DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE TENTH ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 21st October, 2010

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

________

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIFORM PETROLEUM PRICING PROGRAMME

The Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Konga): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to brief the public, through this august House, regarding the implementation of uniform petroleum pricing (UPP).

As hon. Members may recall, His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, during His Official Opening Address to Parliament on 17th September, 2010, informed the nation that the country would commence the implementation of the Uniform Petroleum Pricing Programme.

The UPP Programme is aimed at contributing to stimulating economic development as well as raising the standard of living in rural areas. As hon. Members of this House maybe aware, before the implementation of the UPP Programme, the cost of fuel was influenced, to a large extent, by the distance from the refinery in Ndola to the point of consumption. The pump prices of fuel, therefore, varied countrywide with those far from the source in Ndola having higher prices than those nearer the refinery. Therefore, this situation has had an effect of depriving rural areas the much-needed investment due to the high cost of doing business attributed to high fuel prices.

Sir, for the purpose of this programme, rural areas include all parts of the country with the exception of the Copperbelt towns, Kapiri Mposhi, Kabwe and Lusaka. The areas designated as rural account for only 20 per cent of the fuel consumed in Zambia while those considered urban account for 80 per cent of the fuel consumed. Further, the programme only involves petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Mr Speaker, hon. Members of the House may recall that the review of the 1994 National Energy Policy took four years to be completed, that is from 2004 to 2008. During this time, several consultations were made with different stakeholders on what the new Energy Policy should contain. All the stakeholders emphasised the need for the new Energy Policy to address the issue of high fuel prices in rural areas compared to urban areas.

Mr Speaker, the UPP mechanism is, therefore, an implementation of this long-sought national aspiration. In order to address this issue, the new National Energy Policy, adopted by the Government in 2008, seeks to improve petroleum pricing in rural areas through setting up of an incentive mechanism to mitigate high petroleum prices and encourage low cost petroleum retailing. In implementing these policy objectives, the Government desires to ensure that rural areas have access to reliable and affordable petroleum products. As a result, it is expected that stimulation of economic development will arise in these areas and people’s standards of living will improve.

 The implementation of the uniform petroleum pricing mechanism began on 18th September, 2010 following an announcement of the national pump prices by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) that resulted in uniform prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene in the country. In order to cater for the differential in costs of delivering fuel between urban and rural areas, the uniform petroleum pricing mechanism spread the additional cost of delivering fuel to rural areas among all fuel consumers.

Mr Speaker, this is the same principle that has existed for many years for pricing of electricity. The same consumer categories pay the same price per unit of electricity regardless of where they are in Zambia. For instance, a proportion of the cost for the Rural Electrification Programme is met by the electricity consumers. Such a practice is an acceptable norm worldwide.

Mr Speaker, the implementation mechanism for the uniform petroleum pricing is self-financing and does not require Government subvention. As the differential in costs of supplying urban and rural areas is mainly attributed to the transport costs, the UPP mechanism provides for urban consumers to contribute to this additional cost so that the prices for petrol, diesel and kerosene can be equalised nationally. This equalisation led to a minimal increase of about 3 per cent in the price of fuel in the urban areas and the reduction of up to 14 per cent in rural areas. This was possible because, as stated earlier, urban areas account for a large volume of the fuel that is consumed nationally.

In order to effectively implement the programme, the Government, through my ministry, has contracted a Uniform Petroleum Pricing (UPP) Manager through an open tender. The UPP Manager is responsible for the following:

(i) verification of payments by oil marketing companies (OMC) in urban areas where the fuel price is slightly higher than the cost of supplying those areas; and

(ii) verification of claims by the OMCs for reimbursement for transportation of petroleum products to outlying areas. Verified claims are submitted to my ministry for approval after which the ERB then pays the claims. The claims are paid from funds collected from urban areas where, as I indicated earlier, the fuel price is slightly higher than the cost of supplying those areas.

Mr Speaker, the manager’s costs are met from the Strategic Reserve Fund. As for all new activities, there may be teething problems which are constantly being addressed by officials from my ministry, the ERB as well as OMCs. So far, the programme is working well and indications are that the majority of fuel consumers support this very good programme. With the farming season just about to start, a lot of benefits will accrue to rural areas because of the UPP mechanism.

Sir, suffice also to mention that the UPP mechanism does not stifle competition. The UPP has just become the maximum cap for retail prices and OMCs are free to charge prices lower than the UPP. Further, commercial sales are not part of the UPP Programme, implying that large consumers can continue to negotiate supply contracts as was the case before the introduction of the UPP mechanism.

Mr Speaker, the Government’s intention is that, through this programme, the rural areas will become more productive as fuel-related investment costs are lowered.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lubinda: Bakunama chabe, mwana.

Mr Speaker: The hon. Members may ask questions on points of clarification on the statement which has been made by the hon. Minister of Energy and Water Development.

Mr Milupi (Luena): Mr Speaker, if you may recall, this good policy was as a result of the pressure that mainly came from this side of the House and we appreciate the Government’s response to our request. However, can the hon. Minister explain what mechanisms he will put in place to ensure that there are no fuel shortages in the rural areas, especially bearing in mind that the reimbursement policy, which he has stated in his statement, will apply only to the transportation carried out by the OMCs? In most rural areas, these are not the only ones transporting the fuel. How are the other transporters going to be reimbursed?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, yes, not all the fuel is transported by the OMCs but, as is the case with the OMCs, transporters who transport fuel from the refinery to the dealers in rural areas, upon submission of receipts that are verified by the inspectors employed by the UPP Manager, will equally be reimbursed for the cost. Through this process, we are certain that there will be no shortages in the rural areas.

I thank you Sir.

Colonel Chanda (Kanyama): Mr Speaker, may I find out from the hon. Minister whether the companies that were involved in transporting the commodity into rural areas before the UPP mechanism was put in place have been fully paid. If not, how much is outstanding?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the companies that transported fuel before the introduction of the UPP mechanism was implemented, factored the cost of transport in the pump price at the end point. Therefore, there was no reimbursement from the Government.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Scott (Lusaka Central): Mr Speaker, previous efforts of some price equalisation, for example, for maize, before the MMD came into power, involved inter provincial subsidies which were reimbursements for people transporting maize, but the whole system collapsed in a cloud of corruption and fraud. Is the hon. Minister really sure that a country three times the size of a large European country can keep a check of every litre of fuel that is going from point A to B and B to A and make sure that this system is not abused?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, as I have already indicated in my statement, the Government has engaged a UPP Manager. One of the duties of the manager is to verify the deliveries of the petroleum products to the rural areas before claims are made. Therefore, we, in the Government, strongly believe that there will be no corruption because this Government, in the first instance, is very committed to fighting corruption.

The mechanism will work because the reimbursements will be made upon verification by the UPP Manager at the point of delivery of the fuel. Once this verification has been made, the claims will be paid out.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lumba (Solwezi Central): Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to tell this House how many firms and individuals responded to the advertisement, asking them to apply to be considered for the job of UPP Managers and what criterion was used to select them.

 Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the selection of the UPP Managers was done based on a public tender which was floated last year. I cannot remember specifically the criterion which was used, but it was indicated in the public tender that was floated which the incumbent responded to. The applications were evaluated after they were received and then the selection process was done. I do not have the criterion which was used with me, but I can bring it to the House at an appropriate time.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sichamba (Isoka West): Mr Speaker, looking at the huge cost of transporting fuel from Ndola to Isoka or Nakonde, when is the ministry considering opening up a storage depot in the Northern Province since this is the entry point of this product?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, in the statement I made to the House a few weeks ago, I did indicate that the Government has embarked on a programme to rehabilitate and construct storage facilities throughout the country. I also did indicate in that ministerial statement that the Government is constructing a storage facility in Mpika …

Mr Kapeya: Yes, thank you.

Mr Konga: … to cater for the Northern Province.

Mr Kapeya: Very good.

Mr Konga: Once that is done, Isoka and other districts in the Northern Province will be carted for by the storage facility in Mpika.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chimbaka (Bahati): Mr Speaker, may the hon. Minister state as to whether the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) is ready to re-look at the criterion to be met by business people interested in setting up filling stations so that, maybe, it could be made possible for those who want to set them up in rural areas to do so.

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the Government is desirous that its people contribute to the economic development of the country through selling petroleum products. I also did indicate in an earlier statement that my ministry together with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission has worked out measures to provide for entrepreneurs who want to access funds from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund for use in setting up petroleum retail facilities, especially in the rural areas. This initiative is going to be strongly supported by the Government because it shall contribute to the empowerment of people, especially those in the rural areas. The ERB is going to workout the requisite standards and conditions for such retail enterprises to be put up.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hachipuka (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, we all know that the designated source of fuel is Ndola. What will happen if INDENI is closed and we have to import fuel, say, through South Africa? Is it possible that the UPP managers could consider directing that the fuel goes straight into the various corners of Zambia, rather than still continuing to refund transporters from Ndola?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the prevailing situation is that the fuel is distributed from Ndola to various storage facilities. The Government is still constructing more storage facilities. However, should a situation arise whereby the source of fuel is elsewhere else other than Ndola, the Government will definitely look at other options of distributing the fuel.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chota (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that other fuel dealers or filling stations could charge prices below the uniform one. How are these going to contribute to the overall transport costs?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, it is true I did indicate in my statement that the uniform petroleum price which was announced is just a guide and oil marketing companies (OMCs) are free to charge a price which is not necessarily the same as the capped one. They can charge lower prices, but they will still be reimbursed for transporting the fuel from Ndola to the consumption points, especially in the rural areas because the cost of transportation has been pegged at a fixed rate. It does not depend on the fuel cap although there are other factors like dealer margins which could contribute to the pump price at a particular filling station.

Mr Speaker, the situation on the ground, if you drive around the city, is that the price of fuel is not the same. Some dealers are charging lower prices than the capped one because they take into account factors like dealer margins and the efficiency in their operations as well as the benefits which they derive from the sales of a particular volume.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chanda (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, British Petroleum (BP) has indicated that it will pull out of the Zambian market. I would like to know if there have been consequences as a result of that announcement.

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, BP, indeed, announced that it will pull-out from five Sub-Saharan countries, including Zambia before the end of 2010. So far we have no indications about the effects of that pull-out because we have engaged BP and it has assured us that another company which is equivalent to its profile will fill its shoes and so we have not felt any impact of its intended pull out.

At the moment, there is a lot of stability in the petroleum market. We have not yet encountered any negative impacts as a result of BP’s intended pull-out.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Machungwa(Luapula): Mr Speaker, as I commend the Government for answering the cries of the rural population by introducing the uniform pricing of fuel, I would like to find out if the Government will now speed up the rehabilitation of the tanks in the provincial centres so that there will be adequate storage facilities. Can the hon. Minister say when the Government is likely to complete this process because we need it to be done as quickly as possible?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the Government is desirous that the uniform petroleum pricing mechanism is successful and its success as I indicated earlier will depend largely on the storage facilities which will be available in the rural areas to lessen the burden of transportation and distribution to those localities. The Government has already embarked on a programme to rehabilitate the storage infrastructure. To-date, three tanks at Ndola Refinery have already been rehabilitated and a fourth one will be rehabilitated and commissioned very soon. After that, it is the Government’s intention to rehabilitate the provincial storage facilities. A contract for those works has already been awarded by the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA).

Mr Speaker, I did indicate in my ministerial statement earlier that after completing works on storage facilities in Ndola, the Government will rehabilitate and up grade the storage facilities in Lusaka, Solwezi, Mongu and Mpika. After that, the programme will be extended to Chipata, Mansa and Livingstone.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr L. J. Mulenga (Kwacha): Mr Speaker, arising from the Government’s very good policy to try and maintain a uniform price for fuel for all citizens in the nation, I would like to know how the Government is responding to the  situation in Mporokoso, Kaputa and Isoka because the prices that you get in the …

Mr Speaker: Can the hon. Minister respond to that question.

Laughter

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the uniform pricing mechanism is working very well in Mporokoso, Kaputa and Isoka.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out what the new role of the ERB is because I believe that it is that institution which was trying to regulate the operations of OMCs and also the pricing. With the uniform fuel pricing mechanism in place, what will be the new role of the ERB?

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the ERB was established under an Act passed by this House. Its role is not only to regulate prices, but to among others things safeguard the various interests of energy consumers as well as to regulate the undertakings of various energy consumers. The ERB has other functions other than the regulation of the prices of fuel.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MOBILE MEDICAL SERVICES

112. Mr D. Mwila (Chipili) asked the Minister of Health:

(a) why the Government signed a concessional loan agreement with the Chinese Government to provide mobile medical services;

(b) what the terms of the agreement were; and

(c) which rural areas are earmarked to benefit from the above services.

The Minister of Local Government and Housing (Dr Chituwo) (on behalf of the Minister of Health (Dr Simbao)): Mr Speaker, in order to help meet the health needs of many Zambians, most of whom live in the rural areas, the Government made a decision to strengthen the delivery of health services through the mobile mode. It is envisaged that about 8.7 million Zambians shall benefit through this mode of delivering health services. The people from the rural areas are the ones that are presently facing difficulties in accessing health services through our static health facilities.

Mr Speaker, the tender was awarded through a limited international bidding process. The following five companies where invited, MED-1 Partners from the United States of America, AVIC International Holdings Corporation of China, Hyundai Motors of South Korea, SIMED International of Netherlands and Hitech Health Care from India were invited to submit their bids. Out of the five, three submitted their bids and two bidders were successful. During the bidding process one of the financial requirements was that the bidder was required to arrange a loan with an export import (EXIM) bank in the country of origin. The Chinese provided the EXIM bank loan for the Chinese firm. The total amount of the concessional loan being requested is US$53 million.

