Debates- Thursday, 12th February, 2009

DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE TENTH ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 12th February, 2009

The House met at 1430 hours

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

____________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

CROCODILE CROPPING

109. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources when the Zambia Wildlife authority (ZAWA) would crop crocodiles in Lake Bangweulu and Chambeshi River in the Northern Province.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Ms Tembo): Madam Speaker, at present and, indeed, in the immediate future, the ministry has no plans to crop crocodiles in Lake Bangweulu and Chambeshi River in the Northern Province because data on crocodile population in the Northern Province is not available. A similar situation exists for the rest of the country. Cropping of any wildlife species is supposed to be based on adequate and regular quantitative population data which at present is lacking for the crocodile in the country.

Madam Speaker, the major constraint to undertaking of regular crocodile census is lack of funding. Once the funds are mobilised, a crocodile census will be conducted in Lake Bangweulu, Chambeshi River and other aquatic ecosystems in Zambia and, therefore, depending on the results of the surveys, cropping can be commenced.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, the answer given by the hon. Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources is clear, but in certain instances, these crocodiles and hippos have been feeding on human flesh and this is a common trend in the Bangweulu region. Now, suppose the situation becomes rampant, as is the case at the moment, what can we do as communities being troubled by these animals?

The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Ms Namugala): Madam Speaker, the conflict between humans and animals, and in this case, crocodiles, is sometimes a matter of perception. As to whether crocodiles are feeding on human flesh or not, I do not know because I have not received that report, but I would like to believe that there is a bit of exaggeration.

Madam Speaker, the last time we tried to get a farmer or an outfitter to go to this area to buy crocodiles, they came back and complained that the size was too small and the population was not enough for them to trade. However, we will look into this concern raised by the hon. Member for Chilubi.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

ENROLMENT AT ZIALE

110. Mr Malama (Mfuwe) asked the Vice President and Minister of Justice:

(a) how many law graduates from local universities, apart from the University of Zambia, were enrolled at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) as of 30th June, 2008;

(b) if none, what the reasons were; and

The Deputy Minister of Justice (Mr Chilembo): Madam Speaker, there are no law graduates from local universities, other than the University of Zambia, enrolled at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education as at 30th June, 2008. The reason is that there had been no applications received from law graduates of local universities other than the University of Zambia. The process to amend the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education Act, CAP. 49, has commenced and the Government will bring appropriate legislation to Parliament when all necessary consultations have been concluded.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

UNPAID TERMINAL BENEFITS

111. Mr Chisala asked the Minister of Energy and Water Development why some former workers in the Department of Water Affairs in Chilubi District were not paid their terminal benefits as of 30th June, 2008 despite having retired in the mid-1990s.

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Ms Lundwe): Madam Speaker, we are not aware of cases where workers were retired and not paid their terminal benefits in Chilubi District. All the workers in Chilubi under the Department of Water Affairs were retired under a voluntary separation package in early the 1990s and in 1997. If there are cases of complaints of money not paid, this could relate to underpayments which all the workers who went under voluntary separation in all Government departments are claiming, and this should not be peculiar to the Department of Water Affairs alone. These funds will be paid under the Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP).

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, the Department of Water Affairs no longer exists and, to the best of my knowledge, is not even there at provincial level. Madam Speaker, the fact that the people out there were definitely not paid, who can we see to retrieve this money for those who had worked for the Government?

The Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Konga): Madam Speaker, I think the hon. Member is misleading the nation by stating that the Department of Water Affairs ceased to operate in Chilubi District, and the province at large, because that is not a fact. The Department of Water Affairs is still operating as we speak this afternoon. The hon. Member might be confusing some workers who are classified as daily classified employees (CDEs) who are not entitled to terminal benefits. Maybe, those are the ones he might be referring to. As regards all civil servants employed by the Government, these had their terminal benefits paid by 1997.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Phiri (Munali): Madam Speaker, when the hon. Minister was responding, I heard her very clearly that those people who went under a voluntary separation package were actually underpaid. The hon. Minister responsible has said that they were paid up to about 1997. This is 2009. When are these people, who were underpaid then, going to get their money? How are we going to operate as a Government if we leave people without paying them? How are we going to pursue those law breakers called investors if we cannot do the right thing ourselves?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Konga: Madam Speaker, the fact of the matter is that the Government pays all its workers their monthly incomes. When it comes to the time of separation between the employees and Government, there are might arise a situation were there could have been some adjustments in the remuneration packages and, as such, workers could follow up if they have any grievances. That is what the hon. Deputy Minister alluded to. By and large, all the civil servants who were retired by the Government have been paid their terminal benefits.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

ZRA OPERATOINS

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

(a) what measures the Government would take to ensure that the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has adequate staff to contain the problem of tax evasion through illegal border entry routes by traders; and

(b) when ZRA would decentralise its operations to the rural areas.

The Deputy Minister of Finance and National Planning (Ms C. M. Kapwepwe): Madam Speaker, Government has undertaken the following measures to ensure ZRA has adequate staff to contain the problems as asked:

(i) The Government will support a submission made by ZRA for its requirements for recruitment needs and ensure that full compliment according to the staff budget is achieved;

(ii) the authority has also adopted a deliberate policy to encourage border clearance of imports and exports as opposed to inland clearance. This measure implies more staff are assigned or redeployed to ports of entry compared to inland ports. The measure also mitigates the loss of revenue arising from transit cargo; and

(iii) further, the authority has embraced risk based management in its business processes to enable it allocate more resources to more risk processes with the intent of enhancing compliance given its limited resources.

Madam Speaker, ZRA is constantly reviewing its business processes in response to growth in business activity in the economy, in order to assess and ascertain whether actual presence is required in all rural areas. At present, the current spread and scope is adequate, as it enables the authority to undertake its roles in a most efficient and cost effective manner.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, the situation in certain border areas is extremely porous. Some illegal traders have taken advantage of this. As a result, the Government loses a lot of revenue through such activities. Now, is the Government considering putting up fences in such border areas so that this kind of illegal trade can be minimised/

The Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Musokotwane): Madam Speaker, the situation at every border post is going to be assessed on its own merits and situation. Where it is felt that there is need to put up physical barriers, that will be done.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Scott (Lusaka Central): Madam Speaker, last year, when the Committee on Estimates visited Mwami Border Post in Chipata District, we asked to meet some smugglers. We walked merely 50 metres away from the border post to a road called ‘Zalewa,’ by the people in Eastern Province. It means ‘avoid’. It was one of the three zalewas …

Hon. Opposition Member: How do you know?

Dr Scott: … and it was jam-packed with bicycles travelling along with sugar and cooking oil and so on and so forth. Will the hon. Minister agree that, in practice, there is nothing that can be done about smuggling on these borders and that his ministry does not even intend to do anything?

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, I do accept the fact that there are challenges here and there, but that is true in every situation. I think the most important thing to consider is what the level of non-compliance compared to compliance is. In our view, that level of compliance is much higher than the level of non-compliance. We do accept that there are challenges here and there, but that is not to say that we should just abandon borders as the hon. Member is suggesting.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Madam Speaker, how does ZRA intend to deal with challenges where some companies owe and ZRA does not collect this money until these companies collapse or suspend operations as we have seen? How do they hope to be collect monies owed by such companies?

Mr Hamududu: Zambian Airways.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, ZRA has a unit that is in charge of chasing up debtors - people who owe taxes and have not paid for various reasons. They do follow up on these cases. Now, I think it is a fact of life that in most transactions, a level of problems do arise and it is up to the management of the authority to manage how those risks are to be contained, and the unit that I have spoken about does manage those risks.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

HANDICAPPED FREEDOM FIGHTERS

113. Mr Chazangwe (Choma Central) asked the Vice-President and Minister of Justice what material assistance the Government rendered to people who became handicapped as a result of the struggle for independence.

The Deputy Minister of Justice (Mr Chilembo): Madam Speaker, there is no Government policy to render material assistance to people who became handicapped as a result of the struggle for independence. However, the Government confers honours and awards to persons from all walks of life who are considered to be qualified to receive these Zambian honours and awards. The would-be recipients may include people who have participated in the struggle for freedom from colonialism.

The Zambian honours and awards are conferred during investiture ceremonies held annually on the African Freedom and Independence days.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chazangwe: Madam Speaker, if the Government cannot give any material assistance to these people, are there any plans to set aside a day to remember or even hold church services, apart from Independence Day, for the people who contributed a lot to the political independence of this nation?

Mr Chilembo: Madam Speaker, I have indicated that during the Africa Freedom and Independence days, honours are awarded, and we believe that this arrangement is sufficient. These are the most special days that we have identified unless the hon. Member has another day that he would like to propose to us.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Mwansa (Chifunabuli): Madam Speaker, arising from the answer given by the hon. Minister, does he not realise that there should be a way to recompense individuals that were harmed during the freedom struggle of our country other than just giving them honours? Surely, if a policy has not been there, the ministry should look into that issue and do something about it.

The Vice-President (Mr Kunda, SC): Madam Speaker, a lot of people were involved in the struggle for independence. At that time, individuals that were injured under special circumstances must have made some claims to the Government. However, many years have passed from 1964 to date and, therefore, it is not possible for us to start verifying claims of that nature. Hence, what you are suggesting cannot be considered.

I thank you, Madam.

Laughter

Mr Nsanda (Chimwemwe): Madam Speaker, since the Government only gives honours to the people who fought for independence, when is it going to include those young men and women who were beaten up last week when they were just fighting for their independence at the High Court?

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: That is totally unrelated to freedom fighting.

Laughter

Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, the people of Chilubi happened to play an instrumental role in the struggle for independence. During the third quarter of last year, there was an indication that they were going to receive some incentives from the Central Government, of course, through the provincial administration. However, what transpired was that these people were not consulted. At provincial level, it was decided that only fertiliser would be bought for them. Therefore, I would like a comment from His Honour the Vice-President regarding this matter.

Mr Kunda, SC: Madam Speaker, I am not aware of the situation the hon. Member is talking about, but if he has any documents that suggest that promises were made, he can bring them and then they will be analysed within the context of what he is talking about.

I thank you, Madam.

Dr Kalumba (Chienge): Madam Speaker, in view of the fact that the Government has not responded, in this House, to one of my outstanding questions regarding a district by district list of freedom fighters who were either detained or tortured during the struggle for independence, particularly during the Chachacha, how can it give awards without a definitive list of the freedom fighters?

Mr Kunda, SC: Madam Speaker, we have a system through which we verify the names that are presented or suggested. Through this system, we are able to identify who qualifies to receive these awards. We are also conscious of the fact that since it has taken a long time from 1964 to date, some people may claim to be freedom fighters and yet, they were not. So we have to be careful which people we give some of these awards to.

I thank you, Madam.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Machungwa: Madam Speaker, the issue of people who got handicapped as a result of the freedom struggle is important. His Honour the Vice-President and Minister of Justice has said that the Government is able to give awards to those who are identified and recognised as having contributed to the struggle through some system. Is it not possible to use that system to determine those who were actually handicapped so that some material assistance could be given to these people?

Mr Kunda, SC: Madam Speaker, that is a very hypothetical question. We do not have any such claims pending before us.

I thank you, Madam.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, in the House!

REMAINS OF THE BROKEN HILL MAN

114. Mr Chimbaka (Bahati) asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

(a) when the remains of the Broken Hill Man, which were currently being preserved at the Westminster Abbey Museum in London, would be brought back to Zambia; and

(b) whether there were any other fossils or items of historic significance that were taken away from Zambia by the colonial administration and, if so, what they were.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Pande): Madam Speaker, the Government intends to pursue this matter of the Broken Hill Man with the United Kingdom. The remains of the Broken Hill Man are at Westminster Abbey Museum in London. However, I need to mention that Britain claims that the Broken Hill Man is an ancestor to humanity and, therefore, it has a claim to that ancestry.

Laughter

Mr Pande: For the benefit of those who may not know, the Broken Hill Man was or is one of the most famous fossil human skulls which belongs to an archeological human type. Homo Rhodesiansis or Broken Hill Man lived some 40,000 years ago.

Madam Speaker, as regards the second part of the question, other fossils or items of historical significance include dinosaur fossils from South Luangwa in Mfuwe which are kept at Oxford University, archeological finds from the Stone Age such as hand axes, cleavers and pebble tools which were collected from Kalambo Falls in Mbala and were taken to Berkeley University in California, while others are at Oxford University.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Chimbaka: Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that historians and geologists go to these universities and Westminster Abbey at a fee, especially those who specialise in carbon dating and those who want to write a thesis in history. Is there any way the Government can negotiate with these institutions to remit part of the fees they collect from these students so that Zambia, being the origin of these historic fossils, can benefit as well?

Mr Pande: Madam Speaker, probably, when we start negotiating and pursuing this issue, it could be one of the issues that we could ask Britain to do for us.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, we have been discussing this issue for a long time. Could the hon. Minister confirm that our museums have no capacity to accommodate the Broken Hill Man?

Mr Pande: Madam Speaker, if they had no capacity, we would not be talking about bringing it here.

I thank you, Madam.

ZAMBEZI RIVER SOURCE HERITAGE SITE

115. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga East) asked the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources when the Government would complete the construction works at the heritage site, on the source of the Zambezi River, in Mwinilunga District, in order to ensure that there was clean drinking water, modern toilets and workers’ houses, among other facilities.

Ms Tembo: Madam Speaker, the Government has so far completed the construction of the following infrastructure: the boom gate; raised walk board to the source, but not up to the visitors’ centre; the Visitor Information Centre with display area; office; video/library room, a kitchen; toilets and showers; a serving kitchen; installed solar panels with a fridge; two staff houses; three picnic shelters; car park; and raised water tank platform and water tank. All this was done at a cost of K1.6 billion. The above led to the commissioning of the site on 20th September, 2008.

However, the original intention of the Government was to sink boreholes on the site. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to locate water there. Therefore, the only option is to dam the river downstream where it is wider and joined by perennial streams.

The estimated costs of carrying out of the above works is K1 billion. Hence, the remaining works that will ensure the provision of sufficient clean water and modern water-borne toilets will be completed as soon as adequate funds are sourced.

I thank you, Madam.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Katuka: Madam Speaker, my question was simple: When will these works be completed? Why has the Government neglected the source of the Zambezi River from where the name of this country is derived?

Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, the Government has not neglected the source of the Zambezi River. As the hon. Deputy Minister has mentioned, money was paid to the Department of Water Affairs. The reason there is no water is because they tried several times to sink boreholes, but they could not find water. There are other measures that are being proposed as indicated by the hon. Deputy Minister.

I thank you, Madam.

Mrs Musokotwane (Katombola): Madam Speaker has the ministry made transport arrangements for the people who collect money from tourists who go to see the source because, after collecting the money, they have to walk to Mwinilunga to go and bank the money?

Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, the ministry is aware of that challenge and is in the process of procuring vehicles to provide transport to the officers.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Kakoma (Zambezi West): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether she is aware that the road leading to Zambezi River source is so bad that many tourists are finding it difficult to access that area, and what she is doing to rehabilitate that road.

Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, I am aware that, generally, road infrastructure leading to most tourists attractions is in a poor state. Without isolating that particular case, I would like to say that as a Government, we are doing whatever we can to ensure that access to these sites is provided.

I thank you, Madam.

EMPLOYMENT CREATION

116. Mr Imenda (Lukulu East) asked the Minister of Labour and Social Security what plans had been made concerning the creation of employment for graduates at the following levels of education, especially the youth:

(i) University;
(ii) Colleges; and
(iii) Secondary School

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Kachimba): Madam Speaker, creation of employment …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Can I have voices lowered? We want to listen to what is going on.

Can the hon. Minister, please, continue?

Mr Kachimba: … for all citizens in the labour force is the ultimate goal for the Government of the Republic of Zambia. In achieving this goal, the Government, through my ministry, launched the Labour Market and Employment Policy in 2005. The policy outlines how the Government will foster job creation in various sections of the economy for various categories of people including the youths. And this policy was later reinforced by the 2006 National Youth Policy. In 2006, the Government launched the Fifth National Development Plan whose theme is ‘Broad Based Wealth and Job Creation through Technology Advancement and Citizenry Participation’.

Madam Speaker, the role of the Government is, therefore, to create an enabling environment for business growth that will ensure that the fresh graduates from universities and colleges are absorbed in the labour market.

