DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE TENTH ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 3rd December, 2009

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, in the absence of His Honour the Vice-President and Learned hon. Minister of Justice who is attending to other national duties, Hon. Dr Kalombo T. Mwansa, MP, Minister of Defence, will continue to act as Leader of Government Business in the House from Thursday, 3rd to Friday, 4th December, 2009.

Thank you.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

TOTAL ZAMBIA LIMITED

221. Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central) asked the Minister of Energy and Water Development:

(a)    whether the ministry was aware that a good number of service stations owned by Total Zambia Limited across the country were scheduled for closure;

(b)    if so, what intervention measures have been taken to avoid a serious crisis of shortage of petroleum products in the affected areas; and 

(c)    what further arrangements have been put in place to protect the travelling public from being stranded as a result of the closure of service stations, particularly those located on long distance routes.

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Akakandelwa): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Ministry of Energy and Water Development is aware of the Total Zambia Limited’s intention to close down some of its service stations in certain areas.

The closures will not affect, in any way, the supply of petroleum products in these areas as Total Zambia Limited has other stations nearby. In areas where there are no Total service stations nearby, there are other oil marketing companies such as BP supplying petroleum products.

The public will not be stranded because there are other alternative service stations available in the affected areas. The public will be informed, in advance, of any Total Filling Stations that will be closed.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, in line with the laws of fair trading practices, some of the terms of reference for Total Zambia Limited to purchase Agip and Mobil were that they would operate 100 per cent of all these installations. If they fail to do so, the Zambia Competition Commission would compel them to dispose of those installations that would be in excess of their needs to any other interested operator.

I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether or not he believes that there are some filling stations between Lusaka and Mumbwa other than the former Agip Filling Station that was closed at Nangoma.

The Minister for Presidential Affairs (Mr Mukuma) (on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Konga): Mr Speaker, at the moment, we have just received an indication that Total Zambia Limited is about close some of its service stations, but we are not sure which ones will be closed. We are also not sure when the service stations he is talking about between Mumbwa and Nangoma were closed.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what plans the Government has put in place for those stations that are about to close down in respect of who is going to take over their running.

Mr Mukuma: Mr Speaker, obviously, the Government would like to see those stations continue operating. However, this will depend on the response from the Zambian community because those stations that Total Zambia Limited will give away will be advertised to the public. The Government will do everything possible to encourage Zambians to take over the running of those service stations. We hope that the response from Total Zambia Limited will be positive.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister inform and confirm to his august House that the Government is going to compel Total Zambia Limited to sell those filling stations which they have closed, like Nangoma and Munali, to the Zambian entrepreneurs?

Mr Mukuma: Mr Speaker, I believe that when Total Zambia Limited decides to do away with certain service stations, it would not be in their interest if they kept them because they invested a lot of money in the infrastructure. If we can manage to secure people who can buy those service stations, I sincerely hope that Total Zambia Limited will have no objection. As I have already said, it would be in the best interest of not only the Zambian people, but also Total Zambia Limited to ensure that their investment is realised by way of selling those service stations. Therefore, everything possible will be done to ensure that those service stations are either rented out or sold to whoever will be interested in them.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kambwili (Roan): Mr Speaker, Nangoma Filling Station and Munali Filling Station, which is just around the corner, have been closed for some time. Some entrepreneurs have approached Total Zambia Limited with a view to renting them, but they have refused. 

In the event that Total Zambia Limited comes up with exorbitant prices deliberately in order to deter others from buying those fillings stations, what is the Government going to do to serve the interests of the Zambian people?

Mr Mukuma: Mr Speaker, we do not have that information at all. According to Total Zambia Limited, some of the reasons they are giving for closing the service stations is that they no longer find it profitable to run them. Therefore, I also find it very queer that the same people should make it impossible for people to acquire those properties.

Anyhow, we have a lot of mechanisms to ensure that fair prices are charged. It is also important to know that this is a business transaction. Total Zambia would want to get the highest bidder for the assets and, at the same time, the buyer would also want to get the lowest price. I am sure that the negotiations will determine what will finally be the selling price of these properties.

I thank you, Mr Speaker. 

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, would the hon. Minister assure this House and the nation that this time around, they will ensure that Total Zambia is followed because, sometimes, they dig up the tanks and for any person to put up a new station, the application is tedious. I think it is their intention to keep others off so that there is monopoly in the system. Will they assure us that this time they will ensure that these service stations are not closed?

Mr Mukuma: Mr Speaker, the Government will make sure that every investor behaves like a good business person. We will not be entertaining investors who, at the end of the day, begin to destroy the assets which can still be used by the Government. So, I wish to assure the hon. Member that, as a Government, we are interested in that property because there are others who are still wiling to use it. Therefore, we shall make sure that we negotiate with them and indeed, tell them that it is necessary for them to keep the assets intact for the use of other business communities.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Sikota, SC. (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out if the Government has any plans to put in place incentives for people to invest in filling stations in the rural areas. I am talking about incentives such as the ones which were put in place in the banking sector where you were not allowed to open another branch in the urban areas unless you had opened one in the rural areas. I also want to know whether you are considering using taxes as a way of giving incentives for those who will open filling stations in the rural areas.

Mr Mukuma: Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that that issue is already being addressed by the ministry. A paper is being worked out which will soon be presented for review and decision making by Cabinet Office. When the appropriate time comes, this House will be informed. The most important thing is that we are already addressing the problem of having enough service stations in the rural areas.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

KAMWENDO SCHOOL

222. Mr Malama (Mfuwe) asked the Minister of Education:

(a)    when classroom blocks and teachers’ houses would be constructed at Kamwendo School; and

(b)    what the total number of teachers currently teaching at the school was. 

The Deputy Minister of Education (Mr Taima): Mr Speaker, there are no immediate plans to construct additional classroom blocks and teachers’ houses at Kamwendo School. However, additional classroom blocks and teachers’ houses will be constructed as funds are made available.

Mr Speaker, there are currently four class teachers teaching at Kamwendo School.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Malama: Mr Speaker, may I find out whether the four teachers that the hon. Minister has mentioned are enough for a school which is running from Grade 1 up to Grade 7.

The Minister of Communications and Transport (Professor Lungwangwa) (on behalf of the Minister of Education (Ms Siliya)): Mr Speaker, we know that we still have a shortfall in terms of the numbers of teachers at Kamwendo School. The recruitment of teachers is, however, a continuous programme. This year, we allocated two teachers at the school and as we recruit, some more teachers will be allocated. 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kambwili: Mr Speaker, certainly, a school that runs up to Grade 7 will not be adequately covered by four teachers. May I know what incentives are paid to these teachers who are working more than the required time?

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, there are incentives which are given to teachers who have extra classes above their normal classes.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, going by the answers that the hon. Minister has given, can he give confidence to this House and to the nation that Zambia, in accordance with the Dakar Protocol that they signed in 2000, will actually achieve education for all by the year 2015 which comes only in six years time, at the pace they are going?

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, a lot of effort is being made towards the achievement of education for all as per Dakar Declaration of 2000. That is why we are constructing more classrooms to accommodate large numbers of children. This is to increase access. That is why we are paying particular attention to equity issues such as the education of girls, children and recruitment of teachers in rural areas. All these are steps which are being taken to address the declarations and agreements at Dakar in 2000, for the achievement of education for all.

I thank you, Sir.

HEALTH SERVICES IN DUNDUMWEZI CONSTITUENCY

223. Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi) asked the Minister of Health:

(a)    whether there were any plans to construct a health centre at Bulyambeba in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency; and

(b)    when a vehicle would be provided for Chilala Zonal Clinic in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency.

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Musonda): Mr Speaker, the ministry, in its 2010 Infrastructure Operational Plan, has planned for the construction of a health post at Bulyambeba in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency. However, it should be noted that construction of health infrastructure is a big challenge owing to the limited resources and the ever-increasing demand for such facilities.

In this regard, I would like to urge hon. Members of Parliament to be innovative and explore other means of putting up infrastructure in their constituencies in consultation with my ministry. For example, the ministry would appreciate if the hon. Members of Parliament can put aside some resources from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for construction of health posts in their constituencies. 

Interruptions

Dr Musonda: If this is done using community based mode or labour based contracts, more facilities would be constructed.

Mr Speaker, my ministry is in the process of developing prototype structures for health posts with accompanying Bill of Quantities which should be the standard that anyone should adhere to when constructing health posts or any other health facility. Hon. Members of parliament willing to put up these structures in their constituencies are welcome to consult my ministry. 

Mr Speaker, as for 2010, prioritisation for construction of health posts countrywide will be based on the provisions of the National Health Strategic Plan, which stipulates two main criteria of distance and population density. Currently, the Ministry of Health is estimating the population out of the target 5 kilometers radius access to a health facility. The estimates of population out of the desired or target geographical area will help determine the number of facilities the Government needs to construct. 

Mr Speaker, the policy of the ministry, at the moment, regarding the distribution of vehicles is that vehicles are sent to districts where health centres are serviced as need arises. This helps to ensure that these vehicles are well maintained and their operations supervised. Hence, there are no immediate plans to send a vehicle to Chilala Zonal Clinic in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, the people of Bulyambeba left the Gwembe Valley to give room for the construction of the Kariba Dam. Can the hon. Minister confirm to this House and the nation at large that the people of Bulyambeba and Kandazovu have been abandoned and forgotten and will not be compensated for the problems they faced when they left their land of origin in the Gwembe valley. 

The Minister Science, Technology and Vocational Training (Mr Namulambe) (on behalf of the Minister of Health (Mr Simbao)): Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Dundumwezi asked whether the Government had plans to construct a rural health centre at Bulyambeba. The answer given was that the plans are there. This means that the Government is, indeed, concerned about the people of Bulyambeba. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister when he will make public the National Health Strategic Plan for 2010. 

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, at an appropriate time, the report will be put in the hon. Members’ of Parliament pigeon holes.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, the people of Bulyambeba were forced out of the Gwembe Valley in the sixties to pave way for the construction of the Kariba Dam.  There was a decision by the Government, through the Gwembe Development Company, to put up a clinic. Can the hon. Minister clarify the current position of these people? Can the hon. Minister tell us when the clinic will be constructed before we see the strategic plans? 

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, just in case the hon. Member was thinking of something else when the answer was being given, I would like to repeat part of the response. The ministry in its 2010 infrastructure operation plan has planned for the construction of a health post at Bulyambeba in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency. I, therefore, do not know what further information he wants apart from this. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Mr Kambwili: Mr Speaker, in compensating the people of Bulyambeba, who go to Chilala Zonal Clinic, I would like to find out whether the clinic runs twenty-four hours, if not, when does the Government intend to run it as such?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, this is a health post and patients are attended to as and when they go there. The members of staff, even at night, wake up to attend to patients. 

Mr Sing’ombe: It is not a health post. It is a zonal clinic.

Mr Namulambe: As at now, I am sure that no patient has been denied service by the health personnel at the clinic. 

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ntundu (Gwembe): Mr Speaker, in view of the disappointing answer that has been given by the hon. Minister to a very important question concerning the displaced people of the Gwembe Valley who settled in Dundumwezi, I would like to find out from him whether he does care to check that, actually, Chilala Zonal Clinic has more patients than the actual district hospital, which this Government preferred to give a hearse for the dead than care for those alive. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for the additional information that he has given us.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr D. Mwila (Chipili): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister confirm whether the health centre which will be constructed in 2010 will be a community based mode. 

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, the response is in the affirmative as he has suggested. 

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MOTION
    
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE REPORT

Mr Hachipuka (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the First Report of the Public Accounts Committee, for the Fourth Session of the Tenth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 1st December, 2009.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr B. Y. Mwila (Nchelenge): I beg to second the Motion, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hachipuka: Mr Speaker, your Committee, in accordance with their terms of reference, considered the report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts for the financial year ended 31st December, 2007. Most of the deliberations on the audit report took place during the Third Session of the Tenth National Assembly, which was quite a challenge because the National Assembly was in the process of preparing to host the Sixth Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC). Ultimately, this led to a reduction in the time available to the Committee to undertake other activities such as tours.

Sir, before proceeding further, permit me, Sir, to commend the Auditor-General for ensuring that audit reports on national accounts are tabled in the House on time as provided for in the Constitution. Your Committee hopes that the same will apply to the financial Report. With the changed budget cycle, it has become absolutely necessary that the Financial Report is tabled even earlier than the nine months provided for under the Constitution. We are sure that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning will ensure that the causes of the delays in tabling the financial report are immediately dealt with.

Mr Speaker, in considering the audit report, twenty-five controlling officers, including the Secretary to the Treasury, were summoned to appear before your Committee. I wish to inform the House that your Committee did not face any difficulties with any of the controlling officers in terms of responding to the summons to appear before them to make oral submissions. However, there is still need for improvement in the content of the submissions. Controlling officers devote a lot of attention to defending the situations reported by the Auditor-General and, in some cases, some go to the extent of disputing the audit findings. 

Mr Speaker, all this points to the fact that the audit process is not appreciated in its correct perspective. This is a matter that your Committee and previous ones have repeatedly brought to the attention of the Executive. The audit process is basically a control mechanism and the findings in the report are supposed to assist us, particularly those that are charged with the responsibility of administering the affairs of the State, to be aware of the shortcomings. 

In some instances, audit reports may expose cases of theft and corruption. However, this is not the main aim of a financial audit.

Mr Speaker, your Committee wish to urge the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to see to it that controlling officers use the findings in audit reports to improve performance by taking timely corrective action when there is a serious and sustained departure from the rules and procedures and to take disciplinary action against erring officers.

Sir, the Copperbelt Provincial Administration and the Office of the President and the Road Safety and Transport Agency (RTSA) are the two institutions where corrective and disciplinary actions were taken on queries that the Auditor-General raised during the year under review. 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hachipuka: Your Committee wish to commend the controlling officers of these two institutions for the manner in which they executed their duties.

Mr Speaker, the queries, like in the previous years, were mainly unretired imprest, misappropriation of revenue, misapplication of funds, poor record keeping, failure to secure accounting documents and poor management of capital projects.

Sir, your Committee have observed that the underlying cause of all these queries is failure to observe the financial regulations. In the opinion of your Committee, this is the key to improving financial management in the Public Service.

Mr Speaker, initially, your Committee were of the view that controlling officers and, indeed, other accounting officers were not aware of the financial regulations hence, the poor compliance. However, interaction with controlling officers in the last three years has revealed that most controlling officers and their accounting officers are actually fully knowledgeable about the regulations. The question is, why do officers choose to disregard these financial regulations?

Mr Speaker, allow me to give the House the following as some examples drawn from the Auditor-General’s Report:

(a)    in the institutions that were audited, K20.9 billion worth of imprest was not retired and remained outstanding during the year under review. Despite the regulations being very clear on imprest, officers did not bother to retire the imprest. The issuing officers also failed to follow-up the imprest recipients as provided for in the financial regulations.

Your Committee observed that in some instances, subsequently, imprest was given to officers who had outstanding imprest when the regulations forbid this.

Discussions with officers who had outstanding imprest further revealed that even when retirement documents were submitted to accounting officers, some chose not to process the documents, which in itself, is an offence.

(b)    poverty reduction funds totaling K15.8 billion were misapplied in some of  the institutions that were audited. From the controlling officers’ responses, it has been observed that there is virtually no disciplinary action taken against the erring officers; and

(c)    revenue amounting to K14.1 billion was misappropriated in institutions that were audited. One of the worst affected is the Ministry of Home Affairs, specifically under the Zambia Police, the Immigration Department and the Passport Office.

