Friday, 20th March, 2026

Friday, 20^th March, 2026

The House met at 0900 hours

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM SPEAKER

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM CHONGWE SECONDARY SCHOOL

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

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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

I thank you.

PUPILS AND TEACHERS FROM JACARANDA TRUST SCHOOL

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

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

Hon. Members, as you have noticed, there are no Urgent Matters without Notice today, as we are adjourning sine die.

I thank you.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

PLANS TO ENSURE A CONSISTENT SUPPLY OF FUEL DURING THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

269. Ms Mwamba (Kasama Central) (on behalf of Mr Mumba (Kantanshi)) asked the Minister of Energy:

what urgent measures the Government is taking to ensure a consistent supply of fuel during the ongoing conflict involving the United States of America, Israel and Iran;

what the anticipated fuel price trends are, during this period;

what the current national fuel storage capacity is, and the corresponding duration for which the available stocks can sustain supply; and

what measures the Government will put in place to mitigate the impact of the cost of fuel.

Madam Speaker: May the Acting hon. Minister of Energy respond.

Mr Chikote entered the Assembly Chamber.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Minister of Energy has just walked in.

Laughter

The Minister of Energy (Mr Chikote): Thank you, Madam Speaker. My apologies for the delay. This question was just filed in as an urgent question. So, I was trying to prepare the information for the House. Otherwise, I apologise.

Madam Speaker, in response to the question, the Government is alive to the happenings in the Middle East and the impact it is likely to have on our petroleum product supply chain. Arising from this, the Government is implementing measures aimed at safeguarding national energy security. Among the measures are:

consideration of alternative routes to source petroleum products via the western side of the continent through ports such as Walvis Bay;

strict management of the current stock that we have such as banning exports;

active management of suppliers and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to continue importing products from other refineries that are not affected by the war in the Middle East; and

undertaking enforcement measures against OMCs found hoarding petroleum products.

Madam Speaker, the general trend in international oil prices for refined products shows that prices have moved from relatively stable levels to historic highs. At a global level, the ongoing Middle East conflict is driving international oil prices upwards, further causing disruption to oil production and key shipping routes, constraining supply and elevating risks in international markets. Before the war, the price of crude oil was around US$78 per barrel. The price has since increased to over US$100 per barrel, reflecting tightened supply conditions and market uncertainty.

Mr Chala entered the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the current national fuel storage capacity is 551 million litres, which translates into the following:

the total storage capacity for diesel is 450 million litres, which is eighty-three days of stock covers;

the total storage for petrol is 80 million litres, which is forty-seven days of stock cover;

the total storage capacity for kerosene is 7.5 million litres, which is 1,000 days of stock covers; and

the total storage capacity for jet A1 is 13 million litres, which is sixty-two days stock cover.

Madam Speaker, the stock position of the country as of 19^th March, 2026, stood at:

approximately 285 million litres of diesel, equivalent to fifty-six days of cover;

approximately 40 million litres of petrol, equivalent to twenty-three days of cover;

approximately 65.9 thousand litres of kerosene, equivalent to 9.3 days cover; and

approximately 1.6 million litres of jet A1, equivalent to ten days cover.

Madam Speaker, the following are the measures the Government is considering:

review of the open access framework;

use of price stabilisation funds;

review of the price framework; and

review of taxes, among others.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much.

The hon. Member for Chipili has just walked in, in his usual attire. You can show it off.

Mr Chala rose.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, thank you very much. My apologies, as well. I also thank the hon. Minister for his responses.

Madam Speaker, you do realise that this conflict, among the other conflicts that we have had, is threatening our economy. This is another challenge for the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government, and is something that the Government has not sought, but has to deal with.

Madam Speaker, the Government has identified alternative routes for sourcing fuel instead of using the traditional routes. Do we see the prices of fuel being maintained? Or do we expect an increase in fuel prices? The Government needs to prepare the country so that it is not accused of being incompetent.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, indeed, leaving our traditional routes that we have been using to get petroleum products and using other routes will definitely result in prices going up. This is because that is the option we have. We are making sure that the supply chain is not disrupted. The country must continue receiving the products. In the same vein, we need to start looking at our pricing framework. Certain taxes are being reconsidered by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in order to cushion the public against the situation in terms of pricing.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that timely response.

Madam Speaker, certain filling stations, especially in Kitwe, are dry. This means that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are withholding products. So, when is the long arm of the law catching up with such companies? There is enough stock to last for quite a considerable number of days, given the report that the hon. Minister has just presented on the Floor of the House.

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

Madam Speaker, indeed, we are aware that some OMCs running filling stations are taking advantage of the situation. They do not understand that this crisis is affecting all of us in the country. The behaviour of some OMCs is really uncalled for. What we have done, through the regulatory board, that is, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB), is intensified monitoring. We will make sure that we impose sanctions on any fuel filling station that will hoard products. The ERB is on top of things. It will make sure that all the filling stations that have products release them to consumers. There is no need to hoard products.

Madam Speaker, you may wish to note that private players are looking forward to prices being increased so that they can make a killing. However, we are on top of things. All of us, including hon. Members of Parliament, can help in identifying filling stations that are hoarding products. The Government is on top of things. It is making sure that the supply chain and markets are always wet.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms S. Mwamba (Kasama Central): Madam Speaker, the Government was actually on the right track, especially on the monthly reductions of fuel prices. However, looking at the conflict in the Middle East, Zambia will not be exempt from rising prices. The hon. Minister mentioned that the price of brent crude oil was US$78, but now it is US$110. Maybe, it will even increase again. In all this, preparedness is very important. Are there any subsidies or policy interventions being considered to protect citizens from the rising price of brent crude oil? Looking at the rate at which we are going, the war keeps escalating. So, there will definitely be a need for that consideration. Would the Government consider subsidies?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for the follow-up question.

Madam Speaker, indeed, we are likely to see prices going up. This is why I will lobby my hon. Colleagues in this House to help explain and prepare our people for what is happening in the Middle East and how it is going to affect us. I would like to lobby my hon. Colleagues to make our people understand that the situation we are likely to experience is not of our own making. As I have stated in my first response, the Government is putting in place various measures, including tax adjustments, just to ensure fuel price stabilisation. We are also looking at differential costs in transportation.

Madam Speaker, all those factors are being put into consideration to make sure that we cushion commodity prices. As we speak, the price of petroleum in some countries in the Southern African region is already equivalent to K38 per litre. However, this Administration is committed to making sure that we mitigate the impact of the war in the Middle East. So, we will still continue monitoring various trends. As I said, the Government will continue putting in place certain measures to cushion prices for consumers.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Nkandu: Quality!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chala (Chipili): Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether the statistics he has given are the same as those held by the private sector. However, that is not my question. My question is on the fuel facilities that were constructed by the previous Government in most provinces.

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

Mr Chala: Who is running those fuel storage facilities? Is it the State or it has abandoned them and left them to the private sector to –

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon. Member for Chipili. There is an indication for a point of order. Hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics, what is the point of order?

Mr Tayali: Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I am sure you will agree with me that I rarely rise on points of order. However, this morning, I am compelled to state that the hon. Member for Chipili has come into the House looking quite elegant.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tayali: However, the hon. Member has not afforded us an opportunity to appreciate the veil or jacket that he is wearing. Is the hon. Member in order to not, at least, turn around and allow the hon. Members to appreciate his very elegant style of dressing?

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: The hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics has not cited any Standing Order. However, the hon. Member for Chipili is leading by example. That is how you should all be turning out, …

Laughter

Madam Speaker: … except those of us who have to wear black. So, he is taking advantage of that. Therefore, the hon. Member for Chipili is in order, but, maybe, just for the interest of the House, ...

Laughter

Madam Speaker: … he can turn around and show off his attire.

Mr Chala rose and turned around.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Chipili, you may proceed. Thank you.

Mr Chala: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, I think, the hon. Minister got my question. It is on the facilities which were constructed by the previous Government for fuel storage in case of a calamity, like the war currently taking place in the Middle East. Instead of the Government allowing the private sector to store fuel, it can also do something. So, I want to find out if the facilities which are dotted in all the provinces can store fuel.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, indeed, there are storage facilities dotted across the country. There are in Chipata, Lusaka, Mongu, Mansa and Solwezi. Situations such as what the world is going through right now have made this Government to be proactive. As we are talking, all the storage facilities are now active and being run by the Tanzania Zambia Mafuta (TAZAMA) Pipelines Limited. So, even as we are trying to look for alternative sources of supply, we are factoring in the storage facilities we have in the country and making sure that they are fully operational.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mumba: Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Minister for his responses and re-assurances.

