DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 11th December, 2014

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

2014/2015 RAINY SEASON

281. Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication:

(a)    whether some parts of the country would experience a drought during the 2014/2015 rainy season;

(b)    if so, which parts of the country were expected to experience a drought; and

(c)    what measures the Government was taking to sensitise the citizens on the need to take precautions to mitigate their suffering due to drought.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, according to the press statement issued on 11th September, 2014, by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), the 2014/2015 rainy season runs from October, 2014, to March, 2015. Further, Zambia had a likelihood of receiving normal rainfall. Sporadic showery activities were forecast, especially over the northern parts of the country prior to the rainy season, that is, in September, 2014. However, the forecast also observed the occurrence of an apparent weak El Niño signal. This, for Zambia, is associated with low rainfall performance, especially over Agro-ecological Regions 1 and 2, which are the southern and central parts of Zambia. The 2014/2015 rainy season has been characterised by delayed rains over much of Zambia.

Sir, the Southern, Lusaka, Central, Muchinga and Eastern provinces are the most affected. Technically, the delay does not signify a looming drought, as the rainy season stretches up to March, 2015. However, for the farming community, this delay also implies a short growing season.

Mr Speaker, although there is no drought, the Government, through the ZMD, provides daily and weekly forecasts, and ten-day crop-weather bulletins through community radio stations and emails to citizens on the email distribution list, including some hon. Members of Parliament. The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Office of Vice-President uses the weather forecasts to undertake vulnerability assessments and contingency planning. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock also uses the same forecasts to develop crop-yield forecasts. The National Malaria Control Centres also use the weather forecasts to undertake epidemiological preventive measures.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I have listened to the hon. Minister’s response …

Mr I. Banda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I want the hon. Member to complete his question.

Mr Mwiimbu: … relating to the weather patterns in Zambia which is highly unreliable. I would like to find out what measures the Government is putting in place to ensure that the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has adequate equipment to project weather patterns in Zambia as is the case in other countries.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, weather forecasts are not a science. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen the following day. However, the ZMD is fully equipped to forecast rains to the best of its ability. We have weather stations countrywide that bring in data to Lusaka for onward transmission to the community. So, the ZMD has the equipment to forecast weather patterns.

I thank you, Sir.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, … 

Mr I. Banda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr I. Banda: Mr Speaker, sorry for interrupting the hon. Member on the Floor. My point of order hinges on the lives of the people of Lumezi Parliamentary Constituency. A fortnight ago, I posed a question on the Floor of this House to the Ministry of Tourism and Art as to whether the ministry would degazette part of Lukusuzi National Park to let people settle there. The hon. Minister said that would be impossible because the eco-system had to be maintained. Further, I sought to know why the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officials were terrorising people who live in the game park. In his response, the hon. Minister said that he would talk to the traditional leadership so that the people could be settled somewhere else. To date, that has not been done. Last night, armed ZAWA officials in four land cruisers went and camped in the park, and early this morning, they ordered people to get their property out of their homes, after which they started burning the houses.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Mr I. Banda: Sir, more than 100 houses have been burnt, leaving more than 200 households in the cold. At the moment, the officers are still burning the houses. Around 0700 hours this morning, I asked the hon. Provincial Minister to stop the ZAWA officers from burning more houses. Again, that has not been done. This is the rainy season and ZAWA officers have destroyed properties and houses, leaving families in the cold, and yet the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is seated comfortably, showing no care for the people they represent. 

Is this Government in order, Sir?

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that you should file in a question of an urgent nature, which we shall process and ensure that it is responded to probably tomorrow.

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the response by the hon. Minister is not assuring to the farmers in particular. Five provinces have, so far, not received any rainfall. That is very worrying. In his response, however, the hon. Minister says that, on average, we are going to have normal rainfall. This is now two months into the five month-rainy season. Is the situation, so far, not indicative of a drought in some parts of the country? This is what the first part of the question asked. Can the hon. Minister come out clearly so that people are assured.

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Chief whip, and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, in our earlier answer, we said that most of the affected parts of the country are Southern, Lusaka, Central, Muchinga and Eastern provinces. However, Lusaka and Southern provinces received rainfall yesterday. So, the number of provinces affected has reduced. Therefore, I would like to assure the hon.  Member that there will be no draught. Yes, the rains have delayed in some parts of the country, but the situation will eventually normalise.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe): Mr Speaker, from the little knowledge that I have, the planting season ends on 15th December and today is 11th December, 2014. According to the hon. Minister’s statement, the forecast was that the northern part of Zambia will have normal to above-normal rainfall. This is contrary to what we are seeing on the ground. This part of the country has also not received what is supposed to be normal rainfall. Would the hon. Minister attribute this to human error or lack of equipment at the Zambia Meteorological Department for it to give us accurate information.

Mr Mukanga: Sir, rainfall is an act of God. The Lord Himself decides what quantity of rain to give us.

Mr Mwale: Boma ichitepo something.

Mr Mukanga: The planting season does not end in December, but goes up to January.

Hon. Opposition Members: No.

Mr Mukanga: Yes, unless you are not a farmer. 

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Mr Mukanga: There is early maturing seed that farmers can plant late in the season. A farmer needs to assess the situation and see which type of seed to plant in line with the rainfall pattern.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Simbao (Senga Hill): Mr Speaker, I just want the …

Dr Kaingu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, following your guidance, about two months ago, I submitted a question of an urgent nature for the attention of the hon. Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, making her aware that Mwandi did not have a medical doctor and X-ray equipment at the health centre. Since that time, the constituency has lost many lives because some people have to be referred to the hospital in either Livingstone or Sesheke.

Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health in order to sit there quietly and relaxed when Mwandi has been without a doctor for more than two months now? 

I seek your serious ruling, Sir. 

Mr Speaker: According to our recollection, unless you advise otherwise, and you are at liberty to do so outside our proceedings, no such question was received. If the assertion that I have made is correct, the logical step to take is to file in a question of an urgent nature and we shall duly process it.

The hon. Member may continue.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has assured us that there will be no drought this year. I planted some maize on two hectares of land at the beginning of this month. However, it has all dried up and I have to replant. So, what is the hon. Minister’s definition of a draught?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the layman’s definition of a drought is not having rains during the rainy season. If somebody plants maize seed and the crop dries up in one month, the logical thing to do is to replant and wait for the rains to come.

Thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: Boma iyangane po.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, the consequences of a drought are severe. I have noted, with dismay, that in Chadiza, most of the grain sheds are empty. The maize has been exported to other countries. What measures has the Government put in place to acquire some maize in case there is a drought? What are we going to eat?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, we are not talking about the storage of maize, but the possibility of a drought. If there will be a drought, the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock will take care of that.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Sir, coming from the Eastern Province which is agriculture oriented, I listened attentively to the response by the hon. Minister. Unless I did not hear him correctly, his response to this very important question from Hon. Mwiimbu is based on statistics given by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) on 11th September, 2014. This is almost three months after that date. How can we base our current statistics on a three-month-old report? Could the hon. Minister give us a clearer position because the rainfall pattern does not look good. Therefore, as people from the affected areas, we are worried. 

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Member heard me correctly, the answer based our current statistics on that report. However, the ZMD provides regular crop and weather forecasts for seven and ten days. We also produce a crop weather bulletin. After that report, we have been making daily weather projections. So, the answer was based on current, and not outdated information.

Thank you, Sir.

PRIVATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT BURSARIES

282. Mr Matafwali (Bangweulu) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a)    whether the Government had any plans to provide bursaries to students at private universities and colleges; and

(b)    if so, when the plans would be implemented.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Prof. Willombe): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that currently, the Government is unable to provide bursaries to students at private universities and colleges due to budgetary limitations. In fact, the current budget provisions for the sponsorship of students are not adequate enough to cater for students at the two public universities, that is, University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU).

The Government is now working on the transformation of the present bursary support system into a Higher Education Student’s Loan and Scholarship Authority. The loan scheme was put on paper in 2004, but was not operationalised. The Government is working on modalities to govern the Higher Education Student’s Loan and Scholarship Authority. In the interim, the Government is changing the operations of the Bursaries Committee. The ultimate solution is the transformation of the Bursaries Committee into a Higher Education Students’ Loans Board.

