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Debates- Wednesday, 11th February, 2009
DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE TENTH ASSEMBLY
Wednesday, 11th February, 2009
The House met at 1430 hours
[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]
NATIONAL ANTHEM
PRAYER
________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER
SENSITISATION WORKSHOP BY THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND SUPPLY
Madam Deputy Speaker: I wish to inform the House that I have authorised the Minister of Works and Supply to hold a sensitisation workshop for hon. Members of Parliament. The workshop will take place on Monday, 16th February, 2009 in the Auditorium at Parliament Buildings starting at 09:00 hours. I urge all hon. Members to attend the workshop.
I thank you.
_________
MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS
IMPORTATION OF GMO MAIZE BY FOOD RESERVE AGENCY( FRA)
The Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives (Dr Chituwo): Madam Speaker, as directed by yourself last week, I want to thank you for allowing me to present a ministerial statement specially on the importation of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) maize saga. This august House will recall that only last month, I made a ministerial statement on the maize stock levels in the country and the resulting high mealie meal prices. It was stated then that because of the inadequate maize stocks, Government took a position to direct the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to offload maize onto the market to stabilise prices and to replenish this maize by importation of Non Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) maize.
Madam Speaker, the current episode on the importation of maize started from the May 2008 meeting when the then Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Hon. Sarah Sayifwanda, MP, announced the National Food Balance Sheet as being 1,200,000 million metric tonnes in comparison to 1,400,000 million metric tonnes in the 2007/2008 season. The announcement indicated that there was a surplus.
However, at a subsequent meeting of a majority of stakeholders held on 25, June 2008, chaired by my predecessor, the private sector group (that is, Millers, Grain Traders and Farmers) disputed the statement that there was surplus arguing that the country had less maize than was officially reported. They argued further that the annual maize consumption of 50,000 metric tonnes monthly was an under estimate especially taking into account the needs of breweries and stock feed manufacturers. Even the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) supported this view adding that the brewers and feed processors ,in fact, used more maize than those indicated thereby, not reflecting a true picture of the country’s food security situation.
Madam Speaker, at that same meeting, the three stakeholders submitted their stock levels as being:
Stakeholders Stock levels
Food Reserve Agency - 150,000 metric tonnes;
Millers Association of Zambia - 55,000 metric tonnes;
Grain Traders Association of Zambia - 25,000 metric tonnes;
Total 225,000 metric tonnes.
Madam Speaker, because of the figures above, the meeting agreed that in principle, there was need to take precautionary measures to forestall the worsening of the food security of the country by allowing the private sector to place maize import holders on the South African Commodity Exchange (SAFEX) when prices were still relatively low. However, it was observed that this decision for a place on SAFEX was not to disadvantage local farmers from having their crops bought. The meeting agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) be drawn up in order to safeguard interests of all players.
Madam Speaker, the MoU was drawn by the private sector and was submitted to Government (our ministry) for effect. As is the current practice, the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives forwarded the MoU to the Ministry of Justice for an opinion and advice. The MoU contained clauses not favourable to Government position and was subsequently referred back to the private sector for review. One of the conditions that did not find favour with Government was that, if at the time of importation, there was enough maize in the country, then the private sector would have to be allowed to export imported maize. The other was on the waiver of duty/tax. It was noted that this was a mandate of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and that they would need to agree before orders were placed. By these conditions, the private sector felt Government was delaying and so grew cold feet and gave up the idea of taking a position of SAFEX.
Madam Speaker, at a subsequent meeting held by stakeholders on the review of the importation, it was again agreed that following the failure to place orders on SAFEX, it became imperative that Government allowed imports as stock levels were running even lower. A decision was made now to import 100,000 metric tonnes of white non-GMO maize. The FRA was to import 50,000 metric tonnes while the private sector, amongst themselves, another 50,000 metric tonnes. The Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives was implored to issue import permits to facilitate the early importation. This far, a number of permits were issued. However, no sooner had this happened, than the private sector came back to Government saying that they were not able to import maize because among other reasons was that, the exchange rate of the US dollar had risen against the Zambian Kwacha at US $1 approximately to K5,000 and that the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives had to assist in freezing the exchange rate at K3,500 to a dollar for the benefit of the importers only. It goes without saying that the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives had and still has no mandate over this matter except by intervention of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ).
Madam Speaker, by November 13th 2008, the stock levels given by the stakeholders had further reduced to the following:
Stakeholders Stock levels
Food Reserve Agency - 116,000 metric tonnes
Millers Association of Zambia - 47,000 metric tonnes
Grain Traders Association of Zambia - 45,000 metric tonnes
Total - 208,000 metric tonnes.
The situation, by indications to Government, was getting worse. As a result, a meeting of selected cabinet Ministers held on 24 November, 2008 resolved and directed that FRA urgently import a full complement of 100,000 metric tons of white Non- GMO maize from either South Africa or South America or both at 50 per cent each basis to replenish the off loaded stocks. It was also agreed that Zambia National Tender board ( ZNTB) tender process be fast tracked by reducing the bid period to about one week because of the emergency nature of the food security, which by then had started experiencing high mealie meal prices beyond the reach of most Zambians. As well as, FRA being directed to import maize, the agency was also directed to offload onto the market available stocks to assist in the price stabilisation. This meeting of Ministers also put a seal to the private sector in importing maize because they had effectively refused or failed to do so when prices were affordable. This is when permits issued earlier to them became a nullity.
Madam Speaker, on tender procedures, the initial tender invited four firms to import 25,000 metric tonnes of white Non-GMOs each. ZNTB authority was secured on 28 November, 2008 to single source through a special formal selective tender. The four potential bidders were:
a) GIA International
b) Starchtech (Pty) Ltd;
c) Mark Daniels (Pty) Ltd; and
d) Noble Resources
The Tender Board meeting held on 9 December, 2008 granted authority to award contracts for supply and delivery of 75,000 metric tonnes of Non-GMO white maize as shown below, while the fourth bid was non-responsive.
Lot Bidder Quantity Total Cost US$ Country of Origin Period
Of maize weeks
1 GIA 25,000 12,125,000.00 RSA, USA 4 to 8
International Mexico
2 Starchtech 25,000 12,000,000.00 RSA & others 4 to 8
3 Mark Danies 25,000 12,175,000.00 12,500 from 4 to 8
(Pty) Limited various Sources and
12,500mt from
South Africa
TOTAL 75,000 36,300,000.00
The decision meant that the 25,000 metric tonnes balance had been sourced locally under a separate tendering procedure and authority by ZNTB involving local traders and firms. Realising that importations were not moving as per appropriate expectation, authority was sought by FRA from ZNTB to restructure the above tenders with a view to accelerating the flow of imports. The revision was as follows:
Company Original Offer Revised Offer Variation
Mark Daniels 25 20 5
Starchtech 25 15 10
GIA 25 15 10
Total 75 50 25
Madam Speaker, on 26 December,2008, ZNTB granted FRA a waiver to single source Ardega Holdings of South Africa to supply and deliver the 25,000 metric tonnes varied from the three firms above. This was separate from the 25,000 metric tonnes which was to be sourced from local purchases.
Madam Speaker, following clearance from the Ministry of Justice, FRA proceeded to sign a contract with Mark Daniels on letter of credit for 20,000 metric tonnes of white Non-GMO maize on Finance Bank while GIA International signed the contract on letter of credit for supply of 15,000 metric tonnes of white Non-GMO maize on Indo-Zambia Bank. The cost of imports was at US$485 per tonne at landed cost in Lusaka.
Madam Speaker, it is the advertisements by the FRA and subsequent signing of the above contracts for importation of maize that opened up the proverbial “Pandora’s box”. No sooner had this become clear to the local traders, than figures of stock levels started to rise among the Millers Association of Zambia, Grain Traders Association of Zambia and other sources, who are not necessarily members of the two bodies above. The question stands, where did this maize come from, all of a sudden, when the stance of the same private sector and farmers, alike, from the beginning was that of challenging the authenticity of the food balance sheet announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives. It is a fact now that the announced balance sheet was correct after all, except that other participating stakeholders played dishonestly to serve their greedy and selfish interests.
We now started hearing of thousands of metric tonnes of maize available and that ,then, there was no need to import maize as there was enough stock in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives and some stakeholders decided to carry out a verification exercise in early January, 2009. The verification exercise confirmed availability of more than 180,000 metric tonnes held by various stakeholders, that is, Millers Association of Zambia, Grain Traders Association of Zambia and farmers.
Madam Speaker, later during our meetings and through the press, there arose agitation from the same private sector now condemning Government and questioning the reasonability of importing maize from outside when they had their own white Non-GMO and cheaper maize. This is how this Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government, the listening Government, reviewed the importation of …
Interruptions
Dr Chituwo: …75,000 metric tonnes to 35,000 metric tonnes since contracts had already been signed for the latter. Government had already purchased 80,000 metric tonnes and another 35,000 metric tonnes from the local market. It is clear from the narration above that, the statement by Grain Traders Association of Zambia that their local maize was available as early as August 2008 is incorrect and misleading.
Madam Speaker, let me now come to the importation of GMO maize in the last week or so. It has come to the attention of my Ministry that GIA International was the firm that imported the fifty-eight trucks involving 15,000 metric tonnes out of the total 35,000 metric tonnes to be imported. Of the fifty-eight trucks, nine trucks were found to have carried Non-GMO (GMO) while forty seven trucks were transporting GMO maize. These are the trucks which were redirected under security escort to the point of entry at the cost of the supplier.
There were eleven trucks carrying Non-GMO maize amounting to only 330 metric tonnes which has since been given to the millers, while the forty-seven trucks carried 1,410 metric tonnes of rejected GMO maize. I am pleased to state that now, Mark Daniels Limited has brought in the country, as early as 10th February 2009, thirteen Non-GMO maize successfully tested and distributed to millers countrywide.
Madam Speaker, it is clear that no payments have been effected yet for the maize. In the present case, only Non-GMO maize trucks will be paid for on the basis of performance. This will be after all relevant documentation has been processed to the treasury under appropriate letters of credit arrangements.
Madam Speaker, hon. Members, may wish to know that despite the reported shortage of mealie-meal in some districts of the country, FRA has purchased over 80,000 metric tonnes from the local market in the last weeks. This, together with Non-GMO maize received, has been off loaded to areas where there have been reports on shortages of commodities. For example, Livingstone - 788 metric tonnes; Mongu - 500 metric tonnes, Choma 800 metric tonnes and in Kitwe three millers are sitting on the FRA’s subsidised maize. So, the issue of shortage of mealie-meal is not caused by lack of maize, but other external factors including illegal trade, black market hoarding and bulky buying.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to state that there is gross exaggeration of the situation which ordinarily is under control.
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!
Interruptions
Dr Chituwo: The shortage of mealie-meal is just an exaggeration and it is artificial.
Mr Kambwili: Question!
Interruptions
Dr Chituwo: I would therefore wish to appeal to the provincial and district leadership and officials in border areas to be alert and expose traders whose activities are detrimental to the economic, social and political security development of our country.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear! Quality.
Mr Chisanga (Mkushi South): Madam Speaker, it is quite sad for people of Zambia to start queuing for maize this time around when we have enough rainfall and sun. Is the hon. Minister aware that we are in this mess because Government has not been paying farmers who are in this country. It does not make sense for the Government …
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! You ask on the Ministerial Statement.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, for those who are familiar with the farming season, before the next harvest, stakeholders are consulted to look at the formula which is used to set the price. This is basically done by looking at the inputs by the small-scale farmer, medium scale-farmer and commercial farmer and arriving at a price that would in a way meet the needs of these three categories. This is how the price for maize is set each harvest season.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Kambwili (Roan): Madam Speaker, it is a known fact that the policy of this Government is not to import GMO maize. The President as he was going out of Zambia stated that, he was going to be fed on GMO maize in Malawi just like if one went to South Africa. He also stated that he was opening up discussions on whether we should accept GMO or not. Does this Government intend to change the policy of the GMO consumption in this country or not?
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, what His Excellency, the President was saying was a matter of fact, that in many countries of this world …
Mrs Phiri: Ha, ha!
Dr Chituwo: … they consume GMO grain. In fact, the consumption of GMO grain is very wide spread. With regard to whether we have changed the policy, Madam Speaker, my statement clearly indicates and demonstrates that there are has not been any change of policy. This is why upon detection of this grain, the maize was brought into the country, speedily, with the assistance of my colleague, the Minister of Home Affairs. These trucks were escorted to ensure that no grain strayed to destroy or contaminate our local grain.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Muntanga (Kalomo): Madam Speaker, from the statement given by the hon. Minister, they did find out where the millers had stocks of maize in the country and now, he has confirmed that they have bought local stocks. Meaning that, it includes buying from the millers. May the hon. Minister please clarify. Does this mean that the Government had to go and buy maize at a higher price from a miller and sell the same maize to the same miller at a reduced price? May I know what the position is.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, the objective was to ensure that our people had affordable mealie-meal. In this arrangement, the subsidy was from the fact that indeed, the cheaply obtained maize by FRA be given in the first instance to the millers so that the end product, the mealie-meal, could be affordable.
Madam Speaker, there are instances when the millers would have this maize, it would have been bought at the agreed price and the difference would be the subsidy to the final product, the mealie-meal.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Phiri (Munali): Madam Speaker, sometime back when this country faced another crisis of maize, we received some donated maize which our late President rejected and it was sent back. At the same time, some scientists from this country were sent to the United States of America to carry out a study and know the effects of these GMOs. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operation, what results those scientists who were sent to America on a taxpayer’s money came with. What effects have these GMOs got on our people?
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I am really surprised by this question from hon. Member of Parliament for Munali.
Mrs Phiri: Answer.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, when I was Minister of Science and Technology, I brought the Bio-Safety Act to this House and we debated regarding the findings and fears. So, this is why I am surprised that the hon. Member of Parliament is asking this question.
Madam Speaker, as regards to the results, they definitely indicate that GMO seeds can contaminate our indigenous seeds. Therefore, the introduction of GMO grain would not only contaminate our long standing tradition of carrying over original seed from year to year, but would also create dependency on these companies because we would have to buy seed from them every year due to issues of patent. This would seriously disadvantage our farmers and disrupt even the little efforts that we are making. Hence, the stand that we have taken from now on is that we will not have GMO grain in our country.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Masebo (Chongwe): Madam Speaker, first of all I would like to thank the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives for the ministerial statement. I also want to commend the Government for subsidising the price of mealie-meal, taking into account that if that was not done, the price of a bag of 25 kg mealie-meal would have been K80,000 today, which is beyond the reach of most Zambians.