Madam Speaker, does the hon. Minister realise that our country is going to be in a very complex situation? At the end of the day, the Government is going to be blamed. The reason is that we have already started facing fuel shortages in certain filling stations. The hon. Minister said that the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) is on top of things, but so far, the board has not even cited a single company for caution so that people out there can appreciate that the situation is under control. Secondly, the Government has stopped participating in the business of buying fuel. Everything has now been left to private sector players, who have to borrow money from the bank for fuel supply. So, the Government has very little control on how private companies arrive at their profitability.

Madam Speaker, so, on one hand, the Government has to satisfy the Zambian people and on the other hand, the private sector has to remain in business. However, as complex as the situation is, for now, my interest and that of the people of Kantanshi, especially that we are in a mining community, is on the proposed stabilisation fund to be run by the ERB, which the hon. Minister has talked about. The Government is going to be charging about K3 per a litre of fuel consumed by the mines, for instance, for that fund. So, considering the complexity of the situation, is the ministry still going to go ahead with that proposal or review the situation? If the situation is revised, the setting up of the stabilisation fund will get affected. So, what is his ministry going to do for the sake of the industry, which is paying close attention to this question?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I can see the passion in the manner the hon. Member of Parliament for Kantanshi is asking questions. He wants us to ensure that we really prepare our citizens’ minds for the situation we are facing. First of all, I want to assure the hon. Member that so far, the ERB is engaging owners of filling stations.

We have already brought the players on board so that we can understand the challenges coming from our consumers and also discuss the release of products onto the market. We are engaging, and caution has already been given. It is only that we have not publicised the list of OMCs that have been engaged.

Madam Speaker, the price stabilisation mechanism was introduced by the ERB so that in situations like this, the same funds that are deposited into the Energy Fund can be used to mitigate the challenges. However, because of the situation that we are in, the Government has decided to remove the price stabilisation mechanism temporarily, subject to monitoring the international market. Those are the issues this Government is applying its mind in to ensure that our citizens are looked after and the economy does not shut down.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chaatila (Moomba): Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has given us figures of what is available in terms of diesel, petrol and other commodities which, I think, if I got him right, could last us about forty days or so. Apart from that, as the Government is looking for alternative routes, I want to know if there is any other stock on the way, which was shipped off before the war started; which we are likely to have, as the Government looks for alternative routes? I am asking this question believing that what he has said is the stock that is in the country.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, like I have stated, this Government is very committed.

Mr Lihefu: Very serious!

Mr Chikote: Yes, a very serious Government.

Madam Speaker, we are alive to the fact that things are not okay in the petroleum subsector globally. We are proactively ensuring that we quickly address whatever can affect us. We have already engaged suppliers who have the products, and progress is being made to ensure that they supply the country. So, despite the fact that there is stock in the country, engagements are already in the pipeline with suppliers who have the products within the region. For example, there are suppliers who have the products in Tanzania, Beira and Dangote in Nigeria. So, all such engagements are ongoing to ensure that the supply of the products continues into the country, and the wheels of our economy keep moving.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank the hon. Minister for his responses. That is a bit encouraging for us. He is doing a good job.

Madam Speaker, I think, the hon. Minister heard what the President said when he was at the mining indaba in South Africa. The President encouraged countries in Africa to trade amongst themselves. Our neighbouring country, Angola, has oil. Is it possible to engage the Angolan Government so that it can supply our country with oil immediately, as an alternative, instead of waiting for supplies from the long routes?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I have stated that the Government is undertaking many engagements. Angola is one of the countries for which considerations are being made to see how we can take advantage of that source. Our experts are on top of things, and efforts are being made to explore how we can get petroleum products from Lobito.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwambazi (Bwana Mkubwa): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, fuel is a business, and people are in business to make a profit. The Government introduced the open access framework through which it floated tenders, more or less, for accessing the pipeline, and that was done quarterly, I stand to be corrected by the hon. Minister, for packages; small parcels, some 50,000 MT, others 100,000 MT, according to the consumption. Fuel cannot be bought overnight; it is more or less bought in advance, and the Government has its suppliers. I want to know whether the Government has already awarded contracts. I do not know if that is done quarterly or every six months. Are we safe? Will the suppliers supply the aforesaid product, and have the prices been locked in? I ask that so that we can understand whether the Government has already awarded contracts for, I do not know, the next quarter or next two quarters.

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, I mentioned that, firstly, the Government is reviewing the open access framework in relation to the situation that we have at hand. Secondly, the review is normally done monthly. I understand that this is business, and the players need to be given ample time to procure the products. That is all the more reason the Government will review the open access framework. For now, we have brought all the players on board so that we can see how to deal with this situation in relation to the open access framework. Everything is being put in place, as we have already committed to ensuring that our economy is run by the participation of private players. So, consideration is being made in terms of bringing in the OMCs or giving them ample time to prepare or procure the products. Going forward, we are also thinking of issuing quota allocations to give ample time to the OMCs to prepare for procurement.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask the hon. Minister of Energy a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, just like the others have said, the disruption in the economy caused by war cannot be blamed on any Government, including our Government. Storage facilities are dotted around the country, including Lusaka. My worry is that there is a huge facility in Lusaka West, which is now a white elephant, that has not been utilised. I hope the situation is a lesson about being proactive, not reactive.

However, my question is about the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) that hold fuel in anticipation of a price increase. Time and again, the Government has warned such companies, but no punitive measures have been put in place against companies that hold on to fuel each time they anticipate a price increase. I can give an example of TotalEnergies Zambia. I have noted that SGC Investment Limited has now improved. However, whenever TotalEnergies Zambia notices any disruption in the economy worldwide, it stops selling fuel until the Government adjusts the price upwards. If the Government adjusts the prices downwards, TotalEnergies Zambia will not sell its fuel. What punitive measures are in place to ensure that such companies do not hold the Government to ransom?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, as I said, as the Government, we cannot entertain such players who want to arm-twist us and at the same time, try to affect the wheels of the economy. Petroleum products are key to our economic growth. There is no way the Government would allow such players to hold on to fuel and do as they wish. The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are regulated by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB). That is why I mentioned that we have engaged and cautioned the OMCs. We will therefore, enforce the law accordingly.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member should not really worry. The Government is also aware and is doing everything possible to deter such behaviour so that others can see what they are doing. He mentioned TotalEnergy Zambia. The company is one of the big players in the market. It has filling stations across the country. For the information of the hon. Member, TotalEnergy Zambia has already been engaged, if I can say so. The hon. Members should believe and trust that, going forward, he will not see such behaviour or else the company will face the law. The ERB, which is the regulator, can suspend the license. In short, the Government is engaging OMCs to ensure that all of us are doing the right thing within the law.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you.

Hon. Members, I want to move to the next question. I keep giving myself a milestone, but then other hon. Members still indicate. The hon. Member for Kabwata was the last one to ask a question. Hon. Member for Mbabala, you came in a bit late. Hon. Member for Ikeleng’i, sorry, I will give you the opportunity to ask your question during the next question, if you need to.

So, we go to the hon. Member for Kalabo Central.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, I feel the hon. Minister has not answered the question asked by the hon. Member for Mandevu. However, that is not my question. It is just a concern. The hon. Member asked the hon. Minister to state –

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Kalabo Central, just ask your question. You are not the one to mark whether the question has been answered. Just ask your question so that we can make progress.

Mr Miyutu: Okay, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I will leave that aside.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Bweengwa mentioned Angola. There is too much history in this country. History should only be used to put one in the right position and to be able to find an immediate practical solution. That is the use of history. However, if history is used to respond and account, then the problems will not be solved. Let us not use history in that manner. The hon. Minister is aware that trips were undertaken to Angola and Namibia. However, his response to the question from the hon. Member for Bweengwa creates the impression that the Government has not taken that step.

Madam Speaker, we have a crisis, so the hon. Minister must be pragmatic and to the point. Two weeks ago, a boat carrying fuel from Angola capsized in Kalabo. Let us be very realistic and practical. That happened at the harbour. We have rules and laws that protects the integrity of this country and its citizens. However, under that, citizens seek other measures. That is why fuel from Angola is continuously brought to Zambia. The question is: What will the Government do? Will it allow people to pirate and bring in fuel from Angola? Will it create space for them so that the fuel comes in to alleviate, as it has always been? What is the Government’s position on fuel from Angola?

Mr Chikote: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has raised a concern regarding the question the hon. Member for Mandevu posed. I said the punitive measures, which include the suspension of licences, would be taken if the company does not adhere to what has already been addressed. That is how I responded to that question.

