with their counterparts from Ghana to learn how a responsible Government acts whenever it is confronted with a problem, and that problem is with us. Otherwise, I thought it would be prudent to place on record that we do not need to miss that opportunity when the Ghanaian President comes tomorrow.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, this is a procedural Motion. Therefore, I ask the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House to wind up debate.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana for his contribution, although he has raised matters that should not have been raised. I wish to put it on record that the President of the Republic of Ghana was invited by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia. I also wish to place on record that the Government of the Republic of Zambia has been interacting with the Government of the Republic of Ghana pertaining to artisanal mining. It is not only Ghana, but we have also undertaken visits to the Republic of Tanzania to learn how our colleagues there managed illegal mining and transitioned into artisanal mining.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkana is on record encouraging those illegal miners to continue mining at Kikonge and other parts of the country.

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

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: He condemned the Government for wanting to ensure that there is legal and safe mining in this country. He is on record.

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

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, through his Ichabaiche Movement, he has been encouraging illegal mining. We are aware of that.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

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

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: I am responding to the issues he raised.

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: I am responding.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, this Government is on record encouraging safe and legal mining. We are not going to allow any so-called political leader to encourage illegal mining in this country. We are on record.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Nkana!

Please, can we have some order!

You cannot just stand up and start debating when another hon. Member is already debating.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Moreover, you are the one who brought up the subject. I guided that the Motion is non-controversial and that it is procedural. You brought up the issue of illegal mines. So, there will be no point of order.

We make progress.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order!

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

Hon. Member for Chama North, are you the one who was speaking?

Mr Mtayachalo: No, Madam Speaker.

Mr Nkandu: It was him.

Madam Speaker: Can we have some order!

Question put and agreed to.

_______

URGENT MATTERS WITHOUT NOTICE

MR KAMPYONGO, HON. MEMBER FOR SHIWANG’ANDU, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY AND ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE, MR MWIIMBU, SC., ON THE VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON OF MPIKA

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, on an Urgent Matter without Notice.

Madam Speaker: An Urgent Matter without Notice is raised.

Mr Kampyongo: Thank you so much, Madam Speaker. The Urgent Matter without Notice I am raising is constitutional, and it is directed at the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House. In this case, I will cite Article 56 of the Constitution.

Madam Speaker, Article 56(1) states as follows:

“A general election shall be held, –

Sorry, Madam Speaker, I beg your pardon. It is Article 57(1), and it states as follows:

“Where a vacancy occurs in the office of Member of Parliament, mayor, council chairperson, or councillor, a by-election shall be held within ninety days of the occurrence of the vacancy”.

Madam Speaker, Article 57(2) also states that:

“A by-election shall not be held within the one hundred and eighty-day period that precedes a general election”.

Madam Speaker, I have cited this Article in respect of the vacancy at Mpika District Council. The people of Mpika lost their civic leader, who was buried a day ago, and on behalf of the people of Shiwang’andu, I convey my condolences to them.

Madam Speaker, people are now anxiously waiting. According to this Article, they are counting the days without knowing exactly what the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will do. I have directed this matter to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House, who also superintends over the ECZ.

Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence so that people's anxieties can be settled on this matter.

Mr Nkandu: Question!

Mr Kampyongo: Mulebelenga imwe.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much.

I think that the Urgent Matter without Notice raised is seeking clarity on how the 180 days preceding an election are counted. So, given how the law is written, are Saturdays and Sundays counted, and which days are counted? Are they working days? To settle the minds of the people, I suggest that the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House issues a statement in the House on Friday. I hope, that is okay. He can issue a statement this Friday to clarify the issue in Mpika Constituency following the demise of the Council Chairperson there.

So, thank you very much, hon. Member for Shiwang’andu, for raising that issue.

MS NYIRENDA, HON. MEMBER FOR LUNDAZI, ON THE ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE AND MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY, MR MWIIMBU, SC., ON THE FLOODS IN LUNDAZI

Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, on an Urgent Matter without Notice.

Madam Speaker: An Urgent Matter without Notice is raised.

Ms Nyirenda: Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me a chance to raise a matter on behalf of the people of Lundazi. The matter is directed to Her Honour the Vice-President. If she is absent, I direct it to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House.

Madam Speaker, allow me, within the short time I have, to congratulate Hon. Nundwe for scooping the Chawama seat. He is seated right there (pointed at Mr Nundwe). We have introduced the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) into the House. It is good that democracy is working.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Her Honour the Vice-President for having visited the people of Lundazi when they experienced serious floods. The visit culminated into the Government working on Mpamba and Mwase bridges. That situation was not easy; the people really suffered. Also, we received a lot of support from the Government, the Church and the Muslim community. I appreciate them for the gesture.

Madam Speaker, the matter I want to raise today still concerns floods. As at yesterday, we lost six more lives. The smaller crossing points within the constituency, at Kambale, Tigone, Kachule, Mutuwanjobvu and the one on the road that goes to the Zambia National Service (ZNS) camp have all been washed away, leading to our children failing to attend school. Expectant mothers are failing to get medical facilities because ambulances cannot cross bridges for almost a month. As at yesterday, more bridges were washed away.

Madam Speaker, the people of Lundazi asked me to speak on their behalf. They asked me to ask Her Honour the Vice-President, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), to work on the crossing points, as people are dying. We lost a man in Mwase. Yesterday, three children almost drowned when crossing Tigone Bridge. They were just saved –

Madam Speaker: Kindly wind up. Your time is up, hon. Member.

Ms Nyirenda: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

We urgently need assistance in Lundazi.

I seek your indulgence, Madam Speaker.

Mr Nkandu: Just join the winning team.

Ms Nyirenda: It is not about joining, it is about working.

Mr Nkandu: Question!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lundazi, you have just indicated that Her Honour the Vic-President visited Lundazi, following the floods. So, the best you can do, hon. Member, is to engage Her Honour the Vice-President. Say, “We are grateful for your visitation, but the floods have continued. Please, can you help us in this or that manner?” Just raising the matter on the Floor of the House and having Her Honour the Vice-President give a statement will not solve the problem. We want solutions to the problems confronting us. By engaging with the relevant authorities, we will be able to bring solutions to the people we represent. So, hon. Member, I would urge you to engage Her Honour the Vice-President on that matter. How I wish there could also be rainfall in Lusaka; it is dry here.

MR ZULU, HON. MEMBER FOR NYIMBA, ON THE HON. MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, MR MTOLO, ON THE SUPPLY OF MAIZE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE VALLEYS

Mr Zulu (Nyimba): On an Urgent Matter without Notice, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: An Urgent Matter without Notice is raised.

Mr Zulu: Madam Speaker, my Urgent Matter without Notice is directed to the hon. Minister of Agriculture.

Madam Speaker, late last year, I had a chat with the hon. Minister of Agriculture. I told him that the maize which was sitting in the temporary sheds for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) along the valleys should be spared for the people of the valleys because of the hunger situation. I know that as a seasoned agricultural man, he understands the issue to do with the valleys. The people in the valleys, not just in Nyimba but across the Eastern Province and the Southern Province, are facing the same problem. When is the hon. Minister going to do the wonderful job he did last year, of supplying the valleys with cheap maize for our communities to buy? People are walking long distances such as 80 km to go to the Boma to buy bags of mealie meal. It is more expensive for someone to travel to go and buy a bag of mealie meal than to buy the bag of mealie meal. When is the hon. Minister going to replicate the work he did last year, so that people can stop moving long distances in search of mealie meal?

I seek your indulgence, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Nyimba, I suggest you file a question, and then the hon. Minister of Agriculture will be able to respond to that question.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

UPGRADING OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN SERENJE PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY

139. Mr Kandafula (Serenje) asked the Minister of Education:

whether the Government has any plans to upgrade the following community schools in Serenje Parliamentary Constituency to Government schools:

Mfwanta;
Musatila;
Makabi;
Ntenge;
Chipendeshi;
Chibwe;
Nyamanda;
Chinshimba;
Chinsobwe; and
Kalilanama;

if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Education (Mr Syakalima): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to upgrade the following community schools in Serenje Parliamentary Constituency to Government schools:

Mfwanta;
Musatila;
Makabi;
Ntenge;
Chipendeshi;
Chibwe;
Nyamanda;
Chinshimba;
Chinsobwe; and
Kalilanama;

Madam Speaker, the upgrading of the named community schools is scheduled to be implemented in 2026. The list of schools to be gazetted has been submitted to the Ministry of Justice for legal clearance, after which the gazetting process will be concluded to facilitate implementation.

Madam Speaker, in view of the response provided in part (a) of the question, part (c) does not apply, as the Government has plans to upgrade the schools.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kandafula: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the answer. Now, with the influx of school-going children due to the free education policy, we have upgraded some infrastructure at the same schools, but the teachers who are teaching there are questionable, so to speak, because they are not on the Government payroll. They have not gone through normal training. So, it is like our children are being taught by teachers who are not fully trained. That is why we need the Government to assist by sending us some teachers who will be on the Government payroll.

Mr Syakalima: Madam Speaker, I think, we are on the last stage of the urgency itself, because after clearance from the Ministry of Justice, it is gazetting. So, we are just waiting for clearance from the Ministry of Justice, and that should not take a lot of time, because there are just ten schools. So, after clearance, the schools will be gazetted into full-fledged schools by the Ministry of Education.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

COMPLETION OF BRIDGES IN MILANZI

140. Ms Phiri (Milanzi) asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

when the construction of the following bridges in Milanzi Parliamentary Constituency will be completed:

Pundi-Kamanga Bridge across Katiula Stream; and
Kavulamungu Bridge across Kavulamungu Stream;

at what percentage of completion each project was, as of September, 2025;
what the cause of the delay in completing the projects, is; and
what the cost of the outstanding works on each project, is.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Sialubalo): Madam Speaker, the construction of Pundi-Kamanga Bridge across Katiula Stream and Kavulamungu Bridge across Kavulamungu Stream in Milanzi Parliamentary Constituency will be completed in 2026. The fiscal work progress as of September 2025, of Pundi-Kamanga Bridge was at 75 per cent, while Kavulamungu Bridge was at 60 per cent.