However, I would like to ask the hon. Minister a question arising from his statement hat he did not understand how the grain traders suddenly had more stocks of maize. I am asking that question in relation to the fact that, some of these people that have these stocks are the same people that the Government had actually sold maize to earlier at a subsidised price.
Major Chizhyuka: Which is a cheaper price.
Mrs Masebo: The Government had sold various quantities of maize to a number of millers at a subsidised price. However, some of these same millers …
Madam Deputy Speaker: Ask for clarification.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, sorry, but I thought that if I just ask directly the hon. Minister might not understand me. Now, some of these same people are the ones who now have stocks that they want to sell to the Government at a higher price. Does the hon. Minister not see that, in fact, the intervention by the Government, which was well meant, is what has now actually created a shortage and people are cashing in? The Government is spending money subsidising maize and somebodyelse is making money …
Madam Deputy Speaker: You are debating.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear
Madam Deputy Speaker: Ask your question.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, what are the Government’s intentions in light of the fact that its well intended policy has created a shortage and people are now cashing in and taxpayers’ money is going to waste because the intended group is no longer benefiting?
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, let me correct the impression. There is no maize shortage.
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah! There is a shortage!
Dr Chituwo: There is no shortage:
Hon. Opposition Member: There is!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Dr Chituwo: Well, if you know there is a shortage, why are you asking?
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!
Hon. Opposition Members: There is!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Order, hon. Members! It is a very clear part of procedure in this House that when we ask for information from the Executive, we allow the Executive to give that information. It is not acceptable to come and ask if you know the answer and I sure hon. Members know that. So, questions in this House are asked in good faith and therefore, we will allow the hon. Minister to respond so that there can be follow-up questions.
The hon. Minister may continue.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I want to emphasise that there is no shortage.
Hon. PF Members: Question!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, the possibility of a shortage is there and again, it is a question of business ethics. From our estimates, we know the national monthly consumption of maize and this is the quantity that FRA is releasing to the millers for the production of mealie-meal. Therefore, we are only reaching the consumption levels in accordance with the estimates.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Madam Speaker, I wish the hon. Minister to tell this House whether or not in the contract given to these companies to supply maize, there was a clause not to supply GMO maize. Furthermore, if such a clause was there and we received GMO maize, what action has been taken against these companies?
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, in our contracts, it was very clear that we were interested in Non-GMO maize and therefore, upon discovering that the maize was actually GMO, this maize was sent back where it came from at the cost of the contracted companies. So, that is a penalty in itself when one considers …
Interruptions
Dr Chituwo: … the expense involved in transportation.
Mr Kambwili: Cancel the contract.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, there is still a large quantity of this maize stock which is yet to come and therefore, it would be a breach on our part if before the completion of the contract, we cancel it prematurely.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Mwiimbu (Monze): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether he is aware that the two companies that were contracted; G.I. International and Mark Daniels, are associate companies.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I would like to categorically state that I am not aware.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out who issued the contract to Mark Daniels without making pre-shipment inspections because …
Interruptions
Mr Mukanga: I would also like to find out when the hon. Minister is going to make a copy of the contract available to this House.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, indeed, one of the requirements is pre-shipment inspection and secondly, the export permit from the exporting country and an import permit from here, as well as, a certificate of Non-GMO. If any of these requirements are not adhered to, it means that the specifications have not been fulfilled as per contract and this is why we sent back the initial consignment.
Madam Speaker, I have no difficulty in making available a copy of the contract to the House, if hon. Members so wish.
I thank you, Madam.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Scott (Lusaka Central): Madam Speaker, I would like to first thank the hon. Minister for making me feel twenty years younger. This is just like United National Independence Party (UNIP) times. There is no shortage except we can see it …
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Laughter
Dr Scott: … and it is all the fault of the private sector, smugglers and the Congolese. Now, my question is a follow-up on the previous questions. Maize imports can be a matter of life and death …
Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!
Dr Scott: … and to have a company given a contract which it blatantly and dangerously breaks …
Major Chizhyuka: Yes, blatantly and with impunity.
Dr Scott: … and we merely ask the company to send us some more maize instead, seems to us very irresponsible. Whose heads are going to roll? Is the hon. Minister himself going to resign or which of his juniors is he going to punish?
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Scott: Where is the human sacrifice that we are expecting?
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I am extremely happy to learn that I have added 20 years of life to the hon. Member of Parliament for Lusaka Central and he is now 20 years younger.
Madam Speaker, what I have demonstrated in my statement is that we have a system in place in Zambia with regard to GMO.
Madam Speaker, following this system, it is clear that it has protected the health and safety of our Zambians because had it not been so, we would not have detected that this maize was GMO. That in itself, should be a basis for encouraging the system that we have in place.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka): Madam Speaker, before I do that, I want to thank him more sincerely for putting the matter at hand in perspective. There has been default on the part of the people who were awarded to supply this maize on one hand. As the hon. Minister reviewed, there has also been a clear case of deceit on the part of the Grain Traders Association who, in my view, are the primary source of this fiasco.
Madam Speaker, what do the terms of the contract state when you are in default on delivery period or default on the quality that is supposed to be delivered? Can the hon. Minister also confirm that it is actually the Government policy to gratify those people who initially intended to default the system of governance by spending in excess of US$36 million in that importation.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, in my statement I did indicate that delivery period was four to eight weeks. Secondly, the quantities that were to be supplied have not all been supplied. It is just the initial 17 per cent of the initial shipment which we have found to be known, perhaps known responsible is not correct, but that it has not met our specification.
Therefore, at this stage, I do not think it would be proper to say that there is a breach of contract because the contract has to be seen in totality rather than in piecemeal.
I thank you, Madam.
Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Madam Speaker, this House passed an Act, the Bio Safety Act, and I believe there are penalties for people who deliberately and willfully wish to bring GMO maize into this country. Is the hon. Minister considering taking action, according to those provisions, against those who deliberately and willfully wanted to bring GMO maize into this country when ,in fact, they are not supposed to do so instead of saying they will supply the rest, they will meet the cost.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, as a Government of laws, there is a law already in place. This issue will be dealt with.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Kambwili: Question!
Mr Mwenya (Nkana): Madam Speaker, we would want the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives to be very categorical in the manner that he is responding to some of these questions. The issue at hand is that, we have seen contractors in this country being blacklisted for performing badly. Why are we not coming up with a clear answer from the hon. Minister on what will be done to these suppliers who were trying to defraud and bring in GMO maize into this country. Should the Government continue dealing with these suppliers whilst we know very well that they were attempting to corrupt the officers at the border to bring in the GMO maize?
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I have no intention of not giving clear answers and this is what I am doing. Madam Speaker, the contract is still running and there is a law and system in place to ensure that the safety of a Zambian is safeguarded. As I have previously answered, I cannot see at this stage how we can blacklist a company with a running contract.
Hon. Opposition Members: They breached it.
Dr Chituwo: This contract is running and we have systems; and I have agreed that we shall bring this contract to the House.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Kakoma (Zambezi West): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has told this House that the Government awarded contracts to three contractors to bring in maize. Today the Chairman of the FRA also indicated that the FRA gave a contract to a Mr James Banda to bring in maize and he did not know that the said Mr James Banda was the son to the President. I would like to know from the hon. Minister whether among the companies that he has told us were contracted by the Government to bring in maize, one of those companies belongs to Mr James Banda or whether he is associated with these companies.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Zambezi West has invented words. The chairman of FRA never said what he has just said.
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!
Dr Chituwo: He never said that …
Mr Muyanda: What did he say?
Madam Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister respond to the question on the Floor.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, I do not remember hearing or reading that the Chairman of FRA said that Mr James Banda was awarded this contract.
Mr Muntanga: What do you know?
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, let me make it very clear, when contracts are awarded to companies, we do not scrutinise to know who owns this company or that company.
Hon. Opposition Members: Question!
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, these are mere allegations and I would like the hon. Member of Parliament for Zambezi West to prove it. The constitution of this country…
Mr Kambwili: Mwalishitesha echalo ukupela Banda.
Dr Chituwo: … provides for equality of opportunities to every citizen. Obviously the laws are there, and if there was to be declaration of interest, I am sure that was going to be done, but as the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, I am not aware of anyone being bared. Those are just insinuations.
Mr Kambwili: There is no smoke without fire.
Dr Chituwo: Anybody is free in this country, as far as, I know to participate in the social economic development of our country transparently and accountably.
I thank you, Madam.
Dr Kalumba (Chienge): Madam Speaker, in view of the misperception or perception that, I can see my colleagues there smell blood somewhere.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Kalumba: Would the hon. Minister stand up in this House and say without reserve whether in his view there is anything that he should feel or believe was either insincere, incorrect, improper or in fact, that the pressure is above board.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Chishimba: Chishimba alikwisa asuke umyanga Banda kufikondo.
Dr Chituwo: Madam Speaker, as far as I am aware, the entire process was above board.
Thank you, Madam.
Major Chizhyuka (Namwala): Madam Speaker, first of all, I just want to thank the hon. Minister for taking the steps jointly together with the hon. Minister of Home Affairs to send back that GMO grain, hardly five months after the death of the late President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC who said we should never have GMO maize in this country. I sympathise with you because you have taken out …
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Ask your question. This is not debate time.
May you continue, please.
Major Chizhyuka: My question is, given that you have a complex conjugate, in one vein of that conjugate, there is the FRA which exported maize out of this country only a few months ago and is now importing that same maize at a very high price. In the other vein, the ministry and Government are subsidising millers at the expense of production. In the third vein, you are providing importation orders to associate companies…
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Can you ask your question…?
Major Chizhyuka: You are not…
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Major Chizhyuka: How do you intend to resolve this complex conjugate in agriculture in this country given that every vein is failing? I beg to be clarified, Madam Speaker.
Dr Chituwo: I thank you, Madam Speaker. This complex conjugate…
Laughter
Dr Chituwo: I thank the hon. Member for Namwala for asking that question. In fact, he has asked many questions.
Firstly, at the time of export of maize, FRA was given an extra amount of money that they exhausted, but there was a lot of stock in the countryside and it would be unfair not to buy that maize from our hard working farmers. A decision was made to get some money if they wanted to borrow, but they had to buy stock from our hard working farmers in remote places. The FRA borrowed money and arranged over and above that the Government manage this maize stock because there was need to repay the loan. Therefore, it would be totally unfair for Government to give FRA money to pay the banks. Hence the exportation of the maize that the hon. Member is referring to. We maintained our reserves. We were able to empower our farmers and loans were repaid.
With regard to subsidising millers at the expense of production, Madam Speaker, I stated the objective of FRA of off loading maize onto the market and making it affordable to our farmers. Yes, it is consumption but there are other ways in which we also subsidise production, for instance, in the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP). I think that is a good balance and this is just a short period that, in fact, will tide us over this period until we have our new crop.
Thank you, Madam.{mospagebreak}
THE REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL SETTLERS FROM SICHIFULO GAME MANAGEMENT AREA BY THE ZAMBIA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY
The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Ms Namugala): Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for allowing me to make a ministerial statement on the matter surrounding the removal of illegal settlers from Sichifulo Game Management Area by the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). It is my hope that this statement will help to put this protracted matter to rest once and for all.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, the House may wish to know that the Game Management Areas (GMAs) are established by law. The National Parks and Wildlife Act Cap. 316 of the Laws of Zambia provided for the declaration of the protected game management area as a buffer zone around protected wildlife reserves to contribute towards sustainable conservation of wildlife and other natural resources for present and future generations.
Zambia, Madam Speaker, has a total of nineteen national parks and thirty-four Game Management Areas. The establishment of Game Management Areas is done through a consultative process involving the local traditional leadership, the local authorities and other relevant stakeholders such as Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism.
Once consultations are finalised, maps demarcating the proposed boundaries of the GMAs are prepared and signed by both concerned traditional leaders and the Minister. These signed maps are finally presented to the Head of State to officially declare an area as a Game Management Area.
Madam Speaker, the management of Game Management Areas is based on general management plans. Section 5(d) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 12 of 1988 provides for the preparation of game management plans to guide the development of GMAs through zoning of the area for the various users. Human settlements, agriculture activities such as cultivation and livestock users are normally guided through the management plans.
Madam Speaker, human settlements and other activities such as livestock rearing, hunting and photographic safaris are permitted in GMAs. However, these activities have to be conducted in a planned manner through zoning of the GMAs. The zoning identifies areas suitable for the activities. Human settlement is not permitted in areas designated as prime hunting areas. Only non-consumptive activities such as photographic safaris are permitted in prime hunting areas.
Madam Speaker, by way of background, Sichifulo Game Management Area was established by Statutory Instrument No.71 of 1971 of the GMA Declaration Order. It is located in the South-Western boundary of the Kafue National Park in the Kazungula and Kalomo Districts of the Southern Province of Zambia.
Madam Speaker,The larger part of the GMA is located in Kazungula District and only a small portion in Kalomo. It has a total land mass of 3,600 square km, making it the fourth largest GMA that buffers the Kafue National Park.
Madam Speaker, the House may also wish to know that the need to remove illegal settlers was realised more than twenty years ago, as far back as 1988. The encroachment of the prime hunting area started when people, mostly from the Siachitema and Nyawa Chiefdoms, started settling in the Sichifulo GMA without consent.
Madam Speaker, some of the areas settled included prime sites for hunting. Due to increased human settlements, animal population started dwindling as a result of poaching and migration of wildlife species to other pristine areas.
Madam Speaker, it was the reduction in wildlife population and degradation of wildlife habitats that prompted the Government to move in and remove people who had moved into the prime wildlife areas back to where they came from.
Major Chizhyuka: Where?
Ms Namugala: There has been a marked decline in the wildlife population in the GMA, with some species which were evident during an aerial survey of 2004 being inconspicuous in 2006.
Madam Speaker, the species that have disappeared completely in the Sichifulo GMA include the Hatu Beast, Zebra, Kudu, Bushbuck and Reedbuck.
Interruptions
Ms Namugala: The processes employed by the Government to remove people from the prime wildlife areas have been inclusive and consultative. In 2007, the traditional rulers, Chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa, who are the Chiefs around the GMA approached the Government to assist in the removal of illegal settlers to alternative areas.
Madam Speaker, to demonstrate the importance the traditional rulers attached to protecting the wildlife, Chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa offered to resettle the affected people in other areas. The Chiefs further sought recourse to the provincial administration, which constituted a team to undertake a survey to determine the extent of the encroachment.
Madam Speaker, the team found that there was a total of 8,000 illegal settlers and recommended their removal because of the severity of the degradation of wildlife habitat as well as reduction of wildlife species caused by their continued stay.