Madam Speaker, coming to the question by the hon. Member for Kalabo Central, the petroleum industry has regulations. The Government will not allow people who are pirating by going to Angola to acquire fuel and bring it to Zambia. Certain regulations should be followed. Other than that, I have said that our experts are already on top of things. The Government has already engaged Angola to ensure its source is also factored into the interventions that we are proposing, going forward.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you.

The last question will be from the hon. Member for Kabwata.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity you have given me to ask a question. Allow me to congratulate the two Members who are now hon. Ministers; Hon. Katakwe and Hon. Mufunelo of Mfuwe.

Madam Speaker, the instability in the Middle East will not end now. Many years ago, the conflict was in Iraq. It is now in Iran, which means the instability will continue. I know because I understand the history of the Middle East.

Madam Speaker, my question relates to what the hon. Member for Kalabo Central and the hon. Member for Bweengwa asked.

Madam Speaker, Angola is close to Zambia, yet we want to start exploring other means of getting fuel from countries like Nigeria, or continuing buying from the Middle East. Our neighbours have the capacity to produce and supply us with fuel. I remember that two years ago, or some months back, the Government engaged the Angolan Government. A suggestion was made to build a pipeline between Zambia and Angola. So, I want to know whether there has been any feasibility study to that effect.

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

Madam Speaker, indeed, the Government is already committed to engaging our neighbouring country, Angola. The sourcing of petroleum products is being discussed and considered by the Zambian Government. You must also take note that if you asked the hon. Minister of Transport and Logistics, he would inform you that there are many engagements progressing very well in terms of networks. The issue of the Lobito Corridor is one of the things that should give us confidence that trade and other opportunities to tap into Angola are progressing.

Madam Speaker, let me come to the specific question that the hon. Member asked. Feasibility studies for the pipeline have not yet been done, but work is already in progress.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MEDICAL OXYGEN AT LEWANIKA GENERAL HOSPITAL

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

whether the Government is aware that Lewanika General Hospital in Mongu District does not have any medical oxygen;

if so, what urgent measures are being taken to ensure the availability of medical oxygen to avert the loss of lives.

The Minister of Health (Mr Katakwe): Madam Speaker, the Government is aware that we are facing operational challenges with the oxygen plant at Lewanika General Hospital. However, this has not affected the provision of oxygen to the patients at the facility. Lewanika General Hospital has two oxygen plants. However, I regret to inform the House that for the last four months, both plants have been facing operational challenges and need repair and maintenance. Subsequently, the hospital requested an oxygen plant from Luampa Mission Hospital, but the plant also developed a technical fault. The oxygen plants are under warranty. The supplier was notified and is attending to the matter, and we hope that it will be resolved within the shortest possible time.

Madam Speaker, I wish to assure this House that the oxygen supply chain remains intact and fully functional in supporting our health facilities. A temporary breakdown on one plant does not equate to a collapse of the entire supply chain. To mitigate plant downtime, Lewanika General Hospital has adopted a multi-modal oxygen supply strategy. The hospital sources medical oxygen in cylinders from Lusaka and supplements this with functional oxygen concentrators for patients requiring oxygen therapy. In line with this strategy, the hospital has diversified its supply base, with over thirty oxygen concentrators and more than 100 filled cylinders on standby. The average consumption of oxygen at Lewanika General Hospital has been approximately twenty-five cylinders per week. On 4^th March, 2026, the hospital procured 120 cylinders from Lusaka to build buffer stock. Furthermore, on 14^th March, 2026, the hospital dispatched a truck carrying 150 empty cylinders to the National Heart Hospital in Lusaka for refill.

Madam Speaker, the Government has invested over US$10.4 million in establishing oxygen production facilities across the nation, ensuring that our health system is resilient and capable of meeting patient needs even during unforeseen technical challenges.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, let me give the genesis of this question. At 2154 hours, I called a man in Mongu. This was after going on social media and discovering that there was a problem of lack of oxygen at Lewanika General Hospital in Mongu. Lewanika General Hospital takes care of all the patients referred to it from other hospitals in the Western Province. We have sixteen districts, and I believe each district has a district hospital. These hospitals refer patients to Mongu. So, when I realised that there was a challenge – Hon. Katakwe, who is the Minister of Health –

Interruptions

Mr Miyutu: Okay, I will stop there.

Madam Speaker, regarding the responses which the hon. Minister has stated, I do not know the people who are operating in Mongu. In the Garden of Eden, the air which was blown into the nostrils of the creatures which were created contained oxygen. We believe that the air which was blown into their nostrils contained oxygen. So, oxygen is very critical to the wellbeing of the people on earth.

Hon. Opposition Member: Go deeper papa!

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister convinced that the people managing Lewanika General Hospital are doing a satisfactory job? Is he satisfied with their performance? If he is satisfied, what led to the death of one woman there? May her soul rest in peace.

Interruptions

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, if the hon. Minister is convinced that the workers manning Lewanika General Hospital are performing satisfactorily, because according to his response, there was some oxygen at the hospital, why is there an outcry from the general public? The way his people attended to patients at Lewanika General Hospital resulted in the impression that there was no oxygen. I do not know whether the hon. Minister has heard my question.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I want to console the hon. Member for Kalabo on the mentioned loss of life. However, I need to re-state what I stated earlier, which is that we are facing challenges. It needs to be noted that we generally have operational challenges with oxygen plants, not only at Lewanika General Hospital, but also at hospitals in Chingola, Chipata, Solwezi and Choma. As I indicated, the supply chain remains intact, and there is sufficient oxygen to meet the demand even at Lewanika General Hospital.

Madam Speaker, on the question of the two lives that were lost, I wish to state that the oxygen plants that have developed faults are under warranty and the supplier or contractor has been informed. What was unfortunate in the past three or four weeks is that the Chinese engineer who was engaged to repair oxygen plants around the country started with one province, Lusaka. However, on the way to Muchinga Province, the Chinese engineer caught malaria and died two or three weeks ago. So, that exacerbated the problem that we are talking about. Unfortunately, the engineer lost his life. However, the ministry is working around the clock to have another engineer come on board and work on the faulty oxygen plants.

Madam Speaker, let me clarify that the two patients who were transferred from Lewanika General Hospital to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on 14^th March, 2026, by the Zambia Flying Doctor Service, were part of the standard medical referral process and not an emergency response due to a lack of oxygen at Lewanika General Hospital.

Madam Speaker, allow me to use pseudonyms. One patient, Ms TM, for avoidance of naming the actual patient, aged thirty-four years, underwent a caesarean section operation at thirty-eight weeks of gestation, meaning the pregnancy term, on 11^th March, 2026, under spinal anaesthesia. This means she underwent an operation to remove cerebral spinal fluid. She experienced unforeseen complications during surgery. She vomited blood and aspirated, which means the blood went into the other respiratory organs, including the lungs. Subsequently, this required respiratory support. She was managed in the intensive care unit (ICU) for three days on mechanical ventilation and other oxygen devices. She was transferred to UTH for ongoing critical care having received oxygen continuously throughout her admission at Lewanika General Hospital. So, the hon. Member should be assured that there was a serious attempt by the medical professionals at Lewanika General Hospital to sustain life. Their work culture is according to the standard that is set.

Madam Speaker, the second patient, Ms NC, a thirty-eight year old woman, had extensive lung damage, scarring of lung tissue, post-tuberculosis (TB) lung disease with extensive lung fibrosis. This patient was referred from Kaoma District Hospital and was admitted to the ICU at Lewanika General Hospital on 10^th March, 2026, with extreme difficulties in breathing and severe respiratory distress. She was transferred to UTH for specialised evaluation of her lung condition. Unfortunately, that life was also lost.

Madam Speaker, I must emphasise that both patients received adequate oxygen therapy throughout their treatment at Lewanika General Hospital and their transfers were routine, and not as a result of lack of oxygen. On behalf of the Ministry of Health and the Government, I wish to extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. We pray that God grants them strength and comfort.

Madam Speaker, I thank you, and I am ready for extra questions.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much. That was an elaborate answer. So, hon. Members, when we ask questions, let us be precise, on point and avoid repetition.

Mr Chewe (Lubansenshi): Madam Speaker, I thank you for allowing me, on behalf of the people of Lubansenshi, to ask a supplementary question.

Madam Speaker, the issue of a lack of oxygen is serious, but before I proceed to ask my question, allow me to join my hon. Colleagues in congratulating Hon. Katakwe and Hon. Malama on their appointments as hon. Ministers.

