DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE TENTH ASSEMBLY

Friday, 25th March, 2011

The House met at 0900 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

GUESTS FROM THE SENATE OF THE PARLIAMENT OF RWANDA

Mr Speaker: Hon Members, I wish to acquaint the House with the presence, in the Speaker’s Gallery, of the following guests who are hon. Members of the Senate of the Parliament of Rwanda:

(i) Hon. Valens Munyabagisha, Senator – Leader of the Delegation;
(ii) Hon. Joseph Karemera, Senator;
(iii) Hon. Marie Rose Mureshyankwano, Chamber of Deputies; and
(iv) Mr Augustine Habimana, Director General of Communication – Secretary to the Delegation.

I wish, on behalf of the National Assembly, to receive our guests and warmly welcome them in our midst.

I thank you.

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BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

The Vice-President and Minister of Justice (Mr Kunda, SC.): Mr Speaker, I rise to give the House some idea of the Business it will consider next week.

On Tuesday, 29th March, 2011, the Business of the House will begin with Questions, if there will be any. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will consider the Second Reading stage of the following Bills:

(i) The Constitution of Zambia Bill, 2010; and

(ii) The Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2010;

On Wednesday, 30th March, 2011, the Business of the House will begin with Questions, if there will be any. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. After that, the House will consider Private Members’ Motions, if there will be any. Then, the House will consider the Third Reading stage of the Fisheries Bill, 2011.

Sir, on Thursday, 31st March, 2011, the Business of the House will begin with Questions, if there will be any. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.  After that, the House will consider any other Business that may be outstanding.

Mr Speaker, on Friday, 1st April, 2011, the Business of the House will commence with His Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time. This will be followed by Questions, if there will be any. The House will then deal with presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will consider any other Business that may be outstanding.

Mr Speaker, all things being equal, it is my intention, on this day, to move a Motion to suspend the relevant Standing Orders to enable the House complete all Business on the Order Paper and all matters arising therefrom so that the House adjourns sine die.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

DEVELOPMENT OF ZAMBIA’S COMPACT WITH THE MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to brief the House and the nation at large on the status of the preparation of a programme for possible funding by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Mr Speaker, the MCC was set up by the Government of the United States of America, in 2004, with the objective of supporting poverty reduction through economic growth, by means of large scale grants for projects. To date, it has committed more than US$7 billion to twenty-three countries as compacts (grant agreements).

Sir, support from the MCC depends on countries passing and maintaining the MCC’s eligibility criteria, which are assessed in three broad areas. These are ruling justly, investing in people and economic freedom. It makes its assessment based on seventeen indicators developed by agencies independent of the Government of the United States America. Zambia became eligible for compact funding in December, 2008 and was re-selected in 2009 and 2010. Prior to becoming eligible for compact funding, Zambia benefited from the MCC’s Threshold Programme, which aimed at combating administrative corruption and reducing administrative barriers to increased trade and investment.

Mr Speaker, Zambia is one of only twenty-five developing countries that are eligible for the MCC compact funding. Along with the B+ credit rating on which I recently addressed this House as well as our performance as one of the top six reformers in the World Bank’s Doing Business Indicators and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) projection of Zambia as one of the ten fastest growing economies in the world, it shows the widespread recognition of our good performance.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: It also shows how this good performance can be rewarded through greater access to the much-needed financial resources.

Mr Speaker, we do not know, at this point, how much Zambia’s MCC compact will cost and, therefore, how much the compact will be. This depends on a number of factors, most notably the costs of the projects the MCC agrees to finance. The Lesotho and Namibian compacts are US$363 million and US$304 million respectively. This, perhaps, gives an indication of what we may expect.

Sir, it is important to understand the criteria which the MCC uses to select and prioritise projects. I have mentioned three that are especially significant. First, they must address the constraints to growth and poverty reduction. Secondly, they must have an economic rate of return of at least 10 per cent. Thirdly, they must be implementable within not more than five years. This is because compact funding is available for five years only, after which any unspent amounts must be returned to the Treasury of the United States of America.

Sir, after Zambia became eligible for compact funding, in July, 2009, the Government established a unit under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning known as the Millennium Challenge Accounts (MCA) Zambia to lead the development of projects to be submitted to the MCC for possible funding. This was followed by a formal launch of the MCA Zambia by His Excellency the President in September, 2009.

Mr Speaker, in late 2009, following MCC’s procedures, the MCA Zambia completed an analysis of the constraints to growth and poverty reduction in Zambia on the basis of which it conducted consultations with sixteen Sector Advisory Groups (SAGs) comprising representatives from the Government ministries, civil society, private sector, co-operating partners and other stakeholders which, in turn, submitted thirty-seven project proposals. In early 2010, the Government submitted six of these project proposals to the MCC for its consideration.{mospagebreak}

Mr Speaker, the MCC has prioritised two proposals for project preparation. These are the Lusaka Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage (LWSSD) Project and the Greater Kafue National Park (GKNP) Economic Development Project.

Mr Speaker, to facilitate the process of preparing the two prioritised projects, the MCC approved project preparation funds of US$12.2 million on 19th May, 2010. These funds are being used to conduct studies and surveys which will provide the basis for the identification of priority investments for compact financing based on the broad concepts I have described and for detailed feasibility studies to establish specific subprojects and cost. These studies are required by the MCC to specify the content of the compact and are desirable, in any case, for large investments to minimise the risk of cost overruns and delays once implementation is in progress.

In addition, project preparation funding is being used to conduct due diligence studies of entities such as the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) and Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) that are expected to be involved in the project implementation.

Mr Speaker, the LWSSD project aims to support a number of interventions in some of Lusaka’s unserved peri-urban areas including:

(i) expansion of a water supply network and rehabilitation of the existing one;

(ii) extension of the sewer network and provision of sanitation facilities;

(iii) burying of hand-dug wells and contaminated wells in project areas;

(iv) drainage improvements and expansion; and

(v) conducting community-based health and hygiene education services.

The overall objective of the proposed project is to increase incomes through improved health and employability of project beneficiaries.

Mr Speaker, investment master plans for water supply and sanitation for the Lusaka Province, including priority interventions in the flood prone areas of the city, were received by the Government at the end of January, 2011. These plans outline the investments required up to 2035 subdivided into short, medium and long-term, with a base cost of US$2 billion through 2035.