Madam Speaker, based on the recommendation of the provincial administration, ZAWA under Chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa, signed a joint letter to serve notice to the illegal settlers to move on their own from the GMA by 30th June, 2008.
Madam Speaker, some responded and moved away on their own while others defied the order. In August, 2008, the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) moved in to remove 2,500 illegal settlers that had remained in the area.
Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that at the moment, all illegal settlers have completely been moved from the GMA. Most of them have gone back to their original chiefdoms with all their belongings, including their livestock. A few have integrated within the villages of Siachitema and Nyawa Chiefdoms.
Interruptions
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, it is important that hon. Members of this House understand that Zambia’s main tourism product is wildlife and will remain so…
Hon. UPND Members: Aah!
Ms Namugala: … for the foreseeable future. The country earns significant amounts of foreign exchange from Safari Hunting in the GMAs …
Hon. UPND Members: Aah!
Ms Namugala: … including from the earnings of non-consumptive tourism such as Photographic Safari, which goes towards conservation of the wildlife estates as well as improvement of the living standards of the people …
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Can we all listen to the statement?
Interruptions
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Ms Namugala: … living around GMAs through employment in the safari industry, animal protein from the game meat donated by safari hunting companies and revenue from wildlife utilisation.
For example, Madam Speaker, Alpha Recreation Safaris, a company hunting in the Sichifulo GMA employs 90 per cent of its workforce from the local communities which are also provided with at least 50 per cent of the meat hunted in the GMA.
In terms of revenue, records show that from 2002 to 2005, the local communities of Siachitema and Nyawa received a total of K216.2 million
Madam Speaker, in addition, the revenue from Safari Hunting is used to fund developmental projects such as construction of school blocks, boreholes, clinics, etc, besides supporting wildlife supporting conservation activities, employment of community scouts who conduct law enforcement operations in the GMA and provision of fuel and rations for field operators.
It can be deduced from the foregoing, that the GMA is definitely an economic asset to the local communities living within it.
Madam Speaker, as earlier stated, the intervention by the Government was timely because the clearing of large tracks of land for cultivation, led to the reduction of both wildlife species and habitat loss. It is estimated that as at 2007, about 684 square km of land in Sichifulo GMA had been settled giving an annual rate of 26.3 square km. At this rate of settlement, it is projected that by the end of this year, about 730 square km or about 20 per cent of the land area of the GMA would have been settled.
If nothing was done to check the problem, there would be no GMAs left in years to come.
Major Chizhyuka: Talk about GMAs in your area.
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to appeal to the hon. Members of Parliament in this House and, in particular, from the Southern Province …
Hon. UPND Members: No!
Ms Namugala: … to rally behind the Government in protecting and managing the valuable wildlife resources in GMAs sustainably by working closely with their people and the traditional leaders.
Hon. UPND Members: Aah!
Ms Namugala: My ministry, through ZAWA, will work closely with the community resources boards in ensuring that prime wildlife areas are not encroached in Sichifulo and other GMAs across the country.
Madam Speaker, if you allow me, I would like to lay on the Table of the House a report of the combined team that visited the area as well as consent from the Chiefs around the GMA for the removal of the settlers.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Hon. UPND Members stood up.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, you may sit until the guidance is given.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions …
Interruptions
Madam Deputy Speaker: Please, let me finish.
Laughter
Madam Deputy Speaker: … on points of clarification on the ministerial statement given by the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources.
Hon. UPND Members stood up.
Laughter
Mrs Musokotwane (Katombola): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the people settled there illegally. Did she ask the people to show her their letters of consent allowing them to live there by the previous Chief Siachetema and Chief Nyawa …
Major Chizhyuka: Yes!
Mrs Musokotwane: … because the letters are there.
Major Chizhyuka: With authority
Mrs Musokotwane: With authority!
Major Chizhyuka interjected.
Madam Speaker: Order! That is not acceptable. The House will remain civil no matter how sensitive the issues may be.
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, I visited Sichifulo GMA in the company of the Minister for Southern Province and Zambia Police Commanding Officer. We went there as a delegation. We met the chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa. We also met local community leaders who told us that those people where illegal settlers and that, for a long time, they had been asked to move. At every time, there was an excuse, either they had crops growing or something else.
Madam, the chiefs who are the custodians of the land we are talking about have written to the Government and signed supporting this move by the Government.
I thank you, Madam.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Sejani (Mapatizya): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that the people have moved out of Sichifulo. Is the hon. Minister confirming that they have also taken the graves of their children and foreparents. If not, we are going back to Sichifulo …
Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Laughter
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Because of the end of that question, we will move on.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Madam Speaker, could the hon. Minister confirm that those people have been living there for twenty-three years since 1985, and that, the then hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Christon Tembo, had advised these people not to move until an alternative place was found for them. Can the hon. Minister also confirm that those people came from the area where the Kariba Dam was constructed? Could the hon. Minister confirm that these people have been living there for twenty-three years?
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, in my statement, I indicated that efforts to remove these illegal settlers started as far as back as 1988. The letter being referred to, which was written by the then hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Tembo, suggested that people were not be moved until an alternative place was found for them. I have stated in my statement that chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa have offered to give them alternative land.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Colonel Chanda (Kanyama): Madam Speaker, …
Hon. Members: You come from Kanyama what do you know about that area?
Laughter
Colonel Chanda: … in alluding to the fact that …
Laughter
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Colonel Chanda: … the responsible people of Sichifulo have accepted the Government’s move to resettle them in some areas of the chiefdoms mentioned. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister if complementary efforts have been put in place to ensure that services such as schools, health centres and water have been provided for the displaced members of Sichifulo.
Interruptions
Colonel Chanda: Can the hon. Minister confirm whether deliberate efforts have been made to ensure that these services are provided in those villages where these human are beings moved to.
Interruptions
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Hon. Members we have to follow this through. The hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources can respond to that question.
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, I indicated in my statement that some of the people have gone back where they came from.
Major Chizhyuka: Where? In the water!
Ms Namugala: Others have integrated in the chiefdoms of Siachitema and Nyawa. Therefore, the facilities that exist there are available for their use.
I thank you, Madam.
Mrs Masebo (Chongwe): Madam Speaker, in the ministerial statement, the hon. Minister stated that chiefs are supposed to work with the people and that people should not settle in those places without the chiefs’ recommendations. Maybe, I did not hear her clearly. However, I have a question relating to that issue. I am aware that in some parts of Northern Province, there is a chief who has been cutting part of the game management area and allocating it to the villagers. My question to the hon. Minister is …
Major Chizhyuka: And she has not removed them!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Laughter
Major Chizhyuka: She has not chased them from there!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, I will ask you to go out and cool down for ten minutes. You will only come back after you have cooled down.
Major Chizhyuka Walked out of the Chamber.
Major Chizhyuka: We shall deal with this matter in court.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Laughter
Major Chizhyuka: She cannot remove them because they are from her province.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Major Chizhyuka: We cannot allow people to be internally displaced.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Laughter
Major Chizhyuka: This is our country!
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! That is gross indiscipline.
Laughter
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Members! I will still try to give advice and we will follow through our own rules of procedure. This House is expected to debate issues that may be extremely sensitive and even through that, as I guided, the House is supposed to remain civil. The House is supposed to be calm and show leadership to the nation. Therefore, to defy the ruling of the Chair is extremely unfortunate.
However, we will still give room to those that have issues to deal with to continue asking questions to the hon. Minister and if we fail to come to calmness, then we are not ready for this particular issue. Continue please.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I was saying that arising from the Ministerial Statement given by the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources and I was also making a reference to an area in Northern Province although I cannot remember the exact…
Mr Sichamba: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.
Mr Sichamba: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. We are debating on issues concerning Sichifulo. Therefore, is the hon. Member in order to start talking about Northern Province instead of Sichifulo? I am getting confused by this situation.
Interruptions
Mr Sichamba: Madam Speaker, I need your serious ruling.
Interruptions
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! The Chair would like to guide the House again that Zambia should be regarded as one nation by both sides. When the Chair starts hearing divisive statements, it is unfortunate because it is not what we are here for. Zambia is a unitary state and if there are issues that affect one part, the entire nation is affected. There is no need to start dividing in the way that we debate. We should look at ourselves as representatives of the Zambian people. Therefore, there should be no such elements perpetuated by a House that is supposed to be the centre of democracy and the centre of our own nation. Can we remain as one nation. I will in this manner, not cover that to be difficult. It is up to the hon. Minister. The hon. Minister knows exactly how to answer. You hear them say, “that is a new question”. These are points of clarification. So, we will allow the questions. Sometimes, the Chair can say that that is outside the statement and sometimes, the hon. Minister may have answers. The hon. Member may continue.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I thank you for your guidance to misguided hon. Members of Parliament.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order!
Laughter
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Withdraw that statement.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I withdraw that statement.
Laughter
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, I was asking the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources on a point of policy. I was trying to give an example of an area that I have had an experience with having had the privilege to be in Government and the question was that…
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Let me give you a bit of guidance. You may be very careful on how you tread on the privilege of your time as hon. Minister. It is very important. Collective responsibility entails a lot. You may continue.
Mrs Masebo: Madam Speaker, arising from the hon. Minister’s Ministerial Statement, she alluded to the fact that chiefs should be consulted before people settle in these GMAs. I was wondering whether I misunderstood her on that point. In a particular area in Northern Province, once upon a time, there was a chief that erroneously started allocating land to his subjects in the game management area. His argument was that those people had lived there for so many years and he had nowhere else to take them. That time, the Government had said that, that was a GMA and could not allocate that land to the people. In such an instance, does Government take consideration of such a request or not.
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, there are two different issues. The hon. Member is talking about a chief who decides to start giving land to people in GMA and that is wrong. As Government, we do not allow that. As I said, the process of declaring a GMA is consultative. In the case of Sichifulo, two chiefs around the area wrote to the people who lived in their chiefdom, but in an area of game management that they were not supposed to live in. They also said this to the Government,
“we know you have been trying to get these people out of this area for a long time. Please help us and we are ready to help you to move these people out.”
Madam Speaker, the part of the letter I have laid on the Table reads and I quote,
“Please note that Sichifulo Game Management Area has, all along, been reserved for hunting activities which have been found beneficial to the local communities. Your continuous encroachment of these game management areas is therefore, not in the interest and support of the community to whom you have deprived great benefits. In the view of the above, you are now given up to 30th June, 2008 to vacate the Sichifulo Game Management Area”.
Madam Spekaer, this letter is signed by His Royal Highness, Chief Nyawa and His Royal Highness, Chief Siachitema. These are the chiefs who are around this game management area. The process was consultative.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Syakalima (Siavonga): Madam Speaker, obviously, the hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, it is your word versus ours. Since you have said that many of these people have since relocated where they came from and some have been accommodated by the two chiefs, we also saying many of those people came from the valley and they were displaced by the construction of Lake Kariba. Now, they have been replaced by animals, which is totally different from what the Bible says.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order! Ask your point of clarification.
Mr Syakalima: Where exactly in the valley have these people gone to because we have not seen them ourselves?
Laughter
Ms Namugala: Madam Speaker, we are talking about Kalomo District and Kazungula
District. By the way, let me mention that the District Commissioners for both Kalomo District and Kazungula District are in full support of this move…
Hon. UPND Members: Aah!
Ms Namugala:…whether they are MMD or not. I have stated and I am stating again that these people were not originally from Sichifulo Game Management Area. They are illegal settlers and that is the point I am trying to point out. From 1988, Government has engaged them to try and move them from that area. Therefore, if the hon. Member has not seen them, then he does not go to his constituency.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
___________{mospagebreak}
QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER
PROVISION OF DESKS AND OTHER REQUISTS TO SCHOOLS BEING BUILT OR REHABILITATED
104. Mrs E. M. Banda (Chililabombwe) asked the Minister of Education whether the Government had plans to provide desks and other school requisites to the following schools which are either being built or rehabilitated:
(i) Nsato;
(ii) Konkola; and
(iii) Chiko.
The Deputy Minister of Education (Mr Sinyinda): Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Education is in the process of procuring 341 double seater desks for Chililabombwe District and these will be distributed to various basic schools in the district.
Interruptions
Mr Sinyinda: Schools like Nsato, Konkola and Chiko will also benefit …
The Deputy Speaker: Order! Can we listen to the answer.
Hon. Minister, you may continue.
Mr Sinyinda: …from the allocation being given to newly constructed schools.
Madam Speaker, the ministry is also in the process of procuring school requisites such as books, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, rulers, pens and mathematical sets for basic schools in the district and the newly constructed schools will benefit from the three basic schools education materials.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Mrs Banda: Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister when these materials will be provided.
Mr Sinyinda: Madam Speaker, as we stated in our response, it will be done this year.
I thank you, Madam.
Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister when the desks and other requisites will be provided to various schools in rural areas so that they may also benefit.
The Minister of Education (Professor Lungwangwa): Madam Speaker, just a few days ago, we indicated that we are in the process of procuring 171,000 double and 17,000 single seater desks. The tendering process is on and these desks will be distributed through out the country.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Kasongo (Bangweulu): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether the number that he has just quoted is sufficient to cater for all other schools in the country, which are facing a similar crisis.
Professor Lungwangwa: Madam Speaker, I think we indicated last year that we had a shortfall of 300,000 desks. The current efforts being undertaken will meet part of the requirements. However, the process of procuring desks for all our schools is continuous. We are confident that at some point, we will be able to clear the backlog.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Simuusa (Nchanga): Madam Speaker, can the hon. Minister tell me whether there is a schedule that can be accessed showing all schools in constituencies and the number of desks allocated so that we can keep track of the supply of desks at these schools.
Professor Lungwangwa: Madam Speaker, I think that the hon. Member is new to the House …
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!
Professor Lungwangwa: … and that is why he does not have that information.
Madam Speaker, every district comes up with a schedule of deficiencies in the various schools. If the hon. Member cares, he can go to the district education board’s office and they will provide him with the different requirements in various schools within the district.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
MOUNTING OF ROADBLOCKS AND IMPOUNDING OF VEHICLES BY COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION UNIT
105. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Minister of Home Affairs whether members of the Community Crime Prevention Unit of the Zambia Police Force were allowed to mount roadblocks and impound motor vehicles.
The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Bonshe): Madam Speaker, members of the Community Crime Prevention Unit are neither allowed to mount roadblocks nor impound motor vehicles. They can only do so in the company of uniformed police officers, who are supposed to supervise them.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, this trend has been going on since the 1990s, during the Kaunda era and has continued to-date. I want to learn from the hon. Minister how best he intends to assist our people in villages, who have been facing this problem all the time.
