DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Tuesday, 18th October, 2011

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

______________

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

Mr Speaker: May His Honour, the Vice President, indicate the Business of the week.

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, I rise to give the House an indication of the Business it will consider this week.

The Business of the House, today, will be restricted to the Motion of Thanks to His Excellency, the President’s Address, which was delivered to this House on Friday, 14th October, 2011. Tomorrow, Wednesday, 19th October, 2011, the Business of the House will start with Questions for Oral Answer, if there will be any. This will be followed by consideration of the Motion to approve the new Government ministries and departments announced by His Excellency sometime ago. Then the House will continue with the debate on the Motion of Thanks to His Excellency, the President’s Address. On Thursday, 20th October, 2011, the Business of the House will commence with Questions, if there will be any. The House will then continue with the debate on the Motion of Thanks to His Excellency President’s Address. On Friday, 21st October, 2011, the Business of the House will begin with His Honour, the Vice-President’s Question Time. This will be followed by Questions, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will continue with the debate on the Motion of Thanks to His Excellency, the President’s Address.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

________________

MOTION

MOTION OF THANKS

Mr Mwimba Malama (Mfuwe): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the thanks of this Assembly be recorded for the exposition of public policy contained in the President’s Address.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Ms Siliya (Petauke): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, allow me, from the outset, to thank you for according me the rare honour and privilege to move the Motion of Thanks to the speech by the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, on the occasion of the Official Opening of the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly on Friday, 14th October, 2011.

Mr Speaker, I would like to congratulate the President on his thought-provoking and well-delivered speech last Friday. In his address, the President outlined the various areas that need urgent attention as well as areas of future concern upon which the House should deliberate.

Mr Speaker, in his opening remarks, His Excellency, the President congratulated all the presiding officers on their deserved election to positions of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairperson of the Committees of the Whole House. He also congratulated all hon. Members of Parliament on their election to this august House.

Sir, I also wish to join the President in congratulating you, as Speaker of this House, the hon. Deputy Speaker, the hon. Deputy Chairperson of the Committees of the Whole House and all of you, my fellow parliamentarians.

Mr Speaker, in his speech, the President covered many areas of national interests. These are: elections, parliamentary affairs, socio-economic affairs, national development agenda and National Budget, under which he outlined the following core programmes.

(i)    education development;

(iii)    health services; 

(iv)    agricultural development;

(v)    local government and housing development;

(vi)    infrastructure development;

(vii)    social development; 

(viii)    youth empowerment;

(ix)    commerce, trade and Industry;

(x)    manufacturing sector;

(xi)    energy development; 

(xii)    government and administration of the State and 

(xiii)    tourism.

Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to briefly comment on some of the issues in the President’s Speech already referred to above.

Mr Speaker, in my discussion, I will not follow the sub-headings outlined above, but will elaborate the salient issues raised in the speech.

Mr Speaker, in the light of the challenges faced in the conduct of the last tripartite elections by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), His Excellency, the President informed the House that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government will commit itself to addressing these issues in order to enhance the capacity of the ECZ and bring it in line with the expectations of our democratic dispensation.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, key among the reforms needed to improve the electoral process is the PF Government’s resolve to print ballot papers for future elections locally.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, this will enhance our people’s confidence in the electoral process and, especially, in its outcome, which gives any winning party the mandate to rule, but, more importantly, the legitimacy to lead the people of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, with respect to parliamentary affairs, His Excellency, the President, informed the House that Parliament, being one of the three arms of the Government, was an important institution in this country because it does not only make laws of the land, but also provides checks and balances on the Executive.

The President noted that, as a people’s representative body, Parliament should be seen to be working in accordance with the aspirations of the people despite their situation or station in life and that it must be a source of hope for them. It is, therefore, important that hon. Members of Parliament will support the Government through law-making as a framework for implementing and monitoring progress towards achieving the clear goals that the Government has embarked on to achieve in such areas as infrastructure development, social protection of our people, youth empowerment and promotion of the manufacturing sector, to name, but a few. In this regard, His Excellency, the President, pledged that the PF Government will work with Parliament to accelerate the implementation of the on-going parliamentary reforms in order to make the institution more accessible, responsive and accountable to the people. His Excellency, the President, also called upon our co-operating partners to continue supporting us in our effort to transform Parliament and, thereby, enhance democracy.

Mr Speaker, His Excellency, the President, noted with concern that although Zambia will, this month, be celebrating forty-seven years of independence, there were high poverty levels in the country and that, despite being endowed with a lot of natural resources, the country has continued to face an unacceptable increase in poverty levels and low formal sector employment opportunities. This problem has further been worsened by the challenges and obstacles limiting our people’s ability to access the benefits of our economic and social development. 

Mr Speaker, the above-mentioned problems have led to the decline in the quality of our people’s lives. It is, therefore, imperative that the oversight role of Parliament should cover those areas of production, such as commerce, trade and industry, energy and mining development as well as tourism to maximise the returns from these activities so as to improve the welfare of our people. This is why the President emphasised the need not to export anything from our extractive industries until we assess and evaluate the gain to benefits of such exports.

Further, the President stated that the recently pronounced economic growth characterised by the classification of Zambia as lower middle income country is meaningless if it has only a limited impact on poverty reduction amongst our people.

Mr Speaker, His Excellency, however, reassured the House that he will see to it that the pronouncements in economic performance translate into substantial reduction in poverty indicators in our communities. He pointed out that the challenges of this Government are to improve the quality of life for the majority of our people, especially those in rural areas.

His Excellency reiterated that the goal of the PF Government is to achieve higher sustained economic growth that will uplift the well-being of the poor in our country. To this end, the President added that the PF Government will introduce programmes to accelerate the social economic empowerment of citizens especially the youth and women. 

The President further stated that offering employment opportunities for our people, especially the many young men and women leaving educational institutions in our country, is critical to the fulfillment of the PF manifesto, which promises job creation and putting more money in your pockets.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, it is in this regard that the President has laid the foundation...

Mr Ntundu: Question.

Mr Mwimba Malama: ... for the introduction of skills training as the basis for creating self-employment opportunities, especially for the youth. This will be done, as the President stated, through reorientation of the Zambia National Service (ZNS) into the Zambia Youth Training Service so that the various camps throughout the country are turned into non-military skills training centres to help create employment opportunities for the youth when they graduate from colleges and universities and turning the tourism industry from its present state to make it contribute to Zambia’s economic development through proper infrastructure development, good marketing of Zambia as a tourist destination of choice and stabilisation of the exchange rates. 

Mr Speaker, these measures will further be strengthened by removing the provincial capital of Southern Province from Livingstone to Choma, mainstreaming the Local Government and Housing Development Sector coupled with the creation of the new Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Ministry, which will help empower our traditional leaders. Further, creation of a new province to be called Muchinga will assist in opening up one of our rural areas to modern development.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Additionally, Mr Speaker, the massive development projects, especially road construction, that have been planned to start in many regions of our country should help create more jobs as it will require the services of various suppliers. In this vein, it is important that this House supports these initiatives, especially when it comes to budgetary allocations to the projects. 

Mr Speaker, the President and the PF Government are also to be praised for clearly advocating, through the President’s Speech, the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and, hence, creating equal opportunity for all citizens. In this regard, the President has already taken the lead by appointing women to very senior decision-making positions within a few days of assuming the Office of the President. 

Sir, let me also take this opportunity to conclude my maiden speech by placing emphasis on the Mfuwe Parliamentary Constituency, as I thank my wife and the entire family for the support I received during the campaigns. I also wish to very sincerely thank my party, the PF, ...

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: ... the winning party, and, especially, the President of our party and Republican President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, for readopting me and for the support I received from him. 

Sir, let me further thank the great people of Mfuwe Constituency for endorsing my candidature and that of the councillors and the President as demonstrated by the overwhelming vote they gave us. The last time a Member of Parliament was re-elected in Mfuwe was during the UNIP days. I do not know if we have a Member of Parliament of UNIP today. Breaking that record, through the re-election of a PF Member of Parliament and the majority of councillors, and, indeed, the President is a milestone whose record should be treasured in Mfuwe for many years to come.