Madam Speaker, the cause of the delay in completing these two projects is limited funding. The cost of outstanding works on each project in this parliamentary constituency is as follows:

Pundi-Kamanga Bridge across Katiula Stream is K448,976.65; and
Kavulamungu Bridge across Kavulamungu Stream is K715,095.50.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Phiri: Madam Speaker, the people in the two communities are looking forward to the completion of the two bridges.

Madam Speaker: It is a comment. Does the hon. Minister want to comment on the comment?

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, I just want to thank my honourable dear sister.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

PROCUREMENT OF RADIOGRAPHY MACHINES

142. Mr Mutale (Chitambo) asked the Minister of Health:

whether the Government had procured radiography machines for the treatment of cancer in health facilities, countrywide, as of August, 2025;
if so, how many machines were procured;
how many health facilities benefited from the procurement above; and
if no machines were procured, why.

Madam Speaker: Did I hear 142 or 144?

Hon. Member for Chitambo, what is the question number?

Mr Mutale: Madam Speaker, it is 142.

Madam Speaker: Is it supposed to be 142?

Mr Mutale: Madam Speaker, yes.

Dr Andeleki entered the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Government Members: It is question 141.The hon. Member for Katombola is here.

Madam Speaker: No, it is already too late. It has lapsed.

Hon. Minister of Health, you may proceed.

The Minister of Health (Mr Muchima): Madam Speaker, allow me, first and foremost, to clarify that in the field of medicine, oncology included, the term radiography generally refers to diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays. By contrast, the machines used to treat cancer are known as radiotherapy or radiation therapy machines. Radiography machines are designated or designed for imaging rather than treatment. These include the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, Computed Tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), mammography –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Sorry, hon. Minister.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Matero!

Hon. Minister, I cannot hear what you are saying and even the hon. Member for Chitambo is saying he cannot understand what you are saying. Maybe, there is a lot of talking in between.

Can we maintain silence so that we can listen to the answer. The hon. Member for Chitambo would like to hear the answer.

May the hon. Minister continue.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, allow me, first and foremost, to clarify that in the field of medicine, oncology included, the term radiography generally refers to diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays. By contrast, the machines used to treat cancer are known as radiotherapy or radiation therapy machines. Radiography machines are designed for imaging rather than treatment, and these include PET scans, CT scans, MRI, mammography, and conventional X-ray machines. On the other hand, radiation therapy machines, such as Linear Accelerator (LINAC) and Brachytherapy (BRAC) units, are specifically intended for cancer treatment.

Madam Speaker, having provided the preamble, I wish to inform this House that the Government has procured both radiography, diagnostic, and radiotherapy machines to strengthen our capacity in cancer detection and treatment.

Madam Speaker, the Government procured the following radiography equipment:

Equipment Quantity

X-ray machine 79

CT scan machine 20

MRI machine 3

PET Scan (with Cyclotron) machine 2

Portable digital X-ray machine 36

C-Arm machine 10

Mammography machine 10

Ultrasound machine 101

Madam Speaker, radiography machines fall into two main categories. There are those that treat cancer from outside the body, known as external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) machines, and those that treat cancer within the body, referred to as internal radiation therapy machines. The Government has procured five LINACs and two CT scan simulators for EBRT to enhance precision in treatment planning and delivery. In addition, the Government has procured three brachytherapy machines, which allow for targeted treatment by placing radiation sources directly inside or next to the affected area, for internal radiation therapy.

Madam Speaker, 270 facilities have benefited from radiology machines, while two facilities have benefitted from radiotherapy machines.

Madam Speaker, the Government has procured machines and, therefore, part (d) of the question falls off.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mutale: Madam Speaker, I am sure the House is aware of where this question emanated. The background is that patients were being turned away from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) because the so-called radiography machines were not available. The patients were told to travel to Tanzania for treatment.

Madam Speaker, I am happy today that the hon. Minister has corrected the word ‘radiography’ to ‘radiotherapy’, which I have not heard of. I always hear the word ‘radiography’ from the patients who go to the UTH. Now that the hon. Minister has mentioned that some machines have been procured, can he inform this House whether the list that we hear about of patients lined up to travel to Tanzania still exists or it has been reduced or it is at zero because of the machines that he has mentioned to have been procured.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, today is when the World Cancer Day is commemorated and I observed it with the Hon. Member for Munali, who is the hon. Minister of Green Economy and Environment.

Madam Speaker, praise be to the President of the Republic of Zambia who has prioritised health care for Zambians. The queues are quite long, and the money required to evacuate patients is quite significant because cancerous diseases have spread all over, to even children. The Government does not have the resources. So, it has opted to domesticate the issue by building a hospital in Ndola, which is almost at completion, as well as in Livingstone and is also improving the cancer hospital at the UTH.

Madam Speaker, before the completion of those hospitals, radiotherapy machines had already been delivered into the country. King Solomon Hospital has one and the other one will be installed at the National Heart Hospital. Further, with other hospitals, like the ones in Ndola and Livingstone, in place, the long list will be reduced tremendously. It is unfortunate that previously, other people did not mind about health care for the people. Today, you can see from the Budget that was passed, and it is known clearly, that there is political will for health. The budgetary allocation was increased. We want our people to be taken care of effectively. Cancer is deadly. So, we need to treat it effectively.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

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

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Nkana, I have said that I am not allowing any points of order on the issue that you raised. You have written a note to me. I have already given guidance. Please, do not distract me from the work that I am doing by writing notes to me. I have given guidance and said that there will be no more points of order, but you are still writing notes.

Laughter

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Madam Speaker, I can see that the hon. Minister is sweating. I wish him well.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has highlighted a good number of radiotherapeutic equipment, such as the linear accelerators, brachytherapy units and other equipment, which is in the country. My immediate concern is with the facilities where the equipment has been placed. He has clarified that the machines have just been delivered, and are not yet functional, waiting for the completion of the cancer hospitals in Ndola as well as Livingstone. I was alarmed by his further clarification to the effect that some of the units will be placed in hospitals like the National Heart Hospital. Oncology is a specialised function and only people who are trained to manage cancer are allowed to use the equipment under that specialisation. Now, when cancer treatment units are taken to places like the National Heart Hospital, which specialists will use them? As far as I know, there are no oncologists and radiotherapists at the National Heart Hospital. Who will deploy the important resources in those hospitals that are non-cancer management institutions?

Madam Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I have not said that the machines will be installed at the National Heart Hospital, but near the hospital. There is 22 ha of land in that area. It would have been done at the UTH, but there is not enough space. The machines require bunkers because of radiation. So, they have to be taken where the bunkers will be accommodated. They will be far from the National Heart Hospital. That was just to indicate where the machines will be installed. If there was enough space at the UTH, they would have been installed at that hospital. So, that has been taken care of. The bunkers will be made and then the machines carefully stored.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me this chance, on behalf of the people of Mandevu, to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, my question is similar to the question asked by the hon. Member for Lunte. After getting an answer from the hon. Minister to the effect that there is no space at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), I would like to say that we have a number of machines currently installed at the UTH that are not working. They are faulty and cannot be fixed, hence the decision to take patients out of the hospital. Now that the Government has procured new machines, I am prompted to ask: Will the ministry replace all the machinery that is not working at the UTH with the new consignment that was procured so that the hospital can attend to the patients who are currently being sent to other health institutions to receive services such as computed tomography (CT) scans?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I would like to invite the hon. Member of Parliament to come …

Hon. Member: To have coffee.

Mr Muchima: … and tour and have coffee with me at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to see what has been going on since the new Government came into power. There is a lot of excavation going on. A lot of space has been taken.

Madam Speaker, for radiography, due to the risk of radiation, a lot of space is required. As such bunkers have to be dug for the installation of the machines. All the procured machines will be installed so that the Government can curtail the high expense being incurred in evacuating patients to Tanzania, India and South Africa.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Madam Speaker, as much as I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the procurement of machines, I still feel that the Government is concentrating too much on the urban areas, such as Lusaka. I would have been satisfied if he had said that the Government has procured ten machines so that at least one is installed in each provincial headquarters. From the machines available, is it possible to deliver them to provincial headquarters to save on transport costs and queues at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), especially for our patients?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, if the hon. Member recalls well I said that there are 270 common X-ray machines. These machines are not only in Lusaka. They are also available in the provincial headquarters. For cancer, we do not just start treating; we begin with screening and diagnosis. Once those steps are taken, if the cases are serious, they are referred to bigger hospitals specialised in certain treatments to treat them effectively. However, mobile machines and others, which I mentioned, such as common X-rays, Computerised Tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines (MRIs), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, portable X-rays, C-Arms machines, Mammography and Ultrasound machines are all spread throughout the country. I presented the list in my last responses on the Floor of this House. I laid the paper on the Table. The machines are spread throughout the whole country, and more are still being distributed to other hospitals.

Madam Speaker, the radiotherapy machines are very costly. The Government can only afford to buy one or two at a time. It has other commitments, such as in agriculture, energy and other sectors. The procured machine will treat many people. So, the Government could not concentrate on one area because other areas would suffer.

Madam Speaker, the distribution of machines has gone far, which includes hand-held X-rays, which will be distributed in far-flung rural areas such as the hon. Member’s place and Kaputa. The equipment will be distributed everywhere in the country. The current Government is upright.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Madam Speaker, since I did not receive a card from you, let me say, Happy New Year! I have only seen you today.

Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to also congratulate our hon. Colleague, Mr Nundwe, I knew him when he was a Permanent Secretary (PS). Congratulations to the newly-elected hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama.

Madam Speaker, I was keenly following the hon. Minister’s submission. I commend the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government for procuring such important equipment. Suffice to say that, year in and year out, we host the Ministry of Health, which is more or less, our permanent witness at the Public Accounts Committee. The ministry has not formulated a maintenance policy for the aforesaid equipment for the past three to four years. We have been pushing for that. It has, yet acquired very important equipment. How does the ministry intend to ensure that the equipment is well-maintained, its warranty system is taken care of as well as other subscriptions?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that good question. I forgot to congratulate our hon. Colleague who has joined us in Parliament and also the Mayor of Kasama. From the right side, we congratulate everyone. It started with the President. He congratulated the hon. Member of Parliament and the Mayor. However, our hon. Colleagues, the Patriotic Front (PF), only concentrated in one corner. I am wondering whether that is democratic. We congratulate the hon. Member on the other side.