Mr Speaker, currently, there is no loan agreement signed with the Chinese Government. What is there is a request to the Chinese Government to give the Government of Zambia the above stated loan on concessional terms. The feedback is being awaited from the Chinese Government.

The terms of the supply agreement are as follows:

(a) the contract for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of mobile health service units in Zambia to AVIC International Holding Corporation of No. 18 BEI Chen Dong St., Chao Yang, District, Beijing, China, under the terms of the said contract was signed on 21st May, 2010. However, the concessional loan has not yet been signed by the Government of the Republic of Zambia;

(b) the contract value is US$53 million. This is in the form of a concessional loan which is still being processed.

(c) The expenditure as indicated in the contract will be used on the following:

(i) nine mobile health sets with each set having seven units or vehicles. These nine sets shall be allocated to five rural provinces, namely  
             Northern - 2, North-Western – 2, Eastern – 2, Western – 2 and     
             Luapula – 1;
(ii) seventeen marine ambulances for use where there are water bodies  
                               have been included on the list of items to be purchased;
(iii) twelve boats for passenger transport;
(iv) equipment both for the units within the sets and strengthening of all the general hospitals in the named provinces;
(v) spare parts supply for five years;
(vi) consumables supply for five years; 
(vii) vehicle service centres shall be strengthened also in the named provinces under this contract;
(viii) a Chinese technical support team comprising twelve officers for a   
             period of two years;
(ix) a Chinese medical experts team comprising of thirty-six officers for a  period of two years;
(x) the training, in China, of twenty Zambians. These shall in turn train the  rest of the workers to be attached to the Mobile Health Services Project;
(xi) we are informed that the manufacturing of the mobile health sets and all other related pieces of equipment and machinery is presently going on in China;
(xii) delivery of the first batch of project material is expected before the end of this year.

Mr Speaker, the loan shall cover the cost of training Zambians comprising the following cadres:

 Cadre No.

Anesthetists 1

General surgeons 1

Radiologists 1

Dental surgeons 1

General medical officers 1

Clinical officers 3 (one nurse, one theatre nurse and one midwife all of which will be registered)

This loan shall also cover the attachment of twenty-seven Chinese experts to the project. There will be three experts for each set consisting of one general practitioner, one radiologist and one surgeon.

Mr Speaker, the life span of the vehicles to be used is estimated at fifteen to twenty years.

Interruptions

Dr Chituwo: The project is anticipated to last even longer, as long as public mobile health services are required in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) has endorsed this undertaking and the certificate to go ahead has been issued.

Mr Speaker, you may wish to know that two contracts were awarded for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of mobile health service units in Zambia. One was awarded to Mid-1, a company from the United States of America, and as mentioned earlier, the other to AVIC International Holdings Corporation, a company from China.

Mr Speaker, the contract awarded to Med-1 for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of mobile health service units in Zambia, under the terms of the said contracts, was signed on 8th June, 2010. The contract sum is US$102,831,406 and is a concessional loan. The expenditure of this sum is broken down as follows:

(i) four sets of mobile health units earmarked for the Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka and Southern provinces;

(ii) seventy ambulances (eleven for advanced life support to be attached to each of the nine provincial hospitals and fifty-nine for basic life support). These ambulances are all-terrain ambulances. This means that they are suited for rural areas where road infrastructure is poor as well as highways. They shall be manufactured by AEV, an American company renowned to be the world’s largest and most advanced ambulance manufacturer. For the first time in Zambia, we shall have the right ambulances for our people;

(iii)  a quarter of the contract sum stated above shall be spent on the strengthening of static health facilities, namely the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Ndola Central Hospital, Kitwe Central Hospital, Arthur Davison’s Children’s Hospital, Lusaka General Hospital, Chainama Hills College Hospital and Livingstone General Hospital. This strengthening includes refurbishment and fully equipping these hospitals with equipment to make them suitable for the delivery of health services of the required quality to the Zambian people;

(iv) strengthening of vehicle service centres in the named provinces. This shall bring capacity in these centres to the required level for maintenance;

(v) training of staff in the named provinces. This training shall include staff in advanced as well as basic life support. All trainees shall be Zambians;

(vi) provision of consumables for the project; and

(vii) provision of spares during the period of the project.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr D. Mwila: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Health the cost of one mobile medical unit.

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, I do not have such details because, as one can see, there are various components. I am, therefore, not in a position, at the moment, to specifically state the cost of each unit because each unit is part of a package that has many supporting elements.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Phiri: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out how the ministry will manage to operate these mobile hospitals when we have shortages of staff in the already existing clinics and hospitals.

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, the mobile hospitals will be managed in a similar manner to that of the existing outreach programme. Within the establishment, we will set days or weeks in which the mobile medical teams will carry out specialised services. For instance, we, currently, have midwives from static facilities who go to remote areas which are served by rural health centres to conduct services such as ante-natal clinics, health education or under five clinics.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chota (Lubansenshi): Sir, could the hon. Minister tell this House how Lubansenshi Constituency, which has very bad road infrastructure, is going to benefit from these mobile health services.

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, we are aware of the state of roads in constituencies such as Lubansenshi, but it is not long ago when my colleague the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, in his Budget Speech, made mention of this Government’s commitment towards improving infrastructure, including roads. So, I am confident that the hon. Member of Parliament for Lubansenshi will see the mobile unit project touching his constituency to provide the much needed health services.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lubinda (Kabwata): Mr Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister mentioned a number of Zambian medical cadre that will be trained to manage these nine sets. He mentioned that there will mostly be one person, and a maximum of three, trained for each field, and yet they are meant to come and …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Go straight into your question.

Mr Lubinda: Sir, could the hon. Minister indicate how the training of one person for each of the various categories of cadre will enable the running of nine mobile hospitals. How will that be possible?

Mr Matongo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Matongo: Mr Speaker, I sincerely apologise for disturbing Hon. Lubinda. I have it on record that, in 1991, at the change of Government from the United National Independence Party (UNIP) to the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), the major campaign factor by the men and women on your right was the claim that there would not only be mobile clinics, but also, in addition to the Flying Doctor Services, marine clinics. The composition of Zambia is 40 per cent water. However, where are the mobile clinics on the Luapula and Zambezi rivers, Lake Kariba and elsewhere? The MMD Government needs to fulfill its campaign promises. Is the Government in order not to order mobile marine clinics for this country?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Pemba need not have raised that point of order, but asked a question. That is what we are here for.

The hon. Member for Kabwata may complete his question.

Mr Lubinda: Sir, can the hon. Minister, please, clarify?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, there is a cadre that is called trainer of trainers. The mere fact that there are few numbers indicated here only shows that these will be the focus of the mobile hospital services. In addition, there is a robust training programme for medical officers, midwives and anesthetists, among others, that will be complemented by these specified trained cadres in the contracts referred to. Therefore, it is not like everything has come to a stand still.

Thank you, Sir.

Dr Scott (Lusaka Central): Mr Speaker, perhaps, the hon. Minister could set our minds at ease on the subject of what kind of cases are going to be dealt with by mobile hospitals because pregnant women do not start their contractions according to the schedule of a mobile hospital.

Laughter

Dr Scott: Sir, acute cases of malaria do not find themselves in accordance with the schedule of a mobile hospital. So, exactly what kind of cases will the mobile hospitals be able to deal with reliably?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, there are many categories of patients that these mobile hospitals will cater for. The first is that of a surgical nature. There are many people in the rural areas who would be relieved of discomfort or pain by undertaking simple surgical procedures. So, the chronic cases requiring surgery will be dealt with by the expertise of the mobile clinics. Secondly, it is very clear that people go around their work with serious dental problems and only seek medical advice when they are in pain. We can prevent the unnecessary extraction of teeth amongst our population by the provision of mobile clinics.

With regard to maternity cases, of course, it is clear that labour does not choose when to start. However, mobile clinics will complement the detection of danger cases, which means those pregnancies that need further specialised attention. Therefore, advice will be given to pregnant mothers to go to appropriate fixed facilities in preparation for delivery. As regards children, for instance, again, there will be cases that will require immediate surgery which will be done, with the aid of mobile clinics, before being referred to fixed facilities. The list is endless.

So, these mobile systems will complement the existing services and mop out those cases that would not have had the services at all. Furthermore, after dictating conditions which were unattended, they will also render expert advice on further treatment.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, the US$53.6 million can be used to build about 1,500 fixed health posts which would translate into ten health posts per constituency. Would it not have been prudent to build ten health posts per constituency rather than buying the nine units which will not go around?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health has provided the 2010 Infrastructure Development Plan and the same will also be provided in 2011.

Mr Speaker, it is erroneous to think that because we have mobile hospitals, the construction of fixed structures will cease. This programme will continue because even, currently, when the Zambia Flying Doctor Services have been to an area, there is a need for continuity of treatment and review from fixed places. So, the construction of fixed structures will continue and will be implemented side by side with the mobile clinics.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Milupi (Luena): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Member assure me and the people of the Western Province, where there is so much sand and virtually no roads, that the mobile hospitals that will be procured for the province will be placed on four-wheel or six-wheel drive vehicles? Can he further assure me that these also will have a life span of fifteen years like the other mobile hospitals?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, this is a very valid question. Even the four-wheel drive vehicles that are available have a challenge in the Western Province. Unfortunately, with regard to the make of the vehicles on which the mobile clinics will be placed, I do not have the details stating whether they will be four-wheel drive or not. However, in the planning, the factor of different terrain needing different vehicles is taken into account. So, it is difficult for me to give a definite answer on whether the vehicles will be four-wheel drive or not. However, all I can say is that, currently, when the Government plans to purchase vehicles for the Western Province, it takes into consideration the difficult terrain.

With regard to the estimated life span, Mr Speaker, that depends on the usage. Taking into consideration the hostile environment, the life span might not generally be the same. However, fifteen years is the average life span.

Thank you, Sir,

Mr Matongo (Pemba): Mr Speaker, it is clear that the mobile clinics will be coming on the roads of Zambia despite opposition from elsewhere. Therefore I would like to find out whether the MMD Government will, in fact, live its promise of introducing mobile clinics on the water basins of our country such as the Luapula and Zambezi rivers and elsewhere as it promised in 1991.

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, in my answer to Hon. D. Mwila, I indicated that, in this contract, we have seventeen marine ambulances for use on water bodies and twelve passenger boats. So, that will complement the issues of patients or clients getting the services from the marine ambulances that I alluded to.

I thank you, Sir.

2009/2010 FLOODS

114. Mr Chanda (Kankoyo) asked the Vice-President and Minister of Justice:

 (a) which province was worst hit by floods in the 2009/2010 rainy season;

 (b) how many people were displaced as a result of the floods; and

 (c) how much money the Government spent in relocating the flood victims.

The Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President (Mr Munkombwe): Mr Speaker, the Eastern Province was worst hit by floods during the 2009/2010 rainy season. A total of  79,690 people were affected by the Floods.

  No. of Structures Assessed  Total No.
Province Bridges Culverts/ Road Embank of Structures
  Drifts Sections ments Assessed

Central 1 12 0 0 13

Copperbelt 5 41 0 2 48

Eastern  15 95 0 0   110

Luapula    0 14 0 0 14

Lusaka    0 15 0 0 15

North- 
Western    6 37 3 5 51

Northern    2 53 0 0 55

Southern    2 15 2 1 19

Western    3  8 0 7 18

Total  34  290 5 15   343 

Mr Speaker, in terms of habitation and human shelter, the Lusaka Province was the worst affected with about 187 households displaced. Out of these, 177 households were camped at the 2009/10 Flood Victims Camp at the Independence Stadium.

Mr Speaker, according to reports received and assessments carried out in various districts of Zambia by the Zambia Vulnerability Assessment Committee chaired by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under my office, it was established that a total of 79,690 households were affected throughout the country in one way or the other. A total of 353 households were displaced throughout the country, broken down as follows:

Province Districts Number of Displaced
 Households

Lusaka Lusaka, Kafue and Luangwa  187

Central Serenje   21

North-Western Chavuma                 10

Eastern Mambwe       17

Western Kalabo, Lukulu, Mongu,
 Senanga, Shang’ombo and
 Sesheke    103

Southern Gwembe, Kazungula, Namwala
 and Sinazongwe     15

Total   353 

Mr Speaker, in order to mitigate the effect of the floods, the Government and its co-operating partners mobilised resources to address the plight of the flood victims. The total amount that was spent was K3,380,123,767.20 and was mainly for the Lusaka Province as the victims in the Eastern and Central provinces were integrated within their respective larger communities.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chanda: Mr Speaker, the rainy season is just around the corner. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what mitigating measures have been put in place in case we experience floods countrywide.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, it is difficult to plan for accidents. However, the Government has put in place some mitigating measures in the event of floods.
 
I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Phiri (Munali): Mr Speaker, when Lusaka was hit by floods, the then Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President assured the Lusaka residents that the Government, together with the hon. Members of Parliament, would bite the bullet and relocate the victims. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister why the flood victims, who were relocated, were taken back to the places that had been hit by the floods.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, where does the hon. Member suppose we should have taken them?
 
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Munkombwe: Should we have thrown them in the water or taken them back to their homes?