Sir, based on these plans, subprojects were selected by the Government and the MCC for detailed feasibility, covering the period up to 2015. The subprojects selected include rehabilitation and expansion of existing water supply, sanitation and drainage infrastructure in Lusaka District covering largely peri-urban areas.

Mr Speaker, for the subprojects that are not proposed for further consideration by the MCC, hope is not lost because the investment master plans, once finalised, will be made known to other possible financing partners. 

Sir, the GKNP project is focused on increasing incomes derived through sustainable nature-based tourism by improving access to and within Kafue National Park (KNP), building the capacity for improved park and wildlife management and increasing the benefits from tourism and diversified livelihood activities to communities in the Game Management Areas (GMAs) adjacent to the park.

A market study is nearing completion. It is on this basis which investment priorities and development plans will be established. By mid April 2011, the MCC, the Government and other stakeholders expect to discuss the consultant’s findings and build consensus around priority subprojects which will be selected for feasibility and investment by the MCC. In addition, a study of the GMAs surrounding KNP aimed at selecting possible investments for the MCC support will be completed by June, 2011.

We also expect that the development plan for the GKNP project will cost more than the MCC can finance and we are, accordingly, expected to approach other possible financing partners, both private and public, to provide additional support.

Mr Speaker, the MCC requires that the compact be implemented by an accountable entity which has the autonomy and expertise necessary to complete these large projects within the five-year time frame to the demanding standards required by the Government of the United States of America. The Government is working with the MCC to establish the legal requirements and structure of this entity so that it can be mobilised as soon as possible. In this context, I am pleased to report that, in January, this year, Zambia hosted the first ever MCA forum held outside the United States for seven African countries that are implementing the MCC compacts, together with local stakeholders, so that it could learn from their experience with compact implementation.

Mr Speaker, the MCC has advised that it expects to be in a position to sign the compact before the end of 2011. We may, therefore, hope to start project implementation sometime in 2012.

Mr Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to three important aspects of the MCC compact development process. The first is the need to maintain eligibility for the compact. I want to assure the MCC and the people of Zambia that the Government is fully committed to preserving its performance against the MCC indicators, especially the control of corruption, rule of law and civil liberties.

This is an election year in Zambia, but far from seeing this as a possible threat to our hitherto good performance, we see this as an opportunity to demonstrate our political maturity by ensuring that the elections proceed peacefully and with an outcome that can be seen by all to reflect the will of the Zambian people. We make this commitment, not only or even mainly to secure the MCC support or that of investors, who also watch these indicators carefully, but because our own history and experience have taught us that good governance is important in and of itself.

Mr Speaker, both the projects that are under preparation depend on good sectoral policies and strong institutions which are being examined under the due diligence studies I mentioned earlier. However, even without these studies, we know what some of the issues are. For example, in the case of water projects, the financial position of the LWSC will require further strengthening, including serious measures to reduce unpaid for water. In the case of the GKNPP Project, the investment is premised on an improvement in the policy environment for the tourism industry as well as on reforms of the Wildlife Policy and legislation, both of  which my colleague, the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, will be bringing to this House in the near future.

Mr Speaker, even at this somewhat advanced stage in the preparation of the MCC compact, we cannot be certain that these projects will go ahead, given the MCC’s strict requirements on the economic rate of return and the five-year implementation period.

Mr Speaker, I feel that considerable progress has been made in developing this important programme and that we can look forward, with optimism, to seeing these two investments move forward with large benefits to the Zambian people.

Mr Speaker, let me conclude by taking this opportunity to thank the MCC and the Government of the United States of America for the support they have been providing to the Zambian Government and the people of Zambia.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members may now ask questions on points of clarification on the statement which has been given by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Mr Matongo (Pemba): Mr Speaker, the MCC initiative is welcome. However, the hon. Minister may wish to help me understand how he is going to achieve a return on investment of 10 per cent in water and game management when the average return of investment, now, is far above that.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, if the average rate of return now is far above 10 per cent, it follows that getting to 10 per cent should be a fairly simple exercise.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Ntundu (Gwembe): Mr Speaker, since the hon. Minister has mentioned that there is uncertainty that these projects may take off with the various factors that he has outlined, in the case of these projects not taking off, I would like to find out whether the Government will abandon them completely and whether there will be nothing it can do without the support of the donors.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, with regard to the project that we are discussing, these are only complementing the overall and broad thrust of development that the Government is undertaking. Obviously, that broad thrust is in the name of the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP). These plans outline the objectives that we wish to see implemented in various areas such water itself, tourism, agriculture and many other sectors. So, this particular project is only complementing what we have outlined in the SNDP which, we believe, is reasonably fully funded. Therefore, if, for any reason that I cannot foresee, we cannot proceed with the MCA, that does not mean that Zambia stands still because we have the SNDP to implement.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Phiri (Munali): Mr Speaker, allow me, firstly, to thank our co-operating partners for the support they have continued giving to the Zambian people who are really in need. May I find out from the hon. Minister why it is so difficult for this Government to legalise Mtendere East which has already been given over K5 billion to start giving people clean water there. Why is it so difficult for the Government to just legalise that place?

Mr V. Mwale: Ukayende ku Local Government.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I am sure you will appreciate that the question that the hon. Member has raised is quite remote from the issue that we are discussing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: So, I would advise her to approach the relevant wings in the Government to resolve that issue if it does exist.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mushili (Ndola Central): Mr Speaker, the ministry submitted six projects to the MCC for its consideration and only two out these were picked. Will the hon. Minister be able to give us details of the other four projects that were not accepted?

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether I can remember all the four, but I remember the transmission lines for the proposed Kabompo Lower Power Station. The power station, itself, as far as the current plan exists, is supposed to be constructed by the private sector, but we, obviously, needed cables and transmission lines to transport that electricity. So, this was one of the proposals that were submitted. There was also a proposal submitted on something to do with improving tertiary education in the country. I believe we also had a project to do with constructing a road from Kasempa to Kaoma so that we have a western corridor to transport copper coming from the North-Western Province to the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Mr Speaker, I cannot remember the fourth project.