Madam Speaker, knowing that we have already lost some people due to a lack of oxygen at Lewanika General Hospital, the issue of –

Madam Speaker: Sorry, hon Member for Lubansenshi, but if you were following the hon. Minister’s answer, you would know that he did not state that people died because of a lack of oxygen. So, please, let us be factual.

You may proceed.

Mr Chewe: Alright, well guided, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I just have a concern regarding the inventory of the same oxygen because I have worked in a laboratory. When the material to use is about to run out, there are always personnel to indicate what is running out. For instance, if cylinders of oxygen are about to finish, relevant officers need to do the needful in terms of purchasing or making sure that there is no deficit at any particular time. I would like to find out what serious intervention or assurance the hon. Minister is giving to the people of the Western Province so that they will never experience what happened again. Further, there is an issue of certain attitudes or culture towards work. What is being done so that at the end of the day, we do not find ourselves in the same situation.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I wish my brother was really following what I was stating earlier. However, to elaborate further, I said that, first and foremost, the supply chain of oxygen has not been disrupted. There are two entities or different things here. We have the oxygen that is refilled in Lusaka and transported each time there is a low level of oxygen supply. Officers at health facilities inform the Ministry of Health and replenishment is done. In this case, Lewanika General Hospital had to get oxygen from the next facility that was available. The fact is that this is not about the work culture of the personnel or inventory issues because the ministry is updated. As I stated, when the oxygen plants that are dotted around the country experienced faults and are under warranty, the engineer that I mentioned earlier, started doing the repairs to the oxygen cylinders, but he fell sick with malaria and died. The ministry has requested for another engineer to move on-site to ensure that the oxygen plants are serviced and are working at optimal capacity in order to produce more oxygen. That is what I stated.

Madam Speaker, I thank you, and I am ready for more questions.

Mr Amutike (Mongu Central): Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.

Madam Speaker, let me first pass my condolences to the family that lost a mother. I want to confirm that I was in the constituency and had the privilege of attending the funeral, which is being referred to here. I want to confirm that the patient in question delivered a child at Lewanika General Hospital and after that, there were some complications. We arranged for the Zambia Flying Doctor Service. She was flown to Lusaka together with the baby and arrived safely at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), but, unfortunately, she passed away here in Lusaka, and not in Mongu at Lewanika General Hospital.

Madam Speaker, I also want to confirm that there is adequate oxygen at Lewanika General Hospital. We visited the hospital to confirm that, indeed, there is oxygen there. However, we have had two or three other incidents in which mothers have lost their lives during the process of giving birth. No mother deserves to lose her life during childbirth. So, I want to find out whether we have properly trained or specialised nurses or doctors who are able to assist in the delivery of children at Lewanika General Hospital.

Madam Speaker: That is now on delivery, which is outside the topic on oxygen, but the hon. Minister is anxious to answer.

You may proceed, hon. Minister.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, Lewanika General Hospital has adequately-trained midwives capable of helping our mothers deliver safely. However, complications arise, as I stated, and in the case I mentioned, which was a caesarean section (c-section). The complication was not a result of any mistake. Other underlying factors are also considered in any medical condition. So, in this case, the life was lost not because of ill-trained or incompetent professionals. Well-trained nurses who are also midwives, and an entire medical fraternity, are based at the hospital.

For the avoidance of doubt, Madam Speaker, the people who died are related or connected to politically exposed people who want to use that platform to insinuate to the public, and the nation, that Government facilities do not have adequate medical cylinders. That should not be the case. We should not use death for political mileage.

Hon UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Katakwe: We should not use death for political mileage. Madam Speaker, these are medical issues, and when such things happen, we should remember that we are not the custodians of life, the Creator is. As Hon. Miyutu said, life belongs to God. Even medical doctors die. Our hope and trust is that we do our best at the medical level and leave the rest to the Creator; the owner of the lives we have.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: I believe the hon. Minister has supplied sufficient responses to the question, and also bearing in mind that the hon. Member who asked the question has decided to leave the Assembly Chamber, we can make progress.

The hon. Deputy Government Chief Whip, please, attend to one of your members outside.

FLOODED AREAS IN CHAWAMA CONSTITUENCY

The Minister of Defence, and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma): Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chawama, Mr Nundwe, asks the Vice-President the following question–

Mr Miyutu entered the Assembly Chamber.

Interruptions

Madam Speaker: Sorry, sorry, hon. Minister.

Hon. Member, I sent the Deputy Government Chief Whip to attend to you, but now you have come back. Welcome back, hon. Member for Kalabo Central, my client.

Laughter

Madam Speaker: Acting Leader of Government Business in the House, you may continue.

271. Mr Nundwe (Chawama) asked the Vice-President:

whether the Government is aware that the following areas in Chawama Parliamentary Constituency have been flooded following heavy rainfall during the period 12^th March, 2026, to 16^thMarch, 2026, thereby, posing a threat of an outbreak of waterborne diseases:

Kuku;
Misisi; and
John Howard;

if so, what urgent measures are being taken to address the problem; and

what long term measures are being taken to avert annual flooding in the constituency.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, the Government is aware that parts of Chawama Constituency, particularly Kuku, Misisi, and John Howard areas, experienced flooding following heavy rainfall between 12^th March, 2026, and 16^th March, 2026. This is consistent with earlier flooding patterns observed in Chawama and surrounding areas, including Nkholoma Ward, where assessments have confirmed that the area is low-lying, and receives significant stormwater inflows from higher elevation areas, compounded by full upstream dams that discharge excess water during periods of sustained rainfall. The situation has been further exacerbated by blocked and poorly-maintained drainage systems, as well as indiscriminate disposal of solid waste, which significantly reduces the capacity of existing drainage infrastructure. The Government is fully cognisant of the risk of waterborne diseases and outbreaks thereof, particularly cholera, in the affected communities.

Madam Speaker, I wish to report that the Government, through a multi-sectoral response led by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Lusaka City Council (LCC), and the Lusaka District Disaster Management Committee, has implemented a number of urgent interventions.

Madam Speaker, the public health interventions include:

distribution of over 3,600 bottles of chlorine to affected households;

disinfection of households, sanitation facilities and public premises;

inspection of over 800 sanitation facilities;

extensive health education campaigns reaching over 42,000 people;

ongoing water quality monitoring with both biological and chemical testing being conducted; and

preparations are underway for a cholera vaccination campaign to further reduce public health risks.

Madam Speaker, under emergency response and community engagement, the Government is:

implementing a cash-for-food work initiative, engaging over 600 community members to clear and unblock drainage systems, and clean and disinfect flooded areas; and

distributing relief support to affected households, including food items and chlorine to improve sanitation conditions.

Madam Speaker, under the engineering and environmental measures, the LCC has:

intensified efforts to unblock and maintain drainage systems;

deployed performance contractors for drainage management: and

undertaken emergency clearance of waste from critical drainage channels.

Madam Speaker, these interventions are aimed at reducing stagnant water, improving drainage flow and limiting disease transmission risks.

Madam Speaker, regarding long-term measures to avert annual flooding, I wish to state that the Government recognises that flooding in Chawama Constituency is structural and recurrent in nature. It requires sustained long-term interventions and, in this regard, the following strengthening measures are being pursued:

drainage infrastructure development. This includes designing and constructing improved and expanded drainage systems across the Lusaka District to effectively channel stormwater into designated watercourses. These are very big projects;

solid waste management, and enhanced enforcement against illegal dumping of solid waste, which has been identified as a major cause of drainage blockages; and

operations of waste management systems and encouraging household subscription to waste collection services.

Madam Speaker, under community-based disaster risk reduction, we want the implementation of a structured community-based cleaning and drainage maintenance programme which will target flood-prone areas such as Chawama. We also need to continue risk communication and sensitisation to promote behaviour change in waste disposal practises.

Madam Speaker, under improved urban planning and regulation, we want to strengthen land-use planning and enforcement, particularly, in low-lying and high-risk areas. This will ensure that future development is aligned with drainage capacity and flood-risk considerations.

Madam Speaker, under an integrated multi-sectoral approach, we want continued co-ordination among the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), local and health authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure a holistic approach to flood-risk management.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the Government remains fully committed to protecting the lives and health of citizens in Chawama Constituency and other flood-prone areas. While immediate measures have been implemented to address the current situation, sustained investment in infrastructure, environmental management, and community engagement will be key to permanently addressing recurring flooding.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Nundwe: Madam Speaker, the answers by the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House are so basic. He has not reached the core of the solution, particularly, for the city of Lusaka.

Madam Speaker, if you recall very well, the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government had a spectacular master plan for this city, a well-detailed and beautiful master plan that required total execution.