It is planned that the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board will be in place by 2016.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Konga (Chavuma): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order hinging on the security of the nation and the integrity of the upcoming elections that will be held on 20th January, 2015.

Mr Speaker, the United Party for National Development (UPND) and other opposition political parties have noted, with concern, the thuggish behaviour …

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Mr Mwiimbu: … of the Patriotic Front (PF) cadres …

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr Mwiimbu: … in this country …

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr Mwiimbu: … in the run up to the 20th January, 2015 elections. 

Mr Speaker, lately, we have witnessed a number of our members being brutalised and their commercial premises vandalised by PF cadres. Yesterday, one of our cadres who was on his way to Mongu was brutally attacked at the Intercity Bus Station simply because he was in the UPND regalia.

Mr Mufalali: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: After being brutalised, he was taken to the PF Office where the brutality continued. As if that were not enough, we have also witnessed the defacing of our bill boards on the Copperbelt by PF cadres.

Mr Muchima: Even in Lusaka.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, we want to state categorically that we have the capacity …

Mr Speaker: Ah! 

Hon. Member for Monze Central, sit down. You are raising a point of order. I have been very liberal, waiting for you to get to your point of order. I do not think this is an occasion for you to proceed in that direction. Raise your point of order. 

Mr Mwiimbu: I was about to say that we have the capacity to report to …

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu: … the police.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu: I had not finished.

Mr Speaker: Anyway, proceed.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I would like to ask whether the hon. Minister of Home Affairs is in order not to issue a statement condemning the behaviour of very well-known PF cadres who have been brutalising our members. 

Mr Speaker, this is not the first time that Zambians have fallen victim to such brutality. Recently, we lost four lives of the PF cadres. If we are not careful, the violence that is being perpetuated by the PF …

Mr Mufalali: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: … will get worse as we approach the elections and people will die. If the Government does not defend them, they will be forced to retaliate. 

Are they in order, Mr Speaker, to remain mute without condemning this brutality by well-known PF cadres and to fail to protect the lives of our people? Is the hon. Minister of Home Affairs in order to remain mute over this matter or is this a confirmation of their having gone to Zimbabwe yesterday where there has been a lot of violence during elections?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that since you have …

Mr Mwiimbu: May I lay the evidence on the Table of the House.

Mr Speaker: You can proceed.

Mr Mwiimbu laid the paper on the Table.

Mr Speaker: … confirmed that you have the capacity to report this matter to the police. You should, therefore, proceed accordingly.

Mr Kampyongo: Yes!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Further, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is also available to consider matters of this nature. Our laws are very clear on what should be done and what should not be done during the electoral process. There are bodies out there that were established to handle such matters. The police are available to ensure that those who are committing crimes are investigated, prosecuted and, where proven guilty, convicted of the criminal offences. 

Whether the alleged political parties involved make a statement or not, condemning this kind of behaviour, is a matter, of course, that is outside my remit. I am not here to direct people to condemn such matters.

May the hon. Member for Chavuma, proceed.

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister, in his response, indicated that the Government is in the process of preparing student loans to be given to students to study at the public universities. I would like to find out if the hon. Minister is able to tell this House and the nation at large how many students are on Government scholarships presently.

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, that will require statistics which I do not have at the moment. If the House may bear with me, I can bring those statistics in the next sitting of the House.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Well, I did not expect you to have the statistics, anyway.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, this Government is on record as having said that it is pro-poor. We all know that the majority of people in this country are poor, and that most students at the public universities are from poor families, and yet we have seen programmes of expansion of universities and other institutions of higher education. How is this Government going to cater for the poor people who so much want to enter university?

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, our philosophy and perception of the Bursaries Committee has been eroded over time. It was designed to assist the vulnerable. However, at the moment, it seems as though it is free for all. I say so because a lot of people now access higher education. In addition, there are many private universities and public universities coming up.

Sir, the Government alone, with the current Budget allocation to the Bursaries Committee, cannot manage to sponsor all the students wishing to study at the public universities. We are failing to sustain those who are already on our books without a supplementary provision. Unless we have an expansion in our budgetary allocation, we cannot sustain the free-for-all perception that people have, hence we are trying to come up with modalities of establishing a Higher Education Students’ Loans Board from which those that want to access higher education can get loans.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Speaker: I will take the last three questions in this order: Nalikwanda, Liuwa and Chadiza.

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the salient parameters for a student loan and scholarship programme are a revolving fund and legal framework. Could the hon. Minister enlighten the House on how far the ministry has gone in the establishment or negotiation for a revolving fund from the Ministry of Finance and the establishment of a legal framework for the programme.

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, like I said earlier, this position was taken in 2004, but nothing was done about it. As the Government, we are in the process of transforming the Bursaries Committee into a Higher Education Students’ Loans Board. A lot of work has gone into this process. We referred the would-be Bill to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and onto the Ministry of Justice. The process is ongoing. To start with, we have found ourselves in a situation where we are firefighting instead of managing the scheme.

Sir, in short, I am saying that the Government has made progress and is looking at modalities of establishing the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board by 2016. This has reached an advanced stage, and I am sure we shall be close to finishing all that by the end of January, 2015.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, the students who got scholarships to study at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Copperbelt University (CBU) most probably have grandfathers who threw stones during the fight for Independence and their parents pay taxes, and vote in the elections. The same applies to students at private universities. 

Can I find out why you have decided to discriminate against those who go to private universities in favour of those who go to public universities when all of them are Zambians.

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, like I said earlier, the rationale behind the establishment of the Bursaries Committee has been eroded over time. At the moment, everyone who wants to access higher education believes that they will do so through a bursary given by the Bursaries Committee, which is not possible. The Bursaries Committee was set up to assist the vulnerable. Now, it appears that everybody in the nation is vulnerable. If everybody is vulnerable, then where does that leave us?

Mr Muchima: Tell us.

Prof. Willombe: At the moment, everybody is free to access a bursary, depending on the level of vulnerability and the size of the resource envelope that we have. At the moment, all first year students from the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Copperbelt University (CBU), and those who are already on our books have access to a bursary through a recommendation from the Social Welfare Department based on their level of vulnerability. We then consider the size of the resource envelope and distribute the resources accordingly. Currently, we can only give bursaries to public, and not private universities. As I said earlier, there are more than sixteen private universities, all trying to benefit from the same small resource envelop. However, it is inadequate. Only when the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board is in place will people wishing to access higher education be able to get financial support. At the moment, we cannot afford to take care of everybody.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Nkombo, Mr Mbulakulima and Mr Mbewe all rose.

Mr Speaker: I gave directions on how we are going to proceed earlier on.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mbulakulima: Iwe, it was me.

Mr Mbewe resumed his seat.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Chadiza, have you elected not to ask a question? 

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, these people from the north always want to …

Mr Speaker: No, you should assert your rights.

Laughter

Mr Mbewe: He has stolen my rights.

Laughter

Mr Ng’onga: Tafela nsoni.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, if I recall, the Patriotic Front (PF) came out very clearly during the campaigns in 2011 that it was going to introduce free education from Grade1 to university.

Mr Ng’onga: Question!

Mr Mwale: It is true.

Mr Mbewe: I pity the hon. Deputy Minister who is struggling to answer the question. Can the hon. Minister confirm with me that the Government has failed to provide free university education.

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, maybe, I should speak in Chiyanja because I am struggling to explain in English.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: No, I will not permit that.

Laughter

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, I am capable enough of explaining. 

Mr Mwale: In Chinyanja?

Prof. Willombe: We said that we would provide free education from primary to Grade 12. This is a phased process. You cannot just wake up and do everything overnight. We shall provide free education up to Grade 12 through a phased process. As regards university education, we need to look around and see which country provides free university education. At the moment, there is none. It is not possible for us to provide free university education with all the universities in the provinces. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

LUWINGU/NSOMBO/CHABA/CHILUBI ROAD

283. Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication: 

(a)    whether feasibility studies for the upgrading of the Luwingu/Nsombo/Chaba/
Chilubi Road had been carried out;

(b)    if so, when tenders for the construction of the road would be advertised; 

(c)    what the nature of the road works to be done were; and 

(d)    whether any maintenance works on the road would be carried out before 31st December, 2014.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr Mwimba H. Malama): Mr Speaker, yes, the feasibility studies, detailed engineering design and tender document preparation of the upgrading of the Luwingu/Nsombo/Chaba/Chilubi Road have been carried out and completed.