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Milupi (Luena): Mr Speaker, I find the answer to part (a) and (b) a bit strange. Is His Honour the Vice-President not aware that the Western Province normally has the worst floods and the highest number of relocations of over hundreds of thousands? It is, in fact, called the Kuomboka. Why has he come up with that answer in (a) and (b)?

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, the Kuomboka is not a disaster. It is part of our tradition.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: How can the hon. Member say that the Kuomboka is a disaster and the Westerners are listening? It is not a disaster.

I thank you, Sir.
 
Mr Lubinda (Kabwata): Mr Speaker, obviously, the rains are not accidental and we are aware of the fact that the floods that occur in Lusaka are a result of lack of drainage systems. I would like of find out from His Honour the Vice-President when he will release the K120 billion that the Lusaka City Council applied for, through his ministry, to ensure that drainage systems are opened up before the rains start in the next three weeks.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, there is a programme which is going on in Lusaka.

Mr Lubinda: Where?

Mr Munkombwe: It is all over, including Kabwata. We will carry on with this programme and the necessary arrangements are being made in order to mitigate this problem.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Imbwae (Lukulu West): Mr Speaker, how did the Office of His Honour the Vice-President assess the effects of the floods in Lukulu West where there are no culverts or bridges on Lutembwe and Lungwebungu rivers?

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, there is a team of experts that goes to assess these various reports. We have not received that report yet, but we intend to work on it when it comes.

I thank you, Sir.

CHILDBIRTH DEATHS

115. Mr Chanda (Kankoyo) asked the Minister of Health how many women died in childbirth in 2009 in the following hospitals:

(i) University Teaching Hospital (UTH);

(ii) Ndola Central;

(iii) Kitwe Central;

(iv)  Ronald Ross; and

(v) Malcom Watson.

The Minister of Local Government and Housing (Dr Chituwo) (on behalf the Minister of Health (Mr Simbao)): Mr Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the number of women who died in child birth in the five hospitals listed below is as follows:

 Name of Hospital No. of Deaths
 
 University Teaching      190
 
 Ndola Central     25
 
 Kitwe Central 29
 
 Ronald Ross       06
 
 Malcom Watson   0
 
 Total  250 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chanda: Mr Speaker, what is the ministry doing to reduce the number of women who die in child birth, especially at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH)?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, I can only give a brief answer on that question because if I were to tabulate or discuss what we are doing comprehensively, it would invite a ministerial statement.

Mr Lubinda: Bring it!

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, there are a number of activities and programmes that the Ministry of Health is undertaking in partnership with its co-operating partners. On the continent, it is only three months ago when His Excellency the President launched the Comprehensive Accelerated Reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio (CARMMR) that had a week of activities and will continue the whole year.

Under this programme, there are efforts to mobilise resources so that the programmes that deal with prevention, identification of danger pregnancies, health education and improving facilities such as the mothers’ shelter or waiting shelters for delivery are constructed so that the mothers can have access to these facilities.

Mr Speaker, secondly, this august House will recall that, throughout the country, we have embarked on the construction of thirty-four maternity annexes or extensions out of the proceeds of the plundered of resources in the country. In addition, we have instituted a programme called the Emergency Maternal and Obstetric Gynaecology Programme which has embarked on training of health workers, particularly, midwives in the areas of management of childbirth-related complications from neonatal, the new born, the period of delivery and soon after delivery, the post-natal era.

Sir, at the UTH, specifically, we must have heard and seen the upgrading of the referral health centres in the various locations. These are Chawama, Kanyama, Matero and Chipata health centres. We have taken theatre and X-ray facilities to these areas so that we are able to take care of these mothers rather than them trekking to the UTH where there is a lot of congestion.

Mr Speaker, there are many programmes, including our quest to increase the number of midwives. For instance, there is the programme of direct entry into midwifery training. We have to train the midwives quickly so that we deploy them in these areas.

Sir, these are some of the measures that we are undertaking to improve on the maternal mortality ratio. Through these efforts, the maternity mortality ratio of 729 per 100,000 live births has been reduced to 549 per 100,000 per live births. That is some achievement but, certainly, we have to do more to improve on this figure.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Katema (Chingola): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Health because these deaths are caused by delays of …

Mr Speaker: Order! You have no question to ask.

Dr Katema: Is the ministry not considering buying, at least, an ambulance for every satellite health centre so that patients can be delivered to referral centres as quickly as possible?

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, we are aware of the need for each referral when a complication arises in pregnancy. Progressively, we have been trying to meet this need and one of the ways is that we have bought some ambulances. Funds permitting, we can do more, but it might take a long time for us to have an ambulance at each health centre. However, in order to go round this, there is a provision of a radio communication system so that an ambulance that is stationed in that locality can quickly be contacted when a mother who is about to deliver has a complication. We feel, in so doing, we will be cutting on the delays that lead to deaths in childbirth.

I thank you, Sir.

VISA FEE REVENUES

116. Mr Mwango (Kanchibiya) asked the Minister of Finance and National Planning how much money the Government raised from visa fees from 2007 to 2009, year by year.

The Deputy Minister of Finance and National Planning (Mr Phiri): Mr Speaker, the Government raised the following revenue from visa fees between 2007 and 2009:

Year  Entry Visas Fees (K‘bn)
 
2007 14.8

2008 30.7

2009 33

Mr Speaker, this august House may wish to know that despite the global economic crunch that was experienced in the recent past, the Government notably recorded a successive increase in visa fee collections as evidenced by the above statistics.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mwango: Mr Speaker, what percentage of the visa fees collected went to the tourism sector?

Mr Phiri: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to state that visa fees constitute the non-tax revenue component. This goes directly to the Central Treasury and is used for Government operations. As for the percentage that we allocate to the tourism sector, I am not able to state clearly. What is important to know is that it goes straight to the Central Treasury and it is part of Government expenditure.

I thank you, Sir.

_________

BILLS

REPORT STAGE

The Lands Tribunal Bill, 2010

The Lands and Deeds Registry (Amendment) Bill, 2010

The Housing (Statutory and Improvement Areas) (Amendment) Bill, 2010

The Occupational Health and Safety Bill, 2010

Report adopted.

Third Readings on Friday, 22nd October, 2010.

THIRD READING

The following Bills were read the third time and passed:

The Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill, 2010

The Lands (Amendment) Bill, 2010

__________{mospagebreak}

MOTIONS

BUDGET 2011

(Debate resumed)

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, before the House adjourned yesterday, I was saying that I did debate the President’s Speech and I stated that it was a political campaign speech which had all promises. We looked forward to seeing how the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning would respond.

Sir, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has responded well by bringing in a campaign budget which matches well with the President’s Speech. This is a job well done. Since the MMD Government wants to bring in a campaigning policy, my job as an hon. Member from the Opposition is not to praise them but offer an alternative where possible to show that what they have done is wrong. If I praise them exceedingly, then we must as well disband and make a one party State.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Sir, in Europe and other parts of the world countries are reducing their Budgets but, in Zambia, we are increasing. That is an achievement. We are showing that in spite of our 2010 Budget of K16 trillion, which we are having difficulty funding now, we want to have a Budget of K20 trillion and are saying that we will be able to raise that money. If the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning believes that we shall raise K20 trillion when we are having difficulty raising K16 trillion, then something is not very clear somewhere. It is either the K20 trillion is just for campaign purposes or the K16 trillion shortfall was not declared in total. I will leave this to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Mr Speaker, it was interesting to listen to the British Budget which is in deficit. The people were protesting the cut and urging the Government to tax the banks instead.

Mr Speaker, in this country, we have not cut our Budget. I however agree with the Government not to cut the Budget but tax the mines in order to increase the base of revenue collection. I will keep singing about this. I do not want to talk about windfall tax or whatever you want to call it. However, if people are making US$8,000 per tonne, we should be able to get something from that. We must maximise our income from what is available.

If you do not get something from the mines, you will fail to upgrade the Bottom Road, which the President responded to. He said the road would be worked on. If the Bottom Road is not worked by January, I will tell the people that this Government tells untruths. 

The Hon. Mr Speaker advised that we should not bring issues that we hear from people outside into the House and argue over them. I will bring the concerns of the people into this House to prove to you that you are not showing your true colours.  

The hon. Minister of Health said on radio that the health budget is not enough for his ministry. I concurred with him when he said he was going to have problems. The allocation is not enough for the ministry. We do not have enough drugs in our hospitals and clinics. This Government has promised our people all these developments but to-date, we do not have them. It is not all rosy out there. You must ensure that all the things you promised come to fruition or else you will be replaced.

Mr Speaker, I have heard a lot of complaints and praises for last season’s bumper harvest. This is the one achievement that the MMD Government has made. They have surpassed the United National Independence Party (UNIP) who only managed a harvest of 1.5 million metric tonnes while they have produced 2.8 million tonnes.

Yesterday, I was gratified yesterday to hear the hon. Deputy Minister for Luapula Province propounding the agricultural policies and talking about what should be done because this made me wonder where he was when the people in the MMD were destroying agriculture. Who was in-charge? When the MMD was telling us that they did not want the agricultural sector funded, hon. Deputy Minister, where were you with all that knowledge? 

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I wish to praise the hon. Members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) for talking about subsidies for a long time. When we were talking about these subsidies, the hon. Members on your right, Sir, were screaming at us and asking us where the money would come from. For the past five years we have been asking this Government to subsidise the agricultural sector. They are good students who are learning well. It was even pleasant to hear the hon. Deputy Minister propounding on the policies. It is a pity, hon. Deputy Minister, because not many of your colleagues listened to you.

Mr Speaker, another hon. Minister said that we have forgotten where we came from. How can we forget where we came from? We know exactly where we came from. When Dr Kaunda left in 1991, he left the kwacha to the dollar at US$1 to K20. Is the kwacha to the dollar 1 to 20 now? No. We are still at US$1 to K4,600. In the time of UNIP a bag of mealie-meal was much cheaper.

We have not forgotten where we came from. At one point we were challenged as Opposition, but we do not want to argue about that now. Others must thank the MMD’s mischief for their wealth. They auctioned off co-operative properties while telling us that we did not need the co-operatives any more. We had to plead with this Government that we needed the co-operatives as a vehicle for development. It has taken you years to learn and in the meantime you have killed a lot of Zambians.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I am sorry, I withdraw the word “kill”.

Mr Speaker, a lot of Zambians have died of hunger.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: I would like to remind the hon. Members on your right, Sir that they told us that they did not need to buy the crop because the private sector would buy it. The private sector was nowhere to be seen. What happened next was that we were given promissory notes. People died in certain parts of the country before getting their money. The Government ended up collecting the maize and giving the farmers pieces of paper as promises that they would pay them.

Hon. MMD Members: Guy Scott!

Mr Muntanga: This is why they are even bringing ambulances …

Mr Mulongoti: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mulongoti: Mr Speaker, I rise on a serious point of order. Is the hon. Member debating in order to go on and on about the MMD when he, himself, was a Member at the time I was giving the advice? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker:  Order!

I hear many speakers giving a set of rulings to that point of order. In that case, the hon. Member for Kalomo Central will continue.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, one of the reasons I left the MMD was the destruction in the agricultural sector.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: You can go and find out from the former President. He and I spent about forty-five minutes talking about this.

Mr Speaker, the knowledge that the hon. Deputy Minister for Luapula exhibited should have been utilised. You are now praising yourselves for the Fertiliser Input Support Programme (FISP) which you think is the reason for this bumper harvest of 2.8 million metric tonnes. I want tell you that the biggest contribution to this bumper harvest is the good rains.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: You are only supporting 500,000 farmers with this programme. You are giving each farmer four bags which is for half a hectare. You are only supporting 250,000 hectares. There is no way these farmers will produce 11 tonnes per hectare. The true record shows that it is less than 2 tonnes. You can check this with the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives. Sir, 2 tonnes per hectare for 250,000 hectares, is only 500,000 metric tonnes. Where is the balance of 1.3 million metric tonnes coming from? It is coming from people who buy fertiliser with their own money.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: It comes from areas such as Chikanta where, because of good rainfall, people do not apply fertiliser. This is what is obtaining on the ground.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: With good rainfall, farmers in Chikanta can have a very good harvest. They do not need fertiliser. 

Mr Speaker, last year, we had a unique situation. The rains that came last year were the best for maize growing. If you doubt me, ask the hon. Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President, Hon. Munkombwe, who also grows maize.  

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: He will tell you that I am correct.

When you praise yourselves as having done well, do not refer to the FISP because the farmers are not happy with the way it has been implemented.

 Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Muntanga: It is a drop in the ocean.

Interruptions

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, that is why they lose in elections because they do not understand that the system of giving four bags per farmer is making them lose supporters. You are already proposing that you want to give them two bags of fertiliser   each because you think that those bags will be sufficient for them. Try it! I will be dancing when coming to this House having chased them from here.

 Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Muntanga: They will run away with their four bags.

 Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: For heaven’s sake, if they want to remain in this House, they should, please, listen to what some people are saying. Since you have now come to the realisation that the agricultural sector requires good funding, you should go a little further and reach the 10 per cent which you agreed to. Do not fund agriculture at 7 per cent of the total budget and then start praising yourselves of having increased its budgetary allocation when you have just added K200 billion to the previous allocation which was K1.1 trillion. Surprisingly after providing such an allocation, you claim to be doing a good job.  Please, try to do things the correct way.