Madam Speaker, in a liberalised economy, jobs are created by the private sector with the Government providing the policy and legislative environment that promotes business.

Madam Speaker, this policy is paying off, among other examples, through the following:

(i) the estimated 10,000 jobs to be created by the establishment of the multi-facility economic zones;

(ii) Chambeshi Smelter, with an estimated 1,000 jobs;

(iii) an estimated 6,000 jobs created by Trade Kings Steel; and

(iv) copper mines such as Lumwana, with an estimated 1,000 jobs.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Imenda: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has not given us the statistics of the number of students that are graduating from the University of Zambia but are currently out of employment, and the number of students graduating from colleges and secondary schools currently languishing in the streets. May I be given the statistics so that I see that the Government is serious with unemployment in the country?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Liato): Madam Speaker, unfortunately, the question was not really indicative as to whether he wanted particular statistics or not. I think the question was about what has been done in terms of creating employment for graduates from the University of Zambia, colleges and secondary schools, but if he wants statistics, those can be made available.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Kambwili (Roan): Madam Speaker, the Government has accepted the situation that there are more places up to Grade 9 than up to Grade 12. Why is it that the minimum requirement for all the jobs in Zambia now is a Grade 12 when it is the same Government that has failed to provide places for all the pupils to go up to Grade 12? Why are they segregating against Grade 9s because it is not their fault that they should end up Grade 9?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, I think when recruiting for jobs, employers go for qualifications and each job will have specific minimum qualifications that are required and, so, depending on what kind of job it is, if it requires a Grade 9, it will specify so, but if a job requires a graduate, you cannot obviously ask for Grade 9s.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC. (Chasefu): Madam Speaker, during the administration of the country by President Kaunda, they had the Zambianisation Policy in place. Does the Government intend to introduce Zambianisation as a way of ensuring that certain jobs, even in the private sector, are given or reserved for Zambians with the necessary qualifications?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, this is a very useful question. I think that the policy of Zambianisation still lives on. It did not die with the moving away of Dr Kaunda from active politics. That policy is still being pursued and we have a very alive committee on Zambianisation chaired by the hon. Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security who be will working hard to ensure that we implement the requirements of the Zambianisation Policy.

I thank you, Madam.

Mrs Phiri: Madam Speaker, I am one of those people who really appreciate experts, but I think it is getting out of hand in this Government where we continue extending contracts. When is the Government going to change this policy to have more young people employed so that old ones can retire?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, certain employers will require expertise or knowledgeable categories of employees in their places of work. I think that the retirement age is well known. This is stipulated either in the conditions of service of employees or it is in the laws. Now if a particular employer still requires the services of a particular employee, it is, obviously, not up to Government to demand that the employee be retired. If an employee has reached retirement age, he is initially retired, but then if the company or employer still needs him, they will offer him a contract. However, this, obviously, has to do with the capacity of the person, whose contract is being extended, to perform. It will be illogical for any employer or company to give somebody a contract when he cannot perform because his age cannot allow.

I thank you, Madam.

Ms Kapata (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, what is the minimum qualification for a Chinese to come and work in Zambia, because we have seen some Chinese nationals pushing wheelbarrows?

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Minister, if he so wishes, may answer that, but it is not what is here.

May he continue, please.

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member has not specified where this Chinese person has been seen pushing wheelbarrows…

Laughter

Mr Liato: … and so I have difficulties answering a generalised question.

Thank you, Madam.

Mr Mukanga: Madam Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify on Zambianisation. The Government has no capacity to push this because they no longer control the major companies in Zambia since most of them have been privatised? How can they claim that they are pushing Zambianisation?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, the Zambianisation Policy cannot die. I think what we should appreciate is the fact that we have obviously moved from a command economy to a liberalised one and so there are so many challenges. Among those challenges is to ensure that in the new working atmosphere, we are able to cope with the difficulties. I think that the challenge before the ministry is to ensure that we do what is expected in line with the new unfolding events and we will rise to the occasion.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr P. Chanda (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that employers are at liberty to renew contracts. Does he not really see a situation where we are disadvantaging the young ones who go into employment?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, I want to believe that in situations where young graduates or employees are available for particular jobs, it will be illogical in for any employer to continue extending the working life span of a retiree. I want to believe that this kind of extension is done in a place where, perhaps, they need the input of this person because they have not found suitable persons to take over at that particular time, and it will be the responsibility of that employer to ensure that whilst extensions are being offered to a retiree, efforts are being done to recruit new ones so that they can understudy the person who is on contract with a view to the young people taking over the job. That is what we expect should happen in the industry.

I thank you, Madam.

Mrs Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, is it possible for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to bring legislation in this House that will compel Chinese and other investors to first learn local languages before they are given contracts, because the Chinese who are working on the Zimba/Livingstone Road, right now, have difficulties in communicating with me when inspections are being done. They cannot tell me exactly what is happening on the ground because we do not understand each other.

Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister may choose whether to answer the question on job creation and the Chinese.

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, we encourage every investor to learn the Zambian Labour Laws. It is generally encouraged that anyone coming to work in Zambia should make efforts to learn the official language so that they can communicate. As to whether we can compel them, by law, is subject to discussions between social partners. We have forums where we meet as employers, trade unions who are the representatives of the workers, and the Government. If this forum finds it suitable, then it can be done. We are consultative and we will consult in order to do what is right.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Madam Speaker, it appears the minimum qualification for entry into any job is grade 12. Considering that, would the hon. Minister not want to persuade his colleague, the Minister of Education, to ensure that places at Grade 10, 11 and 12 are increased, so that we do not just produce people up to Grade 9 who are unemployable?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member is asking me to speak on behalf of the Minister of Education. That is very difficult for me to do. However, we are obviously looking forward to having qualified personnel who should be employed in every category of work. That is the interest of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. As to increasing school places, that will be for the Minister of Education to answer.

I thank, Madam

Mr Imasiku (Liuwa): Madam Speaker, the retirement age in Zambia is lower than that for other countries in the region. Is the hon. Minister not considering reviewing the retirement age so that we do not lose educated people who end up on the streets?

Mr Liato: Madam Speaker, that is a very useful question. The hon. Member may note that these are issues, again, that come out of the Tripartite Consultative Labour Council meetings where the Government, the employers and the trade unions meet to discuss issues that relate to the working environment.

The issue of retirement is usually one of the crucial issues on the agenda. However, what is taken into account, among other factors, is the life expectancy of every society. Our society has its own life expectancy which is different from other nations around us. I think the hon. Member appreciates that we have to tailor our situations according to what obtains in our own society.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

THE LUSAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

117. Mr Imenda (Lukulu East) asked the Minister of Communications and Transport when the Lusaka International Airport would be transformed into a fully fledged air-link using the hub-and-spoke theory, and taking into account Zambia’s centrality in the region.

The Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport (Mr Mubika): Madam Speaker, plans to develop the Lusaka International Airport into a hub to allow for air traffic in Central, Southern and East Africa are under way. Currently, there are plans to carry out a joint feasibility study with the Chinese. To this effect, the Zambia Inter-ministerial Technical Team of Experts was formed in June, 2008, and has since submitted it preliminary report.

The ministry, in conjunction with the National Airports Corporation Limited, has plans to transform the Lusaka International Airport into a modern air terminal, but resources have been the limiting factor. However, efforts will continue, to mobilise resources through the private-public partnership (PPP), the private sector or National Treasury to implement the plans.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Imenda: Madam Speaker, I would like to find out the programme of action with regard to the programmes undertaken by the Government.

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, it is very difficult to guess what the hon. Member of Parliament for Lukulu East is trying to find out. However, what I can say is that the expansion of the Lusaka International Airport is incorporated in the Vision 2030.

I thank you, Madam.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Communications and Transport whether he is aware that the current condition of the Lusaka International Airport is embarrassing and should not be accorded the status of an international airport.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that the hon. Member of Parliament for Monze Central can refer to the Lusaka International Airport as very shameful.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Unless some of you do not travel, but if you go round the Southern region,…

Interruptions

Mr Mubika: … you will note that the Lusaka International Airport is better than some of the airports in some Southern African countries.

Interruptions

Mr Mubika: That is why we are saying that we have plans to expand and modernise the international airport. In fact, even the runway at the Lusaka International Airport is actually better than some of the airports in Southern Africa.

Thank you, Madam.

Laughter

Ms Changwe: Quality!

Dr Scott: Madam Speaker, yesterday, in Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister. This may mark the beginning of a return to normality in our former federal partner. What is the ministry doing to ensure that Harare will not take, again, bambazonke, the air traffic as it has done before? I am sorry that the hon. Minister for Cayman Islands is not here to answer.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The Deputy Minister is answering the questions on behalf of the Government. Therefore, you should not lament like that, because it is not true.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

The Minister of Defence (Mr Mpombo) (on behalf of the Minister of Communications and Transport (Ms Siliya): Madam Speaker, the Government is irrevocably committed to …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mpombo: …to the process of making Zambia a greater tourism destination.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mpombo: There has been a quantum leap …

Laughter

Mr Mpombo: … in terms of tourism arrivals …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mpombo: … and hence the Government’s commitment. In Livingstone, we have just done the elongation of the runway.

Laughter

Mr Mpombo: In Kasama, we have just put up a new terminal building and we have plans to improve the airport in Mbala as well as in the North-Western Province.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mpombo: Madam Speaker, regarding the Zimbabwean issue, I think it would be premature to drag Zambia into this political quagmire.

I thank you, Madam.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

LOANS FOR THE POOR

118. Ms Limata (Luampa) asked the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives whether the ministry had any plans to give loans to the poor people, especially women, in rural areas to enable them acquire oxen and ploughs for farming.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives (Mr Mulonga): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the ministry has no plans to give loans for purposes of acquiring oxen and ploughs for farming.

However, the ministry is working closely with the private sector, the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders who are providing loans directly to the farmers for the acquisition of work animals, in providing training to farmers in the use and management of implements and work animals, including training work animals.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Limata: Madam Speaker, my concern is about the women in rural areas because the Government is supposed to give them loans so that they can also start farming. He is now referring me to the NGOs who are not doing anything in the rural areas.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: There is no question.

Laughter

Mr C. Mulenga (Chinsali): Madam Speaker, in the past, Lima Bank, the Credit Union and Savings Association (CUSA) and Zambia Co-operative Federation (ZCF) helped a lot of farmers to come up with meaningful farming. Does the Government intend to come up with similar institutions now to assist farmers to acquire loans so that they can manage to grow enough food for this country?

Mr Mulonga: Madam Speaker, my ministry, in particular, and the Government in general, has always been working with the farmers. First and foremost, the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) which is currently running is one type of help that we are giving to farmers.

Secondly, in Kaoma, there is an NGO which has helped to rehabilitate five dams. Three of them are meant for fish farming while two are for irrigation so that small-scale farmers can grow vegetables throughout the year. That is another way the Government is helping farmers.

Madam, for those farmers who cannot afford to acquire loans - because I do not believe that the poorest can acquire loans - we are helping them through the FSP. Therefore, those who can manage to acquire loans are better farmers than those who cannot afford.

Madam Speaker, the Citizens’ Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) is another programme that is being used by the Government to assist farmers. Those farmers who want to be helped can still go to CEEC and they will be helped. Therefore, we are doing every thing possible to help our farmers - both the poor and medium poor.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Mwamba (Lukashya): Madam Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister stated, in his answer, that the Government has no plans to give loans to farmers. Yet, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning stated that agriculture is the pillar for poverty reduction. He has also referred the hon. Member to the CEEC which is an elitist programme. How many of those women would be able to access any funds from that programme?

The Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives (Dr Chituwo): Madam Speaker, there was as a specific question regarding loans to small-scale women farmers in rural areas and we gave the answer. However, I would like to add that efforts are underway to see how the Zambia Co-operative Federation Bank can be revived. We would like to believe that the CEEC, which, of course, has difficulties in terms documentation, might be the answer to empowering all levels of farmers.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

______{mospagebreak}

MOTION

BUDGET, 2009

(Debate resumed)

The Deputy Minister of Works and Supply (Mr Ndalamei): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue my debate. When business was interrupted yesterday, I was just reminding hon. Members of Parliament on your left about what this Government has achieved in the health sector.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, this Government is trying to uplift the living standards of the people of Zambia. For example, the under-five mortality rate declined from 167 to 119 per 1,000 live births. This means that few children are dying from childhood diseases because of the good policies of the MMD Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, this Government has distributed free mosquito nets in the rural areas. They are selling mosquito nets at K3, 000 in the urban areas and this has resulted in the reduction of the under-five mortality rate.

Interruptions

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam, the maternal mortality declined from 729 to 449 per 100,000 births. This means that our mothers now have access to quality health services at our clinics throughout the country.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, this Government has provided ambulances to transport complicated matters to third level district hospitals.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam, the incidence of malaria declined from 89.5 to 75 per 1,000 population. That means that few people are now suffering from malaria.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: This is because the Government has provided adequate drugs in the health centres throughout the country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: The Government has provided qualified staff in our health facilities.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! When an hon. Member, or any of you, is debating, the purpose is to be heard. Hon. Members are supposed to listen so that they can also contribute meaningfully to the debate on the Floor. Therefore, the Chair does not expect that such noisy consultation should continue in the House.

Indeed, if it becomes absolutely necessary that you speak loudly to each other, you should walk out, finish your talk and then come back. The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, there are people who have been misinforming the nation that this Government is doing nothing. What is on the ground is that this Government is working hard. For example, in the education sector, even the hon. Members on your left have confessed on the Floor of this House that this Government is doing very well. I, therefore, appeal to them to be fair and tell the people the truth in their respective constituencies. They should tell the people that this Government is building high schools and girls’ technical schools in the constituencies.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, in this 2009 Budget, some hon. Members were saying that the ordinary Zambians would not benefit anything. To the contrary, I think this Budget is meant for the ordinary people of Zambia.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: This Government knows that the poor farmers in Shang’ombo, Sikongo, Chama and Kaputa would want to sell their bags of rice. That is why we have allocated K100 billion to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) so that they can buy the produce from the farmers in the rural areas.

Madam Speaker, this Government has allocated K70.7 billion to livestock development. Our people, especially those in Western, Southern and Eastern provinces depend on cattle. It is only those people who do not know the value of cattle who can say that this Budget will not benefit poor farmers in the provinces.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, this Government is working very hard in order to provide essential drugs to rural health centres throughout the year. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has, therefore, allocated K208.6 billion to procure drugs to be distributed throughout the country. These drugs will be available in our health centres throughout the year.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, may I also mention that this Government has introduced free medical services in the rural areas. In order to make sure that our people have access to quality health services, the Government has provided drugs and qualified staff to our health centres. In addition, in this year’s Budget, the Government will build fourteen district hospitals.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, some hon. Opposition Members were complaining that the district hospitals are only built in rural areas where there are MMD hon. Members. They are the same people who are saying that the Government has neglected the rural people who voted for them.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam, we are trying to improve the health services for the people who voted for us in the rural areas. We know that in urban areas, there are a lot of health facilities and people are getting quality health services.

Madam Speaker, I now come to the road sector. There is no Government which would like to see bad roads in the country. The hon. Members will bear with us because we have got limited resources which we are sharing with other ministries. The Ministry of Works and Supply is trying to share the resources equally so that our road infrastructure is improved throughout the country. For example, there are major roads that we are giving priority such as:

(a) Kasama/Luwingu Road;

(b) Mutanda/Chavuma Road;

(d) Mongu/Kalabo Road; and

(e) the bottom line road.

Madam Speaker, as Government, we are concerned about the rural people and we have acquired equipment from China which will work on the roads. These are the same Chinese who are being insulted by the Opposition everyday. We should be thankful to the people of China…

Interruptions

Mr Ndalamei:…because the Government is getting tax from these people and, in turn, giving us a grant. We have managed to buy this equipment from this grant. The same hon. Opposition Members are the ones who want this equipment to work on the roads in their constituencies.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, we shared the equipment equally regardless of the party. We have managed to give people some equipment so that they can improve the roads in their constituencies. We received 207 pieces of equipment and if you divide these by nine provinces, each province received twenty-three pieces of equipment. So far, in October, we managed to work on about 820.5 kilometres of roads.

Hon. Opposition Members: Where?