Mr Speaker, it is expected that tenders for the construction works will be advertised in the second quarter of 2015. Thereafter, a contractor will be engaged and works will commence.

Mr Speaker, the nature of road works to be done include upgrading to bituminous standard or double surface dressing.

Mr Speaker the Government, through the Road Development Agency (RDA), will carry out some holding maintenance works such as grading and on-the-spot gravelling in 2015 to keep the road passable until major upgrading works are carried out. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that maintenance works will be done in 2015. The road becomes impassable in the rainy season. Is there anything that can be done between now and 31st December, 2014 to keep the road passable?

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, this is December, and going by what the hon. Member has asked, we shall try to use the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) in the province to see how best it can work on this road in this short period.

I thank you, Sir.

DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS

284. Mr Mwanza (Solwezi West) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development:

(a)    why there was a huge backlog of domestic electricity consumers waiting to be connected  to power in Solwezi District; and 

(b)    whether there were priority areas in the district in terms of electricity provision and, if so, what they were.

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy, and Water Development (Mr Zulu): Mr Speaker, as you are aware, Solwezi is experiencing unprecedented growth. This has put pressure on the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), as connections are demand driven. Currently, the backlog is at 868, comprising 200 customers from Wisdom Compound, 260 from Kandemba, 150 from Zangamenu and fifty from the Weigh Bridge. The balance comprises the normal day-to-day connections. The first areas, namely Wisdom, Kandemba, and Zangamenu compounds qualified for the subsidy connection, and thus lie outside the normal connection realm. The House may also wish to note that ZESCO is implementing the Connection Subsidy Programme under the Increased Access to Electricity Services (IAES) project financed by the World Bank and other co-operating partners. This is where customers are required to pay only K150 and the rest is subsidised by the World Bank. In places that responded to the subsidy, no distribution network existed and ZESCO had to start from scratch in developing the backbone network. These areas have since been opened with extensions of 11 kV, installation of distribution transformers and 400 Volt networks. However, ZESCO has had challenges with the supply of certain materials like poles because the suppliers are not meeting their obligations. However, this has since been addressed and the delivery of materials has improved. With the improvement in the supply of raw materials, works to clear the backlog have since commenced. It is expected that the backlog will be cleared in three months.

Mr Speaker, the priority areas in providing electricity to the district are those where currently, ZESCO has a large number of pending connections. These are Wisdom, Kandemba, and Zangamenu compounds. However, ZESCO treats each applicant equitably, and on a first-come, first-served basis in the other areas of Solwezi.

I thank you, Sir.  

___________

MOTIONS
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ON THE REPORT OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ON THE ACCOUNTS OF PARASTATAL BODIES FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 2012.

Mr Mwale (Chipangali): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do adopt the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2012.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Ms Imenda (Luena): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Lubinda: Tom and Jerry!

Laughter

Mr Mwale: Hon. Member, do not call your brother Tom and Jerry.

Mr Speaker, your Committee, in line with its terms of reference as specified in the Standing Orders, considered the Report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2012. I am humbled to present your Committee’s first report in this session. Let me sincerely thank my colleagues for the hard work and focused manner in which they deliberated on the matters that came before them.

Mr Speaker, let me start by informing the House that nineteen institutions were captured in the audit report. On behalf of the Committee, I wish to thank the Auditor-General for the good work that her office has continued to do on behalf of this House and the Zambian people. I thank all the controlling officers and their staff for co-operating with your Committee during the deliberations.

Sir, let me now comment on some cross-cutting issues that formed part of the audit report. The first one is the failure by the entities to prepare annual reports. The importance of annual reports cannot be over-emphasised. Financial statements tell us the performance and value of a company so that Zambians, as stakeholders, can use them to evaluate their investments in the parastatal bodies. 

It is, therefore, unfortunate that Page 1 of the Auditor-General’s Report cites a total of twenty-one statutory and other parastatal bodies as having failed to produce audited financial statements. This raises questions on the quality of leadership in these entities. It also raises questions on the commitment that such leadership has to good corporate governance. Having listened to the reasons advanced for this state of affairs, your Committee is worried that this unfortunate situation will continue as long as appointments to the management and boards of these entities continue to be based on factors other than merit. 

Your Committee, therefore, urges the appointing authorities to ensure that only qualified and experienced persons are given the opportunity to serve on the boards of these entities. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: Sir, another issue which your Committee wishes to report to the House is the widespread weakness in the management of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in almost all the entities that were audited. Most companies have implemented the ICTs in order to improve on the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. However, your Committee is saddened to learn that most of the entities have failed to comply with the international standards on the ICTs. 

From the responses obtained during the deliberations, it is clear to your Committee that the anomalies are more or less due to ignorance on what should be done by the entities. Your Committee, therefore, recommends that the Government sensitises all key staff in the entities on the policies they should put in place in order to comply with international standards. 

Sir, your Committee also dealt with the perennial problem of public entities failing to meet their statutory obligations. The culprits include Mulungushi University, University of Zambia (UNZA), Zamnet Communications Limited, Times Printpak, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ), Zambia Railways Limited, Lukanga Water and Sewerage Company and Eastern Water and Sewerage Company. Your Committee was informed that this was mainly due to the companies’ financial constraints. Your Committee considers this to be a very serious problem, as it impacts negatively on the operations of the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and denies the Treasury the much-needed resources. Your Committee, therefore, strongly urges the hon. Minister of Finance to take this matter seriously and assist the entities to find a lasting solution. 

Mr Speaker, I will now comment on issues specific to some institutions that caught the attention of your Committee. The first one is the issue of outstanding terminal benefits at UNZA. The Report of the Auditor-General for the 2010 on the accounts of parastatal bodies mentioned the failure by management to pay outstanding terminal benefits to retired employees totaling K312.6 billion as of September, 2011. In the Report for the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, your Committee urged the Secretary to the Treasury to work with the Management to help address the matter, as it had been outstanding for a long period. 

Sir, your Committee is saddened that according to a review carried out in August, 2013, the figure had increased to K327.9 billion, as of December, 2012. Your Committee was informed that in order to address the matter, the institution acquired a loan of ZMW150 million, which would reduce the outstanding debt to ZMW268.8 million.

Sir, while noting this measure by the management of UNZA, your Committee wishes to reiterate that unless the Government, through the Treasury, comes to the aid of UNZA, this matter will not be resolved. Your Committee, therefore, strongly urges the Government to help UNZA find a lasting solution to the problem. 

Mr Speaker, allow me also to discuss one depressing revelation at the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). In October, 2008, ZAWA authorised the establishment of a game ranch to a rancher in Mkushi who was invoiced K635.7 million for the animals found habitat on the property. However, instead of receiving the invoiced amount, ZAWA accepted the option of the rancher bartering the invoiced K635.7 million with 150 sable antelopes. 

Your Committee finds the decision by ZAWA management to agree to this option unacceptable. Your Committee is of the view that by agreeing to a barter system before any payment was made, the client paid nothing, as the animals in question were still the property of ZAWA. In this regard, your Committee strongly urges the controlling officer to immediately report the matter to the investigative wings for further investigations. 

Sir, in the past, your Committee has bemoaned the weaknesses that are inherent in the financial regulations and have consistently called for them to be amended. Your Committee wishes to express its disappointment that despite numerous assurances by the Secretary to the Treasury that changes would be made in the financial regulations, to date, nothing has been done. Your Committee, therefore, calls upon the Secretary to the Treasury to take concrete steps to address the weaknesses in the financial regulations. 

Mr Speaker, I wish to acknowledge and appreciate the advice that was rendered to your Committee by the officers from the Office of the Auditor-General, the Accountant-General and the Controller of Internal Audits.

Finally, I wish to conclude by thanking you, Sir, and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support rendered to your Committee during its deliberations. 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

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

Ms Imenda: Now, Sir. 

Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion to adopt the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on Accounts of Parastatal Bodies for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2012. 

Sir, the mover of this Motion has ably articulated the views of your Committee on this Motion. Therefore, I shall only comment on a few issues that require emphasis. 