Mr Speaker, allow me now to briefly address this august House on various issues affecting the Mfuwe Parliamentary Constituency. I wish to urge my action-oriented party, the PF, to do away with politics of benefit, in which materials like chitenges and t-shirts are given to lure people’s votes. This will help stump out corruption during campaigns. This is very important because some people vote because they are given a chitenge material. That is not important. Our people need to understand the reason they queue to vote. Therefore, I urge my good party to look into this. It will further promote the participation of the poorest people in elections because the current situation makes it too expensive for a poor person to take part in the elections. 

Mr Speaker, each time Members of Parliament are elected, they highlight almost the same problems in their maiden speeches that affect their constituencies. This becomes monotonous for the House and our people outside to listen to. For this reason, the PF Government should seriously address all the issues that...

Mr Speaker: Order!{mospagebreak}

Mr Kunda, SC.: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Sir, this is a very important and crucial point of order. The President’s Speech supersedes the presentation of the Budget in this House. I wish to refer you, as I develop my point of order, to the Zambia Daily Mail Newspaper of 4th October, 2011, which I will lay on the Table, and I quote:

“Amos Malupenga is New Information, Tourism PS”.

“The President further abolished the position of Secretary to the Treasury with immediate effect saying it was extravagant. The position was held by Likolo Ndalamei.”

Mr Speaker, the position of Secretary to the Treasury was created by this House under the Public Finance Act No. 15 of 2004. Among the functions of the Secretary to the Treasury are the following:

(i)    pursuant to Section 6(2) of the Act:

“the Secretary to the Treasury shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Treasury and the Chief Controlling Officer of the Government and shall exercise such functions as prescribed in this Act or as may be authorised in writing by the hon. Minister” and 

(ii)    Section 6(3) states that: 

“the Secretary to the Treasury, among other things, shall be responsible for preparing annual estimates of revenue and expenditure pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, conduct a quarterly review of the performance of the Budget and submit a report thereof to the hon. Minister, preparing supplementary estimates of expenditure when the situation so demands, preparing annual consolidated statements of assets and other duties”.

(iii)    Further, the Secretary to the Treasury in Section 7 is required to appoint controlling officers. It is common Knowledge, Mr Speaker, that a number of new permanent secretaries have been appointed. For them to be controlling officers, they must be conferred with that authority by the Secretary to the Treasury. Is the Government in order to abolish this important position without amending the law? How will the Government prepare the Budget?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda laid the paper on the Table. 

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, since the point of order raised by Hon. Kunda is a substantive issue, I would like to inform the House that the matter will be addressed tomorrow by His Honour, the Vice-President, as he addresses the questions regarding Government departments and ministries. 

May the hon. Member for Mfuwe continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

    Mr D. Mwila: Hammer!

    Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, for this reason, the PF Government should seriously address the issues that have been brought to the attention of this House by my predecessors. In this regard, I wish to urge my Government to seriously resolve the problems I shall now look at, which have affected the development process in Mfuwe for a long time.

    Mr Speaker, I am happy that the PF Government has decided to complete the road projects that the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government started two months prior to the general elections. 

    Hon. Government Members: Shame!

    Mr C. Mulenga: Emisango yabo!

    Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, I do not understand what the former Government was doing. It waited for two months prior to the elections to gather all the road making-machines. That will not happen under the rule of this Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, this is important in the case of Mfuwe Constituency, which has asked for the construction and tarring of the Mpika-Nabwalya Road since 1964. I have hope that this action-oriented Government will work on this road.

Interruptions

    Mr Speaker: Order! 

    Can we have some order on the left, please.

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, I am happy that his Excellency, the President, Mr Sata, informed the nation that the PF Government will work on food storage facilities. It is also important, as the President stated, that tailor-made subsidies, market guarantees and extension services be extended to specific areas of agricultural production. The agriculture marketing system should also be changed so as to start purchasing crops by June of each agricultural season.

Sir, it was the habit of the past Governments to distribute more national wealth where they got more votes. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. MMD Members: Question!

Mr Mwimba Malama: For example, more boreholes were sunk in their strongholds than in areas where the Opposition was more popular.

Mr C. Mulenga: Namasukulu!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, these days, the Zambian people cannot be bought. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

    Mr Malama: Mr Speaker, our friends who had a lot of money are sitting on your left hand side.

    Interruptions

    Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, this is a big lesson to politicians that the people of Zambia will never be misled anymore. It is, therefore, important that we, the PF Government, change this trend and distribute national wealth equally to all the different parts of the country, especially with regard to water and sanitation, which are key to good health. 

    Mr Speaker, there is a need to ensure that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is distributed equally and in good time to all the constituencies. This should not only be done during election periods.

    Mr Speaker, some of us did not receive the CDF some three months ago like some hon. Members of Parliament did, particularly those that belonged to the Ruling Party. That is not good leadership. Despite receiving the CDF, they are on your left.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

    Mr C. Mulenga: It never worked. 

    Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, let me also talk about the health sector. The issue of good health facilities has long been neglected in Mfuwe. 

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: My point of order arises from the comments that have been made on the Floor of this House by the hon. Member for Mfuwe Constituency. In his submissions, he indicated that hon. Members on your left received the CDF in their constituencies. That statement is untrue. We have all been duly informed that it is not allowed to bring falsehoods to the Floor of this House. Is the hon. Member, therefore, in order to give a blanket statement that we, on your left, received the CDF? I need your ruling, Sir.  

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order!

I will allow the hon. Member on the Floor to continue with his debate, but with the caveat that he responds to that point of order.

Mr Mwimba Malama: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Member got me clearly, he would have heard me say that the MMD Government used to selectively distribute the CDF. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Sir, health facilities in Mfuwe have been neglected for a long time now. For example, under the MMD Government, expectant mothers walked more than 60 kilometres to health centres. Today, the people of Mfuwe have hope that the PF Government will prioritise the building of good health centres that will provide quality health services to all Zambians. 

Lastly, Mr Speaker, I will talk about school infrastructure. All the school projects in the annual work plans for 2009/ 2010 have not been implemented in Mfuwe Constituency.

Hon. Government Members: Shame!

Mr Mwimba Malama: This state of affairs has displeased the people of Mfuwe. This, partly, explains why they opted for the change of Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba Malama: Since education is vital to the economic growth of any area, it is incumbent upon the PF Government to uplift the people of Mfuwe, in this regard.

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

Ms Siliya: Now, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, from the onset, I wish to take this opportunity to, once again, congratulate the PF for putting up a spirited fight and emerging victorious in the September, 20th tripartite elections.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: I, Dora Siliya, representing the Nsenga people of Petauke Central, wish, in particular, to congratulate His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the fifth President of the Republic of Zambia, for showing such tenacity in leading the PF from an opposition party to a party in Government within ten years.

We, on your left side of the House, wish Mr Sata God’s blessings and guidance as he leads our country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, allow me to also pay tribute to the immediate past President, Mr Rupiah Banda, for the leadership he provided to the nation, especially during the smooth handover of power.

Hon. MMD members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I will remember his presidency as that of a man who always fought tribalism and encouraged unity and harmony among all Zambians.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: As Zambians, we wish him well in his endeavours and thank him for having been Zambia’s fourth President. 

Sir, my tribute also goes to those that came before Mr Banda, the first President of the MMD and second Republican President, the late Dr Frederick Chiluba and the second President of the party and third Republican President, the late, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. They have, indeed, left an indelible mark on the development path of our dear country, Zambia.

Mr Speaker, I now wish to remind our colleagues on your right that they are now in Government.

Hon. Government Members: Yes, we know that!

Ms Siliya: The newly-elected Government is not just for PF members, but a is Government for all Zambians. 

Interruptions

Ms Siliya: Even those who did not vote for the PF are constitutionally entitled to be considered for development by our colleagues on your right.

Interruptions

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I congratulate you for being elected Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia. We have no doubt that, despite a very tightly-contested vote that ended in your election, you will perform to the expectations of all hon. Members in the House. Let me also extend the same message to the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House.