Mr Ndalamei: This is was just in a month and the works were as follows:

Province
(a) Copperbelt 259.6 km

(b) Western Province 120.9 km

(d) North-Western Province 45.5 km

(e) Luapula Province 102.8 km

(f) Eastern Province 97.4 km

(g) Lusaka Province 70 km

(h) Northern Province 30 km

Total 820.5 km

Madam Speaker, some hon. Members are asking where these roads are. This shows that they do not visit their constituencies.

Laughter

Mr Ndalamei: They are just busy politicking in Lusaka.

Laughter

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, this equipment has been taken to the Provincial Administration. They will take care of this equipment and I urge the hon. Members to be in touch with the Provincial Administration in their respective provinces so that they work out a programme for the roads to be done.

Madam, we thank the hon. Minister for Finance and National Planning for allocating K2 billion to each province and I hope this equipment will be put to good use. There was an hon. Member of Parliament in this House who was misinforming the nation that the equipment had broken down. Let me put it on record that before we received this equipment, we received a consignment of spare parts. We have got two warehouses which are full of parts for the equipment. Therefore, there will be nothing like the equipment has broken down.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, we appeal to the people of Zambia to continue working hand in hand with the MMD Government so that better services are provided. The other person…

Interruptions

Mr Mwenya: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! I hope it is on fact as debated or procedure. If not, please, do not take time. You may raise your point of order.

Mr Mwenya: Madam Speaker, I am raising a very serious point of order. Is the hon. Minister debating in order to mislead the nation by saying that the machinery brought into the country by the Chinese came with spares when, on the Copperbelt, the equipment we used in Kitwe broke down and, as I speak, there are no spares and the trucks are parked? Is the hon. Minister in order to mislead the nation?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister may take that into consideration as he continues.

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, as I speak, now, I am not aware of that issue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Ndalamei: Madam Speaker, there is a unit at the old Chinese complex on standby to carry out any repairs whenever there is a breakdown.

Madam Speaker, the people of Zambia must know that this Government cares for them.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: The peace-loving Zambians should work with this Government so that we achieve our target in the 2009 Budget …

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ndalamei: …with a growth of 5 per cent lowering the inflation to 10 per cent and limiting domestic borrowing to 1.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Madam Speaker, I move to beg.

Laughter

Mr Ndalamei: I beg to move.

Laughter

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Madam Speaker, I will not move to beg, but beg to move.

Laughter

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, I have about four issues to discuss. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the views from the people on your right regarding the public private partnership.

Madam Speaker, I noted the comments made by the hon. Minister of Communications and Transport and …

Mrs Phiri: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

We have very serious business on the Floor. The Chair has guided that you raise points of order only if the point of order is procedural or if there is a misleading fact in a statement. If it is an opinion, you debate it yourself.

I see so many people still indicating to speak and we are not going to have points of order that you know you can debate. If you debated too early, that is unfortunate.

Hon. Members: Aah!

Madam Deputy Speaker: The Chair will not allow debates through points of order.

The hon. Member for Munali wants to raise a point of order.

Mrs Phiri: Madam Speaker, I am sure you have noticed that I rarely rise to raise points of order.

Hon. MMD Member: Raise your point of order.

Mrs Phiri: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Yesterday, the hon. Minister of Education came to this House and informed the nation about something new taking place in the education sector regarding Grade 9 results. He informed this House that from now onwards, all students getting full certificates will be accepted into Grade 10.

Madam Speaker, the students at the University of Zambia have gone into the second semester without being given the results from the first semester. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Education if this is a new concept. Why did he not come to inform this House as he did with the Grade 9 results?

Madam Speaker, is he in order to keep quiet over the students’ results? I need your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member may continue.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, I was saying that I noted the comments made by the hon. Minister of Communications and Transport and the comments from Hon. Masebo, regarding the public private partnership.

Mr Kambwili interjected.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, I think we are moving at the same wavelength. Nobody is against the PPP policy, but what is required is some form of safeguard. I am talking about the legal framework, which actually was acknowledged by the President, when he issued a statement that we required a legal framework. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning also acknowledged this and lobbied for support from hon. Members of Parliament. If we can sort out the legal framework, then we will be moving at the same wavelength.

Madam Speaker, the vision by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, to me, is very blurred. There are a lot of rivers we have to cross. There are a lot of problems. If I may highlight those problems, they could be long or short term, but to me there is no hope. It will take many years to achieve this.

Madam Speaker, I would like to apply this to housing. If you remember, Madam, there was a policy in 1995 regarding the housing backlog of 840,000 units. The Government was supposed to build houses for ten years. They were supposed to build 110,000 housing units each year. That programme should have ended in 2006 but, to date, nothing has been done.

Similarly, there was the Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI), whose first target was 4,000 houses. Again, this was not done. Currently, there is an effort from the private sector to try and build houses.

I note that from the private sector there are some financial institutions and also real estate developers but, still more, I do not see any meaningful achievements in the next twenty years.

Madam Speaker, like I pointed out in the 2007, we would need at least K10 trillion every year for ten years to conquer the housing crisis. That was only based on the low cost houses. This is the reason I am saying that I find this vision very blurred because I cannot see what the hon. Minister is seeing. It is a very big problem. It is a crisis which will take many years to conquer.

Madam Speaker, let me come to the second issue of paved roads. In the same vision, the hon. Minister sees paved roads that do not flood. What I can say is that in order to achieve this, we need to change our attitude towards professionals. We should heed their advice. If they tell us that this project will cost so much, we should give them that amount of money.

A good example is the Kafulafuta/Luanshya Road. If we had listened to the professionals, we were not going to experience what we experienced. The other example which I can give is Chinyunyu Bridge, or better call it culvert. We have seen a lot of adverts from The Road Development Agency (RDA) trying to explain that the problem is not theirs. If the Government had funded that project well, we were not going to have a problem there. I think they had asked for about K2 billion, but they were given about K1.3 billion. What I am saying is that in order to have that vision, let us heed professional advice.

Madam Speaker, the other issue is that of contracts and community mode of construction of schools. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning stated that he will continue using these two methods. I have reservations on the mode of construction when involving the community like I have pointed out many times before. The community needs guidance in terms of materials.

Madam Speaker, I have travelled to a number of provinces since I became a politician. Looking at the materials that are being used which are collected by the people, they are not supposed to be used. For example, they use decayed stones. Obviously, these will affect the lifespan of the buildings. What I am suggesting is that while appreciating the efforts made by the community, let us also look at how we can arrest the use of wrong materials so that we can have buildings that last longer.

Madam Speaker, the next point is on the Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ). When I looked at the front face of the Budget Speech, I wondered what kind of picture that was. To me, it looks as if it is a foreign architecture. We are used to traditional architecture. When you go around Zambia, there is one common architecture left to us by our colonial masters. When I look at his picture, I can see that sooner or later, we will have two cities within a city. We do not want to have different buildings in Zambia. Let us have our traditional architecture left by our colonial masters. I am talking about the Chinese buildings. We do not want to have two cities within a city. I am speaking as a professional and a qualified civil engineer. We do not want to have two cities within a city.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, finally, I want to talk about the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, let me join my fellow hon. Members of Parliament who have spoken about this. I am sure we have all agreed on this. We need an increase. Let it be K1 billion, not K440 million.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Madam Speaker, as pointed out earlier by my fellow hon. Members of Parliament, the beauty with the CDF is that it goes straight to the people.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: This money does not pass through ministries or departments and then disappear.

Laughter

Mr Mooya: It goes straight to the people. In actual fact, and according to my budget for Moomba Parliamentary Constituency, I need K3 billion every year.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Honestly, I am not joking. That is my budget. If any hon. Member of Parliament has to take meaningful development to his or her constituency, he needs at least K3 billion every year for the next ten years.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: Therefore, I am appealing to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to increase the CDF. Let us have at least K1 billion. I, for one, am for K3 billion.

Madam Speaker, we are queuing up for money at the Road Development Agency. We want roads and bridges to be done. Therefore, if money is increased, there will no queue at all.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mooya: We will be doing everything using the CDF. I am, therefore, appealing to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing to come to our aid. We want to hear that it has been increased to K1 billion.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Gender and Women in Development (Ms Changwe): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Motion on the Floor of this House.

Madam Speaker, first of all, I want to register my dismay and disappointment at the inadequacies exhibited in this House by certain hon. Members of Parliament in understanding and appreciating this Budget. There are so many inadequacies.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: It is my perceived opinion that though the Ministry of Finance and National Planning has intelligently constructed his semantics and phraseology, it does not need to take Professor Lungwangwa or Professor Fashion Phiri to simplify the language in this Budget. As far as I am concerned, it is simple and straightforward and very easy to assimilate.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: I really do not subscribe to this unappreciative kind of behaviour exhibited here.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would like to state that when you look at this Budget, the arguments that have been laid on the Floor of this House are that it lacks operational strategies and, maybe, execution procedures. However, I note that in this Budget, the Minister of Finance and National Planning has actually begun, as he addresses each sector, with some kind of rationale or some kind of preamble. The hon. Minister brings to light the past and the present trends in each sector. In addition, he goes further to bring out the challenges and constraints that are exhibited in these sectors.

Madam Speaker, those hecklers seem to be suffering from rheumatism …

Laughter

Ms Changwe: … because they do not understand what I am trying to say.

Laughter

Ms Changwe: Madam, the rationale that the hon. Minister has brought up in each sector is very clear. As such, what I appreciate most, personally, are the constraints. There is the realisation that constraints will always be there for as long as humanity is there. Challenges will always be there too. That is the more reason why the Budget is an annual event because we cannot solve everything within one year.

Therefore, the hostility and apathy towards this Budget is uncalled for. In academia, we call this kind of behaviour or kind of forces as restraining forces. However, the Minister of Finance and National Planning has also put in what we call driving forces that are going to ensure that these restraining forces are suppressed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Hammer!

Ms Changwe: As such, Madam Speaker, these driving forces that I am referring to are the strategies of operationalising the Budget. I do not subscribe to people who are saying the Budget does no explain how things are going to work out, unless somebody is just failing to read in between the lines.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam, as much as we appreciate that there are restraining forces and factors, the strategies that have been put in this Budget will enable this Government to achieve equilibrium in terms of development.

Madam, I am going to address some of these strategies according to each sector.

I note that in the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, as we talk about diversification, there is intra- sector diversification. The Minister of Finance and National Planning has realised that the ministry needs to have intra-sector diversification.

For example, much as we appreciate and see that there is an increase in the overall Budget for this year - in particular the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives - I note that the Government, through His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, decided to come up with another ministry, the Livestock Ministry. In my view, this is some form of diversification. I see that with the formation of this Livestock Ministry, we are going to see effectiveness and efficiency because the Government has realised that if we develop the livestock industry, we will be able to penetrate the export market and, therefore, raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for this country. What arguments are people trying to raise here? I do not understand this kind of thinking.

Madam Speaker, we have been told in the Budget that there is an increase of funds in the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP). Not only is Government increasing allocation to the FSP but it is also reviewing the whole programme …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended, I was actually saying that the Minister of Finance and National Planning has allocated funds towards the FSP. This is a very welcome move especially that he has also proposed to review the FSP. That is acknowledgement enough that there are constraints in the programme. Therefore, for those people who are saying that this programme has failed or the Government is not doing anything about it, I would like to inform them that the Government is very proactive in this matter and is able to address this issue effectively.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would also like to commend the hon. Minister for bringing in the Irrigation Fund so as to reduce the dependence on the rain-fed kind of agriculture.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: For a long time in this country, agriculture has depended on rain, but with the Irrigation Fund in place, it shows that this Government is prepared for any disaster.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: We are very well prepared and know which forces can affect yields. Therefore, the allocation of funds to this programme is a very welcome move. All those proactive and patriotic Zambians who are interested in seeing that agriculture grows must support this.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, this Budget is simple, straightforward and easy to assimilate.

I would also like to commend the Minister of Finance and National Planning for coming up with a fund that is going to help grow the Nansanga Farm Block in Serenje.

Madam Speaker, Central Province is the bread basket of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Therefore, this move must be commended especially that it also incorporated the small-scale farmers besides the large-scale farmers. The Government is very aware and wants to empower the small-scale farmers as well, hence the allocation of this fund towards this programme is very welcome.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to state that the proposal to procure motor bikes and bicycles for our extension officers is also a good move. This Government is committed to ensuring that the rural people benefit from this national cake. That is why the extension officers will be able to reach the remotest parts of this country. Even where there are no big feeder roads, at least, motor bikes and bicycles will be able to reach there.

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would like express my happiness over the increased allocation to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). This will help to strengthen FRA systems and, also, create a steady market for the produce. It will also ensure that at household, community and national levels, there will be food security in this country.

Madam Speaker, to be precise, where I come from in Mkushi, we are not used to relief food. It is only that the forces of nature, which we have no control over, hit us. However, with these programmes in place, this Government is on the right path in terms of agriculture.

Hon. Opposition Members: Going where?

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I wish to talk about tourism which is a vital sector in ensuring a vibrant economy in this country. People have been condemning the issue of revamping Kasaba Bay. Again, I cannot buy into that kind of shallow argument where people are failing to appreciate what the Government is trying to put in place. The same people have been saying that we have lacked development in certain areas. The President took an initiative to go to Kasaba Bay.

Mr Sikazwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Munaile: Hear, hear! Bwekeshapo!

Ms Changwe: It really does not have to be any other person.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: It had to take the President to show seriousness and the fact that the Government is concerned. The President goes there and people start complaining. What kind of thinking is that?

Madam Speaker, Kasaba Bay is earmarked for twelve world class hotels and it is in this House where people are crying over job losses. In religion, we say that when one door is closed, another is opened and this is what the Government is doing. If there is a problem in one sector, the other one should cushion it. How many Zambians will be employed in these world class hotels? People must learn to appreciate what the Government is doing.

Madam Speaker, I now move to health. I am glad that there is a general increase in the allocation to the health sector. We know that we are now in the count down to the Millennium Development Goals. The increase does not need to be 100 per cent but it is good that there is an increase. Madam Speaker, this country is on track in trying to achieve the Millennium Development Goals as they relate to health.

Interruptions

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, that is why the trends of morbidity and mortality are reducing in the country. As the Deputy Minister of Works and Supply said, infant mortality and morbidity, under-five mortality and morbidity and maternal mortality and morbidity have also reduced. If we look back to the 1990s, it was a lost decade in terms of resource inflow into these sectors, but here is a Government that is increasing allocation and proactively working although some people cannot see. Madam Speaker, that is the more reason why they will never take us away from the corridors of power. Madam Speaker, the MMD Government will continue to deliver with these strategies.

Interruptions

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I also want to talk briefly about the allocation to education. If we take a comparative approach to issues, you will see that high income countries like Canada and Korea and some middle income countries like Cuba have managed to grow because of the allocation to the education sector. Madam Speaker, from the three years that I have been following the National Budget, there is an increase in the allocation to the Ministry of Education. Right now, we have about 4.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product going to education and, again, on this one we are on the right track to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, these countries that I alluded to - Canada, Korea and Cuba - because of the investment that they put into education, we are seeing their economies grow. That is what this country is doing through this able Government and so I do not understand why people are failing to see the sense. Increased allocation for infrastructure has continued in the education sector. The Government has put education as priority …

Mr Hamududu: Talk about gender!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I am debating the Budget Speech here and it is not only gender issues that I should talk about and that is why I said that some of these hecklers seem to be misplaced.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! That is why the hon. Deputy Minister should speak through the Chair and concentrate and then other hon. Members will listen but if you look at them, they will want to respond to you. Speak through the Chair and they will listen.

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would like to praise the investment plan that has been put across in the Ministry of Education on construction although one hon. Member here has mixed feelings over the involvement of the communities. As a Government, I would like to say that we would like to empower the community. If there are skilled people in the communities, why should we not use them to construct the schools? Madam Speaker, this is a very good initiative.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would like to praise the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and, indeed, the Government for coming up with a programme to upgrade Nkrumah and Copperbelt Secondary Teachers’ College (COSETCO) into university colleges. Madam Speaker, the role that education plays in development cannot be underscored. An educated population raises its earning power and when this is done, the tax base for the Government is also increased because the Government will be able to raise revenue from these highly paid people who will come out of these institutions. I feel it is an initiative that should be commended because we have not seen it in the many years that have passed but here we are with three public universities and two university colleges coming up.