Madam Speaker, I know the immediate answer from the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House may be that the Government does not have sufficient funds. However, I feel that we need to have a permanent solution to this problem. When will the Government start executing the master plan for Lusaka Province, knowing fully well that it is the face of our country?

Madam Speaker, when we talk about Misisi, Kuku and John Howard compounds, particularly, Misisi Compound, it is just about 7 m or 50 m from the central business area. They are in a bad state, and that is an embarrassment to the nation.

Madam Speaker, when will the Government start executing the master plan for Lusaka Province to avoid the daily occurrences in nearly all the constituencies in Lusaka Province?

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, I think it is very important for us to know that the geological formation of Lusaka is such that we have this big problem. Therefore, because of that, it is an existential challenge that we have. I think it is well known. It is nothing new. Yes, as a result, the master plan has been generated or elaborated. The plans are not from yesterday bur have been in existence. As such, given the magnitude of what will be required in order for us to ensure that the master plan is executed, we will require a lot of finances and collaboration with various partners. This is work in progress. As soon as that is done and we have the necessary resources, it is everybody's desire to ensure that we execute and implement the master plan.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Tayengwa (Kabwata): Madam Speaker, the challenges that the people of Chawama are experiencing, especially in the rainy season, are the same as those in Kabwata Constituency, especially, along the railway line where we have Kamwala South. Areas like Misisi, Kuku, and parts of John Howard share almost the same geographical features as Chawama and Kabwata.

Madam Speaker, in some areas of Kabwata Constituency where we have managed to construct the Bombay Drainage, which ended somewhere, and also where we have executed or constructed sub-drainages, we do not experience much flooding. Equally, if Chawama had been given an opportunity to also connect those sub-drainages into the Bombay Drainage, it would have been nice, and the flooding would have actually been reduced, especially in Kuku and Misisi compounds.

Madam Speaker, I want to find out whether the Government, together with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) or the local government, has any intention to extend the Bombay Drainage from where it ended near the railway line in Kamwala South to John Howard. This is because once that is done, it will be easy for the other two constituencies to connect the sub-drainages to the main drainage.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, the immediate actions are exactly that; to construct these drainages and connect them to the main drainage so that the water flows to where it is supposed to flow. I think the hon. Member has seen what the Government has been doing, from last year up until this year. It has been trying to do exactly what the hon. Member has suggested. We will definitely look into it and ensure that it is done.

Madam Speaker, for that matter, the Government has spent about K100 million in 2025 to connect or construct the drainages that are so important for us to drain the floods off Lusaka.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mtayachalo (Chama North): Madam Speaker, the issue of flooding is not peculiar to only Chawama. I am happy that the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House has indicated that the Government is equal to the task of dealing with the challenges in Misisi, John Howard and Kuku townships. He has also told this House that the Government is ready to deal with the effects of flooding in other flood-prone areas. The hon. Minister of Green Economy and Environment always comes to this august House every year to give an update on the weather forecast. I think, that should help the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to plan ahead, so that immediately disasters happen, our people get support.

Madam Speaker, maybe, let me take advantage of this question, especially that today we did not have the segment of Urgent Matters without Notice, to ask this question. I want to find out from the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House whether the Government has already provided humanitarian assistance and certain basic things such as tents to our people. Flooding is not just in Chawama; we have a similar problem in Chama. We have had a heavy downpour for the past three days and many houses have been washed away. Fields have also been flooded. I want to find out whether materials are readily available at the DMMU, so that our people do not spend nights in the cold.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, one of the core mandates of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) is to provide various materials such as tents and food when required. This is one of the major activities of the DMMU, and it is always ready to provide tents, food and so on and so forth when they are required. So, the DMMU identifies the issues or the problems and is able to mobilise and reach out to the communities that are affected.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, the last question will be from the hon. Member for Mandevu.

Mr Shakafuswa (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, thank you, once again, for this opportunity to ask the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House a supplementary question. Before I do so, may I take this opportunity to congratulate one of the players in the National Assembly Team, Madalas team of hon. Members of Parliament. He is a very dependable player, and has been appointed as the Minister of Health. As the team captain, I am very proud of his appointment. Congratulations to the new hon. Minister of Health.

Laughter

Ms Mulenga: Question!

Mr Shakafuswa: Madam Speaker, I also congratulate the hon. Member for Mfuwe for his new appointment.

Madam Speaker, first of all, I appreciate the efforts that the Government made last year to ensure that the flood victims in Mandevu were well attended to. We saw the Vice-President and His Excellency the President visit the area. The President ordered authorities to rehabilitate a bridge that was washed away and this was done. We have not seen the same thing happen this year, despite reporting that some houses collapsed due to heavy rainfall in Mandevu.

Madam Speaker, the flood-prone areas in Lusaka are well known and these are Chawama, Kanyama and Mandevu. We have seen monies released for some areas. Last year, K100 million was released to only one area, which is Kanyama. When are we going to see equitable distribution of resources to the flood-prone areas in Lusaka, which are well known? We are seeing monies for concrete drainages going to Kanyama, but nothing has been given to Chawama and Mandevu. When are we going to see change?

Madam Speaker: That is a completely new question.

The Acting Leader of Government Business in the House may respond.

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

Madam Speaker, the answer is simple and straightforward. I will say that it is very soon. Very soon, that will happen, without any doubt. We hear the hon. Member. We know the flood-prone areas. As he said, last year, the Government did a good job. We appreciate his appreciation for the Government. When we do something, he acknowledges it. So, in this instance, we will do something about it very soon. Very soon, we are going to see the launch.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much.

Hon. Members, we have not done much in terms of progress. We are lagging behind. We will go to the next Question for Oral Answer under Standing Order No. 80.

The hon. Member for Mpika may proceed.

PLANS TO CONSTRUCT MPIKA MAIN POLICE STATION

272. Mr Kapyanga (Mpika) asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security:

whether the Government has any plans to construct Mpika Main Police Station in Mpika District;

if so, when the plans will be implemented;

what the estimated cost of the project is; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security (Mr Mwiimbu, SC.): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours.

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was responding to the Member of Parliament for Mpika, Hon. Francis Kapyanga. I was saying that the issues he raised were:

whether the Government has any plans to construct the main police station in Mpika District,

if so, when the plans will be implemented,

what the estimated cost of the project is, and

if there are no such plans, why?

Madam Speaker, in responding to the questions asked by the Hon. Member, I wish to inform the House that the Government has plans to construct a modern police station in Mpika District to enhance policing services, improve public safety and strengthen law enforcement capacity in the area. In preparation for the project, the Mpika Municipal Council has allocated 2 ha of land to the Zambia Police Service for the construction of the facility.

Madam Speaker, the project will be implemented once the necessary funding is secured. The Government remains committed to undertaking the project as part of its effort to improve infrastructure for the Zambia Police Service and to respond to the growing demand for effective policing services in Mpika District.

Madam Speaker, the estimated cost of constructing the modern police station in question is K34 million. The cost covers construction works, installation of essential utilities and the provision of requisite facilities to meet modern policing standards.

Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to construct a modern police station in Mpika. Therefore, the last part of the question falls off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the hon. Minister for the response. Indeed, the land for the construction of the main police station in Mpika was secured somewhere in 2018 or 2019, if I am not mistaken. Following that development, just near that land, police houses were constructed. Currently, the Zambia Police Service in Mpika is being housed in very small houses within the compounds, which is not ideal for operations.

Madam Speaker, what has delayed the implementation of that plan that the Government has had from 2018 to date? I am sure that during the period from 2018 to date, the Government could have secured the necessary funds for the construction of the police station, since the land was already secured.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member may not have taken note that from the time the Patriotic Front (PF) assumed office to the time when we managed to secure debt restructuring, the country was severely financially constrained. We could not do any major projects as a result of financial constraints. We have now managed to have the debt restructured. So, we have started implementing several projects in various areas. I do not doubt that the police station in Mpika will be one of those projects that will be undertaken soon.

Mr Charles Mulenga (Kwacha): Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister making collaborative efforts to put up housing units, not only in Mpika, but countrywide, following –

Madam Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members, this is a constituency-specific question. If the hon. Member for Kwacha wants to ask a question about the whole country, I suggest that he files in another question. In the process, we are delaying. We are not moving because we are bringing in questions which are not part of what is on the Order Paper.

May the hon. Member for Kwacha ask a question relating to Mpika, as contained in Question No. 272, please.

Mr Charles Mulenga: Well guided, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I just want to find out if at all there are any collaborative efforts in Mpika to put up housing units since there is a programme to put up a police station.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the hon. Member for that question.