Madam Speaker, the issue raised by the hon. Member for Bwana Mkubwa is true. The ministry has already held meetings with the University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Engineering, and some Chinese arrived yesterday. The Government wants to formulate the maintenance policy. The National Health Policy will also be included to maintain equipment.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mushanga (Bwacha): Madam Speaker, in his response to part (c) of the question on the Order Paper, the hon. Minister mentioned the types and quantities of machines procured. However, it was not very clearhow many health facilities have benefited from the procured equipment and machines. May he be more specific in responding to part (c) of the question.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I think, my hon. Colleague was not listening. I mentioned the number of facilities that have benefited from the radiotherapy machines. However, the common X-ray machines are spread throughout the whole country. I already presented a list on the Floor of the House earlier.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Bwacha can access the list. I heard the hon. Minister mention that.

Mr Mushanga: I will get it.

Madam Speaker: Yes.

Mr Zulu (Nyimba): Madam Speaker, I wish to emphasise the question asked earlier by the hon. Member of Parliament for Bwana Mkubwa. I come from the technical field. I repair equipment. I understand that the weakest part is that the Government does not train technicians or engineers to operate the equipment it procures. In my other life, I worked for First Quantum Minerals (FQM). I was sent to South Africa. I was privileged to spend three months in Sweden to learn about the equipment.

Madam Speaker, it is not easy to bring into the country four or ten Chinese to come and train ten Zambians and hope that they will learn to repair the equipment. Is the hon. Minister in a position to inform the country whether we have enough qualified personnel trained by the manufacturers of the equipment? Yes, the country may have graduates from the University of Zambia (UNZA), but they are theoretical engineers. They have not yet done the practical aspect of the job. I think, Hon. Kapala will agree with me because he knows what I am talking about. The graduates are qualified in theory, but when it comes to hands-on work, they have not yet reached that stage. Has the ministry identified young graduates or seasoned engineers to send to the manufacturers of that equipment, so that when equipment breaks down, we do not have to wait for two weeks before it can be fixed? The problem we have at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) is not the equipment. Some of the equipment is barely ten years old. Equipment that is barely ten years old, Hon. Kapala will agree with me, is fixable. The technology to fix the equipment is still available. Has the ministry identified technicians or engineers to send to the manufactures of the equipment for after-sales service training?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that follow-up question.

Madam Speaker, truly, when we buy new equipment, we make arrangements for backups. One arrangement is to have experts train our people on the ground. Secondly, we are in discussion with the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the country where the machines came from over the training aspect. Most of the medical equipment comes from China. Some manufacturers from China are already in the country. After answering this question, I am even going to meet them. We have discussed this same matter before. They have come to position some engineers here, because they have recognised we have many machines that come from China, and it is becoming difficult to service the machines. So, they are going to place their engineers in Zambia to be maintaining all the machines from China. This is a critical component of the issue. We are also emphasising training staff in the ministry.

Madam Speaker, I also want to cover the question by my hon. Colleague from Kabwe, who wanted to know about the 270 x-ray machines. Those x-ray machines have been distributed throughout the country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much. The hon. Member for Bwacha has left the House. Anyway, he will get the information.

Ms Nyirenda (Lundazi): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving a chance to ask a supplementary question on behalf of the people of Lundazi to the hon. Minister of Health. We received our x-ray machine. Cancer is a killer. It is painful, it is ravaging. As we are talking, there may be more than fifty women from Lundazi at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) seeking treatment. All those people have to come to Lusaka every six or four weeks for chemotherapy. They are all demanding help from me regarding transport. Hon. Minister, would you help us with transport?

Madam Speaker, in addition, if the hon. Minister read the social media page of the philanthropist, Remmy Kangwa, he would see that, every day there are pictures of people suffering from cancer. This shows that the disease is countrywide. Therefore, we cannot all depend on treatment in Lusaka. People are dying. Some are not even seeking treatment. What is the hon. Minister going to do about this? Maybe, the Ministry of Health should do what the MInistry of Local Government and Rural Development has done, which is setting aside, say, K10 million for sorting out the solar power issue. Is the hon. Minister not in a position to sit with his hon. Colleague here, the person who is handling the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), so that he can allow him to procure the same machines for cancer treatment in hospitals? Lack of the machines is really a serious challenge in Lundazi. What is the hon. Minister going to do for every clinic or district hospital to have cancer treatment facilities, so that people can live and not die?

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, this question gives me the opportunity to urge Zambians to take cancer screening seriously. That is why I said that we bought the common x-ray machines, and we are distributing them throughout the country. This will help us to detect cancer in the early stages. Not only that, we are investing in telemedicine, so that patients can be seen by specialists from a distance. This Government is not sitting idle; it is seriously looking into taking those machines closer to the people. We have several handheld mobile machines, and the Government will continue to procure them. In addition, we have a flying doctor service, which has been enhanced with choppers and fixed-wing aircrafts to ferry our people. Cancer has various categories. If it is in its early stages, it can be treated here in Lusaka. However, when it is in stage two, three or four, it is dangerous. So, we need to prevent it by screening. We are urging everyone to go for screening. We encourage screening to be done everywhere. The handheld x-ray machines and the mobile ones will be distributed everywhere. We, need to be concerned. We, the leaders in the House, together with civic leaders, need to sensitise our people to take screening as seriously as we took the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-AIDS).

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MINERAL MAPPING EXERCISE COMPLETION

143. Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

whether the Government has a timeframe within which to complete the mineral mapping exercise;
if so, when the project is expected to be completed;
what the source of funding for the project, is; and
which company has been engaged to conduct the exercise.

The Minister of Mines and Mineral Development (Mr Kabuswe): Madam Speaker, before I answer the question, I want to start by congratulating the hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama, who is a former Copperbelt Permanent Secretary (PS). Congratulations on winning the Chawama seat.

Madam Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate our party, the United Party for National Development (UPND), for scoring high marks in Kasama, winning in two constituencies, which are Lukashya and Kasama Central. I was privileged to be part of the team that was stationed in Lukashya. It is unfortunate how underdeveloped Lukashya is.

Madam Speaker, in response to the question by Mr Chunga Miyutu, hon. Member of Parliament for Kalabo Central Parliamentary Constituency –

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

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, I rise to raise a point of order because the dignity of this House requires us to submit factual information. I am particularly unhappy because the person who was on the Floor of the House is actually a Minister of State.

Madam Speaker, in Lukashya, there was no by-election. In Kasama Central, there was no by-election. The position of Lukashya and Kasama Central constituencies is well known. Hon. Chisanga is here, and my sister, Hon. S. Mwamba, is there.

Madam Speaker, how can you accept to be misled that the United Party for National Development (UPND) won in Lukashya and Kasama Central constituencies, when there were no by-elections there? The by-election was in Kasama District.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister in order to mislead us and the country that the UPND won in two constituencies, when there have been no by-elections in those constituencies?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte, how many constituencies are in Kasama District? There are two constituencies; Lukashya and Kasama Central. The election was for the Council Chairperson position. The candidates who stood in both Kasama Central and Lukashya combined qualified to be elected as Council Chairperson. So, that point of order is not admitted.

We make progress.

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I was trying to break it down. Thank you for guiding the House.

Madam Speaker, the Government has set a two-year timeframe from July 2024 to complete the countrywide high resolution aerial geophysical survey for mineral mapping.

Madam Speaker, the Mineral Mapping Project is expected to be completed by July 2026, all things being equal.

Madam Speaker, the project is being funded by the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the company engaged to conduct the countrywide high resolution aerial geophysical survey is Xcalibur Airborne Geophysics Limited, a company incorporated in the Republic of South Africa.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, I just want to get some encouragement from the hon. Minister owing to the fact that the resources being used are state generated. We are all looking forward to the final report. As the hon. Minister is aware, some regions of this country do not have mines. Previous Governments did not embark on this exercise of mapping. Can the hon. Minister assure us that after the exercise is completed in two years, the ministry will come up with a comprehensive report, which will be a delight to many people of this country.

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that important follow-up question.

Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. Member that the exercise is on course. We are heading towards 60 per cent. Xcalibur Airborne Geophysics Limited is in the country and when time allows, it will give a report on where it is, to the President of the Republic of Zambia. The assurance I can give the hon. Member is that the preliminary report is showing that even those areas that were not expected to have some endowment could have something even beyond copper and gold. I assure the hon. Member that the survey will be completed by July 2026 unless the conditions on the ground disturb it but we are on course. We are already above 50 per cent in terms of mapping the country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

BENEFICIARIES OF THE CASH-FOR-WORK PROGRAMME

144. Eng. Daka (Chadiza) asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development:

how many people benefited from the Cash-for-Work Programme in Chadiza District, from its inception to August, 2025, year by year;
how many women benefited from the programme; and
if the number of women beneficiaries is below 30 per cent, of the total beneficiaries, what measures the Government was taking to ensure that more women benefit.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Sialubalo): Madam Speaker, in response to the question asked by Hon. Daka, I wish to inform this august House that 33,021 people benefitted from the Cash-for-Work programme since its inception in Chadiza District.

Madam Speaker, 15,166 women benefitted from the programme.

Madam Speaker, the number of women beneficiaries was at 46 per cent. The Government has continued to implement policies that ensure more women participate in the programme.

Madam Speaker, on the numbers year by year, my dear colleague will be availed with that information. The council is still compiling the information for year by year.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Eng. Daka: Madam Speaker, we are grateful to the hon. Minister for the response to this important question. Let me take this opportunity to thank the Government for coming up with the programme, especially at the most trying moment in our country.

Madam Speaker, despite the expansion of the programme to all the 116 districts, network coverage has been a nightmare. As it stands, only 10 per cent of the poor population have access to network coverage. What is it, in this vein, that the Government is doing to improve the network coverage, especially that the programme is anchored on having proper network coverage in rural communities?

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my dear colleague, the hon. Member for Chadiza, for the follow-up question, and the accolades to the New Dawn Administration on this social intervention that the Government undertook when part of the country experienced a severe drought. This intervention helped a lot. We never recorded any death because the drought was severe. So, kudos go to the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for the brilliant initiative.