Mr Speaker, your Committee observes that there are major issues across all parastatal bodies that have been highlighted. Your Committee looked at the valuable evidence given unanimously to come up with the recommendations, some of which may require policy change. 

Mr Speaker, your Committee has found it disappointing that in some parastatal bodies, there is a clear absence of synergy in planning and supervision of projects. A good example of this was observed in the Judiciary.

Mr Speaker, there is evidence in the report that in over seventy projects carried out in 2012 under the Judiciary, there was poor workmanship and not all the works were done to the specifications set in the contract. Almost all the projects were undertaken without supervision. Your Committee finds this very unhealthy. Such inefficiencies should never be condoned. Worse still, your Committee found out that payments were made in haste even before the contracts were fully executed, which is highly questionable.

Sir, I will give an example of a project in the Western Province to put this in context. On 7th July, 2010, the Judiciary entered into a contract with Jasto Supplies for the construction of Mulobezi Local Court and three ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines at a sum of K286,000 million. The contract was for 120 days, commencing on 8th August, 2010, and expected to finish on 8th December, 2010. It included a 10 per cent retention of K28,000 which would only be released after all the defects were attended to during the defect-liability period. 

However, Sir, it is disappointing to learn that despite identifying some defects during the inspection of the building, which was carried out on 15th December, 2011, by the Provincial Building Engineer, the contractor had already been paid amounts totaling K285,500, representing 99 per cent of the contract price of K286,000.

Mr Speaker, the big questions which remain unanswered are whether officers have a passion for the work they are paid for and also whether they are keen and patriotic enough to see their country develop. One other question is whether the Government should continue spending money on such endeavours without strengthening accountability systems. 

Sir, it was further worrying to learn that the supervision of construction works in some instances was carried out by incompetent officers like court clerks who may not have the technical know-how to fully interpret and ascertain if works were correctly done. Your Committee strongly urges the Government to ensure that there is improved supervision of construction projects to ensure that the projects are thoroughly executed and also ensure that there is coordination between the client/spending agency and the ministry responsible for construction works, in this case, the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication.

Mr Speaker, your Committee further urges the controlling officers to ensure that disciplinary action is taken against erring officers to deter others from perpetuating the vice. The Government is further urged to ensure that there is enough funding set aside for the monitoring and evaluation of projects and that client/spending agencies should ensure that they support officers in the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication with logistics to enable them to supervise and monitor the works. 

Sir, other areas of concern noticed by your Committee are liquidity problems in the parastatal bodies. Most parastatal institutions have been operating with a negative working capital. This means that they may not be able to meet their current liability obligations as they fall due, and thus threatening their status of a going concern. One such institution is the University of Zambia (UNZA).

Mr Speaker, it is worrying that during the period under review, UNZA …

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the right!

Ms Imenda: … operated with a negative working capital of K1.6 billion in 2011 and 2012. This means that the university was unable to meet all its short-term obligations as they fell due. 

Sir, another area where UNZA has been badly hit, given this situation, is that of retirees’ benefits. The Report of the Auditor-General for 2010 on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies mentioned the failure by the UNZA Management to pay the outstanding terminal benefits to retired employees, totaling K312,000 as of September, 2011. As of December, 2012, the amount had increased to K327,000. 

Mr Speaker, your Committee urges the Secretary to the Treasury to work with the UNZA Management to help address this matter promptly, as it had been outstanding for a long time. It is only fair that the Government must move in to help clear all outstanding benefits owed to retired officers in order to motivate the current work force and reduce the levels of destitution among those who have retired.

Sir, most of the institutions faced with this challenge are not able to meet their statutory obligations. ZAMNET, for instance, which is part of UNZA, owed amounts totaling K4.8 billion in respect of unremitted Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and Value Added Tax (VAT) during the period under review. While debt swap was one of the options, your Committee is of the view that there is a need to find a more lasting solution to this problem. Your Committee feels that recapitalisation is a better option to combat this problem completely, as it may arise year in, and year out if not put to an end. 

Mr Speaker, another issue which caught the attention of your Committee is the problem of failure to collect revenue. Your Committee observes, with concern that, year by year, the parastatal bodies that had liquidity problems were struggling to collect revenue. Your Committee urges the Secretary to the Treasury to find a solution expeditiously to improve the status quo, as it is not pleased that the situation had not changed for a number of years.

Sir, allow me to agree with the mover of the Motion that there is a growing need to strengthen financial controls over the use of public funds. Your Committee is also concerned that the Secretary to the Treasury does not have sufficient control over the usage of funds by some parastatal bodies who claim to be autonomous in their spending. Your Committee is further concerned that the presiding officers in the parastatal bodies do not discipline erring officers, including those cited in the Audit Report. As a result of this weakness, there are widespread financial malpractices. It is for this reason that your Committee is appealing to the Government to urgently look into this matter by strengthening the existing financial regulations. 

Interruptions

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance is not paying attention.

Mr Speaker: Continue, hon. Member.

Ms Imenda: Sir, I am saying so because this affects him. I will repeat what I have just said. It is for this reason that your Committee is appealing to the Government to urgently look into this matter by strengthening the existing financial regulations in order to break this growing trend. There is a need to redefine the autonomy in parastatal bodies which, if not well interpreted, would serve as a recipe for financial mismanagement. 

Sir, in conclusion, allow me to join the mover of the Motion in thanking you for according us the opportunity to serve on this important Committee. I also wish to thank the members of your Committee for affording me the opportunity to second the Motion.

Mr Speaker, I beg to second. 

Mr Hamududu (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, in supporting the report of your Committee, I wish to raise a few issues concerning State-owned enterprises. 

Sir, the management of parastatal companies has been a matter of debate in many countries for many years. I think beyond the financial regulations, there are fundamental issues that must be addressed. The fact that the Auditor-General was able to find most of these irregularities shows that there are financial regulations in place. The problem is bigger than just failing to follow the financial regulations.

Sir, this country has gone through a very fascinating history in terms of managing State-owned enterprises. With regard to nationalisation, we have swung from one extreme to the other to a point where the State can start running laundries. I think the Government had concentrated a lot on business. There is a theory which says, the Government has no business in business because it does not qualify to run a business. When you look at this report, the issue of parastatal institutions committing such serious irregularities shows that State-owned enterprises cannot perform. We have solutions to these problems. History has shown us that there are solutions that work. From the time we moved from one extreme of nationalisation to privatisation, we have not found the right place to put the parastatal institutions that remained. 

Sir, after privatising all the parastatal companies, we thought a miracle was going to happen. I think the business is not yet finished. There are mechanisms that must be put in place to address the performance of the institutions. In fact, we should have been considering performance audits of the parastatal institutions. We should have considered how well the parastatal institutions are performing. For those that are in business, we should have been considering reports of the dividends, that is, how big the dividends are. 

Sir, for example, one good decision that the Government made was to partially privatise the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) which was the first bank to go electronic. It has beaten the other private banks. The Xapit product was the first of its kind. This happened just by bringing a private hand into the bank. I am sure the hon. Minister of Finance receives a dividend cheque every year from ZANACO. That is one solution that we have actually found working. I think there is a need to revisit some of the parastatal institutions and partially privatise them so that they begin to respect business principles. I am saying so because the private partner in those parastatal institutions will not allow abuse of their funds. The institutions also operate in a governance framework. 

Mr Speaker, it is ironical that when you go to Botswana, its flagship companies, Debswana Diamond Mining and De Beers Diamond Mining are parastatal companies that are in partnership with the Government of Botswana. They have transformed diamond mining and brought Botswana to where it is today. 

Mr Speaker, in Namibia, we have the Namdeb Diamond Corporation. The Namibian Government has partnered with De Beers Diamond Mining which is a parastatal company. What has gone wrong in this country is that parastatal companies cannot perform. The over nationalisation of the mines, for example, brought this country to its knees. In 1973, copper production in Zambia was equal to that of Chile which produces about 600,000 metric tonnes to 700,000 metric tonnes of copper. Today, Chile is at 5 million metric tonnes, and yet this is when Zambia is reaching the 1973 output levels. This is due to over nationalisation. 