The Minister of Home Affairs (Dr Mwansa): Madam Speaker, I would like to make a correction and inform the hon. Member that the community policing mechanism is a recent development. It was not inherited from any system in the past. During the period he referred to, we had vigilantes assisting law enforcement.
Madam Speaker, I am not sure what he means by “this problem” because we said that the Community Crime Prevention officers are not supposed to impound vehicles without the supervision of uniformed police officers. Therefore, if this is going on in his constituency or elsewhere, let us have the details so that we can follow-up the matter and take necessary action.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
PROCUREMENT OF SOLAR PANELS FOR POLICE STATIONS AND BOARDING SCHOOLS IN RURAL AREAS
106. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Minister of Energy and Water Development whether the Government had plans to procure solar panels for boarding schools and police stations in rural areas to ease the effects of ZESCO load shedding.
The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Chibombamilimo): Madam Speaker, the focus of the Government at the moment is to install solar panels to areas that are not connected to the national grid. I, therefore, wish to encourage any affected boarding schools and police stations to procure alternative sources of energy such as solar panels for back-up purposes.
Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government is currently undertaking a number of measures to ease the effect of load shedding which include expediting the completion of the Power Rehabilitation Programme (PRP) and conducting sensitisation programmes on energy management.
In conclusion, the hon. Member may wish to know that load shedding is temporal and will be minimised when the PRP is completed.
Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Chisala: Madam Speaker, could the hon. Minister state whether during the course of the load shedding, the ministry received official complaints from the affected institutions or whether legal action was taken against Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO)?
The Minister of Defence (Mr Mpombo) (on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Konga): Madam Speaker, I would like to confirm and stress what the hon. Deputy Minister said. These power blues are likely to be eliminated as soon as we have our rehabilitation exercise under control.
Madam Speaker some people did lodge in complaints and these were discussed.
I thank you, Madam.
Ms Kapata (Mandevu): Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister…
Mr Mwenya: On a point of order, Madam.
Madam Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.
Mr Mwenya: Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point order. I therefore, seek your serious guidance on this matter.
Madam Speaker, in the Sunday Times of 8th February, 2009. There was a story on the front page. It read and I quote:
“The citizens for better environment have sued some mining companies for defaulting on payments amounting to over U S $23 million for statutory environmental liabilities on their operations. The affected companies include Luanshya Copper Mines and Chambeshi Metals. Lafarge Cement Zambia has also been sued for US $12 million for environmental liabilities incurred on its operation in Ndola and Lusaka.”
Madam Speaker, is it in order for this Government not to inform the nation through the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development on this very important issue which has now seen the Zambian people taking the mining companies to court to compel them to start paying money towards their environmental liabilities. Yet, this Government knows very well that according to the law, 20th July, 2008 was the last date by which these mining companies should have met their obligations in terms of environmental liabilities. I need your serious guidance on this matter.
Madam Deputy Speaker: Since I had problems listening to everything that was said, I will only refer to the first part of the point of order. As the hon. Member went on in trying to raise and clarify his own point of order, he referred to the law. Therefore, the Chair would like to advise the hon. Member to let the law take its course. In the initial part of the statement, the hon. Member said some group had sued another group of companies. That is already sub judice. If it is in court, then, this House may not handle that issue.
May the hon. Member for Mandevu continue
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Ms Kapata: Madam Speaker, I just want to find out from the hon. Minister when the long awaited Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP) is going to be made available to all the stakeholders.
Mr Mpombo: Madam Speaker, the REMP is likely to be launched in the course of the year.
I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Madam Speaker, in responding to a question, the hon. Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development said that Government would pay attention to providing solar panels and other…
Speaker: Order! I suspended business for 15 minutes
Business was suspended from 1615 until 1630 hours.
_________{mospagebreak}
MOTION
[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]
BUDGET 2009
(Debate resumed)
Mr Magande (Chilanga): Mr Speaker, as we were closing last night, I was talking about the issue of foreign exchange earnings which had risen from K1 billion to K4 billion. I also wanted to mention that this is why our currency was getting stable at a viable rate. We just did not work on our policies, we decided to accumulate foreign reserves of up to three months.
Mr Speaker, I also want to say that with this year’s problems, the hon. Minister of Energy and Water Development should be laughing his way to the bank because only six months ago the bill for fuel was over a U S$100 million, but now it is around U S $40 million.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: I want to advise the Government to investigate the possibility of buying lots of oil stocks at the current price of U S $40 million which is very low so that most of this year, we can enjoy buying cheap energy.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: Mr Speaker, I also want to say that while I did applaud my successor in the way he read the Budget, I get the impression that he was really not the one who prepared this entire Budget because I see that for the first time in Zambia’s long history, there are no estimates for international reserves under paragraph forty which give us the micro-economic targets for that year. We need those numbers because those are the numbers which say that, assuming Zambia is not able to earn US $1 for the next six months, are we going to be able to import whatever we need, for example, medicine.
Mr Kambwili: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Order!
Mr Magande: … I also wanted to inform my colleague who has taken over from me that one of the anchors …
Dr Scott: On a point of order, Sir.
The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.
Dr Scott: Mr Speaker, I would like to refer you to The Post newspaper of Tuesday, 10th February, 2009, that is yesterday. On the front page, there was a photograph which I initially took to be a historical photograph from the colonial times, of an important man having his shoe laces tied by a kneeling uniformed officer. Now, when I looked more closely, I saw that, in fact, it was a contemporary picture of how the New Deal leadership comports itself. I was just wondering whether the Government is in order to be discriminatory and not to include all the Cabinet of having their own shoe laces or ties, cutting across …
Laughter
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Hon. Members, as much as we would like to raise points of order, they should be in accordance with the advice given by the Speaker some time back. These points of order have to be relevant to the issue being discussed. It must be on decorum and procedure. The point of order being raised by the hon. Member for Lusaka Central is not in line and it is therefore unsustainable.
Can you continue.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: Mr Speaker, in view of what my good friend Hon. Katele Kalumba mentioned, that normally former Ministers of Finance do not criticise each other, I would wish to give more advice to my successor that, the way the Budget was framed this year, perhaps should have been a little bit influential so that estimates of 2008 would not be compared to those of 2009, without alluding to the detractor of the foreign currency, the Kwacha which has lost value and also the inflation rate. That is why those who are criticising us for having said that agriculture has gone up by 37 per cent are correct because the numbers do not, in fact, add up.
Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: I know you have been in the area before, but in the recent past, we decided that the budget estimates must compare as percentages of GDP and the sectors must compare as percentages of the total budget, rather than one budget compared to another one. It loses some of the economists who want to compare what we are doing in accordance with what Southern African Development Community (SADC) is trying to come up with as part of our convergence aspect.
Mr Speaker, I want to say that in the recent past, the budget has become very user friendly. This is because in 2004, in presenting my first budget here, I had a crisis. The Members on your left side should not get involved in discussing this. However, since then, we have embraced the other side and the outsiders, so that if you are amenable to some of the proposals which will come from the other side, you will have an easier way of doing the budget.
Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: Mr Speaker, let me say that indeed, I will not be talking a lot about what my MMD Government is doing, …
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: … I have an enviable position as Chairman of Economy on the Finance Committee in the MMD, voted unanimously at Mulungushi Convention.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: In two years time or 2011, I have to give a report at the convention, and therefore, if I am not briefed properly and briefed in time, it will be very difficult for me to sell my party at that point. I want my party to win by giving a very credible report.
For example, at the moment, I am required on the Copperbelt to explain why we want to drop off the windfall tax from the statutes. Therefore, I need to be advised properly before I go there.
Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: Mr Speaker, as a chess player, I want to say that chess is the only strange game where you use strategic skills. However, chess has thirty-two pieces on it and on that board, the pone is the lowest ,but there is an opportunity even for the pone to advance to the other side and be crowned as a queen and win a game.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Magande: Mr Speaker, on that basis, I want to say that, indeed, we have an opportunity to win games as we are, but we have to work together as the thirty-two pieces on the board.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Machungwa (Luapula): Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I will be extremely brief.
Sir, let me begin by congratulating the Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, holding a PhD like myself …
Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Machungwa: …who presented his budget very well.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Machungwa: However, from the backbench, we do not sing praises but quickly go to those issues which we believe Government can do something about and those are the issues I want to talk about.
Mr Speaker, one issue which stands out, and this has been mentioned by a number of my colleagues, even Hon. Magande has also mentioned it this is the issue of the windfall tax. I find it a little difficult to appreciate why this has been removed. I am cognisant of the fact that copper prices have fallen, but also, it must be remembered that the Windfall Profit Tax, that law was designed such that it would only kick in if the price of copper reached about K5,000.
Mr Mwenya: On a point of order, Sir.
The Deputy Chairperson: Sorry, you cannot make two points order in the same sitting.
Will the hon. Member for Luapula continue, please?
Laughter
Dr Machungwa: Sir, it was meant to kick in when the price of copper had reached K5,500 per tonne. Presently, the copper prices are around K3,100 or somewhere around there, which by the way, has been much higher than it has ever been in the eighty years of copper mining in this country, except in the last two or three years. So, I find it extremely difficult to appreciate why that was removed. The mines will not be taxed now via windfall tax profit because the prices are depressed. If they get to K5,500, then we will get something. Perhaps the hon. Minister should explain when he comes to wind up why he has done this.
I am aware that he is talking of a variable tax which should increase with profitability. However, this was in the measures that we passed last year. So, I am kind of at a loss. I would like to know because if the prices jump up to K6,000 or higher, we are going to begin again fighting and quarrelling with the companies to try and convince a reluctant executive to reintroduce the windfall tax. I thought this should have been useful to remain in the books.
Ms Imbwae: Yes.
Dr Machungwa: Sir, another issue I want to mention is the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). I know that Ministers of Finance are hard pressed to look for funds and our tax base is not very high. However, when you look at the cost of living today, and even the inflation …
Dr Scott: Sichifulo!
Dr Machungwa: … we have gone up by K100,000. When you look at the inflation really, the threshold has not moved. It is not very meaningful. I would have thought we should have been looking at the threshold of a K1 million or even higher for the workers. Hon. Minister, I do not know how you are going to convince them that you mean well.
The other issue I would like to talk about is the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and I would like to take a historical look for those who have not been here long enough. In 1992/1993, the back bench of the MMD, and I was then Deputy Minister, were pushing for an introduction of a fund that would go to each constituency. We did this because we noticed that certain constituencies, especially in the urban areas got a lot of resources, maybe not directly but through various projects whereas other areas, particularly rural, constituencies got nothing.
Mr Speaker, it was a very heated debate which was pushed by Hon. Ernest Mwansa, Hon. Samuel Mukupa, who is in PF, and Newton Ng’uni, who is at the National Constitutional Conference (NCC). In fact, it was so heated that the then Vice President of the Party and Leader of Government Business in the House, the late President Mwanawasa, SC threatened to suspend these people for pushing this issue, but the back bench was vibrant and this went through.
Mr Speaker, at that time, we were asking for K500 million to be given to each constituency as CDF. That is the figure and we are talking about 1993/1994, but a Bill was enacted. At that time, it was not possible to give K500 million per constituency but it was agreed that we would start with something and that we would be increasing it constantly so that it could go to K500 million and beyond.
Mr Speaker, I have looked at the figures at the Bank of Zambia, in 1994 when we debated, the average exchange rates, if you compute the average from January to December it was K611 to a US dollar. Now K500 million will then be equivalent to US$820,000 and that is what the House was asking for. Mr Speaker, this amount today is equivalent to K4.1 billion and so as legislators when we were bringing this Bill that is what we were thinking of. Now this is fifteen years later and the amount shown in the Yellow Book is only K445 million. This is a far out cry. A lot of colleagues have talked about a billion. A billion Kwacha will only be a quarter of what we had been asking for in 1994 so that when we come and say, ‘look, increase this to K1 billion’ we are not really asking for much. In fact, I am told it would only come to 1 percent of the budget.
Mr Speaker, the beauty about CDF is that it reaches out there. There might be a little bit of misuse somewhere, maybe even by our people there, but it goes out there. I would, therefore, like to urge the hon. Minister or maybe even sound a warning here that from this side, we intend to move an amendment. We will be looking at this to see where we can cut a little bit so that we can move this slightly upwards. This is for all the people of Zambia because it targets poverty reduction, small projects, community schools, small bridges and health centres. These are the kind of projects that we are talking about and not about all these grandiose big projects like citizens empowerment, some of which will probably take twenty years to get to my constituency.
Mr Speaker, this is something that we can actually be able to deliver so that when we come to debate, I would like to ask our friends in the Front Bench because ,after all, you also have constituencies and here is something that will help us all. Let us try to move even if we move a quarter of the way in fifteen years to what we had wanted to be or where we would have been fifteen years ago. I urge the hon. Minister to look at this issue seriously.
Mr Speaker, I know there is a tendency by hon. Ministers of Finance and National Planning to say, ‘no, once I have made a budget, I have to stick to it’. You know nothing is casting stone. There is a tendency by us all as human beings to try to think that what we are doing is better or greater than what our colleagues …
Mrs Masebo: On a point of order, Sir.
The Deputy Chairman: A point of order is raised.
Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I am sorry that I rose on a point of order on my colleague who is debating well. Mr Speaker, the entire UPND Bench is out except for one who has a broken leg …
Laughter
Mrs Masebo: … and could not move. I thought that the Speaker only allowed one at a time to go out to refresh? Is it in order for the entire UPND Bench including the first line consisting of the shadow cabinet to be outside when an important issue is being debated?
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairman: By way of guidance, it is really important that we as hon. Members be around when we are discussing very important issues such as the Budget. However, I want to believe that the absence in the House by hon. UPND Members is a coincidence and, therefore, should be ignored in that we still have a quorum. Will the hon. Member continue, please?
Dr Machungwa: Mr Speaker, I promised that I would be brief. Mr Speaker, we started this programme here and our friends in Kenya learnt from us and they have done so well by allocating a lot of money towards it that now everybody knows about this CDF. We are pioneers who are not able to move forward and consummate and so I am urging the hon. Minister that we should move forward.
Mr Speaker, I now want to say something about fisheries. We had a Minister of Food and Fisheries who called himself ‘cow dung and he promised that he was going to restock the fisheries, especially in Luapula and other areas where the fish had depleted but nothing up to now has happened. I am hopeful now that the hon. Minister of Cattle and Fisheries is going to do something although the budget does not seem to be showing anything.
Mr Speaker, when Denkete hammers the cattle, we put money to help, if the fish is depleted, let us also put something. Mr Speaker, as I conclude, let me mention this that there is a tendency for us all to say that I am the only one who is doing this or can do that.
The world is like a stage. We all play our parts and at some point exit.