Madam Speaker, I totally agree with the hon. Member of Parliament that network, when it comes to payments after the work has been done, remains a big challenge. We have been engaging the hon. Minister of Technology and Science to try and see how best we can work around the clock to have this matter sorted out. The Cash-for-Work Programme will now be implemented national wide. So, in terms of network coverage, as the Government, we really need to push and we are engaging the Ministry of Technology and Science to have a lasting solution to this big challenge.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lubozha (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, may I also join my colleagues in extending my congratulations to the newly elected Member of Parliament for Chawama.

Madam Speaker, the Cash-for-Work Programme is a wonderful programme that has benefitted our people and is a wonderful initiative of the Government. My question to the hon. Minister is: when is the programme resuming and what changes will it come with to accommodate more women?

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, indeed, an announcement was made that the Cash-for-Work Programme would start in January. Currently, members of staff from all the local authorities involved in the programme are undergoing orientation in Chalimbana. Once they are done, the programme will resume.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Eng. Daka: Madam Speaker, the other challenge experienced during the running of the programme was unpredictable funding, leading to start-and-stop disruptions. This time around, how does the ministry intend to resolve this challenge that the programme faced before the revision that the hon. Minister has alluded to was made?

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, challenges were faced, and that is the reason the ministry thought it would be important to address them all before starting the new phase. The workshop is being undertaken so that, at least, all the challenges are brought on board and sorted out before we resume the programme. Otherwise, challenges are there and they are being addressed through engagement of new officers, and that is taking place today.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Anakoka (Luena): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, it is good to hear that the Cash-for-Work Programme will soon recommence. Now, at the conclusion of the programme previously, before the announcement that it would continue, we were informed that the new programme would not cover some of the activities that were carried out by people in some of our constituencies. In other words, emphasis was being placed on activities that leave physical structures behind. In constituencies like Luena, we applied for activities such as canal dredging under the same programme. Whilst canal dredging leaves a physical structure behind, it does not somewhat fit the description of what was prescribed as qualifying projects. Can the hon. Minister clarify whether the programme will still cover activities that are beneficial to the communities in those areas, even if the activities are of a nature that does not leave a permanent structure in the typical definition of a structure, when it restarts. That is what I would like to know.

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, among the observations that were made during the implementation of the first phase of the Cash-for-Work Programme was the fact that some of the projects that were done had no economic value. When we talk about dredging, I believe that is the way to go because there is economic value and a permanent structure is left behind, unlike what was happening in other areas. People would sweep an area and not collect the garbage, and yet they wanted to be paid. So, that alone is not good. The best thing to do is that if you want to clean a drainage, for example, you should ensure that even the garbage that is in that drainage is collected. By so doing, there is economic value in the resources used, unlike just sweeping and expecting to be paid. So, we need projects that leave impact on communities. Basically, those are the areas we are looking at; value and impact, unlike being unable to point at anything, but you want to be paid.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mulebwa (Kafulafuta): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Kafulafuta, to ask a question.

Madam Speaker, can the hon. Minister give us clarity on the areas that had bottlenecks, indicating what the problem was and what the ministry will do to sort it out. It is clear that the Cash-for-Work Programme was in operation, but, I think, the Government did not achieve its goal because beneficiaries were determined by those who were administering the programme. I would also like to hear the rationale behind continuing with the programme because I believe its introduction was as a result of the drought that we experienced in 2024. What is the rationale behind continuing the programme?

Mr Sialubalo: Madam Speaker, indeed, as the hon. Member has stated, when the programme was brought on board by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, it was to address the drought situation so that our people in the eighty-seven districts that were badly affected could have money to buy food. The people of Zambia have since realised that the intervention is good. They appreciate it and they want it to continue. So, instead of people going the other way around, like asking for money from politicians, they want to work for their money. Apart from that, we have many unattended areas in our communities that need attention in terms of cleanliness and other projects. There is also the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). So, among the social interventions that are carried out by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, your Government has realised that since the people of Zambia celebrate this social intervention, it has to be continued. So, instead of only looking at the districts that were affected, it is now a national matter. We want people to participate and have a bite of the national cake by doing some work. So, it is a social intervention that has been accepted by the people of Zambia.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

VALUE ADDITION TO EMERALDS IN LUFWANYAMA

145. Mr Siachisumo (Lufwanyama) asked the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry:

whether the Government has any plans to engage an investor to undertake value addition to the emeralds produced in Lufwanyama District to create jobs for the local people and increase revenue collection;
if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Chipoka Mulenga): Madam Speaker, before I respond to the question, allow me to thank and appreciate the team that went to Kasama and to also congratulate our newly-elected Mayor of Kasama. Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate the hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama, who has joined the House.

Hon. Member, you are welcome.

Madam Speaker, the Government strongly believes that value addition is the key to creating sustainable industrial growth. Consequently, the President of the Republic of Zambia has directed that every resource produced must undergo value addition within our borders. This is the primary reason the Government is working to overcome a long-standing national frustration, which is the continued exporting of copper in its raw form.

Madam Speaker, since Independence, Zambia has had only one major copper processing company, Metal Fabricators of Zambia Plc (ZAMEFA), which was previously performing at a mere 35 per cent capacity. During the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) era, Neelkanth Metals Limited was established, but faced significant challenges and near closure.

Madam Speaker, due to a lack of supportive Government policies for accessing local copper, processing was often done in Dubai. Zambian copper was essentially bought from the London Metal Exchange (LME) and brought back into Zambia at an inflated cost. However, over the past four years, the New Dawn Government has revised its investment policies and invested heavily in the copper processing sector. We have seen five additional copper processors established, bringing the total number to seven. Our vision is clear: to become the largest producer of copper wire in Africa by 2034.

Madam Speaker, our commitment to value addition extends to every mineral resource. For instance, we have lowered the export of raw manganese and we are now processing batteries in Chibombo. This same logic applies to the gemstone industry. We are encouraging both the private and public sectors to invest, taking inspiration from Jewel of Africa, a Zambian-owned company that has set the pace by processing emeralds locally using Zambian hands and skills and exporting across the world.

Madam Speaker, our current focus is to grow the lapidary sector. Later this year, we plan to host Zambia's first-ever Gemstone Expo in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. We want the world to recognise Zambia not only as the largest producer of emeralds, but also as the global hub for auction and trade.

Madam Speaker, currently, gemstones from Mpongwe and Lufwanyama are often exported to India and other Asian countries, creating jobs in those jurisdictions instead of here in Zambia. We are now working closely with the gemstone sector to ensure that, starting this year, a specific percentage of stones must be processed locally until we have fully built the capacity to handle our entire national output. Therefore, my ministry, through the Department of Industry, is engaging every producer of gemstones to segregate a certain percentage for local processing and polishing to sell as a final product outside the country, which will create jobs and enhance revenue collection within the country.

Madam Speaker, this is an ongoing process, as the Government is implementing various marketing strategies to attract more investors in the gemstone sector. Therefore, we cannot give a specific date when this will be.

Madam Speaker, with the answers given above, part (c) of the question falls off.

Mr Siachisumo: Madam Speaker, before I ask my follow-up question, I would like to congratulate our new Member of Parliament for Chawama, Hon. Nundwe, my former boss. He was my boss when he was the Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Copperbelt. I also congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government on winning the Kasama Mayoral By-election.

Madam Speaker, I would like to know whether there is a specific company that has been identified to be opened in Lufwanyama to add value to emeralds? This is because people are just digging at the moment, leaving ditches in the community.

Mr Chipoka Mulenga: Madam Speaker, there is no specific company that will be set up in Lufwanyama for value addition. However, the Government’s policy and directive on the gemstone industry is that every major gemstone mining company operating in the country is required to set aside a certain percentage of its produce to be sent to the Ndola Lapidary to support private setup industries like Jewel of Africa in processing them locally. Lufwanyama may be a mining town, but processing will be done centrally in Ndola, where a lapidary has already been set up.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

_______

BILLS

SECOND READING

THE IMMIGRATION CONTROL BILL, 2025

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, allow me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the chairperson of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs and the hon. Members for diligently undertaking further consultations on the development of the Immigration Control Bill of 2025. I am pleased to state that throughout the Bill development process, the ministry engaged extensively with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure that the proposed legislation is responsive to the needs and expectations of the Zambian people. These consultations included civil society organisations (CSOs), line ministries, co-operating partners, learning institutions and other relevant stakeholders, whose contributions greatly enriched the content and direction of the Bill.

Madam Speaker, migration has emerged –

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Minister, you are supposed to move the Bill for second reading.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Sorry, Madam Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Madam Speaker, allow me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the chairperson of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs and the hon. Members for diligently undertaking further consultations on the development of the Immigration Control Bill of 2025. I am pleased to state that throughout the Bill development process, the ministry engaged extensively with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure that the proposed legislation is responsive to the needs and expectations of the Zambian people. These consultations included civil society organisations (CSOs), line ministries, co-operating partners, learning institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, whose contributions greatly enriched the content and direction of the Bill.

Madam Speaker, migration has emerged as a major global, regional and national concern due to its expanding scope, scale and increasing complexity. When effectively managed, migration delivers substantial social and economic benefits. Destination countries benefit through the filling of critical skills gaps, increased productivity, higher output and enriched cultural diversity. Countries of origin, on the other hand, gain from remittance inflows, diaspora investment, and the transfer of knowledge, technology and skills by retaining migrants. Collectively, these benefits contribute to economic growth, improved food security and strengthening rural livelihoods. Orderly, safe and regular migration is therefore a key enabler of sustainable development, including poverty reduction and the promotion of decent work.

Madam Speaker, conversely, poorly managed migration can give rise to serious security, social and economic challenges for countries of origin, transit and destination. Zambia continues to face a range of migration-related challenges, including mixed migration flows, irregular migration, human trafficking, smuggling of persons, forced displacement and the underutilisation of migration development potential. While the Immigration and Deportation Act, Chapter 123 of the Laws of Zambia, has provided an effective framework for migration management over the past fifteen years, emerging trends and evolving threats necessitate the new and enhanced interventions that are not adequately addressed, under the existing legal framework. One of the critical gaps relates to border governance. The effective management of Zambia's extensive and porous borders requires adequate human resources, infrastructure and social amenities. In response, the establishment of dedicated border guards has been proposed to strengthen border surveillance and deter transnational crimes, such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The operationalisation of this initiative requires a robust and enabling legal framework to authorise deployment, and the regulated issuance of firearms, thereby ensuring that border security functions are carried out effectively and lawfully.