Mr Speaker, I want to tell you that if these people did things the right way, they were going to be able to pay back the K30 billion which they owe the Co-operative Bank. You should pay back that money. If you do that, the bank will re-open and it will start giving loans to the farmers. This will be of great help to the Government. You should increase your budget for agriculture to K2 trillion which is 10 per cent of the total budget. That money will pay …

Mr Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member for Kalomo Central will address the Chair.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I want them to look at me as I talk.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, if they increase the amount to K2 trillion, the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives will have enough money to give to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), instead of K150 billion. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should tell the House how much money is going to the farmers for their crop which is part of the bumper harvest they keep talking about. In this budget only about 1 trillion is meant to carter for the needs of the farmers. You do not implement what we tell you to do because you are slow learners.  If you support agriculture well, there will be…

Mr Speaker: Order!

The hon. Member will address the Chair. If they support…

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, they are slow learners.

 Hon. Opposition: Hear, Hear!

Mr Muntanga: If they increase the budget allocation for the agricultural sector to 10 per cent of the total budget, you will be able to fund the sector properly. The agricultural sector is the biggest employer in this country.

 Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Dr Chituwo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker,…

Mr Speaker: Order!

A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: What point of order?

Laughter

Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order.

Sir, I have been listening very attentively to the debate by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kalomo Central. Surprisingly, in the first instance, he said that we are very good learners, but within the next breath, he went on to say that we are very bad learners. Is he in order to contradict himself in such a short period of time? I need your serious ruling.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order! The hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing is tickled in his opinion by the manner in which the hon. Member for Kalomo Central is contradicting himself in a short period of time. The ruling has always been that only the Executive are not allowed to contradict themselves in this House. The other hon. Members…

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: … are free to contradict, ‘uncontradict’ or ‘discontradict’ themselves as much as they wish.

 Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Kalomo Central may continue.

 Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I want to put the record straight that my colleagues on your right are learners, but they are slow. You are slow learners because it takes you about eight years to learn certain things. If you had allocated 10 per cent of the total budget to the agricultural sector, then, you would have recorded a lot of achievements.

Sir, the FRA only received K100 billion last year. In this year’s Budget, the FRA was given K150 billion which it is supposed to use to purchase maize from the bumper harvest. 

The budget for next year is at K485 billion …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours to 1630 hours. 

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Muntanga: Madam Speaker, before we went on a break, I was encouraging my colleagues on your right to improve the speed at which they learn things.

Madam Speaker, it is a known fact that if the agricultural sector was properly funded, a lot of problems would be solved. The poor funding of the agricultural sector is what made some of us leave the MMD. For clarity purposes especially for those that may be doubting about what I am talking about, you can consult people like Hon. Sejani. If you have time, he can explain to you that …

Mr Sejani: Yes, Sir!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

There should be no conversation here.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: In fact, it s not good to ignore anything to do with agriculture. The Government has continuously stated that the support rendered to farmers with regard to access to fertiliser is a general subsidy which a number of farmers are supposed to benefit from. If 1,300,000 farmers had access to reasonably priced fertiliser, we would have not been talking about the 2.8 million metric tonnes of maize in our current bumper harvest. We would have been talking about 5.7 million metric tones of maize which would have easily been produced by the small-scale farmers. There is no magic. Once the money from the sale of the 5.7 million metric tonnes of maize goes to the farmers, the small shops in the villages will re-open and people will start buying things from there.

Madam Speaker, if you went to Kalomo now, you would find a lot of activities taking place there because the people there are being paid for the maize that they are selling. Vans are being bought. This is happening because the farmers have got the means to buy these vehicles. The idea of giving farmers four bags of fertiliser for half a hectare is not only unacceptable, but a very bad policy. Farmers need more support. We should avoid telling the farmers that four bags of fertiliser are enough for them. The truth of the matter is that people are complaining. Since it is a campaign year, we will tell the people that if they are given four bags of fertiliser, they should vote against the MMD and take it out of power.

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

Mr Muntanga: Madam Speaker, people are voting on Monday. We will tell them that because of the four bags of fertiliser which they are giving you, you should chase them out of power. They do not mean well for you. What they want is only to tell you lies. They want to deceive you and say that the country is producing a lot of crop because of their policies and not just your sweat.

Madam Speaker, is there a problem with the Government giving K30 billion to the Co-operative Bank so that it can be reopened? Is there a problem with that? Why is the Government dilly dallying in giving K30 billion to the Co-operative Bank so that it can be reopened and yet there is no money lending institution which is favourable to the agricultural sector?

Mr Sejani: It is not a people’s budget!

Mr Muntanga: This budget is for activities connected to the election campaigns such as works on the roads.

Madam Speaker, I wish to advise my colleagues not to focus their eyes on the too many programmes such that the same people should fly using aeroplanes from one place to another to inspect Government projects. It is not okay for the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to appear on television just to show that the Government is working on all the roads in the whole country.

Mr Beene: Weakened planes!

Mr Muntanga: The recent accident that happened with the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) plane was a warning to you.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: The inspection of projects should not be done by people from Lusaka alone. It should be done in a decentralised manner such that people are allowed to monitor their projects at district level.

Hon. Member: On a point of order, Sir!

Mr Muntanga: Do not fly from one place to another because we do not want to see another accident such as the one that occurred in Poland.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr C. Mulenga (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you for allowing me to contribute to the debate of the Motion on the Floor of this House.

Madam, before I begin my debate, I wish to adopt the debate by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kalomo Central as my own.

Mr Muntanga: Thank you!

Mr C. Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I say so, because he has just repeated what I talked about two to three weeks ago. Regarding the bumper harvest, I said that we are not disputing that we have it this year, but we do not agree with the assertion that it is as a result of this Government’s good policies.

Mr Shawa: Aah!

Mr C. Mulenga: In fact the fertiliser issue is political in this country. I would also like to remind my colleagues on your right that I will go to Chinsali to tell the people that when the late President was in power, he used to give them eight pockets of fertiliser, but the one who is there now, is giving them four bags. This message will make you lose the elections.

Interruptions

Mr C. Mulenga: I am telling you the truth. We, in the Opposition, will go and tell them that when they vote for us, we shall give them eight bags each. They will surely vote for us..

Madam Speaker, let me now come to my debate. I have drawn particular attention to the theme of the Budget and it says, “A People’s Budget, from a People’s Government.” Madam, I have been in this Chamber for four years.

Mr Mulyata: Only!

Mr C. Mulenga: Yes, only four years!

Madam Speaker, I have heard a lot of such well decorated and cosmetic themes like the one we have this year. This theme is not different from the other themes we have been hearing in this Chamber ever since I came into this Parliament. If I may just refresh your memory, the theme for the 2010 Budget was an equally decorated and cosmetic one. The theme was, “Enhancing Growth through Competitiveness.” You cannot enhance growth where there is no development because the two words are inter related. There shall be no growth where there is no development.

Mr Chota: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: How do you enhance growth without development? From that perspective, you can tell that the theme for the 2010 Budget was a cosmetic one.

Madam, in 2008, we had a theme which said, “Unlocking Resources for Economic Empowerment and Wealth Creation.’’ What wealth have you created? There is no wealth that you have created in this country. This was yet another cosmetic theme.

Madam Speaker, let me go further, in 2007, the theme was, “From Stability to Improved Service Delivery.” That 2007 Budget was aimed at improving the living standards of the people of Zambia. What living standards have you improved for the people of Zambia today?

Mr Munaile: Sosa!

Mr C. Mulenga: In 2006, the theme was “From Sacrifice to Equitable Wealth Creation”. The only word from the theme which was connected to what was obtaining on the ground was ‘sacrifice’. Indeed, the Zambian people have sacrificed, but there has been no equitable distribution of wealth to all the parts of the country. Madam Speaker, all these speeches have been like cosmetic preaching which we have listened to for a long time. These themes have delivered nothing to the Zambian people.

Mr Shawa: Question!

Mr C. Mulenga: There have been statements as well, such as, “This is a year of prosperity”. Where is prosperity? Where is it? I do not see any prosperity in this country. Where is prosperity when a bag of mealie meal is going at US$15?

Mr Shawa: Aah!

Mr C. Mulenga: Where is prosperity when transport and fuel costs are the highest component in …

Mr Chota: Southern Africa!

Mr C. Mulenga: … doing business in the country? Where is the prosperity which they are talking about? Can the people on your right hand side tell me where this prosperity is, when there are no drugs in some of the hospitals in this country. Where is it? I cannot see any prosperity in this country. Madam Speaker, where is prosperity when there are no health facilities in the rural areas such that our women in this country walk long distances to go to the nearest health centres? Can we call that prosperity? That is not prosperity. Where is prosperity when there are no health personnel in the hospital facilities that we have? Where is it? I do not see it.

Children walk long distances to go to the nearest school in the rural part of this country because of lack of schools. Can we call that prosperity? That is not prosperity. Can we say that we are living in prosperity when the quality of our education is compromised because our teachers are getting meagre salaries and living in ramshackle houses? Where is the prosperity here? Can this Government tell me where prosperity is? I cannot see it.

Mr Mulyata: Lenshina!

Mr C. Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I want to find out how this Government has lifted the living standards of the people when about 85 per cent of the people in the rural and 34 per cent in the urban areas are still living under the poverty datum-line. What have you improved regarding the living standards of the people in this country?

Can this Government tell me where the prosperity is when corruption is the order of the day in the country?

Mr Malama: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: Madam, even when Jesus Christ came on this earth, he said he did not come to remove the laws of his Father that were in place, but instead to strengthen them. However, what we are seeing from our colleagues on your right is them weakening the laws that our late President Mwanawasa put together very well. The first one to be done away with was the one to do with Windfall Tax. Now we have seen the abuse of office offence being taken out of the Anti-Corruption Bill. That is weakening the law. What benefit can the people of Zambia get from such occurrences?

Madam Speaker, on a serious note, when I heard the hon. Minister state that the theme was, “A people’s Budget from a People’s Government”, I thought that most of the resources were going to programmes that targeted poverty alleviation. That is what I thought. However, it is not the case.

Madam, poverty is a social problem. Therefore, its solution is social in nature. I expected this year’s Budget to target factors of poverty such as disease, hunger, corruption, ignorance, dependence syndrome and many other social ills. That is what I expected.

It is these factors that contribute to the poor infrastructure, bad governance, under employment, lack of skills and capital or empowerment and poor leadership as we are seeing today. A serious Government would have identified these and targeted them to be in line with the theme of the Budget.

Madam Speaker, what I see in this Budget is concentration on macro economic growth as opposed to social issues which directly affect the people in the country. I would like to state here that although we target the gross domestic product (GDP), is not poverty itself, but a symptom of poverty. This Budget is curing symptoms and not the real poverty. If we concentrate on curing symptoms, there will be no benefit at all and the people will continue complaining about being left out in the Budget because of targeting wrong things.

Madam Speaker, the Budget has not favoured the Northern Province. No attention has been paid to the province in the Budget except just for the mention of one road from Isoka to Muyombe and we know why. Do not think that we do not know.

Mr Munaile: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: I am not saying that the road is not economic, but it cannot be compared to other roads like the Isoka/Kasama, Kasama/Luwingu, and Luwingu/Mansa roads. These are important roads, but they have been left out. What the Government is practising is rent seeking. This means that it is only taking development to where it has support. We need to share the resources equitably because the people of Chinsali also need roads. I would like to know when a road in Chinsali was last graded. It was, maybe, twenty years ago. The people of Chinsali also need development, but what we have seen is development being used as an appeasement for the people on the Government’s side. That is not right.

Madam Speaker, what message is the Government taking to the people in places like Chinsali? It needs to go there to tell the people what it has done. When I go to Chinsali tomorrow, I will tell the people that they have been neglected by this Government. It is even worse now than during the reign of the late President Levy Mwanawasa, SC.

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

 Mr C. Mulenga: It is important that we share these resources equitably.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Kachimba): Madam Speaker, I am grateful for according me the chance to contribute to the debate on the Motion on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, from the outset, I wish to congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for a well-thought out Budget Speech. It has made it very difficult for the comrades on your left to debate. That is why  they have resorted to talking about the windfall tax.

Madam Speaker, the theme for the 2011 Budget is, “A people’s Budget, from a people’s Government.” It is a Budget that is concerned about jobs, agriculture and food security, industrialisation, international competitiveness and infrastructure development. This is a Budget which addresses issues pertaining to the requirements of the people. Above all, the 2011 Budget shows the reduction of poverty.

Madam Speaker, no one should mislead the good people of our country by stating that they can do better because any realistic person knows that the MMD Government is taking this country into prosperity. Our economy and the lives of many Zambians can only be made better through the improvement of infrastructure, roads, tourism development, investment in agricultural production, private sector development, support to education, health and other areas that can enhance economic growth.

Madam Speaker, the allocation of 50 per cent of the total budget to the social sector signifies the Government’s efforts in ensuring that Zambia has a healthy and educated citizenry. The focus on agriculture and infrastructure development will lead to the creation of the much needed jobs for the masses. The Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will ensure that the jobs that are created are not just jobs, but decent ones that promote workers’ rights, social security and fair wages.

Madam Speaker, this people’s Government has, yet again, embarked on the task of preparing a successive plan to the current one, the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP). In the beginning, I said that the 2011 Budget is a well-thought out one because it will kick start the implementation of all the good policies reflected in the draft of the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP). This shows that when one looks at how the resources have been allocated, the details reflect that to boost the economy actively, through employment creation in the rural areas, the Government has allocated over K300 billion to the rural electrification programme.