Madam Speaker, as you noted, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mpika has already confirmed that police houses were built in Mpika. All that is remaining is for the Government to put up a police station.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the Minister, maybe, if he can clear the air because him and I were here in the last term. The hon. Members of the Patriotic Front (PF) were boasting of having put up a state-of-the-art police station in Mpika. We saw pictures of an upstairs building on social media. The former hon. Minister of Home Affairs also confirmed that there was a state-of-the-art police station in Mpika. Can the hon. Minister confirm that those were just stories or is there something there that just needs final touches because even the current hon. Member of Parliament for Mpika was boasting that the PF had done a lot in his constituency?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I want to confirm that those were political stories. The hon. Member of Parliament has requested the Government to ensure and assure the people of Mpika that a new police station will be put up because there is no such facility currently available in Mpika.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kapyanga: Thank you so much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I have never boasted that the previous Government constructed a police station in Mpika. It is in Chinsali, which is the provincial headquarters.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has mentioned the hindrance to the construction of a police station in Mpika. Currently, there is a problem in Mpika because of gold mining. The crime rate is rising due to the influx of people. As the crime rate is rising in the area, I want to know the measures the Government can put in place, in the meantime, as we wait for a fully-fledged police station, to ensure that the number of officers is increased to respond to the current needs on the ground.

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I want to assure the good people of Mpika that the district is a special zone for the Government. Those who may not be aware, there is what is called the TAZARA Police Command, which supplements police stations in Mpika. The Government sends officers to police the areas that are in need. The Government has made an announcement and commitment regarding the opening of a big mine in the district very soon, under the able leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde. A new modern police station will be built in Mpika to take care of the needs of the mine that will be established and the area.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member for Chama South will be the last one to ask a supplementary question.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Hon. Jack Mwimbu, SC. and the New Dawn Government for promoting professionalism among the men and women in uniform in the Police Service. That is unprecedented.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chala: Ask the question!

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, when we move, we find the police in their rightful place, unlike what we used to witness previously. The ministry should continue with that.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Education commissioned a double-storey block of classrooms in Kanyama, and that has been replicated in many other areas. My question is: Is the ministry encouraging hon. Members to consider utilising the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)? If such big infrastructure can be built through the CDF, I am sure a police station in Mpika can be built using the fund. Is the ministry encouraging hon. Members to explore those options?

Mr Mwiimbu, SC.: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my Hon. Colleague for the compliment on the operations of the Zambia Police Service (ZPS).

Madam Speaker, a number of hon. Members in various constituencies have constructed, not police posts, but police stations using the CDF. I would encourage hon. Members to utilise the CDF to build police stations in areas like Mpika.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

CONSTRUCTION OF A LEVEL I HOSPITAL AT CHANIDA BORDER POST

273. Eng. Daka (Chadiza) asked the Minister of Health:

whether the Government has any plans to construct a level I hospital at Chanida Border Post in Chadiza District following the increase in population in the area;

if so, when the plans will be implemented;

what the estimated cost of the project is; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Health (Mr Katakwe): Madam Speaker, the Government has no immediate plans to construct a level 1 hospital at Chanida Border Post in Chadiza District.

Madam Speaker, given that the Government has no immediate plans, parts (b) and (c) of the question fall off.

Madam Speaker, the Government has no plans to construct a Level 1 hospital because Chanida Border Post area is sparsely populated, with a population of approximately 8,554, according to the 2026 Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) statistics, which is way below the threshold required for a Level 1 hospital. Chanida is adequately serviced by two health facilities located about 5 km apart, that is, Chanida Health Post at the border, which has a catchment population of 3,997, and Chanida Rural Health Centre, whose catchment population is 4,557. The Government is aware of the increased traffic owing to the commercial activities through the port of Beira. As such, the area is better suited for an isolation centre as opposed to a Level 1 hospital. An isolation centre’s primary role is disease surveillance and outbreak containment, not routine healthcare delivery. A hospital would be costly, underutilised, because of the population, as I stated, and logistically difficult, while an isolation centre directly addresses public health risks associated with cross-border movements. As such, the plans for Chanida Border Post is the construction of an isolation centre.

Madam Speaker, I am ready for follow-up questions.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Eng. Daka: Madam Speaker, before I ask my first follow-up question, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the hon. Minister on his appointment. I would also like to congratulate my other hon. Colleague from Mfuwe Constituency on his appointment as Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development.

Madam Speaker, I understand the hon. Minister’s response. However, he should understand that in planning for a facility, trends in what is happening in Chanida have to be looked at. Firstly, if he is not aware, the Government will soon construct a one-stop border post in the area. The facility will have additional facilities that may attract people from other areas. Therefore, it is the view of the people of Chadiza that regardless of the current population, which stands at 8,500, the Government foresees what will soon happen in the district by considering the current trends. Further, the Katete/Chanida Road is also under rehabilitation. Therefore, with improved connectivity to the border, an influx of people is expected. So, I want to know the threshold required for Chanida to qualify for a Level 1 hospital.

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, thank you very much, and I also thank the hon. Member for Chadiza for the follow-up question.

Madam Speaker, the concern regarding the development and expansion of Chanida One-Stop Border Post is noted.

Madam Speaker, it is important to note that for any Level I hospital to be constructed according to the international best practices that have been agreed upon by many nations, an area must have a population of over 40,000 people as a threshold.

Madam Speaker, notwithstanding that, other reasons that do not make it possible to have a Level I hospital at Chanida Border Post are that the border connecting Zambia to Mozambique, on the Mozambiquan side, that is, the post of Katiza, is a very remote and secondary gateway between Zambia and Mozambique. It is not a major pathway or a tourist route. It is quite a rural check point on an unpave rough road that just serves the local people to traverse. As such, this crossing is primarily used by the local people and it has a very small amount of commercial traffic. So, it would not be prudent for now to expect the population to increase beyond the threshold of 40,000 people for a Level I hospital to be constructed.

Madam Speaker, I may state the other factors depending on how the next question will be asked.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Madam Speaker, I will not tire to commend this Government. I have been an hon. Member of Parliament for some time, and I know that our communities lacked simple but essential drugs such as panadol, malaria treatment drugs such as coatem and many other drugs. However, for the first time in our rural communities, these essential drugs are there. I called almost all the health posts in Chama South and they confirmed that they have enough drugs. This is how we know that this is a serious Government. I therefore, want to commend the hon. Minister.

Madam Speaker, my question is: This Government is working on the Katete/Chanida Road, which it is now being tarred. The President has been opening one-stop border posts methodically. Yesterday, he was in Nakonde and I know that Chanida is also likely to receive such an infrastructure. Is the Government considering, in its long-term plans, introducing a health facility befitting a one-stop border post?

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, thank you, and I would also like to thank the hon. Member for the accolades to the Government. Indeed, more work needs to be done in terms of the distribution of medicines and medical supplies, and ensuring that they made available to the people of Zambia across all the ten provinces.

Madam Speaker, as stated, in the long run, depending on the population growth of Chanida, construction of a hospital maybe considered. We do understand that when there is a good road network, as it was stated, then definitely, we expect economic growth and that comes with an increase in population. Should there be a population reaching the required threshold, considerations for a hospital would be there.

Madam Speaker, it is also possible that in the consignment that we are supposed to have of procuring about 115 mini-hospitals, which is almost at the tendering stage, we can look at the prevailing conditions at Chanida Border Post and, we, in the interim can think of allocating one mini-hospital for the area.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Daka: Madam Speaker, in case the hon. Minister is not aware, Chadiza District as a whole, has a population of more than 111,000 people. Therefore, when we talk about Chanida, we are not just considering the people at the border. The surrounding areas or the catchment for Chanida have more than 40,000 people besides the truckers.

Madam Speaker, furthermore, the hon. Minister may want to note that Chanida is the busiest border post that we have, I would say, in the whole Eastern Province because of the commercial activities that take place at that border. Currently, the Government is using Chanida Border Post to import petroleum products through the Port of Beira. So, from the hon. Minister’s submission that there is low traffic, and that the road is basically just used for accessibility, I think that is misplaced because Chanida Border Post is actually the busiest border post in the Eastern Province. This now takes me to the second question.

Madam Speaker, in any good governance system, planning is of the essence. What we are trying to present to the hon. Minister are issues that will be coming in the foreseeable future based on the current trends of development, which are happening at Chanida Border Post. To that effect, does the ministry have any plan of coming up with a Level I hospital at Chanida Border Post, taking into account, firstly, the trends and, secondly, our belief that the population at Chanida together with the surrounding areas surpasses the 40,000 people threshold that was alluded to?

Mr Katakwe: Madam Speaker, thank you, and I also thank the hon. Member for a follow-up question.