I thank you, Sir.

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THE VICE-PRESIDENT’S QUESTION TIME

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Kafulafuta.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear! Mpombo!

Mr Mpombo (Kafulafuta): Mr Speaker, the Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, has constantly told Parliament and the country at large that it is in the process of procuring bullet proof vests for police officers. Can I find out how far this process has gone?

The Vice-President and Minister of Justice (Mr Kunda, SC.): Mr Speaker, preparations are underway to procure the vests. I understand that the shipment is on the way.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, my question is with regard to the new stadium in Ndola. The information is that we are behind schedule regarding the support infrastructure while the Chinese contractor is well ahead of schedule. Are we going to catch up because it is very disturbing and embarrassing?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, as regards the stadium in Ndola, …

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: … I was in Ndola and I inspected it. That visit gave me an opportunity to appreciate the magnitude of that project. The project is not only a football pitch, but also a shopping mall. There will be shops on the ground floor. While we were inspecting the place, we went round and saw quite a number of shops.

Mr Speaker, we have made a lot of progress in constructing the stadium. The stands will be ready very soon. I was assured that they will be able to hand over the stadium as per schedule prescribed in the contract, if not earlier than the prescribed time.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC. (Chasefu): Mr Speaker, as an hon. Member of Parliament representing a rural constituency, I would like to know whether this Government has plans to upgrade the aerodrome at Lundazi which has been in existence since 1953. The runway is gravel and it has been so since time immemorial. May I learn from the Government what plans it has to upgrade the aerodrome?

Mr Kunda, SC.: We have made some progress in upgrading and rehabilitating air strips in the districts. One of those already built is Serenje air strip to facilitate our movements to the constituency and the district. However, there are others that are earmarked for rehabilitation and I have been assured that Lundazi airstrip is one of them. We will continue to budget for the aerodromes in districts as well as all the airports in the provincial centres.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chanda (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, it has been a nightmare for the people of Mufulira to go to Kitwe or Ndola by road. When is the Government going to work on the two roads because people are tired?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we are looking for money for all the critical roads. We shall work on them so that the people of Mufulira can travel comfortably to and from Kitwe.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Matongo (Pemba): Mr Speaker, the EIT Report and Price Waterhouse Coopers observe that there is a need to strengthen the legal provisions for mining companies to ensure compliance in paying of tax revenues from this industry to avoid mismatches, discrepancies and reconciliations that clearly lead to loss of money by the Zambia people through price transfer issues. Would His Honour the Vice-President clarify that, in fact, in his capacity as the Learned Minister of Justice, he is looking at this matter so that the Zambian people can start getting their due share of the mining revenue.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, in fact, we have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate that process. Apart from passing the laws, there is a need to build capacity in the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and officers entrusted with monitoring and evaluation of such issues to ensure that we do not lose revenue and that mining companies pay according to the production and the kind of money they are making from our mineral resources. So, that is a matter of concern to us, as a Government, and, where necessary, we will make the necessary legislation so that we do not have leakages of revenue.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kapeya (Mpika Central): Mr Speaker, if the Government on your right hand side is very accurate and effective, I would like to find out when we expect the 2011 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to be released.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, as I said last week, we are mobilising money so that the CDF can be released as quickly as possible. In other words, we are working towards releasing the money by May, 2011 so that we can use it this year.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, in 2007, the Government of the Republic of Zambia was kind enough to release K120 million which was scheduled to go towards the construction of the harbour in Chilubi at Muchinshi. I would like to know why it has lamentably failed to implement this project.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for bringing that information to my attention. However, I think it is premature for you to say that we have failed lamentably. We shall try our best to ensure that we develop this country, including Chilubi. It is important that we attend to that harbour.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Mr Chota (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, the British Government, through its Chancellor, Mr George Osborne, has introduced windfall tax on North Sea oil producers and this will contribute something like £2 billion sterling, which is about US$3.3 billion, and around …

Mr Speaker: Order!

You have no question to ask. I will move on.

Mr Chota: Sir, in this regard, would His Honour the Vice-President not think of reintroducing the windfall tax on the copper mines that are making unequaled super profits on our major metals such as copper and cobalt?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, that question continues to be asked and we have explained, so many times, that we already have a tax system which is suitable for our environment. This tax protects employment and sustains the mining companies. That is the kind of tax system which we have here. Instead of having windfall tax, we have variable tax. According to our system, that is a tax system which is fair and ensures that we continue to sustain employment levels in the mining companies. We do not want to impose punitive taxes which will make this environment unattractive for investment.

Therefore, we shall continue to apply that tax system which was made through laws made in this particular august House.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kapata (Mandevu): Mr Speaker, generally, the roads in Lusaka have ditches and not pot holes. When are they going to be attended to, particularly in Mandevu Constituency, because the Government only runs around when elections are due? Can the roads in Lusaka be attended to now.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we are a working Government and we have a programme of rehabilitating roads in Lusaka, Copperbelt and other parts of the country. In fact, we are already working on some of the roads. The programme of rehabilitating most of the roads will be intensified in about May, 2011.

Thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitonge (Mwansabombwe): Mr Speaker, may I know the position of the Government as regards media regulation. Does the Government still insist on regulating the media fraternity even after it presented to its office an elaborate research on how it intends to control or regulate the media in the country?

Mr Kunda, SC.:  Mr Speaker, the position of the media is that there should be self-regulation. I have seen, of late, that some of the media houses have now stopped using abusive vulgar language. They have adapted to the situation. Maybe, they are also under attack from other people and, therefore, they are adjusting. It may not be necessary to impose statutory regulation because self-regulation is working well. However, we are still monitoring the situation and there is a standing authority for us to regulate the media if it goes overboard.

Thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo (Mwense): Mr Speaker, the Vice-President assured this House that the Government would look into the problems pertaining to the running of soccer in this country. Yesterday, the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) ...

Mr Speaker: Order! Can you ask your question.

You may continue.