Again, Madam Speaker, it has been the talk of many economic analysts that low skills among our people have been a factor that has contributed to the current unemployment levels in our country. This Budget is addressing this and has accordingly increased the allocation for education and skills development by 15 per cent.

Madam Speaker, a budget can mention all sorts of things such as infrastructural projects, rural electrification, health, and education, but it truly qualifies to be a people’s budget when it also pays attention to the issue of social protection. As hon. Members are by now very much aware, the social protection programmes that this MMD Government has put in place are unprecedented in the history of this country. The Government has recognised that even when our economic growth rates are good, there are always households that do not benefit from this. To this end, the people’s Government, through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services as well as the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, has devised social cash transfer programmes targeted at the incapacitated households as well as the aged citizens. This programme is on course because there is a pilot project in Katete which is attending to the aged who are above sixty years old.

This is working very well and these households are out of poverty and are able to send their children to school. The 2011 Budget has yet allocated funds to these noble programmes.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, in order to prove to our colleagues in the Opposition that the MMD Government is creating jobs, every year, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will ensure that labour statistics are collected regularly to show trends in employment growth sector by sector every year. Labour statistics are also essential for planning and monitoring of Government programmes.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.{mospagebreak}

Mr Munaile (Malole): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the 2011 Budget Address by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. From the outset, I would like to commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for one thing. He has strived to raise the percentage of domestic revenue in our National Budget. That is commendable.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that the Government has tried to provide services to the Zambian people, but whatever has been done, this far, is not enough. He further said that there was a need to accelerate this process of providing for the Zambian people.

Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister how his ministry expects to expedite the process of providing for the Zambian people when sectors such as mining, with the capacity to contribute immensely to the process he visualises, are contributing less than they ought to. For this country to move forward, there must be consensus by all stakeholders. This means that companies depleting resources need to contribute more to our Budget because the resources being depleted will never be replaced.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, I wish to submit, therefore, that the Government should devise a system that will ensure that mining companies contribute more to the economic development of this country than the case is at present.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning informed this House that the GDP has been growing and that he expects the trend to continue even in 2011. The GDP, as a measure to determine economic growth in a country like Zambia, where foreign investors are made to externalise money as they please, is cosmetic in my view.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, it is cosmetic because its growth does not show any tangible benefit to the Zambian people. Unless its growth can be turned into real benefits to the Zambian people, it will never be appreciated. When those from the western world say that their GDP is growing by a given percentage, it is close to real because the nationals of those countries are the investors in those countries and the money realised from their investment remains within their countries.

Mr Milupi: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: However, in our situation, the money is externalised and what we remain with is simply not enough to propel the actual economic growth that the Zambian people so much dream about.

Mr Milupi: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, until the people, for example, of Malole begin to see that the roads and clinics are in a better state, that the people of Mungwi have a hospital, that councils are able to provide the services that we all require and that our people have clean water, we are not going to appreciate the GDP growth that we so much talk about.

Madam Speaker, allow me to comment on the road infrastructure. The hon. Minister, in his address, mentioned a number of projects that the Government is going to undertake in 2011. Surprisingly, I did not hear him talk about the Great North road nor  did I hear him mention the Kasama/Isoka Road or Mbesuma Bridge, which His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Banda, promised the people of Malole Constituency would be worked on, during the 2010 Ukusefya Pang’wena tradition ceremony for the Bemba speaking people of the Northern Province.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Member: Mulaye Mulongoti.

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, the Great North Road, whether we like it or not is an economic road for this country. Hon. Minister, you were in Nakonde …

Hon. Government Member: He was!

Mr Munaile: … to see what is being done at what you are calling the One Stop Border Post. I want to believe that the reason the Government has put in money into that project is to quicken the passage of goods and people. However, of what benefit will it be if the Government has over looked the road that brings so much money to this country? What is happening on the Great North Road, today, is just the patching up of potholes on some sections of the road. Now, with the heavy traffic that passes through that road, it will not last. Madam Speaker, if the hon. Minister wants to see it returning to the old days when it was called the Hell Run, the people of the Northern Province are not ready to go back to those days.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, the desire of economists is to share the meagre or scarce resources equitably. I want to pose a question to the hon. Minister. I hope he responds because the last time when I posed a question on the reserves, he chose not to respond. I hope he is going to answer this time.

Madam Speaker, in this year’s Budget, the hon. Minister has allocated money for works on the Mongu/Kalabo Road. At the same time, the Senanga/Sesheke Road and the Bridge at Sioma will be worked on. When you put all these resources together, you are talking about K2 trillion going to one province.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: K2 trillion is enough money to work on a road that stretches over 900 km, if it was done elsewhere. During the works on the Kasama/Luwingu Road, the people of the Northern Province suffered. They were told that for as long as the Kasama/Luwingu Road remained on the drawing board, they would not have anything going their way since so much money was being spent on the road and they waited. This time around, I wonder how K2 trillion can go to work on roads in one province while other provinces are crying for the same.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: That is not fair distribution of resources.

Hon. Opposition Member: No it is not.

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, whichever way you look at it, the people of the North0-Western Province have been waiting for works to be done on the Mutanda/Chavuma Road. I do not know for how long they are going to wait, but they are still waiting.

Hon. Opposition Members: So many years.

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, I did not hear the hon. Minister talk about the road from Chingola going to Solwezi, which we are told is a hive of activity, and yet that is the road that is going to give us the benefit that the Zambians want.

Madam Speaker, I have always stated and let me reiterate that the Mwanawasa Bridge will not benefit the Zambian people …

Mr C. Mulenga: No!

Mr Munaile: … unless the Pedicle, Mansa/Kasama and Kasama/Isoka roads are worked on. If these roads will not be worked on, that bridge will simply be reduced to transporting people. Imagine the kind of money that would be raised if that road was to be tarred. All the traffic coming from the Copperbelt would be diverted onto this road and this would serve a lot of wear and tear on the Great North Road.

Is the construction of the Mukuku Bridge to Samfya a priority for the people of Luapula?

Mr C. Mulenga: No!

Mr Munaile: This route is not as bad as some people want to portray. The people of Luapula want a road that will take them from Mufulira to Mansa. They want the Government to tar the road to Chienge as well as the road to Kawambwa from Mansa.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: However, the Government is doing something which I believe is not a priority for the people of Luapula. We have talked so much about the Northern Tourism Circuit. However, in developing this circuit, the Government has only concentrated on the Kasaba Bay. I have no problem with that except that the Government has only provided funds for the construction of the road from Kasama to Mpulungu, forgetting that whoever has to get to Mpulungu has to use the Great North, Luwingu and Mpika/Kasama roads.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: The hon. Members on your right must also understand that there are so many routes to Nsumbu. One can go through Mporokoso, Kaputa or Kawambwa in order to get to Nsumbu. Those are the roads which are economically useful to this nation.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, allow me to talk about the rural electrification programme. The money for this programme has been increased to about K300 billion. However, rural electrification projects are not being undertaken in the way they are supposed to be executed. I wonder how it can take so many years to electrify Kaputa.

Mr C. Mulenga: Just imagine. Forty years now.

Mr Munaile: We are taking so long to implement this programme, and yet we are claiming that we want to take development to the rural parts of the country. That is a dream. As long as we do not enable the rural populace to have the things that will advance their economic desires, we are living in fantasy island.

Madam Speaker, let me move on to the Kalungwishi Hydro-electric Power Station. I do not know how long this project has been on the drawing board. I do not even know who has been given the contract for the project. However, time and again, the hon. Ministers on your right refer to it. As people of the Northern and Luapula provinces, we do not need to hear you make mere reference to that. We want it to be a reality. How long will it to take for the Government to make sure that the Kalungwishi Hydro-Electric Power Station becomes operational? I would like to repeat that we do not even know the company that has been given the contract for this project nor how much is involved. However, every time we talk about the country’s power deficit, the Government always refers to Kalungwishi, saying that when it comes on board this and that will happen. I am, therefore, pleading with the Executive to help us have what will advance economic benefits to the Zambian people.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: No one is interested in theories. All we want are tangible results. We are only interested in something we can touch, see and feel.

Madam Speaker, some 2009 projects have still not yet been implemented. For example, the 2010 Ministry of Education school projects have not been undertaken. I do not know about other places, but in Malole Constituency, schools have not been built. Therefore, I will specifically talk about my constituency. There is no school that is being built, at the moment, despite some money being provided in the 2010 Budget. The projects that should have been undertaken in 2009 such as the building of a market at Kayambi, have not taken place up to now.

I, therefore, ask myself why we approve the Budget if money is not going to be released. I believe the reason the Budget Cycle was changed was to give the people who implement these projects enough time. Unfortunately, we are already talking about the 2011 Budget, but nothing has been done to implement the projects indicated in the previous Budget. Yesterday, we were informed that this is when materials for rural clinics and health posts are being moved from the Ministry of Health to project sites. That is too late because, within weeks, it will start raining. In fact, in some areas, it is already raining. I, therefore, do not know how people will do the work when it is already rainy season.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion …

Interruptions

Mr Munaile: … I would like to say that the people of Malole Constituency are waiting for the day when they will have a district clinic. They are waiting for the day when the Kasama/Isoka and Nseluka/Kayambi roads and the Mbesuma Bridge will be constructed.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: This Government allowed someone to steal K4 billion and this person has gone scot-free because nobody cares. We are still waiting …

Mr C. Mulenga: Corruption.

Mr Munaile: … for the day the people of Chilubi will have a hospital.

Mr Chisala: Hear, hear! Mwalanda, mudala.

Mr Munaile: The Government needs to begin changing its priorities and stop looking at development in terms of political affiliation. All the ten roads the hon. Minister talked about in his Budget Speech are in the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) strongholds …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: … except the Bottom Road for our brothers in the Southern Province. Is this fair? I, therefore, do not see how I can go and tell the people of Malole that this is a working Government.

Mr C. Mulenga: No. Go and tell them the truth.

Mr Munaile: I want the hon. Members on your right to know that Munaile is just one person. Even if I lose the next election, I will lose it alone. However, I would like you to imagine how many people will suffer if the MMD does not come back into power.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: All these (pointed at hon. Government Members).

Mr Munaile: That is what hon. Members of the Executive should think about. There are many people who have been appointed to diplomatic missions abroad. It is not known how many of the people they are seeing on this side called ‘pact’ and everybody else who wants to get into Government, will return. Please, look at the bigger picture which entails equitable distribution of the resources of this country.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear! Walanda lelo.

Laughter

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, I do not want to talk about what happened in the past because we all know that the Northern Province has provided three hon. Ministers of Finance and National Planning while the Luapula Province has provided one since the MMD came into office. Mr Emmanuel Kasonde, may his soul rest in peace, was an hon. Member of Parliament for Malole Constituency.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: If he had moved along the line of only taking resources to the Northern Province because that is where he came from, I would not be talking about the Mbesuma Bridge.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: I would not be talking about the construction of the Kasama/Isoka Road because he would have constructed it.

Mr C. Mulenga: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: I would not be shouting until my voice becomes hoarse if Mr Kasonde was able to do what I am talking about. I, however, think he took Zambia as a unitary State; one country and one people. Therefore, hon. Members of the Executive, …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Try not to make your debate so regional. You are a national leader and, therefore, speak as such.

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, I thank you for your guidance, but the reason Munaile came here is the people of Malole.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: They are the people I will be banking on, come 2011. When the time of reckoning comes, they are the people I will be looking to. Therefore, I will first of all speak for the people of Malole before I look elsewhere.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should know that it is not too late. The Kusefya Pang’wena Ceremony will still come in 2011 and I will wait to hear what the people of Malole will be promised this time around. I will wait to hear what the people of Malole will be told when the Mbesuma Bridge and the Kasama/Isoka and Nseluka/Kayambi roads are not constructed. The time of reckoning is just around the corner. It may linger, but it will surely come and when it does, it will be time to see who has done what.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Imasiku): Madam Speaker, let me begin by saying that I wish I were outside listening when the hon. Member for Malole was contributing because I stand here a very annoyed person.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Deputy Minister must just debate and not get annoyed. Let him bring out new points.

You may continue.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I was disappointed to hear from a very well known citizen of this country that the people of Kalabo do not deserve a road when they have been waiting for forty-six years. The distance from Kalabo to Mongu is 70 km, but this short distance is a six or eight hours’ drive. For somebody to think that the people of Kalabo do not deserve a road just because the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning comes from Western Province ...

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Imasiku: ... does not make sense. I wish leaders could look at this country holistically. We should remember what the late Mr Emmanuel Kasonde did. He, including other former Ministers of Finance and National Planning, were great men. The same goes for the current one. Thus, for somebody to say we were not supposed to have the Senanga/Sesheke Road because the hon. Minister comes from Western Province ...

Hon. Opposition. Members: Aah!

Mr Imasiku: That is what he said.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development would have to really rethink and debate issues as he knows them. The hon. Deputy Minister will not respond to hecklers, but debate according to his own plan.

You may continue.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, before I come to my speech, I would like to register my disappointment over the remarks made by the Hon. Munaile. The people of the Western Province are listening and I know this is a fact. In fact, I have heard these remarks from a number of people from the pact. One of the leaders of the pact also said because the Western Province is sandy, it would be a waste of money ...

Mr Mukanga: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: I do know how you can raise a point of order becuae the hon. Minister is on the Floor.

A point of order is raised.