Madam Speaker, let me just provide a little bit of more information that informs why and how a Level I hospital can be factored in, in such kind of a situation. Factors include:

International Best Practice

Madam Speaker, first and foremost, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and regional health bodies recommend isolation or quarantine facilities at borders, rather than full hospitals. This is to strengthen epidemic preparedness.

Cost Effectiveness

Madam Speaker, hospitals require significant investment in staff, equipment and infrastructure. An isolation centre is currently cheaper and better aligned with the border’s needs.

Border Location and Functionality

Madam Speaker, border posts are primarily transit points, not residential hubs. The population density, as stated for Chanida Border, is low. So, a full hospital will just be underutilised until maybe, when the population grows closer to 40,000 people. Then, we can consider it in future because the prevailing factors would inform the Ministry of Health on how to go about it.

Accessibility of Referral Hospitals

Madam Speaker, nearby towns and districts already have established hospitals. A border facility should focus on stabilisation and referral rather than comprehensive inpatient care.

Infrastructure Limitations

Madam Speaker, border posts often lack utilities such as water, electricity and waste management, among others. So, sustaining a hospital at the moment is not possible. Isolation centres require fewer permanent resources.

Cross-Border Outbreaks

Madam Speaker, border posts are entry points for diseases like cholera, Ebola and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), as was the case. Rapid isolation and containment are more critical than routine hospital services.

Surveillance and Screening Role

Lastly, Madam Speaker, isolation centres can integrate with immigration and customs health checks, enabling immediate response to suspected cases.

Madam Speaker, when such factors are recommended for the threshold, that is the time when we can be informed to plan for a first-level hospital. We cannot build a hospital in a place where the population is isolated or sparse as that facility will be underutilised. So, what informs the Ministry of Health to consider putting up a level I hospital is the population and a few factors that I have outlined here.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Siachisumo (Lufwanyama): Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to congratulate the new hon. Minister of Health and the new hon. Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development. I also want to congratulate the hon. Minister of Agriculture for a bumper harvest in 2025 …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siachisumo: … and the one which is expected in 2026.

Well done, hon. Minister.

MEASURES TO REDUCE PRICE OF FERTILISER

275. Mr Siachisumo asked the Minister of Agriculture:

what measures the Government is taking to reduce the price of fertiliser to make it affordable for farmers and to reduce dependency on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP);

how many fertiliser manufacturing companies were opened between January 2020 and August 2025, year by year;

how many tonnes of the following fertilisers were produced by the companies above during the period at (b):

urea; and

basal dressing;

whether the Government provided incentives to the manufacturing companies at (b) in order to encourage more production; and

if incentives were not provided, why.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Mtolo): Madam Speaker, the Government is taking the following measures to make fertiliser affordable for farmers and reduce dependency on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP):

prioritising the electronic-Voucher (e-Voucher) System, which is encouraging competition in the supply of fertilisers, as farmers redeem or buy inputs from agro-dealers of their choice;

creating a conducive environment for investment in local fertiliser production; and

not restricting the importation of fertiliser to enhance supply on the local market.

Madam Speaker, one fertiliser manufacturing company was opened between January 2020 and August 2025, namely the United Capital Fertiliser. It opened a D Compound fertiliser plant in 2022 and a urea plant in 2025.

Madam Speaker, during the period 2020 to 2025, the following were the quantities of urea and basal dressing fertiliser produced by the United Capital Fertiliser:

Year Product Type Metric tonnes (MT)

2021 D Compound 86,000

2022 D Compound 170,000

2023 D Compound 388,000

2024 D Compound 600,000

2025 D Compound 660,000 (forecast)

Madam Speaker, with regard to urea, the newly opened plant for the United Capital Fertiliser is expected to produce about 360,000 metric tonnes of urea per annum, with possible expansion to 700,000 metric tonnes. The plant was only commissioned in October, 2025.

Madam Speaker, the Government gave the following incentives in line with the provisions of the Zambia Development Agency Act:

reduced Corporate Income Тах;

Import Duty and VAT relief; and

investment allowances and incentives.

Madam Speaker, parts (d) and (e) of the question fall away as incentives were provided.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Siachisumo: Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Minister because there has been an increase in the production of fertiliser, from 86,000 metric tonnes to 600,000 metric tonnes. This shows that the Government is doing well, and that is interesting to farmers. I am also a farmer. I just want to find out if the ministry has any control on the price of fertiliser, which is still a bit high.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, first of all, let me thank the hon. Member for his kind words on the Ministry of Agriculture and the bumper harvest. I did not take that into account.

Madam Speaker, in terms of price control, no, the Government does not control the price of fertiliser. Now that we have the e-Voucher System, we do not buy fertiliser. The hon. Member might be interested to note that the Government holds some very small shares in United Capital Fertiliser. There could be discussions, but not on price control. We do not tell companies, “Do not sell at this price.” What we want now is people to import their own fertiliser. They are free to import fertiliser, but it should land at a good price because people will not buy expensive fertiliser. That is what we are encouraging people to do.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I am glad that the hon. Minister was quick to inform us that, indeed, the Government holds some shares in United Capital Fertiliser.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned the incentives in the answer to part (d) of the question. I do not want to go into details of the number of years that the companies will enjoy these benefits. The ministry is emphasising increasing production and reducing the cost of mealie meal. The incentives that the hon. Minister has announced are quite significant. Why are the benefits of those incentives not being passed on to we the Zambian people, through a reduction in the cost of fertiliser? The fertiliser companies are also benefiting by exporting fertiliser to countries in the region, which is a Government policy. So, why are we the people not benefiting us well? When the cost of producing maize drops, millers will also reduce their prices. We are all going to be happy by buying cheap bags of mealie meal. Why are the benefits of the incentives not being passed on to we the customers as well?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, indeed, it is important for the House to know that specific tax incentives, especially the income tax, are given. I think, that has been worked on so well. When importing, customers will also get a standard tax of 15 per cent. So, there are a number of taxes, indeed, that should be passed on.

Madam Speaker, the House, and the hon. Member for Kantanshi in particular, should know that a few years ago when we took office, a bag of fertiliser was at K1,200. After that particular company came in, the price of fertiliser was reduced. You could buy the same fertiliser at K850 or K900 in certain places. So, the reduction has been there, but, maybe, it is the quantum that we do not see so much. However, there are exogenous factors at play. When we look at what is happening now, no matter how good a company might be, we expect the price of fertiliser to remain almost the same, if not start increasing because of the war in the Middle East. So, there are always other issues. We found the exchange rate extremely high, but it has been reduced. Ever this year, we expect to sit down with the suppliers. So, I talk to them.

Madam Speaker, when answering the question from the hon. Member for Lufwanyama, I said that the Government has shares. I am happy that the hon. Member has recognised that fact. So, we talk to the companies producing fertiliser. When they set their price, we call them and talk to them. I specifically speak to them and say, “Look, we gave you incentives, we promoted you, we gave you contracts and we have allowed you to export”. So, we want the benefit to be felt in the local market. So, we talk to them. In fact, next time I am calling them, I will call the hon. Member for Kantanshi and Hon. Siachisumo so that the three of us can form one panel and talk to them. Maybe, there are areas which hon. Members could help with in terms of discussing with them because all the questions the hon. Member for Kantanshi asks in this House are on the economic side of things. It means that he understands the economic aspects of a lot of things. It will be good to sit with him so that we benefit as a country. So, yes, incentives are there and the price has reduced, but, maybe, the quantum is not appreciated. So, definitely the fertiliser prices went down with the coming on board of United Capital Fertilizer (UCF).

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Siachisumo: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for answering the question very well concerning the manufacturing and the gradient on the production of fertiliser. The Copperbelt Province is one of the provinces which are doing very well in maize production. Maybe, it can only be beaten by the Central Province and the Eastern Province because we are at 500 metric tonnes of production.

Madam Speaker, the price of fertiliser determines the price of maize. I can remember that at one time I approached the hon. Minister concerning the price of maize. We have a bumper harvest because of the good price of maize, which has been implemented by the New Dawn Government. I would like to know why the hon. Minister has not explained to the public, like he has explained to me, on the price of maize and the high production. Some people may say fertiliser is expensive or whatever. However, when we look at the production and the price of maize, we are very happy as farmers. Why can the hon. Minister not explain that to the people?

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is actually saying he is very happy that the country is extremely happy with the current prices of maize because the price can absorb the current price of fertiliser. When we came up with the price of maize, we wanted to hear exactly that. It is because of that that commercial farmers who were not participating in maize production have now started.