Sir, sometimes, we say all bad things about the Chiluba Regime, but I think, there are some positive things that it did. One of them is the privatisation of the mines. It might not have been done perfectly, but with the privatisation of the mines, we have seen the output in the mines going up. Now we are able to produce about a million metric tonnes of copper. Chile is producing about 5 million metric tonnes of copper. In Chile, there is a flagship company called Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco), which is also a parastatal company. I think for Zambia, the major contributing factor is the Constitution. The Constitution is a fundamental issue. The bad governance at national level affects the institutions that we own. If the Government departments are abusing funds, what can stop the parastatal companies that fall under the ambit of the ministries from not performing well? When we say that we want a new Constitution to strengthen governance, this should cascade to the parastatal companies. Can you imagine these parastatal companies underperforming like this if the hon. Minister were appointed from outside Parliament? We could have grilled them in here.

For example, why should the University of Zambia (UNZA), which teaches students how to manage institutions, appear in the Auditor-General’s Report every year for misappropriating funds? What is happening at UNZA is very sad. Most of the professors are quickly moving to private institutions and these private institutions are performing better than UNZA. Is it because it is a government-owned institution? We can actually partially privatise UNZA. The social aspect of UNZA is student loans and not necessarily the ownership. You can partially privatise it so that you can bring sanity to the universities. We need business managers in the administration of UNZA. You can be a professor or doctor, but you might not necessarily be in the business field. UNZA is a business. It pays salaries and provides services. Therefore, you need to bring some of the business best practices in the running of the institution. 

Sir, it is a very bad thing that our universities should continue appearing in the Auditor-General’s Report for misappropriation of funds. If you have graduates from institutions that commit irregularities, then you are making it a culture. We do not expect the institutions to commit such irregularities. I am wondering if some professors are creating safe landing in the private institutions. While these professors are working, they are busy developing project proposals for establishing universities. Once they succeed, they move to those institutions. We must look at this very critically. People must not begin to do inside trading, especially at UNZA. You will find that the universities that they are establishing are actually doing much better than the ones they left. If we do not look into these issues seriously, UNZA and the CBU will end up being shells. 

Mr Speaker, the Zambia Telecommunications Company Ltd (Zamtel) is another good example. The partial privatisation of Zamtel by the previous Government was another good move. Although the mechaninism might have been questionable here and there, depending on which side one stood, the principle was alright. The gains made in Zamtel are being reversed because we need a private hand in the telecommunications company. The Government can, perhaps, own 50 per cent plus one shares in this company if it wants to control it because it thinks it is a strategic asset. However, if most shares are owned by the Government, we shall be going back to the issues of bail outs and would thus put pressure on the hon. Minister of Finance to give bail outs to such companies, and yet we expect dividends from them. So, I would like to urge the Government to revisit the governance of the State-owned enterprises like the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) and Zamtel and bring in a private hand so that we can continue to raise the bar. Where it is possible to partially privatise the companies, let us take that route because evidence has shown that it works.

Sir, communication is the in thing. When I went to Finland a few years ago, I was impressed to find that there is a Parliamentary Committee for the future which probes those in the Government to see if they are futuristic in thinking. Information Communication Technologies (ICT) is a promising industry. The emerging world is investing in the ICTs. We can bring a private hand into the ICT industry and create jobs. So, in future, this Parliament can also probe the Executive to establish whether it is futuristic.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication talked about introducing a national airline. We can have a private operator flying our national flag and the Government can be a shareholder. It is possible to have a national airline again because we are centrally located. The Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is a hub to Nairobi and Bole International Airport in Ethiopia. So, let us not put pressure on the Treasury because we can have a national airline without necessarily spending much money. I support the establishment of a national airline. However, it would be better for the private sector to have a bigger stake in it in order for us to have a strategic interest. 

The hon. Minister of Finance in his Budget Speech stated that the Government would reduce its shareholding in the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) and some shares would be sold to the private sector. I am happy with that proposal. We have been saying that the Zambians are not benefitting from the mines, and yet they can be shareholders. Where is the ingenuity of the ZCCM-IH? We are already participating in copper mining through this shareholding, but I think we need a private hand in it. We have many bright Zambians, including those that have left the country that can own shares in the ZCCM-IH and bring innovations and creativity in order to add value to the company and other such companies. Creativity goes with innovation. All that we need to do is apply ourselves.

Sir, I once said on the Floor of this House that most of the wildlife in our national parks has depleted because of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). In Bweengwa Constituency, there is the Lochinvar National Park which was one of the most beautiful national parks but, today, it is a sorry sight under the guard of a parastatal institution. The best we could have done is to bring in the private sector to help ZAWA run most of the national parks. For example, when the private sector came in to manage Liuwa Plain National Park, the population of the wildebeest went up. However, in the Lochinvar National Park, the population of birds and Kafue lechwe in the Blue Lagoon National Park is reducing. If we bring in the private sector to help run the parks, we can see a lot of activities and domestic tourism. At the moment, there is no accommodation at the Lochinvar National Park because it is under the management of a parastatal enterprise.

Let us apply ourselves where things can work because we have enough examples of this. Let us give the parastatal enterprises the political will that they deserve. Otherwise, we shall continue to sit in here looking at financial irregularities. People who work in the parastatal enterprises are well qualified, but they lack the business approach to business. When business people begin to own shares in these companies, we shall see things happening differently like what is happening in the neighbouring countries.

Mr Speaker, I look forward to a time when we shall revise the legal framework and put in place a new State-owned enterprise governance framework which will look at how much dividends have been remitted. In the eight years that I have been in Parliament, it has been very boring to talk about financial audits and irregularities and not look at the strategic picture. We want to see value in the parastatal companies so that we ring-fence our money for poverty reduction. Some of the institutions operate in quite viable fields. For example, the Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) Group of Companies and should not have appeared in this report. I do not have the statistics on my fingertips, but I think there are almost 1,000 vehicles that are brought into the country everyday. This is a fertile feed stock for the insurance industry. Therefore, how can the ZSIC appear in the report for irregularities? Perhaps, we should partially privatise the ZSIC. Otherwise, we shall continue losing business to the private insurance companies.

Sir, in conclusion, I would like to say that we can do better, and that there is evidence available on what works. If we applied ourselves and gave the requisite political will, I think we can make it because we have done it before in some aspects. Let us learn from other countries so that we can do better. 

With these few words, I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Mr Speaker, I am extremely happy to contribute to the debate on this report from your wonderful Committee which has always given us a lot of pride.

Ms Imenda: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Sir, I pray that the hon. Minister of Finance will put value in what has been tabled by your Committee and what Hon. Hamududu has put forward.

Mr Chairperson, I will be very precise because I only have four points. The first one is with regard to the funding of the Office of the Auditor-General. Year in and year out, we have talked about this and the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been lamenting the poor funding of the Auditor-General’s Office. To buttress this point, if you look at the Yellow Book, you will notice that there has been no change in the allocation from last year to this year. In view of this, what are we doing about the Auditor-General’s Office?

Mr Mucheleka: Killing it.

Mr Mtolo: I hope that the hon. Minister of Finance can pay a little attention to this office which is there to assist him in the most transparent manner because I do not think that we have a better office that supports the Ministry of Finance than the Auditor-General’s Office.

Sir, the second point is on the parastatal institutions which have been cited in this report. Of particular interest is the Zambia Railways, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) and, to some degree, the two universities. If the Zambia Railways, which has been funded through the Eurobond, can be cited as an institution which is failing to give audited accounts, then, why should we get money from the Eurobond to give to it? Here is an institution that is failing to give audited accounts, and yet we have gone ahead to borrow funds to give it at a great expense of the entire nation. This means that every Zambian will have to contribute towards the paying back of this Eurobond loan. We are giving money to this institution despite all this. What are we doing to ourselves?

Dr Kalila: Emphasise that point.

Mr Mtolo: Honestly, Hon. Chikwanda, Minister of Finance, I do not see the money you have given to the Zambia Railways being accounted for because it is failing to provide the most basic documents any institution should provide and, that is, audited accounts. What rationale did you use to support this institution? I do not think you made the right decision.