As one measure to curb the vice, your Committee have recommended that the Zambia Police should have its own controlling officer. As members will note, the Zambia Police already has a separate head in the Yellow Book, Head 11. Your Committee strongly believes that this will enhance controls in the management of funds in the Zambia Police.

Mr Speaker, as the House may observe, the above-mentioned irregularities are perpetuated because disciplinary action is not taken against erring officers. If it is, it either comes too late when officers have left the Public Service or the action is not severe to deter others from committing similar offences.

Sir, your Committee, therefore, wish to urge the hon. Minister of Financial and National Planning to look into disciplinary procedures that are currently in place. Judging from what is currently obtaining, the disciplinary measures in place are not effective, particularly those relating to the management of public funds. It is important to ensure that as other measures to improve public financial management are being put in place, the question of discipline should also be considered. Otherwise, all the efforts may not yield the desired results.

Mr Speaker, your Committee’s report contains valid observations and suggested corrective interventions. Therefore, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is advised to take action on the report.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to thank you and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the support that was rendered to your Committee when considering the audit report and for the assistance in hosting the sixth SADCOPAC Conference and Annual General Meeting.

 I further wish to thank the Auditor-General and the Accountant-General for the professional advice they provided to your Committee during their deliberations.

Mr Speaker, let me also mention that the work of your Committee could not have been successfully completed without the co-operation of the Secretary to the Treasury and controlling officers. Your Committee, therefore, wish to thank them for appearing before them and explaining their cases.

 Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

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

Mr B. Y. Mwila (Nchelenge): Now, Mr Speaker.

Sir, I beg to second the Motion that this House do adopt the First Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on the accounts for the financial ended 31st December, 2007 for the Fourth Session of the Tenth National Assembly.

The mover of the Motion has brought out the major findings of the Committee arising from their deliberations on the Audit Report. In seconding the Motion, I wish to expand on one of the observations of your Committee concerning the loss of public resources on projects of a capital nature.

Mr Speaker, any government world over, is the preferred client of any business house owing to huge scale of orders and other very costly capital projects that governments are capable of undertaking. The state of affairs places any government at an advantage in that it can always bargain for the best deals possible. The opposite can also be the case as we are witnessing in Zambia on a number of projects. The Government is associated with poorly managed projects. As a result of this, the Government is losing huge sums of public resources through:

Inadequate Funding and Delayed release of Funds to meet Contractual Obligations - In the Process the Government has been Paying Penalties to Contractors and Suppliers

Delayed release of funds further results in projects costing a lot more than initially budgeted for. I wish to encourage Members of this august House to carry out a comparative exercise between what it could have initially cost to complete the following projects on time and what it will cost to do so now.

(i)    Mchinji Railway project in Chipata;

(ii)    Central Statistical Building, Ridgeway in Lusaka;

(iii)    Border infrastructure at Chirundu;

(iv)    Namwala/Chitongo/Choma Road; and

(v)    Kasama/Luwingu Road.

These are just but a few of the projects that have remained incomplete for a long time.

Poor Design of Structures

Due to budgetary constraints, a number of structures have had their designs compromised to suit the budget. The results have been disastrous as was the case with the Mongu/Kalabo Road.

There are also cases when the design may be to the required standard, but during construction, variations are made to the structure due to budgetary constraints leading to compromised quality of the finished works.

There are two such cases, Mr Speaker, that were reported on the Bottom Road Project in the Southern Province. A vented drift and drainage structures on the road project were washed away because adequate erosion protection measures were not put in place due to lack of funds. The point here is that the cost of redoing the works will be more than what it would have cost to put in place erosion protection measures in the first place.

Collusion of Contractors and Consultants

Mr Speaker, when one critically examines the way contracts are usually managed in the Public Service, collusion between contractors and consultants cannot be ruled out. Although the Mbesuma Bridge Project in the Northern Province was not a subject in the Audit Report, it stands out as a perfect example where such a vice could have occurred. More than US$1 million were spent on the project without any semblance of an unfinished bridge on site.

Engaging Contractors without Written Contracts

The Auditor-General has, over the years, highlighted the tendency of public officers entering into contracts without written contracts making follow-up very difficult in case one of the parties defaults.

Mr Speaker, a very high ranking officer in the Zambia Police had to make a verbal variation to very huge contracts with the total value exceeding K60 billion. Unfortunately, this case remains unresolved to date because of the manner in which the contract was handled.

Weaknesses in the Selection of Contractors and Suppliers

Sir, your Committee fully support the empowerment of local suppliers and contractors. However, there is a need for controlling officers to exercise a lot of care when selecting contractors and suppliers. There are a lot of “Vultures” if I may call them that, which are continuously on the look out for Government jobs not to provide a service but to reap-off the State.

The Auditor-General reported a number of cases in the Office of the President – North-Western Province Administration in which local companies that had been contracted to provide various services had failed to deliver. Your Committee observed from the responses that the major cause was the capacity of the some of the contractors and suppliers.

Mr Speaker, this state of affairs calls for far-reaching interventions otherwise infrastructural development in the country will be under threat.

Your Committee would like to see stern action being taken against contractors or suppliers who fail to deliver on public projects as this is tantamount to denying Zambians a better life and future. It is common knowledge that a number of public capital projects are funded by our co-operating partners which calls for higher levels of accountability and transparency.

Mr Speaker, let me end by joining the mover in thanking you, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Auditor-General and the Accountant-General for the support that was provided to your Committee during their deliberations.

Sir, I beg to second.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili (Kabushi): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Public Accounts Report. I must also state here that I am a Member of the Public Accounts Committee. 

Sir, normally when we debate the Budget and Audit Report, we usually concentrate on the expenditure side, leaving out the revenue. In my brief contribution, I would like to talk about the revenue side of the Budget.

Mr Speaker, progress or one’s wealthy is really measured by how much resource one has at their disposal and not how careful they are in their expenditure.

As we debate this Motion, Sir, I wish to say that with the technical guidance by the Auditor-General and the Accountant-General, a lot of irregularities have been brought to light by these two offices including the Public Accounts Committee.

However, it is sad to note that for most of the things that are brought to light, no action has been taken. The report is growing bigger every year. For example, the report for this year has grown bigger and there are many irregularities brought to light, but it is sad that no action has been taken. I wish to say that as we critically look at this report, we must ask ourselves why the report is getting bigger each year. The simple answer I will give is failure to take action against the offenders. 

Mr Speaker, the report indicates that in each and every ministry, including the Government Departments, the same things recur. The things that recur are the unretired imprest, unaccounted for revenue, delayed banking, missing documents and others. This makes one start to think that there is really something wrong. We must dig deeper to find the root cause for this. There are many causes such as unretired imprest. The Government workers may not be properly paid and so each time they go on a trip, they ensure that whatever they get is not accounted for and because no action is taken, to appear before the Committee is just an academic exercise. When they come to the Committee, they may have it tough for the thirty minutes they will be there, but afterwards they will be free. They wait for another twelve months for them to appear before the Committee, but meanwhile no action is taken.

Mr Speaker, what guarantee is be there to ensure that those involved in such malpractices are brought to book? In September this year, Zambia hosted the SADC Pack Conference here in Lusaka and as we were discussing some of the experiences, we heard what some of our neighbours had put in place to curb this scourge. The experience of Uganda is that they have permanent witnesses like we have here, but they have gone a step further to include officers from the Anti-Corruption, the police and the Drug Enforcement in the Committee. When you have a witness appearing before a Committee, if they find that the witness store money or something is wrong, he is arrested there and then.

Mr Speaker, most of the people bid farewell to their families before they are to appear before the Public Accounts Committee for they may not go back home. I do not know whether it is within our mandate that we learn from the experience of our colleagues so that we can also put that arrangement in place. If we did that, this report would reduce in size.

Mr Speaker, before I conclude, I would like to say that I was sharing with a controlling officer and he told me that coming to your Committee is just an academic exercise. I believed him because as they sit in those witness boxes, you can read on their faces that they are saying, “just go to hell” after thirty minutes …

Mr Speaker: Order! The word “hell” is unparliamentary, can you withdraw it?

Mr Msichili: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word “hell” and replace it with the phrase “opposite of heaven”.

Laughter

Mr Msichili: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out whether the provision of bringing in other wings of Government to be permanent witnesses in our Committee is plausible. If this is workable, it will help in reducing the size of our report.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Shakafuswa (Katuba): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion.

Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to thank the mover and seconder as well as the entire Committee for a very elaborate report. A lot has been said about the current report to an extent where some people in some quarters think that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has no control over its activities.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has enormous tasks of raising and expending the revenue on behalf of the people of Zambia, but what we need to look at is the level of activities in the ministry. After we have done that, then we ask ourselves whether the level of activities and the amounts expended by the ministry has qualified people to manage the affairs. Whilst we put big responsibilities on the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, we do not give him leeway for him to get qualified staff for him to run the affairs of this nation.

Mr Speaker, let us, for example, look at the qualifications of the Accountant-General, the person in charge of the accounts and the expenditure of the country. Do the people under this officer have the relevant qualifications? You will note that people who are not accountants hold this position. In such circumstances, how do they help the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to execute his functions? I suggest that Cabinet Office gives leeway to the ministry to employ qualified staff to run its affairs. This should extend to all spending agencies so that we have controlling officers with qualified accountants as support staff to run the affairs of the spending agencies. This kind of arrangement will bring discipline in these institutions.

Mr Speaker, we have people who got their qualifications a long time ago, and yet now the accounting standards change every year and if you have people who are not abreast with these new standards, it becomes difficult to run institutions. Another thing I have noticed is that we have very young people with the relevant qualifications like ACCA being controlled by somebody with a certificate. 

Mr Speaker, because of the experience, some people are allowed to continue like that. But we should know that if we have to improve, we have to give leeway to qualified people and those with certificates, but have the experience should be encouraged to go to night school. They should go on leave to attend school to improve their standards so that they can compete professionally.

  Therefore, I would like to urge cabinet office to move in so that it assists the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to have qualified staff in place to help in running these institutions. 

Mr Speaker, there are situations where controls are not adhered to. This includes situations such as when imprest is being retired weekly. There situations when especially hon. Ministers,  hon. Deputy Ministers and other senior officials want to get another   imprest before retiring the previous one, when the permanent secretaries come in and tell them that they cannot get another imprest before retiring the previous one, they simply ask the permanent secretary if he wants to be fired. They ask the Permanent Secretary to release the money if he or she does not want to get fired. The continued occurrence of such instances results in the controlling officer being seen as if he is not doing his work. 

The hon. Ministers, controlling officers and all those who are in charge of expending funds should read the financial regulations. They should read that blue book which will show them what they are supposed to do in their institutions. There are people who think they can do whatever they want because they have ministerial positions. Since they hold senior positions, they think that they are above the law. There are laws in this country which govern how you are supposed to use national resources. 

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Shakafuswa: That is why if you go above the laws, you will find yourself into problems. If you find a controlling officer or an accountant who is trying to pretend to be a good person, just know that there is something wrong happening because those accountants are supposed to help hon. Ministers. Immediately an hon.  Minister comes back, they are supposed to tell him or her to retire the imprest. If you find an accountant saying, “It is okay, Sir”, just know that they want you to be fired and bring you problems. In most cases, you will find that some hon. Ministers have been cited for misappropriation. It is just that some of them are new in their offices and may be they may have not even read the regulations and do not know how to go about following them. Those who are very boastful are usually the ones who find themselves in problems because people will just look the other way and say,” We will see what will happen”.

Mr Speaker, when you are running a Government with a budget of about US $3 billion which is equivalent to almost K16 trillion, you need to have controls. We need to help the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to deliberately hire competent personnel. It is unfortunate that you will find that on the market today, accountants are highly paid, but in Government circles you would not look at the alternative amount of money which that accountant would get if he or she went to work outside the Government. Today, we have a situation where the Government lawyers are being paid a lot of money as non-practising allowance. What about our accountants? I think we should also consider them as well, but the best thing is not to single out accountants, economics and other professionals. We just need to find money to pay our civil servants the right packages so that they can put in their best to run this country. At least it should not be seen year in, year out that the Auditor-General finds faults whenever he goes to audit public funds. If we gave them the best packages, we might come out with good results. We could even be in a position to tell them that since we have given them what they wanted, they need to deliver efficiently. 

In conclusion, I support the Motion on the Floor.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwamba (Kasama Central): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, I would like to first of all support the report which has been very detailed and well explained. 

Mr Speaker, my concern over this report is that year in year out, as much as your report might be as good as it is now, even though I have not have completed reading it, it has been discovered that no action is taken at all against the erring officers. It is a very sad situation that millions of dollars or billions of kwacha are lost through mostly the controlling officers. We should not only blame the accountants, but there are also controlling officers who are permanent secretaries. 

Mr Speaker, I may cite one example, whereby one company which belonged to me seven years ago, bided for a tender through Zambia National Tender Board and was awarded a contract worth US$1.1 million. I will not mention the ministry now. Immediately the MMD changed the Permanent Secretary who is a controlling officer, because of reasons best known to himself probably, he did not just like me, he decided to cancel the contract. After six and half years, I took the matter to court and I won this case. Ask me how much I was awarded? I was awarded US$2 million above the US$1.1 million contract. Can you see how much this country is losing because of just a stroke of the pen and just because someone does not like a particular individual, he makes the Zambian people suffer. 

I would like through you, Mr Speaker, for us to find a way of how to deal with these people who are controlling officers. These controlling officers are making this country loose quite a lot of money at the expense of my fellow poor Zambians.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba: Mr Speaker, I would like to urge also the hon. Members on your right to take what I have said seriously. Can you see what US$2 million above the normal contract represents? It represents over K10 billion. Just because someone did not like me,  I won over K 10 billion above the normal contract. Is that good enough? I have accepted the reward of that US$2 million, but you see again, I am at pains to see that most Zambian people are suffering and most of that money would have gone probably to build two or three more other schools.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mwamba (Lukashya): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for according me this opportunity to debate this report. From the onset, I would like to declare that I am a member of the PAC. From all that has been said, it has also been observed that public servants, who operate under controlling officers, hide their malpractices behind the controlling officers because when issues are raised, it is the controlling officers who are called to appear before the PAC to explain. Now, your committee is going to be very proactive this year because we believe it is within our mandate to summon any other erring officer, especially those who fail to avail accounting documents to the Auditor-General to appear before the PAC to explain their failure. 

Mr Speaker, it is also within the mandate of the PAC to summon any officer who fails to retire imp rest. It should not just be the controlling officers all the time to answer for other people’s failures. It is also within the mandate of your Committee to call the Investigator General (IG) to appear before the PAC to explain why he fails to prosecute those that have been thoroughly investigated by the Auditor-General, where cases of maladies have been established, but he fails to act against them. He will have to appear before your Committee to explain that failure.

Mr Speaker, from the various meetings that have taken place between your Committee and some of the donors, it is your Committee’s considered, but humble view that as a result of the saga at the Ministry of Health, the donors are looking at sponsoring auditing investigations. Donors are looking at sponsoring audit investigations into other ministries in order for them to safeguard the funds they give us.

Mr Speaker, if this feeling amongst donors grows, the support from donors to our Budget will reduce drastically and it is the Zambian people who will suffer. Therefore, I support this Motion.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Mr Speaker, I wish to first thank the Public Accounts Committee for producing a well prepared report on the report of the Auditor-General on the accounts for the financial year ended 31st December, 2007.