Sir, at this point, I also wish to congratulate all my fellow hon. Members of Parliament on this side of the House for winning their respective seats. My colleagues and I take these seats on your left with pride and are eager to serve the people who elected us to this House, as a credible Opposition for national development.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, let me congratulate all Zambians, the youth, our mothers, the clergy, traditional leaders and all patriots who turned up in large numbers to vote, some of them braving a very tense election atmosphere. I put on record my condemnation of violence that might have taken place before, during and, as a new concern, after elections.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I wish, again, to remind those on your right that they are now in Government and are responsible for the welfare and security of all the 13 million Zambians, whether they voted for the PF or not.

Sir, as the MMD, we look back on our last 20 years in Government with pride and are confident that the Zambian people will put us back in power whilst we address the issues… 

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: … that distanced the party from the people.

Mr Speaker, the MMD is still proud of its track record of championing the return to multi-party politics in 1991 and introducing major economic and social reforms.

Mr Speaker, the MMD left Government with a profound track record of sound economic performance. We have left a track record of high investment in construction. Any economist will tell you that if there is a boom in construction, the economy is doing well. When one looks at the area around Parliament, he or she would see hotels, office buildings and houses being constructed. This means that, indeed, the MMD left some good things in place.

Sir, our track record involved high investment in the mining sector, thereby, creating many jobs, especially for our young people.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, we continued with investments in the energy sector so that economic innovation activities could continue to be spurred, especially in areas like my constituency, Petauke, where there is a lot of potential in sectors like agro-processing.

Mr Speaker, in tourism, we are happy, as the MMD, with the number of Zambians we empowered with capital whilst in Government to pump into the lodge, hotel and catering businesses.

Mr D. Mwila: On a Point of Order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A Point of Order is raised.

Mr D. Mwila: Mr Speaker, the standard practice of this House is that, once His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, addresses the House, all hon. Members of Parliament are supposed to refer to the Presidential Speech not what the previous Government did.

Interruptions

Mr D. Mwila: Is the hon. Member in order to continuously talk about what the MMD did? I seek your serious ruling on this matter.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! 

May the hon. Member for Petauke continue, please.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Long live the Chair!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, just before I was interrupted, I was belabouring the point that the MMD left a sound track record, especially in investment in tourism, agriculture and education. For the first time after thirty years, the MMD came up with a plan to construct 100 new high schools from 2010 to 2012. The PF is now in Government, and should, therefore, improve on what the MMD did well and correct the failures. 

Mr Speaker, Zambians, especially youths and women, are anxiously waiting for the Government to deliver on its campaign promises of, not just money, but more money in the people’s pockets. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, let me now turn to the President’s Speech at the Official Opening of Parliament of the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, which …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Ms Siliya: … reflected key development sectors such as education and agriculture. There are positive aspects of the President’s Speech to which I wish to draw your attention. The first is the PF Government’s recognition that achieving its priority objectives requires a well-balanced development agenda. In appreciating the President’s recognition of long-term planning, I hope that the PF Government will recognise that the current development plan, the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP), anchored in the Vision 2030, was developed by experts, in and outside the Government. 

Mr Speaker, secondly, it is gratifying to note that the PF Government, just like the MMD Government, prioritises the agricultural sector because of the critical role it plays in ensuring national food security and creating wealth for rural families. In Petauke, we bear witness in having succeeded in making agriculture a major income earner for many families. We hope that the PF Government will take the next step to make maize and other crops competitive for both local and export markets. 

Mr Speaker, I also welcome the President’s recognition of education’s importance to the social and economic transformation of our country. It is investment in human capital that changed countries like China, Singapore, India and Malaysia. We all know what must be done. We need to educate all Zambians. In this regard, we welcome the President’s pledge to re-introduce compulsory primary and secondary education. 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Ms Siliya: Sir, however, for this to be achieved, consideration must be given to other factors, such as the sensitisation of families on the importance of education in contributing to home economic security. We have to address the issues of access. We need to see how many schools are within the vicinity of a given community and if children can walk to these schools. Are there school places? We have to address issues of gender equity and ensuring that minority groups are able to attend school. In some cases, we must identify alternative sources of income for the families because we know that, in some areas of Zambia, school-going children are used by their parents for economic activities like catching caterpillars, in Luapula, where the hon. Member of Parliament for Chipili comes from, ... 

Laughter

Ms Siliya: fishing and farming in all parts of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, in some instances, we may even have to consider legislation to compel families to ensure that every child of school-going age is, indeed, in school. In this regard, I look forward to the hon. Minister of Education’s coming to share with us the budgetary considerations and long-term plans to effect compulsory primary and secondary education. 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President, Mr Sata, stated that, under the previous Government, the pace of infrastructure development was too slow to meet the aspirations of the people. In agreeing with him, I bring a message from the people of Petauke. Since the President has given the instruction, we now wish to see our colleagues on your right effect it within the shortest possible time, and the magic number is ninety days. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Sir, the people of Petauke wish to have the Great East Road worked on between Nyimba and Sinda, immediately. 

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Ms Siliya: The people of Petauke wish to have improved housing within ninety days. Furthermore, they wish to have improved supply of clean water, especially in villages; upgraded feeder roads; building of bridges and better electricity supply. Again, I will be looking forward to the presentation of budgetary considerations by the relevant ministries.

Mr Speaker, I noted that the President’s Speech did not say anything about the windfall tax, which was the PF’s major campaign message. It is my sincere hope that a clear policy direction on the mining tax regime will soon be provided to the nation. 

Sir, His Excellency, President Sata, also did not clarify his Government’s foreign policy. For example, many Zambians wish to know this Government’s policy on China, Taiwan and some of our neighbouring countries, considering some of the stories doing the rounds in the media. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Sir, this, indeed, is our motherland and all our national wealth comes from Zambian resources, including Zambian tax payers, regardless of their political affiliation. Even this Government, since it came into office, has been running on Zambian tax payers’ money. Just recently, Zambians paid for His Honour, the Vice-President’s strip to Malawi to represent our interests. Many of us, hon. Ministers and hon. Members of Parliament, alike, will undertake a lot of work within and outside Zambia paid for by tax payers on behalf of the people of Zambia. All these expenses by the Government are necessary as long as they result in empowerment of the people.

Mr Speaker, I wish to extend my profound gratitude to the people of Petauke Central for, once again, showing confidence in me by giving me another opportunity to serve them. Indeed, this is not a privilege I take for granted. I will do everything possible to ensure that their voices are heard. I will ensure that this new Government does not forget that the people of Petauke, especially the youth and women, are looking for job and business opportunities, for more money in their pockets in the next ninety days or less.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I remind each one of us, again, that Zambia belongs to all Zambians. It is in this spirit that I quote Benjamin Bate, who said:

“True prosperity is the result of well placed confidence in ourselves and our fellow man.”

Mr Speaker, I beg to second.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to make my Maiden Speech. Before I go into it, I would like to congratulate you, the hon. Deputy Speaker and the hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House on your election to your positions in the House. To the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff, I thank you for welcoming us. To the immediate past hon. Speaker, who has been in charge for the past ten years that I have been an hon. Member of Parliament, I wish him well and every success in all his future endeavours. To the people of Moomba Constituency, especially the voters, I salute them for overwhelmingly and convincingly electing me to represent them for the third time running. 

There were five people against me, …

Laughter

Mr Mooya: … including the rebels, but I beat them all. Let me also thank them for participating in the Presidential elections in numbers. About 64.6 per cent of registered voters participated compared to 53.98 per cent at national level. This is according to the election results in the Zambia Daily Mail of Friday, 30th September, 2011.

Mr Speaker, the speech by the Republican President, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly on Friday, 14th October, 2011 touched many areas of our economy. 

Mr Speaker, I would like to comment and contribute on a few of these areas, namely, education, local government, housing and infrastructure development.

Mr Speaker, in Paragraph 1 of Page 13 of the Speech, the President stated that his Government would reintroduce compulsory primary and secondary education and establish universities and technical colleges in every province and rehabilitate the existing ones.

Sir, mine is a rural constituency that has no high school. As a result, many pupils do not go beyond Grade 9 every year. In order for them to reach tertiary education, as stated above, and make a meaningful contribution to national development, a boarding high school is urgently required.