Madam Speaker, I now move to water and sanitation. Again, I am very disappointed. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has actually placed, on centre stage, Lusaka, Chambishi, Kitwe and Kalulushi as areas that will be well funded in order to improve water and sanitation. Are these MMD strongholds? Let us learn to appreciate. Some people have been accusing the Government of taking development where they are popular, but I can say that with this kind of attitude, we will ensure that in 2011, these people do not come back to this House because the MMD will take over those areas because of these programmes. It is clear that this kind of investment is out to show that this Government is working.

Madam Speaker, I also want to appreciate the allocation that has gone towards the Constituency Development Fund. Madam Speaker, much as everybody is crying for an increase, I also feel and appreciate that there is need to develop the country but, as I said, we are operating within what is there. If there is a possibility of increasing the amount, then that is well and good because all of us want development. So, what those hon. Members are saying, that we need development, is true and I support that.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, I would like to end my contribution to the debate by saying that this budget is gender responsive because all the issues that I have highlighted are not only for women or men but for the development of Zambians.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Changwe: Madam Speaker, as I said in my last debate, this Government will continue to ensure that all the programmes, projects and budgets at every level will take into consideration the equitable distribution of resources. Madam Speaker, even the budget that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has brought to this House and, indeed, to the nation is gender responsive and, to this effect, I would like all hon. Members to support the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and, indeed, the Government for the good work that we are doing. This budget has shown that we are on track and we are going to operationalise whatever is in this budget for the development of the country.

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

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika (Kawambwa): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to address a few issues on this important Motion. Before I do that allow me to appreciate your leadership together with your management team.

Madam Speaker, it is not easy to provide able leadership to one hundred and fifty-eight hon. Members coming from diverse arrangements. Madam Speaker, to be specific we come from three hundred and sixteen different parents and so it is not easy. It can sometimes be messy.

Madam Speaker, allow me to welcome Dr Kawimbe, who is our Provincial Minister to Luapula Province.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: We, the people of Luapula Province, will give our hon. Minister a lot of support.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: We will give him a lot of space in which to operate because we are thirsty for development. We all want to develop. Hon. Minister, we are not going to walk, but we will run with you.

Madam Speaker, coming back to the Motion, the opening of Parliament by the President and, indeed, the Budget Speech presentations in this House bring a lot of expectations. Last year, I remember calling both the Presidential speech and the budget presentation as promissory notes to the eleven million people of Zambia. Yes, we saw a number of projects being done whilst others were not done. If the Government is not committed, especially in the release of funds and, indeed, implementation of projects, the situation may not improve even this year. The theme for this year, “Enhancing Growth Through Competitiveness and Diversification,” is what this economy requires. We should move away from dependence on the mining sector and for this we commend Government.

However, Madam Speaker, allow me to mention that this theme will be meaningless if the managers that the Zambian people have mandated to look after their resources to improve the road infrastructure, go to sleep. This theme will be meaningless. There are so many challenges and it requires hard working hon. Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Directors and the effort of everyone to ensure that this country is transformed into a country we shall all be proud of.

Madam Speaker, if I had the opportunity to prioritise the sectors for public finance, right now, although I know that this is subject to debate, if I was given the opportunity to prioritise, as a development analyst, I would give a bigger chunk of the money to infrastructure development. Why am I saying so? If we open up all the rural areas with all-weather roads, we shall be able to move goods and services throughout the country at a faster rate. The issue of education, health and tourism would all fall in place, if we did that. As people from Luapula, we appreciate the commissioning of the Pedicle Road Bridge and we are looking forward to having a tarred road in the pedicle to connect the Copperbelt to Luapula and Northern provinces. After doing the Pedicle Road, we expect that the Zambian Government …

Hon. Opposition Member: It is a white elephant.

Ms Chitika: Excuse me! We expect that the Zambian Government will be able to further open up the province. I am talking about the Kawambwa/Mansa Road. This is a plateau road that will be able to connect the Luapula Province further into the Northern Province. On this road, people grow a lot of maize, cassava, beans and it all goes to waste because of the bad road network. If this road is tarred, hon. Members in Mporokoso, Kaputa and even Senga Hill will not need to pass through Kasama because they will be able to pass through Mansa into Kawambwa to their respective places without any problems.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: Madam Speaker, coming back to the Luena Farm Block, this is a project that has been on the drawing board dating back to the days of UNIP and nothing has been done in this farm block. Surprisingly, the money that was released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives to go and develop the Luena Farm Block in Kawambwa District - K3.2 billion - instead of it getting to Kawambwa, it ended up at the Nansanga Farm Block.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: Madam Speaker, we are not saying that it is wrong for it to have gone there at this time, but what we are simply saying is that this is a project that was started a long time ago. How come when the money is released to go to Kawambwa, it ends up in Nansanga? The people of Kawambwa are asking so many questions. They are actually saying that the K3.2 billion is a loan to the Central Province. We need that money back to open up the Luena Farm Block. We have failed to attract both foreign and local investors because the place has not been opened up.

Madam Speaker, coming to the Kawambwa Tea Company, I know that you will tell me that is a private company. Yes, it is a private company today, but it is a company that came into being using public finance.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: We expect that the Government should be able to take a keen interest to see and monitor what is happening at this estate.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: It is a thorny issue for many people in Kawambwa and the surrounding areas. My heart bleeds. Last year, when Hon. Cecil Holmes, former hon. Minister for Presidential Affairs, visited the tea company, he simply broke down. I told him that the problems in the tea company required Government intervention. Crying will not be able to resolve the problems in Kawambwa.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: I am appealing on behalf of the thousands people, the workers, who have been turned into destitutes. The company has been mismanaged. I am appealing to the Government to look into the issues of the Kawambwa Tea Company before it collapses.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chitika: Madam Speaker, the company makes almost US$25,000 per day. Casual workers picked close to twenty-five tonnes of tea in a day. Once that is sold, it translates into US$20,000 -$25,000 per day. How can a company with such huge income fail to pay workers for close to one year and the Government is just watching. National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) contributions have not been remitted for the workers since these investors bought this estate. Even Pay-As-You-Earn for the workers and corporate tax has not been paid. Meanwhile, the Government is watching. They have huge loans obtained from Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) which they cannot pay back. This is another case of Zambian Airways. Therefore, I am appealing, once again, that the Government should look into the issue of Kawambwa Tea Company.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Speaker, lastly, I would like to comment on the CDF, which all the hon. Members here have talked about. It is only a few months ago when were told that this amount would be increased to K1 billion. The CDF is the only programme that enables us to do projects in rural areas and is also the only fund that has an effective impact on ordinary Zambians. Other hon. Members have already emphasised the importance of this fund.

Madam Speaker, you may be interested to know that I am standing here because of this fund. I went back to Kawambwa to reclaim my Parliamentary seat because people associated me with the projects that I did using the slush fund as well as the CDF. People remembered my efforts and this is why I am here today. I am sure that most of the hon. Members of Parliament in here are associated with this programme because of what they are doing using this fund. This is a well-meant fund from the Government. I know that my elder brother, Dr Musokotwane, has heard the appeals by hon. Members to increase the allocation to CDF, and we expect him to do something about this.

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

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Health (Mr Akakandelwa): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to debate the Motion on the Floor of the House. From the onset, I want to state that I support the Budget Speech. I would like to join other colleagues that have laid their various contributions in support of this year’s Budget. I applaud all those that have appreciated the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning’s Budget Speech. Truly, it is a good piece of work and it is not by coincidence that it is coming from a very fine mind and team. I, therefore, say congratulations to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Akakandelwa: Even if the Budget has sent tantrums in some circles, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning deserves to be commended. The Budget has come at a time when the world is experiencing serious financial problems but this Budget is in sync with the Fifth National Development Plan and Vision 2030.

Madam Speaker, such a good Budget cannot run short of commentators. The ‘talking industry’ in Zambia has advanced to levels that are unprecedented.

Laughter

Mr Akakandelwa: We have commentators that range from authorities to outright quacks.

Laughter

Mr Akakandelwa: Some commentaries are genuine …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Withdraw the word ‘quacks’.

Interjections

Mr Akakandelwa: Madam Speaker, I withdraw the word ‘quacks’ and substitute it with ‘less knowledgeable’ …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Akakandelwa: … or ‘uninformed’.

Hon. PF Member: Who are you to say that?

Mr Akakandelwa: Some contributions are genuine and understandable but others are obviously coming from surrogates who are parroting certain …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Minister must use the correct words.

Mr Muyanda: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Can, please, you moderate your own speech and use the correct words?

Mr Akakandelwa: Madam Speaker, I thank you for your guidance. Some of the contributions being made on the Floor are obviously not based on the views of the people that are debating this Budget. We know that these are sponsored positions and they have been asked to come and say these things on the Floor of the House against their own conscience. Others are opposing because doing so is their first mandate in this House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Akakandelwa: There are those who suffer from what I call ‘unconscious incompetence’.

Interruptions

Mr Akakandelwa: Nevertheless, we shall accept them because that is what democracy entails.

Madam Speaker, what is important is that the hon. Minister is projecting optimism. He wants the economy of this country to grow by 5 per cent, reduce inflation to 10 per cent from the current 16 per cent and address all those other macro economic factors that need to be managed. On this side of the House, losing hope is not an option.

Madam Speaker, let me also thank the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for giving the Ministry of Health K1.8 trillion or about 12 per cent of the Budget. This is appreciated because it is closer to the 15 per cent in the Abuja Declaration that African countries are supposed to allocate to their ministries of health. This is, indeed, commendable.

I also thank the co-operating partners without whose support my ministry and this Government, were going to fail to raise resources allocated in the Budget. Again, this is a sign of good governance and it is because of this that the co-operating partners are coming on board.

Madam Speaker, I will now turn to my ministry. A number of my colleagues have debated very widely on the Ministry of Health. This is a good sign and indicates that the ministry is delivering. It is also commendable. This is not to say that we have no challenges as a ministry. Our main challenge is in the human resource area where we have only 50 per cent or slightly more staff in service. However, this Government is on a recruitment drive which is on going.

Madam Speaker, we are also aware of the accommodation problems that the ministry is facing, particularly in Lusaka. So this ministry has undertaken, this year, to start constructing accommodation for doctors, nurse and paramedics. We shall start with the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and progressively cover other areas, the budget allowing.

Madam Speaker, in the area of infrastructure, this House has acknowledged the strides made towards the construction of district hospitals, rural health centres, clinics, health posts and so on and so forth. Again, this is in line with our resolve to take health services to as near the consumers, or populace, as possible.

Madam Speaker, in the area of hospital equipment, the ministry is procuring state-of-the-art equipment and some of it is being delivered right now. This should help us manage our cases in medical centres and institutions satisfactorily and give the operators - doctors and nurses - satisfaction as they will be using equipment that makes their work much easier.

Madam Speaker, I would like to now talk about the new Cancer Disease Hospital in Lusaka. This, I must state is another first for Zambia and the region. This hospital does not only cater for Zambia, as the situation is proving to be, because of its success. We are attracting patients from the region. This is commendable because this Government is delivering.

In the area of transport, last year, we delivered utility vehicles as well as ambulances to most districts, provincial health centres, provincial health administration offices, district health administration offices and nursing schools.

Madam Speaker, last Friday, I was flagging off thirty-three more vehicles to all those areas that did not receive transport. In addition, we are alive to the fact that Zambia has massive water bodies which require motor boats. Twelve boats have been procured and are sitting at the ministry awaiting dispatch to various areas that need these facilities.

Madam Speaker, we have a disease burden in Zambia and on top of that disease burden is cholera, which as we have said, on the Floor of this House, is a disease that should easily be manageable by encouraging hon. Members of Parliament to talk to their constituents to observe simple rules of hygiene.

Madam Speaker, we have diseases of poverty like tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and malnutrition. The Government is tackling this in various ways in trying to mitigate the impact of these diseases.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Health cannot and is not meant, by itself, to manage the disease or health burden in Zambia. It needs the collaboration of other ministries and these include the ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives. I am happy that these ministries have been properly funded because if there are inputs, agriculture is supposed to nourish the nation. With a healthy nation, the disease burden is lessened.

The Ministry of Education, I suppose has got the biggest share of the National Budget and they deserve it. These, too, are necessary in health delivery because, with education, illiteracy should be no more and knowledge should be the in thing. With knowledge, a lot of these diseases can either be prevented, or literature available for treatment can easily be read and understood.

The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources also comes on board in the area of sustainable management of land. I wish to remind the House that Africa should be a continent of the future. Therefore, if this land is sustainably managed, then we know that we have a healthy future.

The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services also comes on board because they are the people that are close to the communities in which we live.

Madam Speaker, let me solicit hon. Members of this House to exhibit leadership and thus support this budget because by supporting it, you are supporting the Government of the day and there is only one Government of the day, and that is the MMD.

I thank you Madam.

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

The Deputy Minister of Community Development and Social Services (Mr Malwa): Madam Speaker, I would like to add my voice to the Budget Speech which was presented by the able Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, and I thank him for the professional manner in which it was presented. I would also like to thank the move and seconder, Hon. Clever Silavwe, Member of Parliament for Nakonde Constituency and Hon. Gary Nkombo, Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central, respectively.

Madam Speaker, allow me to say a few words of gratitude to the Head of State, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, for the victory he won as President of the Republic of Zambia, and also his appointment as Acting President of the ruling party, the MMD. I would also like to congratulate His Honour the Vice-President on his appointment as Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, and as National Trustee of the MMD National Executive Committee.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for the efficient and impartial manner in which you preside over the affairs of this august House. I allude the same words to the Speaker, Hon. Amusaa Mwanamwambwa and the hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House for the effective fast forward steering of this Budget and other respective committees.

Prevailing of Global Economic Crisis

Madam Speaker, even though the global economic crisis has not spared Zambia, the Government of Zambia is doing everything possible to address the prevailing economic strain to safeguard the people of Zambia as outlined in the Budget Speech presented by Dr Musokotwane. People should not politicise the global economic crisis.

Madam Speaker, as a Government, we expect concerted efforts of hard work from all hon. Opposition Members of Parliament and stakeholders together with all citizens of Zambia. We are all expected to drive our economy forward because we all have a pivotal role to play in creating a conducive environment for poverty reduction in every part of our country, Zambia.

Agriculture

Madam Speaker, there is also an urgent need to accelerate diversification gradually from copper to agriculture as per the Budget theme of 2009 which is ‘Enhancing Growth through Competitive and Diversification.’

Madam Speaker, in order to reduce poverty, this listening Government targeted an average annual growth rate of 7 per cent over the Fifth National Development Plan, hence diversification to the agricultural sector as our mainstay. The copper mining sector in Zambia will also continue to play an important role as we gradually improve national resources which will, in turn, improve our economy through copper production. If you give it a thought, the agricultural sector employs the largest number of the labour force, hence it creates and maximises food security and alleviates hunger and poverty in our country.

Fertiliser Support Programme

Madam Speaker, this listening Government subsidised heavily, up to 70 per cent, the Fertiliser Support Programme. This means that fertiliser cost only K50,000 per 50 kilogram bag whilst the retail price of the same bag had been over K250,000 .

Madam Speaker, we are aware that some people in the Opposition are frustrating the Government on the Fertiliser Support Programme. The government means well to all small-scale farmers.

Interruptions

Mr Malwa: Some of you, hon. Opposition Members, please, ensure that you give guidance and sensitise the people we represent and inform them that frustrating the Government’s effort is very retrogressive and it is like biting the finger that feeds you.

Attendance of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC)

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, our colleagues in the Opposition should appreciate the delivery of developmental programmes the Government is doing for the people of Zambia to fulfill its promises. As for the NCC, it is not fair for some of our colleagues in the Patriotic Front to boycott attending the NCC which means well to the Zambian people whom we represent in this august House and from our respective constituencies.

The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Mandate

Madam Speaker, the MMD Government is very mindful about the welfare of our children because youths comprise more than 60 per cent of our population of 11.5 million people in Zambia. As Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, we are pleased to have been allocated a sum of K62.7 billion. Youths are our future leaders. Each hon. Member in this august House has biological children or dependants and these children deserve care, attention and support. Hence, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services plays a pivotal role because we are mandated to render services to the vulnerable people including street children from vulnerable parents. We are also mandated to look after the blind people’s affairs, the disabled and the aged. I, therefore, tender my appeal to hon. Members of Parliament…

Mr Shakafuswa: Especially Hon. Kambwili.