The report highlights critical issues which my ministry will take into account when responding to the report through the Treasury minutes. The observations and recommendations contained in the report will assist the Government to improve the operations of all ministries as the Auditor-General’s report has highlighted a number of shortcomings in the operations of ministries, provinces and other spending agencies.

Mr Speaker, my ministry will ensure that the committee’s observations and recommendations are acted upon accordingly and all controlling officers in charge of Government institutions strictly follow the laid down financial regulations. As you are aware, my ministry has budgeted for quarterly meetings with controlling officers to update and share ideas on ensuring that there is efficiency in the utilisation of Government resources.

I would like to assure this House that my Government will not tolerate any financial indiscipline by public service workers and stern action will be taken against those found wanting.

Sir, with the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS)which is due to be implemented in 2010, it is hoped that there will be an improvement in the way financial and other resources are managed by Government institutions.

Mr Speaker, with the new Anti-Corruption Policy in place, there will be new vigor in fighting the misuse of public resources by public institutions. As stated earlier, my ministry will produce an action-taken-report in form of a Treasury minutes to respond to all observations and recommendations contained in the report. The Treasury minutes will be submitted to this august House within the stipulated time.

Mr Speaker, I further wish to assure this august House that my ministry will continue to render support to the Office of the Auditor-General in order for it to carry out its mandate effectively and efficiently.

Mr Speaker, I wish once again to thank your Committee for a commendable job and I hope that they will continue to carry out their good work.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hachipuka: Mr Speaker, let me thank hon. Members of your Committee who were able to debate and also Hon. Shakafuswa for his wonderful debate. However, I would like to briefly comment on two issues raised. Firstly, I would like to assure the hon. Member that the Office of the Accountant-General is now manned by a fully qualified accountant …

Mr Magande: Hear, hear!

Mr Hachipuka: … unlike the case in the past. It is well-known that one cannot become the Governor of the Central Bank unless he or she is an economist. There are many other examples in this country. Lawyers cannot allow anyone who is not a qualified lawyer to be the hon. Minister of Justice. Therefore, as accountants, we have taken a similar position.

Let me also refer to the financial regulations on a lighter note. The Public Accounts Committee intends to call one or two hon. Minister before your Committee just to check how many of them have read the financial regulations as a test to make sure that each and every hon. Minister is aware of the financial regulations of the country. It should not be left to controlling officers only.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Question put and agreed to.

{mospagebreak}

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now resolve into Committee of Supply to consider Supplementary Estimates No. 1 of 2009. Sir, I am a bearer of a message from His Excellency the President recommending favourable consideration of the motion I now lay on the Table.

Dr Musokotwane laid the paper on the Table. 

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, the Supplementary Estimates for the fiscal year 2009 have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 115 (2) (d) of the Zambian Constitution which reads:

“No warrant shall be issued by the President authorising expenditure from the general revenues of the republic unless no provision exists for the expenditure and the President considers that there is such an urgent need to incur the expenditure that it would not be in the republic interest to delay the authorisation of the expenditure until such time as a supplementary estimate can be laid before and approved by the National Assembly.”

Sir, by virtue of the authority conveyed in the above mentioned article of our Constitution, I have the honour to present the Supplementary Estimates covering the financial year 1st January to 31st December, 2009.

The total Supplementary request stands at K1,633.1 billion. Of this amount, a sum of K220.5 billion represents funds released to institutions toward the end of the financial year 2008, but carried forward and spent in 2009 while K677.4 billion are savings declared within the approved Budget. From the same total amount, a sum of K17 billion represents funds that were released directly to institutions in the current year by the co-operating partners, but were not part of the 2009 approved estimates.

Sir, allow me now to highlight some of the areas where substantial amounts have been allocated.

Under my own ministry, a sum of K429.3 billion has been allowed to cover payments of the 15 per cent salaries and wage award to civil servants. You may wish to note that this amount is a mere movement of funds from a non-spending vote under Head 99 to a spending vote under Head 37. Other notable supplementary requests include amounts set aside for legal claims against the Zambia Revenue Authority, costs associated with the completion of the National Road Fund Agency building and preparatory work of the development of the Sixth National Development Plan.

Under the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, there is a proposed allocation of K130.1 billion as a supplementary for the Fertiliser Support Programme. This amount is meant for financing the Farmer Input Support Programme for the 2009/2010 farming season. A further K108.3 billion has been proposed for the Food Reserve Agency to primarily liquidate maize importation bills in respect of the 35,000 metric tonnes imported during the last quarter of 2008, the purchase of crops from farmers and rehabilitation of strategic silos. It is further proposed that K23 billion be approved as supplementary amount to cater for the establishment of the disease-free zones.

Sir, an amount of K1,089.2 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development, out of which K179 billion is meant to normalise the financing of fuel importation in the first half of the year which was necessary to avert a national fuel supply crisis. I wish to report that an amount of K100 billion has since been reimbursed or paid back to the Treasury.

Mr Speaker, the earlier withholding of donor support from the Ministry of Health had immense pressure on that ministry. The Government had to intervene and an amount of K73 billion is, therefore, proposed as a supplementary allocation to mitigate the impact of withholding of co-operating partners’ support. Part of this amount covers carry-over funds from 2008.

Under Constitutional and Statutory Expenditure, a total sum of K52.3 billion has been allowed to cover external debt service payments under the multi-lateral and bilateral arrangements with savings coming from some budget lines as a result of reduced interest cost under the same Head.

Sir, it is further proposed that under Head 21 – Loans and Investments be allowed a sum of K169.5 billion to cater for various items, including the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) Power Rehabilitation Project, financial restructuring of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia and contributions to organisations to which Zambia is a member. Within this amount, a sum of K116.4 billion is meant to cover carry-over funds from the 2008 financial year as well as higher than projected collections on fuel levy and other road-user charges for 2009.

Mr Speaker, you may recall that I did indicate to this House during the 2009 Budget debate that I would provide a Supplementary Budget to the Office of the Auditor-General so as to enhance its operations. In this regard, I propose that K7.4 billion be considered as supplementary to this important institution.

Sir, in brief, the 2009 Supplementary Estimates are about carry-over funds from the previous year, new donor money not contained in the 2009 Budget and adjustment to account for extra revenues and some additional allocations to some Heads while reducing on some others.

Mr Speaker, I, therefore, seek the support of this House in approving the Supplementary Estimates for 2009.

 Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I wish to thank the House for the support.

Question put and agreed to.

____________

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON in the Chair]

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES NO. 1 OF 2009

Vote 01/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 02/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 02/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 03/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 05/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 06/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 07/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 08/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 09/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 10/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 11/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 13/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 13/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 13/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 15/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/13 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/15 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/20 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 17/35 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 18/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 18/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 20/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 20/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 21/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 27/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 27/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 29/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 31/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 33/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 33/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPESON OF COMMITTEES in the 
Chair]

Vote 37/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 37/10 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 37/12 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 45/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 45/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Can Hon. Matongo and Hon. Cifire consult quietly, please, because I am also getting disturbed.

Vote 46/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 46/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/10 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/11 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/12 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/13 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/14 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/15 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/17 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 46/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 51/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 64/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 64/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 65/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 65/10 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 68/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 76/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 76/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 77/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 77/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 77/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 77/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 78/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 80/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 85/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 85/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 85/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 87/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/11 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote89/12 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/15 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/17 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/21 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/22 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/26 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/27 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/28 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/29 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/31 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/32 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 89/33 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 The Deputy Chairperson drank some water.

Vote 91/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! You were very quiet before, but when I drank some water you started talking. 

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: I will not drink water again. 

Vote 92/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! I have been advised to drink some water.

Laughter

Vote 94/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 44/44 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/53 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 94/55 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/37 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 95/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/41 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 96/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 97/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 97/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 99/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

{mospagebreak}

________

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Supplementary Estimates No. 1 of 2009 reported approved.

Report adopted.

Question put and agreed to and Mr Speaker appointed the Minister of Finance and National Planning to be a committee of one to bring in the necessary Bill to give effect hereto at a later date.

___________

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]

ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE (INCLUDING CAPITAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY EXPENDITURE) FOR THE YEAR 1ST JANUARY, 2010 TO 31ST DECEMBER, 2010

VOTES 90 to 98 – (Office of the President – Provinces: Lusaka – K30,325,613,618, Copperbelt – K39,186,409,252, Central – K31,483,510,630, Northern – K40,313,349,197, Western – K31,651,033,920, Eastern – K35,550,975,794, Luapula – K31,199,032,371, North-Western –K32,347,373,614, and Southern – K39,597,098,843)

(Consideration resumed)

The Deputy Chairperson: I just want to remind the House that we are remaining with three provinces and these are: Northern, Eastern and Luapula. We will have one hon. Member from each those provinces to speak.

Mr Chongo (Mwense): Mr Chairperson, thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Vote on Luapula Province.

From the outset, Sir, I would like to echo the sentiments on the issues of tribalism by Hon. Elizabeth Chitika-Molobeka.

Mr Mushili: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: I wish to adopt the words she used as my own.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: Sir, it is unfortunate that our civil servants would stoop so low in wanting to blackmail the leadership that we have in our respective provinces, to the extent of suggesting that they preferred a particular minister to the other or a particular permanent secretary to the other. From time immemorial, we have lived with these civil servants in our provinces but now things are now working out because procrastination by civil servants. Therefore, it is not right for them to indicate that they are not happy with certain leaders. It is because they want to have a plain sailing. They want leadership that does not manage them properly. For this reason, I would like to encourage the provincial administration starting from minister downwards to be firm on our civil servants.

Mr Chairperson, allow me to talk about development in our provinces. Our objective of being in this House is to ensure that our country is developed. The reason we are here is to ensure that our people are given the services that they require to enable them grow.

From the outset, I would like to thank the hon. Minister of Health that this time around, he thought of building a hospital in Mwense District in 2010.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: I think this will be a memorable year. Not only will the name of the hon. Minister will be talked about highly in Mwense but also the people in leadership and the Government at large …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: … and President Rupiah Banda.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: Indeed, we are very thankful for this gesture. A healthy people are active people and, therefore, productive people. Without the health services we cannot be active and, therefore, we cannot be productive. With the coming of the hospital in Mwense, the many problems that we have been encountering will be solved. This is because we have lost a lot of man hours, instead of going into our fields we are wasting our time looking for resources that never come, to take our sick relatives to Mansa or Kawambwa, Nchelenge or Luwingu. As result, this has affected the district. However, now there is a positive change and I want to really thank the MMD Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: Mr Chairperson, I would like to remind the MMD Government that it has given us civil servants who are helping in the province and in Mwense in particular, but these officers are going through difficulties. I am talking about those at the Boma and the surrounding areas who do not have adequate and clean water in their communities.

Mr Chairperson, recently I was in the constituency and the kind of water that our civil servants are using is pathetic. We have tried to tackle this water issue at council level, but since Mwense is a small district, it is unable to find resources to rehabilitate the water infrastructure which was built in 1966 when Mwense was given district status. It has been difficult to have clean water in this district. The infrastructure was only intended to give water to less than 1,500 people, but now the population has grown to over 5,000 people. The infrastructure is old and has outlived its usefulness, therefore, I would like to ask the Government to intervene quickly because there is a serious problem in Mwense.

Mr Chairperson, if this activity is not provided for in the 2010 budget, then the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing should sit down to see how this can be resolved. I am aware that the Luapula Water and Sewerage Company has been formed,  but for the past three months in which it has been in existence, it has not been doing anything because it does not have money for its operations. I would like to ask the Government to look into this issue.

Mr Chairperson, I want to talk about the mineral potential in our province. Each time I stand to talk on the province, I have talked about that issue. Luapula Province to the best of my knowledge is endowed with a lot of mineral resources. We have oil in Samfya District; we have manganese and copper in Mansa District, we have copper in Chienge District, we have diamond and gold in Nchelenge as well as in Chienge District. We also have copper and it has been suggested that even uranium is found in Mwense. I am, therefore reminding the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development that I am aware that the mapping exercise was done in 2007 for Mwense when Dr Mwansa was at the ministry. I followed up the issue to find out when the geological report would be out so that the small scale miners and even the indigenous people who would want to venture into these activities can have this information which can help them to decide if it is worthwhile to risk their little resources which they have to venture into mining.

Mr Chairperson, it is very difficult for anybody to venture into mining just because we have seen traces of these minerals and this is the reason we are asking for this geological report. This report has taken long to come out because 2007 is a long time ago. Three weeks ago, I went to the geological department, but the people there told me that they were still working on the report. They promised me that it would be out in the next three months.

Mr Chairperson, I want to implore the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development to quickly release this report so that we can take advantage of the resources that we have. I know that the hon. Minister being a professional miner himself knows exactly the processes that must be taken before anybody can make a decision to go into mining. This report is paramount and hence we are calling for its release.

Mr Chairperson, in my view the mapping exercise did not take as long as the production of the report that we are talking about has taken. The people involved in the mapping exercise were on the ground for only three months and so why should it take more than three years just to come up with this report. The hon. Minister is a professional miner and miners are a special breed with a special approach to the assignments that they have been given, but I am surprised as to why the hon. Minister cannot push for the release of this report.

Mr Chairperson, before I conclude, I want to indicate to the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Water Development that the fertiliser distribution exercise especially in Mwense District has been a disaster this year. It is never too late. I have complained to him and he is aware of the issue and I would like him to intervene before it is too late so that the people can have the fertiliser that they need.

Mr Chairperson, we in the province are fishermen and I would like to agree with Hon. Sikazwe who yesterday suggested that we are tubulus, yes, indeed, we are proud to be fishermen. We are very proud and we cannot take offence by what he said. This reminds me of something, sadly so, which was said by someone. I want to indicate that we will not take kindly as the people of Luapula the people who want to demean us. We are fishermen and not what was said by one senior politician in this country that we are a people that stink amatuku. Amatuku are small breams. He said this because we did not agree with him. We will not take kindly to such politicians…

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chongo: We will face them head on and fight them to the end.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga (Chinsali): Mr Chairperson, I thank you for allowing me to contribute to the debate on the Northern Province Vote.

Mr Chairperson, I just want to build on the debate by my colleague Hon. Sikazwe who yesterday said that Northern Province is one of the richest provinces in the country. Regarding tourism, he told us the areas we have in Northern Province and he also said that it is the only province with a port in this country. He also said that it is the only province with beautiful tourism sites. Despite having all these resources, I am still wondering why the province is still lagging behind in terms of development.

Mr Chairperson, the province is faced with a lot of challenges and I will start with the road infrastructure. As you move from Lusaka to Northern Province, after Serenje, you do not need to ask where the boundaries of Northern Province are because the road itself will tell you. The road is pathetic and I am talking about the trunk road T2 that leads to Nakonde Border. You cannot drive 200 kilometres without seeing an accident on this road. 

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, what I am trying to say is that there are so many accidents happening on this road and we have lost a lot of lives. We have talked in this Parliament and we have reminded our colleagues that they should work on this road. What do we receive? What I see in this year’s Annual Work Plan is the allocation of K4.8 billion only for spot patching. Now, you know very well that this is rainy season and even if you do spot patching, what can K4.8 billion do to a stretch of over 800 kilometres which is worn out? The people of Northern Province are not happy. Therefore, we are appealing to this Government that something should be done. What we need is proper rehabilitation of the roads. After all, the people that are dying are our people. 