I am happy to hear that 100 high schools were constructed during the era of the MMD Government, as stated by the previous speaker. However, I hope that the next phase will include Moomba Constituency.

Mr Speaker, on Page 24 of the Speech, the President states that his Government will further introduce a social housing scheme that will empower councils to construct low cost houses from Government guaranteed loans. I hope this Government has the political will to solve the housing problem in our country.

Sir, since the end of the One-Party State era, in which local authorities were discouraged or barred from engaging in estate development, little has been done to solve the problem of housing. According to available information, the country had a backlog of 1.5 million housing units in April, 2011 as compared to 846,000 in 1996. 

Mr Speaker, a standard low cost house costs US$300 or K1, 500,000 per square metre. For example, a low cost house measuring 7m x 10m, which is 70 square metres, will cost K105, 000, 000. For a medium cost house, the cost is twice that much. Similarly, a high cost house is three or four times that amount. The housing backlog is getting bigger and more costly and, as a result, becoming more difficult to clear.

Mr Speaker, I note that the Republican President has instructed the hon. Minister of Local Government, Housing, Early Education and Environmental Protection to ensure that an audit is undertaken to establish the degree of accountability in the use of the CDF during the last financial year before any review or further disbursement of the fund. While this measure, for each hon. Member of Parliament to account for the funds is welcome, I strongly recommend that any review necessary and disbursements should go ahead while an audit is being undertaken.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: About 60 per cent of the hon. Members of Parliament are new and were not involved in the use or misuse of the money, while only a few of the 40 per cent of the returning hon. Members of Parliament could have been involved in the alleged abuse. I am sure they are known. Therefore, the presidential directive should only apply to them.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Mr Speaker, as stated on Page 8 of today’s Zambia Daily Mail newspaper, this scheme enables hon. Members of Parliament or legislators to fulfil the demands of their electorates and to access a greater share of State resources which are monopolised by the executive of any ruling party.

In addition, there are already existing measures that have been put in place to arrest the abuse of the CDF. These measures must be implemented and enforced. They include guidelines on the channelling and utilisation of the CDF; local government auditors, Parliamentary committees, District Development Co-ordinating Committees (DDCC), Area Development Committees, zonal development committees and the courts of law. These offer effective checks and balances on the utilisation of the CDF.

Sir, the CDF should be increased to K5 billion …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: … and be immediately disbursed in the first, not last, quarter of each year.

Mr Speaker, infrastructure development is a requirement and catalyst to any economic growth of a country. Without good infrastructure, the economy of a country cannot grow to required levels.

Sir, in Paragraph 1 of Page 28 of the Speech, the President states that his Government shall commit a substantial part of the National Annual Development Budget to infrastructure development. This development is long overdue. It is paramount that Zambians benefit first. Infrastructure development that can be done by Zambian contractors must be given to them, but they can partner with foreign contractors for contracts that are beyond their capacity to execute on their own. This will build the capacity of local contractors.

Mr Speaker, the Government should also urgently look into the following and find solutions:

(i)    late completion of the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) funded projects, which has resulted into huge financial losses;

(ii)    local debt and late payments to contractors;

(iii)    project over-commitment or over-procurement; and

(iv)    political interference in the discharge of official duties.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde (Itezhi-tezhi): Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to deliver my Maiden Speech to this august House. From the outset, allow me to thank the previous speaker, Hon. Mooya, for making me feel at ease.

Sir, allow me, at this juncture, to thank my parents who, in 1984, after retiring from Nampundwe Mine, decided to settle in Itezhi-tezhi. Although they are both deceased, I stand in this august House to serve the people of Itezhi-tezhi knowing that my late mother is buried there.

In the same breath, Mr Speaker, may it please you that I should thank the people of Itezhi-tezhi, who have given me a social contract of agency on their behalf and whose terms are very clear to me.

I will also take this occasion, Sir, to thank the United Party for National Development (UPND), the government in waiting, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Monde: … on whose party mandate I was allowed to stand in this constituency.

Mr Speaker, I started politics when I was still a pupil. This was the time that I learnt, like the former United States of America (USA) President, J. F. Kennedy, that it is not about what the country should do for me, but what I should do for it.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: Sir, it must be put on record that I am a family man and that I would be failing in my duties if I did not give special thanks to my lovely wife, Nancy, boma Muwana, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: … whose support to me during the campaigns was simply unprecedented. I would also like you to thank my colleagues who were not successful in this election, including one losing candidate who stood under the Patriotic Front, for having participated. I would like to invite them to bring forward their developmental ideas for the people of Itezhi-tezhi.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, I will not be an hon. Member of Parliament for the UPND supporters only, but also all the approximately 200,000 people of Itezhi-tezhi, including those who did not vote for me.

Mr Speaker, this august House would not have been this friendly without the hon. Members who came here before us and have received us warmly. For that, I thank them whole-heartedly. 

Mr Speaker, this is my Maiden Speech, and I will be very careful about which words to use in order to avoid being ruled out of order.

Laughter

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, I pledge that every time I am allowed to debate, I will do so according to the law and in cognisance of the separation of powers. In so doing, I will endeavour to uphold the latter’s emphasis on checks and balances, which are essential in the prevention of abuse of power. I will seek to debate within the law, knowing that this is supreme and no one is above it.

Mr Speaker, since this is a Maiden Speech, it is supposed to be short and non-controversial. This not withstanding, I would like to reiterate that I come to this House as a conduit of development for the people of Itezhi-tezhi. It is for this reason that, at an opportune time, I will stand to speak. However, like I have already said, I will do so within the rules of Parliament and according to the rule of law.

Lastly, Mr Speaker, allow me to comment on the Republican President’s Speech on the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly by drawing your attention to pages 27 to 29. In the last paragraph, I note that the road mentioned has not been specified. I am wondering whether His Excellency, the President, meant the Bottom Road. This remains speculative since he only said: 

“We also need a viable road from Zimba to Siavonga via Gwembe District in the Southern Province.”

Interruptions

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, there is no such road in existence.

Laughter

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, I have also noted with sadness that, out of the twenty-one roads mentioned in the President’s Speech, only one is in Southern Province: the so-called viable road. This translates into a paltry 5 per cent.

Mr Speaker, I wish to put on record that, as an hon. Member of Parliament, I am interested in what is happening throughout the country, even as I pledge my first loyalty to Itezhi-tezhi Constituency. I feel left out of this programme because the Itezhi-tezhi-Mongu Junction and Itezhi-tezhi-Namwala roads are not mentioned despite leading to one of the world’s most renowned national parks, the Kafue National Park, which is the largest park in Zambia and one of the largest in Africa.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, with such a natural tourist attraction, I am left to wonder how the Speech by His Excellency, the President, which emphasised the importance of the tourism sector to the overall economy, failed to capture the need to address infrastructural challenges in Itezhi-tezhi.

Mr Speaker, the only consolation, at this stage - and I hope this will be so - is that this is not a budget. As such, I hope that my concerns above shall be incorporated in the 2012 National Budget yet to be presented.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: Finally, Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech has left out the fundamental and most talked-about of PF campaign promises in the Western Province, the Mongu-Kalabo Road.

Mr Speaker, the Kalongola-Kalabo Road is not an economical alternative to the Mongu-Kalabo Road because it contradicts the famous PF slogan of “More Money in Your Pocket”. I am not speaking in abstract terms. The distance between Mongu and Kalabo, via Senanga-Kalongola, is 275 km. Mongu-Kalabo direct is only 65 km. The difference is 210 km. The difference in construction costs I will leave to the Executive to calculate.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Monde: The ideal thing would be to go ahead with the construction of the Mongu-Kalabo Road, which the President has decided to omit. All this advice I offer at no cost.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya (Mpika Central): Mr Speaker, from the outset, I would like to congratulate Mr Michael Chilufya Sata on his election by the people of Zambia to the position of Republican President. May I also congratulate you on your election by hon. Members of Parliament as Speaker of this Assembly. I also extend my congratulations to the hon. Mr Deputy Speaker and the Chairperson of the Committees of the Whole House.