Mr D. Mwila: Kokolapo apopene[ Take your time there].
Dr Machungwa: When we look at the programmes that Zambia has had from independence, a lot was done but with a lot of mistakes. When the MMD took over in 1991, the economy had collapsed. They made a lot of strides, but there were also some mistakes. The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was started. I remember the late Hon. Penza who was more or less like the disciple of SAP and Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). Hon. Kasonde, Hon. Magande and now Hon. Dr Musokotwane have worked. It is like all of them are trying to build the same house.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Machungwa: This business of thinking that I am the only one who can do it or what I did is better than what everybody else can do is not good because you are not working alone.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Machungwa: We must work and feel a sense togetherness. I have been in the Front Bench, Middle Bench, Back Bench and even in the Back Bench of MMD and now even on the Opposition. Even here, there is some pushing here and there…
Laughter
Dr Machungwa: … but I am still here.
Laughter
Mr Kambwili: Question!
Dr Machungwa: I am still here.
Laughter
Dr Machungwa: Let me say that we can work together as Zambia.
Hon. Members: Yes.
Dr Machungwa: Let us try to work together. Whatever role we are playing, let us try to unite for the benefit of our people.
I thank you, Sir.
Mr Mukanga: Chishinka mudala. Mwalanda bwino sana [ You have said the truth and have spoken very well].
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku (Liuwa): Thank you, for allowing me this time to add my voice to this very important motion on the budget for the year 2009. Catching your eye Mr Speaker, is actually always a privilege.
To start with, may I wish the hon. Members of this House, through you, Sir, a prosperous New Year and a hard working 2009.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: I want to re-emphasise because our people do not want hear people politicking, but they want to see development.
Sir, since it is my first time to …
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! We are not listening. Let us consult quietly.
May the hon. Member for Liuwa continue, please.
Mr Imasiku: … speak this year, allow me to congratulate His Excellency, the President for having been elected to that high office.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, the President deserves that office. I would also like to commend our National Executive Committee (NEC) members for making him the President of the party.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, I would like to commend you …
Mr Kambwili: Inchito shalisula.[ all jobs are taken]
Mr Imasiku: … for this very important thing. I just want to remind you, Sir…
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Mr Imasiku: … that while I salute you, I urge you to leave no stone unturned in your cause to keep the party united with your eyes focussed on the 2011 tripartite elections. Remember, united we stand and united we can do it again in 2011, if you keep the unity.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, it is really not a mistake to say that hon. Members of this august House and progressive citizens of this great country are more than convinced that President Rupiah Banda is the right man for this position.
Mr Kambwili: GMO, Question! ZAMTEL, question!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President together with his team will certainly steer this nation even to greater heights…
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! These agreements or disagreements and so on, have been properly laid out in the Standing Orders. I would like to appeal to hon. Members that if you want to make a point, do it nicely and not do it the way some of us are doing it by shouting on top of our voices. I do not want to mention the name, but I appeal to all of you.
May the hon. Member for Liuwa continue, please.
Laughter
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, I want to thank you for your protection. I was saying that His Excellency the President together with his team will steer this nation to higher heights in all the fields of human endeavour.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, citing the latter, hardly 100 days in the office, President Rupiah Banda has already won hearts of many Zambians.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Among the many achievements in this short space of time, he has reduced the price of mealie-meal.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: He has slashed the fuel prices.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: He has increased the allowances for students at the universities.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: It is only yesterday when we heard that all the children who had passed Grade 10 are going to go to upper classes. This is an achievement. In many quarters, President Banda has already been held for his spirit of inclusiveness. How do you explain the situation where the President picks on even members of opposition parties to get involved in deliberations of issues of this nation? Such type of virtue only goes with men of high calibre like President Rupiah Banda.
Mr Speaker, I would like to advise. In a balanced tone unlike those who are shouting at me. I want to appeal to the leadership of those parties who did not make it in the last by-elections to accept the results and the will of the Zambian people.
Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Certainly, there is nothing wrong in feeling bad after losing an important election because there are expenses involved. Self pity and uncontrolled running tempers are the worst steps that can be taken. This, if not well handled, can degenerate into depression or even dangerous not only to yourself, but even to your competitors or your people. May I advise that there is no need for acrimony. We are still Zambians and true sons and daughters of this great nation. I request you to unclench your fists, pack your political missiles and come forward and be part of the team.
Mr Kambwili: On a point of order, Sir.
The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.
Mr Kambwili: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Is the hon. Member, who is my uncle, in order to read and not debate and at the same time try to seek for a job by talking about elections which are not part of the budget speech? I need your serious ruling, Sir.
The Deputy Chairperson: I would like to take advantage of this point of order and request the hon. Member for Liuwa to discuss the topic on the Floor of this House. The introductory praises have been quite understandable. I would like you to be brief and to stick the subject.
May he continue, please.
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, thank you for that advice. My nephew made the same point of order even last time and so he always keeps it like that.
Laughter
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, I also want to congratulate and welcome the new hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Hon. Members must know that Dr Musokotwane also comes from Liuwa Constituency.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: He is the second Minister of Finance and National Planning from this very important constituency. This constituency has actually recorded a number of very prominent men and women who helped this country during the struggle for independence and are still helping it to develop. These are people like Mr Nalumino Mundia, Mr Arthur Wina, Princess Nakatindi and many others. This constituency, although is ignored, actually produces men of Dr Musokotwane’s calibre. Hon. Members should not forget that even the Speaker of the National Assembly comes from Liuwa.
A look at the curriculum vitae of Dr Musokotwane shows that there are actually very few hon. Ministers of Finance and National Planning with his caliber and education.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, it is actually true to say that Dr Musokotwane is one of the few hon. Ministers of Finance and National Planning who has a PhD in economics.
Mr Mulyata: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: So, it is not fair to belittle him because this man, not only has experience in working in this country but even in other parts of the world. How can we forget that Dr. Musokotwane was actually the Secretary to the Treasury and an adviser to the President for economic affairs? Whilst the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was perhaps advising the President on economics on a weekly basis, I think Dr. Musokotwane was advising him on a daily basis.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Therefore, the development in this country that we are seeing now should also be accredited to him because when we were seated in this House, Dr Musokotwane was at State House advising the President.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, names like Mr Magande, popularly known as ‘Mr HIPC’, will always be associated with the economic milestones in this nation.
Mr Magande: Thank you.
Mr Imasiku: That said, we should therefore give Dr Musokotwane a chance. The man is well placed and needs our support and not us calling him names.
Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, let me now talk about Liuwa Constituency. This is a constituency that has produced great men and women but does not seem to be given substantial attention. As regards to the road network, this is perhaps the only constituency in the province, if not the whole country, that does not have a tarred road.
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! We are really consulting loudly. The hon. Member for Liuwa is in the Back Bench of the Ruling Party and he is appealing to the Government. So I think that hon. Members of the Executive should listen to him very carefully.
You may continue.
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, let me just emphasise the fact that Liuwa is the most attractive tourist spot in the province. There is no other place in Zambia where one can encounter the beautiful wildlife found in Liuwa Constituency. Liuwa means “plain”. Tourists drive or walk through clusters of animals in their thousands without going through thickets or forests. It is true to say that most of the tourists who visit Western Province are actually destined for Liuwa National Park in my constituency. While we thank the Government for safeguarding the animals, infrastructure has not received sufficient attention because there are no roads.
Mr Speaker, the poor road network has resulted in the number of tourists going to Liuwa to remain stagnant. Efforts to get the hon. Ministers of Works and Supply and Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources to look into this matter do not seem to produce results. I have even gone further by trying to see the chairperson of the Road Development Agency (RDA), but to no avail. It is my hope that the new hon. Minister of Works and Supply will, this time around, listen to our plea in Liuwa Constituency, where there are no roads.
Mr Speaker, I would like to comment a bit on health. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has done a lot in the development of health infrastructure in Western Province. Kaoma and Shang’ombo have had new hospitals built and a number of rural health centres are being built.
Mrs Masebo: Including Liuwa.
Mr Imasiku: It is, however, sad to note that Liuwa Constituency does not seem to be benefiting from these developments. This vast constituency has only three health centres. It takes 120 kilometres to move from one centre to another. The shortest is 60 kilometres between clinics. I am therefore requesting the new hon. Minister of Health, whom I am aware knows Liuwa and North Kalabo very well, to come to our aid this time.
Mr Speaker, agriculture is another important sector, but among the nine agriculture posts in Liuwa, only one is manned. I know that Dr. Chituwo, the new hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, will come to our aid regarding this matter. Liuwa is a plain where a lot of rice is grown. How can the people be enticed to produce more rice if they are not helped technically?
Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister of Education …
Hon. Members: It is Mr Speaker.
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker…
Laughter
Mr Imasiku: … the hon. Minister of Education will always go down in the history of this Parliamentary Session as one of the hon. Ministers that have done a lot for the people of Liuwa. While there is nothing that has been done in other sectors, about seven schools are being either renovated, constructed or even replaced in my constituency. We want to acknowledge the work being done by Hon. Lungwangwa and his team in Liuwa Constituency. We will never forget him.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, turning to this year’s Budget, I want to commend the new hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, and his team for a far reaching budget document. Under the current economic crisis, the 2009 Budget cannot be any better. It would be folly and certainly behaving like an ostrich if we ignore the current economic crisis that has affected the whole world, including our country. Insisting to increase our resource base under the current situation when the mines are collapsing or closing down is like trying to squeeze milk from a granite stone. A suit can only be tailored according to the size of the cloth and this is what the hon. Minister has done.
Mr Speaker, the few years that I have spent in this House have made me realise that some hon. Members in this House are just bent on criticising.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: I so say because …
Mr Mulyata: For example?
Laughter
Mr Imasiku: … it has become fashionable to oppose anything the Executive tries to propose or execute, just for the sake of doing so, with the sole aim of painting a negative picture of the efforts the Government is making.
Mr Kambwili: Question!
Mr Imasiku: Otherwise, how can one explain the cynic utterances coming from some quarters of this House? A few months ago, we demanded that the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives be given a bigger allocation. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, with the wisdom of the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, has increased it by 37 per cent.
Hon. PF Members: Where?
Mr Imasiku: However, what we are hearing is that this is wrong mathematics and that this Budget does not take into account the growing of cassava, sorghum and so on. What type of thinking is that?
Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, we should learn to appreciate good efforts by the Government.
Mr Speaker, as regards to the allocation of education, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has increased it from 15.4 to 17.2 per cent of the national Budget. Yet, what we are hearing from some people is that the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning was supposed to tell us the number of classroom blocks to be constructed and not the number of classrooms. What type of reasoning is that? What is the difference between classrooms and classroom blocks? They are all classes. So, those that are criticising when they have nothing to say should just sit down.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, when we look at health, the hon. Minister actually gave us a lot of information on the infrastructure being constructed. He has raised the Budget allocation for health from 11.5 to 11.9 per cent. Instead of praising the ministry for what is going on, we are only talking about cholera. Is cholera the only disease?
There are so many diseases which the hon. Minister of Health has tried to curtail for instance, the HIV/AIDS rate has been reduced to 14 per cent. Some people think that this is not very big. Reducing the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a serious issue because it is transmitted in many ways.
Mr Speaker, in the tourism industry, this Government has tried to do something. They have even taken areas like Northern, Luapula and Southern Provinces, Livingstone in particular. However, others are saying that this Government is taking money to rural areas instead of taking it to Ndola. Is that the right way to think?
Hon. Government Members: No!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, you have to realise and remember what you do.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, the other corners have never failed to criticise anything. A few days or weeks ago, some people were trying to protest against the mealie meal and fuel prices, but when the President sliced the prices, they were calling him names. Is that good reasoning?
Hon. Government Members: No!
Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, the prices have been reduced, but people are still complaining. Hon. Members should realise that standing on the Floor of this House just to say something negative on all the projects the Government is embarking on is not progressive at all. Let us give praise where it is due. This budget cannot be any better with the current economic crisis. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning and his team must be commended.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}
Mr C. K. B. Banda (Chasefu): Mr Speaker, all of us are aware that there is much talk about the global economic down turn which has affected many economies starting with the United States of America, European countries and least of all, ourselves here.
It is in light of this that I agree that the way forward lies in diversifying our economy. This is because all of us know that over dependence on minerals is not helpful. Economies from Adam’s myth and others have always reminded us that minerals are wasting assets. Once extracted, they are never replaced. Therefore, the way forward for us lies in diversifying our economy. I agree that we have to concentrate on agriculture.
However, what is disheartening is that the amount of money allocated to agriculture, forestry and fishing because it is very little. I would have been very happy if you put a lot of money into agriculture. You know, as much as I do, that most of our rural areas are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood and giving them K1 billion is, in my view, a mockery of your good intentions.
Mr Speaker, we know that a greater portion of this money year in- year out goes towards holding of seminars, workshops and travel for officers. Therefore, this money which has been allocated, hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, is very little. I thought you could have done better.
Mr Speaker, we know that agriculture in this country is a problem that has been with us for a long time. President Kaunda talked about going back to the land, and we made slight improvements, but we did not succeed. The other regime that took over after Dr Kaunda also talked about agriculture, but the problem of all these successful governments is that we do not put money where our mouth is. If we want to diversify this economy, let us allocate a lot of money into agriculture. Now, the problems of agriculture, Sir, are well known to all of us. The first problem is lack of proper planning. Year in, year out, farming inputs are delivered late, if at all. How do you expect to succeed? I hope this time around, this Government will ensure that farming inputs are delivered in good time. Admittedly, there was also good attempt by this Government to boost agriculture production by the introduction of the FSP, a very good programme. Unfortunately, it is targeting the same office bearers of co-operative societies who after receiving the fertilisers end up selling it to such an extent that the majority of the co-operators do not get the benefit of that subsidised fertiliser.
Mr Speaker, my appeal to the Government is that, please this time around, take a fresh look at this well intended programme. It is a programme that deserves adequate funding. If this programme cannot be reformed or improved upon, you may have to consider subsidising the fertiliser at source level so that it is made available to everybody. Every Zambian who wants to go into farming must have the benefit of subsidised fertiliser which must be made available. I hope this maybe something in the right direction.
The other problem affecting us is the delay in announcing producer prices. In this country, it is the order of the day to announce producer prices very late, and this has an effect on the farmers in the sense that they are not allowed to plan adequately for the next farming season. They are unable to decide whether to increase their hectarage or not. I hope this time hon. Minister you will do better in ensuring that you announce the producer prices early and in good time. This should also be followed by early delivery of farming inputs.