Madam Speaker, when we took office, the participation of commercial farmers was less than 5 per cent. Now, it has increased and it is above 15 per cent. Therefore, I can assure the House that this year, it will definitely be higher and, maybe, it will be getting to 25 per cent. So, that is what will reduce the price of mealie meal as our production continues going up.

Madam Speaker, I want to agree that, maybe, we have not done enough to explain to the country that the current price of maize, which is K340 per 50 kg bag, has never been at such a good price before. So, I hear Hon. Siachisumo, but may we carry this message as we break off to the constituents so that they can know that even a commercial farmer can make a profit. As for a small-scale farmer, the profit is pretty high. So, the hon. Member for Kantanshi must start growing maize. Everybody here, including Frank, should grow maize. It is a pity that Hon. Tayali is not here, but he has a farm. The hon. Minister of Tourism has a big farm. Hon. Members over there (pointed at hon. Opposition Members) have huge farms. In fact, the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development and everybody else have farms.

Madam Speaker, it is such a pleasant thing that has taken place. The revolution in the agriculture industry is phenomenal and we are so happy. Even Hon. Samakayi has a big farm. He does not talk about it here, but he is a good farmer.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mtolo: Oh, let us talk about the Western Province.

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, I have been to your farm. It is a big farm.

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: Everybody is cultivating and that is what Zambia needs. When you go to the markets in rural areas, you will see who is selling.

Mr Kafwaya rose.

Mr Mtolo: Including the one who is standing. The hon. Member for Lunte is a good farmer. So, what does he want to stand and talk about? We love you because you produce. It is just that the one seated next to you does not cultivate.

Mr Mabeta: Correct!

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: Ha! Binwell, cultivate!

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, before I sit down, I want to challenge my hon. Colleagues to go and see what is being sold in shops. They will find that agro-shops are everywhere selling chemicals and fertilisers. The market is beginning to develop. Even the hon. Member for Roan is into farming. Everybody is participating.

Hon. Colleagues, I want to thank you for participating in agriculture, Mama Mazoka included. She bought more equipment for her farm.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Everywhere I turn, I see participants. I see Mr Phiri there. When look to the other side of the House, I see the Second Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Mtolo: So, everybody, including your Clerks here, is cultivating. The Serjeant-at-Arms is also cultivating.

Laughter

Mr Mtolo: We are so happy. Thank you for this revolution. Thank you!

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much.

I am sure the hon. Member for Lunte did not mean it when he rose on a point of order. So, we can make progress. The last question will be from the hon. Member for Mbabala. I had already closed on this question. We need to make progress.

Mr Munsanje (Mbabala): Madam Speaker, I thank you so much.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the very eloquent responses to the people of Lufwanyama and the associated questions. Indeed, the issue of price reduction on seed and fertiliser is very crucial to all of us, the people of Mbabala included, because we also wish to see more of that, especially from agro-dealers.

As we continue on the path of self-sufficiency for seed and fertiliser in Zambia, in terms of risk analysis, is there any mechanism the ministry has to ensure that is not disrupted by the global war that is happening in the Middle East? What is the ministry doing to ensure that there is no disruption in the price index of fertiliser?

Mr Mtolo: Madam Speaker, that is a very good question, as usual, from the Doctor from Mbabala.

Madam Speaker, firstly, I would like to remind the House that our country, Zambia, is the number one seed supplier in Africa. That is undisputed. The country uses about 50, 000 metric tonnes to 60,000 metric tonnes of seed, but produces about 130, 000 metric tonnes plus. So, the rest goes to export. We must be happy and proud. Recently, the President commissioned a seed production plant, which was built by Bayer Zambia Limited in Kabwe, and it will be producing more than 75,000 metric tonnes of seed, and employing a huge number of outgrowers to produce the seed. There is a lot of money in seed production. Ask the hon. Minister of Tourism, he will tell you.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has asked about the risk position the Government is taking in the manufacturing of fertiliser. I am happy to mention that United Capital Fertiliser (UCF) Zambia Company Limited will open a plant to mine phosphates in Sinda. That is a way of stopping the import of fertiliser ingredients. So, the answer is that Mpika and Sinda areas have good phosphate deposits. Zambia is full of good inputs for fertiliser. Further, the technology that the company uses to produce urea does not require any materials from outside the country. The company uses coal, which the country has plenty of, heats it to extreme levels, breaks it down into its original components, and extracts the elements that are wanted. That is beautiful technology brought by that company. So, as we move forward, there will be fewer imports of ingredients for fertiliser production and, therefore, costs will be managed.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Next question.

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Speaker, my question is No. 276. I would also like to take this opportunity, as we talk about fertiliser–

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member, please!

Interruptions

PUBLICATION OF A MINERALS BOOK AFTER COMPLETION OF GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY

276. Mr Fube asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

whether the Government has any plans to publish a minerals book after the completion of the geophysical survey;

if so, when the book will be published; and

if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Kabuswe): Madam Speaker, the Government has no plans to publish a minerals book following the completion of the ongoing geophysical survey.

Madam Speaker, part (b) of the question is not applicable in view of the response above.

Madam Speaker, there are no plans to publish a minerals book. Instead, the focus is on digital dissemination of data and direct access through the Geological Survey Separtment.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, the question was informed. The hon. Minister should know that there is a tradition from Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s time. The first time I read a minerals book was in 1987, which was brown in colour. The book is published to allow stakeholders in the mining sector to see how they can participate when they are applying for such and the like. I think that limiting the data that should be in the minerals book to soft data, which has limitations in terms of access, is a misnomer.

Ms Sefulo: What is your question?

Mr Fube: You are not the Speaker, as far as I know.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Chilubi!

Please, let us maintain some order.

Mr Fube: She is not orderly.

Madam Speaker: If you have any –

Mr Fube: My question is –

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

Let me give guidance. If you have any concerns about the conduct of another hon. Member, you can raise them with the Presiding Officer. Do not start attacking each other while you are holding the Floor.

You may continue.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, much appreciated. I expect to be protected.

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Chilubi!

Are you imputing that I am not protecting you? When you are given guidance, follow it.

You may continue with your question.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, my question is: Has the ministry departed from the tradition of publishing information for stakeholder participation and limited it to what I may call, I do not know, a social media platform?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I do not know of any tradition concerning whatever the hon. Member has talked about. When the survey is completed, it will be processed through the policy of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government, and the information will be released as and when it is available. There is a system through which the Government wants to release that data. The data is very sensitive and important to the country, it cannot be thrown all over the place.

Madam Speaker, the ministry will guide the nation when the mapping exercise is completed.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I thoroughly appreciate the hon. Minister's response to the question posed to him.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has clearly indicated that his Government has no intentions, whatsoever, of producing a minerals book for the consumption of the general public, and that those who are interested should visit a department in his ministry to gather the data. Is the work that the ministry is conducting for the people or the Government?

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, the last time I checked, the Government is elected by the people, and we, as the Government, do things on behalf of the Zambian people. That is why, if I were to veer off, I would say that the hon. Member would say that even State secrets, sometimes, should be released to the public because the Government does things on behalf of the public. One of the things that the Government should do is be responsible enough to ensure that it does not release information anyhow and risk its own people not participating properly in things. So, whatever we, as the Government, do is on behalf of the Zambian people. So, how that data will be released is according to what we see as the interests of the Zambian people.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, this House budgeted for that survey, and the budget was public. I think, I remember the figure that was allocated to that survey. Later on, we were told that the money was not enough. There was an invitation of another party that contributed to the survey. Regarding the structure of funding for the survey, apart from what was budgeted for in this House, I want to know who else contributed to the undertaking of the survey, and what their interest is.

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, you have asked two questions. The hon. Minister will answer only one.

The hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development may proceed.

Mr Kabuswe: Madam Speaker, I do not know whether that is a follow-up question or a completely new one. We have made it very clear that the Zambian Government is funding the project 100 per cent.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

_______

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM SPEAKER

PROVISION OF LUNCH COURTESY OF THE HON. MADAM SPEAKER

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that lunch has been graciously provided for, courtesy of yours truly.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I further wish to inform the House that lunch will be served immediately after adjournment at 1300 hours. Hon. Members will be served in the restaurant here at Parliament Buildings, while lunch for ministry officials and staff will be served at the Members’ Motel. In this regard, transport for ministry officials and staff to the Members’ Motel will be available at the entrance of the Library Building at 1300 hours.

I thank you.

_______

BILL

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Amendment) BILL, 2026

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

_______

HOUSE RESUMED

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee without amendments:

The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Third Reading today.

THIRD READING

The following Bill was read the third time and passed:

The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026

_______

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned accordingly at 1209 hours on Friday, 20^th March, 2026, sine die.

____________

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