Mr Speaker, I also wish to thank my party, the PF, for adopting me to re-contest as Member of Parliament for Mpika Central on its ticket. I further thank the people of Mpika for voting for me as their representative. I also thank my friends and family members for their material support and encouragement during the campaign period. My sincere gratitude goes to all the PF officials at section, branch, ward, constituency, district and provincial levels, who worked day and night to ensure that Mpika Central was captured by the mighty PF.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, let me inform this House that, in the Tenth Assembly, I was an hon. Member of Parliament from an opposition political party and I encountered many problems in securing funds for developmental projects from the MMD Government, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Kapeya: … which neglected constituencies that were under the PF, such as mine. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: The few projects that have been completed in Mpika Central, such as street lighting, construction of bridges, youth skills centres, primary health care centres, teachers’ houses, rehabilitation of community and basic schools, supply of school desks, construction of mourners’ shelters, funding to various youths’ and women’s clubs and the rehabilitation of feeder and township roads were done using the CDF.

Mr Speaker, I salute this august House for introducing the CDF because it has produced results for some of us. It is, therefore, my sincere hope and trust that the new hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, who is a seasoned politician and former freedom fighter, will beat the record by increasing the allocation for the CDF from the current K670 million to K1 billion and not K5 billion as suggested.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interjections

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, we need to be very realistic. Five billion is too much; K1 billion is okay.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, agriculture …

Interjections

Mr Kapeya: Listen to senior hon. Members of Parliament, please (pointing at hon. Opposition Members).

Laughter

Mr V. Mwale: Senior ku Back Bench.

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, allow me now to talk about agriculture. Mpika, being an agricultural-oriented area, its people have taken cultivation of various crops as a serious business because they have realised that this is the only way to improve their living standards. Indeed, the production of maize has been on the increase in each successive farming season since 2006. The only hindrance is the ineffective payment systems used by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and the long distances that farmers cover to deliver their produce to the established satellite centres.

Mr Speaker, at the moment, farmers who delivered their maize to the FRA in August and September, 2011 have not yet been paid. This slows down their preparations for the next planting season.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. MMD Members: Pay them!

Mr Mwamba: We are paying them.

Mr Kapeya: It is you who planned for these payments. What are you talking about?

Interruptions 

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, despite the rapid population growth of Mpika, there is only one district hospital and one mission hospital, which cannot cater for the large number of patients in the area. The most worrying factor at Mpika District Hospital is the non-availability of drugs. This situation was caused by the MMD Government. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: Patients are always subjected to buying drugs from drug stores at high prices. There is, therefore, a need to build more hospitals and health posts and stock them with the required drugs. This is something that the PF Government will soon embark on.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, despite Mpika being the largest district in Zambia, it has only six secondary schools that cannot take on the increased number of children of school-going age. The MMD Government totally failed to provide adequate learning facilities.

Sir, I would like to also make a few comments on the water situation in the country. From the time the MMD Government created water utility companies in the country, critical shortages of water in some areas still continue. In Mpika, Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company has failed to live up to people’s expectations due to failure by the previous Government to fund the company adequately in order to sort out the water problems in Mpika. As I speak, water taps have been dry for the past eight days, forcing residents of the central suburbs to depend on contaminated water from surrounding streams. This is a big shame indeed for our colleagues.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, allow me to also address the issue of upgrading villages. Due to the growth of Mpika Town in the past five years, some villages that were considered to be from the town centre are completely surrounded by modern infrastructure today. Therefore, there is a need to upgrade these villages to township status. The villages in question are Chitulika, which Hon. Dora Siliya visited at one time, Chisowa, Malambwa and Mutengo. I am happy to say that, with the birth of a new Government under the leadership of a man of action, who won an electoral battle without a single drop of blood being spilt, who conquered a heavily armed battalion using words only, whom the entire world is saying is the real people’s choice and who is the President of the people, by the people and for the people, this matter will now be addressed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, this is no other than Mr Michael Chilufya Sata.

Hon. Government Members joined Mr Kapeya in chorusing the President’s name.

Hon. Opposition Members: Order, order!

Interruptions

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I am sure the issues raised in my speech will be attended to without delay. However, in conclusion, allow me to advise the prophets of doom in the MMD camp, who, in the Tenth Assembly, were always preaching, misinforming and misdirecting the people of Zambia that Mr Michael Chilufya Sata would never rule this country, to apologise to Zambians …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Kapeya: … because Mr Sata is the Republican President today. 

Interruptions

Mr Kapeya: Listen to me, hon. Members. 

One notable person is the immediate past Republican Vice-President, Hon. George Kunda, from Muchinga Constituency in Serenje District, who even repeated the claim when he addressed a meeting at Kabale Basic School in Mpika in July this year.

Interruptions

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker …

Mr Speaker: Order, order! 

May the hon. Member for Mpika Central ensure that he addresses the Chair, please?

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for your guidance.

Mr Speaker, let me also take this opportunity to remind our colleagues in the MMD what I said in the Tenth Assembly, when I strongly opposed the removal of Clause 37 of the Anti-Corruption Act, and I quote: 

“God will punish them for not having listened to the wish of the Zambian people … 

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, on a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to raise this very important point of order. Is the hon. Member of Parliament for Mpika Central, who claims to be a senior Member of this House, in order to mention an hon. Member of Parliament in this House on matters that happened outside this House? Is he in order, Sir?

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Government Members: Aah! He is in order.

Mr Speaker: I will allow the hon. Member for Mpika Central to clarify that position as he concludes.

Mr D. Mwila: Bwekeshapo!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I am mentioning the name of Hon. George Kunda, SC. because he said, on the Floor of this House, that His Excellency, the President, Mr Michael Sata, would never rule this country. He can deny it if he so wishes.

Hon. Government Members: It is on record.

Mr Kapeya: Yes. 

Mr Speaker, therefore, I am speaking facts. I warned the MMD Government that God would punish them for not having listened to the wish of the people and for having misruled this country, especially in the last three years of its rule. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: The punishment has just started, friends, …

Hon. Government Members: … with the loss of the elections last month. In a couple of months, the MMD will be completely dead and buried forever.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, from the outset, I wish to congratulate you on your election as Speaker. I also wish to congratulate the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House, on their election, as well as the PF, on winning the elections and forming Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I wish to thank the people of Kalomo Central for electing me for the third time. It was not an easy election, especially, because I was fighting for a third term, …

Laughter 

Hon. Government Member: Wa muyaya.

Mr Muntanga: … a thing that people do not readily accept. However, the people of Kalomo Central accepted me and I thank them for that. In thanking them, I would like to say that I will represent their interests without fear or favour. I also wish to say that, when I stand here, I will stand for Kalomo Central. 

Mr Speaker, I also congratulate the President on winning the election and on giving us a speech to guide us through this year. The only downside to the speech is that it is open-ended. I read it and think that he has said things that may require more than a year to complete. I find it difficult to see how the aging hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will cope with what is outlined in the speech.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: He needs to be more alert and use computers to address what is in the programme. 

Mr Speaker, it is interesting that when we say that we are the next Government, … 

Hon. Government Member: Aah!

Mr Muntanga: … others say, ‘Aah!’ 

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga: That is exactly what the MMD was doing. When the other people were here, they claimed to be the next Government, but the MMD used to say “aah!”. The Government is doing the same. 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I want to say that to campaign and to win an election is different from governing.

Mr Hamududu: Yes. You are right.

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Muntanga: The Government must accept that, and the sooner it does the better. I have heard a number of core issues on governance. All we can do is advise. When it does not take our advice, it will definitely come back to this side of the House.

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga: Therefore, the Government should be very careful. 

Mr Mwimba Malama: We are listening and are more careful.

Mr Muntanga: I am advising the Government, as I usually do, but, if it does not take my advice, it will come back here sooner than twenty years. 
                                                   
Laughter

Mr Muntanga: The people of Zambia now know what to do. They gave the UNIP Government twenty-seven years, the MMD Government twenty years, but this Government will not get twenty years.

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I want to state that some pronouncements are dangerous. The Government promised to govern the country based on the Ten Commandments. Therefore, we want to urge it to follow them. 