Mr Speaker, the other problem, if diversification into agricultural sector is to succeed, relates to the question of feeder roads. If you are to take your produce to the markets, you need feeder roads. I hope this time around, with the machinery which you have acquired from China, feeder roads throughout the country will be worked on because if you cannot take your produce to the markets, you may as well forget about agriculture. However, the problem does not end with taking the produce to markets; there is also the price of this product. We, who come from constituencies which border other countries like Malawi, know that farmers in Eastern Province prefer selling their maize to Malawi because they offer better prices than here. This demonstrates our inability to offer attractive prices to our farmers in order to encourage them to do better. What has been happening is that most of these briefcase businessmen have been buying maize in Zambia only to resell it in Malawi. Why can we not make a deliberate policy decision of rewarding our farmers? I hope you will take this on board since you now intend to diversify into agriculture.
Mr Speaker, the problems of agriculture are many. I note that you were talking about encouraging small-scale farmers to start irrigation farming. Most of the rural hon. Members of Parliament know that most of the dams in rural constituencies were washed away as far back as a decade ago and no steps have been taken to have those dams repaired. How are you going to encourage agriculture with an allocation of K1 billion to agriculture?
I urge the hon. Minister to allocate more money if he wants the people to respond favourably to the good proposals.
Mr Speaker, the other issue is about poverty alleviation. I know that the Government has deliberately introduced certain measures like the Food Security Pack. The Food Security Pack is meant for the vulnerable, disabled, the aged and the widows. Now, what you are doing unfortunately has no impact on the vulnerable people. In the Eastern Province, where I come from, for example, we only had 108 beneficiaries in the 2008/2009 season. This means that only 920 vulnerable people in the whole province benefited from the Food Security Pack. I think for a big province with a large population like Eastern Province, this was not good. I think the Government can do better if they have their priorities right.
Mr Speaker, there was also an attempt to encourage the vulnerable people to grow root crops. However, in Eastern Province, only four districts benefited, namely, Nyimba, Mambwe, Katete and Chipata. My district and others did not benefit. How do you expect to alleviate poverty? I urge the Government to allocate more money to Eastern Province.
There is also a programme called the Alternative Livelihood. Under this programme, only two districts benefited in Eastern province, namely, Chipata and Petauke and the benefits were not much to talk about. The whole of Chipata District received ten goats and twenty chickens. Is the Government really serious about alleviating poverty? Petauke District also got ten goats only and no chickens. I think the Government can do better.
Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!
Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC: In the last budget…
Hon. Opposition Member: Not even one pig.
Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC: … some of us were happy because there was an allocation towards roads infrastructure development in Eastern Province. Yes, the Great East Road is receiving some attention but that attention leaves much to be desired. The work that is currently being carried on the Great East Road is not worth the money you are paying. If the contractor is incompetent, please, terminate his contract. If you keep him, it is because he makes massive donations to some organisations associated with your party. I think we should not do that. Let us have the interest of the nation at heart.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC: You know the contractor I am talking about. Why is he tolerated?
Hon. Opposition Members: Sable.
Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC: We cannot have this. Let us have the interest of the nation at heart. All of us are Zambians at the end of the day. Let us do what is best for this country.
In this year’s budget, there is an allocation of K1.8 billion for the Lundazi/Chipata Road. Now, is the Government serious about completing the tarring of the Lundazi/Chipata Road? The amount of K1.8 billion which has been allocated will only cover a few kilometres. When will the Government listen to us? We have been coming here crying for development. Please, we are also human beings and they will come a time when we will say enough is enough, we will look elsewhere. It is a timely warning. When we call for development, we expect the Government to respond. The amount of K1.8 billion which has been allocated to the Lundazi/Chipata Road is merely a mockery because it is a sign not to want to develop our road. I am sure the Government can do better. The Government enjoys votes from the rural areas and so the people in Lundazi appeal to the Government to do something for them. We cannot be crying for roads to be constructed day in day out. I urge the Government to attend to this road.
Mr Speaker, the road between Chipata and Chama needs to be tarred. The road between Chama and Isoka needs attention in order to open the area to agriculture development. This is a programme where feasibility studies were already carried out, but the Government, for reasons well known to themselves, do not want to do anything. Yes, you are attending to the bottom road, but wherever there is a bottom, there is a top and so we appeal to you to give attention to the top road to link Lundazi to Isoka.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr C. K. B. Banda, SC: When the late President Mwanawasa, SC, addressed this House, it was reported that an airstrip called Nyangwe which is in Lundazi Constituency had been attended to and that came as an achievement of this Government. I am sorry to report that there is nothing to see because what you claim to have done was not done. I hope in this budget, some money will be channelled to that because if the President comes to Parliament and announces that this programme has been executed and yet on the ground no such programme has been done, that is a shame to all of us. I urge this Government to give the Nyangwe Airstrip the attention that it deserves. If the President who is now dead and May His Soul Rest in Peace could hear me telling you that you have not attended to that airstrip, contrary to the information you gave him, I am sure he can turn in his grave because of disappointment.
Sir, there are a lot of things that the Government ought to attend to even in the health sector. The extension to the Lundazi District Hospital where works started in 2000, only to stop in 2001 has seen no development up to now. Now, the Government is aware that extension works to Lundazi District Hospital stalled in 2001 has not even been allocated a single ngwee up to now to ensure that this well meaning project is implemented. Are you really serious when you say you are committed to giving good health facilities to the Zambians? Do the Zambian people in Lundazi have fewer rights in this country than those that have hospitals constructed and extended? I appeal again to the Government that when people appeal for development, they do so because they think and regard that this is a responsible Government whose task is to ensure delivery of services to the people. I appeal to the Government to allocate funds so that this programme which stalled seven years ago can be resuscitated. It is the Government’s responsibility and so it should not be indifferent. We will continue reminding the Government if nothing will be done.
The issue of fish restocking was also talked about. In so far as it relates to my constituency, nothing has taken place. In this year’s budget, the same dams appear. Are we serious with what we bring here?
Hon. Minister, I appeal to you, this time around, to restock fish in the dams in my constituency. When other areas have problems like hunger, you quickly rush there with relief food. However, when some of our areas call for development, which you know we deserve, you are lax and indifferent. Should we take it that you do not appreciate our contribution to the strength of your party or that you do not value the votes which you got from the Eastern Province? Tell us if that is the position. We are in a position to change our minds and make no mistake about it.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Can you let him speak because the Chair also has an interest.
Laughter
The Deputy Chairperson: You must, therefore, give him a hearing.
Laughter
Mr Magande: On a point of order!
The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised. Sorry, he was not serious. It was a light moment.
Mr C. K. B. Banda: Mr Speaker, the capital of Lundazi District, which is Lundazi Boma, deserves the attention of this Government. Lundazi Boma has a poor water supply, and yet it is one of the oldest bomas and districts in this country. This is one district that has consistently supported this Government.
My appeal to you is that it is about time you invested money towards safe and clean drinking water for the people of Lundazi. We deserve that.
Mr Speaker, Lundazi District also has bad road infrastructure. The bridges on most of the roads have already been washed away and the little CDF we get is not helpful. Even Hon. Simbao knows that.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
The Deputy Minister of Defence (Dr Kazonga): Mr Speaker, firstly, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the Floor of the House.
Secondly, Mr Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for his well thought-out 2009 Budget, delivered at a time the global economy, of which Zambia is part, faces unparalleled challenges. I carefully note that this Budget offers an appropriate response to meeting some of these challenges.
Mr Speaker, before I go into details, it is important to start with a look at the conceptual framework around this particular Budget.
Mr Speaker, in order to analyse the Budget, one needs to refer to the following documents:
(a) the Vision 2030;
(b) the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP);
(c) the 2007 Annual FNDP Progress Report;
(d) President Banda’s Inauguration Speech; and
(e) President Banda’s Speech to Parliament.
Mr Speaker, in an effort to have desirable change in our country, in a hostile environment of global recession, the Government is taking a systemic approach to addressing a number of challenges that we face as a country.
This approach makes it possible for the collection and organisation of accumulated knowledge in the previous year in order to increase the efficiency of our actions this year.
Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: In his Inauguration Speech in November, last year, President Banda unveiled his vision for this country. This vision is, and I quote in part:
“I want to make Zambia a hub of Southern Africa. A hub of knowledge and learning”
Mr Speaker, in analysing the hon. Minister’s Budget Speech, I read the stated document as a statistician, I prepared a simple frequency table of the major concepts in the speech …
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: … and my frequency table shows the following:
Concept Frequency
Infrastructure 30
Economic 38
Development 57
Mr Speaker, from this table, one can infer that the speech focuses on economic and infrastructure development in order to address the issue of reducing both rural and urban poverty.
We have had comments from various stakeholders in our country about the Budget. A number of individuals and the business community have hailed this year’s Budget. We have read comments from the Lusaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU), the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM), the Zambia Local Authorities Union (ZLAU) and some non-governmental organisations.
Some of these comments are as follows:
(a) The reduction in Excise Duty on clear bear from 75 per cent to 60 per cent would help curb smuggling of beer;
(b) the Government is commended for including some submissions from stakeholders in this year’s Budget;
(c) the Government has put more money in agriculture and this is consistent with pronouncements of prioritising the sector;
(d) the Government has made a positive move to give the industry incentives that will, in turn, benefit the economy; and
(e) under the circumstances, this is a very good Budget proposal and should enable us to continue on a path of growth.
Mr Speaker, let me address a few specific issues that are a bit latent in the Budget so that Members can appreciate what is contained in the Budget. I will start with the first one.
Mr Speaker, on skills development, the hon. Minister has clearly stated that in line with the Fifth National Development Plan, the Government will continue to invest in human capital development. This will be partly done through the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) System in our country in order to enhance productivity and contribute to the attainment of a vibrant economy. This is demonstrated on Page 17, Paragraph No. 107 of the hon. Minister’s Budget Speech.
Mr Speaker, undisputedly, skills development increases productivity and output for the economy. This is clearly related to increased earnings for the individual and hence poverty reduction, as well as, increased profits for an enterprise. Moreover, skills development is closely linked to improvements in job mobility, use of technology and growth.
TEVET is an instrument for the knowledge economy which is abbreviated as K-Economy. Knowledge creation and diffusion are increasingly important drivers of innovation, sustainable economic growth and social well being to support our competitiveness.
Hon Government Member: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: In order for this sub-sector to meet the current policy challenges, as experienced from the multiplicity of training providers in the country, this Government will review the TEVET Authority Policy in order to improve the co-ordination and regulation of the sub-sector as was stated by the President.
Dr Kazonga coughs.
Hon. Government Member: Drink some water!
Dr Kazonga: This will contribute towards enhancing growth through competitiveness and meeting the President’s vision of making Zambia a hub for knowledge and learning.
The importance of skills development has been demonstrated by the Asian Tigers. They maintained higher growth rates and rapid industrialisation between the 19760s and 1990s by using a strategic tool of empowering their workforce with skills to reach fully developed status in the early 21st Century.
Mr Speaker, Zambia today, needs more new firms, entrepreneurs willing to embark on innovative ventures and more growth of small scale entrepreneurs (SMEs). The Government is enhancing the role of TEVET graduates when creating more entrepreneurial culture in our Zambian society. This will contribute towards enhancing growth through competitiveness and diversification.
The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has taken these issues into account by providing the sum of K71.3 billion for this particular sub-sector part of which will be used for the construction and rehabilitation of tourist training institutes.
Mr Speaker, because science and technology are products of education, this Government has identified science and technology as the ultimate propeller of national and human development. The Budget has also given appropriate weight to the education sector. Science and technology are the prime stimulators of national development as they can contribute to improving safety and security in areas such as infectious disease prevention, crisis management, cyber security and transport security.
In the preparation of this year’s Budget, the Government comprising long and short distance runners, I wish hon. Member of Parliament for Siavonga (Mr Syakalima) was here, as I want to emphasise that is why the budget is strong. We have taken into account the following:
(a) technical change is the most important contributory factor in economic growth that we are looking for;
(b) research and development is strongly associated with productivity growth in our firms; and
(c) the fastest growing industries in the world economy, and the fastest growing categories of world trade are technologically intensive.
The importance of technology lies in the benefits of technology on society. The positive effects of technology in society are many. Technology has provided a great impetus to the computer and telecommunication industry. We have seen that the developments in the communication technology have made the world a very small place. Using non-parametric methods, it has been found that the vibrancy of an economy is closely associated to the vibrancy in science and technology. This was also acknowledged by the hon. Members of Parliament for Mulobezi (Mr Mabenga), Siavonga and Chimwemwe (Mr Nsanda). For the first time, I was able to agree with some portions of the debate from hon. Member of Parliament for Chimwemwe. We have heard in the President’s speech that this House can expect a Bill aimed at strengthening the co-ordination, promotion and regulation of science and technology in the country.
Mr Speaker, on local Government and Housing, generally, this Government agrees that democratic governance creates the conditions for sustainable development and poverty reduction. It is quite clear now that local Government plays a major role in this effort by ensuring more effective and accountable local infrastructure and service delivery for the community.
Sir, why is local government so important to local people and communities in reducing poverty? It is because bringing decision-making close to the people affected can both produce decisions better attuned to local circumstances and help build people’s sense of ownership and pride in the area and communities in which they live.
Sir, this is clearly demonstrated through the famous CDFconcept. This Government acknowledges what CDF is doing for our communities. CDF is taking care of both vertical and horizontal equity in the distribution of financial resources to our communities.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: Concerns were raised by hon. Members about equity in the distribution of these resources. CDF is one that actually captures equity both vertically and horizontally.
Hon. Members: hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: Local authorities are charged not just with delivery of defined set of services, but with shaping the overall future of their areas and securing their economic, social and environmental well-being.
Mrs Masebo: Bauze! [Tell the]
Dr Kazonga: This boils down to helping our people make a better life for themselves, their families and communities in which they live. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning stated and I quote:
“In this regard, the local Government capacity building programme will be developed this year equipping local councils with the human technical and financial capacity to effectively deliver quality and responsible services”.
The Government finds it important to develop these capacities as it considers adoption of the Decentralisation Implementation Plan (DIP). His Excellency the President stated that this year, the Government will work towards adopting the DIP. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning confirmed in his speech that the Government is committed to extending the benefits of growth and development across the whole nation through the devolution of appropriate service delivery functions to local authorities. I believe that these issues of horizontal and vertical equity, which some hon. Members of Parliament have been raising, will be addressed through decentralisation.
Mr Speaker, it would be incomplete if I do not touch on the global recession. Let me highlight a few issues surrounding the global recessions.