Rationale

Madam Speaker, several developments in migration governance have emerged that were not envisaged under the existing legislation, and therefore, require incorporation into the law. In addition, a number of new statutes have been enacted that directly impact the mandate, functions, and operations of the Department of Immigration. It has consequently become necessary to review and align the current Act with these recent instruments, as well as with the applicable regional, continental and global frameworks governing the movements of persons and trade. Furthermore, the Department has introduced a new cadre of officers, namely border guards, within its organisational structure. This unit is mandated to enhance security along Zambia's borders, and it will be appropriately armed to effectively respond to emerging threats associated with irregular migration, human trafficking and the smuggling of persons.

Objects

Madam Speaker, the objects of this Bill are to:

continue the existence of the Immigration Department and redefine its function;
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.

Key developments

Madam Speaker, notable developments in the Bill include:

Appointment of the Director-General

Madam Speaker, the Bill has provided for a qualification to be met for a person to be appointed as Director-General or Deputy Director-General of the department. This is to ensure that the person appointed has the relevant knowledge and experience to enable them to make informed decisions on complex immigration matters, thereby enhancing the professionalism and strategic direction of the Department.

Immigration Border Guards

Madam Speaker, in line with international best practices and our quest to enhance border security along the porous border lines, the Bill has introduced a new category of officers known as Immigration Border Guards, and their functions will include undertaking patrols along the borders to prevent illegal border crossings. Currently, Zambia is experiencing an increase in the number of human trafficking and smuggling cases, as well as the use of undisturbed ports of entry.

Departure of Minors from the Republic

Madam Speaker, the Bill has made it mandatory for a child intending to leave Zambia, who is unaccompanied or accompanied by a person who is not a parent or legal guardian of the child, to present written consent of the parent, guardian of the child or the ministry responsible for child welfare. This provision is progressive and critical to enhancing child protection, as it serves as a safeguard against trafficking and abduction, among other vices.

Resident Permits

Madam Speaker, investors with a minimum investment threshold of US$1 million qualify to apply for a resident permit. This complements the Cabinet decision aimed at facilitating foreign direct investment in the country. It will further promote economic development and job creation.

Dependent Permit

Madam Speaker, the Bill has introduced a dependent permit to cater to the category of persons specified as dependent. Currently, there is a gap in the law, as it does not provide for a specific permit to be issued to the category of persons listed as dependents.

Study Permit

Madam Speaker, in the Bill, the scope of a study permit has been broadened to include students studying on a distance or part-time basis, and the inclusion of children below the age of seven on the principal holder's study permit. This will enable working professionals who wish to study in Zambia to do so and, in turn, contribute to economic development.

Refugee Self-employment Permit

Madam Speaker, refugees are generally considered vulnerable. Therefore, introducing a refugee self-employment permit, which will have more relaxed requirements and fees compared to the investor's permit issued to foreign nationals who establish or invest in a business in Zambia, will enable them to conduct their business lawfully.

Seasonal Employment Permit

Madam Speaker, the Bill also covers the introduction of a seasonal employment permit to cater for citizens of neighbouring countries intending to work in the agricultural sector for a period not exceeding six months. Some nationals of our neighbouring countries are a source of seasonal agricultural labour. However, our current Act does not provide for this category.

Power to Use Firearms

Madam Speaker, currently, Immigration Officers are not armed, despite undertaking police training, which includes handling firearms. Most perpetrators of transnational crime and prohibited immigrants are usually armed with offensive weapons and firearms. This poses a danger to officers during routine operations and border patrols.

Designation of Immigration Holding Facilities

Madam Speaker, victims of human trafficking and potential witnesses are sometimes kept in the same detention facilities with criminals due to inadequate facilities to accommodate them. This action, however, has been condemned and considered a violation of human rights. Further, this increases the risk of them being detained with the perpetrators, and also has the potential to turn witnesses into hostile witnesses. The Bill has addressed this matter through the introduction of holding facilities for migrants.

Expected Positive Impact

Madam Speaker, we believe that the enactment of this Bill will bring the following positive impact, among others:

enhanced border security;
improved child protection;
increased foreign investment;
simplified payment processes; and
better protection for refugees.

Potential Challenges and Proposed Migration Mitigation Measures

Madam Speaker, the Government shall introduce training and build capacity to ensure that those who will be empowered to carry out the functions are equipped.

Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this Bill be supported by the House.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Brig-Gen Sitwala (Kaoma Central): Madam Speaker, in accordance with its terms of reference, as provided for in Order No. 207(j) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024, your Committee was tasked to consider the Immigration Control Bill, No. 18 of 2025.

Madam Speaker, from the outset, I want to state that most of the witnesses who appeared before the Committee were in support of the Bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the Immigration and Deportation Act No.18 of 2010, in order to include migration trends that have changed over the years and some developments that have taken place, which were not foreseen.

Madam Speaker, I am confident that the hon. Members of this august House have read the Committee’s report. I will, therefore, only highlight a few issues that caught the Committee’s attention during its interaction with the stakeholders.

Madam Speaker, the Committee observes with concern that Clause 2 defines a child in relation to a dependent as a child below the age of seven and fails to consider minors who are above seven years old. This limitation creates a protection gap, which may result in unnecessary family separation. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the definition of child be increased to eighteen years so that it is consistent with the provisions in the Constitution and the Children’s Code Act. This will also make the provision to be in line with the international best practices in common law jurisdictions, which generally set the dependent child age limit as eighteen years.

Madam Speaker, the Committee further observes that the use of the word ‘may’ in Clauses 18 to 19 and Clauses 22, 24 and 27, which state that a foreigner wishing to acquire a permit may apply to the Director General, must be made clear to state that it is a mandatory requirement for a foreigner to apply to the Director General for any permits. The wording seems to suggest that it is optional to apply to the Director General. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the use of the word ‘may’ be replaced with the word ‘shall’ to make it mandatory for a foreigner to apply to the Director General for any permits.

Madam Speaker, the Committee also observes that the Immigration Control Bill lacks a mechanism for visa, emergency travel or digital fast track processing. The Committee, therefore, recommends that Clause 9 be amended to introduce an urgent electronic visa application with a forty-eight-hour processing limit, which should be supported by a streamlined online platform.

Finally, Madam Speaker, permit me to express my sincere gratitude to you and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support rendered to the Committee during its deliberations. The Committee is also indebted to all the stakeholders who appeared before it for their co-operation in providing the necessary memoranda that formed the Committee’s report.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, I appreciate the chairperson for the elaborate report that he has read to the House.

Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by appreciating that the Act has taken on board some of the prevailing immigration trends. I further appreciate the introduction of border guards and the qualifications that the Zambia Police Commission will be considering when appointing the Director, the Deputy Director and other immigration officers, especially that they are meant to preserve the institutional memory of the Immigration Department. I think that was a good job done. However, I will weigh the Act against the principles of immigration law, which among other things, include non-reformation and non-discrimination, the prohibition of collective expulsion, and the protection of immigrants’ basic human rights. This is also further supported by the functions of the Immigration Department, one of them being the preservation of rights.

Madam Speaker, I am aware that as I debate, I should create a balance between the state’s sovereign rights of controlling the borders and the immigrants’ rights. I appreciate all the factors, but in Section 2, we would have introduced a term, which is also not captured even under the Refugee Act, and is internationally used, being people of concern, which in this case includes refugees, asylum seekers and former refugees.

Mr Nkandu: Question!

Mr Fube: That is all you have come to do in Parliament.

Madam Speaker, I also want to talk about the issue of linkage. As proposed, I think the Act should be linked to, among other Acts, the Education Act, the Higher Education Act, the Employment Code Act, the Marriage Act, the Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Human Trafficking Act and the Gender Qualification Act because a lot of permits have been introduced in certain areas in order for the Act to sit well.

Madam Speaker, I also want to argue that because this is a repeal, what is in Section 11 is not supportive of the non-reformation principle, as it allows an officer at the point of entry to refuse entry without stating the reasons for the refusal. What if that person is an asylum seeker or qualifies to be a refugee, and is then taken back to a hostile environment? I think that exposes refugee rights in a way.

Madam Speaker, I also want to talk about some of the permits that have been introduced, but I have in mind the spouse permit. If you peruse what will be in Sections 16 and 18 once the Bill becomes an Act, the manner in which the withdrawal of the permit will be done, overlooks those who have come for trade and those who have come, possibly for study, who are not citizens. It only attaches importance on the six months period, which does not apply to someone who is married to a Zambian citizen, and the people of Chilubi found that a bit wanting.

Madam Speaker, Section 22 concerns the cross-border permit, which is a very good permit, but the suggestion in the law is not practical. It states that the permit can only last for six months and can be renewed for another final six months. However, there is an inflow of cross-border traders who come in and out, some of who have been conducting this business for five years, but the permit is limited to six months and can be renewed for another final six months, meaning that the cross-border permit is limited to one year. Given that, I think, the cross-border permit should be expanded, so that cross-border traders are given more leverage.

Madam Speaker, the people of Chilubi are also concerned about immigration consultancy. The immigration consultancy provision in the Bill suggests that a former immigration officer will not be subjected to interviews and other processes. I think, there is a good reason given, which is that a former immigration officer is expected to understand immigration services and how they are supposed to be done. However, what if the former immigration officer was dismissed and, maybe, had some disciplinary issues? The Bill does not state how a former immigration officer is supposed to be treated in such a case. It only states that if a former immigration officer wants to apply, I think that is under Section 40, to be a consultant, he or she will not be subjected to a particular interview. However, what if that former immigration officer was undisciplined? That leaves consultancy services vulnerable because that former immigration officer, to start with, would have been dismissed because of indiscipline. If that former immigration officer cannot be subjected to interviews, then, that means the screening process will not capture that officer’s disciplinary record.

Madam Speaker, with those few words, I submit and support the reforms that have been done to the Immigration and Deportation Act.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, thank you for this opportunity you have given me, on behalf of the good people of Kabwata, to add my voice to the debate on the Bill before this House.

Madam Speaker, I would like to appreciate the recommendations that have been outlined in your Committee’s report. They demonstrate that there is a need to review the Immigration and Deportation Act.