Mr Chongo: Mr Speaker, the NSCZ, yesterday, announced that there was a change of venue for the annual general meeting (AGM) from Kitwe to Lusaka when a day earlier the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) said that it was only the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) which had the mandate to pick the venue for the meeting. If anyone contravenes that ruling, Zambia risks being banned from international soccer. What is the position of the Government?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, we have stated several times that we do not interfere in the running of football, but we have the NSCZ which guides sports associations. I know that there will be a FAZ AGM over the weekend and we hope that, at that meeting, the two aggrieved parties will come to some amicable settlement of whatever differences they have so that the game of football can gain from harmony within the family which is administering football. So, we look forward to the officials, themselves, settling this matter. We do not want to interfere, as a Government, in their activities. However, according to our laws, the NSCZ has the expertise on how matters of this nature should be sorted out.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Order! Stop the clock. I have guided before that hon. Members who ask questions should be brief and to the point. Long winding questions consume a lot of time and deny other hon. Members time or space to ask questions. I emphasise, be brief and to the point. Look at how much time is left from the thirty minutes that we had started with and, so far, only eleven questions have been asked. The average is between twenty and twenty-five questions in thirty minutes. The hon. Members, today, are asking long winding questions and are denying other hon. Members time to ask questions.

Laughter

Mr Zulu (Bwana Mkubwa): Mr Speaker, some of the pupils who finish Grade 12 travel from as far as Johannesburg to Mukinge in the North-Western Province to collect their results. Can we not find a better way of sending Grade 12 results to the pupils instead of making them travel from, say, Chipata to Zambezi or vice-versa?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, from the time I was at primary and secondary school, I remember that results are released at the schools where the pupils sit for their examinations. It is more convenient to send results to schools than for us to look for pupils’ addresses from all over. So, the method that is being used now is the most convenient way through which results can be released.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe): Mr Speaker, what is the Government’s position on the areas that have not conducted the voters’ registration exercise? What does it plan because time is running out?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, that question was asked yesterday and I will repeat the same answer which I gave yesterday. We are trying our best to ensure that we reach all parts of Zambia and register voters. I even talked about us utilising a chopper or helicopter in areas that are inaccessible. However, I have taken note of what has been said. There is a need for us to register as many people as possible so that they can participate in this year’s presidential and general elections.

Mrs Phiri (Munali): Mr Speaker, this is an election year and we have brothers and sisters from outside the country such as Botswana and Mozambique who have come to register in Petauke and, those in Malawi, Chipata. What is this Government going to do to make sure that only Zambians take part in the voting and not foreigners?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, according to the electoral laws of this country, for anybody to appear on the voters’ register, one must be a Zambian citizen and must produce a national registration card. If you do not know, that is the basic requirement for anybody to register as a voter. If you are registered, they definitely must have checked whether you have all the necessary papers. We do not register foreigners in this country.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, in the early 2000s, the townships of Masondashi and Zambia Railways in Mufulira were declared disaster areas. When will the Government meet its obligation of paying repatriation allowances, as agreed upon, to those people who were repatriated?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, as the hon. Member of Parliament of that area, he should bring all the necessary details to the attention of the Government. If there is a valid claim relating to that disaster, it will be looked into. However, you must present that particular claim, if at all there is any.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Colonel Chanda (Kanyama): Mr Speaker, I would like to solicit an honest and genuine answer from His Honour the Vice-President on homosexuality and sodomy.

Laughter

Colonel Chanda: The Government is aware of the incidence of sodomy and homosexuality in prisons. Why can it not address its effort into ensuring that this scourge is eradicated?

Hon. Government Members: Sata!

Mr Kunda, SC.: I believe that you have more information than I have …

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: … on that particular subject, considering your political background.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: It is a well-known fact that we discourage such practices. As a Government, we shall fight homosexuality to the bitter end, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: … whether it exists in the prisons or anywhere. At least, for us, we have made it public knowledge that this Government is against homosexuality. We are a Christian nation, Mr Speaker, and we shall fight that vice.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwango (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, may I know from His Honour the Vice-President who will print the ballot papers for the 2011 Elections. Is it our own Government Printers or has the Government contracted another company from outside?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) operates independently. It looks at the situation and the factors obtaining in deciding whether to print the ballot papers in Zambia or elsewhere. It will look at the capacity of the Government Printers so as to ascertain whether that is the best option available for printing ballot papers.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mrs Kawandami (Chifubu): Mr Speaker, the machinery we have for pumping water countrywide is depleted. It is old machinery. I would like to find out from His Honour the Vice-President what programmes the Government has to replace the machinery to allow citizens to access water.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, I will help the hon. Member of Parliament. I know she comes from Chifubu where there is a big problem of water reticulation. We know this because we campaigned there. The water reticulation system needs to be worked on. We have programmes of improving on this kind of infrastructure. We know about the situation in Chifubu and I can vouch for you because I just came from there. I visited Ndola just this week and am conscious of the situation as regards the provision of water and sanitation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Tembo (Nyimba): Mr Speaker, I understand that the Government has ratified the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance. May I find out from His Honour Vice-President …

Hon. Opposition Members: Leakage!

Mr Tembo: …what the benefits are of ratifying the charter for the country.

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, that is a very important question.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: We need the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance so that we can promote governance standards in this country, hold free and fair elections and, especially, eliminate dictatorship. Some political parties are floating dictators to rule this country.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: We need instruments of that nature of democracy so that we can run our country according to international standards. The African Union has developed that very important charter and, very soon, we shall be filing the instruments of the ratification through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is important that we embrace democracy in this country and that known dictators should not be allowed to be presidents of political parties.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Misapa (Mporokoso): I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Stand up!

Mr Misapa: Now that His Honour the Vice-President had time to travel from Kasama to Mporokoso by road …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: … and saw how bad the road is, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: … may I know when the Government will think of tarring the Mporokoso/Kasama Road?

Mr V. Mwale: You were in the Government. What did you do?

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, indeed, we were being accused of flying over those places by chopper, but I travelled there by road. The road is a stretch of 174km and I saw its state. I have already said that we are going to work on it right here in this House. We are a working Government and we shall plan for it. In fact, this year, we are going to have an MMD Member of Parliament in Mporokoso …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: … because we shall make sure that we attend to all the problems there.

Laughter

Mr Kunda, SC.: We shall give them an hon. Member of Parliament from the MMD who can deliver.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Habeenzu (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, are we going into this year’s elections with new constituencies?