Mr Malwa: … that the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Budget will come into this House and need their support.

The Government will also present the Zambia Council for the Child Bill for consideration by this august House this year. I know that this is under the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, but I believe we will also support this Bill because it borders on and will work into the plight of our children in Zambia who are our future leaders. As a Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, we will definitely support this Bill.

Madam Speaker, some of the skills undertaken by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services are the Cash Transfer Scheme. We invited hon. Members of Parliament to a workshop and the response was overwhelming. This scheme protects the child when removing him from the streets. The programme by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has also bought thirty-eight vehicles, at the cost of K1.9 billion, to be distributed in the districts to curb the scourge of child abuse and other vices like social abuse and child labour. The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has also procured fifty motor cycles which will help to monitor the maximisation of food security.

The late Son of Africa and Zambia

Madam Speaker, I cannot present my Budget Speech without, indeed, mentioning that August, 2008 was a sad month and year due to the passing on of our dear late Head of State, President Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, who served as a Member of Parliament in this august House, at one time, in representing the people of Chifubu Constituency in Ndola, on the Copperbelt, and later became Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, and finally became the Head of State for seven years until his demise. May His Soul Rest in Peace.

The tape-recorded words of the late - the dead do not speak but he spoke and I recall his words in his farewell recorded tape. He requested all those friends, relatives and workmates who thought they were wronged, during his tenure of national duties, to forgive him and I hope that the nation at large and some hon. Members of this august House got this message and forgave him from the bottom of their hearts. However, if some did not forgive him, we must remember that at one time or another, we will succumb to the Lord’s call and after all, we are all heading there. Hence, let us learn to forgive one another seventy-five times seventy-five as it biblically stipulates.

Interruptions

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, as a listening MMD Government, the royal highnesses countrywide requested the Government to buy them vehicles on loan to help them monitor developmental projects in their respective palaces and chiefdoms. The Government bought 150 vehicles for chiefs and the remaining 136 vehicles for chiefs will be bought for the gazetted chiefs only. The total will come to 286 gazetted chiefs in the country. Surely, the Opposition cannot see and appreciate what the MMD Government is doing to improve the mobility of chiefs. If the chiefs have appreciated, why should hon. Members in the Opposition, especially the Patriotic Front, fail to appreciate and only oppose when you have completely nothing to offer?

Gender

Mr Malwa: The MMD Government is very mindful of gender matters because of the significant role which our mothers and spouses play. As you know, our women are the majority voters. Hence, the MMD Government is committed to increasing the number of female representation in decision-making positions because the current women in decision-making positions have proved very dedicated to duty and are corrupt free. For example, Madam Speaker, you are excellent in this august House in the manner in which…

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Do not draw the Chair into that wonderful debate. Move on to other issues.

May you, please, continue?

Mr Malwa: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for the advice.

The Auditor-General is excellent.

Interruptions

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, let me leave that out as I have been guided. Surely, some hon. Members, especially in the Opposition, should appreciate the good gender policies being implemented by the MMD Government. The women appreciate, but men, especially in the Opposition, want to criticise because they are afraid that women will now surprise them in places of work. This is especially so of the Patriotic Front. Wake up!

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! When you continue on that path, you will attract other people to respond directly to you. Can you, please, debate through the Chair?

Please, continue.

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, I am propounding because they also propounded to us.

Madam Speaker, the Office of the Vice-President under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has been distributing relief food to the affected and vulnerable people throughout the country but, even with all these efforts made by the Government, our colleagues in the Opposition are busy politicising when our people are receiving relief food.

Madam Speaker, some hon. Members in the Opposition should inform the people in their respective constituencies that it is not possible for people to depend on relief food. The meaning of relief food is to mitigate the situation by giving out a few handouts during a crisis, but this should be for a short period. People should be told not to sell their maize after harvest. Do not buy Fuso and Canter trucks and later start asking for relief food when you had a bumper harvest.

Madam Speaker, spoon feeding makes people lazy. Hence it is not right to gain political mileage out of relief food. It is the MMD Government’s obligation to distribute relief food to hunger-stricken areas countrywide and the Government is seriously implementing this measure.

Madam Speaker, our listening Government reduced the price of fuel. This is a very good move because the reduction of the price of fuel has brought a chain reaction which has brought relief to commuters of minibuses at Inter-City Bus Terminus, locally, and other routes throughout the country. Please, praise the MMD Government’s leadership when it is delivering to the nation. We need to be commended. Do not just criticise for the sake of being in the Opposition without even offering any creative ideas.

Madam Speaker, as a listening MMD Government, on the CDF, we have increased it from K60 million, K200 million, K400 million and, now, to K450 million. The hon. Members in the Opposition now want to politicise the CDF.

Mr Kambwili: Question!

Mr Malwa: Hon. Kambwili and Hon. Mwila have been threatening to walk out if the Executive does not increase the CDF in this Budget. We are sorry, Hon. Kambwili and Hon. Mwila. We do not work on intimidation. You will walk out if you like, but as a Government, we will remain in this House and decide what is best.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Hon. Minister, please, moderate yourself.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Do not provoke or incite hon. Members to walk out. Speak on the issues without telling other hon. Members to walk out. They are also hon. Members of this House.

Interruptions

Mr Malwa: I thank you, Madam Speaker, for that guidance.

Madam Speaker, we only have one Head of State who is Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, the President of the Republic Zambia. Some of you are very disrespectful even where you come from. You even call the Head of State as ‘Rupiah Banda’, as if he is your friend.

Laughter

Mr Malwa: You should remember that you are not even anywhere near being a Cabinet or Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development which you dream of day and night. Please, note that you will never ever be Head of State in your life time.

Laughter

Mr Malwa: You prefer calling other people as presidents with small ‘ps’ in your party.

Laughter

Mr Malwa: You must address the Head of State as the President of the Republic of Zambia, with a big ‘P’, as he has been voted for by the people of Zambia.

Laughter

Mr Malwa: .When you, colleagues, lose elections, learn to concede defeat.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, let me remind my colleagues, especially in the Opposition, that in 2001, 2006 and 2008 they lost and did not concede defeat. In 2011, we will meet again in the battle field …

Laughter

Mr Malwa: … and we shall win. You will lose to the tune that you will never ever forget.

Mr Kambwili: Naukolwa. Ulichabwalwa fye iwe.

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, with regard to the developmental promises being accomplished, the people of Zambia have seen what the MMD Government has done for them and will vote the MMD back into power because the Opposition have nothing to offer the people of Zambia. All developmental projects which are in your respective constituencies have been spearheaded and completed by the MMD Government.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Malwa: The MMD Government has the capacity, the power and the resources to bring development to the people of Zambia.

Madam Speaker, the people of Kapiri Mposhi are proud of the MMD Government because the Rural Electrification Programme is being implemented and rural areas are being connected to the National Grid.

Madam Speaker, there is more good news regarding the funding at the University of Zambia (UNZA), Copperbelt University (CBU) and Mulungushi University.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, the people of Kapiri Mposhi Constituency are proud to host the Mulungushi University and wish to thank Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, for allocating funds to the university which is open to students from throughout the country.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Malwa: We are also pleased that Kapiri Mposhi will soon have 200 kilometres of the Mpunde /Ngabwe Road done.

Mr Ndalamei: We shall give you.

Mr Malwa: Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I thank the people of Kapiri Mposhi Constituency, once more, who gave me the highest 26 votes to represent them in this august House.

Hon. Members: 26?

Mr Malwa: 26,000 votes.

Madam Speaker, our appeal to fellow Zambians and the Opposition is to unite with the MMD, work hard and build a prosperous nation for the people of Zambia whom we serve. We need all the people.

Long live Zambia, long live the MMD.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Members should remember that no one should chant political slogans in the House.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: This House is not for political slogans.

Mr Msichili (Kabushi): I thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to debate the Budget Speech which was presented to this House on 30th January, 2009.

Firstly, I wish to congratulate Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: … on his appointment as hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning. We look forward to utilising your immense knowledge and we can only assure you of our support especially, …

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: … when you increase the CDF.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, I know the hon. Minister had to work under difficult conditions in preparing this Budget, especially that it was only a few weeks after his appointment.

Madam, I note with gratitude that this Budget has attempted to address quite a number of issues at hand. Unfortunately, I also note that it has maintained the traditional format.

Madam Speaker, we need to depart from this current scenario to a system which demands that our Budget emphasises value for money.

Madam Speaker, we need a critical examination of each Budget item so that we eliminate some of those which have outlived their usefulness. It is for this reason that we are urging the new hon. Minister to take charge of this ministry so that we do not have the global economic meltdown as a scapegoat to the problems.

Madam Speaker, allow me, also, to congratulate or commend the current hon. Minister’s predecessor for a job well done when he was hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: I must also commend him in the manner in which he has settled down in his new seat in the Nakuzingwa Bench.

Laughter

Dr Machungwa: Gonakuzingwa!

Mr Msichili: Madam, I must acknowledge that during his time, there was a slight registration of achievement and, therefore, the new hon. Minister should have no excuse as regards where to start from.

Mr ‘HIPC’as he is popularly known, came to this House and told all Members of the House to tighten up their belts, which we did for a long time. Fortunately, we attained the HIPC Completion Point.

However, I am surprised that in his handover notes, he did not mention, to the new hon. Minister, how we should now loosen our belts. As I speak, I am belt poor because the belt snapped.

Laughter

Hon. Members: Hammer!

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, I would like to comment on the Budget Speech now. The hon. Minister has made an attempt to reduce the dependence on foreign assistance.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! We expect concentration from the Government side for them to be able to respond to the concerns of the hon. Member on the Floor. Can hon. Members of the Government, please, lower their voices? May the hon. Member, continue, please?

Mr Chongo: Hammer!

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, I was saying that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has attempted to reduce dependence on foreign assistance. This is to justify our economic independence. This trend should continue and we will give him all the support that he will require.

However, the 2008 Budget had some shortfalls in the inflow of foreign funding. That is why I think that with the current global economic problems, we may not be able to receive the expected amounts, which the donor community has pledged, in full. Therefore, the hon. Minister should have come up with measures that could have closed the gap in case such a thing happened.

Madam Speaker, the theme of the Budget is “Enhancing Growth Through Competitiveness and Diversification”. I would like to talk about diversification. The way forward for our economic problems is diversification. It is stated that, “Once beaten, twice shy”. This saying has been ignored for many years because we have seen that our economic resource, which is copper, has let us down. Once again, we have been let down by the copper prices, but we do not seem to learn. This is the time that the new hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning should come in to address some of these issues. However, looking at the measures which the hon. Minister has proposed and once they come into effect, we believe that this is a step in the right direction. Let us emulate out colleagues in the United States of America (USA) who, once they have a national crisis, come together and pull in one direction to sort out that issue. This is our time, as well, in this country to look in that direction.

Madam Speaker, agriculture should be considered as the mainstay of any economy. The allocation of K196 billion, which represents 7 per cent of the total Budget, is a slight, but significant improvement over the 2008 Budget. I am looking at the amount that was allocated for irrigation. This amount is not adequate. I recall the drought of 2001 which was the worst in 100 years. This drought should have taught us a lot of things on how we should have proceeded with irrigation. We should have put more emphasis on irrigation. What would happen if, for instance, we had a drought similar to that of 2001? I am sure you have noticed that although we are receiving good rains, we are still have shortfalls on mealie-meal. What if we had a drought? What is going to happen to this country?

Mr Chongo: Kufwafye!

Mr Msichili: Let us allocate more resources to this sector, especially on irrigation.

Madam Speaker, let me say something about tourism. I think the hon. Minister should come up with seminars that will change the mindset of Zambians who only think that tourists are those people who come from outside the country. I would like to say that we can also be tourists. The K77 billion allocated to this sector will not produce the desired results. There are a lot of things that should go with tourism. For example, Zambia needs an airline that will promote tourism. Unfortunately, even the airline that we had, in this country, has been closed.

Madam Speaker, I also wish to emphasise that there should be investment in infrastructure. We are happy to hear that the Mbala Airport was given some money for rehabilitation, but look at Ndola Airport which is an international airport. The infrastructure at Ndola Airport is bad although this Budget has nothing for the it. This is a big worry for Ndola residents. The City of Ndola is the hub of the Copperbelt Province. Ndola Airport is now even catering for the North-Western Province. As a result, North-Western Province has now become part of the Copperbelt Province. Therefore, the infrastructure at the airport should be that of international standards.

Madam Speaker, like many Zambians, my salary and businesses have been affected by the tax regime. That is why I would like to see that the people I represent, in Kabushi Parliamentary Constituency, benefit from the high taxes that we are paying. The state of the roads in my constituency is terrible. Time and again, I have made serious appeals to the Government, but it seems nothing is being done. Chambishi Road, in my constituency, runs from Mine Masala to Lubuto and it is only a stretch of about 6 kilometres, but year in year out, people have been crying for this road to be rehabilitated.

Madam, I did not wish to say this, again, but I will say it. I want to say that Lusaka is not Zambia …

Mrs Masebo: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: … and Zambia is not Lusaka. Therefore, whatever funds are there, they must be shared equally so that development in Lusaka and other places is done at the same time. I am emphasising that funds must be distributed equally.

Madam Speaker, I do not know whether this is a new culture for this Government. The hon. Minister of Works and Supply inspects roads at night.

Laughter

Mr Msichili: At midnight for that matter.

Mr Chongo: Bomfwila kumakasa!

Mr Msichili: You will notice that the hon. Minister is clad in a Pierre Cardin suit while trying to hit on the road. Is this a new culture? We need engineers to inspect these roads during the day because it would be difficult for them to see or assess the quality of the works at night.

Madam Speaker, when I came to this Parliament, ring roads were the talk on every lip in this House. People wanted ring roads, especially in Lusaka and other areas. Unfortunately, this talk has now died.

We do not hear about this issue any more. It is worrying to see the traffic congestion that is in town. I am afraid, in the next five years, it will be impossible to drive on these roads in Lusaka. Almost 10,000 vehicles are imported every month and we are not constructing any new roads or making any alternative roads.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, this is a very sad situation. Therefore, as the hon. Minister responds, I want him to probably educate me on the toll gates. Why are we not coming up with this idea? Zambians are willing to pay at these toll gates. This means that we will have good roads by the end of the day.

Madam Speaker, I want to talk about electrification. The Government did start a programme in my constituency just before elections and the day the results were announced, the works stopped. I therefore, urge the Government to come back and finish the project that they had started.

Madam, for the first time in the history of this country, we have actually seen a reduction in the fuel prices. We commend the Government for this move and they should go ahead. After forty-three years of independence, it is sad that in places like Chinsali, there is no filling station. Now, they have put a college there. How do you expect people to be going to that college and back? The next time, you will hear that the hon. Deputy Minister of Finance and National Planning is stuck because there is no fuel in Chinsali.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, I am happy to report that my constituency has benefited from the houses which are being built for the police countrywide. When these programmes are commencing, we need the hon. Ministers to inform the area hon. Members of Parliament that the project is starting. When I went to my constituency, I was surprised to find that houses were almost at roof level and I did not know that something was going on.

Laughter

Mr Msichili: Therefore, in future, even if the hon. Minister is handing over, you should invite us, as hon. Members of Parliament, so that we are able to witness this as well.

Madam Speaker, even if we are saying that Lusaka is not Zambia, look at how many modern markets are in Lusaka. In other areas, no such markets have been built. Therefore, we request that even in other areas, these modern markets should be built.

Madam, let me mention a few things on the issue of street kids. It is sad that, again, we are seeing street kids on the streets, especially at Manda Hill. Hon. Minister of Community Development and Social Services, your predecessor managed to remove these street kids from the streets without a problem. The new hon. Minister should look into this issue seriously because, already, it is becoming dangerous to pass through Manda Hill at night.

Madam, I also think that the invitation of party cadres to accompany the President on Presidential foreign strips is costly. That is taxpayers’ money. If the President wishes to take people on his trip, for example, the recent trip to Tanzania, he can pick one or two hon. Members of Parliament from one of the committees in this House such as the Committee on Communications.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Debate other issues. You may not tell the President who to move with. It is not our role here.