Mr Speaker, no one knows how long or deep the global recession is going to be. I will restrict myself to these realities. The current downturn is unlike past recessions and recovery, when it happens, it may be weaker than in the past cycles that we are able to see. There are a few reasons for this:
(a) all major regions of the world are experiencing an economic decline, at the same time, which makes this the first truly global recession in the post war period. No economy is able to rely on exports to pull it out of recession;
(b) domestic spending in the United States of America (USA) and other advanced economies is also unlikely to recover for sometime to come; and
(c) continued fragility of the global financial system. Banks, especially in the USA and Europe, have heavy lesson.
Therefore, we cannot say when this recession will end. The key factor is the USA economy. For example, Taiwan’s exports contracted by appropriately 42 per cent in December, 2008; Singapore’s by 21 per cent (for non-oil domestic exports) and Korea’s latest export date shows a decline of over 30 per cent.
Mr Speaker, the result is that jobs are at risk everywhere. In December, 2008 job losses in USA were the worst in sixty years and unemployment has risen to 7.2 per cent. In Europe, unemployment has risen to 7.8 per cent and in Japan, it has risen to 3.9 per cent. It is expected to rise even further. Some hon. Members of Parliament have been questioning the target of 5 per cent growth.
Sir, let me say a few things about this. Some were saying that it was not ambitious enough and they were proposing 7 per cent. Others were saying that it was high and they were proposing 3 per cent. The hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has proposed a very realistic figure of 5 per cent from two statistical points of view. The mean of the two proposals 3 per cent and 7 per cent is 5 per cent. Therefore, using that skill was how the figure 5 was arrived at.
Mr Speaker, when I did a simple regretion analysis and projection, I calculated it at 5.1 per cent and corrected it for the global economic recession as a random effect, it came to 5 per cent. Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, you have given yourself a very good realistic target.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, in a situation of limited resources with so many competing demands, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning has done his best in the allocation of resources. It was like solving a linear programming problem with several constraints. I wish to urge hon. Members to support the Budget as it gives us hope of reducing poverty in this country.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Kazonga: We need to work together in strengthening the monitoring of implementation of infrastructure projects in our country.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mweemba (Magoye): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to debate on the Motion on the Floor of this House and I will be very brief.
Mr Speaker, I want to join the previous debaters in congratulating the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for ably presenting this Budget Speech to this House.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, before, I go any further, I want to thank Madam Deputy Speaker, the Clerk of the National Assembly, some hon. Members of Parliament on both sides,…
Hon. Members: some?
Laughter
Mr Mweemba:…the hon. Ministers…
Laughter
Mweemba:…who came to see me while I was in hospital after being involved in an accident on 24th December, 2008. These people gave me encouragement because I had lost hope. I thought my leg was going to be amputated. With your encouragement, I am now able to walk on the crutches.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Let me just to add on to hon. Mweemba’s contribution. Those who did not come to see you were praying for you in spirit.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I thank you for that and it is true.
Sir, let me start with health. Why do I want to give health a priority? This is because while I was in hospital, I saw a lot of things. In Tonga we say, “Ichila amubili whako nchilonda chichisa cho mvwa” [The pain of a sore on your body can only be felt by you].
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Sir, by that I mean, I know what I went through and I know what I am going to debate about.
Interruptions
Mr Mweemba: Sir, in this year’s Budget, the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning increased 12.9 per cent to health sector. I think this increment is a peanut or it is a drop in an ocean. I am saying so because if you go to University Teaching Hospital (UTH), theatre department, the roofs are leaking. If you go to the X-ray Department, there is only one x-ray machine which is operating. This afternoon when I went for review, I found a very long queue. Why are we not funding the health sector? We should give them more money in order to solve all these problems.
Sir, in this year’s Budget, you will find that more money has been allocated to other departments or sectors instead of taking it to health. As you are aware, that hospital is a University Teaching Hospital. Therefore, why should we spend a lot of money on sending very important persons (VIPs) to hospitals in South Africa when we have doctors who can still do the work at UTH? The problem is that we do not have good medical equipment at UTH that is why we keep on saying that we do not have enough doctors there. Those doctors are qualified and they are capable of doing their work. In this regard, I suggest that the money that is used on sending those VIP’s to South Africa be used to buy proper medical equipment. This is my dream and I am sure if we do that, these problems at UTH will come to an end.
Sir, if we buy the medical equipment, neighboring countries will also start referring their patients to UTH. This is my dream. I am urging this so-called listening Government and I am sure the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning is also listening, to not only listen but act. When people are appointed to any portfolio, they must swallow their pride and take into consideration the responsibilities, failures and successes of their predecessors. It is not only the Ministry of Finance and National Planning which is affected. All the ministries are affected. This Government must swallow its pride and accept the failures and successes of their predecessors.
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Can hon. Members on my right please consult quietly. I liked the way you were listening when the hon. Deputy Minister of Defence was on the Floor. Can you continue with that spirit. Hon. Member, continue.
Interruptions
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I come from a rural constituency where health facilities are needed.
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: I said order!
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, in this year’s Budget, K168.1billion was allocated for the construction of fourteen district hospitals in different constituencies. Among the fourteen hospitals, Mazabuka District Hospital which caters for employees of the Zambia Sugar Company, the people of Chikankata and Magoye was excluded. If you go there right now, you will find patients sleeping on the floor. Some patients are discharged prematurely because there are no beds.
Hon. Malama: Shame!
Mr Mweemba: Magoye Constituency has one referral clinic for almost forty-three sub-health centres. All the cases from these centres are being referred to Magoye Clinic and yet, it was also excluded. Why Magoye in particular?
Hon. Malama: Because.
Mr Mweemba: What offence have we committed that we should have one clinical officer in the whole constituency? Some health centres do not even have nurses and yet almost all the time we hear that this so-called listening Government is recruiting nurses.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mweemba: Where do they post those nurses?
Mr V Mwale: Where they get votes!
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, where do they send those nurses? I want to find from this so-called listening Government. I demand that they send, to my constituency, fifty nurses to cover the forty-three sub-health centres. Only then will I be comfortable.
Mr Malama: Yes, send them.
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I demand from the Ministry of Health that they send a doctor to Magoye Clinic …
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Mr Mweemba: …twice a week to attend to the patients.
Hon. Malama: Listen to the patient maybe he will change.
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, it is with mixed feelings that I address this august House.
Hon. Malama: Hear, hear!
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, one wonders whether this MMD Government is serious about solving this problem. For instance, they spend a lot of money ...
Mr Kaingu: On a point of order, Sir.
The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.
Mr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I am reluctantly raising this point of order on that patient.
Laughter
Mr Kaingu: Is he in order to debate in the manner that he is doing so that now we even start to suspect that even the mental is involved. Is he in order to start debating like that? I need your serious ruling.
Laughter
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! I hope that the point of order raised by the hon. Minister of Community Development and Social Services was well-meaning. Since you say that the hon. Member is a patient, it is proper that you listen carefully when the patient is talking.
Laughter
The Deputy Chairperson: The hon. Member may continue.
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. As his client, I know that he wants me to go to his ministry to ask for more funding.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I want to give a very good example of Cholera, which has become a perennial problem in the city of Lusaka, where funds are available. In my opinion, health professionals are too academic and not practical. If they were practical, it would be prudent to look at Magoye. I am very particular about my people. If these funds could be allocated to Magoye Constituency, I am sure we would account for them and even show the results of the expenditure, unlike in Lusaka where you spend this money with nothing to show for it because the money is misused.
Hon. MMD Members: Aah!
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, the President’s speech must tie with the Budget Speech. For people to invest in health infrastructure, we need good roads. I am very grateful to the hon. Minister for allocating K150million to Thebe. Regrettably, however, that money which was meant for rehabilitation works was not enough because the experts ruled that they had to bring down the whole structure and erect a new one. This was done, and therefore, that K150 million was completely exhausted.
Mr Speaker, I want to urge this Government to allocate more money to complete the clinic. They should also work on the road leading to the clinic. The road is impassable and that is why the construction of the clinic has been abandoned by the contactors. I want to appeal to this listening Government to work on that road from Magoye to thebe so that we can complete the projects we started this year.
Mr Speaker, when the late President Mwanawasa visited my constituency, he had to fly from Mazabuka to Thebe because the roads were impassable. Why can we not construct a road from Magoye to Thebe so that we can cut the costs.
Mr Speaker, someone suggested that I talk about the CDF. Sir, K400million is not enough. It is peanuts.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, out of that K400million, I spent K25 million …
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.
[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker,
Government Members: Finally!
Mr Mweemba:…I will not say finally.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: The CDF fund is nothing. We need K1 billion if we are to build roads and bridges.
Mr Speaker, once I am given K1 billion, I will not bother to go and knock at the offices of the hon. Minister of Works and Supply because I know I will be able to work on Chivuna/Namaila Road which has been neglected for so many years then. They have never tested the weight of a grader yet, this Government is saying that councils can bail you out. Councils do not have the capacity. Therefore, I would like to urge the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to give us K1 billion as CDF.
Mr Speaker, last year, it was reported in the paper that K1 billion would be given as CDF to hon. Members of Parliament. I therefore, do not know whether it was just a political manouvre.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: This Government has not lived to that promise. The same Government is saying that it is a Government of laws and that it is a listening and caring Government. I therefore, hope that if it is really a caring or listening Government, it should stick to what it is saying.
Mr Speaker, if it is a listening Government, Magoye Parliamentary Constituency Farming Block should be electrified if they are talking of rural electrification. I would like to urge the listening Government to electrify Ngwezi Farming Block so that we can feed this nation. We are capable of feeding the nation from Magoye Constituency alone.
Hon. Government Members: Cry, Cry!
Mr Mweemba: I am not going to cry.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would like to mention that the hon. Minister of Community and Social Services was whispering to me that I should join his ministry because I am one of the disabled who are supposed to benefit.
Laughter
Mr Mweemba: Mr Speaker, I am not going to join him.
I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}
The Deputy Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Mbulakulima): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for having given me this opportunity. Let me join many of my hon. Colleagues who have congratulated the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the well thought out budget. I join them.
Mr Speaker, before I proceed, allow me to comment on the songs of praise. Many people have advised the hon. Minister that they were abandoning praises because in he past people have said a lot a words and phrases, but on the way, they have abandoned what they have abandoned what was praise worthy and so they do not want us to give credit where it belongs.
Mr Speaker, I want to share with them that while they look at it from that angle, they must also look at it from another angle. It is important to give credit where it is due. For instance, the MMD Party and its Government saw, it a long time ago, that we had a right man in State house by the Name of his Excellency, the President, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC. Those of us who worked with him at a closer range still remember that he had an alert mind and it was well focused.
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson of Committees: Order! Please let us consult quietly.
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, the late President was well focused. He was a person who if he gave you an assignment, did not forget. He was concerned with the welfare of this country. Therefore, as a party when we saw that that was the man who could take the country forward, we came out and said we had the right man, but what did the people say? They called us all sorts of names like bootlickers and job seekers, but we saw that he was the right man with the right attributes. Without taking time to acknowledge his positive attributes, we kept on pulling him down and calling him all sorts of names. When the man passed on, the whole country realised that we had lost a great person. Therefore, when we say that this man is the right man, please, give us chance and take time to reflect on it. It is not always that we are wrong when we say that the hon. Minister or the head of State is the right man. If anything, we are never wrong.
Mr Kambwili: Interjected.
The Deputy Chairperson of Committee: Order! Can the hon. Member for Roan observe order.
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, even when we say that Hon. Musokotwane is the right man, we mean just that. I am glad to share with you that when his Excellency the President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda was making announcements at State House, I was sitting next to Hon. Magande. When the name for hon. Musokotwane was mentioned as new the hon. Minister of Finance and national Planning, Hon. Magande said “He is the right man for the job”.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, to all of us who know Hon. Musokotwane’s CV, you can see that he has actually succeeded in his life. Apart from that, he is also a humble person. Therefore, we all need to support him and…
Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima:…we can tell from the budget that this is a budget with hope and direction.
Mr Speaker, allow me now to share with my colleagues, especially those that come from the Copperbelt Province, on some of the misleading statements.
Sir, I have observed in the last three years, with deep sadness, misleading statements from some hon. Members of this House…
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson of Committees: Order! It looks like hon. Members are not listening at the back. Please let us listen and, as usual, consult quietly without disturbing the person on the Floor.
Could the hon. Minister please continue.
Mr Mbulakulima: There have been some misleading statements from some hon. Members of this House from the Copperbelt about the perceived concentration of development in the three rural districts of our province.
Mr Speaker, these statements are not only misleading, but very unfair and dangerous as they are likely to bring necessary hatred among the people of the same region.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, the tendency of hating each other, brother against brother and sister against sister, must come to an end. There is no doubt that the three areas in question have suffered years of neglect and any well meaning national leader must do and support any effort meant to uplift the living standards of the people.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: There cannot be more disputes that the seven urban districts or towns of our province are among the most supported areas in the whole country.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: The urban towns of our province still remain among the most developed areas. Definitely, Government will continue providing and enabling, but at the same time, provide equal opportunities for its people.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, we must also be mindful that population in these rural districts has increased that they are continuously and solely dependent on Government’s support, while urban towns tap in foreign funds and funds from co-operating partners.
Ms Lundwe: Hear, hear! Wakula Mwansa!
Mr Mbulakulima: The construction of a Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) in Chambeshi will definitely uplift the living standards of our people as the sinking of Konkola Deep Mine has improved the living standards of our people. The construction of Nchanga Smelter as well as the construction of a multi-million stadium earmarked for Ndola and the roll back malaria in all Copperbelt towns which has reduced the prevalence of malaria to almost zero, are aimed at improving the lives of the urban people.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: How can one complain about the sinking of two boreholes in Masaiti and Kafulafuta and yet, Nkana Water, Mulonga Water and all these water utility companies …
Interruptions
Hon. Members: Aisha!
Hon. UPND Members entered the Assembly Chamber.
Hon. Members: Aisha! Sichifulo!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Hon. Members: Aisha!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Continue, Minister.
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, if only we can help, there is no need for us to complain about two boreholes here and there.
Mr Speaker, my colleagues who have talked about the roads, for example, mentioned the 252 kilometres roads graded in provinces under the Rural Road Rehabilitation Programme (RRRP) using the equipment bought by Government from China. For example, in Kitwe, 56 kilometres of the road was done, in Luanshya 27 kilometres was done. In Ndola 43 kilometres of the road was done, while in Masaiti 30 kilometres and Lufwanyama …
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Hon. Members, you are really making the work of the Chair very difficult. I am appealing to you to consult quietly. The problem is that in the process of consultation, you are doing it in such a high tone that the person debating cannot be heard. I am not saying you should not consult, but consult quietly so that the person debating can be heard.
Can you continue, please.