Hon. Opposition Member: They are Zambians.

Mr C. Mulenga: They are Zambians and that road is not only for Northerners, but for all of us. So, please, I am appealing to you to work on this road. You should look for meaningful money that can rehabilitate this road not spot patching. 

Mr Chairperson, the next point is the Luwingu/Kasama Road. This road, like my colleague debated, has taken over eighteen years without being rehabilitated. The problem there is contractual. The Government is not consistent in funding this road. Surely, for eighteen years, this road has not been worked on and yet people have talked but you cannot listen. Therefore, I am appealing to this Government that the people of the Northern Province do not hate the ruling party, but they have just realised that they are neglected. So, please, my appeal is that you should work on these issues, especially the roads that include the Kasama/Kaputa Road. What have the people of Kaputa done to deserve this kind of treatment? Kaputa has no electricity and no proper road. What are you doing? Please, we want you to work on the Kasama/Kaputa Road because it is an important road to us. You should also work on the Nseluka/Kayambi Road which is in Malole Constituency and this constituency is in Mungwi District. Mungwi District is a new district. It is a sub-district to Kasama. How do you expect it to grow and develop when there are such kinds of roads? Please, can we listen so that we can help the people of Northern Province by working on these roads? 

Mr Chairperson, I am very disappointed and I am a sad Member of Parliament because the so-called rural roads units (RRUs) did not perform well in Northern Province. With the K2 billion that was given to us, though small, we expected to do a good job in our constituencies, but it did not work properly. I can give you an example of my constituency, Chinsali. They only did two kilometres in Shiwang’andu and about seven kilometres in my constituency. So, please, can we ensure that we make use of the machinery properly? 

Mr Chairperson, for example, in Chilubi, the road between Kanshishe and Mofu has not been upgraded and yet the money was released sometime back, in July. What are we doing? Please, my appeal is that we should work on these roads because the road infrastructure, generally, in Northern Province is pathetic. This time around, we are finding it difficult to move the farming inputs like fertiliser and so on. That is why we do not expect proper and smooth farming. It is because of what I am talking about.

Mr V. Mwale: Mazina muzaticita nayo mumatu ayo.

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, let me come to bridges. 

Mr Sing’ombe: Fonkofonko.

Mr C. Mulenga: Yes, I will start with Fonkofonko Bridge.

Laughter 

Mr C. Mulenga: Thank you for reminding me. Fonkofonko Bridge crosses over Lubu River to Shambalakale Farm. The school is on the Shambalakale Farm side while on the other side, there is no school. Therefore, children fail to cross to go to this school. So, this is an important bridge. There is no way you can allocate K1 billion to Mbesuma Bridge when the Minister stood on the Floor of this House and told us that there is K51 billion allocated to roads. Please, let us be serious with what we are doing. The road from Isoka to Kasama is very important because it is an economic road. So, we need to make it a highway so that …

Hon. Government Member: Aah!

Mr C. Mulenga: Yes, this road goes all the way up to the Democratic Republic of Congo if you do not know and it is the one that links East Africa and Central Africa. So, please, this road is very important. It needs to be a highway after constructing a bridge at Mbesuma. Why should Isoka, after forty-five years of independence, have no road that is paved? Why? I am asking you.

Ms Namugala: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! You are not asking them. You should address the Chair. If you want to ask them, do so through the Chair.

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, thank you very much for reminding me. I am just lamenting that it is sad that Isoka has no road that is paved.

Laughter 

Ms Namugala: On a point of order, Mr Chairperson.

The Deputy Chairperson: I have not given you the Floor, hon. Minister. 

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, …

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! A point of order is raised.

Ms Namugala: Mr Chairperson, I rise on a very serious point of order as a daughter of Isoka District.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namugala: Is this hon. Member debating in order to say that Isoka has no paved road when the road that turns from the Great North Road into Isoka is a tarred road? Is he in order? I need your serious ruling.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! 

That point of order is actually challenging Hon C. Mulenga and it is on a matter of fact. So, you may wish to take into account that factual point of order into account as you debate. 

Can you continue, please?

Mr C. Mulenga: Thank you, Mr Chairperson, and I thank Hon. Namugala because she was just reminding me to tell this Government that township roads in Isoka are not tarred.

Laughter 

Mr C. Mulenga: I am actually helping her ...

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: … because they do not talk on that side.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, let me make use of the last five minutes by appealing to the Government. I have a situation in Chinsali where we have a group called Jerusalem Church which is popularly known as the Lenshina followers. 

Interruptions 

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, the late President, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC., may his soul rest in peace, gave instructions to the Government to repatriate these people, from wherever they are in the country because they are all over the country, to Chinsali and the first repatriation took place in 2005. Now, I am appealing to this Government to let these people go back to Chinsali.

Hon. Opposition Members: hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: I have discussed this matter with the Vice-President who told me not bring this matter on the Floor of this House, but to discuss it at his office which I did. 

However, no action has been ever taken. I was discussing this issue with the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning yesterday and the day before. I am still waiting for a response from him. The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has prepared everything and has told these people, wherever they are, not to do anything but just pack their bags. So they have packed and are only waiting for transport to go back to Chinsali. However, the hon. Minister Finance and National Planning has not released the money to the DMMU for it to carry out this exercise.

So, I am humbly appealing to this Government to release the money so that these people can go back to Chinsali this time around and even be able to participate in farming. These are our people. We help people who are not even Zambians. The refugees that come into this country …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! 

I see the hon. Deputy Minister, Hon. Mbewe, just standing. I do not know whether he wants to raise a point of order or not.

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: Do you want to raise a point of order?

Mr Mbewe: Yes, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: Say so when you stand. You may go ahead.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Chairperson, I do not mean to disturb the hon. Member who is debating so nicely but …

Mr Kaingu: So nicely?

Mr Mbewe: … is he order to bring regionalism in this House by saying that wherever the people of Lenshina are, they should be taken back to Chinsali when it is one Zambia, one Nation? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: Well, it is difficult to make a ruling on that point of order. I believe what the hon. Member meant was that those who desire to return to Chinsali should go back. Obviously, there are some who came from there who may have settled safely elsewhere. So, I think he means those who want to return. 

You may continue.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: Mr Chairperson, this is a serious matter because these people are suffering. On the Copperbelt, there is a place called Kukababemba. The people there have no food or clothes and look as if they are not Zambians. This is why even the late President instructed this Government to ensure that the followers of Lenshina are taken back to Chinsali so that they do not continue suffering in their own country. In fact, in his letter, which I have, except I did not carry it with me today, he stated that if we have helped so many refugees from other countries, why can we not help or take care of our own people? This is why I am earnestly reminding this Government to let these people go back to Chinsali this year, and not next year.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Mulenga: The programme for their return is already in place. What is just remaining is for the money to be released from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to the DMMU so they can carry out this exercise. Inspections have already been done and everything is in place. We have prepared land in Chinsali where they are going to settle. So, there is no problem. I appeal to the hon. Minister to look into this.  

Mr Chairperson, with these few words, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo (Nyimba): Mr Chairperson …

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Tembo: … I thank you very much for allowing me to contribute to this important debate. I will go straight into talking about Eastern Province and to specifically highlight certain issues about Nyimba Constituency. Allow me to applaud the Government of Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda …

Mr V. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: … for delivering in terms of projects in Eastern Province. Also, allow me to mention just a few developmental projects which have, so far, been done in our province.

Mr V. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: It is, at times, sad to note that certain hon. Members of Parliament, especially those on your left hand side, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Tembo: … are always condemning the Government while, in fact, they have received development in their areas.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr V. Mwale: Nibansanje.

Mr Mbewe: How does it look?

Mr Tembo: Let us applaud the Government and be thankful for whatever little we are given.

Mr Chairperson, in Chadiza, there are a lot of projects which have taken place so far. Just to mention a few …

Mr Mwangala crossed the Floor.

Hon. Members: Order! Order!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Order, hon. Minister!

Mr D. Mwila: We need a workshop.

Mr Mwangala moved back to his seat.

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Let us listen.

Continue, Mr Tembo.

Mr Tembo: Mr Chairperson, I was about to say that in Chadiza there are projects which are currently going on like the construction of Chadiza Hospital which is in phase III.

Mr V. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: There is also a new court which has been completed. The District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS) offices have also been completed. Chipata is now looking like a city because most of the roads have been done.

Mr V. Mwale: In all the townships.

Mr Tembo: Yes, to be specific, the township roads have been done. The Chipata/Mchinji Railway line is also about to be completed. The Chipata/Lundazi Road is being worked on. I think those who have been there have seen the progress which is there.

Mr V. Mwale: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: In Chama, the Government has also constructed a high school which is almost complete. Chama Hospital is still under construction and, any time, it will be completed. The people of Nyimba Constituency are thankful to the Government for what it has done in the constituency so far. The year before last, the Government allocated about K24.2 billion for the construction of Mambwe High School which is now almost complete. By next year, I think, it will be officially opened.

Mr V. Mwale: Ndiye Boma iyi.

Mr Tembo: Still on schools, about thirteen classroom blocks have been constructed. We have upgraded about thirteen community schools in Nyimba. In addition, we have constructed Nyimba East Basic School which is almost complete.
Mr Chairperson, as I am talking right now, work has started on the 520 boreholes which were allocated to Eastern Province. The drilling machines are in my constituency drilling about sixty-five boreholes.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: That means the issue of cholera will not be there …

Mr V. Mwale: Mwaona manje.

Mr Tembo: … unless people from Lusaka, who are in transit, going somewhere, bring cholera to Nyimba.

Laughter

Mr Tembo: Mr Chairperson, I will be unfair to the people of Nyimba Constituency if I do not mention the issue of roads in my constituency. I am sure you are aware that Nyimba Constituency is divided into two - the plateau and valley. However, most of the roads in my constituency are impassable, especially in the valley.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr V. Mwale: Mwila, icongo.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Tembo: Mr Chairperson, allow me to say something about the Great East Road before I proceed to talk about feeder roads. On the Great East road, there are more accidents happening, especially the stretch between Luangwa and Kacholola. This is due to the road signs which are not in place along the Great East Road.

Mr Chairperson, the part that of the road that I am talking about has a lot of steep slops and curves such that new drivers find it difficult to drive along that road, hence, so many accidents happening in that area.

Mr Chairperson, I am on record in this House as having appealed to the Government, at one time, to put road signs between Luangwa and Nyimba as this would reduce accidents in that area. I am appealing to the Government, again, more especially the hon. Minister responsible, to put road signs in the area between Luangwa and Nyimba in order to reduce road accidents.

Mr V. Mwale: Mvera Mubika Mubika.

Mr Tembo: On feeder roads, allow me to thank the Provincial Administration for releasing the earth moving machine to do the township roads and the feeder roads in my constituency. However, I must indicate to this House that Nyimba District did not receive any part of the K2 billion which was allocated to the Eastern Province for feeder roads.

Mr V. Mwale: Olo ine kwanga siyinabwele!

Mr Kapeya: Wabamo mwaiche.

Mr Tembo: This is a very important point. However, I do not know, maybe, in Lundazi, they received part of that K2 billion.

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! The hon. Member for Nyimba will leave the Chairperson out of the discussion. Can you continue, please.

Mr Tembo: I would like the Provincial Deputy Minister to come and explain to this House when winding up debate where that K2 billion went and how many districts or constituencies benefited from it.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Tembo: My debate will not be complete if I do not talk about the issue of human-animal conflict in my constituency. Sir, you will recall that two years ago, one of my counsellors was eaten by a lion in Senior Chief Ziombe’s area. It is only last year …

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Tembo: … again, when one of the villagers in Chieftainess Mwape was killed by an elephant. This year, once more, I am on record in this House saying that one of the villagers in Chieftainess Mwape by the name of Sopo Zulu was killed by an elephant while enjoying his sleep in the house.

Laughter

Mr Tembo: This is quite a serious situation prevailing in my constituency. There is need to protect the lives of the people in our constituencies. Therefore, I am appealing to the Government to guard these areas very seriously. Let the hon. Minister responsible employ more Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers to protect the people in these areas.

With these few remarks, Sir, I thank you.

The Deputy Chairperson: Hon. Members, we have now come to the conclusion of policy debates in as far as you, hon. Members, are concerned. We will now give chance to the Provincial Deputy Ministers to debate. They are responding to what some of you, hon. Members, had said. You should listen as I had advised earlier on when you were debating, I did not want them to be making noise. I wanted them to listen. Now, it is their time and, therefore, you should listen.

The Deputy Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Mbulakulima): Mr Chairperson, my presentation is in two parts. Allow me first of all to read the brief and on the second part, I will be able to react to the issues raised by the concerned hon. Members of Parliament.

Mr Chairperson, the Copperbelt Province Administration has statutory functions under the Office of the President stated in the Government Gazette notice No. 3925, No. 46 of 1992. Furthermore, the Copperbelt Province administration has the mandate of effectively and efficiently promoting and co-ordinating sustainable development in the province in order to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the community in a transparent, accountable and equitable manner.

Mr Chairperson, the Copperbelt Province used to be the hub of economic activities for Zambia and most of the national industries were located there. Unfortunately, most of these economic activities were centred on copper mining and any change in this sector had an effect on the economic performance of the province as well as that of the nation. 

After 1990, the economic performance of the province slumped. This was because of many factors such as copper prices on the international market, privatisation and the restructuring process that the country under went. The Copperbelt Province was one of the provinces that were badly hit as most of the industries had to close down and the remaining few had to reduce their operations. However, in order to have focused and well monitored development, the Government developed a national vision and this is to have ‘a prosperous middle income nation by 2030.’

In the same vein, the Copperbelt Province, in its effort to regain the status of being the most economically viable province of the country, developed a vision it is working towards. The vision of the province is to have ‘a diversified and self sustaining economy that meets the aspirations of the Copperbelt Province community by 2030.’

Mr Chairperson, as the vision has stated, the aim of the province is to have a diversified economy. For a long time, the province had focused on the copper mining industry for its economic growth. However, the dependence on one economic activity has proved to be more harmful to development.

Due to the above, the province has widened its focus to include both agriculture and mining activities. The province has developed a number or programmes that are aimed at promoting agricultural activities and, thus, increasing its economic contribution for the province.

Mr Chairperson, in the review of the past performance, the Copperbelt Province recorded significant achievements in its various departments and sectors. Among some of these notable programmes and projects that are being undertaken are as follows:

(i)    Copperbelt Support Programme
in an effort to make agriculture an engine of growth, the Copperbelt Province has embarked on the Copperbelt Support Programme aimed at most vulnerable groups in the province. The main purpose of this programme is to support mainly agricultural activities in the province. As of today, more than ten groups have been funded, one in each district and appraisals are being done on others;

(ii)    Fertiliser Support Programme
under the Fertiliser Support Programme in the 2008/2009 farming season, a total number of 25,000 small-scale farmers benefited while 10,000 metric tonnes of Urea and D-Compound were also distributed. 

Mr Chairperson, for the 2009/2010 farming season, a total number of 11,200 metric tonnes of fertiliser have been targeted. 560 metric tonnes of maize have been planned for and 56,000 beneficiaries have been targeted to receive these inputs; and

(iii)    Education
the priority area for development under education is to increase access to education especially at basic levels. To ensure this is achieved, the sector has embarked on construction of schools in all districts. Some of which are as follows:

(a)    boarding high schools in Lufwanyama, Mpongwe and Masaiti
(b)    forty basic schools spread out in all the districts; and
(c)    day high schools in most of the districts.