Hon. UPND Member: Thou shall not steal.

Mr Muntanga: Thou shall not steal. I am going to cite them for being in possession of property that is deemed to have been stolen from the MMD …

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga: … because we have MMD Members of Parliament who have been stolen and are sitting on the other side.

Laughter 

Mr Mwimba Malama: It is constitutional.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! They are poachers!

Laughter 

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, we have learnt one thing in this House and it is that rebels do not come back. The PF Government is well-versed in that because all its rebels did not make it back to the House. They are outside.

Mr G. B. Mwamba: On a point of order, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah, iwe, ndiwe Minister. Nkhala pansi.

Mr Speaker: May the hon. Member for Kalomo Central continue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! Long live the Chair!

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, thank you very much. The beauty of it is that our friends will learn that, as hon. Ministers, they will have an opportunity to reply at a later stage. They will not reply to us through points of order. That is the difference of being hon. Minister. I would like to state that being in possession of things that are not yours is not allowed. 

Mr Speaker, the PF Government used to tell the people that it would provide free education up to Grade 12. I have read this speech, but all that is there is a promise that they will provide basic social requirements to our people, such as education. This means that it will provide basic education. In our understanding, basic education is only up to Grade 9. Though it might be compulsory, as the speech of the President says, basic education will be just that: basic.

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes.

Mr Muntanga: We want the assurance of the President that this will be so. We have further heard of the various requirements for agricultural development, which is good to hear. During the campaigns, we were told that the PF Government would increase the number of bags of fertiliser given to people in the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) to fifteen or more. 

Interruptions 

Mr Muntanga: We are waiting to be told how that will be. I think the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock is preparing to inform this House how that input support will be implemented. 

Mr Speaker, my worry is that, when the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development have been merged, we will face the old problem of inadequate funding to the livestock and fisheries sectors. The new ministry is even silent on the Co-operatives Department. 

Hon. UNPD Member: Shame!

Mr Muntanga: My guess is that Agriculture and Co-operatives will be a small department somewhere. It is this problem that the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock should take note of. He asked the then Executive Director whether, if he was seeing what the hon. Minister was seeing, he would be in employment, but he should realise that the problems he was seeing were caused by problems associated with the co-operatives on which the President’s Speech is silent. I urge you, as you revise the agricultural policy, to make sure that the co-operatives are not ignored. We have heard that there will be compulsory dipping, a thought I presume is very good. I hope that the President will be informed that there was compulsory dipping during the pre-Independence days, but the dip tanks that have been closed and buried. Now that the Government wants to bring back the programme, it should first build dip tanks in the villages. This is the reason I say that the programme is open-ended.

Mr Speaker, I have heard and read about the Government’s plans to work on several roads in Southern Province. One road mentioned is the Zimba-Siavonga Road. For the information of the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications, the road from Siavonga via Gwembe is tarred only from Zimba to Chisekesi. Using this road to Gwembe via Siavonga, half of it is the Bottom Road. Therefore, the appropriate name is the ‘Bottom Road’, which goes through Mapatizya Mine. Since the President did not mention these roads in his speech, I will take this privilege to say that we have several roads that the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications must include in his speech.

Mr Speaker, the road from Mumbwa Junction to Namwala via Itezhi-tezhi is big and important. Other roads that are important to us are the roads from Itezhi-tezhi-Kalomo Road via Kafue National Park, Chikanta-Kalomo and Kalomo-Monze-Nico Road. In the meantime, the road whose rehabilitation you need to complete is the Chikankata Junction, which is only 12 km. I think the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications will tar that road, because, if he does not, the UPND will continue to win and is prepared to take over power. The other road that the Government needs to work on is the one from Kalomo to Mapatizya Mine. 

Mr Speaker, I hear that the Government is going to work on health facilities. I urge the hon. Ministers of Health, and Finance and National Development to release the K800 million Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for Kalomo Constituency so that I can complete the construction of Kalomo Hospital. Please, release it because, if you do not, you will be in the same boat that is coming to this side together with the MMD.

Mr Speaker, I must admit that local government has been mentioned although some important issues, such as those pertaining to chiefs, have been omitted. We need to have the assurance that decentralisation of the local government system will be undertaken earnestly this time. We heard in this speech that there was a problem of revenue coming from the mines and the blame has been put on the MMD Government. I ask this Government to stop blaming the MMD and to settle down and take charge. The MMD used to blame UNIP until they were caught up in the blame web. Do not do likewise by blaming the MMD. What is it that you are doing for us to gain revenue from the mines? Nothing has been mentioned about the mines in the President’s Speech. Ninety per cent of PF Members were in the MMD, and I remember the blue mini buses, and they are here today.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I am talking about what was happening in the MMD Government …

Professor Luo: I am not your cousin!

Mr Muntanga: … and all I am saying is that, in this arrangement, we will make sure that these things are done. 

Professor Luo: I am not your cousin.

Mr Muntanga: I am talking about national development and nothing to do with cousinship.

Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: I will speak whether you are my cousin or not. There will be no tolerance of corruption. The Government is going to investigate everyone and I encourage it. The CDF should be investigated, including the International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa (ICASA).

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: There are outstanding issues there that need to be investigated.

Mr Speaker, we are here to talk about the country’s development and want to hear what is to be said about labour. My friends on the other side debated very strongly about labour matters, but nothing has been mentioned in the speech. We have seen some companies not operating for more than fifteen to twenty days because of strikes. I believe that our friends in the Government have specialist unionists like the hon. Minister of Labour, Youth and Sport and many others who were unionists. Therefore, why are we failing to stop that problem on the Copperbelt? Let us also not do things like it was reported in the press that an hon. Deputy Minister announced a salary increase, but the company reversed it. I wondered whether the hon. Deputy Minister was still a union leader. We need to work in unity and we will support the Government in that regard. All we are saying is that we should stop what is happening as relates to labour matters. The strikes must end. We want more money in our pockets and are waiting for it. Once this is done, it will make everyone happy. The development we are asking for is for the whole country. I have no doubt that this speech has many areas that need to be looked at. The good things need support from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and other ministries.

Mr Speaker, those newly-created ministries should be brought to the House for approval so that they work better and we know that they are authorised. Let us stop doing things that are unconstitutional. I do believe that there are serious-minded men, such as the hon. Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, who looks like a tourist himself. 

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: He is my good friend and I believe he is going to do that seriously. I have no doubt that, when this is followed through, we will benefit a lot.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muteteka (Chisamba): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this rare opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech delivered in this august House.

To start with, I join my colleagues in congratulating the PF on emerging victorious in the last general elections. I also congratulate the hon. Mr Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairperson of the Committees of the Whole House on their election to their respective positions. Further, I congratulate the hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers appointed in the Executive. Finally, I congratulate all hon. Members of Parliament on winning their seats in this august House.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, in contributing to the President’s Speech, I want to state from the outset that this is very serious business. The speech was delivered in this House for us to digest and bring out the positive points and/or negative ones. In this case, I, first of all, urge the PF Government that the Opposition has expert consultants in matters of national development and should, therefore, be taken seriously. We are serious Members, and therefore, will be available to advise the Government when it goes wrong. They should not take it personal when we do so, but take it as national business.

Mr Speaker, the President, despite getting many votes from the youths, did not come out strongly on issues that concern them as compared to the previous Government. 

MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: I have made comparisons and it is on record that the MMD Government gave much attention to empowering youths. 

MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: The MMD Government ratified the National Youth Policy and put a lot of infrastructure in place for the benefit of the youths.

MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: This never came out in the President’s Speech. Therefore, I wish to advise it to revisit that aspect because the youths thought they were making a change to benefit themselves and are expectant. 

Mr Speaker, I also want to urge the PF Government to stop using the slogan of putting money in people’s pockets. 

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: I assure them that they are going to regret this slogan because it will bounce back into their faces. They are making youths become lazy, instead of working hard. I know that it is impracticable, unless they tell me that their President is a magician.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was pointing out the fact that certain pronouncements that are made without being supported by explanations can bring conflicts and chaos among the people of this country. 

Mr Speaker, the President, in his speech, said that, in the last twenty years, though he was also part of the previous government that ruled for twenty years, ...