Mr Chairperson, the other issue I thought I could talk about is something which I spoke about last year on the Floor of this House, and this is having financial regulations in place. In Zambia, a civil servant can get money from the Treasury, go on a trip from Lusaka to Chipata, return from the trip and not retire imprest, and nothing will be done to him/her. If simple things like that are not corrected, and we cannot improve the weaknesses that we see, then, why should we waste time debating the Reports of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Auditor-General’s Report every year?

Ms Imenda: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: I remember standing here last year, Sir, and suggesting that failing to retire imprest be treated as a criminal offence, but nothing has been done about this. What value are we adding? Why does this report come to Parliament? Why do we stand here and try to encourage the hon. Minister of Finance to do the right things if no action is taken thereafter? Why should we continue debating this report and for what purpose? The rationale behind debating the Reports of the PAC is lost because we are not seeing its benefits. 

Mr Speaker, I will give an example which I gave last year. A chief executive officer of the Grain Marketing Board of Zimbabwe lost his job. He was arrested and imprisoned for the simple reason of not receiving money from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for the maize which was supplied to Zambia on time. This means that there are regulations in Zimbabwe that compel a chief executive officer to follow up payments for products sold. Unfortunately, in Zambia, nothing of this sort ever happens. The same applies to Kenya. If someone sells something or engages in some trade and does not receive the proceeds, he/she cane be imprisoned for that. I think we should learn from what prevails in neighbouring countries and the region as a whole. Here, we are failing to manage basic things like imprest and the subsistence allowance that people do not retire. How do we hope to improve?

Mr Mwale: Change the financial regulations.

Mr Mtolo: We really need to change the financial regulations.

Sadly, Sir, I came to this House in 2011, and this has been the song year in and year out. This is now 2014. Surely, can we not change simple regulations? What is so difficult about the hon. Minister of Finance, through the Treasury, coming up with regulations to protect public resources? Again, we shall sit in this House next year and debate exactly the same issue on regulations. Why are we doing this?

Sir, this leads me to my last point because I think talking too much about this issue is a mere waste of time. The Secretary to the Treasury and chief executive officers of quasi-Government institutions should be given performance contracts. They should be warned that if they do not do certain things, they risk losing their jobs.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: Do not leave this for the board to decide, but put in place some regulations so that there is a checklist against which their performance can be measured. This will help you take to task chief executive officers. For example, if the Secretary to the Treasury was asked to come up with new financial regulations and one year lapses, and he does not come up with the regulations, then, he can be dismissed. It is as simple as that.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mtolo: In fact, he is supposed to resign. 

Mr Speaker, a chief executive officer who fails to give audited accounts or to safeguard public property should be dealt with. We do not need to come here and discuss reports. Instead, we should be discussing how many chief executive officers resigned after assessing their performance. 

With these few remarks, Sir, I wish to support the Report of the Public Accounts Committee and urge the hon. Minister of Finance to come up with regulations to protect public resources. Otherwise, this will be an academic exercise which we shall be debating every year.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Finance (Mr Chikwanda): Mr Speaker, my primary duty is to thank both the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor-General’s Office for enlightening us on the slippages and lapses in the State-owned institutions. Most of these institutions are in a porous state, hence the need for the Government to pay heed to what is highlighted in the reports. There is no intention of any embellishment. What is not being done well should be noticed and corrected.

Sir, one of the weaknesses in the present structure is the fact that State-owned institutions were shrouded in a culture of irresponsibility in the past. So, we have problems which have their origins in the historic past. Unfortunately, the mechanism for superintending and maintaining surveillance over State-owned companies through the Ministry of Finance is very weak. So, our hope, as the Government, is to establish the Industrial Development Corporation (INDECO) in order for us to maintain adequate superintendence over the companies. Then, it will be logical to move the shareholding of the institutions from the Ministry of Finance to INDECO so that we can provide adequate mechanism to ensure that the institutions are doing well.

In some cases, some of the things hon. Members talk about are exaggerated. For example, one of them talked about the Zambia Telecommunication Limited (Zamtel). I will discuss it with the hon. Member of Parliament for Bweengwa because I have always found his contributions very useful. As a matter of fact, when we took over from Lap Green, the customer base for Zamtel was 280,000. At the moment, it is 1.4 million. This means that the customer base has increased by over 500 per cent in a matter of two years. The Zamtel Board comprises very responsible persons. The chairperson and the board members are men and women of enormous experience and integrity. So, all that Zamtel needs is to be supported and it might surpass some of the private sector service providers.

Mr Speaker, the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-HI) was also mentioned in the report. However, I would say that it is doing quite well. An example of a company from which we have received dividends is the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO), but we only received K10 million in dividends. Incidentally, ZANACO performed better when it was under the Government ownership. We do not know the compelling reasons that induced our predecessors to hand it over lock, stock and barrel to the Dutch who have proved to be very stubborn in a way.

Sir, next week, the ZCCM-IH will give us a cheque by way of dividends which will be more than twenty times what we have received from ZANACO. So, not all the institutions that are Government-owned are in bad shape. Going forward, we will have to put our heads together to see how we can improve the management and governance of parastatal institutions. The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) was also mentioned in the report. However, ZAWA’s problems have their origins in bad governance. We appointed a board but, instead of letting the board run the affairs of the institution, the institution was managed from the Ministry of Tourism and Art. I personally refused to put money into ZAWA until the governance was sorted out. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will help us in future. I think that we should enhance the funding to such institutions that help us to maintain surveillance on the operations of the Government and State-owned institutions.

Sir, offices like that of the Auditor-General are adequately funded. When we have adequate resources, we should increase funding to institutions like the Controller of Internal Audit because it prevents scams and commission of crime. The Auditor-General’s Office reports crimes which have been committed and are irreversible. Sometimes, even the culprits are not punished because by the time the Auditor-General’s Report is released, it would be too late to take action on the transgressors.

Mr Speaker, some of the problems at grant-aided institutions like the University of Zambia (UNZA) arise from excesses in the conditions of service that they give themselves. The conditions of service are far beyond what they can afford. The accumulated arrears at UNZA partly have their origins in these kinds of situations. So, you people who have an oversight role over these institutions should also critically look at how the institutions are administered.

Sir, I would like to thank the hon. Members of Parliament for their alertness. I hope that they will continue to be alert so that the anomalies can be brought to the attention of the Government. As the Government, we should not gloss over these issues. We admit that we have allowed these slippages to go on for a long time. However, we have every desire to try to restructure, revamp and re-align such institutions so that we can look after public resources much better. To do this, we shall depend on the alertness of various Parliamentary Committees. There is no good in giving ourselves unnecessary compliments when things are not that good. 

Mr Speaker, again, I thank your Committee, its conscientious and diligent Chairperson and, of course, the Auditor-General’s Office. We express our unfettered thanks for doing everything in order to be the custodian of public resources.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank all those who have debated and supported this Motion. I would also like to thank those who did not debate, but still supported this Motion. However, I must say that we need to move a step forward. We need to present this report in the same way we have done in the past years. The hon. Minister of Finance responded in the same way that he did last year and was very flattery. However, we need to be more practical. 

Hon. Government Member: Ah!

Mr Mwale: We need new financial regulations that will be biting and stop people from abusing resources. That is what we needed to hear from the hon. Minister of Finance. We wanted to hear from him whether or not we are on course. 

Sir, the issue of performance agreements for the chief executive officers was also raised. This will help us to monitor their performance. Lastly, I wish to mention that we are concerned about the Auditor-General’s Office because our role is that of oversight. The Controller for Internal Audit is your tool, but ours is the Auditor-General’s Office that needs more funding.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Question put and agreed to.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM ON THE REPORT OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ON THE MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE IN ZAMBIA

Mr Chitotela (Pambashe): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism on the Auditor-General’s Report on the Management of Wildlife in Zambia for the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 10th December, 2014.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr Mulomba (Magoye): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Chitotela: Sir, during the course of its deliberations, your Committee studied the report of the Auditor-General on the management of wildlife in Zambia. The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) was managing wildlife effectively. The audit was conducted on ZAWA and the areas of assessment were on the decline of wildlife, maintenance of bio-diversity, increase in revenue generation and improvement in the livelihood of communities living in the game management area (GMAs).