Mr Chairperson, the priority area for development under education is to increase access to education, especially at basic level. To ensure this is achieved, the sector has embarked on construction of schools in all districts. Some of them are boarding high schools in Lufwanyama, Mpongwe and Masaiti, forty basic schools spread out in all the districts and day high schools in most of the districts.

Under the health sector, Mr Chairperson, the province has continued to make progress in implementing its various activities. Some activities that are being undertaken are construction of a district hospital in Lufwanyama, rehabilitation works at the Ndola Central Hospital, construction of works at the Kitwe Central Hospital School of Midwifery and a number of constructions, rehabilitation and expansion works at various health centres in the province.

Mr Chairperson, under water affairs development, three dams are being rehabilitated and one of them is Kambowa Dam in Masaiti District. This dam is 100 per cent  labour based. There is St. Mary’s Dam in the Lufwanyama District and Kakunko in Lufwanyama District at a cost of K1.2 billion. 

As regards resettlement, the province has acquired new areas for resettlement in Luanshya, Maposa, Chingola, Luano and Mufulira in Nsato.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Some of the hon. Members on my left do not seem to be paying attention. You can consult, but do so quietly.

You may continue, please.

Mr Mbulakulima: In Luanshya, 387 plots were created and 450 in Chingola are going on very well. 

Mr Chairperson, the province is undertaking the construction of youth skills centres and works have already began at the Masaiti Youth Resource Centre in Masaiti District, Kwilimuna Youth Resource Centre in Mpongwe District and the construction of twenty-five core houses and other infrastructure at Lukanga North Youth Resettlement Scheme in Mpongwe District. Funds have been released, so far, for the project and twenty-six farm plots have been surveyed, 4.5 kilometres of access road were created and three boreholes were sank. Apart from construction works, youth education and training has also continued performing well at Katembula Youth Resource Centre in Lufwanyama District.

Mr Chairperson, as regards rural roads, the department was allocated K2 billion for the grading and rehabilitation of roads in the province. Thus, a number of feeder roads are being graded and rehabilitated using Government equipment. Currently, the works have been done extremely well and we are happy as a province.

Mr Chairperson, Lufwanyama District alone has a total stretch of 69 kilometres of roads worked on. Mpongwe District has a stretch of 89 kilometres done, Chililabombwe has a stretch of 86 kilometres done, Luanshya has a stretch of 16 kilometres done, Kalulushi has a stretch of 170 kilometres done and Ndola District has 7 kilometres done. If you add together, we have got over 400 kilometres worked on despite the equipment coming late in the province.

Mr Mwenya: Question.

{mospagebreak}

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulakulima: Other developmental activities in the province involve the construction of the Masala Cultural Village at a cost of K400 million and, so far, K200 million has been released. The tendering is in the process for the construction of a multi-theatre hall. There is also construction of a police station in Lufwanyama. Works have began and, so far, an office and cell blocks have been constructed up to window level. 

Mr Chairperson, allow me now to talk about the 2010 budgetary provision. The 2010 to 2012 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) will focus on the completion of some projects carried forward from 2009, as well as grading and rehabilitation of feeder roads in the province. Some of the major projects to be considered are as follows:

(i)    the Rural Roads Unit was recently developed in 2008, to be responsible for the rehabilitation and maintenance of rural roads in the province in order to reduce vehicle operation costs and enhance development in rural areas, thereby enhancing marketing of farm produce. The department has been allocated a total of K5 billion against last year’s K2 billion;

(ii)    the Copperbelt Support Programme, promotion of agriculture diversification to ensure availability of wide range agricultural commodities; 

(iii)    land resettlement infrastructure development; 

(iv)    water supply and sanitation improvement; 

(v)    sustainable utilisation of wood and non-wood products; 

(vi)    infrastructure development; 

(vii)    cultural preservation; 

(viii)    youth empowerment; and 

(ix)    gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming.

In 2010, the province has been allocated a budget provision of K39,086,409,252 as against K36,822,901,908 for 2009. There is an increase of K2,263,507,349 of which K756,262,558 is for personal emoluments and K1,497,244,791 for non-personal emoluments. The summary of the break down is as follows:

                   2009                           2010

REs            K17,365,205,206        K18,121,467,764

RDC            K19,467,696,697        K20,964,941,488

Total            K36,822,901,903        K39,086,409,252

In conclusion, the Copperbelt Province is confident that with the current timely and consistent funding, much more will be achieved in the implementation of planned projects in line with the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and the Vision 2030.

Before I wind up debate, Mr Chairperson, allow me to react to some of the issues raised. I will start commenting on the remarks made by the last speaker. The hon. Member for Roan, Mr Kambwili, raised the issue of equipment sent to the Copperbelt Province rural areas. He should not be worried about that. In fact, this is a clear testimony that the MMD Government is working. There should be no jealousy. If there are two, three or four areas where the province achieved its objective, I think, road construction was one of them. Over 400 kilometres on the Copperbelt Province were worked on.

Ms Lundwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulakulima: Secondly, the hon. Member raised the issue about the attendance of Provincial Development Co-ordinating Committees (PDCC) meetings. It is neither here nor there. I do agree with his sentiments, but the hon. Member must understand the genesis of these meetings. This is not backed by any law, but it was an administrative arrangement. That is why it starts from the district chaired by the District Commissioner up to the province with the Permanent Secretary, then the National Commission Constitution (NCC) and then chaired by the Secretary to the Cabinet. The idea was to harmonise Government projects. Hon. Members of Parliament are members of the council and also the District Development Co-ordinating Committees (DDCC) and most of them have been taking part in the DDCC. At the same time, whatever resolution comes up, the final is a full council meeting for which hon. Members also attend. I do agree and we have done it in the past that...

Hon. PF Member: Question.

Mr Mbulakulima: ... there is need for us, once in a while, to invite hon. Members at the provincial level and discuss what we have done. However, we must remember that, as hon. Members, we cannot be found all over the show. Therefore, there is need for us to harmonise. This scheme was meant for the technocrats to harmonise Government business.

Ms Lundwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Chairperson, the hon. Member for Roan raised the issue of Kafulafuta Road, Kitwe/Chingola/Mufulira and many other roads, yes, I do agree that they have to be worked on. I have mentioned before that we are going to work on these roads. I am glad to report that K1.5 billion has been released to be used on Kafulafuta Road. We are also determined to fix the Sabina/Mufulira Road and Mufulira/Ndola Road. After all, we have tabled this before that under the public-private-partnership (PPP), we are going to succeed. This is, again, the reason I always say that although the Opposition claims that it will form the next government, I think, that is not possible. I think we shall render you irrelevant. Hon. Kambwili failed to mention that the Mpatamatu/Roan Road has been worked on and the Luanshya Mine is operational. On the contrary, he chose to graze other areas. That should tell you that we, as a Government, are making headway.  

Mr Chairperson, the hon. Member for Roan also raised the issue of water at the stadium with regard to toilets. While the Opposition has raised the notion of giving advice to the Government, it must be realised that that can be reciprocated. In that light, let me address the hon. Members in the UPND where I believe there are a lot of intellectuals. 

Now that the United Party for National Development (UPND) has decided to team up with the Patriotic Front (PF), I think there is a need for UPND to advise PF. What is the purpose of our having constituency, district and province boundaries. Definitely, it is wrong for a Member of Parliament to address people in another constituency. It is incredible. Can you imagine, our statesman, Hon. Sakwiba Sikota, SC, for example, leaving Livingstone to go to Gwembe and make a statement when he knows that his colleague is in that area? Think of Hon. Mbulakulima going to Mwense to make a statement.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Mbulakulima:  That is not all.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Hon. Minister. 

When you were debating, the Government was listening. I am sorry that even if you agree or disagree with what the hon. Minister is saying, it is only right that you pay attention. You may disagree, but do not interject.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Chairperson, I was giving them free advice regarding the issue of jurisdiction. I wonder what kind of Government the PF is going to run if it cannot identify the constituency or district boundaries. Do you expect us to give the PF the responsibility of running the country? Are they going to respect the country boundary?

Interruptions

Mr Mbulakulima: Jesus Christ!

Laughter

Mr Mbulakulima: That cannot be the case!

Mr Chairperson, I am presenting a K39 billion budget for the Copperbelt Province, but do you know the budget for the Ndola City Council? The budget for Ndola City Council is K41 billion. 

Interruptions

Mr Mbulakulima: Who is supposed to ask from who?

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Why are you answering back?

Mr Mbulakulima: Sir, if I may ask, “Which institution is closer to constructing toilets?” Is it the Central Government or Local Government?

Hon. Government Members: Local Government!

Mr Mbulakulima: The hon. Member of Parliament belongs to the Local Government. What we saw was actually a vote of no confidence by one hon. Member going to attend to an issue in a colleagues’ constituency. 

Interruptions

Mr Mbulakulima: Well, the hon. Member of Parliament in that area is a councillor …

Interruptions

Mr Mbulakulima: … whose budget is K41 billion 

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Hon. Opposition Members: Time up!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! You cannot all be presiding officers and because of that I will give the hon. Minister extra two minutes.

Laughter

Mr Mbulakulima: I thank you, Mr Chairperson.

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! There are too many presiding officers here, but I thought I was the only one around.

Laughter

Mr Mbulakulima: I thank you, Sir. Hon. Simuusa has raised the issue of the Konkola Copper Mine. He has been a general manger before. Definitely, he knows that there must be law and order. You cannot allow a situation where members of a company just go on strike anyhow and without caring. When students protest at the Copperbelt University (CBU), the Government intervenes …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Your two minutes has elapsed, hon. Minister.

Laughter

The Minister for Lusaka Province (Mr Shawa): Mr Chairperson, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Floor of the House. 

Sir, I wish to thank and pay glowing tribute to the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House, Hon. Dr Kalombo Mwansa, MP, for adequately and eloquently articulating the combined provincial policy statement on our behalf.

Mr Chairperson, let me thank all the hon. Members of Parliament who have positively debated on this Motion, especially those from the Lusaka Province, namely; Hon. Sinyangwe, Matero Constituency, Hon. Magande, Chilanga Constituency and Hon. Jean Kapata, Mandevu Constituency. I am sure they have represented other hon. Members of Parliament from Lusaka Province very well. I have positively taken note of their concerns.

Sir, I wish to thank the Permanent Secretary and all heads of departments in my province for their hard work and commitment to duty. Otherwise, this difficult work in this budget would not have been possible. I am appealing to my fellow hon. Members of Parliament to use my office and visit regularly so that we can share the concerns of our respective areas. It is not good to wait until we come to Parliament and begin to talk anyhow without using my office. We are in this field together to fight and alleviate poverty amongst our people, especially those in rural areas. We are pleased that the Government has increased the 2010 Budget by K3 billion from K27 billion last year to K30 billion this year. We will concentrate on road infrastructure especially that the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) money has been increased to K5 billion per constituency.

In this budget, we have given all the hon. Members of Parliament money to work on 30 kilometres of road in their constituencies. They will have to prioritise which roads they have to work on. Otherwise, we have allocated funds in the budget to all hon. Members of Parliament from Lusaka Province to work on 30 kilometres of their roads. 

We must work together to face the challenge of poor drainage in Lusaka. We will continue to face, squarely, issues of education, health, tourism, agriculture, road infrastructure, human-animal conflict and other vices like HIV/AIDS and youth unemployment.

Mr Chairperson, I thank you and may God bless you.

Hon. Members: Ebaume, aba!

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

As Chairperson, I think that was commendable because …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: … if you can finish as soon as possible, please, do so because we want to concluded the Budget debate. It is your turn to debate, hon. Minister for Western Province.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Western Province (Mr Mwapela): Mr Chairperson, I thank you very much for giving me the Floor to say a few words to the House outlining the Budget brief for 2009 and the people of Western Province’s expectations in the 2010 Budget.

Sir, we still remain committed to improving the social conditions of the people of the Western Province. 

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwapela: Therefore, our mission statement is to effectively and efficiently provide increased and equitable access to quality social economic services in the province in order to promote high standards of living.

Our major goal is to promote sustainable development in the province in order to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the community in a transparent, accountable and equitable manner through effective management and efficient utilisation of financial human and material resources.

Mr Chairperson, out of the total of 235 extension camps existing in my province, only ninety-four camps have permanent houses. The Government has, so far, rehabilitated forty-seven staff houses and constructed fifteen new houses. In order to ensure effective extension services to our farmers, we anticipate that the 2010 Budget will assist the province to rehabilitate the remaining forty-seven extension staff houses as well as constructing new ones in the camps currently not manned.

Sir, the sand terrain continues to be a major bottleneck to the road constructions in the province. In my province, roads require huge amounts of money compared to other provinces with more stable soils as gravel may be collected as far as 100 kilometres.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Hon. Members, you seem to have problems with consulting quietly. I have seen a number of hon. Ministers consulting, but without making noise, but a few hon. Members just have a habit of talking when somebody is on the Floor. Why can you not, at least, consult quietly?

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Mwapela: Sir, most contractors interested in undertaking works in the Western Province tend to quote figures far above the allocated funds. The reasons advanced include sand terrain and inadequate road construction material in the province such as gravel. 

I am appealing to the hon. Minister of Works and Supply to critically analyse the current rates for road maintenance and introduce new rates that reflect the challenges of the sand terrain of the Western Province. This will help construction works …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

{mospagebreak}

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON in the 
Chair]

Mr Mwapela: Mr Chairperson, before we went on break, I was trying to say that the road contracts awarded in 2009 in my province have not yet commenced. I wish to appeal to the donors, particularly, DANIDA to release funds committed to award road projects in the Western Province to avoid further delays.

Rural Roads Unit

Mr Chairperson, I am glad that the road maintenance equipment given to my province in 2008 is doing well. To improve the performance further, K5 billion has been allocated to this sector. 

However, I wish to observe that my province requires more tippers than graders because road works in the sandy terrain of the Western Province require gravelling and not grading. 

Sir, during the last visit of the Western Province, His Excellency, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia made a public pronouncement to direct the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to find money for the completion of the Mongu/Kalabo Road. The hon. Minister committed that he will find the required money as soon as possible to ensure that works commence on time. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwapela: Mr Chairperson, the completion of the Mongu/Kalabo Road will benefit, not only the people of the Western Province, but also the entire nation at large. It will open the nation to the nearest port in Angola and also enhance tourism in the Western Province, particularly, in Liuwa National Park. As you may be aware, Liuwa National Park ranks the second after Serengeti Park of Tanzania in terms of numbers of wild beasts and their immigration. 

Sir, in addition, the co-existence of both human and animal lives provides a unique feature that is interesting to see and enhance the need to open up the area. It is very disappointing that the Patriotic Front (PF) feel that it is wrong for President Banda and MMD to develop key infrastructure in the Western Province. It is unfortunate that the Patriotic Front feel the Mongu/Kalabo Road should not be made a priority by this Government. 

Interruptions

Mr Mwapela: Sir, the Mongu/Kalabo Road is as critical to the Western Province and Zambia as the Mwanawasa Bridge at Chembe is for Luapula Province and the whole Zambia. 