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, lastly, I would like to convey my condolences over the death of the Voice of Kanchibiya. We had the Voice of Kanchibiya which we are missing in this House. The late Hon. Kanyanyamina was popularly known as the Speaker’s son because each time he indicated, he would always catch the Speaker’s eye. May His Soul Rest In Peace.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Msichili: Madam Speaker, the CDF should also be increased. If this is done, we shall also increase our support for you.

With those few words, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa (Mporokoso): Madam Speaker, I am sorry my voice is not clear because I am sick.

Interruptions

Mr Misapa: I thank you for allowing me to add my voice to the speech that was presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam, in the first place, I would like to talk about the Northern Circuit. By this, I mean the Mporokoso/Kaputa corridors. This place is heavily talked about in terms of tourism. We really appreciate that people have now focused on that area.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: We are, therefore, requesting the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to consider increasing money allocated to tourism. We know very well that the tourists will not just land at Kasama Airport and end there. They will need to go by road so that they appreciate seeing the natural features of that area. There are plenty of things, young man, before you reach Kaputa…

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The Chair cannot see any young man. The Chair is not a young man.

Laughter

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, I withdraw the phrase, ‘young man’.

Madam Speaker, as you travel from Kasama to Kaputa, there are so many natural features that can be seen. There is one feature that is between Kasama and Mporokoso. There is stone which is called, ‘ilibwe lya munsoli’.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: This means that it is a whistling stone. It is a point of attraction and it entertains a lot of people who go there.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, it is quite entertaining and would attract a number of tourists. As a nation, we would make a lot of money from this. As you go further to Mporokoso, you will find about eleven waterfalls. The three popular ones are Lumangwe Falls, Kabwelume Falls and Kundabwika Falls. In this regard, definitely, a tourist would leave something for the nation.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, as we go further, we enter Kaputa District where there are good and natural national parks.

Mr. Sikazwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: The parks are natural with very big and beautiful lakes. We have Lakes Tanganyika and Mweru Wantipa, with a lot of beautiful natural features. Therefore, if the road from Kasama via Mporokoso to Kaputa was tarred …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: …we would definitely see true tourism.

Mr Munaile: Bwekeshenipo bakalamba!

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, I would like to inform our new hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning that Kaputa and Mporokoso districts exist and are positioned beautifully and can definitely bring in foreign exchange to this county.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, I would also like to talk about the issue of health in Mporokoso. We are very thankful to the Government for a very good hospital and a good number of motor vehicles.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: However, we have one problem. We do not have enough medical personnel, especially doctors. We have only one doctor who caters for all the people from Kaputa District and Mwange Refugee Camp. You can see, therefore, that the doctor is overworked. What is needed is more money from the Ministry of Health …

Hon. Member: More money?

Laughter

Mr Misapa: …so that we can have enough medical doctors.

Madam Speaker, to emphasise that point, I would like to inform the hon. Minister that most doctors shun away from rural areas because of the non-availability of the rural hardship allowance. If at all it exists, we would like to request the hon. Minister to increase the allowance to attract the younger medical officers to give their services to the people in rural areas.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, I would like to end my debate by talking about the CDF.

Mr. Munaile: Aah! Inshita eko ili mudala naiwe.

Mr Misapa: Hon. Minister, you will hear about the CDF like a song in this House. There are reasons people think the CDF should be increased. A constituency is divided into small areas called wards. There is no ward with less than 20,000 people, inclusive of babies.

Hon. Members: Hear. Hear!

Hon. Opposition Member: Not electorates.

Mr Misapa: Madam Speaker, you will note that if a constituency is given K400 million and it has six wards, we expect each ward to have K67 million per year. If a constituency has ten wards, we expect each ward to receive K40 million per year and if it has 20 wards, we expect it to only receive K20 million per year.

Hon. Munaile: Ufumyeko na administrative mudala.

Mr Misapa: These amounts are inclusive of the administrative fees. If we subtract administrative fees, the money will be far less. It is on this basis that we are requesting more funding so that our people can benefit from whatever monies we have in this nation.

Madam Speaker, I would like to propose that the money for the Citizenship Economic Empowerment Fund, which has good intentions, be transferred to CDF. Getting hold of that money is a problem because of the conditions that have been attached to it. We hope that the money could be lifted from that coffer and allocated as CDF so that it may serve Zambians. We hope that our listening Government will see how to maneuver and help the people.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I beg to move.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Kachimba): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to add my voice to the many that have already debated.

Mr Mukanga: On a point of order, Madam

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mukanga: Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to raise a point of order. Is the hon. Minister for Southern Province in order to write a note which I discovered on my table, directed to the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing, which reads and I quote:

“Before your predecessor left the ministry, I had made submissions of two names for inclusion on the Southern Water and Sewerage Board. The names are Mr Kasongole of Livingstone and Mr Enoch Kasonkomona of Choma. Do you have any information on these? These are strong MMD supporters”.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Mukanga: Madam Speaker, I need your serious ruling because we have Cholera in this country, and we need technical staff on these boards of water and sewerage companies. Is this Government in order to bring in cadres to solve our problems? I need your serious ruling.

Mr Mukanga laid the paper on the Table.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. MMD Member: Kabwalala iwe!

Madam Deputy Speaker: To start with, the Chair is actually surprised by that point of order. I do not know what practice is going on in the House. Firstly, as far as I am concerned, that is not an official document. If it becomes our practice to pick each other’s notes and raise points of order on them, it is very regrettable. It is actually very unfortunate that you can raise a point of order to the nation through a note, an unofficial communication, which may not be a serious matter between the two hon. Members.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Kambwili: Awe!

Madam Deputy Speaker: If that was a letter accessed, and not a note between two hon. Members, maybe, you would rise on a point of order. I see notes passing as I sit here, from Member to Member, all the time.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Some issues can be something else if you start reading them to the House.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, you should have had time to verify with the hon. Minister and get the gist or understanding of the matter. The Chair feels that the note cannot even be laid on the Table. It is not an official document.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Therefore, the point of order itself is out of order.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Kambwili: Icalo nacumfwa.

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for your wise guidance which you give to this House, especially that you try to bring us together both as hon. Opposition Members of Parliament and also those from the Government side. I am so thankful that your wise leadership has seen this House grow. I also want to thank the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the manner they have continued to give, or render leadership and assistance to all of us, as hon. Members of Parliament.

Madam Speaker, there is a great need to for all of us, as hon. Members of Parliament in this House, to embrace one another if we want to take development to our various constituencies.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Can the Chair listen to the debate? Can there be order on both sides of the House?

Mr Kachimba: We have been sent here by our electorates to come and represent them. Therefore, our role as a Government is to sit and listen. To me, constructive criticism that comes from hon. Opposition Members of Parliament is healthy. We accept that because that is the only way we will check and balance as a Government. Please, keep it up especially those hon. Members who are very good at giving constructive criticism and solutions like Hon. Muyanda, Hon. Hachipuka…

Mr Mwiimbu: And me!

Laughter

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, why am I saying so? As a Government, if we are not encouraged by various hon. Members, we will not know whether we are moving forward or not. Therefore, it is very important to accept criticism.

Madam Speaker, I stand here as a very sad person in my heart because this House is the most important and highest institution in Zambia. Therefore, the people out there are observing our conduct. We are here to be an example of what we are doing because we are the masters of all the people in Zambia

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Kasongo: Servants!

Mr Kachimba: We are the servants of the people of Zambia. That is a good correction, Hon. Kasongo.

Laughter

Mr Kachimba: Therefore, our conduct should be exemplary and far better than anybody else. If we continue in the trend that I am seeing, it will be very difficult for some of us to come back after 2011. Regardless of the party that you belong to, people want to see quality leadership exhibited in this House

Madam Speaker, let us give a lot of encouragement to people who have been elevated to the highest office.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: When you are elevated, that is a God-given chance. It is not a chance that comes from human thinking of saying, maybe, he has used juju. It is through leadership that you will see quality out of that particular person and he will be elevated to that job. Therefore, let us be very sincere to one another.

Madam Speaker, let me give an example of why people would stand up and call you a hero or the most unfortunate person on earth. Let us look at the fallen heroes that we have had. Let us look at the late Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula. This man played a major role although he never became President of the Republic of Zambia, but he is a hero because he contributed a lot to what we are today.

Madam Speaker, let us look at the First Republican President, Dr Kaunda. He is a hero up to now and, because of him, we are also here. Heroes will never be forgotten because they perform. Let us look at our late beloved President, His Excellency President Mwanawasa, SC, and May His Soul Rest In Peace. When he was voted into power, 70 per cent of Zambians called him all sorts of names. Yet, he united us and improved the economy to what we had never expected it to be. He is a hero. Those are politicians.

Madam Speaker, let us look at the economists of this country. We had the late Emmanuel Kasonde, May His Soul Rest In Peace. He managed the finances of Zambia. We have the outgoing economist, Hon. Magande.

Hon. Opposition Member: He is already gone.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Speak through the Chair.

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, we have the current hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane. This one has come to stay. Watch out for 2011, he will be there.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, it is entirely up to you. He is a learned person and he has been given this mandate.

Hon. Opposition Members: By who?

Mr Kachimba: By our Government which is also your Government, whether you like it or not, because we are still ruling until 2011 and we shall continue thereafter.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, my hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is also of the view that he has to see to it that by the time he leaves that office, he is regarded as a hero. When you leave office and people do not think about you and do not even mention your name, like some of the names I have omitted, then, just know that there is a problem.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, let me now talk about the National Budget.

Madam, the National Budget has been hailed by all sectors as a growth oriented budget which has addressed all development needs in our nation. Most hon. Members have mentioned that. Therefore, it is entirely up to us to judge. Therefore, all that we are supposed to with this budget is face the hardships. We should not even doubt that, maybe, it will be a smooth budget. The hardships will be coming. This is the reason we need each other, to support one another, because if you pull us down, the economy will go down and there will be no way that we shall politicise. People will just say that this leadership has failed and yet, you are part and parcel of the leadership, whether you went on a platform, as Hon. Dr. Guy Scott would say, and declare that you lost. You have not lost alone because we are together. Therefore, let us move together because this economy must be supported

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, we should have that kind of experience. I am saying so because the hardship that comes with the budget is caused by our implementers.

Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has given us a budget. Therefore, it is up to the implementers to do the job. Who are the implementers? They are the people and staff that we have. This is the reason I salute the Office of the Auditor-General because it has highlighted a number of issues concerning mismanagement of finances. We should also ensure action is taken against people who are busy siphoning monies that have been given for the development of this nation. We can only do that by supporting the Office of the Auditor-General. These are the people we know very well that are contaminated. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning cannot be contaminated because he does not handle the finances, but the office bearers.

I would, therefore, like to appeal to the Government to ensure that the officers…

Dr Machungwa: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr Machungwa: Madam Speaker, I am worried about the hon. Colleague, the hon. Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security, who is debating and condemning the civil servants who are supposed…

Business was suspended at 1815 hours until 1830 hours.{mospagebreak}

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Machungwa: Madam Speaker, when business was suspended, I had risen on a point of order to ask whether the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security, who had started his debate, was in order to complain about civil servants whom he supervises and talk about their pilfering of resources and calling upon the Auditor-General, when, in fact he, as part of the Government, is supposed to ensure that those things do not happen. Is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to speak in that manner here instead of telling us what the Government will do to ensure that that is brought to an end?

Madam Deputy Speaker: The point of order is very adequately debated. The Deputy Minister may take it into consideration.

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, I would like now to talk about the ministries that have been ably funded by the Government, and these are; the ministries of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Health and Education. These ministries have been debated on very well in all sectors. As a Government, our role is to implement what has been said. We are also going to address the problem of accommodation for our nurses and teachers. The Government is addressing this problem and that is an assurance on behalf of the Government.

Hon. PF Members: Government assurance!

Mr Kachimba: Now, as Member of Parliament for Luanshya, I would like to talk about Luanshya Copper Mines.

Mr Kambwili: Yes!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Minister speaks as hon. Minister in here.

Mr Kachimba: As a hon. Minister, I want to talk about Luanshya Copper Mines. As Member of Parliament and as Deputy Minister of Labour and Science Technology …

Laughter

Mr Kachimba: Oh my God! Just Labour and Social Technology …

Laughter

Hon. Members: Labour and Social Security!

Hon. Government Members: Go ahead!

Mr Kachimba: I will go ahead.

Hon. Government Member: Hammer!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, having worked for Luanshya Copper Mines for twenty-five years, I know how the miners feel. With the shutdown and the global crunch that we are facing, I would like to thank the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, for the manner in which he …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Can we, please, listen to the hon. Member on the Floor?

Mr Kachimba: … has conducted himself to rescue Luanshya Copper Mines.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: I know that the hon. Minister has been working tirelessly to see that the Luanshya Copper Mines issue is resolved.

Mr Silavwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: I would like to appeal to my neighbour, Hon. Kambwili, that our role is to work together …

Mr Silavwe: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: … and harmonise the situation. It is not a situation that we can politicise. As a Government, we are saying that we need you and you need us to implement.

Mr Silavwe: Finally!

Mr Kachimba: Finally, I would like to talk about my ministry. Most hon. Members here do not understand the role of the Ministry of Labour, Science and Social Security …

Hon. Members: Social Security!

Mr Kachimba: Sorry, Social Security. The problem is that they only come to address these problems when …

Mr Kambwili: Leave my neighbour alone!

Mr Kachimba: … people have been declared redundant. Now, I would like to inform this House that our ministry is the most important ministry that provides social security, which is our major role. This year, we focussed that we have put up a very aggressive programme to review the labour laws.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: That is what we are going to do as a ministry. We have already started Tripartite Consultative Council meetings so that we agree with all forces - the trade unions and the Federation of Employers so that we review the labour laws.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, my ministry’s important role in the Zambian employment is to review the Zambianisation Committee. I, being the Chairperson of the Zambianisation Committee, and having worked for twenty-five years on the mines, understand what it means for Zambianisation.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: As part of the Government, I am so proud that we are going to review the policy and follow it up.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: I need support from you, hon. Members …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: …so that we see that Zambia is for Zambians and we are going to work out the highest level of notches that we shall expect expatriates to perform with here in Zambia.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Hon. Members of Parliament, you will recall that from 1992 to 2000, were managed by Zambians, …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: … up to Chairperson level. We managed to produce and make profits. I know my Government is able to do that.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: We can only achieve that amongst ourselves and this is why we should support the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training so that they produce more graduates - not my ministry but Hon. Banda’s ministry so that they should produce more graduates.

Laughter

Hon. Members: Hon. Daka!

Mr Kachimba: Hon. Daka.

Laughter

Mr Kachimba: So that they produce more graduates.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Kachimba: Forgive me for the names.

Interruptions

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, why am I saying so? Here we are as leaders of one House. Hon. Members of Parliament I am challenging you that when you go back to your constituencies, you should start learning about the importance of a labour officer in your districts. You have underrated them. You only come to offices in Lusaka.

I am appealing to the hon. Members of Parliament that they must know who the labour officer is and who the investors are in that particular district. Do no only come here and talk about one industry because people have been retrenched.

Hon. Members of Parliament, …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Speak through the Speaker.

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker and hon. Members of Parliament …

Hon. Members: Aah!

Mr Kachimba: … I want to address you, hon. Members of Parliament …

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Order!

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Only through the Chair can the hon. Members be addressed. So, speak through the Chair.

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, I am appealing to the hon. Members of Parliament, through the Chair, that as we now go back to our districts, you should ensure that you help the Government to address all these labour and industrial action problems we have in our constituencies so that the Government can implement.

Our role as a Government is to implement and we appreciate what you hon. Members are doing.

Madam Speaker, finally, I would like to inform this House that as a labour ministry we are going to introduce and start seminars for all Members of Parliament so that they are able to appreciate and know the role of our ministry which is very important.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kachimba: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Professor Phiri): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to debate on the 2009 Budget Motion presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning (Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane).

Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. Mr Speaker, …

Hon. UPND Members: Madam Speaker!

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! You do not know what he wants to say but you want to finish for him.

Laughter

Professor Phiri: I would like to thank the hon. Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Speaker and the staff of the National Assembly for a job well done. May God Bless you all.

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, on wining a well deserved by-election in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Mr Kambwili: Question!

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: I wish also to congratulate him on his excellent and immaculate Official Opening Speech to the Third Session of the Tenth National Assembly. Further, His Excellency the President and His Honour the Vice-President deserve a special pat on the back for having been elected by the NEC as MMD President and National Trustee, respectively, a move which will certainly induce political diarrhoea among some leaders of Opposition political parties.