The Vice-President and Minister of Justice: Mr Speaker, this question has been asked before. However, as I said previously, the Bill is before this House and we shall decide whether we are going to increase the number of constituencies. Already, the ECZ is gathering information on possible constituencies or districts which can be delimited. Therefore, you will participate in the process of enacting the new Constitution.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chazangwe (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, the MMD Government has been in power …

Hon. Government Member: What is your question?

Mr Chazangwe: My question is: What political measures is His Honour the Vice-President and putting in place to ensure that the MMD Government does not become a Government of some people, by some people and for some people?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda, SC.: Mr Speaker, I do not understand that question. We are elected by the people and it is them who put us in office. They will give us a new mandate to continue governing this country for the next hundred years or so.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: You will never come into power. You are just wasting your time.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda, SC.: I thank you, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Questions for Oral Answer!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

__________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MERIDIAN BIAO BANK DEPOSITORS

393. Mr Ntundu (Gwembe) asked the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning:

(a) whether all the depositors of the defunct Meridian BIAO Bank had been paid;

(b) how much money had been paid to the depositors; and

(c) how much money was yet to be paid, if any.

The Deputy Minister of Finance and National Planning (Mr Phiri): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that not all the depositors of the defunct Meridian BIAO Bank, Zambia, have been paid.

However, money is available to pay all depositors of the defunct bank. The liquidator has, so far, paid all depositors a total amount of K1.457 billion. This is with the exception of 15,178 who have not collected their dues despite several reminders through letters and notices issued in the public media.

Sir, a total of K29.537 billion had been paid to 42,387 depositors as at 31st December, 2010.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ntundu: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Deputy Minister for that answer. It seems that there is an improvement in the manner hon. Ministers answer questions these days.

Interruptions

Mr Ntundu: I would like to find out what caused the delay in paying the depositors who saved their money with the faith that the bank would not collapse. Furthermore, I would like to find out whether this Government has any plans to introduce insurance schemes to safeguard monies of depositors.

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Mr Speaker, when a bank fails, there is a process of liquidating its assets so that depositors can be paid. It takes a bit of time, but I am aware that, at various occasions, dividends have been paid out to the depositors.

As the hon. Deputy Minister explained, at the moment, there is money to pay everyone. However, there are some individuals who have not responded to calls for them to get paid.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC. (Chasefu): Mr Speaker, in view of the fact that newspapers do not reach many parts of the country, is the Government not considering advising the liquidators to use community radio stations to advertise names of depositors who have not been paid their dues?

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, that suggestion will be forwarded to the Bank of Zambia.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, may I know whether these depositors are getting their money with interest.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, when a bank is under liquidation, the beneficiaries can only be paid what is collectable. In other words, when you liquidate the assets and collect the debts, that money which is collected is what can be distributed. In fact, in certain cases, what may be liquidated may not be enough money to pay depositors in comparison with the original amounts of money that they put in the bank. So, they can only be paid what is available because that is what liquidation is all about.

I thank you, Sir.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS

394. Mr Chazangwe (Choma Central) asked the hon. Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development how many youth projects aimed at empowering the youths had been established countrywide.

The Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development (Mr Ndalamei): Mr Speaker, this hard working Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Government, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: ... through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, is responsible for developing and implementing programmes and projects that aim at empowering the youth. As such, the ministry has established the following projects that are aimed at empowering the youth:

(i) Building of Youth Skills Resource Centres – the Ministry has established seventeen youth skills resource centres to provide vocational and life skills for the out-of-school youths for improved livelihoods. Furthermore, it is, currently, constructing an additional five youth skills resource centres. This will bring the number of operational youth skills resource centres to twenty-three by the end of 2011;

(ii) Youth Settlement Schemes – the Ministry has established three youth settlement schemes, namely, Mwange Children and Youth Training and Settlement Scheme in the Northern Province, Lukanga Youth Settlement Scheme in the Copperbelt Province and Mansa Youth Training and Settlement in the Luapula Province. These schemes offer land to young people that are willing to venture into agriculture for income generation; and

(iii) Youth Development Fund – the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, created a Youth Development Fund as a vehicle to promote enterprise development for wealth and employment creation among the youth. The Government has recognised youth empowerment as an integral component of national development and, as such, it has provided K5 billion in the 2010 National Budget as a Youth Development Fund that was used as one of the tools for youth empowerment.

Sir, the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development managed the fund prudently and transparently so that it could benefit the intended beneficiaries and yield the expected results.

Mr Speaker, in doing so, the ministry disbursed forty-nine loans amounting to K1.8 billion to deserving youth groups and enterprises throughout the country. Another K2.9 billion was given to 1,200 youth groups in all the 150 parliamentary constituencies of the Republic of Zambia. These received grants of K2 million each and a lot of them have ventured into agriculture, thereby, contributing to national food security.

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

Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, furthermore, the Government has provided K10 billion in this year’s Budget for youth development. K2.5 billion will be disbursed as loans to deserving youth groups and enterprises. K7 billion will be given out as grants in the form of sports equipment and attire, fishing nets, banana boats and farming equipment and inputs.

Mr Speaker, the ministry will continue developing and implementing projects that will empower the youth so that they are in a position to contribute to national development. It is my ministry’s strategic vision to establish, at least, one youth skills resource centre in all the seventy-four districts of the Republic of Zambia by 2030.

Mr Speaker, my ministry is also in the process of engaging the Ministry of Lands and the Office of the Vice-President over the acquisition of land in all provinces for the establishment of youth settlement schemes.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chazangwe: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that satisfactory answer. Now, when will this Government establish meaningful projects like the Zambia National Service (ZNS) throughout the country so as to attract these boys who are congesting the roads in Lusaka as a way of “Go Back to the Land Campaign”?

The Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development (Mr Chipungu): Mr Speaker, in fact, the President of the Republic of Zambia has given instructions that my ministry transforms the ZNS centres and the former refugee centres into skills training centres. Some of the centres, such as the ZNS in Katete, are already operational.  There are students who graduated a month ago and it is now recruiting new students. The Kitwe ZNS is operational and its students are training. The Chishimba ZNS, in the Northern Province, is, currently, recruiting. I think what the hon. Member is asking about is already being implemented.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mrs Phiri: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out if the money which was released in 2006/2007, intended for the youth projects in all the constituencies, has been followed up. Has the ministry got any report on how the youths who benefited from the disbursement of this money are doing? Are the projects that the beneficiaries engaged in viable or have they just misused that money?