Hon. MMD Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: ... the MMD Government failed to effectively integrate youths in national development. The majority of the youths have poor education, lack formal skills and, consequently, remain without jobs and are, therefore, unable to earn a living and contribute to national development.
    
Mr Speaker, during my research, I made reference to the Presidential Speech of 13th January, 2006 and wish to make comparisons merely to ensure that the youths understand who is committed to their welfare. Generally, on the issue of street kids, the programme was extended to include all the youths requiring survival skills as part of the Government’s new thrust towards dealing with youths’ problems, especially that of unemployment. The following programmes were put in place by the MMD Government: 

(i)    review of the syllabus in schools to make it relevant to the country’s environment and development plans by imparting appropriate knowledge in the areas of agriculture and entrepreneurship to the pupils;

(ii)    establishment of a youth empowerment fund to provide seed money for projects that would be the backbone of Zambia’s future industrialisation; and

(iii)    provision of appropriate tool kits to graduating students from our technical colleges for them to immediately practice their vocations. Many other commitments were made.

Mr Speaker, if this speech is compared with what we are debating today, many things are missing in the latter. I am reacting because I made comparisons. Further, I wish to advise that, if this was not adequately addressed in the speech made on 13th January, 2006, the budget being prepared should increase funds for the youths so that they benefit. This is because the youths have always helped politicians to be where they are.

Mr Speaker, the PF is now in Government and it is going to provide for all Zambians. However, I liked the point made by the President when he said, “I am the President for all.” This also was a slogan of our President in the campaigns. However, it is not wrong for them to copy it. 

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: Let us not be ashamed to copy the right things. It is allowed. However, it is wrong to copy the wrong things. What I am trying to say is that the MMD left the Government at a time when it was delivering to the people of this country. 

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: If we look at infrastructure …

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: I am explaining with knowledge that has been acquired through experience. The MMD Government was, at the time of losing power, engaged in top gear in responding to most of the needs of the people of this country. Therefore, what we have done in this country is merely to change the driver. Most of the systems in the Government, such as the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP), are not for the MMD alone because various stakeholders contributed the document.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: It is important they peruse through that document now that they are that side. They should go through it and I am sure that they will find that we did a good job. We listened to a number of submissions from the people of this country. Therefore, they should not take the route of finger-pointing the MMD like I saw the hon. Member of Parliament for Mpika Central do.

Mr Kapeya: Ah, iwe, ichindike.

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: For now, Zambians have given them an opportunity to prove themselves. We want to see trucks accelerate the speed and make sure that the projects that were left by the MMD Government, which were meant for the people of this country, are completed and that they also add their programmes for the benefit of this country.

Mr Speaker, as regards the programme on agriculture, I am from a rural constituency and the people have appreciated the policies and the promotion of food security. Therefore, the new Government should not disturb what we put in place because the people have said that they like the programmes.

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: I am appealing to this Government not to ever disturb those programmes. If they have observed something wrong, please let us consult.

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Mr Muteteka: It can be reviewed. We want to help them succeed so that the people of this country can benefit. The political slogan that I was talking about was not explained. “Putting money in the pocket”? How?

Hon. Government Members: Don’t kubeba!

Mr Muteteka: Most of the youth were excited when you said “don’t kubeba” and now they have said let us give them the benefit of doubt. Now, we are expectant. Governance is serious business. I can recognise Mr Bob Sichinga as a consultant.

Hon. Government Members: Honourable!

Mr Muteteka: I think he agrees with me that, indeed, …

Hon. Government Members: Honourable!

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, this nation is for all Zambians. It will not help to finger-point each other. However, it will be helpful for you to come and consult, even quietly.

Interruptions

Mr C. Mulenga: Consult failures?

Mr Muteteka: I am telling you the truth. Mr Speaker, on this side of the House, we have the brains, the experience and the skill …

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: … that do not come out strongly from that side.

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: Therefore, for the sake of this country, we are ready to help and advise them. 

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: I am telling you the truth. Come to my office …

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: Where? At Soweto Market?

Mr Muteteka: … and I will advise you.

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, when the President talked about the measures on the CDF, we were already ahead on that issue. That is why, today, some hon. Members are lamenting that they did not receive the CDF. We had put rules regarding the submission of returns. Those who did not submit the returns did not receive the CDF.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Muteteka: We were already ahead of them and it will be helpful for them to consult us. The people saw that, indeed, the MMD Government was serious. Some of you have experienced it. You did not receive the money because your councils did not submit returns.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Muteteka: Therefore, it is important that we work as partners in development. We were in Government but, now, you are. Other people will also come in your place. 

Mr Speaker, there is a placard written in Bemba at some cemetery which says, “efyo muli efyo twali; efyo tuli efyo mukaba”...

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: … meaning, “We were like you once and you will be like us someday”. 

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: Therefore, if they do not perform, my friendly advice is that the people of Zambia will react. They are already judging and monitoring the Government, especially the youth. Therefore, I want to challenge them, on behalf of the youth, to increase their budgetary allocation to youth programmes come this Budget presentation.

Hon. Government Member: Which you failed to do. 

Mr Muteteka: The increase in the allocation is important because the youth I am talking about are our children. Why are they resisting increasing the money for your children?

Interruptions

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, as hon. Member of Parliament for Chisamba for the second time, I am very humbled that the people have retained me because of my performance.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: They may not retain this Government if it does not perform.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: I am back in Parliament because I have performed in Chisamba. The people of Chisamba have trusted me and I am going to work for them. The projects that still remain to be completed or implemented in Chisamba must be attended to by those who are in the Government. When I present them, the Government should not look at me as somebody who was in the former Government, but as an hon. Member of Parliament representing the people of Chisamba.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka: As it is, they have already started asking how I am working with President Sata. I have told them to hold on and that I would get back to them. 

Hon. Government Members: Don’t kubeba.

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, it is important that we develop nationalistic attitudes as hon. Members of Parliament. We have friends who are on your right. Now, they are hon. Ministers, but they are also our friends. They should change for the better.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muteteka:  They should change for the better because we used the same civil servants they will be using. In fact, I would like to thank civil servants because they are quite brilliant. The new Government should not harass them. They are reliable because they are qualified for the jobs they do. The Government should depend on them and they will help to find it easy to deliver.

Mr Speaker, it is important that the new government merely appeals to the civil service to actually shift its loyalty before it thinks of victimising, firing and suspending workers. They should look at the quality and performance of a specific individual, not at the tribe or name. They should consider workers on merit. That is very important because most of the civil servants are already complaining. Some of them have lost jobs, yet they are very competent and have not committed any crime. It is important that they deal with cases as they come. 

Hon. Government Members: Cadres are going!

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, I thought I should advise my colleagues and also congratulate them on their positions. However, I want to tell them that they have to perform and forget about petty issues. The slogan of putting money in the pockets without explaining to the public will put them in trouble. It would do them a favour if they went and addressed the nation asking for forgiveness for using the slogan because they did not know what was involved ...

Laughter

Mr Muteteka: … but, now that they are in Government, it will be very difficult to implement. Our Government had started projects like the construction of modern markets. That was the way we were putting money in the pockets. So put infrastructure and programmes in place from which Zambians can benefit.

 Mr Speaker, I ask a question, before I conclude. What is the Government doing for Zambia before they can ask what I am doing for the country? That is a very important and underlined question. As a Government, it is important that they ask themselves and the people what they are doing for this country. They should not tell the people that they will put money in their pockets without saying where the money will come from and how it will come.

Interruptions

Muteteka: There is no logic. I am telling them facts. When they go out of this House, they will believe that Moses told them the truth and that is the truth.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Namulambe (Mpongwe): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor of the House. I would like to also thank the mover and the seconder of the Motion.

Sir, I congratulate you on your election as Speaker of the House. I also wish to congratulate the Deputy Speaker and the Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House on their election to their respective positions. 

Mr Speaker, I will be very objective in my contribution. First of all, I would like to mention that it is a pity that I am back in Parliament on your left. However, this is a blessing for hon. Members on your right because they will draw a lot of experience from hon. Members on your left since they have served in Government positions for a long time. We have learned from some of the mistakes we made in the past and will, therefore, be able to advise the PF Government to do better for the people of Zambia.