Sir, the hon. Members of Parliament from the Western Province, Hon. Imbwae, Hon. Imenda and Hon. Limata spoke very eloquently on the strategic economic nature of the Mongu/Kalabo Road to the Zambian economy. The people of the Western Province appreciate the fact that this Government has shown absolute and total commitment to the completion of this road and they will not entertain parties that want to relegate development projects in the province to a lower level than projects in other parts of the country. We want to assure the Zambian people that even though in the debate for Patriotic the Front hon. Member of Parliament, Mr D. Mwila, on Tuesday, this week, he did not appreciate the importance of the Mongu/Kalabo Road, the MMD will not abandon the people of the Western Province or any other province in Zambia. 

Sir, whereas some parties are only interested in the oil that is in the Western Province, the MMD Government is committed to bringing about meaningful and long-lasting development to the areas such as the important economic lifeline of the Mongu/Kalabo Road. MMD will not segregate provinces in terms of regional infrastructure development like the PF is suggesting. Wherever we see an opportunity to link Zambia to other countries for development purposes, be it the Western, North-Western or Luapula Provinces, we will do it without hesitating or segregation.  

Education

Mr Chairperson, under the Education Infrastructure Plan 2009, my province implemented a total of 156 school projects which helped to reduce n the number of temporary structures in my province. I am confident that the allocation in 2010 budget to the Ministry of Education will assist my province to further reduce temporary structures so that quality education services are provided to our communities.

Sir, I am grateful to the Government for the recent recruitment of 365 teachers in the province. This has contributed significantly to the improvement of education standards in the province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Health

Mr Mwapela: Mr Chairperson, under infrastructure development, a total number of twenty-one health posts which have been completed by the Government are not operational. 

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Mwapela: Sir, this is mainly due to lack of furniture and staffing. I am, therefore, hopeful that the allocation to the Ministry of Health in the Budget 2010 will help my province to operationalise the health posts so that our communities can begin to receive quality health care from the same.

Water and Sanitation

Mr Chairperson, I wish to note with satisfaction that over 340 boreholes were constructed in the province, each serving up to 150 to 300 persons for boreholes and wells respectively. This situation has led to increased population having access to clean and safe water. However, we still need to scale up our efforts in this aspect.

Sir, my office together with the Ministry of Energy and Water Development are working hard to provide the province with bigger drilling rig. 

Floods

Mr Chairperson, I also wish to note that excessive floods that affected most parts of the province, especially Shang’ombo and Kalabo Districts, devastating effects were observed on crops, livestock and road infrastructure. The scenario left over 79,011 families vulnerable to hunger and starvation. I am glad that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and other co-operating partners carried out assessments of distributed relief food to most affected households in my province.

Co-operating Partners

Mr Chairperson, I wish to end my submission by thanking all the co-operating partners who have continued to render unconditional support to the Western Province.

I thank you, Mr Chairperson.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Northern Province (Mr Chinyanta): Mr Chairperson, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to make my contribution on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Northern Province. Allow me to thank all hon. Members of Parliament for the Northern Province and all stakeholders in the province for contributing to the attainment of the development agenda for the province. I remain hopeful that we shall continue to work together even in 2010 and beyond. 

Mr Chairperson, the mission of the Northern Province is to effectively and efficiently promote and co-ordinate sustainable development in the province, in order to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the community in a transparent, accountable and equitable manner. As a consequence, our goal as a provincial administration is to ensure effective co-ordination, harmonisation and monitoring of developmental projects, programmes and activities in the province. 

Sir, allow me to highlight just a few things that arose as we implemented the 2009 Budget even as we move to the 2010 Budget. 

Mr Chairperson, the province has a total road network of 3,065 kilometers, of which only 963 kilometers is paved and 2,902 is gravel. In 2009, a number of roads were planned for rehabilitation under the Roads Development Agency (RDA) and the Rural Roads Unit (RRU). Although we are still experiencing challenges in this area, I am happy to note that almost all the roads and bridges have now been awarded contracts and works have continued without any serious impediments. The major roads being worked on include the Kasama/Mpulungu, Kasama/Luwingu, Mbala/Kasaba Bay, Kaputa/Nsombo, Luwingu/Chaba and Chitoshi/Zacharia Chanda Roads. 

Mr Chairperson, I want to indicate that at this stage, when they analyse the Yellow Book, the hon. Members know that there are also ministries and other spending agencies which provide amounts of money to our provinces. I, therefore, dispute the statement in which Hon. Mulenga said only K4.8billion has been allocated to the Kasama/Luwingu Road. Under the RDA, we have K75.5billion which has been allocated for the completion of this road. This is a clear indication that the Government is very committed to the development and completion of this road. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Chinyanta: Mr Chairperson, the province in the 2009 agricultural season produced 171,232 metric tons of maize, 36,295 metric tons of beans, 25,835 metric tons of finger millet and 21,716 metric tons of sweet potatoes. In terms of maize marketing, I wish to announce that by the end of September, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) had purchased 254 by 50 kilogrammes bags of maize in the province at a cost of K16.5billion. This is a commendable job because K16.5billion went into the pockets of peasant farmers. This is development.

Mr Chairperson, Northern Province is endowed with abundant tourism resources … 

Mr Sikazwe: Hear, hear!

 Mr Chinyanta: …ranging from natural to cultural heritage. The launching of the Northern Circuit in 2006 by the then Zambia National Tourist Board means that the province is destined for major tourism investment. I wish to report that in the year ending 2009, tremendous strides were made in the development of the tourism sector in Northern Province. The major areas worth mentioning include tourism promotion, tourism infrastructure development, formulation of the Kasaba Bay tourism integrated development plan, the construction of the Kasaba Bay International Airport and the electrification of Kasaba Bay.  

Hon. MMD Member: Mwanvela?

Mr Chinyanta: These are the issues that hon. Members from Northern Province are actually concerned about.  

Mr Chairperson, the funds for capital projects and recurrent developmental charges for Northern Province were released on time for the provincial administration. As at September, 2009, 99.91 per cent of the budgeted amount on capital projects was released. I would like to commend the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for doing this and we look forward to the quick release in 2010 of all the money we will be allocated.  

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Chinyata: Mr Chairperson, the health of our people is critical in fostering sustainable development. The Government is making efforts to improve the delivery of health services to the people. We are happy to state that the construction of district hospitals in Mpulungu, Isoka and Kaputa is progressing well. Several health posts and centres are also undergoing extension in the province.

Mr Chairperson, my Government has continued to put education as a priority for the province. This is evidenced by several infrastructure developments that are taking place in the educational sector. Some of the notable projects include the construction of new basic schools in the province. Almost all the districts have got one or two projects going on at the moment. We are also constructing high schools in Mpulungu, Chilubi, Kaputa and Luwingu Districts. 

Mr Chairperson, I must state that for 2010, the Northern Province has been given an allocation of K40,313,349,197. Out of this amount, we expect to undertake a lot of projects in the province. Allow me to highlight a few of these projects. We are rehabilitating canals in Mpulungu, Chilubi, Luwingu, Mpika and Kaputa at a cost of K100million. We are also going to work on our feeder roads using the RRU fund which is now at K5 billion. 

Mr Chairperson, livestock development at Mbesuma Ranch will be attended to at a cost of K200million. We are going to construct street lights and traffic lights at a cost of K700 million. These are the first traffic lights that the Northern Province will have ever since independence. 

Interruptions

Mr Nsanda: After forty-five years?

Laughter

Mr Chinyanta: We have planned the construction of modern toilets in Kasama. We will attend to infrastructure development in different Government departments. 

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Chinyanta: Mr Chairperson, I must also mention that budget across the Ministry’s Provinces and Other Spending Agencies (MPSAS) for 2010, has had an increment of 27.9 per cent which is K872.1billion from K681.1billion in 2009. 

Sir, in terms of investment, the Northern Province will get K326.8billion which is 37.5 per cent, which is very commendable. We have undertaken to work on a number of major projects and I hope that hon. Members from Northern Province will listen carefully. We will undertake the construction of Kasama/Luwingu and Mbala/Kasaba Bay Roads with a provision of K75.5billion under the RDA. The electrification of Kasaba Bay at K70 billion under the Ministry of Energy and water Development is underway. We will be constructing health infrastructure at a cost of K10.3billion under the Ministry of Health.

Mr Chairperson, we have undertaken the construction of education infrastructure at a cost K129 billion under the Ministry of Education. About K30 billion of this amount will go towards the construction of the first girls’ technical boarding high school, which will be accessible to all the districts in the province. I would like to appeal to hon. Members from Northern Province to ensure that they lobby for all those dilapidated schools they were talking about. The Ministry of Education is compiling a list of such schools. If you do not submit the names of the schools, do not complain if they are not attended to.  

We are also rehabilitating and constructing the Kasama and Kasaba Bay airports at a cost of K10 billion under the Ministry of Communications and Transport. We have undertaken to rehabilitate feeder roads at a cost of K5 billion under the Northern Province Administration. We are going to look at all the challenges we talked about concerning the RRU.

Mr Chairperson, K3.5 billion has been allocated for various infrastructure developments in the province. This will be done under the district administration and the district offices in the province. The construction of local courts has been allocated K3.4 billion under the Judiciary. Under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, water and sanitation projects will be undertaken at a cost of K6.3billion. For Kasama District in particular, 200 boreholes will be dug and the contracting process has already started for the projects to commence in 2010. 

Mr Chairperson, I would like to briefly talk about the Serenje/Mpika Road which hon. Members always talk about in this House. I indicated in this House that we have a provision of K7 billion for this road. As I am talking to you right now, K2.7 billion has been released for this road and officers from RDA are already working on this road. We also have a provision for 2010 to ensure that we rehabilitate this road. We are aware that the road is in a deplorable state. The Government is honestly concerned to address the problem. For the rehabilitation of Kasama Airport which was mentioned earlier, we have a provision of K5 billion. 

Mr Chairperson, let me react to some of the concerns which our friends brought up. As a province, we have budgeted to handle most of the bridges which hon. Members of this House expressed concerns over under Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP). I can safely mention that the Fonkofonko Bridge which the hon. Member for Chinsali mentioned is in the Yellow Book. I would therefore, urge hon. Members to go through the Yellow Book so that when they debate, they do so with facts on the Floor of this House. I am happy to report that K100 million has been allocated to that bridge to ensure that we help him solve that problem.

Sir, the issue of Kateshi Coffee Plantation is of great concern to us. Therefore, we are addressing this issue amicably. We have taken note of that problem. I must mention that the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry will be going to Northern Province very soon to go and address that problem and also to launch the first real hotel in Kasama.

Sir, the issue of electricity was also mentioned. I can confirm that we are addressing that problem. A number of min-hydro power stations are being constructed. We just did one in Chinsali recently. This is the only solution to the erratic electricity problem that we have in our province.

Mr Chairperson, the developmental activities I have outlined above have been proposed based on the provincial priorities. The budget focuses on projects, programmes and activities are aimed at reducing poverty levels among our people. As is the tradition, I have mentioned that some programmes will be catered for in our line ministries budgets. It is our hope that funds for the approved projects, programmes and activities will be released without minimal delays. I also wish to state that the province is in the dire need of resources that can match the size of the province so that we have meaningful development taking place in the province.

Sir, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity and I hope all the hon. Members will support our estimates.

 I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Eastern Province (Mr I. Banda): Mr Chairperson, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to answer some of the concerns raised by those who have debated on the budget estimates of Eastern Province.

Before I do that, let me thank my Permanent Secretary and her staff for adequately formulating these estimates in a short period of time due to the changes in the budget circle.

Mr Chairperson, there have been a lot of concerns raised by hon. Members about development in Eastern Province ranging from road infrastructure, water problems, rural electrification problems and the untapped natural resources in terms of tourism both in the Luangwa National Parks and Nyika Plateau area that borders with Malawi and also the disadvantages of border re-demarcation.

Let me start with the road infrastructure. The province managed to do a total of 415 kilometers using the RRU at an approximate cost of K1.5 billion out of the total budget of K2 billion. Our province also used synergies with other local actors to ensure more resources for the rural roads rehabilitation, which included the CDF Funds.

 Mr Chairperson, I wish to commend all the hon. Colleagues in Eastern Province who facilitated the use of part of their CDF for works on roads in their constituencies.

Mr Chairperson, this Government through the RDA has continued to construct, care and maintain public roads in the province in order to support socio-economic growth. Among the roads done this year are the Chipata/Lundazi Road at a cost of K79 billion with a contract length of ninety kilometres. Earlier, it was decided that we do 100 kilometers, but later changed to ninety kilometres so that instead of patching potholes and resurfacing, we did a complete overhaul and did a new formation of the road and hence, the reduction in the length done from 100 kilometres to ninety kilometres and not eighty-four kilometers as alleged by my brother Hon. Chifumu C. K. B.  Banda, SC. For the remaining part, the Government is putting up an arrangement for the works to start early next year around March so that the road is completed up to Lundazi Boma.

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: The paving of Chipata/Mfuwe road will start any time by Sable Contractors and we hope that the concerns raised by hon. Chifumu C. K. B. Banda, SC over the public’s concern about the shoddy works done by Sable Contractors will not be there. This is where as Government we call on the RDA to strictly do their supervisory work in all the works.

The inequitable usage of the K2 billion under the RRU is a concern that has also been raised by some hon. Members. This unit has been truly been difficult to manage because the funds released to us have only been K1.2 billion. Therefore, we are still waiting for the balance of K800 million to cover those constituencies which did not benefit from the money that was released earlier.

Mr Chairperson, on the bridges, Government is committed to making sure that the bridges on our feeder roads are done. This is why we have put a sum of K1.7 billion in the budget to carter for these works. Works on the Chama/Matumbo Bridge will start anytime next year.

Mr Chairperson, the hard working MMD Government has continued …

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 Mr I. Banda: … to do a commendable job in the provision of safe drinking water to the people of Eastern Province through borehole drilling and the rehabilitation and construction of  dams and the rehabilitation and management of the general water resource. With assistance from the Germany Government, 520 water points have been targeted to be drilled across the province starting from 2007 to next year 2010. So far, 200 have already been done in Chipata, Lundazi, Chama and Mambwe districts. We still have about 320 water points to be worked on in other parts of the provinces. 

There is a simple explanation to the complaint raised by hon. Chifumu C. K. B. Banda, SC that there were more boreholes drilled in Lumezi Constituency than in Lundazi and Chasefu constituencies in Lundazi District. The poverty levels in the valley areas are more because such areas are mostly prone to drought or floods and hence, the need for more boreholes. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: Lumezi Constituency is the only constituency in Lundazi District which has both the geographical terrain of a valley and plateau that is why it received more borehole than the other two sister constituencies which are already better off in terms of water resources. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr I. Banda: Mr Chairperson, therefore, let me assure hon. Members that the German company is still going round drilling boreholes in the needy areas.

This issue of boarder re-demarcation in the province was raised by hon. Chisanga Banda of Milanzi. It is true that the boarder may even divide a village into two or a village away from its fields. This is why at regional level my team in the province is going round to meet and interact with officers from our neighbouring Malawi and Mozambique to iron out such problems. 

Mr C. Banda indicated assent.

Mr I. Banda: They started with Malawi last week and the next stop shall be Mozambique.

Mr Chairperson, it is the duty of this Government to continue with the programme of rural electrification and Chasefu Constituency and other places in the provinces are on the programme to be electrified. We know that Government has a lot of educational and health infrastructure that needs to be connected with electricity so as to raise the standard of living for our people in most of the areas. We have also started the redesigning and resurfacing of the Great East Road from Lusaka to Luangwa through Raubex Construction. The road signs are also being replaced. This exercise will continue up to Mwami Boarder since it is a continuous programme.