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, how do we distribute this money? I have seen a number of hon. Members of Parliament coming to our offices with certificates as per our guidelines requesting for this money, which we, indeed, give out. Last year, we gave out a lot of money to all the constituencies. So, what we expect is for the hon. Members of Parliament to monitor and evaluate the youth programmes in their respective constituencies.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Musokotwane (Katombola): Mr Speaker, when will the Simango Youth Training Centre be opened?

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Member is referring to the resource centre in her constituency, it will be opened as soon as the logistics are put in place.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisala (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, last year, the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, gave each youth club K2 million. May I know whether there are any possibilities of increasing the allocation in this year’s Budget?

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, I hope that the hon. Member was listening very carefully to how we intend to utilise the Youth Empowerment Fund for 2011. This year, we will not give out the K2.5 million, but we will give out funds as a revolving fund. This means that you will have to apply and a threshold is about K60 million. You will have to identify about two viable projects in your constituency which will be considered.

Mr Speaker, we also have the component of machinery. My Deputy Minister has refered to the fact that those that will require grinding mills or other equipment will be given. For instance, if you come from the Luapula Province, like Hon. Chisala, and prefer a boat to a grinding mill and my colleagues from the Western Province, who come from rice producing areas, prefer rice mills while those from Lusaka want block making machines, this is the time to indicate to us what you want in your constituencies. This is what we mean by empowerment through machinery.

Sir, in addition, we are also trying to use sport as an empowerment tool for our youths. What do I mean? We are thinking of purchasing some sports equipment such as footballs and netballs as well as jerseys to be distributed in all constituencies in this country. We know that all the youths belong to the MMD.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, my only worry is that, despite all the good things that this Government does, most of the hon. Members of Parliament do not come forward to access what we are offering. I can come to this House with a list of hon. Members of Parliament who did not come to get money for their youths last year. It is very embarrassing. Once again, I want to remind hon. Members of Parliament that we give out this money in this ministry and they must come forward to access it.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

ROAD REHABILITATION

395. Mr Chisala asked the Minister of Finance and National Planning:

(a) how much money had been paid to contractors for the rehabilitation of the following roads;

(i) Kasempa Turnoff to Kabompo;

(ii) Kasama to Luwingu;

(iii) Choma to Chitongo; and

(iv) Lwansobe to Mpongwe; and

(b) how many kilometres had been rehabilitated.

Mr Phiri: Mr Speaker, in response to the question in which the hon. Member of Parliament who requested for information on payment and progress made on four road projects, namely, Kasempa Turnoff to Kabompo, Kasama to Luwingu, Choma to Chitongo and Lwansobe to Mpongwe, I wish to provide details as follows:

Name of Road     Amount Paid
 (K’ billion)

Kasempa Turnoff /Kabompo 216.58

Kasama/Luwingu 125.70

Choma/Chitonge  78.121

Lwansobe/Mpongwe  64.97

Mr Speaker, regarding how many kilometres were rehabilitated, the following are the details:

Name of Road     Total Length done to date
 (km)

Kasempa Turnoff/Kabompo 162

Kasama/Luwingu 78

Choma/Chitonge 82

Lwansobe/Mpongwe 50 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, it is a well-known fact that the money used for the construction and rehabilitation of these roads is purely taxpayers’ money which is not supposed to go to waste. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister why the consulting engineers have been authorising payments to contractors who do sub-standard works.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, for the hon. Member to be helpful, I would like to urge him to give us information on the particular contractor who has been paid for shoddy works so that we can deal with them. For now, his question is too general.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Mr Speaker, it appears that the cost for works on a kilometre of a road is roughly over K1 billion. Is it normal for roads of this category or grade to cost over a billion kwacha?

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, it is normal because this work was tendered out and this was the most competitive bid, I would like to believe, that was received.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to compare the original contract and the final sums. 

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, I do not know what the hon. Member means by saying the original and the final sums. I am not sure which road he is referring to. Is he talking about all the roads?

However, let me also indicate that, sometimes, it is quite normal, in these cases, as the hon. Member knows very well, for variations to occur once a contract has been signed. These variations may come about as a result of delayed works, meaning that the costs escalate. They can also come about as a result of modifications to the original designs, either to make them more or less stringent. This can also call for the cost of the original contract being different from that of the final. Therefore, if there are any differences between the original contract sum and whatever is finally paid out, …

Interruptions

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, for various reasons such as the ones I indicated, this can happen and the hon. Member knows very well.

I thank you, Sir. 

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

386 Mr Chazangwe asked the Minister of Education:

(a) what measures the Government had taken to improve the educational standards in community schools; and

(b) whether there were plans of making community schools examination 
  centres for Grades 7 and 9.

The Deputy Minister of Education (Mr Sinyinda): Mr Speaker, community schools are recognised by the Ministry of Education as providers of education. This is with a view to providing access to all eligible children. Since the Ministry of Education is not able to reach all the children for various factors, communities have been encouraged to come up with community schools in which children of school-going age are able to access education.

The Ministry of Education has a responsibility to provide quality education in all institutions of learning, including community schools. In this view, the ministry does the following:

(i) gives grants to community schools through district education board offices;

(ii) provides education materials;

(iii) provides trained teachers;

(iv) monitors the standards in community schools; and

(v) works with partners that are providing infrastructure.

Mr Speaker, community schools which meet the minimum security standards such as the following below are given centre status:

(i) secure office with burglar bars on windows;
(ii) door must have grill gate;
(iii) availability of strong room inside the office; and
(iv) availability of lockable metal boxes with two locks and two sets of keys.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chazangwe: Mr Speaker, community schools lack staff houses. When will this Government revert to, first and foremost, putting up staff houses before classrooms because pupils can learn even under a tree?