Sir, your Committee’s understanding is that the Government’s intention in creating statutory bodies such as ZAWA was that they should be self-sustaining. Your Committee notes, with dismay, that ZAWA is not capable of sustaining itself financially. From the available statistics, ZAWA underperformed financially, collecting just above 50 per cent of the collection target in the later years covered by the audit.

Sir, ZAWA manages a total of twenty national parks and thirty-six GMAs which cover an area of 30 per cent of Zambia’s total land mass. However, your Committee notes that some of the protected areas do not have any wildlife. With a staff establishment of only 1,701 in 2010, ZAWA cannot be expected to effectively police the national parks, covering an area in extent of 63,632 km² excluding the GMAs.

Mr Speaker, in order to improve the performance of ZAWA, the Government should improve the staffing levels. In addition, there should be increased private-sector participation which is well guided, especially for areas that require restocking and cannot be efficiently managed by ZAWA, as has been the case in Liuwa and the Bangweulu Swamps that are managed by the African Parks.

Mr Speaker, at policy level, your Committee observes, with concern, the clear lack of coordination between the ministries and their respective departments, and agencies responsible for land, environment, tourism and mining. Although the law has provided for the various requirements that developers in protected areas need to meet before they can operate in such areas, the lack of inter-ministerial coordination has resulted in these requirements being flouted. This is compounded by the fact that different pieces of legislation such as the Zambia Wildlife Act, Mines and Mineral Development Act and Environment Management Act are currently not working harmoniously.

In this regard, your Committee recommends that an inter-ministerial committee of experts be established to increase coordination among the Ministries of Lands, Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection; Tourism and Art; and Mines, Energy and Water Development to enhance coordination in the various sectors. Further, the Government should review the various pieces of legislation that touch on the environment, tourism and mining sectors with a view to harmonising them.

In conclusion, your Committee wishes to express its gratitude to you, Mr Speaker, and the Clerk of the National Assembly for the support rendered to it. Your Committee is also indebted to all the witnesses who appeared before it for their co-operation in providing the necessary memoranda and briefs. Your Committee would like to commend the Office of the Auditor-General for the audit. Your Committee is hopeful that the observations and recommendations contained in this report will go a long way in improving the wildlife sector in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

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

Mr Mulomba: Now, Mr Speaker.

Sir, thank you for according me the opportunity to second this very important Motion. Since the main issues have been ably tabled by the Chairperson of your Committee, I will highlight a few of the issues in detail.

Mr Speaker, the Auditor-General reported that contrary to the provision of the Zambia Wildlife Act, which requires the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to provide for the licensing of quotas and a documented transparent hunting quota system, there was no evidence regarding the levels of sustainability and birth, and outtake ratio per species. It was, therefore, difficult to assess how the monitoring of hunting activities to help reduce the decline in wildlife population was done.

The Auditor-General further reported that despite the assurance by ZAWA, as of December, 2013, there was no evidence that ZAWA had come up with timely and relatively more accurate and realistic quotas by hunting block regarding the levels of sustainability and birth, and outtake ratio per species.

Mr Speaker, your Committee was further informed by the ministry responsible for tourism that ZAWA lacked equipment to conduct aerial animal surveys and that it depends on hired equipment to carry out these surveys. In this regard, your Committee urges the Government to procure equipment for ZAWA to conducting aerial animal surveys.

Mr Speaker, if the Government fails to procure this equipment for conducting aerial animal surveys, I am sure the in-coming Government under the leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema (HH) will do it.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions 

Mr Mulomba: Sir, your Committee was informed that contrary to the Zambia Wildlife Act, nine national parks …

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Mulomba: … and various community resource boards (CRBs) did not have general management plans. In this regard, it was not possible to ascertain the activities of the boards such as plans to prevent the loss of bio-diversity, encroachment and community-development committees, among others. Additionally, out of a total of thirty tour operators in the Kafue National Park, fifteen with valid concession agreements signed between 2003 and 2008 were not operating and had not honoured their obligation to pay charges. What a loss to the Government.

Therefore, your Committee urges the Government, through the relevant ministries, to ensure that prior to the issuance of any licence in a protected area, all the legal requirements are satisfied. Failure to do this, should result in no licence being issued.

Mr Speaker, I beg to second.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, let us avoid politicking in the context of these reports. These reports are from the Committees. I am sure that was not the position of the Committee. Hon. Member, was that the position of the Committee?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Magoye, it is you I am asking. Was that the position of the Committee?

Mr Mulomba: No, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Just apologise.

Mr Mulomba: I unreservedly apologise, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Tourism and Art (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the mover and seconder of the Motion. All the issues raised in the report have been noted by the ministry and shall be worked on.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the whole House. By keeping quiet, it means that we have all agreed to this report. We would like to urge the Ministry of Tourism and Art to take the recommendations of your Committee seriously and implement them for the wellbeing of the people of Zambia.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Question put and agreed to.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM ON THE REPORT OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL ON ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION CAUSED BY MINIG ACTIVITIES 

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Environmental Degradation caused by Mining Activities, for the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, laid on the Table of the on 10th December, 2014.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr Chipungu (Rufunsa): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, a performance audit was carried out to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of regulatory bodies such as the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and Mines Safety Department in carrying out their overall responsibilities of managing the environmental degradation caused by mining activities in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, during the course of its deliberations, your Committee studied the Report of the Auditor-General on the Environmental Degradation caused by Mining Activities. To further assist your Committee appreciate the subject matter, it invited several witnesses to provide both written and oral submissions.

Mr Speaker, your Committee has learnt, with dismay, that the management of the environmental degradation caused by mining activities is complicated by the development agreements that were entered into between the hon. Minister responsible for mines on behalf of the Zambian Government and the mining companies which gave indemnities to these companies against environmental pollution.

Your Committee is of the view that the power to enter into agreements should not be left to an individual Minister. In this regard, all agreements entered into on behalf of the country should have the input from the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the backing of the Cabinet.

Additionally, the regulatory framework for the mining sector is weak, resulting in some mining firms involving themselves in environmental malpractices that they would never allow or engage in, in their countries of origin.

Sir, in this instance, your Committee urges the Government to review all mining and environment-related policies and legislation in order to come up with more stringent and workable laws that promote environmental sustainability.

In conclusion, your Committee wishes to express its gratitude to you, Mr Speaker, and the Clerk of the National Assembly for the support rendered to it during its consideration of the report. Your Committee is also indebted to all the witnesses who appeared before it for their co-operation in providing the necessary memoranda and briefs. Your Committee would like to commend the Office of the Auditor-General for the audit as this has alerted us to our collective responsibility as regards the environment.

Your Committee is hopeful that the observations and recommendations contained in this report will go a long way in improving the conduct of mining activities in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

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

Mr Chipungu: Now, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to second this Motion.

Mr Speaker, I beg to second that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism on the Auditor-General’s Report on Environmental Degradation caused by Mining Activities for the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly.

Sir, since the main issues have been articulated by the Chairperson, I wish to highlight just a few. 

Mr Speaker, your Committee notes that all observations and recommendations contained in the Auditor-General’s Report are valid. Some of the observations include air, ground and surface water pollution.

Mr Speaker, the Auditor-General’s Report revealed that some mining companies were not complying with the requirement to submit monthly returns on air emitted into the environment for periods ranging from one to three years. Additionally, the report indicates that one mining company was emitting sulphur dioxide into the air at 155 per cent higher than the set limit. The same mining company was also releasing copper and lead into the air at 854 times and 379 times the set limit respectively,. 
    
Sir, your Committee also learnt that twenty-eight facilities in fifteen large-scale mining facilities released waste water and effluent into the environment with physical and chemical parameters above the minimum limits set by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA). 

Mr Speaker, your Committee urges the regulator to ensure that the air released to the environment by mining companies did not exceed the standards prescribed and that companies that were polluting the air are held accountable. The same should apply to ground and surface water pollution.

Mr Speaker, your Committee is sad to report that ZEMA has failed to safeguard the environment and the people of Zambia. In this regard, your Committee recommends a complete overhaul of ZEMA so that it becomes responsive to its mission and vision. 

Mr Speaker, I beg to second.

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, I will be as brief as both the mover and seconder. 