Mr Mukanga: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. I am listening very attentively to the speech of the hon. Deputy Minister. Is he in order to say that the hon. Member for Malole spoke on behalf of the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) Pact when he is an Independent? Is he in order to say that and thereby mislead the nation? I need your serious ruling, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Deputy Minister will continue and take that point of order into consideration.

You may continue.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I would like to mention that Hon. Munaile wants to join the pact.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Laughter

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for allowing me to contribute to the debate on this very important Motion on the Floor of this House which is about the 2011 Budget delivered by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Musokotwane.

Madam, before I go into detail, I would like to thank your office for the manner in which you have been guiding this House. I wish to join those who appreciated your leadership. You have been very firm, decisive and nonpartisan in your dealings. At the same time you have been a parent to all of us, including those whose lifestyle did not merit your kindness. Indeed, your office is being run by people who deserve our kindness and appreciation

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning delivered a people-driven Budget. When you look at this Budget, it is true that it is for the people and from a people’s Government. I know that I am still highly charged, but I will try to control myself.

Laughter

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, the 2011 Budget has captured everything just from the cover. If you look at the picture on the cover, you will see a child with hope for whom a bright future awaits. The child seems to be shouting, kinako which means the hour for development and prosperity is here. It is here and will always be here as long as the MMD Government is in the saddle of power. The children are very happy and excited about this Government.

Madam Speaker, from the picture on the cover, you can also see hope in the faces of the workers as new mines are being opened. The road network is being developed. This includes the Bottom Road. This shows that everybody in this country is catered for.

Madam, if you look at this Budget Speech, it covers all the corners of the country. There is no place which has not been catered for. If you wanted a road, but have been left out, it does not mean that you have not been given something. There is something that will be provided.

Madam Speaker, this Budget has already received overwhelming support of approval from men and women in and outside this country. This is a people’s Budget. There are some highlights in this Budget such as the non-taxable income which has increased from K800,000 to K1 million. How many of our people get K1 million? A big number of workers will not be taxed and this means money will go into the pockets of workers in this country.

Madam Speaker, the Constituency Development Fund 2 has been increased from K650 million to K750 million. I think most hon. Members can see that this is the money used on most projects in the constituencies. Therefore, we should be very happy about that.

Agriculture, Madam Speaker, has also received a lot of attention. There is an increase from K335 billion to K485 billion. This means the Budget is for the people.

Madam Speaker, on education, 18.6 per cent of the total Budget has been provided in the Budget. This means the children of this country will benefit through education. Thus, to say that this is not a people’s Budget is tantamount to saying what is not right at the right time. The hon. Minister has done it again. On pages 18 and 19, the hon. Minister talked about education and skills development. You will appreciate the work which is being carried out. About five high schools are being built in the Northern Province which somebody said is being neglected. Four schools are also being in the Southern Province. Therefore, why are we talking like there is no development in this country?

Madam Speaker, this Budget has also provided for a number of programmes, including twenty-six hospitals and 125 rural health centres. The budget allocation towards the health sector has also increased by 30 per cent.

Madam Speaker, bear with me for being a little charged. However, let me now focus on my ministry which is effectively implementing the programme of providing various forms of energy to industry and individuals alike.

As regards petroleum and other fuels, the ministry and its motivated staff have tried to maintain a steady supply of fuel such that at one occasion, the Indeni Oil Refinery had to be shut down in order to create space for the fuel tanks that were overflowing.

We have constructed the fuel reserves that we promised the people of Zambia. A 40-million litre tank at the Ndola terminal is one such example. Three more reserve tanks are being constructed and we have a programme to ensure that all the fuel tanks in all the provinces are renovated.

Madam Speaker, I wish to inform you that I just came from Dares-a-salaam where I went to check on the TAZAMA pipe line. From what I saw, the pipeline is still robust and strong enough to provide a service to this country.

Madam Speaker, this country is on the right track as regards fuel. I would like to reassure the nation on the promise we made on the Floor of this House that we do not expect any problems during the forty-five days of shut down of the Indeni Oil Refinery. We also do not expect some senior and elderly politicians parading yellow containers at some filling station for the sake of publicity as a gateway to State House.

Madam Speaker, this time around, we will not see any politician going to look for fuel as it happened last year with some politician I know. We are in control and others should look for more dignified ways of going to State House than doing things that do not befit elderly people.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Energy and Water Development is also responsible for the provision of electricity. We, therefore, promise to provide power everywhere and light this country. We would like to ensure that by 2030, we increase the provision of power to the rural areas to 55 per cent.

Madam Speaker, with regard to power generation, we have already come up with a lot of programmes. For example, we are rehabilitating and extending the Kariba North Bank. The construction of the power generation stations in Kabompo and Itezhi-tezhi is on course. Similarly, plans for the construction of the Kafue Gorge Lower and rehabilitation and upgrading of Lunzuwa are on course.

Madam Speaker, someone tried to contest the construction of the Kalungwishi Hydro Power Station, but I would like to report to you that we are working on it too.

Madam Speaker, people should realise that the construction of these power stations requires a lot of time and money and, therefore, cannot be done in a day.  This level of rehabilitation and construction needs time. I ask my friends on your left to be patient with the process.

Madam Speaker, we have done a lot as regards lighting the country. For example, electricity is being connected to the Nansanga Farming Block and the Kasaba Bay. We are also providing power to Sikongo, Luampa and Sichili in the Western Province. We are also providing power to Masuku and Kafulafuta – Where is Mr Mpombo? We are also providing electricity there.

Laughter

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, we will provide electricity countrywide. We want to ensure that within a few years, the whole of this country would have access to power.

Madam Speaker, before I sit down, let me mention a few things in relation to my constituency. Having been afforded the chance to co-ordinate development as an hon. Member of Parliament for four years now, I want to tender in …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

The hon. Deputy Minister knows the guidance of the Chair. You are an hon. Minister and, as such, you have to speak about issues that concern the nation and your ministry.

You may continue.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I want to assure the House that the country is developing, particularly in the area of health. My constituency, in the Western Province, …

Laughter

Mr Imasiku: … which only had three clinics by 2006, will have eleven to twelve clinics by next year. This means that this Government is working.

Madam Speaker, this Government has done a lot of work and has provided a lot of schools. In the Western Province, we have the Sioma and many other schools which are being built.

 Madam Speaker, even in Liuwa, we have …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Who are we in Liuwa? Liuwa is part of Zambia. As a hon. Minister, you have to talk about Zambia. You are not ‘we’ in one place. You are everywhere in Zambia.

You may continue.

Hon. Opposition Member: Sit down!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Leave the hon. Member alone.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I am most obliged. I want to say that this working Government has done a lot for this country and even those people I am told not to mention have benefited.

Madam Speaker, before I sit down, I want to talk about the political infiltration of the clergy in this country. I wish to refer to a topic which does not give me good sleep these days. This is the recent infiltration of the church of God by political parties which are busy diverting the minds of the clergy from their business of reconciling man with his creator to the field of politics by drawing them into the political arena in the hope of gaining political mileage.

Madam Speaker, some political leaders have realised that they cannot make it alone and, therefore, have decided to recruit clergymen to campaign for them.

Laughter{mospagebreak}

Mr Imasiku: In areas like the Western Province, where the MMD is very strong, the only alternative for them is to use the church to preach hatred against the leaders of the Ruling Party.

Madam Speaker, how do we explain a situation were priests use a whole hour on the pulpit to hurl insults at the leaders of the country like the President, and yet such priests are aware of St Paul’s message in Romans 13 which says that you are to accord respect to the leaders?

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister. Issues of the Bible have a different interpretation.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Therefore, you are better off speaking generally than citing a verse which you may interpret according to your own understanding.

You may continue.

Mr Imasiku: Madam Speaker, I was shocked when a certain priest I do not want to mention said that the Lozis would rather vote for a frog in 2011. That type of language sends a very bad message to us, the Lozis.

To equate our brains to those that would rather vote for a frog means that our thinking …
 
 Laughter

Mr Imasiku: … can lead us to vote for a frog.

Laughter

Mr Imasiku: Madam, is there any insult that can be worse than that to the Lozi people?

Interruptions

Mr Imasiku: This is the worst insult from of a man of God.

Mr Mubika: Yes!

Hon. Opposition Members: He did not insult!

Mr Imasiku: A priest is a link between man and his creator. Priests are supposed to preach peace. They are supposed to dialogue with national leaders where necessary and bring hope to the folk.

Madam Speaker, he is saying that people of Western Province would rather vote for a frog than a man who is constructing the Kalabo/Mongu Road. Can we vote for a frog instead of a man who is constructing a road from Sesheke to Senanga? Honestly, can people of Western Province vote for a frog instead of a man who is constructing hospitals?

Madam Speaker, that type of talking should be discouraged. Hon. Members, when churches take sides, where will political leaders run to when they reach a political stalemate? Are these the same priests who assisted us to usher in democracy when things were looking bleak at the advent of multi party democracy in the 1990s? The Church, then, was the arbitrator. This is the role that our parents, the clergy, should play. We are asking them to stand up and be counted because they are men of God and Jesus Christ’s disciples. Our hearts bleed when we see some of them abrogating their own business of pastoring.

Madam Speaker, I am requesting the Church and pastors to look after the whole country. Let them not side with men just because they are from the same province or Church.

Madam Speaker, the idea of the Church is not to take man to State House but heaven.

I thank you, Madam.

Laughter

The Deputy Minister for Southern Province (Mr Muchima): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to contribute to debate on the 2011 Budget Address which was delivered by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP on 8th October, 2010.

Madam Speaker, the Budget Address, as the majority of the House have stated, is not only inspiring but also visionary. The speech unveils the clear vision of the MMD Government under the leadership of the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda. The Budget Address depicts the thinking and consistency of the MMD’s drive to deliver and prove its critics wrong by providing an excellent roadmap, particularly at this time after the nation lost our dear President, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC., may his soul rest in peace.

Madam, President Banda has provided Zambians with mature leadership during the one and half years that he has been in office just as he promised. From what he has exhibited, Zambians should be encouraged to give him a complete term of five years to complete his agenda.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, prudent financial management will provide a clear yardstick to measure the performance of this Government through the provisions made in the Budget Speech. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has carefully estimated his capacity to meet the desires of the people of Zambia. However, he has not hesitated to mention that the MMD Government has brought about growth of our economy and a lot of achievements have been recorded, but not enough to satisfy our ever growing needs. It is the wish of this Government that every Zambian, in every corner of the country, should benefit from this growth, but the envelope is not big enough to do as desires wish. The efforts in the 2011 Budget are yet another milestone in trying to achieve the desired goal.

Madam Speaker, during the President’s short tenure in office, Zambia has made significant strides in achieving economic goals. It is the desire of the MMD leadership to meet all the needs of Zambians, but due to the limitations of the available resource envelope, many of these challenges are yet to be met. It is plain to see that great effort has been made to date by President Rupiah Banda and, with time, all these demands will, indeed, be met. The Opposition, some of whom are great beneficiaries of these achievements, is seriously criticising just for the sake of political expedience. It is easier said than done.

Madam, let me now address myself to the achievements of this Government and its intention to mitigate the many developmental challenges that still exist. Undoubtedly, the MMD Government has performed exceptionally well and has been consistent in service delivery to the people of Zambia. We must be proud that, today, we stand on our feet to feed ourselves with excess being exported. Not long ago, this country depended on maize imports from countries such as Zimbabwe and other countries. Today, this is not the case. Instead, Zambia is now an exporter. The challenge to manage our produce is lighter compared to resource mobilisation for importation of maize. It is a lesson and measures are being put in place to manage the positive disaster. In this vein, the Government should be congratulated by all progressive Zambians.

Madam, at this juncture, I wish to acknowledge the leadership of the MMD for providing the much-needed infrastructure in the North-Western Province. Only one who is myopic can fail to see the Government’s effort in trying to bring economic growth to that area.

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, to mention a few, …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Some quarters in this House do not even seem to be part of what is going on. If you need to continue with your conversation, you can step out and do that so that you allow others to listen to the debate. The purpose of speaking is to be heard and not just to speak to yourself and the Chair. Can the House be part of what is going on?

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Muchima: … the MMD Government has embarked on a programme to construct schools, hospitals and roads. The Mutanda/Chavuma Road is one such developmental project that stands out for the people of North-Western Province …

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: … in that, for the first time in history, this road will finally be completed in a record time of about twenty-four months. This road will not only provide an economic lifeline to the districts of Solwezi, Kasempa, Mufumbwe, Zambezi and Chavuma, but also serve as a key link, connecting this country with Angola.

Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda should be congratulated for making sure that provinces such as the North-Western Province are connected to the national grid district by district. This infrastructure requires significant resources and this budget, provided by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, aims at addressing just that.

Mrs Musokotwane: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Muchima: Madam, another key development …

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Please, let it be a factual correction and nothing else.

Mrs Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister for Southern Province in order to talk about what concerns the North-Western Province instead of the Southern Province?  I need your serious ruling.

Madam Deputy Speaker: That point of order is totally out of order. At this moment, the hon. Minister is free to speak about the entire nation. This is not the time for him to speak about his province. That time will come.

The hon. Minister will continue.

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, I was saying that another key development is the Mwinilunga/Jimbe Road which is currently being graded and tarred.  It forms a very important international road link to Angola. Let me also take this opportunity to thank the President for giving Ikeleng’i the district status. This creates great employment opportunities and provides for improved service delivery to the people of Mwinilunga. To all this, we say, viva RB, 2011 for President.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, allow me to turn to the Southern Province which my dear, hon. Member of Parliament for Katombola, my sweetheart, …

Laughter

Mr Muchima: … wanted me to talk about.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: That is totally out of order and unparliamentary for that matter. There are no sweethearts here. There are only hon. Members of Parliament. The hon. Minister may continue.