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, I was giving examples of the roads that have been graded: Masaiti 30 kilometres, Luanshya 27 kilometres and Lufwanyama 16 kilometres. You can see that there are no beautiful roads in these areas and yet they have received the least support from the Government. Therefore, it is unfair to say that the rural districts have got more support from the Government, not at all.
Ms Changwe: Hear, hear! Mwansa speaking!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, another issue I would like to mention here on the health sector, is that you are aware that we are putting up a clinic in Lufwanyama at the cost of K500 million. In Ndola, since Ndola Central Hospital works with elevators we have earmarked K1.8 billion. The water proofing of Ndola Central Hospital is at K1.7 billion. You can imagine on maintenance alone, we have set aside K1.8 billion plus K1.7 billion, as compared to the first clinic we are trying to put up in the entire Lufwanyama area. Honestly, how can one say that Government is spending more money in these rural areas?
Sir, I would like to call upon my brothers and sisters from Copperbelt that we should work as team and help our brothers and sisters in the rural set up to improve their lives.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: I also want to throw a challenge to you, I do not want to come to the rescue of the able Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources because the able Minister of Chimbamilonga …
Laughter
Mr Mbulakulima: … yesterday ably articulated issues on tourism.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: However, I want to throw a challenge to my colleagues that each time we talk about foreign investors coming, sometimes we leave too many gaps. For example, if you look at Ndola, it is the only town with a beautiful river in between. The question is: What have we done since we were born? A year from now, people might come from outside the country and invest along that river, then people will be saying, “This Government, this Government”. Why do we not take advantage of the Kafubu River and make it a tourist attraction? We have the capacity as Zambians. All these years we have sat back and it is now time to do it.
Mr Mubika: Now you are talking!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, another issue I would like to share with the House is that of windfall tax. The issue of windfall tax is sensitive and I would like to thank the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for his vision. The budget has linkages with Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), the Fifth National Development Plan and the 2030 Vision.
Mr Speaker, definitely there is need for us to analyse this but in my small understanding, this is a Minister with a vision because he has removed windfall tax.
Mr Kambwili: Question!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, I am aware that this issue is debatable but if you look at it from a critical point of view, we need to have a vision and be forecast. The price of copper has fallen and we have seen that maybe six months or a year from now the prices may increase. Mr Speaker, how do we benefit from the good price two years from now? The only way this can happen is by sinking a shaft right now. You know that the pay back period for mining companies is not less than three years, now this is a Minister of Finance and National Planning with a vision who thinks about how to stimulate growth in the mining sector and how to attract an investor from Canada, Zambia and America during the recession. How do we sink a shaft in Milyanshi in Luanshya when at the moment, no one can come and invest because of the price? How do we sink a shaft in Mufulira during the recession? The best way is to tangle a carrot and tell them that at the moment 100 percent capital allowances are given through the reduction of fuel and indeed the removal of windfall tax which will be captured in the value added tax.
Interruptions
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, this is the only way of stimulating growth during the recession.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, I would like to say that the Republican President in his speech to this House insisted that poverty reduction will be one of his top priorities. This declaration has been consolidated by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning allocating a huge amount to the agricultural sector. I urge all hon. Members of this House, especially my brothers on the left, to go back to their constituencies, especially us who come from rural constituencies, to encourage the people to prepare adequate land for cultivation since Government has done its part. This Government does not walk the talk but rather talk the walk.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, this Government has realised that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one first step. We as Government are aware that a small scale farmer in Milenge area is tomorrow’s large scale farmer and it is in this vein that Government has given K100 billion to the FRA to allow the small scale farmers to have access to available markets. This development will encourage many of our people to venture into farming.
Mr Speaker, with these few remarks, I thank you.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, in the first place, I would like to salute you for having accorded me an opportunity to debate the Budget Speech presented by the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning.
Mr Speaker, from the onset, I would like to say that this speech has been described in many ways by many hon. Members who have spoken before me. In my case, I would love to say that this speech, to some extent, is a contributing factor to the poverty levels in this country although some of my colleagues have described it to be an excellent speech. This is because, the speech in question has not addressed a number of issues such as:
(i) construction of roads;
(ii) construction of districts hospitals in places such as Chilubi;
(iii) buying of vessels in places such as Bangweulu Region; and
(iv) construction of harbours and many more other important infrastructures in the country.
Hon. Opposition Members: Tell them.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, although some of us have been saying that it is an excellent speech, it cannot be described as such from its face value. One can only make a real judgement in the aftermath of putting the plan into action…
Hon. Opposition Member: Yes.
Mr Chisala: … because I know that in Africa and Zambia in particular, we are extremely good at planning.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Yet, we are the same people that all the time fail to implement the programmes that we put in place.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, it is high time we changed the trend of putting plans which we cannot implement in place. Time has come for us to become action oriented. Time has come for us to show the Zambian people that we can do what they want because when they were voting, they definitely had confidence that the Government put in power was going to serve them. I am, therefore, of the view that if we want this country to go further in terms of development, the best way we have to do it is to change the system of budgeting. In this respect, the best we can do is to see to it that we have our budget constituency based because if it can be so, then it is going to address many more issues.
Mr Speaker, another point is about the law which was passed in the year 2001 regarding the delimitation and continuous registration of voters. In the year 2001, there was an Act of Parliament which was passed by this august House. They resolved that the department of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) continue to register voters every year, but this is just on paper to our dismay. Now, one wonders as to whether we are serious people. Worse enough, we have not allocated enough money, even this year, to go towards the continuous registration of voters.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: It is high time we started implementing our plans. Failure to do so will result in us being unable to win the hearts of many Zambians.
Mr Speaker, similarly, I want to also talk about the issue of delimitation. The Republican Constitution, states that there shall be a review of constituency boundaries, including wards and polling stations, after every eight to ten years. However, in 2006 constituencies were not reviewed. This means that we do not have respect for the laws that we make in this country.
Mr Kapeya: Tell them.
Mr Chisala: Why do we make laws if we cannot abide by them?
Hon. PF Members: Hammer.
Mr Chisala: If we do not want to implement the laws that we make in this august House, we should then stop making them.
Mr Speaker, since no money has been allocated towards the delimitation of constituencies, wards and polling stations, I would like to make a very strong and passionate appeal to the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to seriously find means and ways of sourcing for funds for this exercise this year. If we do not delimitate the constituency boundaries starting this year, particularly in the second quarter, it means next year nothing will happen. Even when we will be voting in 2011, there are only going to be 150 constituencies. Therefore, this is one issue which should be looked into seriously.
Mr Speaker, when I was going through the Budget …
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! My right is not listening. Please can we observe order.
The hon. Member may continue.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, when I was going through the Budget speech, I discovered that it did not contain an allocation towards reviewing of constituency boundaries. In this regard, I would urge the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning to see to it that the money which has been allocated towards the Chipata-Muchinji railway line be diverted …
Laughter
Hon. Government Members: To where?
Mr Chisala: … to the delimitation of constituencies because that railway line project is not an urgent issue.
Hon. Government Members: Aah!
Mr Chisala: Of course, if it had been the Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA) railway line, we were going to support an allocation to such a project because that railway line leads to Dar-es-Salaam where there is a port. However, the Chipata-Muchinji railway line is not as important as TAZARA and therefore, this year, that project must be put on hold and the money be given to ECZ to review constituency boundaries.
Mr Speaker, similarly, there is money that has been allocated towards independence celebrations amounting to K4.9 billion. However, very few people have been benefiting from such allocations, apart from the hon. Minister of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Hon. Daka, and his group. The villagers have never benefited from this money.
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Hon. Member for Chilubi, the moment you begin mentioning names, you are inviting the people mentioned to counter attack. Address the Chair and continue.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, this money must be channeled to ECZ so that they commence the reviewing of wards and boundaries in the constituencies.
Mr Speaker, coming to energy …
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! This dialogue between people on my right and left is not helping. Please can we listen and give chance to the person debating to do so. Can you continue.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, the issue of energy is a very cardinal one and as such when budgeting, more money should be allocated to this sector. In last year’s budget, the ministry was allocated K26.1 billion towards rural electrification. This year, it has been increased to K88.8 billion. If you look at this amount, it is too minimal taking into consideration the size of the country. The country is big and if we are to satisfy people from all its corners, more funding of, maybe, up to K100 billion is required so that even people of Chilubi Parliamentary Constituency can benefit. For example, there is a project in Chilubi of extending power to Santa Maria Mission Hospital which is about sixteen kilometres away from the Boma. A total amount of K2 billion was supposed to be spent in 2000 towards this project, but this year, it has gone beyond. I am therefore, making a passionate appeal to the hon. Minister to look into this seriously.
Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister should also try to advise the rural electrification authority not to be directing funds to the same projects which they funded previously as that is their tendency. If anything, the best they should do is to tour the entire nation and see where power is required. That way, we shall strike the balance. Of course, some people have been praising themselves for being hardworking. There is a Greek saying which goes and I quote:
“He who knows does not know, but he who does not know, knows that.”
Therefore, these brothers and sisters of mine who are in the Executive should leave the people on the other side of this House to praise them and to state if they are working hard or not.
Hon. PF. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, as regards to transport, the Ministry of Communications and Transport has been allocated some money, which in my view, is not enough. We need more money in this ministry so that we can rehabilitate the airports, harbours and …
Mr Daka: On a point of order, Sir!
The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.
Mr Daka: Mr Speaker, I rarely rise on points of order. Is the hon. Member who is speaking so badly in order to suggest that they should stop funding Mchinji Railway line while on the other hand, he is saying that the Ministry of Communications and Transport should be given more money when it is one and the same thing? Is he in order to suggest one thing on one hand and something else on the other hand?
The Deputy Chairperson: I think that there are still some more hon. Members of the Executive who will debate the issue. Maybe when they do that, they can try to rebut what the hon. Member for Chilubi has said. Can the hon. Member for Chilubi continue.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, it is important that more money should be allocated to the Ministry of Communications and Transport so that our important roads can be rehabilitated, particularly the road that goes to Nchelenge in Luapula Province.
The Tuta Road is very important. Currently, the state of the Tuta Road is unpalatable. The Government needs to do something because it is in a deplorable condition.
Interruptions
Mr Chisala: Sir, the road has a lot of pot holes starting from Mukambe to Nchelenge.
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
Mr Chisala: The Government has to do something about it. We were informed last year that some money was allocated towards resurfacing of the road, but things have not taken shape up to now. Therefore, the Government should see to it that something is done about that project because we are not just going to watch the situation while folding our hands. We shall keep on reminding the Government so that they do something better about this road. The road is bad because it has never been resurfaced since it was made by the Chinese in the 1980s.
Sir, I would be failing in my debate if I did not remind the hon. Minister of Communications and Transport about the need to buy a modern vessel for the people of Bangweulu region where we have six parliamentary constituencies, namely, Bangweulu, Chilubi, Luapula, Lupososhi, Lubansenshi and Kanchibiya. These areas depend on water transport. I, therefore, make a humble request that the assurance that the hon. Minister made here still stands and we shall continue to wait.
Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Similarly, I have looked at the budget and discovered that only K500 million has been allocated to the ministry to go towards the making and clearing of canals, but the amount that has been allocated towards roads is huge. When you try to make a comparison between the two, one wonders whether the people living in areas surrounded by water are respected. I think it is imperative for the Government to take at least 30 per cent of the total cost of the money to be spent on roads and use it to clear canals and buy grading machines. I remember when Hon. Daka was Minister of Communications and Transport, he promised that they were going to buy grading machines, one for Luapula Province, one for Northern Province and one for Western Province, but this long cherished dream has never been realised up to now. Therefore, we want this to become a reality. We are not going to condone the politics of appeasement at all.
Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: We have to change the trend.
Sir, let me now talk about health. While I appreciate Government efforts to construct district hospitals, I want to remind the people in Cabinet and indeed the Vice-President, who is not with us in this House, that in August last year, the then hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mr Magande, did assure me that a district hospital was going to be constructed in Chilubi, but one wonders as to why funds should be sent to Lumwana which is not even a district and leave Chilubi which attained district status in 1979. Lumwana has not yet attained district status. Where is the justification for doing that? I want to remind the Government about that assurance Hon. Magande made.
Hon. Minister, I will continue to knock on your door until you fulfill your promise. I will keep coming to your office because the people of Chilubi played a very instrumental role in the struggle for independence.
Hon. Members: Aah!
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, the money that has been allocated towards HIV and Aids may seem enough, but we shall continue pumping more money year in and year out and it will never be enough.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, preventing and treating HIV and Aids is almost impossible. Therefore, what do we need to do? Let me offer a solution to this august House.
Hon. Member: Tell them!
Mr Chisala: This House must pass a law that women who wear mini skirts and tight trousers at places of work, in pubs and other public places must be prevented from doing so.
Interruptions
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Let us listen to the hon. Member debating. He is making a proposal.
Laughter
The Deputy Chairperson: Let us, therefore, listen very carefully. The hon. Member may continue.
Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, a law must be passed that women who wear mini skirts should be prevented from entering all work places.
Mr Speaker, we also must forbid people from opening bars at 1000 hours, and instead open them from 1200 hours to 2000 hours. This is because beer drinking is the source of all ill vices in this country.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: The truck drivers from foreign countries should be checked seriously. We must pass that legislation in this House in order to make a positive achievement.
Mr Speaker, CDF should be increased to K1.2 billion.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Chisala: Only then, will things get better.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Minister of Works and Supply (Mr Ndalamei): Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Let us listen. You may continue hon. Minister.
Mr Ndalamei: I thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the motion on the floor.
Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning for the well delivered Budget Speech.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: I also thank Mr HIPC who laid a foundation for the growth of our economy in this country.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, this is not the time for finger pointing, but a time to come and work together in order for us to remove the economic problems we face.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, at this point, allow me to thank the president of the United Party for National Development (UPND), Hakainde Hichilema, …
Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: … who has plans for this country and has submitted his thoughts for turning around the economy of this country.
Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, we have been telling this other party to bring its ideas, but it has failed.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: They are just good at standing on the Floor of this House to criticise the Government.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: The people of Zambia should know that they have nothing to offer them …
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: … except to criticise the good Government which is performing very well.
Interruptions
Hon. Member: Quality!
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, in health, the Government performed well in 2008.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, the under-five mortality rate declined from 168 …
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
It is ‘order’ for hon. Members to keep quiet. The hon. Minister may continue.
Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, the Government performed well in 2008.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: I will start with health.
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Ndalamei: In health, the under- five mortality rate declined from 168 to 119 …
Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!
The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
ADJOURNMENT
The Minister of Defence (Mr Mpombo): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.
Question put and agreed to.
__________
The House adjourned at 1915 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 12th February, 2009.