Mr Chairperson, in conclusion, let me thank all hon. Members for supporting my vote. Let me also reassure them that their concerns have been taken on board and will be addressed.

 I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Luapula Province (Dr Kawimbe): Mr Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to thank the hon. Members of this august House for their unanimous support of the 2010 Provincial Administration Budget.

Sir, allow me to begin my debate by appealing to all law-abiding Zambians to observe the fish ban that came into force on the 1st of December, 2009 and will run until the 28th February, 2010.

Those of us who are not fishermen and women may think that the fish ban is none of our business but, in fact, it is our business. If we stop buying and consuming fish caught during the fish ban, the fishermen and women will have no market for their illegally caught fish and will stop their illegal activities. We, the consumers of fish, therefore, are the fuel that feeds the fire of catching the fish during the fish ban.

Mr Chairperson, fish caught during the fish ban has to find its way to the market and that is how the transporters come into the picture. We are appealing to all transporters not allow their vehicles to be used for smuggling fish during the fish ban. The money they will lose is nothing compared to the loss of business that they will suffer when their vehicles are impounded for months while the court case drags on in the courts of law.

Sir, this year, the fish ban in Luapula Province will be a fish ban with a difference. The fish ban this year will not only be enforced by the fisheries officers who are very few in number. The fisheries officers will be reinforced and supported by:

(i)    Their Royal Highnesses and Headmen;

(ii)    Council Police;

(iii)    Zambia Police Service;

(iv)    Zambia Army;
(v)    Special Branch;

(vi)    Immigration; and

(vii)    Members of the Village Management Committees.

Seventy-four of these committees have been formed and the members have been gazetted and will have powers of arrest. 50 per cent of the fees realised from the fishing licences will be retained by these Village Management Committees.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Government of the Republic of Zambia will be conducting joint patrols on Lake Mweru and the Luapula River. The Government of the DRC has given the Zambian Security Forces permission to follow and catch those who violate the fish ban into the territorial waters of the DRC.

Fishermen and women violating the fish ban will not only be prosecuted but will have their boats, fishing nets and fishing camps destroyed. Those who live on islands will be evicted to the main land. The fishing boats, nets and fishing camps of those who will observe the law will not be tempered with. 

Unlike in the past, Mr Chairperson, after the fish ban, our security forces will continue to patrol our rivers and lakes to make sure that no illegal nets and fishing methods are used during the fishing season. Looking after our fish resources well will benefit all of us, as well as future generations.

Sir, as a provincial administration, we feel very strongly that the Members of Parliament and councillors, the elected representatives of the people, should not be left out of the budget preparation process.

Mr Mwila: Hear, hear!

Dr Kawimbe: Our humble view is that elected representatives of the people, the hon. Members or Parliament, are key stakeholders who should be drivers of the budget preparation process.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kawimbe: Mr Chairperson, it is against this background that I am happy to announce that within the first three months of 2010, the Luapula Provincial Administration will host a Weekend Budget Planning Workshop in every one of our seven districts to which will be invited the hon. Members of Parliament, the councillors, representatives of political parties with representation in Parliament, district heads of department, Their Royal Highnesses, community leaders and church leaders.

Mr Chisala: Efyo cifwile ukuba!

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Please, people at the back on my left …

Mr D. Mwila: Ni aka kalelanda!

The Deputy Chairperson: Mr Mwila, the problem is that you want to make noise and when you are disciplined, you start complaining.

You may continue, please.

Dr Kawimbe: Mr Chairperson, the district budget planning meetings will be followed up by a Weekend Provincial Budget Formulation Workshop which will be attended by all the hon. Members of Parliament of Luapula Province, all the Senior Chiefs of Luapula Province, all the chiefs representing Their Royal Highnesses in the House of Chiefs, provincial heads of department. Leaders of political parties with representation in Parliament will also be part and parcel of this Weekend Provincial Budget Workshop. Community leaders and leaders of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will also be invited.

Mr Mwila: Hear, hear!

Dr Kawimbe: Sir, the first day of the workshop will be devoted to the all-important question of how each district can contribute to raising revenue beyond what is provided for in the Yellow Book. The second day of the workshop will be devoted to the expenditure side of the equation.

Mr Chairperson, because of the high priority that His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, attaches to the critical role that a good road network plays in development, His Excellency directed that each provincial administration should allocate K5 billion for the rehabilitation of rural road network. In the case of Luapula Province, K5 billion represents more than one quarter of the budget of K19 billion for projects which stands at 26.3 per cent. To realise this goal, the provincial administration has adjusted the budget accordingly.

The hon. Member of Parliament for Chipili Constituency wanted to find out how K1.8 billion for the rural roads units has been utilised. Hon. Mwila’s observation that other provinces have done more to rehabilitate their rural road network than we have done in Luapula Province, is correct.

When I took over as Deputy Minister for Luapula Province, all the inter-provincial roads that link Luapula Province to the rest of the country, namely; the Pedicle, Tuta and Mansa/Luwingu roads were in a deplorable state. The Mansa/Kashikishi Road, which is the main intra provincial road, was in an equally deplorable state. There was no budgetary provision in the 2009 Budget for the Pedicle Road. There was no money allocated for the rehabilitation of the Mansa/Luwingu Road in the 2009 Budget. The Mansa/Kashikishi Road was equally not catered for in the 2009 Budget.

Mr Chairperson, the situation that we faced in Luapula was that the main roads into which the rural roads feed were in a deplorable state and to add insult to injury, there was no budgetary provision for their repair. Sir, it would have not been wise to repair the feeder roads when the main roads into which the feeder roads feed are impassable.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Dr Kawimbe: It was against this background that I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the Minister of Works and Supply, Hon. Mike Mulongoti, for allowing the provincial administration to do something that has not been done in the recent past; which is to allow the provincial administration to work on national roads namely; the Pedicle, Mansa/Luwingu and Mansa/Kashikishi roads. The hon. Minister of Works of Supply went further and gave us permission to vary the expenditure of the K1.8 billion for rural roads to include rehabilitation of our national roads since there was no budgetary allocation in the 2009 Budget.

In the 2010 Budget, the entire K5 billion will go to the rehabilitation of the feeder roads because the Pedicle, Mansa/Luwingu and Mansa/Kashikishi roads have been separately budgeted for. While the last contractor who worked on the Pedicle Road was paid K3.7 billion, the cost of doing similar work on the same road by the provincial administration has been K350 million, a tremendous saving of the taxpayers’ money.

The second observation made by the hon. Member of Parliament for Chipili was that no roads would be tarred in Luapula Province in 2010. This observation does not reflect the facts on the ground. During 2010, the tarmac resurfacing of the Serenje/Mansa Road, popularly known as Tuta Road, which started in 2009, will continue. We are very grateful to the Danish Government who, through the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), are going to resurface the Chembe/Mansa Road with tarmac during 2010.

As a provincial administration, we share the hon. Member of Parliament for Chipili’s concern about the quality and timeliness of the building projects not only by the Ministry of Health, but all Government departments. This is why in the 2010 Budget each department is contributing 5 per cent of its project money to the building department for the sole purpose of monitoring and evaluating building projects. On behalf of the provincial administration, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Kawambwa for her kind words and encouragement. The view espoused by the hon. Member that gravelling roads in the long run is more expensive than tarmacing, is 100 per cent embraced by the provincial administration. As a provincial administration, working hand in hand with the Ministry of Works and Supply and the Road Development Agency (RDA), we are in the process of obtaining quotations for tarmacing equipment.

Mr Chairperson, I am happy to report that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is also very supportive of the idea that tarmacing equipment be procured and added to the stock of earth moving equipment that we have in the provinces at the moment. Procuring tarmacing equipment will be a specific target of the ministry’s 2011 budget. We, as a ministry, are convinced that just as we accomplished the rehabilitation of the pedicle road at K350 million instead of K3.7 billion, we shall be able to tarmac our roads in the province at a fraction of the current cost of between K3 billion to K6 billion per kilometre.

Mr Chairperson, the hon. Member for Kawambwa Central will be happy to know that the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) will construct the Lubwe/Kasaba embarkment in 2010, which will open up the shortest route from Samfya into Luwingu in the Northern Province.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Musonda) (on behalf of the Deputy Minister for Central Province (Mr A. Banda): Mr Chairperson, I thank you for allowing me to present and wind up debate for the Central Province. 

First and foremost, I would like to thank the hon. Members from the Central Province, who debated and supported the policy statement by the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House. Hon. Chisanga and Hon. Muteteka, I thank you very much for your support and for noting that most of the developmental projects in the province are going on well.

Mr Chairperson, there was a concern raised by Hon. Shakafuswa, which will respond to as I go on in my speech.

Mr Chairperson, I will start by highlighting the MTEF budget performance for 2009 at the provincial level and after that, I will go ahead and give an outlook of the 2010 budget and then conclude. 

Mr Chairperson, let me now present a review of the 2009 MTEF budget performance in terms of development programmes On the disbursement of approved funds, the 2009 budget allocation to the province was K27,070,174,731, covering personal emoluments and capital programmes. The actual disbursement of funds for capital programmes was 100 per cent while a total of K6,208,438,266 was received for recurrent departmental charges representing 76 per cent of the allocation.

Mr Chairperson, as regards the 2009 programme implementation, I will start with rural roads and as I talk about them, I will be able to answer the concern which was raised by Hon. Shakafuswa.

Mr Chairperson, project funds amounting to K2 billion in total were allocated and, actually, released to the rural road construction and maintenance programme. Road works to cover all the districts are currently in progress in two districts of Serenje and Chibombo. The works have been enhanced by the procured heavy road maintenance equipment.

Mr Chairperson, Hon. Shakafuswa said that in the Central Province, there was an issue of a by-election and the machines were actually used to advance this cause. That was a misplacement of facts because what happened is that at the time there was a by-election, the heavy road maintenance equipment machines were, actually, withdrawn and, to date, the people of Chitambo are not happy because they were denied the chance to have their roads done. If anything, the equipment which he was talking about is in his constituency and I was wondering whether those machines are in Katuba because there is a by-election.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musonda: There was a misplacement of facts in that case. 

Mr Chairperson, I now come to health. The improvement of health facilities in the province was allocated K1 billion and the whole amount was disbursed. Three projects were identified and they involve the construction of health facilities at Kapepe in Mumbwa, Mwapula in Chibombo and Kafinda in Serenje. The activities being undertaken involve the construction of a clinic building, a staff house, toilets, incinerator and procurement of solar panels. In terms of progress, the projects have commenced and are at various levels of completion.

Under the health sector funding, the province received K5 billion for the construction of thirteen health posts in all the districts and a further K4.9 billion was released to complete the construction of new district hospitals in Kapiri-Mposhi and Mumbwa districts. As regards transport, the Government procured vehicles for disease surveillance and these were distributed to all the district health management boards in the province.

Mr Chairperson, infrastructure development in schools was allocated K1 billion. Priority was given to construction of new classroom blocks where there are mud and pole structures. The locations are Sonkwe in Mumbwa District, Fibanga in Mkushi, Chamakamba in Kapiri Mposhi, Museshi and Nkunda-Lumwasha both in Serenje District. Serenje has the highest number of mud and pole schools in the province, thus, requiring special attention. Each school was allocated K200 million.

Mr Chairperson, under the education sector funding, the province received K12,540,000,000 for the construction of new basic schools and additional classrooms.

Mr Chairperson, I now move to infrastructure development in districts. A total of K853 million was released for infrastructure development in districts. Out of this amount, K180 million was for construction of the District Commissioner’s house in Kapiri Mposhi and another K180 million for the District Commissioner’s house in Serenje. A total of K33 million was for the rehabilitation of the District Commissioner’s House in Mkushi. A total of K67 million was earmarked for the construction of a youth skills training centre in Serenje. 

In terms of progress, the rehabilitation of the Mkushi District Commissioner’s house is half-way done while the construction of Kapiri Mposhi and Serenje houses have started and are at different levels. The old dilapidated house in Serenje has since been demolished to pave way for the construction of a new house. As for the youth skills training centre, the site has been identified and works have since commenced.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musonda: Mr Chairperson, with regard to transport management. An amount of K365 million was received for the procurement of two utility vehicles for Mumbwa and Mkushi Districts.

Mr Chairperson, on land resettlement, a total of K500 million was released for infrastructure development in Katikulula and Kampumbu Resettlement Schemes in Serenje District. A new resettlement scheme, Katanino is also being established in Kapiri Mposhi and settlers have since been allocated with farm plots.

Mr Chairperson, on cattle restocking, a total of K500 million was released for the cattle restocking programme in the Central Province. The procurement process has already been completed and distribution is currently in progress. Even the hon. Members who contributed to the debate, yesterday, mentioned that they have started receiving these animals.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musonda: On ground water development, an amount of K480 was released for the drilling and equipping of boreholes in various locations of the province, including water resource management programmes. Works are currently on. 

Mr Chairperson, on cultural industry, a total of K150 million was released for the on-going construction of a cultural village in the Central Province and the works are currently going on.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musonda: Mr Chairperson, on economic empowerment, the province received a total of K150 million for the procurement of goats. The procurement process is currently going on and The province produced a total of 399,719 metric tonnes of maize in the 2008/2009 farming season, representing a 21 per cent of national production. The province has also produced 95,864 metric tonnes of wheat, representing 49 per cent of the national production. With regard to the Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), a total of 34,936 farmers benefited with 511 tonnes of maize seed and 12,934 tonnes of both basal and top dressing fertiliser. 

Mr Chairperson, the Government has also injected resources in the Nansanga Farm Block in Serenje District. Government will released K42.4 billion to the farm block for access roads, electricity lines and water development which are still being worked on. 

Mr Chairperson, let me now highlight the outlook for the 2010 budget allocation to the province that is about K31,483,510,630. Out of which K12,521,642.91 is for personal emoluments and about K10 billion is for the current departmental charges. A total of about K8,960 have been allocated for implementation of the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) in the province as follows:

(a)    under rural roads, K5 billion has been allocated for rehabilitation and construction of rural roads in the province;

(b)    a total of K806 million has been allocated for infrastructure development, civil works for offices and staff houses, especially in the districts;

(c)    funds amounting to K800 million have been set aside for the construction and rehabilitation of schools in the province;

(d)    under health, the construction, repair and maintenance of health facilities in the province has been allocated K600 million;

(e)    a total of K500 million has been allocated for the cattle restocking exercise;

(f)    an additional K400 million has been reserved for the on going construction of the provincial planning unit offices;

(g)    the Land Resettlement Programme has been allocated K60 million for drilling of boreholes at Katanino Resettlement Scheme in Kapiri Mposhi, while K180 million has been earmarked for demarcation of plots at Katikula Resettlement Scheme in Serenje. A further K160 million has been reserved for settler selection at Katikulula and Kampumbu Resettlement Schemes in Serenje;

(h)    community development has been allocated K150 million for economic empowerment projects; and 

(i)    in the cultural industry, K150 million has been allocated for on going construction of a cultural village in Kabwe.

In Conclusion, Mr Chairperson, the development efforts during the year 2010 will continue to address poverty reduction in line with the Regional Strategic Development Plan and the Vision 2030. 

Every effort will continue to be made towards enhancing the efficiency of programme implementation and monitoring at the local level. It is further hoped that disbursement of funds for development programmes will continue to be timely and as per budget which will be approved.

The need for wider stakeholder participation in monitoring and evaluating programmes will also be critical in line with the Government’s emphasis on the public-private partnership framework.