Laughter

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for that correction. Allow me to now turn to issues concerning the Southern Province. The Southern Province has great untapped potential, not only in agriculture, but also in the mining and energy sectors as well. Through these sectors, many Zambians have been afforded employment opportunities, both directly and indirectly. Statistically, Albidon Mine in the Southern Province has provided 300 jobs directly and 500 indirectly. The mine is doing competitively well with those found in countries such as Australia and Zimbabwe. The Zambia Sugar Plc would have been liquidated had it not been for the good policies of the MMD Government, in particular, those which were put in place by the late President Mwanawasa and the then Vice-President and current Republican President, Mr Banda. It is because of these sound polices that the company can now boast of major growth. The company is competing extremely well on the international market and contributing to the growth of Zambia’s economy.

Madam Speaker, at its peak period, Zambia Sugar Plc provides employment to about 5,000 personnel. At normal times, the employment level is 3,000. The company has gone further to provide an out grower scheme to the local farmers. This scheme has seen poverty levels reduce drastically. The Nakambala Sugar Estate alone houses 16,000 people dependent on full time or casual employment.

Madam Speaker, the leadership of President Banda went out of its way to save the coffee industry at Mubuyu Farms Limited. The measures which were put in place to save the farm were negatively discussed in this House and yet, the company that was supposed to be liquidated is now doing very well and providing employment to the Zambians to the extent of 160 permanent workers and at peak a period, an additional 800 people are provided with jobs. Mubuyu has proved to be a great coffee exporter earning Zambia the much needed foreign exchange.

Madam Speaker, it is not possible for the Government to employ every Zambian, but through its good policies, there has been an expansion in the informal sector which has led to the creation of employment. I can go on and on to prove that the points I am making to the effect that the good policies of the MMD Government have led to job creation because I have a list of endless examples.

Madam Speaker, let me now look at the infrastructure development in terms of schools, roads and hospitals in the Southern Province. At this point, allow me to congratulate the good works of Hon. Daniel Munkombwe who is my predecessor and is now at the Vice-President’s Office.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, he did a commendable job of coordinating and laying the foundation for the development of the province. Let me provide you with just some update of the developmental projects for the Southern Province in the year, 2010. Through the Road Development Agency (RDA), the Government has rehabilitated the Zimba/Livingstone Road. Today, you can take about four hours to drive to Livingstone from Lusaka. This road forms a segment on the North/South Corridor, thus facilitating regional trade as well as supporting agriculture, mining and tourism. There is also the Choma/Chitongo Road which was worked on at a a cost of K164 billion. This road supports agriculture in Choma and Namwala districts. Today, you can drive from Choma to Namwala within one hour.  Under the Rural Roads Unit, a total of 401.7 km has been rehabilitated as at the end of June, 2010. This is all under infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, in terms of education, eleven high schools are being built at a total cost of K167 billion. This further adds to the already existing forty-three high schools and 709 basic schools in the province. It is not true that this Government has ignored any part of the country.

Madam Speaker, in the health sector, the Government is carrying out construction works at the Choma General Hospital at an estimated cost of K7.8 billion of which K3.73 billion has already been released to the contractor. Other works include the construction works which took place at the Kalomo District Hospital. The hospital currently awaits commissioning as the works have been completed. The Livingstone General Hospital has just been rehabilitated at a cost of K100 million and the construction and rehabilitation works of health posts and staff houses in Livingstone, Itezhi-tezhi, Pemba, Kazungula and Choma are equally receiving Government attention.

Madam Speaker, in supporting the efforts of the farmers in the Southern Province, the Government, through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has bought a total number of 906,640 x 50 kg bags of maize which translates into 45,332 metric tonnes. Under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), a total of 151,450 farmers are targeted to benefit from the programme in the 2010/2011 Farming Season. This shows an increase of about 85 per cent from 82,000 beneficiaries recorded in the 2009/2010 Farming Season.

Mr Muchima drank some water.

Mr Mubika: Hammer water, mwana!

Mr Muchima: Madam Speaker, it is surprising to hear an hon. Member of Parliament from the Opposition saying that the reduction in the size of the pack given under the FISP is a disadvantage to a lot of Zambians. To the contrary, this move has been received by both hands by the Zambian public. From the records, you can see that the reduced pack has led to an improvement in the production levels. Unlike the hon. Member, the people from the Southern Province are not complaining about the reduced size of the pack. I think that his assertion is based upon his own imaginary thinking. The people are happy and are just concerned about the road infrastructure and how their maize can be transported. The Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, through the FRA, has provided the money for the produce to be bought. All the Finance Bank branches in the Southern Province have got ready cash to pay the people in that province.

Madam Speaker, on the energy sector, let me point out that the Southern Province is a major producer of our much needed electricity in the whole country. The Budget Speech referred to upgrading of Itezhi-tezhi. This means that there will be more employment and more power to mitigate the effects of the load shedding. This country, with so much potential will soon have more power to export through the Victoria Falls Gateway to other countries. This will increase trade and other opportunities between our country, Namibia and South Africa.

Livestock and Fisheries

Madam Speaker, regarding livestock and fisheries, this Government has an ambitious desire to contain diseases affecting our livestock in the country by providing budgetary allocations for livestock vaccines, the rehabilitation of dip tanks and service centres. In continuing our fight against livestock diseases, eight dip tanks are undergoing rehabilitation.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning hinted on the construction of Kazungula Bridge, which is a major project for this country and will make every Zambian proud. Before I go further, however, I would like to challenge the critics who want to bring division in the MMD by associating certain programmes to the late President Mwanawasa. The MMD Government is a family that believes in collective responsibility. All programmes left by the late President will be completed by President Banda in 2010 and beyond.

Madam Speaker, let me address the subject of the Kazungula Bridge which has been long standing and is now coming to fruition. It is real and it will open doors of economic value. The bridge will add value to Zambia and neighbouring countries. This project is scheduled to start in 2011. It is a big project that our motherland, Zambia, must be proud of and cherish.

Madam Speaker, before I conclude my debate, I would like to state that the road equipment that this Government purchased is doing a commendable job in the Southern Province. The only problem now is the fuel which has finished because a lot of work has been done. We will provide resources through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and other means, thereby reducing poverty.  This Government intends to complete all the projects taking place in the province.

Madam Speaker, the Rural Electrification Programme is smoothly going on and benefiting many chiefdoms.

I thank you, Sir. 

The Deputy Minister for Eastern Province (Mr I. Banda): Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to congratulate you and your officers for the professional manner in which you handle the business of this august House. I would also like to commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for a Budget well-presented.

Madam Speaker, I would like to add my voice in support of the Budget Speech presented on the Floor of this House by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning on 8th October, 2010.

As many other hon. Members have already said, a budget is an estimate of how we want to use the resources that we have projected to find or available resources ready to be used. The hon. Minister’s language in the presentation of the Budget was simple and clear. He started with what we did in 2009 and then what we have done and continue to do in 2010. He also looked at what we are going to do in 2011. In this regard, I would like to add my voice to a number of issues which have been discussed.

Infrastructure Projects

Madam Speaker, under this heading, we have the construction of roads, schools, hospitals and health centres. The President, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and this MMD Government are focused on the developmental agenda of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: The hon. Minister in his commitment towards road network development says on page 7:

“Mr Speaker, in the 2011 Budget, this Government allocated unprecedented resources for the development of road infrastructure amounting to K1.461.9 billion.  By the end of the year, releases to the sector are expected to exceed this figure. I am pleased to report that the following roads are among the ones that have been completed this year:

(a) Kasama/Mbala/Mpulungu;

(b) Chipata/Lundazi Lot 1;

(c) Mukunsa/Nkosha/Mununga;

(d) Zimba/Livingstone; and

(e) Choma/Chitongo

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister then goes to paragraph 50 on the same page and says:

 “Sir, in addition, the following roads will be completed by the end of the year:

(a) Luansobe/Mpongwe; and

(b) Kasama/Luwingu.

Madam Speaker, this is enough proof that this Government is serious in actualising the Budget estimates of various projects, contrary to what hon. Members on your left have been saying, especially, the hon. Member for Mfuwe, who questioned our plan to upgrade the Chama/Muyombe/Isoka Road. He gave the impression that this is the only road we are working on in the whole of Northern Province.

Madam Speaker, out of what I quoted, there are a number of roads being worked on in the Northern Province and we hope that in future we will do more. There is no need to despise one area within the same province. When the Government undertakes a project in one area of a province, it is for the good of the province and Zambia at large.
 
Madam Speaker, the Lundazi/Chama/Muyombe/Isoka Road is economically viable. In north-east Zambia, we have the Nyika Plateau Game Park. We would like tourists to visit this park using the road in question. Many tourists come through Malawi. Others go to the Mfuwe National Park and others go to Nyika National Park. This is why we are opening up the northern part of Eastern province to join Isoka so that tourists easily connect to Kasaba Bay.

Madam Speaker, Lundazi, Chama, Muyombe and Isoka are productive areas. We would like our farmers to transport their produce easily to other markets. This road will therefore, boost a lot of trade between the two provinces and the people of Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi and thereby reduce poverty levels.

Madam Speaker, it is indisputable that we are constructing a road from Chipata to Mfuwe, ant not from Chipata to Mambwe as the hon. Member for Mfuwe stated. The road starts from Chipata and passes through Mambwe Boma to Mfuwe International Airport, then joins the bridge at Luangwa which connects to Mfuwe Constituency. The road reaches Mfuwe and after the Luangwa Bridge, feeder roads connect various lodges in Mfuwe National Park.

Madam Speaker, in the continuation of our programmes as the MMD Government, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning said we that we have plans to do a number of roads in the year 2011. On page 18, Paragraph 124, the hon. Minister said:

“Mr Speaker, let me outline some of the major road works that will be undertaken in 2011:

(a) Mongu/Kalabo;

(b) Kalabo/Sikongo- Angola Border;

(c) Sesheke/Senanga;

(d) Landless Corner/Mumbwa;

(e) Kabompo/Chavuma;

(f) Isoka/Muyombe;

(g) Chipata/Mfuwe;

(h) Chipata/Lundazi Lot 2;

(i) Mukuku Bridge –Samfya; and

(j) The Bottom Road from Siavonga to Sinazongwe.”

Madam Speaker, all these roads will be tarred. Under the provincial administration, we have gravel roads being rehabilitated under the Rural Road Unit in all the nine provinces. If I mentioned them here, the list would be endless. This shows that the MMD Government is seriously committed to improving the welfare of our people in the country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: Madam Speaker, on education, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning on Page 7 and 8 in Paragraph 57 said:

“Sir, with regard to education and skills development, the Government set out to raise standards of education and provide better opportunities for our people. Significant resources have been provided for infrastructure development and recruitment of teachers.

In this regard, about 2,500 teachers will be hired this year. I also wish to inform the House that by September, 2010, K167.3 billion was released for infrastructure programmes. The following is an update on the status of infrastructure activities in the education sector:

(i) in the Copperbelt Province, the construction of one basic school was completed while the construction of five high schools is on-going;

(ii) four basic schools in the Lusaka Province have been completed while construction of seven high schools is on-going;

(iii) in the Luapula Province, one boarding high school and six basic schools have been completed while construction of three high schools is on-going;

(iv) two high schools and six basic schools have been completed in the Eastern Province while the construction of one high school and four basic schools is on-going;

(v) in the Northern Province, one high school was completed while the construction of four high schools is on-going;

(vi) three basic schools were completed in the North-Western Province while construction of five high schools and two basic schools is on-going;

(vii) in the Southern Province, seven basic schools have been completed while the construction of five high schools and one basic school is on-going;

(viii) two high schools and two basic schools were completed in the Western Province while construction of three high schools and seventeen basic schools in on-going;

(ix) in the Central Province, the construction of seven high schools is on-going; and

(x) under the community mode of construction, the construction of an additional 2,019 classrooms and 369 teachers’ houses is ongoing.

Health

Madam Speaker, from paragraph 58 to 59, as in all other critical sectors, the Government has been making strides in improving health infrastructure throughout the country. This Government has been undertaking a number of infrastructure projects in the health sector, which include the construction, expansion and rehabilitation of twenty-six hospitals and 125 health posts in all provinces broken down as follows:

Province No. of Hospitals  No. of Health Posts

Central 4 12

Eastern 3      18

Northern 3        23

Luapula 4  13

Copperbelt  2   10

N/Western 3  10

Lusaka 3         7

Southern 2    14
Western  2 18

Total   26   125

Dr Machungwa: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Generally, I will try to guide. The hon. Member has chosen a style of speaking to the Budget. Unless you are correcting a fact that has been misrepresented and, hence is misleading, we should allow the hon. Minister to continue. If not, there are a lot of styles one can use to debate. Is it a correction on a misleading statement?

Dr Machungwa: Madam Speaker, the debate of the hon. Minister is worrying me. While he is debating the speech, is he in order to read and recite exactly word for word what is in the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning’s speech? He is listing everything and repeating what the hon. Minister said in this speech. So, what is his debate?