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Use the correct word in this august House. Continue, please.

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, that is a move which will certainly confuse some of the Opposition political leaders.

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, my experience in this House has been both exciting and disappointing. It has been exciting in the sense that debates undertaken by hon. Members on your right as well as a few others on your left are of high quality and inspiring and I commend hon. Members for upholding quality leadership in this regard. It is disappointing in the sense that several hon. Members on your left seem to suffer from a chronic misconception of what the role of an Opposition hon. Member should be …

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: … since, very often, they lack constructive criticism on matters of national importance.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: In fact, some hon. Members even ooze symptoms of intellectual impotence.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Given that fact, to a large measure, they fail to digest or choose to misrepresent even simple and straightforward speeches, such as the ones presented by His Excellency the President and the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam Speaker, unlike some hon. Members who have claimed that the President’s …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Let us listen to the debate.

Professor Phiri: Please, listen!

Laughter

Professor Phiri: Unlike some hon. Members who have claimed that the speeches by the President and the hon. Minister of finance and National Planning were hollow or even without substance, on the contrary, as many hon. Members have already stated, these speeches were extremely inspiring and practical in nature.

Most important, the two speeches under discussion were extremely honest. For example, major achievements of the MMD New Deal Government were highlighted.

Mr Muyanda: Was it mature age education?

Professor Phiri: In addition, in areas where we have not done well, the challenges we face and strategies to address those problems were noted. If speeches merely focused on success stories of hardworking Governments then we, as a Government, would be dishonest just like some hon. Members on your left who clearly appear to belong to the third rate school of rhetorics.

Hon. Member: Ema Professor aya!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, I believe that all hon. Members of the House agree with the fact that getting rid of poverty amongst Zambians, particularly in rural areas, is a major challenge we face and this is why the New Deal MMD Government has given poverty alleviation top priority.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, I will now make brief remarks on this subject in order to show doubting Thomases that …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Can we have order in the House? The Chair advises that the hon. Member on the Floor be given an opportunity in appreciating the differences that we have in our personalities and character.

Will the hon. Member continue, please?

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, I believe that all hon. Members in this august House agree with the fact that getting rid of poverty amongst Zambians, particularly in rural areas, is a major challenge we face. This is why this New Deal MMD Government has given poverty alleviation a top priority.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, I will now make brief remarks on this subject in order to show doubting Thomases that speeches of His Excellency the Republican President and the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning reflect a total commitment towards poverty alleviation as well as an indication of clear, realistic and practical strategies intended to address the same.

Madam Speaker, eradication of poverty guarantees a quality life for all Zambians and to achieve this, the following need to be met; infrastructure development such as those associated with water supply; education; health; energy; housing; roads; transport and communication; wealth creation activities; and food security and income generating activities at household levels.

Hon. Member: Hammer, Professor!

Laughter

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, with regard to infrastructure development, it is obvious to all sober-minded hon. Members that remarkable progress has been made by this New Deal Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: For example, the 2006 and 2007 annual Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) progress reports, recent publications by the Economics Association of Zambia and speeches …

Hon. Members: Hammer!

Laughter

Professor Phiri: … made by the late President, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, Special Counsel …

Laughter

Professor Phiri: … sorry, State Counsel.

Laughter

Professor Phiri: May His Soul Rest in Peace.

Laughter

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Professor Phiri: Please, see his official opening …

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Professor Phiri: … speech of the Second Session of the Tenth National Assembly, dated 11th January, 2008.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: His Excellency, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda’s speech of 16th January, 2009 and the Budget Speeches presented by Hon. Magande in 2008, and Hon. Musokotwane in 2009, all recorded a steady progress in all sectors of Zambia’s economy.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Education, health, roads …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister! The House is a bit too noisy. If you are not ready to listen, the Chair is ready to listen and get the points that the hon. Minister is making. Can we give an opportunity to the Chair, if we do not want to listen?

Hon. Minister, may you continue, please.

Professor Phiri: Thank you, Madam Speaker, …

Hon. Members: Aah!

Professor Phiri: Can we listen, please?

Laughter

Professor Phiri: Education, health, roads, energy, transport and water sectors, for instance,

Laughter

Professor Phiri: … show that when compared to 1991 and 1992, a lot of developments have taken place and that this year’s budget clearly shows that extra effort is being made to uphold these developmental efforts.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Therefore, Madam Speaker, the statement made by the hon. Member for Kasama - I hope he is around - who claimed in his speech that the MMD Government has not brought about meaningful development, is devoid of facts and without substance.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, many hon. Members on your right, and a few others on your left, who mean well have already acknowledged, in their speeches, the outstanding efforts and results of this hard-working Government.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: With regard to wealth creation, Madam Speaker, this is one area which ultimately ensures that many Zambians gain meaningful employment. Last year, Hon. Magande, former Minister of Finance and National Planning, emphasised this aspect of wealth creation.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: This year’s budget is of no exception. Emphasis on agricultural development, tourism, infrastructure and promotion of the manufacturing sector through strategies such as zero tax on some imported machinery, are all meant to create wealth for the benefit of the Zambian people.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, the immediate positive impact of poverty alleviation is only realised at household levels, through matters associated with food security and income-generating activities.

Madam Speaker, with regard to rural areas, where poverty levels are very high, it has been acknowledged by hon. Members that agriculture is the main source of food security. This Government has given priority to agriculture even in this year’s budget, such as in the area of fertiliser support, enhanced extension services and livestock support.

Madam Speaker, food security could be enhanced not only by the Government’s efforts in the supply of inputs, dams, irrigation or marketing, but by all Zambians, including hon. Members of Parliament. Members of Parliament, encouraging our medium to small-scale farmers by fostering a paradigm shift, as we face the negative impact arising out of climate change. This paradigm shift is essentially that of moving away from current agricultural practices which, to a large measure, do not respect the environment. In his article written in the early 1960s, Professor Waddle observed that if mankind was to be saved from hunger, there was need to take into account how our forefathers or mothers used to manage their agricultural practices, which I also share, and, which according to his view, was more superior to the modern form of agricultural practices.

Madam Speaker, the current song is ‘fertiliser, fertiliser, fertiliser’ which is applied even to extremely fertile soils. This, in return, reduces soil fertility. A case in point is in Kapoche Constituency, where soils have largely lost their natural fertility due to over application of fertilisers. This Government has already recognised a solution which it has begun to implement to promote food security. It calls for:

(i) Need for crop diversity; and

(ii) the need for other methods of farming such as conservation farming, use of organic manure, crop rotation and planting traditional crops.

Madam Speaker, I believe that the mainstay of Zambia’s agricultural system is medium to small-scale farming and, as such, it is imperative that a special effort is made to enhance the best methods of farming along with planting some traditional or indigenous crops. Hon. Members who have lost crops could revive this by visiting Mount Makulu which has genetic seed banks for most indigenous crops.

Hon. Opposition Member: Yes.

Professor Phiri: Thus, while current or modern forms of agriculture, along with hybrid seeds are set to continue, we need to encourage a move towards a new form of agriculture that takes into account the indigenous form of agricultural management.

Mr Muyanda: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, apart from agriculture, households in both rural and urban areas could be encouraged to undertake several projects which will guarantee money in their pockets and thereby enhance food security. An example is that of value-addition projects. This caring Government is committed to empowering all Zambians in this regard.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, to conclude, I wish to emphasise the following:

(i) This hard working Government has never claimed to have addressed all socio-economic development issues;

(ii) this Government does not believe all social community development challenges will be tackled overnight, as insinuated by some hon. Members on your left;

(iii) this Government does not believe socio-economic development will only be brought about by the Government’s efforts; and

(iv) most importantly, this Government does not believe in an imaginary or wishful thinking budget, since this attracts imaginary or wishful thinking revenue or blank cheque.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Professor Phiri: Madam Speaker, what this Government stands for is its uncompromising or unwavering commitment to the socio-economic development of this country and, in so doing, raise the quality of life of its citizens. In order to do this, it calls for all Zambians to join hands and work hard. With time, the vision of hope and aspirations which were so passionately cherished by our leaders will be achieved. I have in mind, here, mainly, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda’s vision of one egg per day for every Zambian and the vision of a poverty and corruption-free nation embraced by both the late President Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, and His Excellency, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda. Hon. Minister, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane’s speech has clearly augmented all these aspirations with his vision of seeing a prosperous Zambia at the end of the tunnel.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Colonel Chanda (Kanyama): Madam Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for giving me this rare opportunity to add my voice and that of the people of Kanyama to the debate on a very important speech. I wish to start by particularly congratulating the hon. Member of Parliament for Namwala, Hon. Robby Chizhyuka …

Major Chizhyuka: Hear, hear!

Colonel Chanda: … who spiced his speech with a touch of history and the role played by our forefathers, notably the late Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, in the emancipation of this great nation.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Colonel Chanda: Madam Speaker, I would also like to pay tribute to the hon. Member of Parliament for Chongwe, Sylvia Masebo, who was very candid in bringing to the fore the major inadequacies in the Budget Speech presented to this august House by the learned hon. Minister, Hon. Musokotwane.

Mr Muntanga: Which one?

Laughter

Colonel Chanda: Madam Speaker, Hon. Masebo’s submission was very clear and, in fact, characteristic of her usual charisma and bravery in calling a spade a spade. This country can only be saved if we are truthful in our deliberations and in analysing the issues that affect our people.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Colonel Chanda: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chongwe deserves a pat on the back for her observations of the obvious lapses in the areas of agriculture, tourism, governance and so on and so forth. She is definitely Front Bench material save for the pettiness that is characteristic of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD).

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Katema: Tabaletutuma nga ba Fashion aba.

Laughter

Colonel Chanda: The other person I would like to pay cognisance to for his submission is Dr Chishimba, the hon. Member for Kasama Central.

Hon. MMD Members: Ni Judas Iscariot.

Colonel Chanda: He was alive to that fact that lower taxes yield more revenue for the Treasury as opposed to a system of cut-throat taxes being pursued by the MMD Government. My party, the Patriotic Front (PF), is very alive to the issue of lower taxes and the underlying benefits. Dr Chishimba cited Mauritius as one such country that embraces the concept of lower taxes as a system of governance and a proactive Pay-As-You-Earn system, depending on the size of a household. There are so many case studies for us to emulate and, therefore, why should we be experimenting in Zambia?

Madam Speaker, lastly, before I make my submission towards the Budget Speech, I would also like to pay special tribute to that well-known hon. Member for Chilanga, fondly referred to as ‘Mr HIPC’, who sealed it all when he gave an in-depth analysis of the overview of the Budget, and the effects of the financial meltdown as it affects us and the entire globe. As Hon. Magande was speaking, I somewhat came to grips with the seriousness of the whole calamity and felt very sorry for the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon. Musokotwane who, in my opinion, has found himself in the very unenviable position of preparing and presenting such a National Budget at such a time, and in such a short time. We, in the PF, hold Mr Magande in very high esteem.

Hon. Members: Ooh?

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Colonel Chanda: He performed a commendable job and nobody can take that away from him.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Interjections

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, in the House! People out there are listening to you, if you are not aware and, therefore, your own self control is an issue to the public. Do not blame them when they make their conclusions.

The hon. member may continue.

Colonel Chanda: Madam Speaker, thank you for your guidance. It is common knowledge that my party, the PF, performed immaculately well in the October by-elections.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Colonel Chanda: This party deserves a pat on the back, and not the amount of spite that is coming from the people on your right. Had the results not been stolen …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Laughter

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members! Hon. Members have to know where to draw the line. You do not come here and make allegations bordering on crime. We should speak with facts here and not make allegations of that nature. You will leave that and continue you debate.

Colonel Chanda: Madam Speaker, I thank you for that wise counsel. However, the point is driven home.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Member will not continue. Switch off the microphone.

Hon. MMD Member: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: Any further debate? The hon. Member …

Interruptions

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Order! The Chair will not be forced into naming anybody. The procedure of the House is very clearly known and each of our hon. Members must have the books that guide us in the procedure of the House. We have to keep the dignity, order and decorum of the House and the Chair has just that responsibility.

Hon. Members, we will have to move on. People are listening to us and depending on us to debate issues that affect their lives and not to debate in a manner that is not showing great seriousness. We are hon. Members.

All the hon. Members ought to know what is in the Standing Orders and the Members’ Handbook; The Chair is not just here to fill the seat, but there are responsibilities and powers vested there and we have to move as such. If you want to challenge the Chair, the procedure is provided for.

Mr Sikota (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to contribute to this very important debate. I would like to start off by congratulating the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Musokotwane, on his appointment and on the delivery of his Budget Speech. I would like to congratulate him because he has been appointed at a very difficult time. We all know that there is a world crisis and anyone appointed at this particular time is going to face a lot of problems. It is a measure of the man that he accepted the appointment at this particular time.

The Budget Speech has been variously described by some people as being hollow, while some people have stated that it is a skeleton and so and so forth. Everybody, naturally, is entitled to their own opinion.

In my humble opinion, the Budget Speech was bold. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has attempted to raise the bar and in the ideas he has put forward.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: It would have been extremely easy for a person appointed at such a difficult time to have taken the easy way out and given us what I would have termed a ‘timid’ budget, but this is not what he did. It is at difficult times that you need people who will come out boldly. People will remember that Britain, when they were facing defeat after Dunkirk, Churchill was bold. He did not become timid, but that was when he made his famous speech about fighting on the beaches. He said, “We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills, and we shall never surrender.” That was boldness in the face of a difficult situation. That is what was needed at that time and not timidity.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: When John F. Kennedy faced losing the space race with the Soviet Union, he did not become timid. Instead, he raised the bar and said that within a decade, they would land a man safely on the moon and that is what he did. Thinking out of the box is epitomised by that great thinker, Martin Luther King, who, more than a generation ago stated that he had a dream that his children would one day live in a nation where they would not be judged by the colour of their skin, but the content of their character.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: That was more than a generation ago and, a generation later, because he was bold, raised the bar and thought outside the box, today, in this generation, we see that dream realised.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: It is, therefore, gratifying that we have a man in our hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning who is bold and going to raise the bar and think outside the box.

Madam Speaker, he has stated that he would like to see a 5 per cent growth in our economy. A number of people have stated, “How can this be done when, the world over, we are seeing economies going down? How will we achieve this 5 per cent growth?” It seems impossible to some.

Madam Speaker, I would like to quote Nelson Mandela who once said:

“It always seems impossible until it is done.”

Equally, what may seem impossible, in terms of reaching this growth, will be possible and will be done if we put our minds to it. I like the positiveness of the hon. Member for Chongwe who, in her debate stated that, in fact, we should have raised the bar even higher than where the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning started and we should have been aiming for 7 per cent growth rather than 5 per cent. She advocated for deficit financing if need be and for borrowing by the State. I subscribe to that and think that is what is needed at the moment. After all, what we are seeing right now is that the private sector and business houses are not willing to borrow in any event so that money will be borrowed by the State.

Madam Speaker, it is possible if you play your cards right, even during a time of economic downturn, to have a boom whilst everybody else is facing a downturn.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: In England, for example, there are certain companies that are doing extremely well whilst others are going down. For example, we have seen that most of the high street supermarkets - the big names - are folding up but, at the same time as they are folding up, the profits of the corner shops seem to be going up. Whilst we see designer boutiques in the United Kingdom also going into bankruptcy, you will find the sweat shops who are dealing with the cheap end of the market actually posting large profits. Whilst dream holiday destinations are getting fewer people going there and there are not so many tourists, you will find that the budget holiday sites and destinations are getting a boom at this particular time.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Whilst you will find that booming restaurants are having a really slim time and very few customers, the takeaways and the roadside sandwich bars have got a lift in their profits. There is always a silver lining in a dark cloud. What you have to do is find where that silver lining is, to position yourselves and be able to take advantage of what is bad situation.

“There is no passion to be found in playing small in settling for a life that is less than one you are capable of living.”