Madam Speaker, if you look at the history of this country, you will understand that Zambia is one of the few countries in the Southern African region that is still using the term ‘department’. Most countries have migrated and they either use ‘commission’ or ‘national immigration services’. The workforce of the Zambia Department of Immigration was about 400 at the time its operations started. Today, it is close to 2,400. That means the numbers keep increasing. The department has over 104 offices in all the provincial centres and regional offices, including border areas. That is the reason there is a need for the name of the department to be changed. The name should be changed from being called a department to either a commission or the national immigration services.

Madam Speaker, regarding the legal framework, we need to note that there will be a new cadre of workers who will be employed as border guards. However, without this Bill being passed, there will be no structure for border guards. Once this law is implemented, border guards will have powers, as they will be aligned with the legal framework that will give them responsibilities in their role.

Madam Speaker, I strongly feel that the name should be changed from being called a department to a service or commission. If you look at the Head for the immigration department, it states, “Head 23 – Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security – National Immigration Services”. It has its own budgetary allocation. That is the reason the name should be changed from a department into a national –

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

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Member for Kabwata.

A point of order is raised.

What is the point of order, hon. Member for Lunte?

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, my hon. Colleague from Kabwata should not introduce issues that he knows are constitutional. Service commissions are provided for in the Constitution. We are dealing with an Act of Parliament. Why should he urge the ministry to change the name of the immigration department into a commission when he knows that the Constitution was amended a month ago, and there was no provision for that? Is he in order to start introducing constitutional provisions into an Act of Parliament?

I seek your serious ruling, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: I am sure the hon. Member for Lunte has read the report. There is a suggestion, in the report of the Committee, to change the name from being called a department to, maybe, a service. So, maybe, the hon. Member for Kabwata is just debating the suggestion that the name should be changed. If it means changing the name to a commission, then, we know what follows. The name ‘service’, or something like that, I think, is the gist of the hon. Member for Kabwata’s debate to the effect that the Zambia Department of Immigration should cease to be a department. That is what the report states. I hope you have gone through the report, hon. Member for Lunte.

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Speaker, I have read through the report.

Madam Speaker: Okay. So, let us allow him to debate. You can react, if need be.

Hon. Member for Kabwata, you may continue.

Mr Tayengwa: Madam Speaker, thank you for your protection.

Madam Speaker, I am merely looking at changing the name from a department to either immigration services or a commission.

Madam Speaker, the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 is old and needs to be revised so that it can accommodate other provisions that need to come in. For instance, there is a need for a provision for a director-general. There is no way that a director-general of the immigration service can head a department. A director-general needs to head either a commission or national immigration service. That is what we, as the people of Kabwata, feel. There is a need to amend and revise the law because there is no way a director-general can be heading a department. A department is supposed to be headed by a director.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, let me emphasise on the legal framework that needs to be put in place so that border guards can become the engine of our security in border areas. We, as a nation, have been struggling to combat human trafficking. A few weeks ago, our colleagues from other countries were arrested after being found travelling in a containerised truck. There is a need to ensure that border guards are employed and there is legal framework backing their employment in the national immigration service.

Madam Speaker, with those few words, I support this Bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to add a few comments to the debate on the proposed reforms through amendments to the Immigration and Deportation Act.

Madam Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I had just started acknowledging the reforms that the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security is proposing through the amendments to the Immigration and Deportation Act. Indeed, the reforms are progressive. However, before I comment on the reforms, I just want him to ensure that the concern raised by the Committee regarding the harmonisation of the pieces of legislation that deal with border management is addressed before we conclude considering all the stages of this Bill.

Mr Speaker, the Bill is proposing that the Immigration Department should now be in control of all borders in the Republic of Zambia, and it further gives the ministry the mandate to designate, …

Interruptions

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, let us avoid debating while seated.

Mr Kampyongo: … ports of entry. The Customs and Excise Act No.19 of 2018also assigns the same functions to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and then it places the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) as the lead agency insofar as border management is concerned. This also goes for the Border Management and Trade Facilitation Act, which is administered by his neighbour there, the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry. So, before we conclude considering this Bill, the hon. Minister should harmonise this to ensure a smooth operation of the borders, which would be desirable because we, as the legislative arm of the Government, have to be comfortable passing Bills to become Acts of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, that said, I want to commend the hon. Minister for the proposal to realign the staff welfare issues. Placing the Immigration Department under the Police Service Commission was for administrative convenience. So, with the additional responsibilities placed on the Immigration Department by the introduction of border guards, it is important that we realign that function by having an independent body to handle staff welfare appointments from the Police Service Commission. This will be the way to go. I doubt that placing the responsibilities directly under the ministry would be helpful. In the meantime, it would have been ideal if he had taken advantage of these amendments to introduce that management unit.

Mr Speaker, the other issue I would like to urge the hon. Minister to consider is lobby for more resources. This is because the new responsibility he is bringing on board will be very helpful in managing our porous borders. That has been a challenge for a very long time. We have been depending on the police and other security wings to manage those porous entry points, but with what the hon. Minister has introduced, he needs to lobby for more resources to equip the combatants who will be on the ground. They need to be mobile and more effective in responding to the complex nature of migration. We know that people are engaging in many criminal activities. That includes human trafficking and moving people without following the regulations.

Mr Speaker, the other matter I thought I could briefly comment on is the threshold for investors who are be issued with resident permits. Depending on the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) certificate sounds theoretically reasonable. However, the hon. Minister and I know how slippery some people can be in trying to justify why they should get the investor permits without looking at the threshold in terms of the capital inflows they are bringing. So, he should keep that guard. I do not think we should encourage him to drop it. He should keep it because it will be very helpful for him.

Mr Speaker, I want to commend the hon. Minister for the step he has taken of introducing new permits that will cater for the people of concern, the refugees. I mean, we have been hospitable to so many people of concern from different countries. This will lessen the tension that exists between the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees and the Immigration Department, which ends up on his table all the time. This is because these are people seeking a livelihood, yet the law does not provide for them. So, on one hand, the Immigration Department wants to apply the law, on the other hand, the hon. Minister has to ensure that the refugees eat. I know that the hon. Minister for North-Western Province knows how productive the people of concern are in Maheba Refugee Camp.

Interruptions

Laughter

Mr Kampyongo: I do not want to be drawn into that fight.

Mr Speaker, this is a very important move that the hon. Minister has made, and I think that when he goes back to Geneva to report on this issue, it will be that it is one of those issues that has been fully implemented. I remember when we hosted Philippe Ghandi, the High Commissioner for Refugees, this matter took centre stage in discussing how we can be flexible in managing those people of concern. So, he just has to ensure that, even as we do that, of course, we manage those who want to abuse the introduction of the permits and ensure that they are only given to those who are productive, and not those who would want to use them for the wrong reasons.

Mr Speaker, smuggling of migrants is becoming a very big challenge, and that is why I am saying that the Government needs to put temporary operation points for border guards in strategic areas. Again, this will require serious, serious, capital investment.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member's time expired.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, with those few remarks, I want to place on record my support for these reforms.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. Colleagues for the progressive way they have supported the Motion on the Floor, pertaining to the Immigration Control Bill. I also want to thank Hon. Kampyongo for the kind words pertaining to this matter. I would like to thank the Member of Parliament for Chilubi, Hon. Fube, for the issues he has raised. I just want to inform him that the issues he has raised have been adequately addressed under the Refugees Act. The lacunas that we noted have been taken into account under the Immigration Control Bill, where we have introduced the refugee permit.

Mr Speaker, I also want to assure the able chairperson of the Committee that the definition of a child or dependent is adequately catered for in the Constitution. We have taken the definition provided under the Constitution. So, that issue has been considered. I just want to assure the Committee and my hon. Colleagues who have raised issues that any progressive submission that has been made will be addressed as we come to the Committee stage.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Friday, 6^th February, 2026.

THE FOOD RESERVE BILL, 2025

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read the second time.

Mr Speaker, allow me to thank the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources for the well-articulated report, which has brought out important issues from our stakeholders. I also wish to thank other hon. Members of the House and, indeed, our stakeholders, for their valuable input in shaping this Bill.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture is proposing to introduce a Bill in Parliament to repeal and replace the Food Reserve Act No. 6 of 2020, to align the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) mandate and operations with the Government policy of increasing private sector participation in agricultural value chains, reduce fiscal burden on the Treasury, and promote efficiency in agricultural markets.

Mr Speaker, the Bill proposed essentially aims to:

continue the existence of the Food Reserve Agency and redefine its functions;
reconstitute the Board of the Agency and redefine its functions;
continue the existence of the National Strategic Food Reserve;
ensure national food security by maintaining sufficient levels of designated agricultural commodities to respond and provide food relief during emergencies or market and economic shocks;
provide for the power of the Minister to designate agricultural commodities that are essential for food security;
provide for the purchase of designated agricultural commodities by the Agency for purposes of the National Strategic Food Reserve; and
provide mechanisms for collaboration and cooperation with relevant regulatory and advisory agencies to ensure exchange of agricultural marketing information and the stabilisation of agricultural markets;

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, the Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources was tasked to scrutinise the Food Reserve Bill No. 33 of 2025, referred to it on 26^th November, 2025. In executing the task, the Committee consulted various stakeholders, who made both written and oral submissions before it.

Mr Speaker, let me state from the outset that all the witnesses who interacted with the Committee were in support of the Bill. A summary of the stakeholders' submissions is in the Committee's report for the consideration of this august House. The Committee is also in support of the Bill.

Mr Speaker, allow me to highlight some of the pertinent issues contained in the Committee's report. The Bill seeks to repeal and replace the Food Reserve Act No. 6 of 2020, so as to align the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) mandate and operations with the current Government policy of increasing private sector participation in the agricultural value chain, reducing the fiscal burden on the Treasury, and promoting efficiency in agricultural markets. The Bill, once enacted, will promote transparency in the purchase and sale of designated agricultural commodities and promote effective collaboration and real-time information sharing with relevant agricultural bodies, thereby allowing the Agency to make informed decisions on food security. This will be achieved through enhanced co-ordination between key institutions involved in agricultural markets and food security, including the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), the Ministry of Agriculture, meteorological services and market information systems. This strengthens early warning systems, improves information flow and supports evidence-based decision-making for national food reserve operations.