Interruptions

Mr Sinyinda: Mr Speaker, we recognise the important role community schools play. However, at the same time, I am sure the hon. Member of Parliament, who is also a teacher, realises that community schools, by definition, are run by communities. As a Government, we are doing everything possible to ensure that we promote the standard of education in these schools by partnering with those that can actually provide materials to build both teachers’ houses and classrooms.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, why should the Ministry of Education accept minimum security standards for an examination centre with all the examination leakages around and not maximum standards?

Mr Sinyinda: Mr Speaker, I know that the hon. Member has a passion for this due to the fact that she is a teacher by profession.

We are not accepting less than the maximum security of what I read out in my response because we need to secure the examination papers. We would not like to lower the standards of education in these schools.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kapeya (Mpika Central): Mr Speaker, while I appreciate the Government’s move to provide trained teachers to community schools, I would like to know who is responsible for the payment of their salaries.

Mr Sinyinda: Mr Speaker, in the response, I stated that we second teachers to community schools. It is, therefore, the responsibility of this Government to pay the teachers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muyanda (Sinazongwe): Mr Speaker, I thank you and I also wish to thank the junior Minister …

Hon. MMD Members: Aah!

Mr Muyanda: … for being very kind …

Mr Speaker: Order!

The official designation is Deputy Minister. You shall, therefore, use that term.

Mr Muyanda: I thank you, Mr Speaker, I will use that.

Sir, I wish to thank the hon. Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education for clearly stating that community schools are also given money. However, what rationale does the ministry apply to grant funds to community schools that are registered under this ministry, considering the prevalence of corruption in this ministry?

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member of Parliament for Sinazongwe will lay on the Table, now, the evidence regarding the prevalent occurrence of corruption in the Ministry of Education. Would you lay that information on the Table of the House.

Ms Siliya: Hear, hear!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr V. Mwale: Bwelesa!

Mr Mubika: Apologise!

Mr Muyanda: Mr Speaker, the prevalence is based on His Excellency the President’s speech in which he admitted the nationwide prevalence of corruption.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Lay that information on the Table of the House.

Mr Muyanda: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President, during the opening of the …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Once more, and for the last time, lay that information on the Table of the House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muyanda: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the phrase ‘prevalence of corruption.’

Laughter

Interruptions

The Minister of Education (Ms Siliya): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Sinazongwe for his continued interest in the work we are doing in the Ministry of Education.

Sir, I wish to inform him that, we, on this side of the House, are very pleased that, once again, a reputable international organisation has given a credit rating to Zambia.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Siliya: What this means, Mr Speaker, is that we will see more investments and liquidity in this nation. This further means that we will be able to see interest rates going further down in order to assist our teachers, even those that are seconded to community schools, in terms of housing at a personal level.

Sir, as the Ministry of Education, we are also happy to hear this good news of the economy doing well because it means that we can get Treasury authority to employ more teachers so that we can, in turn, second more teachers to community schools, thereby, improving the standard of education.

Mr Speaker, we are a working Government. As the economy continues to do well, we want to share wealth with the people of Zambia.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siliya: Sir, we will continue to invest resources in the review of the curriculum so that we can maintain standards not only in Government schools, but also in community schools.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education was, in the last Budget, supported by this House by it giving K3 billion to our Accounts Department to improve processes and give confidence to the Zambian people that their money is well used and there is value for money.

Sir, it is clear that the hon. Member of Parliament for Sinazongwe was not serious about his question because he is leaving the House. We are sure that the people of Sinazongwe have taken note that we, on this side of the House, have made a point and will continue to be serious because we do not come to this House to play games, but represent the people of Zambia. This is why, this year, once again, the people of Zambia will have their voices heard very loudly by voting for the MMD.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mushili (Ndola Central): Mr Speaker, my question has been superseded.

Mrs Phiri: Mr Speaker, allow me to pay tribute to the parents all over Zambia who have put in a lot of effort in the construction of community schools …

Mr Speaker: Order!

You are debating.

Hon. Government Members: Ask your question!

Mrs Phiri: Mr speaker, when is this Government going to upgrade community schools to Grade 9 level to assist the girl child, who still faces challenges after Grade 7, because she has to walk long distances to access junior or senior secondary school?

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, on this side of the House, we are a listening Government and we anticipate the future needs of our people and country, Zambia. This is why we made a landmark decision that, as much as possible, the minimum years of education should be, at least, the first nine years. Hence, this transformed a lot of our old primary schools into basic schools that is, from Grade 1 to 9, and secondary schools into high schools from Grade 10 to 12. The whole purpose was to ensure that we provide more access to education as part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially at the basic school level.

Sir, we, in the ministry, have also continued working with organisations such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA) to ensure that we encourage as many girls as possible to go all the way in terms of education not just up to Grade 9, but all the way to the university, through encouragement in schools, scholarships, support to vulnerable girls and sensitisation in terms of family.

We believe that we are on the right track and a lot of families have now continued to see that they can get as much value from educating a girl child as much as a boy child. The parents of Zambia are supporting us in this matter.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

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

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, how many community schools is the Government taking over on average annually?

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, I am aware that we have just fewer than 4,000 community schools in the country with different standards. There are community schools that are well-managed by parents and others that are in very remote areas, which are really a sorry sight. The Government has taken over many of these schools by constructing 1X3 classroom blocks in the first phase of the takeover process. It is a continuous process, but I do not have the actual figures of how many community schools we are taking over each year. However, I know that many of the hon. Members of Parliament know that we have constructed IX3 classroom blocks in sites where community schools are. This is the first process to take over the community schools.

I thank you, Sir.

Captain Moono (Chilanga): Mr Speaker, may I find out from the hon. Minister of Education when her ministry will regularise the teachers’ payroll, especially for teachers who are seconded to community schools, considering the fact that there are no establishments in community schools. As such, when auditors go to these schools, the teachers are referred to as ‘ghost workers’. When is she going to regularise this scenario?

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, once again, I wish the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilanga would provide actual evidence because we do not believe that what he is saying is true. When the teachers are seconded to community schools, they are from the Ministry of Education. It means that they are on the payroll. We are aware of some community schools where the community itself agrees to employ a teacher and pay him/her. However, in many of the community schools where we have seconded a teacher, that teacher is on our payroll and is paid by the Ministry of Education.