That again, is a quote from Nelson Mandela.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Therefore, what advantages do we have as a country? We are geographically well placed, we have eight neighbouring countries. As the hon. Member of Parliament for Siavonga stated, we are endowed with water resources which are really abundant. We have good soils and low electricity tariffs. This means that if we go into agriculture and ensure that we invest the little that we have, we are able to, perhaps, find that silver lining.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: We need to ensure that the extension officers become a reality again, and I congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning of having put in K25.4 billion in terms of motor bikes, bicycles and houses for the extension officers. We need to pay attention to this field.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Sikota: On irrigation projects, an amount of K56.5 billion has been provided. We have been talking a lot about irrigation for some time, but it has now become a reality. An amount of K56.5 billion has been provided. It should not just remain an item in the budget, but it must actually be disbursed prudently so that the agriculture boom we expect can happen.

Madam, rural electrification, as well, is important for agriculture. I am, again, thankful to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for providing K88.8 billion into this programme.

An important factor which has been provided is the disease-free livestock zone although it was not stated where it will be. I hope that, looking at the geographical and economical history of our country, this disease-free zone will be put in Western and Southern provinces because that is where there is already an advantage in terms of knowledge of animal husbandry and the skills necessary.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear! Well spoken.

Mr Sikota: If this is done, Madam Speaker, we could find ourselves being that corner shop outflanking the high street supermarket.

Madam Speaker, another area where we do have an obvious advantage is that of tourism. I would like to agree with the hon. Members for Mwansabombwe and Mporokoso who both in their addresses talked about tourism. Some people, in their debates, stated that we should not go and try to open up areas which are currently depressed in terms of tourism. I disagree.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Tourism is inter linked. You cannot attract people to a country with only a one-trick pony kind of mentality. People get tired of seeing one trick from one pony. People get tired of just coming to see the Victoria Falls.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: In order for people to continue coming to see the Victoria Falls, there must be other tricks that we must be able to present to the people as a country. Opening up other areas will provide that necessary additional attraction for people to come in. Those who wholeheartedly support the development of Kasaba Bay and other areas would help in terms of building up our tourism.

It is not only Kasaba Bay, but there is Liuwa where there is a resurgence of wildebeest. We do have the second largest and, in fact, there are only two migrations of wildebeest in the whole world, and the other one is in Liuwa. It is steadily growing and is actually almost the same as the one in East Africa.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: If we put all these together, we can provide a package which would make us the holiday destination of choice during this hard time. We would attract those tourists who would not go to these other areas, but come to us because of the variety of what we have to offer.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: There are, of course, other areas such as the Lake Bangweulu and so much more that we have to offer in terms of tourism.

I am glad that the Livingstone/Zimba Road has been given some money. That was absolutely essential. I need not belabour the point of how important that is.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: The fuel levy from the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) now being redirected to the maintenance of railway lines is something I have called for before and I am glad that it has finally been accepted. Our railway system is something which is extremely important and is the backbone of our development.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: It is for that reason that I join the hon. Member for Mulobezi who talked about the Mulobezi/Livingstone Railway Line and the need for its rehabilitation. It is hoped that some of the money that will come from the fuel levy from RSZ will find its way towards the rehabilitation of the Mulobezi/Livingstone Railway Line.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: I disagree with my neighbour, Dr Guy Scott, of Lusaka Central who, unfortunately, is not here, who mocked the idea of working on the Mulobezi/ Livingstone Railway Line. This railway line is very dear to the people of Livingstone, Mulobezi, Mwandi and Kazungula.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: It is something which is very important for the economy of those areas in terms of tourism, the possibility of a steam train rise, the timber trade, agriculture and transportation for people as well as livestock.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Sikota: It may not be important to some, but it is very dear to the hearts of the people there and it is necessary.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Madam Speaker, there are areas that I feel need to have more attention given to them.

I believe that even though there is a provision for water and sanitation in the Budget, it is insufficient. Water is life. It is also one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that we need to attain. We have seen the ravages of disease that come about with inadequate water and sanitation facilities. I hope the hon. Minister will have a closer look at that again.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to slide down slightly from talking at a national level to a local level, particularly, Livingstone Constituency level, which I represent. I speak, also, for other border areas. We have very expensive fuel in Livingstone, yet just across the border, we can get fuel which is very cheap. The people of Livingstone, and others in such border areas, should be allowed to access fuel which is cheap from neighbouring countries. It will help to accelerate development.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: In areas such as Siavonga, Livingstone, and Kafue where there is electricity generation, there is the 20 per cent charges that we pay when we get electricity from just next door. That should be done away with because it would also help us with generating the economies of these areas.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Madam Speaker, I think I need to talk about the CDF. I will only say it in one line. You have heard almost everybody who has spoken. I cannot add anything more. It is probably already deafening. I hope what others have said is deafening. However, just in case it is not, I hope that this little added voice of mine will irritate your ears so much that you will go and do something about it. The CDF has to be revised upwards to K1 billion as promised by his Excellency the President.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikota: Madam Speaker, I want to state that people have said that this Budget is well meaning and that the Government is well meaning. Well, the destitute old villager will not be nourished by a well-meaning Government.

Mr Mukanga: Correct!

Mr Sikota: The rural orphaned child will not be educated by a well meaning Government. To tell you the truth, Madam Speaker, I do not care much about a well-meaning Government. I would readily exchange a Government that means well for a Government that means ill, but delivers on the promises and vision which is on page 1 in paragraph 5 of the Speech.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Madam Deputy Speaker: I will allow the hon. Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development to debate whilst sitted because of her condition.

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Ms Lundwe): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate which is on the Floor of the House. Madam Speaker, I would be failing in my duties if I do not, firstly, commend those hon. Members who have seen value in the Budget Speech that was ably delivered by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Madam, the speech is embracing, all-encompassing and in line with the Presidential Speech that was delivered last month. May I first and foremost humbly remind the House that being in the Opposition does not mean that they have to argue on every Government initiative. The Opposition must be able to commend the Government on the many good and positive things that have been done in this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, my advice to those who criticise this Government for the sake of it is that they should re-examine their thinking as this Government means well for its people throughout the nation. I urge hon. Members that we work together for a better Zambia. Let us work together to implement this good Budget. Therefore, there should be no room for armchair critics. We, hon. Members on this side, mean well and are focused on development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Chipili (Mr D. Mwila) stated that the Executive as not fairly distributing resources among constituencies represented by hon. Member of Parliament from the Opposition and those from the ruling party. To the contrary, this Government has a clear plan for development in line with the Fifth National Development Plan. The Government considers Zambia as a unitary State. Therefore, it does not discriminate against any part of this country. We believe that, as a people, we must move forward together. What might be a priority in Luapula Province might not necessarily be a priority on the Copperbelt and vice versa. However, it must be pointed out that the Government is guided by the Fifth National Development Plan priorities which were developed on the basis of broad stakeholder consultations countrywide.

Hon. Members of Parliament, from the Copperbelt Province, let us be mindful that Copperbelt rural is equally important and deserves development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, I fully agree with Hon. Mbulakulima …

Mr Mbulakulima: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: …that Copperbelt rural lags behind in terms development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, for example, all towns in the province have district hospitals, but some rural districts like Masaiti do not. Surely, hon. are Members going to complain if this Government, one day, gives a hospital to the people of Masaiti?

Hon. Government Members: No!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, we are all here, in this House, to serve our Zambian people. Whether rural or town people, we are all equal before the Lord!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Let us work together to improve the living standards of our people.

Mr Speaker, allow me to further correct the impression that two schools were electrified in Masaiti Constituency. Mahatma Gandhi and Mushili High School are one and the same school. The school was previously called Mahatma Gandhi and is now called Mushili High School. Therefore, only one school was electrified in 2008.

Madam Speaker, on Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), there is no country in the world where citizens do not tax. PAYE is essential for mobilising Government revenues meant for economic development and other essential social services. This year, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning decided to increase the threshold from K600,000 to K700,000.

Mr Mubika: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: This was meant to provide a cushion to our workers in Zambia, who are in the low income bracket and are vulnerable. It is important to know that this Government is sensitive to the plight of the Zambian people and that is why the threshold has been adjusted upwards. This Government will remain focused and steadfast on pro-poor policies. In other words, this adjustment is a safety net for poor workers and families.

Madam Speaker, this working and listening Government has heard what the people have said. Therefore, it has increased the allocation to the Fertiliser Support Programme this year. This is to support and empower small-scale farmers. Hon. Members, the ball is in our court. Let us encourage our people to take advantage of this generous provision of fertiliser so that we can increase the maize yield this year. My Government is convinced that it is only through supporting agriculture that we shall effectively combat poverty through low fertiliser prices. Thus, Zambians will improve their household food security and food basket. Let us, therefore, lead by example, by ensuring that each one of us, here, starts a small maize field or, at least, a lima.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, this Government has a good plan on rural roads. There is a provision of K2 billion per province to use on the feeder roads rehabilitation and development. This is in addition to the already available machinery in our provinces. Therefore, there should be no excuse for failure to execute road projects. The Government has a plan and will succeed if we all play our rightful role. Hon. Members, let us avoid being political at every opportunity. Instead, let us think about development and develop Zambia with the resources provided.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, allow me to inform this House that the ministry had a number of challenges in the past year. The power generators at both Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank were undergoing rehabilitation and uprating. Understandably, this led to disruption in electricity generation and provision in the country. With K16.8 billion additional funding, the works will be done and the load shedding will be reduced to the minimum. As for rural electrification, despite the global recession facing every country, this Government has made a provision of K88.8 billion for implementing this important programme which will increase electricity access to our rural population and this will go a long way in developing the rural areas.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lundwe: Madam Speaker, finally, everyone knows that water is life and the Government attaches great importance to this sector. Therefore, this Government has made a provision to cover the requirements of the rural population as well by providing K214.4 billion to the nation through the rural and urban water supply programmes.

Madam Speaker, with this well-intended plan, we expect to see a significant alleviation of water problems and poverty. Hon. Members, if we worked together, we would achieve more by ensuring that funds allocated to this sector are properly used.

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

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. MMD Member: Quality!

The Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport (Mr Mubika): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me this chance to contribute to the Motion on the Floor of this House. I would also like to congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the wonderful speech he delivered on the 2009 Budget.

Madam Speaker, I would like to respond to some of the issues raised by some hon. Members on your left concerning my ministry. The hon. Member for Kankoyo talked about the low traffic levels on our rail line. It is true that the level of traffic has reduced due to the state of our rail. However, he should not ask the people who voted for him to cross the rail line with their eyes closed.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: It is very dangerous because they risk being crushed by the trains.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member also asked the motorists to ignore the rail signs and not slow down when crossing the line. Madam, I would like to inform all motorists that it is an offence to ignore rail and road signs because trains are still moving on the main line and they might get crushed if they follow what the hon. Member was saying.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, the other cause of the low traffic levels on our rail is vandalism of the rail infrastructure by our people. I would like to appeal to hon. Members of Parliament to sensitise their constituencies on the importance of preserving the infrastructure of the national assets. Vandalism retards development and people must desist from this act.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that some hon. Members of Parliament have left the House. I want give an example of the thirty-kilometre stretch from Luanshya to Ndola which was vandalised by our people.

Hon. MMD Members: Hammer!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, investigations are still going on …

Laughter

Mr Mubika: …and the rumour is that even prominent leaders were involved in the vandalism.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, to construct one kilometre of rail takes about K2 billion. Therefore, we need about K60 billion to do the Luanshya/Ndola line. However, there are other projects in this country which need attention. For instance, there is the Chipata/Mchinji line, which has been forgotten for over two decades.

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: Madam Speaker, I do not want to disturb my young man, my nephew. However, is he in order …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Hon. Member, there are no young men or nephews.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Madam Speaker, is the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications in order to allege that the rails from Ndola to Luanshya were stolen when he knows that some of the rails were transferred to make the Mchinji/Chipata Railway Line. Is he in order, therefore, not to mention that fact because people are listening? I need your serious ruling.

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The hon. Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport may take that into consideration and clarify.

May he, please, continue?

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, it is a well-known fact that the railway line from Luanshya to Ndola was vandalised and the few rails which were recovered in the bush were taken to Ndola. Therefore, it was just one truck load which we took to build the Chipata/Mchinji line. It is not correct to say that we transferred the Ndola/Luanshya line to Chipata. The rails which were taken to the Mchinji/Chipata line were picked from the bush.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, I was saying that this Government is committed to completing the Chipata/Mchinji Railway Line this year. To that effect, K10 billion has been allocated.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Despite some rails being left in the bush for over two decades in Chipata, not even a single one was stolen. Hon. Mukanga, listen.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: This means that the people of Chipata want the railway line, unlike the people of Luanshya who vandalised it and sold it for scrap metal.

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, we also have the Mulobezi Railway Line which is not in a good condition. If money is to be made available, it will go towards the rehabilitation of the Mulobezi Railway Line and, probably, extend it to Namibia.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, it is true that the main line from Livingstone to the Copperbelt is not in a very good condition, but the Government has engaged Railway Systems of Zambia and this company has pledged US $30 million and about K2 billion from Government will go towards the improvement of the rail infrastructure. Once the track is done, traffic and the congestion of heavy duty trucks will reduce on our roads.

Madam Speaker, Hon. Chanda, the hon. Member for Kankoyo also talked about the long queues at the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Offices where the payments for road tax and fitness certificates are made. RTSA has been implementing a vigorous programme to computerise…

Mr Chanda: On a point of order, Madam.

Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Chanda: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Minister who is debating in order to leave out the people in Kamwala who are trading on the railway line and ask the people of Kankoyo where we do not see any train? Is he in order, Madam? I need your serious ruling.

Laughter

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! May the hon. Deputy Minister take that into consideration as he debates?

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, RTSA has been implementing a vigorous programme to computerise services at all service delivery points countrywide. RTSA has also gone further to procure high speed information transmission systems from ZAMTEL and the ZESCO optic fibre system in order to increase the rate of processing transactions. RTSA is open to the public from Monday to Friday between 0815 hours and 1700 hours, lunch hour inclusive.

This provides a total of eight hours forty-five minutes to attend to the public everyday. With this development, motorists are able to licence their motor vehicles for a period of one year from the date of licensing as opposed to the past when motorists could only licence within the particular financial year.

This means that everyone licensing their vehicle during the third quarter of 2008, can license their motor vehicle in Tonga, …

Laughter

Mr Mubika: … their motor vehicles up to the third quarter of 2009 and not just up to the fourth quarter of 2008.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, out of the twenty-eight service delivery points that the agency runs countrywide, twenty-three were earmarked for computerisation and twenty-one have been computerised leaving only Nakonde and Mansa to be computerised.

Out of the twenty-one service delivery points that have so far been computerised, seventeen are operational with the remaining service delivery points awaiting linkage to the Zambia Transport Information System (ZTIS) through VISAT DSO optic fibre

The general public is being informed that the agency has also reached an advanced stage in rolling out a vigorous public awareness programme to inform them that they can licence their motor vehicles at any time of the year and avoid long queues.

Madam Speaker, therefore, let me take this opportunity to announce to the general public that the road tax licences for 2010 are available and people should not wait for the last week of December 2009, or first week of January, 2010, to pay for or licence their motor vehicles.

Madam Speaker, the other issue I would also want to talk about is the improvement of our airport infrastructure.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam, the Government is committed to improving all the airports in our provincial headquarters.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Last year, we built terminal buildings in Chipata and Kasama. In this year’s Budget, K11 billion has been allocated to Mbala Airport where we want to build a terminal building, taxi way and apron.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, what is meant by apron is where planes are parked and not that coat which is put on by Tonga and Lamba men in the kitchen.

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Statistics show that most chefs are Tongas and Lambas …

Laughter

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, …

Major Chizhyuka: And Lenjes!

Laughter

Mr Mubika: … tourism will improve in the Northern and Luapula provinces.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: I am sure Nsumbu National Park will be marketed …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear! Marketed!

Mr Mubika: … and ultimately people of Chimbamilonga and Kaputa will benefit.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Government Member: Hammer, hon. Minister!

Mr Mubika: Madam Speaker, under the water transport sector, we have money allocated for procurement of a dredger this year, and we hope to procure more next year.

Madam, we also plan to procure a passenger boat for the Bangweulu Water Transport Board to service our people in Luapula and Northern provinces.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Madam, let me thank some hon. Members of Parliament from these two provinces for their constructive criticism. You do not have to insult the Government to ask for help for the people you represent.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: Just remind us and action will be taken.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubika: On canals, Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that money allocated to this very important component seems to be inadequate. However, we hope that, next year, more will be done so that our people who depend on water transport can have their canals …

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

________

The House adjourned at 1955 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 13th February, 2009.

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