Mr Speaker, the Bill, therefore, empowers the hon. Minister, through the promulgation of Statutory Instruments (SIs), to designate specific agricultural commodities as essential for national food security. The provision modernises the scope of the reserve system, expanding beyond maize to include crops such as rice, soyabeans, cassava and groundnuts. The Committee observes with concern that while the Bill grants the hon. Minister wide discretionary powers to designate essential commodities, however, it does not provide objective, transparent or evidence-based criteria for making such declarations. This will open room for politicisation of decisions, especially during election periods, potentially increasing fiscal risks. In this regard, the Committee recommends that safeguards are put in place to ensure that the exercise of these powers is evidence-based in line with the spirit and intent of enabling legislation to be consistent with the Government policy direction to prevent arbitrary decision-making and politicisation of powers of the hon. Minister.

Mr Speaker, the Bill further establishes a regulated framework for the purchase, storage and release of commodities within the national strategic food reserve. This includes guidelines for storage, standards, quality control, release protocols during crises and mechanisms for market intervention. This framework will strengthen predictability and confidence among farmers and market actors. However, the Committee observes with great concern that while the Bill clearly outlines the Agency’s obligations, it does not provide mechanisms to improve smallholder access, timely payment, market information or training on quality standards, which risks perpetuating inequalities between large commercial actors and small-scale farmers who rely heavily on the Agency’s markets. The Committee recommends that the Executive puts in place mechanisms to sensitise small-scale farmers on the new operations and systems so that they can effectively participate in commodity trading.

Mr Speaker, as already alluded to, the Bill proposes to strengthen the functions of the FRA in managing the national strategic food reserve. However, the Committee urges the Government to adequately address longstanding operational challenges, including delayed farmer payments, high storage losses, limited report-level monitoring and inadequate logistical infrastructure. If these systemic weaknesses persist, the objectives of the Bill may not be fully realised, and rural neighbourhoods may continue to be affected.

Mr Speaker, finally, the Committee observes with great concern the removal of a representative of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the omission of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment from the Board of the Agency. This will affect sector player participation and inclusiveness in decision-making. In this regard, the Committee recommends that Clause 6 be amended to include representatives from the above-mentioned ministries, and it further recommends that representation on committees of the board be inclusive of all relevant sector players to ensure close collaboration of market players.

As I wind up, Mr Speaker, the Committee urges the House to support the Bill, taking into account the concerns raised in the report. The Committee is grateful to the stakeholders who tendered both written and oral submissions. This greatly assisted the Committee in its work. The Committee also wishes to thank you for allowing it to scrutinise the Food Reserve Bill, No. 33 of 2025. Further appreciation is extended to the Clerk of the National Assembly for the support and guidance rendered throughout the Committee’s deliberations.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, I take note of the submission by the chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources, and I wish to thank him.

Sir, I heard the chairperson say, all stakeholders supported the Bill, and like all stakeholders, the Committee followed suit and supported the Bill.

Allow me, Mr Speaker, to make a few comments based on the provision of Clause 1, Section 17 of the Bill, and it reads as follows:

“(1) The Minister shall, for the purposes of this Act —

(b) cause the collection of data for the purposes of national food security;

(d) cause the preparation of the National Food Balance Sheet.

(2) The Minister may appoint inspectors to perform the functions under subsection (1)(b) and (c).”

Mr Speaker, based on this, I would like to say that this Bill is relegating the hon. Minister into the operational arena. My understanding is that the hon. Minister is supposed to operate at the policy level, and promulgating a policy that supports this law and ensuring its implementation should be enough. However, to say that the hon. Minister should manage the collection of data, for me, creates a problem because the collection of data involves surveys; talking to stakeholders, interviewing people who are connected to these functions, observing the behaviours of people who are conducting the functions under review and engaging and tracking all those processes. From where I stand, I do not see why the hon. Minister should be the one to initiate such activities because they are operational, and not legal activities. They are not policy activities; they are operational activities that must assist management in effectively and efficiently running the FRA. They are routine. Why take the hon. Minister to the agency? I think that provision should not have been supported by both the stakeholders and your Committee.

Mr Speaker, think about the inspection and verification of stock. If you are an organisation that deals with food security by ensuring that there is enough food in your storage, then, you deal with inventory on a daily basis. You would want to know the levels you sit at periodically. Honestly, why should it be the hon. Minister’s job to determine whether there is overstocking or understocking every time there is a verification of the level of stock? Why should the hon. Minister be the one to initiate these particular activities? Does that mean optimisation of stock should be the responsibility of the hon. Minister? Does that mean the reduction of unnecessary capital tie-up and improvement of the financial performance of the FRA will be the responsibility of the hon. Minister? No. These functions should be the responsibility of management within the FRA. These particular responsibilities must sit with others. So, let us detach the hon. Minister from initiating such activities.

Mr Speaker, Section 17(2) of the Bill states:

“The Minister may appoint inspectors to perform the functions under subsections 1(b) and (c).”

Mr Speaker, this worries me more. In other words, we are saying that there may not be existing capacity within the FRA to undertake such acts. As a matter of fact, this is why the directives will come from the hon. Minister. Why should an hon. Minister, who is not an employee under the FRA, but is an employee under the Ministry of Agriculture, appoint people at the FRA to undertake tasks within the agency? Without normal internal control systems, what is being created is an environment for collusion between policy holders and implementers of policy. It may be considered as poor governance. To help the hon. Minister, I think, he must quickly consider amending those particular provisions to ensure that he detaches himself from the operations of the FRA, and leave them to the agency, while remaining with the policy promulgation as well as law development, which sits under his ambit.

Mr Speaker, with those few observations, I impress it upon the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government to reconsider those provisions.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, allow me, firstly, to congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND), especially all the hon. Ministers who were in Kasama: Hon. Paul Kabuswe, impalume pabaume, akatuntulu; the hon. Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts; Hon. Chipoka Mulenga and Hon. Mutati, for ensuring that the mayoral seat was put in the right hands.

Mr Speaker, let me also congratulate the newly-elected hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama, a former Permanent Secretary (PS) who has now become a lawmaker. We will always value his experience as a PS and what he will contribute by being in this House. As a democratic country, we appreciate the value that he brings to this House, especially that he is under the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD).

Mr Speaker, if there is any sector that has done tremendously well in this country, it is the agricultural sector. I am sure those who have been on the road this season can attest to the improvement in maize production based on the yields and good rainfall. I drove from Kasempa this morning and saw how much maize there is around the country. That is not by mistake. That is a sign that this year, the harvest will be beyond what we harvested last year. However, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has continued to operate in a manner in which it has limited capacity to procure most of the available harvest, and farmers will continue experiencing what they went through in the last farming season.

Mr Speaker, this Bill seeks to address a sixty-year gap, which is something that has not been done before in the agriculture sector. At the moment, there is an improvement in crop production, but there is a need for better management of who buys the maize and who stores it. The initiative behind this Bill is a clear indication that this Government, under President Hakainde Hichilema, is responding to changes at the most appropriate time. We do not want the delayed payment of farmers who supply maize to the FRA to become another political jab, just like the way the Opposition wanted to use it in Kasama. Thank God we had impalume, men of honour, who told the farmers the truth. The farmers listened and voted for continuity under the UPND.

Mr Speaker, I fully support this Bill because we know what is ahead of us. We are moving towards the production of 10 million metric tonnes of maize. How will the FRA buy maize if it is funded adequately due to a lapse in the law? This Bill seeks to address that gap. We know what is ahead of us. Our farmers are responding to the situation. They are growing maize, and God has given us good rainfall. Everything is in place to ensure that we continue being the food basket of Africa.

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the farmers, the people of Kankoyo would like to thank the Government for clearing the K11 billion bill. This is the first time the Government has spent so much on procuring crops. The last time the Government spent a huge amount on maize, it spent K1.7 billion. This year, K11.3 billion has been paid to farmers, who are mostly in rural areas. A wise man once said that if a political party wants to stay long in Government, it should ensure that the rural vote is secured. You will be shocked at the results that the UPND Government will get from rural areas, come August this year, because of the K11 billion that was paid to farmers, who are mostly in rural areas. It will be total kolopa. I am asking those who are still living in denial to join us because the policies in agriculture are there to deliver to the Zambian people.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, I will try by all means to stick to the Bill as opposed to politicking about it, because I will be debating within the report.

Laughter

Mr Fube: Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks, among other things, to broaden private-sector participation in the agriculture value chain. It aims to bring on board different market players. By that, we expect the Bill, among other things, to contribute to the stabilisation of such markets. That means market economic shocks must be within the Bill, and there must be shock absorbers outside the Bill. Given this scenario, I would like to say that there is a need to align the National Food Balance Sheet with the National Strategic Food Reserve (NSFR). In looking at this, I want to address, distantly though, the issue that Hon. Kafwaya had addressed, that of corporate governance. If we look at the organogram, where the hon. Minister, the board and the director come in, and the functions assigned to them, we note that there is heavy-handedness. Some of the duties that are supposed to be performed by management are being trespassed upon by the role of the hon. Minister, thereby upsetting principles of corporate governance.

Mr Speaker, when it comes to the issue of economic market shocks, we expect this particular Bill to address that, especially given that the Bill itself has a distant semblance of what we used to call in the Kaunda era, the Price Control Act. However, that is forgiven because the discussion is about the food security of the nation. Therefore, the State participation in the food sector should not be left completely to the public sector. Therefore, I forgive the semblance of a price-control approach because of food security.

Mr Speaker, Clause 5 of the Bill outlines the functions of the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Among them is the selling of designated agricultural commodities as specified in this Act. This also extends to issuing export permits and the like for the same designated food–

Interruptions

Mr Fube: Mr Speaker, can I be protected from the noise, especially from Hon. Nyambose.

Mr Speaker, Clause 6 of the Bill highlights the players who are supposed to be on the board. I appreciate what the Committee has already indicated; the removal and replacement of certain players who are supposed to be accommodated on the board. However, the people of Chilubi still feel that the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) should also have been considered for inclusion on the board for a number of reasons. Firstly, we know that small-scale and large-scale farmers have been accommodated on the board as indicated in Clause 6 of the Bill. Millers, who, in this case, convert raw materials such as grains, into refined products, have also been accommodated on the board. Having said that, we also have other players in the market, especially given that one of the drivers of this Bill is to broaden the participation of the private-sector.