Sir, let me take this opportunity to advise hon. Members that it does not help any of us, Zambians, to keep fabricating stories about corruption here and there. However, where corruption is happening, it is in our interest to ensure that we address that matter. If you are going to continue rumour mongering about it, we are just taking away the confidence that, we, on this side of the House, are working very hard to create so that money comes into this country for us to share it equally.

Mrs Phiri: Question!

Ms Siliya: Of course, those hon. Members who are questioning this have never had any experience of being in the Government.

Interruptions

Mrs Phiri: This year!

Ms Siliya: However, the rest of us who are interested in ensuring that we deliver schools, clinics, roads, agricultural products, as we will do this year, …

Captain Moono: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Captain Moono: Mr Speaker, I have asked a very innocent question, but the hon. Minister is accusing me of talking corruption. I was talking about the establishment in community schools using very clear English. Is she in order to start lambasting me like this?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister of Education will answer that question and leave other issues aside.

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, he said auditors should be sent to these schools because something wrong is going on there. This is why I wanted to clear the fact that these teachers are seconded to these schools by the Ministry of Education. There cannot be anything wrong going on in terms of how they are paid because there is a clear payment system since they are on the pay roll.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what current legal framework exists to support the existence of these community schools.

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, the existence of community schools has been supported by a statutory instrument (SI). In the new Education Bill, they have been well-catered for. The ministry also has a strategic plan regarding community schools

I thank you, Sir.

CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES

397. Mr Chazangwe asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing what type of capacity building programmes had been put in place for councillors in rural areas.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Muteteka): Mr Speaker, under the component for institutional and human resource capacity development, the Government has put in place a number of capacity building programmes to enhance the performance of councillors.

In 2007, between January and March, the hon. Minister conducted an orientation workshop for all councillors on their role as civic leaders in the management of local authorities.

Mr Speaker, the House may wish to know that, in 2008, in particular, the Government carried out a capacity building programme for all councillors regarding the local authorities finance manual and local Government audit manual so as to enhance their level of understanding the affairs of councils. A survey to assess the existing capacity and capacity gaps in councils, provincial offices and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing headquarters has been on-going and the results will be fed into the comprehensive capacity development programme for councils.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chongo (Mwense): Mr Speaker, despite the Government putting up capacity building programmes, it should be …

Mr Speaker: Order! Why do hon. Members fail to ask questions, but prefer to debate? We have gone through this in so many workshops. This is the fifth and final year, when are you going to learn to ask questions? Try your level best to learn.

Laughter

Mr Chongo: Mr Speaker, may I know what the Government is doing to ensure that these councillors, despite the capacity building programmes, do not fall prey to interferences from their political parties who are telling them what to do outside the guidelines of the ministry.

Mr Muteteka: Mr Speaker, we have been sensitising the councillors on their role. I have personally gone to individual councillors in the Western and other provinces to sensitise them on how to avoid politicising what happens in the council chamber when they have the council meetings because they are civic leaders. We are working on that and we will ensure that sooner than later such behaviour comes to an end completely.

I thank you, Sir.

CHOMA FEEDER ROADS

398. Mr Chazangwe asked the Minister of Works and Supply when some feeder roads on the eastern side of Choma Parliamentary Constituency would be graded.

The Deputy Minister of Works and Supply (Mr Mangani): Mr Speaker, the Government, through the Road Development Agency (RDA), is implementing projects under the Rural Transport for Poverty Reduction Programme in the Southern Province. Among the districts to benefit from this programme is Choma.

The Government, through the RDA, signed a contract in February, 2011 with China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic Technical …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1045 hours until 1100 hours.

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]

Mr Mangani: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was answering question 398.

Mr Speaker, the Government, through RDA, signed a contract in February, 2011 with China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic Technical Co-operation for improvement works of 40 km of the Pemba/Jembo/Maambo Road in Choma District with a contract period of thirteen months. The commencement date for the contract is 1st March, 2011, for the contractor to mobilise equipment and works are to commence after three weeks.

The other roads will be maintained using equipment from the Rural Roads Unit (RRU).

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chazangwe: Mr Speaker, may I know if the funds for these feeder roads have already been released.

The Minister of Works and Supply (Mr Namulambe): Mr Speaker, the funds are available and the total amount for this project is K3.4 billion.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, I want to know if that exercise will be extended to other constituencies like Moomba.

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, this programme will involve all the districts in the Southern Province and the total amount involved for this programme is about K18 billion. Definitely, if Moomba has been chosen by the people who are planning to work on the roads, then, it will be done.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, may I know from the hon. Minister whether there are serious plans by the Government to decentralise the RDA so that it can be working on the roads in the district.

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, all the local authorities are road agencies. That means that we have decentralised the operations of the RDA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mushili (Ndola Central): Mr Speaker, will the hon. Minister tell us the cost of working on a feeder road per kilometre? I would also appreciate an answer regarding the cost of constructing a tarred road as approved by the Government.

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, it depends on the type of work to be done on any particular road. The roads are categorised according to classes.

I thank you.

Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Mr Speaker, would the hon. Minister tell us the relationship between the RRU and RDA because it is difficult to get information on which of the two institutions is responsible for certain township roads. For example, when I inquired about the roads on the islands in my constituency, I was told that it was the RRU which was supposed to take care of them, but later on, I was told that it was the RDA. Nobody seems to be responsible in the final analysis.

Mr Mangani: Mr Speaker, it is true that there have been some operational problems because the RRU in provinces fell under the Permanent Secretary while, in Lusaka, it was under the Director of Works. However, we have decided to streamline operations by appointing a Director in charge of this department so that operations and linkages are properly monitored.

I think the confusion was mainly because we were just starting the unit, but, at the moment, with a Director at the ministry, we will monitor all the activities in provinces and other areas where road works under this unit are taking place.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

____________

BILLS

REPORT STAGE

The Fisheries Bill, 2011

Report adopted.

Third Reading on Wednesday, 30th March, 2011. 

THIRD READING

The following Bills were read the third time and passed:

The Tolls Bill, 2011

The Ionising Radiation Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2011

___________

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Vice-President and Minister of Justice (Mr Kunda, SC.): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

___________

The House adjourned at 1109 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.