Sir, we are in this House as nationalists. Therefore, we will support issues that are beneficial to the people of Zambia. If the issues are not right for the people of Zambia, we will oppose them. Being in the Opposition means that we ought to give the Ruling Party the alternatives that we think will benefit our people.

Mr Speaker, the people of Mpongwe, who elected me, are expectant of the fruits of the 90-days promise. They were promised a bridge at Machiya Pontoon … 

Hon. Government Members: By you!

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Mr Namulambe: We are requesting the PF Government to fulfil its promise of putting up a bridge at Machiya Pontoon. Further, the people of Mpongwe look forward to having the road from Mpongwe to Machiya tarred. 

Mr Speaker, there are too many accidents along the Great North Road, especially the stretch from Ndola to Kabwe. I, therefore, propose that the road from Mpongwe through Chief Mununa and Chief Mukubwe’s areas up to Mukobeko Maximum Prison be tarred.

Hon. Government Members: Why did you not do it?

Mr Namulambe: That road is a shortcut to Lusaka from the Copperbelt and it will help save the lives of people. The former Ruling Party had plans to tar that road. Now that we are in the Opposition, we are urging the PF Government to work on it.

   Mr Speaker, I would also like to echo my colleagues who spoke earlier on the need to increase the CDF. When the PF was in the Opposition, it was urging the Government then to increase the CDF. I am, therefore, proposing that it increases it from the current K720 million to K5 billion.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, we will support such a budget because it will give the PF the opportunity to put into effect the initiatives it was proposing to the Government when it was in the Opposition. We are going to give the PF the platform to deliver on its promises to Zambians.

Sir, as regards the Presidential Speech, it was good, ambitious and in line with the PF Manifesto. The people of Zambia are waiting for the benefits of ushering into power the PF Government.

Mr Speaker, let me first of all look at what was contained in the speech regarding the agricultural sector. The President, in his speech complained that the previous Government emphasised growing maize. He also talked about his desire to see farmers venture into the growing of other crops such as millet, cassava, rice and others. It is important for us to ensure that we improve on the agricultural methods we use and to continue to produce enough maize for our people as well as for export purposes. Surprisingly, I did not hear the President talk about issues concerning livestock and fisheries in the speech. Some people may not be able to grow crops because their soils are not conducive for such a purpose. As such, there is a need …

Hon. Government Member: Read your speech!

Mr Namulambe: I am not an hon. Minister. 

Mr Speaker, there is need for this Government to promote livestock and fisheries production. There is a neighbouring country that buys chickens from South Africa that pass through this county. We can venture into serious poultry farming, as a nation, in order to export chickens to this country. This can help us increase the national revenue. There is a need for the hon. Ministers to take into account the other types of farming that I have talked about, not concentrating only on the growing of various crops.

Mr Speaker, the President also talked about the high unemployment levels amongst our youths. During the campaigns, the urban youths voted for the PF with the hope that they will be given jobs. The creation of employment is what the young people need in Zambia. However, the President only talked about the Government making it possible for the youths to create self-employment opportunities. With the many universities that will be established, I do not know how these youths will manage to create self-employment opportunities. For instance, if someone studies mining engineering, how will they utilise the skills that they will acquire from the university? If they train as journalists, how will they employ themselves in order to generate wealth?

Hon. Government Members: As a freelancer!

Interruptions 

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, the President said that he wanted the young people to venture into agriculture. However, I do not know how the young people of Kalingalinga and Misisi Compound will do that when land in Lusaka is scarce.

Mr Speaker, there is a great need for the PF to implement its promises with regards to employment creation. The young people are expectant because of what they were promised by the PF. They need jobs. Within 90 days, we want to see over 60 per cent of our young people employed. 

Mr Speaker, I urge the Government to spell out, clearly, how the young people can engage in self-employment. Despite all of us being aware of the fact that it is through the informal sector that we can raise resources for the nation, we still recognise the need for the Government to give guidance on how to proceed in this regard. Those in the Government should tell the nation how they will address the issue of youth employment categorically. Let them state whether the Youth Policy will be changed and how it will suit the young people in this nation with regard to employment. It is true that the youths ought to be employed and I support the idea of self-employment. However, we would like to know how many people will be self-employed and which industries and opportunities will be created for them to venture into.

Sir, I also urge this Parliament to come up with specific areas in which the young people will be self-employed because they are expectant. This issue of delivering within ninety days is very cardinal. 

Mr Speaker, this Government has to review the minimum wage. We have seen the current debates on television in which people have been trying to propose an increase of the minimum wage. What would be the effect of this increment on the economy of the nation? We look forward to seeing this Government raise the minimum wage. Certain issues are easier said than done. Currently, there are too many work stoppages in this country. I have just come back from the Copperbelt Province where I saw many police officers trying to stop riots sparked by the demands for salary increments. Those who are demanding that the minimum wage be raised should be made aware that doing so might lead to some people’s losing their jobs because some companies will not afford to pay their employees. When we were in Government, we had a formula in place that we were using to make it possible for our people to keep their jobs. It was not our intention to maintain the current minimum wage. We would have loved the salaries to be increased, but we were aware of some negative repercussions. How are we going to sort out the negative effects? For example, if I had ten employees, I would reduce the number to five and increase their salaries in order to follow the Government policy. This would mean that there would be low production in the nation. How are we going to grow our economy when the people who are supposed to contribute to its growth are laid off. Some issues are easily talked about, but difficult to implement. 

Sir, we agree with the President that the nation ought to be given the Constitution within ninety days. As a person who knows how certain things may affect the nation, I will support every move to enact the new Constitution. When we were on the other side (right) of the House, our colleagues who were then on the left had wanted to adopt the entire Mung’omba Constitution.

Hon. Government Members: Who?

Mr Namulambe: There were issues, such as those to do with the right to food, that  we look forward to seeing enshrined in the Constitution so that every citizen of Zambia has food and accommodation. 

Interruptions

Mr Namulambe: There are so many people who do not have accommodation. We are going to support all the clauses that can sort out such problems. During our time, our colleagues who are now in power thought it was easy to implement solutions to the problems that I have talked about. For now all I can do is urge them to bring the Constitution to this House and we are going to support it.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! 

Those on the right will have the opportunity to respond. 

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, we are going to overwhelmingly support that Constitution. 

Mr V. Mwale: Ba Chikwanda, osayenda!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, we will ensure that whatever will be supported on the Floor of this House is implemented. The people of Zambia, especially the working class, look forward to lower taxes. We shall support that Bill once it comes on the Floor of the House. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Sir, we also pay tax and look forward to have more money in our pockets.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Therefore, we are going to wholeheartedly support that Bill. If it means voting twice, I will do so to ensure that the Bill passes.

Mr Speaker, some negative issues that will come to this House will not be supported. We shall only support issues that we feel are beneficial to Zambians. This is why we are going to be very objective when it comes to issues of national interest. We shall be very objective and avoid any finger-pointing when it comes to issues that affect the people of Zambia. We are all Zambians and are here because of the people we represent. We shall not support policies that are detrimental to the development of Zambia. 

Mr Speaker, I therefore, wish to state that the Presidential Speech was very ambitious. We look forward to the National Budget so that some of the pronouncements made by the President on the Floor of this House are implemented. The people of Zambia are waiting. During the campaigns, the President promised that a number of things would be done within ninety days. I do not know how many days are remaining before we can reach the end of that ninety-day period.

Interruptions

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, we will continue counting. That is going to be our campaign tool as well. We will say that they failed to deliver what they promised within ninety days. 

Interruptions

Mr Namulambe: Sir, we do not want people to start coming here with excuses. If, for example, you tell people that you plan to plant maize on the 17th, you must do it on that same day. If you fail, it is better you tell the people that you have failed. 

Mr Speaker, we have humbled ourselves before the people of Zambia who have voted us out of Government.

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: We salute their decision, but we request them to clearly establish whether their decision was right or not.

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

________

The House adjourned at 1703 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 19th October, 2011.