Mr Speaker, ZAM participates in other products that millers may not capture. Therefore, the issue of market forces, especially for retail and wholesale products produced from agricultural commodities, is supposed to have representation in that line. Transcending the issues of pricing, the Bill also addresses the pricing mechanism, which is why I am suggesting that ZAM should participate.

Mr Speaker, Clause 19(2) of the Bill provides for a transparent pricing mechanism. I think, this provides the same level of participation in the agricultural value chain. We know that once the FRA announces the floor price and the like, it sets the market forces in place. I think that this should be navigated properly, especially in Clause 19.

Mr Speaker, as the people of Chilubi, we also suggest that Clause 23 of the Bill includes scientists among the collaborators for quality assurance. I know that people would argue that the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has scientists to some level. They would also argue that the Zambia Metrology Agency has some scientists. However, the people of Chilubi have in mind that the Zambia Metrology Agency would go as far as determining the moisture content, which is usually between 12.5 and 13 per cent, for products such as maize to be ready. What if we bring in the issue of aflatoxins? Under Clause 23, we need to engage collaborators for quality assurance so that we have a player to tackle the issue of aflatoxins, because it is an overflow. There are times when we do not suppress quality assurance, and then these have to come in.

Mr Speaker, let me wrap up by discussing Clause 16 in relation to Clause 22. Clause 16 outlines the purpose of the NSFR, and one of the points highlighted there connects to Clause 22, which concerns donations. I think, this issue of donations to other countries has to be tackled properly. Clause 22 specifically talks about donations to other countries. Given this, there is a need to tally properly –

The hon. Member’s time expired.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, your time is up.

Mr Kapyanga (Mpika): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to add the voice of the people of Mpika to this very important subject. Let me begin by congratulating the new hon. Member of Parliament for Chawama for scooping that seat and the peaceful atmosphere that existed prior to the voting day. I equally want to congratulate the United Party for National Development (UPND) for successfully buying votes in Kasama.

Laughter

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, may you withdraw that statement.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I withdraw. It was just on a lighter note.

Mr Speaker –

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Do not proceed, I said withdraw it.

Mr Kapynaga: I have withdrawn, Mr Speaker.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: What have you withdrawn?

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I have withdrawn the statement that the UPND successfully bought the votes in Kasama.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: May you resume your seat.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Chanda (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to debate in support of this very important Bill.

Mr Speaker, the Bill to repeal and replace the Food Reserve Agency Act of 2020 could not have come at a better time than now. Anyone who is concerned about agriculture in this country, especially those of us who represent constituencies where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, will understand the pressure that the model we have held on to has continued to exert on the State and the Treasury. The more reason we are submitting in support of this Bill.

Mr Speaker, the Bill speaks to reducing fiscal pressure on the Treasury. The heavy involvement of the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in buying, storing and distributing maize clouds out other priority spending. The more reason we are saying that private sector participation, as the Bill proposes, would lower recurrent subsidies as well as storage costs borne by the State.

Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks to improve market efficiency and price discovery. This is very important because competitive private buyers create transparent pricing driven by supply and demand, unlike administratively set prices that often distort farmer incentives.

Mr Speaker, we are told that agriculture is supposed to be a business, but we know that the Act we seek to repeal has allowed a situation where agriculture is treated as a social programme as opposed to a business. What is progressive about this Bill is that, it brings us to where agriculture ought to be, which is a business. Over and beyond, this will benefit a farmer. Issues around the burden on the Treasury and sometimes erratic funding towards payments to farmers that we have experienced previously, will be addressed. This Bill is well-intended because we have important issues of putting resources together to pay the farmers. We know that with enhanced private sector participation, both the domestic private sector in the value chain as well as the private sector beyond the borders of this country will bring even more money into the agriculture sector, and allow it to play a very critical role in the economy of this country.

Mr Speaker, this Bill focuses on the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) as a strategic food security measure, but not for commercial trading. What is important is that the FRA has a role to play, and this role is around food security, which is very important. Maybe, that is why we have safeguards with regard to pricing. The hon. Minister should have a role to play because we are talking about food security, which cannot be surrendered to the private sector in totality.

Mr Speaker, this Bill encourages value addition across the agriculture value chain. When private sector is brought into the picture, it will boost investment in storage facilities in places such as Kanchibiya. It will boost investment in processing, logistics and agro-processing, and this will move our agriculture sector beyond trading in raw maize. For far too long, we have sung about value addition. For far too long, we have talked about smuggling and what happens with the porous and long borders we have with some neighbouring countries. However, smuggling reminds us that those are yawning markets, and therefore, an organised agricultural sector and proper implementation of this Bill will allow us to tap into opportunities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi and Zimbabwe, for us to maximise on the markets in these neighbouring countries.

Mr Speaker, this Bill also aims to reduce post-harvest losses, which are a very big concern in the sector. As I said, private players bring modern storage facilities, silos and warehouse receipt systems, cutting losses that currently drain public resources.

Mr Speaker, this Bill will also enhance the choices of farmers and their bargaining power. Currently, farmers are restricted to selling their produce to the FRA, in most instances. When there is enhanced private sector participation, farmers will have choices and the power to bargain, which will be very good for them. So, on behalf of the people of Kanchibiya, let me say that this Bill could not have come at a better time than this. The Bill will also promote timely payment to our farmers. Private buyers will pay farmers faster than the FRA, because the FRA depends on the Treasury. The Bill will improve farmers’ cash flow and their ability to invest in the next farming season. It will also strengthen rural employment. Those of us from rural constituencies know that the mainstay of our economy is agriculture. When there is value for money, when our farmers can sell their crops at a good price, when they have choices and bargaining power, they can begin creating industries around their crops.

Mr Speaker, this Bill also talks about diversification of crops. This means moving from the monolithic approach of focusing on maize and migrating to promoting products like soya beans and groundnuts. So, for us, this Bill has come at a good time. Those of us in this House who are supportive of the agricultural sector and how it must become a business have an obligation to support this Bill.

Mr Speaker, with those few words, allow me to say that I support the Bill unreservedly.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Mr Speaker, first, allow me to thank the hon. Members who have contributed very positively to the Bill. The hon. Member of Parliament for Lunte cautioned us on board, policy and management issues. We have taken note of that. The hon. Member for Kankoyo, Mr Mabeta, encouraged us to continue syndicating funds to procure and enhance the cash flow for the economy. Yes, indeed, the hon. Member for Chilubi said that we should be careful about the members of the board. He further mentioned that we should include the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) and others who would be useful on the board. Indeed, the last speaker, Hon. Sunday Chanda, Member for Kanchibiya, talked very seriously about enhancement of private sector participation and crop diversification.

Mr Speaker, having said that, the enactment of the Food Reserve Agency Bill No. 33 of 2025, embodies the Government’s collective commitment to safeguarding Zambia’s food security, stabilising agricultural markets and ensuring the resilience of our nation in the face of emergencies and uncertainties. I, therefore, call upon the hon. Members of this august House and indeed, our stakeholders to continue supporting the proposed legislation, as it represents a transformative, multi-faceted approach to safeguarding Zambia’s food security.

Mr Speaker, allow me to thank you, and I thank the hon. Members for the overwhelming support we have received.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Friday, 6^th February, 2026.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

______

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1758 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 5^th February, 2026.

____________

WRITTEN REPLY TO QUESTION

CHANGE OF MODE OF PAYING BENEFICIARIES OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME

141. Dr Andeleki (Katombola) asked the Minister of Community Development and Social Services:

why the Government changed the mode of paying beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer Programme, from cash to electronic payment, through mobile phones;
whether the Government is aware that the decision has affected many beneficiaries in Katombola Parliamentary Constituency, due to poor network connectivity and challenges of literacy levels; and
what measures are being taken to ensure that the beneficiaries of the Programme receive their money on time.

The Minister of Community Development and Social Services (Ms D. Mwamba): Madam Speaker, the Government transitioned Social Cash Transfer (SCT) payments from cash to electronic methods via mobile phones and banks to improve efficiency, security and transparency. Digital payments ensure the timely delivery of cash transfers, reduce travel time for beneficiaries, lower risks of theft and fraud, and enable better tracking of funds. They also promote financial inclusion, allowing access to banking services, and help beneficiaries manage their finances more effectively. Additionally, electronic payments reduce administrative costs and enhance accountability in public fund disbursement. This aligns with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) Strategy 5.5 and the Financial Inclusion Policy 2017.

Madam Speaker, the Government recognises the challenges posed by limited connectivity in remote areas and is actively exploring innovative solutions to enable digital payments in offline environments. These include technologies such as Near Field Communication (NFC) payments and voucher-based electronic transactions. The ministry is working with the Ministry of Technology and Science, in collaboration with the Smart Zambia Institute, to expand connectivity by increasing the number of communication towers in rural areas.

Madam Speaker, to address low literacy levels, the Government has implemented a comprehensive communication strategy and recruited communication specialists within the Social Cash Transfer Unit. Their role is to enhance community awareness and mitigate literacy-related barriers. Additionally, the Social Cash Transfer Unit has introduced a direct SMS-based communication service to promote mobile phone usage among beneficiaries and ensure more inclusive access to digital financial services.

Madam Speaker, the ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to ensure the timely release of funds for the Social Cash Transfer Programme. To improve the efficiency and predictability of payments, the rollout of electronic payment systems has been prioritised, enabling beneficiaries to receive funds promptly once disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning. The ministry has also undertaken system upgrades to strengthen connectivity with Payment Service Providers (PSPs), thereby, accelerating payment processing. Continuous engagement with PSPs ensures that their platforms are upgraded to reduce system failures and congestion.

Madam Speaker, as of December 2025, the SCT Programme reached 1,311,101 beneficiaries nationwide, with 89 per cent receiving payments through secure electronic platforms. In Katombola Constituency, 9,562 beneficiaries are enrolled, of whom 82 per cent, 8,776, access transfers electronically, while 1,786 are served through payment point managers. To strengthen programme performance, the ministry has distributed 75 Starlink kits across districts, including Kazungula, to improve Internet connectivity and enhance the Management Information System, enabling faster payment delivery, better monitoring, and more reliable service delivery. Overall, the SCT Programme’s payment success rate has risen from 79 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 to 98 per cent in the fourth quarter, underscoring progress in financial inclusion and streamlined service delivery.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

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