Mr Chairperson, I, therefore, implore the hon. Members of this House to collectively, actively and consistently contribute to the development process in their respective constituencies, if the  National Vision 2030is to be achieved.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for North/Western Province (Mr Kalenga):  Thank you, Mr Chairperson, for allowing me to give the policy statement for North/Western Province from this corner.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: I want to start by paying tribute to my predecessor, Hon. Joseph Mulyata who has moved in the same capacity to the Ministry of Defence. I also want to use this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Mwamba and Hon. Lumba to this House. In the same vein, I want to thank all those who have expressed good will for my movement to the North/Western Province.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: I count on their support and prayers as I know there are a lot of challenges ahead of me, but together, we can achieve a lot.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

{mospagebreak}

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, for the North/Western Province, in 2010 it has been allocated K32.3 billion. Of this amount, the allocation to personal emoluments is about K10.7 billion and to non-personal emoluments it is about K21.6 billion. 

As provincial administration and Government, we are committed to fulfilling the mandate and mission statement of the country which is to effectively and efficiently promote and co-ordinate sustainable development in the provinces in order to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the community in a transparent accountable and equitable manner.

Mr Chairperson, the province, through the Government, in the next year 2010 will continue to implement programmes that are in line with the FNDP strategic focus, which is the provision of infrastructure to support the economic growth in the area.

Mr Chairperson, the budgeting was done in line with the guidelines emphasis on rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. The Ministry of Finance and National Planning has been releasing funds to the province timely and I urge them to continue with the good work in the coming year.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, on agriculture, I want to commend this Government as provincial administration for increasing the number of beneficiaries from 200 to 534,000 farmers.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, I also want to commend the Government for reviewing the FISP which is inclusive of other crops other than maize.

Mr Ntundu: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: And also for making it more transparent and more accountable as allocation is not being done at the district level, but at the camp level where they sit down and discuss since they know each other better.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, I also want to commend this Government for its efforts in the education sector. I think they have done very well. In 2010, we are targeting to build 2,500 classroom blocks.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, as a Government, we are targeting to build 16,000 classroom blocks by 2015 and there is no Government which has done that therefore, we need to be commended.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, in the same vein, I wish to commend the Ministry of Health to consider funding to health institutions. As I indicated, the North/Western Province has a lot of activities and it is the largest province after the Northern Province with good soils, good rains and good climate. Therefore, we need to be supported. With the coming of the mining activities, it will contribute significantly to the economy of this country.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, with the mining activities, the province has continued to play a pivotal role in the economic sector of not only the province, but the country as a whole. As you are aware, it had to take the MMD Government, and I want to talk to my brother Hon. Kakoma and Hon. Lumba that they should be careful with some of these pacts because these are the people who demolished the Kansanshi Mine, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: … to reopen up the Kansanshi and Lumwana mines which is the biggest mine in Africa and second in the World.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, very soon we are going to have the biggest mine in the whole world in Mwinilunga.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: Let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear.

Laughter 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: If some of the people cannot commend this Government, it is better to give credit where it is due.

Laughter 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Hammer!

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, it is certain that the exploration of oil gas in the province will gain momentum in the year 2010.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear.1

Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, I hope the exploration results will be positive so that the province can eventually realise its full potential.

Mr Chairperson, the provincial administration would like to acknowledge the plans by the Ministry of Works and Supply to upgrade the Solwezi/Chingola Road in order to cop with the increased traffic capacity. 

Mr Chairperson, the provincial administration will further appeal to the Ministry of Communications and Transport in the medium to long term, to expedite the process of construction of a rail line from Chingola to the North/Western Province via Angola, as this would greatly ease the pressure on the roads and open up full scale trade with Angola.

Mr Chairperson, as provincial administration, we also appeal to the hon. Minister of Energy and Water Development to connect the remaining five districts to the electricity national grid or construct mini-hydro power stations where possible, as this is one of the ways to attract meaningful investments into the districts and these are Mwinilunga, Kabompo, Zambezi, Mufumbwe and Chavuma. 

Mr Chairperson, as regards the M-8 Road, I want to tell Hon. Kakoma and Hon. Lumba that the Government is doing everything possible and the works on that road have bypassed Mufumbwe heading towards Kabompo. This road is very important economically because it opens up the vast potential of the area for rice exports, oil exploration and general trade.

Mr Chairperson, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning must be implored to find financial resources to fund the above …

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Order! Hon. Members are consulting too loudly.

You may continue.
 
Mr Kalenga: Mr Chairperson, the province is considering working on the Solwezi/Kipushi road in order to facilitate trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the Kipushi border post, which the Government has started constructing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: The Kipushi border has potential to earn the country huge revenue as evidenced by various investigations which have been carried out by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

Mr Chairperson, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning should continue with the release of funds for budget programmes as has been the case in the previous years to ensure the effective implementation of programmes.

Regarding Hon. Kakoma’s concerns on unemployment, it had to take this Government to construct a trade school in Solwezi so that people there are provided with skills to get employment in the mines.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalenga: So the MMD Government is working.

Mr Chairperson, the province is thankful to the Government for honouring the 2009 Budget. However, the province appeals for more funding following the increased economic activities driven mainly by the mining sector. The province recommends that all ministries that have allocated funds for programmes in North/Western Province release these funds to the province in order to enhance the operations of the districts. This would not only facilitate the effective implementation of programmes in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), but also the district plans thereby fostering social and economic development in the province.

Mr Chairperson, I ask the House to support the budget for North/Western Province and thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Southern Province (Mr Munkombwe): Mr Chairperson, I thank you …

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Munkombwe: … for giving me this opportunity to request this hon. House to support the budget for Southern Province. Southern Province is managed by an expert group of officials led by Mr Hakayobe, the longest serving Permanent Secretary in Government. Under his management are eleven districts. We are the second largest province in Zambia, after Northern Province.

Hon. Opposition Members interjected.

Mr Munkombwe: No. We have eleven districts, but North/Western Province does not have eleven districts.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson …

Mr Ntundu: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order, Member!

Mr Munkombwe: The programmes we have embarked on can be seen by all. An example is the Livingstone/Zimba Road. About thirty kilometres of this road have so far been worked on. By Christmas this year, the journey from Lusaka right up to Kabuyu will be very smooth because of the rehabilitation works taking place on the road to Livingstone. Another contractor has started from Kabuyu right up to Livingstone. As for the trunk roads, about forty kilometres of the Choma/ Niko Road has been done. I think the hon. Members for Mbabala and Choma Central can confirm that. The Niko/Monze Road has been upgraded and so has the Batoka/Maamba Road. We are also struggling to continue work on the Bottom Road. Unfortunately, there have been some problems there.

Mr Chairperson, in terms of education, …

Mr Sing’ombe: Talk about the Chikankata/Kalomo road as well.

Mr Munkombwe: …four new high schools are being constructed. There is one in Itezhi-tezhi as well as the Niko Girls Technical High School in the Namwala District. In Kazungula District, we have the Katombola High School. In Gwembe District, we have engaged in construction works at Munyumbwe High School, which are progressing so well and I think that the grateful hon. Member of Parliament for Gwembe can confirm that.

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, in the agricultural sector, last year about 35,000 farmers benefited from the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) which is now the Farmer input Support Programme (FISP). This year that figure has increased to 82,000 beneficiaries. I think that is great. Most of the people in the province have more money now because of the agricultural policies of the MMD Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: It is true that not everything has been done, but it is also a fact that farmers in the Southern Province now have more vehicles. Therefore, this Government should be congratulated.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: In terms of health facilities …

Interruptions 

Mr Munkombwe: You can say, “Question” because you live in a dream world.

Laughter 

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, in terms of health …

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Hon. Minister, one of the things allowed here is to say, “Question or hear, hear.” So ignore the people that are saying that.

You may continue.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, in terms of health facilities, Southern Province boasts of four hospitals. These are Livingstone General Hospital, Macha Mission Hospital, Monze Mission Hospital and Chikankata Hospital. The services at these hospitals are really of a high standard.

Mr Chairperson, I also want to recognise the fact that Livingstone General Hospital now has an intensive care unit. That is great. In terms of clinics and rural health centres, I am glad to say that though we need some more facilities, some constituencies like Dundumwezi have about twelve rural health centres. However, in other areas, like where our people from the valley where resettled, we want to reduce the distance to health centres. For example, in Chilala, people have to walk about twenty kilometres to the nearest health post. So the Government wants to concentrate its efforts on constructing a clinic in that particular area.

As regards the issue of people who have been displaced, some hon. members that talk about this have just read it in newspapers. In 1958, I was provincial vice-president of the African National Congress (ANC) and as a party, we heard that there was going to be a war between the indigenous people who were resisting the construction of the Kariba Dam and the Government. I went there and stayed for three days and on that fateful day of 13th September, when the current Chief Chipepo was just about ten years old, a sinful thing happened. Many people were killed and I had to tear my shirt to wave a white flag to show that I had surrendered to the white soldiers. When people talk about the pain they that they went through at that time, I think we in Government must sympathies with them.
  
Mr Chairperson, there are rural health centres in Choma such as Kazimauru and Hajamba which we want to attend to and the hon. Member of Parliament for that area has been pleading with us to attend to these centres. By the way, we have some quality hon. Members of Parliament from Southern Province who are able to pursue the Government by way of negotiating with us. 

When you are a Parliamentarian, there is an art to follow in that if you push the Government, you can simply be ignored and there is nothing that you can do about it because it is not boxing. You can simply be put in a cold room so that you continue shouting. Therefore, can we bend our tongues and revise our language so that we become attractive because if you are not attractive while you are there, you will not be attractive when you will be here.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Efficiency, decency and respect are not easy to achieve. The way you move, as an hon. Member of Parliament, should be in a particular way because that is what political science entails. In a democracy, it is normal to lose some seats and win others. Others have a tendency of growing false horns because they have won somewhere. 

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: It is normal to lose a seat …

Ms Lundwe: Kakoma!

Mr Munkombwe: … but you cannot conclude that because you have won in one area, then you are coming into government. Calculate properly as to what will change everybody to come to you. It is not normal for a human being to swallow a python, but a python can swallow a human being.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Therefore, as far as I am concerned, I do not see any glory simply because one has lost a seat. 

Ms Lundwe: Kamwaamba mudaala.

Mr Munkombwe: Let us move together. In Southern Province, they are all Opposition Members of Parliament, and each time I am forced myself to work together with my colleagues because they were elected by the people of that province. I cannot beat people for electing such individuals.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: I just have to work with them. 

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: Have I done my part now?

Hon. Government Members: No!

Mr Munkombwe: I am being threatened.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Hon. Members on my left, give me chance to preside. Do not just say “Motion, Motion”. When you were debating, you were saying that you had won Solwezi Central and nobody argued but when he debates, you are saying, “Motion”. He is merely responding. 

You may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, I want to assure you that by working with some of these people, I can learn certain things from them, but I think they must also begin to learn something from me taking into consideration my age and political experience which supersedes many people here, including my younger brother, Vernon Mwaanga. He is seven years younger …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Hon. Vernon Mwaanga ...

The Deputy Chairperson: Yes, continue.

Mr Munkombwe: … is seven years younger than me in politics. He defied his family background when he came into politics. He wrote to us and said that the African National Congress (ANC) was becoming irrelevant and he would not join us. Admittedly, we became irrelevant and we only proved him right five years later and followed him. We also followed him into the MMD.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: He is, therefore, genius.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: He cannot be ignored and if you ignore him, you will do it at your own peril.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, Southern Province has a permanent structure of administration and when we are going into those development structures, we will carry along with us a reasonable hon. Member of Parliament, but we will not speak politics in his presence nor can they teach me their politics because I know more than they do. Therefore, to expect that I can be tutored by them …

Mr Mabenga: Muyanda!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! It is that kind of cross border remarks, while seated, that raise problems in the House. You are shouting at Mr Muyanda, when he is seated there nicely and quietly, but you want to provoke him. Stop that.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, my own view about politics is that for those who think it is easy to come into government, it is not easy because, if it was, parties would come into government any time they wanted. There is a mechanism that must be followed and that mechanism is through a vote. You must know where you are. And for those of us who are in the Government and have the benefit of answering, please, do not answer to irrelevancies. If you keep quiet other people will become irrelevant, no matter how sharp they may be.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Once you continue talking about them, you are making them heroes for nothing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: There are people who are irrelevant in the politics of this country, but because they create a nonsensical statement, somehow, you always have to refer to them. It is not right to talk about me because you will make me a hero by referring to me. You may even find that every time I am in a newspaper. Others have a forum in the newspaper where they are projected as heroes everyday. Let us ignore them because that is the only way they are going to stop the way they stopped breastfeeding from their mothers.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Do not refer to them because some people have become false heroes by saying certain things which are against individuals. I do not denounce anybody but I can talk about them.

Mr Chairperson, nothing should be concocted that I do not love the hot-headed hon. Member for Sinazongwe. I do not denounce him. I eat with him. I can go with him anywhere and I can move with him in the car. We will only defer politically because his calculations are different from mine and …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! The hon. Member’s time has expired.

Interruptions

The Minister of Defence (Dr Mwansa): Mr Chairperson, I thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to make a few remarks in winding up debate on provincial votes. My colleagues and I have listened very carefully from our nine provinces both as espoused by three Private Members and Provincial Deputy Ministers who debated very well. The main issues of concern generally relate to infrastructure development in terms of roads, bridges, canals and other productive infrastructure. Other members spoke about immense investment opportunities in their provinces based upon the abundant natural and human resources available in their provinces. Yet others spoke about the need for the Government to provide effective and efficient social services which include schools, health centres, marketing and input supply and other basic support services. 

We have equally taken note of many useful suggestions and ideas emanating from both the left and the right of the House on how to tackle these developmental challenges.

Mr Chairperson, let me make known my appreciation about the conversions of ideas and views from both the Opposition and Government benches around the principle that the development of our country can best be achieved by all of us rallying in support of the Government’s development initiatives. The building of a clinic, school or, indeed, the opening of a mine in any part of our country benefits all of us regardless of our political affiliation and inclination. Therefore, I wish to appeal to all hon. Members of this House to support Government projects and programmes being undertaken in their areas. 

May I also, in this regard, remind hon. Members, especially hon. Provincial Ministers and respective hon. Members of Parliament to regularly utilise the institutional frameworks such as the Provincial Development Co-ordinating Committees (PDCC) and District Development Co-ordinating Committees (DDCC) to ensure adequate identification and development of projects and implementation of some projects in their districts and provinces. 

Listening to the debates of some hon. Members, it is clear that there is a need for these meetings to take place regularly in order to address local development challenges. I, therefore, wish to implore all hon. Members to attend these meetings regularly, including district council meetings.

Mr Chairperson, I wish to appeal to all hon. Provincial Ministers to ensure that these development co-ordinating meetings are held regularly and at all levels.

With these few remarks, I wish to urge all hon. Members of the House to support provincial votes.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: We will now go into individual items under the Heads. However, when we look at today’s Order Paper, we are supposed to begin with Head 90 – Office of the President − Lusaka Province, but I have granted permission, following the request from the Leader of Government Business, that we should begin with Head 91 – Office of the President – Copperbelt Province because of the commitments of the hon. Minister of that province. Since I have authorised, we will start with Head 91 – Office of the President – Copperbelt Province.

Vote 91/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

_________________

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

(Progress reported)

The House adjourned at 1956 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 4th December, 2009.