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

I think that the hon. Member who has raised that point order will see that the hon. Minister is picking from the different sectors and that is the style that he has chosen to go by. Actually, I did not think that he was reading everything word for word. Picking from the speech, he is making submissions on what he thinks is important. If he was reading word for word, that could have been termed as tedious repetition because we have already heard what is contained in the speech. As such, the hon. Member would have been out of order. However, in this matter, he is combining excerpts from here and there.

The hon. Minister may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for protecting me.

 Madam Speaker, I was saying that, all in all, the construction, rehabilitation and expansion of hospitals adds up to twenty-six and about 125 health posts.

Madam Speaker, when you look at all the infrastructure which is scattered across Zambia, nobody who is not dosing can dispute that. There are things that you can see if you have no sight problems and if you do not pretend like some of those hon. Members on your left, who can, without shame, say something is red when the colour is white. They even climb on top of anthills and tell the people that the colour is red when all Zambians see it as white.

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

Mr I. Banda: Madam Speaker, all these construction works, including all that our people are building in their private capacities as dwelling houses or commercial buildings in all the seventy-two districts of Zambia translates that people have the economic capacity to improve their living conditions.

Madam Speaker, when you go to all the district centers to look for a plot, you will find a long list of applicants. District centers are growing at a fast rate since this MMD Government liberalised the economy. All this shows that people have the money. They are empowered through good agriculture policies and mining policies among others.

Madam Speaker, it is difficult to determine that somebody has money or has no money when he is just standing there. You can only know and tell by what he has such as the infrastructure in terms of accommodation and transport. In Lusaka alone, land is no longer easily accessible for construction. However, who is building those mansions in Chalala, Lusaka West and other areas? Are they all foreigners? No, most of them are Zambians. Who is building houses in the growing towns of our provincial headquarters and district centers? Are they not Zambians? All this shows that the economic policies of the MMD are bearing fruits and these fruits are trickling down to the grassroots.

Markets

Madam Speaker, the MMD Government has constructed big and beautiful markets in most of the big towns and cities. They are occupied by our marketers, men, women and the youth. Everybody is busy trying to make his ends meet. Most of the people are busy trying to earn their living. These markets are a route to informal job creation for our vulnerable, but viable women and youths.

Madam Speaker, all this translates into job creation for people. We have thousands of men, women and youth engaged in either institution construction by big companies, private constructions and those engaged in marketeering. Some are engaged in agriculture and have produced the bumper harvest that we have this year.

The drivers of all kinds of buses and taxis that have come on the market congesting our towns and cities are because of the good economic policies of the MMD Government. This shows that the economy is growing. Zambia has been turned into a hive of economic activities through the good policies of this Government. The mind sets of all Zambians are changing as they now know what to do in order to live a good life. Coupons no longer exist to spoon feed people.

Madam, all this realisation by the people to engage into economic activities for themselves and their families did not come as a coincidence. It came through the good policies and conducive economic environment and peace created by the MMD Government. This is why we are sure that, come 2011, the people of Zambia will see what this Government is doing, what it has done and, therefore, will give it another five year mandate to govern this country up to 2016 making a complete quarter century of the MMD Governance in this country.

Madam Speaker, I thank you. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene (Itezhi-tezhi): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Budget Address.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours to 1830 hours.

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended, I was just beginning to contribute to the debate on the 2011 Budget Address delivered to this House by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam, from the outset, I wish to advise the people on your right to properly understand the people on your left. I say so because if there is any word that has been abused by politicians or those in the Executive, it is that of ‘development.’

Mr Chazangwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: I wish to assist the people on your right to understand the meaning of this word by using the Oxford Dictionary, which is the world’s most trusted dictionary. Development can be described as growth or cause to grow or become more mature. If you were to say that this country, Zambia, has been developed, you would have to find out which stage you would be talking about.

Madam Speaker, some hon. Members come to this House and claim that they have put up a lot of infrastructure. They are talking about putting up infrastructure, and yet it has taken eight years just to build a school.

Mr Shawa: Question!

Mr Mukanga: Ba Shawa!

Mr Beene: Madam, the MMD Government is still working on projects that were left by the UNIP Government almost thirty years ago.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Beene: Then the Government should come to this House and tell the people that it has developed this country. Question!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: It is completely irreconcilable. I will be very specific in my debate.

Madam Speaker, in my constituency, Itezhi-tezhi, there is a hospital which was initiated by Their Royal Highnesses the chiefs, which, to date, has not been completed. This is what we are talking about.

Interruptions

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Member in order not to remind the hon. Deputy Minister for Lusaka Province that the failure of developing projects also includes his failure to complete a clinic in Chilanga, Chinyanga Ward which started five years ago? Is he in order not to remind the hon. Deputy Minister that he has failed?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Such kinds of points of order make the Chair …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

… reluctant to allow points of order. In that point of order, the hon. Member was trying to bring in a debate because he did not think of the point he has just risen when it was his time to debate. The hon. Member debating now cannot think of what you are thinking.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Therefore, he has a right to debate in the way he is. He is very much in order not to talk about those clinics.

May the hon. Member for Itezhi-tezhi continue, please.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, failing to complete the construction of a clinic in Chilanga Constituency and just leaving slabs there, including Nyemba Ward, which is next to a co-operative, cannot equate to development.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: Yet, the MMD Government has been in office for the past twenty years to serve the people of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, before I go into detail, I wish to advise the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, and I know that this cannot just be lumped on him alone, that it is extremely disappointing to see pictures of a baby flashing an MMD symbol on the front page of the Budget Speech because this document is supposed to be a national document. It is extremely disappointing.

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Beene: It is supposed to be encompassing everyone.

Interruptions

Hon. Member: Check behind it.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Laughter

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, before this kind of booklet is produced, it is important that it captures national issues than putting a picture of a baby who is less than three years flashing a symbol of MMD on the front page. That is lack of seriousness.

Interruptions

Mr Beene: Madam, allow me to draw my attention to the budget issues related to labour and unemployment in this country.

Madam Speaker, we have often heard, in this House, that people who are in the formal sector in Zambia are so limited that the tax burden on them is too huge. At the end of the day, they fail to look after their families and meet other family obligations. I do not know why this Government has failed to capture even those who are in the informal sector.

We have also seen how this Government has tried to pull a quick one on the unions in this country by trying to pre-negotiate salaries of workers of a subsequent year not knowing how the economy would be then. I think this is not a good relationship to be shared among the Government, employers and unions in a country. It is extremely unfortunate that we have such kind of a situation in this country. The Government should see how it can broaden the tax base and capture those who are in the informal sector because the number of people in the formal sector is very limited. Madam Speaker, in my view, this Budget seems to be business as usual.

Madam, allow me to talk about the infrastructure in this country. Itezhi-tezhi is one of the newly created districts, like Kazungula, which has no infrastructure. The Government has done nothing to improve and construct infrastructure for this district.

Madam Speaker, previously, Itezhi-tezhi constituency was a sub-boma of Namwala. The district was left out in developmental projects after the construction of the dam in Itezhi-tezhi. At the moment, police officers stay in temporal housing. The people who work in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning stay in houses that have not felt a stroke of paint for the past forty years. Therefore, what development are we talking about and if at all it is there, at what level is it? That is why I am saying that this Government is abusing the word ‘development’.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: Is the Government growing, has it got cause to grow or is it matured in its development?

Madam Speaker, for this reason, I wish to urge this Government to look into the issue of putting up proper infrastructure in this district because this is critical.

Madam Speaker, although a lot has been said on agriculture, I would like to add that it is unfortunate that you can beat the drum and at the same time dance to its beat. It is unfortunate to see people dancing to their tune in reverse. What are the agricultural components? If you are making a statement in connection with agriculture in the Budget, you should know that not everyone grows maize in this country. In the northern and western part of this country, people depend on cassava. That Budget should have captured the people who depend on cassava regarding how they are to be assisted to grow their crop.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, in this country, we have people who grow beans or, should I just, say legumes. But just because you are dancing to the tune of the bumper harvest, you have forgotten about the others. This country is very big. In this country, there are people who grow sweet potatoes that be processed to make jam. There are also many other crops. Hon. Sejani, at one time, moved a Motion in this House which this Government shot down. Even if the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives made a statement that they are buying plastic bags to cover the maize, the fact is the maize is will be socked. This is a fact.

Madam Speaker, the roads in the rural areas are impassable and, therefore, they cannot go into the remote parts of the country for fear that their trucks will be damaged. Besides, the transporters have not yet been paid. That is a fact. It is unfortunate that people are talking about the 2.8 metric tonnes which they did not even plan for. I would have appreciated it had the Budget talked about the restocking of animals in the parts of the country where they need this service, particularly in Itezhi-tezhi, Namwala, Monze, the Western Province and the other parts dealing in cattle rearing.

Madam Speaker, I would now like to talk about the road infrastructure. The hon. Minister talked about the Chavuma Road and I wish to say that I am happy for the people of that area. When he talked about this road, he also mentioned the connectivity of the roads. I am also happy about the construction of the Namwala Road though it will just end in Namwala. This road will not connect to Itezhi-tezhi and other places. Construction of this road started almost forty years ago. There was Hon. Jane Chikwata and Hon. Kalima and many others before in this House who asked to have the road constructed. That is why after it was constructed, the people of Itezhi-tezhi had to be put on trucks to go and meet His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Banda, against their will because the road has not brought connectivity to Itezhi-tezhi. Itezhi-tezhi ends at Kafue River where there is a broken down pontoon which is a pending disaster.

Madam Speaker, you cannot dance to your tune when the reality on the ground is different. I appreciate that the road has reached Namwala, but has it connected to Kalomo and Mumbwa?

Mr Mubika: Utalumbi!

Mr Beene: It has not.

Madam Speaker, it is cheap politics to collect people in trucks and expect to change the Ila people. The truth is to the contrary.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Utalumbi!

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, I had the privilege to travel with Hon. Mulongoti to Itezhi-tezhi to check on the road infrastructure and I am very grateful to him for this gesture, but he knows where we ended. We could not cross into Namwala because we found some people paddling to cross the road. These are the issues we are talking about.

Mr Shawa: Paddling on the road?

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, the high schools have been built, but how long have they taken to complete? Some schools have taken six years to be completed.

Mr Mubika: Utalumbi!

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, these are the issues which need to be looked at by this Government.

Hon. Members: Finally!

Laughter

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, I now come to water and sanitation. I note that other districts are well catered for in terms of water, but I would like to speak for areas such as Itezhi-tezhi which has one of the biggest fresh water bodies. We have never had an expansion of the water system in Itezhi-tezhi. People just draw water in drums from the lake and, in the process, are attacked by crocodiles. What development are you telling me about? These are the realities on the ground and if you want to be accepted throughout the country as a Ruling Party, you have to deal with these issues urgently.

Madam Speaker, we live in Lusaka and have relatives in Kabwata and Chilenje where the roads are impassable. Water is all over such that you cannot go into new Kamwala. The equipment bought from China, and the Minister of Works and Supply should take stock of this, half of it is grounded. That is a fact.

Madam Speaker, in the Southern Province, the grader sent to my constituency, two weeks ago, came leaking from Pemba and, at the moment, it is on stones. I am talking about realities here. The hon. Minister should take a trip to check on this equipment which is being sung about in this House. It is a terrible disaster and that is the reality.

Madam Speaker, on information and broadcasting, I would like to say that the Zambia National Broadcasting Services (ZNBC) which is supposed to be a national television is irritating Zambians because of its programmes. The Budget has allocated money to the ZNBC. We need its services, but it just shows negative things. This has even been noticed by the people in villages. The hon. Minister should look into this matter. It would help the Government if the ZNBC were not selective in its programmes.

Madam Speaker, I now come to transport and communications. I expected the Budget to allocate enough money to deal with issues of air transport. The airport we have is an old one with old infrastructure. When you are waiting for visitors, there is no air conditioning or even water. This is happening after forty years of Independence. You cannot even have mineral water or juice in that place. I would like the Government to do something about this because this is very important. The hon. Chief Whip who has been flying for many years will agree with me that the airport has a problem.

Mr Mwaanga: I do not agree.

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, I now would like to talk about energy. It is unfortunate to hear a Deputy Minister saying that something is on course at the Itezhi-tezhi Power Station. What is on course? The Vice-President of India was in this country with His Honour the Vice-President and delivered a cheque of US$50 million and it is almost a year ago now, but nothing is happening. This was shown on the national television. The road into Itezhi-tezhi is still a bush path where you crash with rhinoceros and elephants and there are no posters to show if you are passing through an animal track or not. This is a reality.

Madam Speaker, I now come to tourism. Zambia is one of the countries privileged to have one of the biggest national parks in Africa.

So, I just want to urge the Hon. Minister to equitably distribute moneys for tourism to all the areas such as Mfuwe and Lusaka.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr Beene: Madam Speaker, I also want to mention that the hon. Minister should revisit the issue of selling wild animals in this country, in particular, to the Zambians. The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources have come up with a scheme where five animals are auctioned at K25 million. That is encouraging poaching. The chiefs have been receiving animals for their ceremonies. For instance, in my constituency, they were receiving four buffalos and other small species, but now they have just been allocated one buffalo. It is better that together with community resource boards (CRBs), these issues are harmonised so that we do the right thing.

Madam Speaker, the human-animal conflict, in particular the human-elephant conflict, in Itezhi-tezhi has continued. Therefore, I would like to urge the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources to find time and deal with these issues.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

ADJOURNMENT

The Acting Leader of Government Business in the House and Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

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The House adjourned at 1852 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 22nd October, 2010.