Mr Speaker, environmental protection is a very serious issue. I would like to refer to Page 3 of the report under (b) where it says that the measures that the Government has put in place to ensure that the environmental degradation caused by mining activities was adequately managed were not working effectively. I would like to quote the first paragraph under this heading which reads:

“Although the Government had put in place a comprehensive National Policy on the Environment (NPE) that had domesticated a number of international conventions or protocols on protection and control of the environment, the ministry responsible for the environment and the Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) had not carried out any review to assess how well the policy was being implemented …”

Sir, it further reads:

“However, some of the conventions required costly technology to be put in place which was, in fact, a challenge for Zambia.”

Mr Speaker, this is of great concern. We get very strange illnesses nowadays. I think it is because the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat are all contaminated.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, why do we go to the extent of signing protocols and conventions that we do not want to implement? If it is an issue of cost, I believe that this is where borrowing would make sense instead of borrowing to bail out whatever. It would make sense because we would be investing in our health. If the hon. Minister of Finance came here, like he did last time, and said that we are borrowing in order to implement the conventions and protocols signed, I would support him because it is for our safety, health and survival. 

Mr Speaker, because of the failure by the Government to monitor this, it is little wonder that it rushes into signing agreements with mining companies to explore minerals without putting in place safety measures for the environment and the people in general.

Mr Speaker, if the House recalls, some years back in the Western Province, there was an outbreak of a fish disease where fish had sores. Where have you seen fish having sores? It is because a company called Spirit of the River which spilled effluent into the river. We do not know what effluent or chemicals were discharged into the waters of the Zambezi River that resulted in fish having sores.

Mr Speaker, the Government should be serious about these issues. We do not want to die like cockroaches. I cannot rule out the fact that we are taking into our bodies polluted food, water and air. 

Mr Speaker, I would also like to comment on the issue of uranium mining. Uranium is a very dangerous substance because it is radioactive. I do not know whether we have already given out mining concessions for people to mine uranium without putting safety measures in place. If this is the case, we are supposed to register with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Geneva before we do that. I am sure that if we asked for help, the agency can organise a consortium of donors to give us money to protect us from radiation. The Government should consider this matter seriously.

With these few words, I support the report.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamududu: Mr Speaker, I will be very brief too. I would like to underscore the importance of this report unlike the previous one to which we did a disservice. Even if we adopt the reports, we must, at least, say something. It is an opportunity to raise some of the issues that we ordinarily might not have the chance to raise elsewhere.

Mr Speaker, mining, by its nature, has serious negative environmental ramifications. Mining, as you know, is not a permanent business, as minerals are wasting assets. Therefore, we do not want our children or future generations to remain helpless after the mineral resources have been exhausted.  

Sir, let me take my hat off to the Office of the Auditor-General. I think that it has provided enough reports for your Committees to consider. Going forward, we need more reports from the Office of the Auditor-General, ranging from financial audits and performance audits to environmental audits so that your Committees have some tools to use. These reports will be very helpful because they are evidence-based, instead of us just picking random topics for the sake of doing our work. These reports are factual and are based on issues that affect our people. 

Mr Speaker, my concern is that there is no feedback on the serious issues that are raised in this report. At this stage, we are doing well, but the problem is that of the feedback. After we have done this wonderful work, the feedback comes through Action-Taken Reports to your Committees. I look forward to a situation where we can also adopt the action-taken reports in this House so that the Executive can report to us on the Floor of the House on what it has done. People need to hear what actions have been taken to resolve the issues in the reports. Otherwise, when the Action-Taken Reports or Treasury Minute comes through the Committees, it does not have the requisite mileage to cajole the Executive to act on the issues because very few people are privy to the Action-Taken Report. Going forward, Parliament should continue to evolve and be innovative. Can you imagine how effective it would be to have the hon. Minister come to this House to report on the progress he has made to resolve the issues raised in this report? Otherwise, these issues will remain unattended to. After next year, when the Auditor-General goes to conduct another audit, she will find the same irregularities because the response to these issues is not as robust as the reports that we bring to the Floor of this House. Therefore, I think that the chain should be completed by having more transparency and accountability, especially with regard to the responses to these reports. The hon. Minister of Tourism and Art is smiling, but she has a lot of work to report back to us. The adoption of this report must not be a mere formality. The reports come to this House, but no serious action is taken. If we do not take action, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), for example, will continue to underperform, and the mining companies will continue to think that they can get away with the malpractices. Let the country hear the actions that are taken to resolve the issues in the reports. We will isolate those who are flouting our environmental regulations to the detriment of our future population.

Mr Speaker, for me, this issue of having Action-Taken Reports adopted here is feedstock for the Parliamentary Reforms and Modernisation Committee. I look forward to a situation where the Action-Taken Reports will be presented and debated on the Floor of the House so that we can raise the bar of performance as regards some of the recommendations in the reports.

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

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, once again, I would like to say that I thank the mover of the Motion, the seconder, the Committee and all the hon. Members who have contributed to debate on this report. I have taken note of the issues that have been raised and appropriate action will be taken.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, listening to the hon. Members support the report gave me encouragement. The ministry responsible for the environment will make sure that the recommendations of your Committee are taken on board so as to safeguard the environment and the lives of the Zambian people. 

Mr Speaker, I thank everybody who has debated and those who have kept quiet as a sign of support for the report.

I thank you, Sir.

Question put and agreed to.

___________

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the 
Chair]

The Deputy Minister for Western Province (Mr Siamunene): Mr Chairperson, yesterday, I indicated that the budget for the Western Province had increased by 19 per cent. This increase has come about largely because of the creation of new districts. The creation of districts has already benefited the people of the Western Province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, in order to connect the districts, we have to start from one point. Even when you are connecting points on a graph, you start from one point. Therefore, the Government has started connecting the districts through one road, and eventually all the new districts we have created will be connected.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, under agriculture, the Government and the World Bank are undertaking the Zambia Strengthening Climate Resilience Project under the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) in thirteen districts in the Barotse Sub Basin. The project will soon be extended to the remaining three districts. It will cost approximately K242 million and it aims at rehabilitating over 200 km of the canal network. This project will employ more than 3,000 persons through the Cash-for-Work Programme under canal rehabilitation. In line with the PPCR, the province has allocated K1 million for the Department of Maritime and Inland Waterways for canal clearing so as to enhance the use of the Barotse flood plain and wetlands.

Mr Chairperson, under youth development, a total of K200,000 has been allocated for the construction of dormitories at the Kaoma Youth Skills Centre.

Mr Chairperson, I would like to clarify that it is not one district in the Western Province that has benefited from the Social Protection and Social Cash Transfer Scheme. I would like to clarify this for the benefit of Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa so that he can get the details on the districts that have benefited. The Social Cash Transfer Scheme, which this Government is promoting, has been highly appreciated by the people of the Western Province. Since its inception, the number of beneficiaries in the scheme has increased from 15,227 in 2011 to 31,001 in 2014.

Mr Chairperson, as Minister for Western Province, I am delighted that the scheme has been rolled out and is benefiting five more districts, namely Luampa, …

Ms Limata: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: … Sikongo, …

Mr Ndalamei: Iwe!

Mr Siamunene: … Sioma, Senanga, Lukulu, Mitete and Nalolo. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: Therefore, it is not only Nalolo that is benefiting from the scheme, but eight other districts. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: So, it is not true that only one district has benefited.

Interruptions

Mr Siamunene: The additional caseload will be K15,186, bringing the total projected cash transfer caseload to K53,000. 

Currently, the scheme is also targeting the disabled, vulnerable and most disadvantaged people in the communities, in an effort to reduce the poverty that is pervasive in the Western Province. 

Mr Chairperson, for those that want clarification, I have a list of the districts that have benefited, including their allocations. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, the province has allocated K210,000 towards education support for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC); K300,000 for the empowerment and protection of the vulnerable; K100,000 for Phase I construction of a place of safety in Mongu; and K350,000 to support impoverished persons, skills training and support to self-help projects in the province. 

Mr Chairperson, other major projects to be undertaken in 2015 in the Western Province include: the construction of the Mongu/Kalabo Road with its twenty-six Bailey bridges at a cost of K1.8 billion and …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: … the construction of King Lewanika University. The contractor is mobilising and will be moving on site this December.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, other projects envisaged include the construction of district hospitals in Mongu, Lukulu, Mulobezi, Nalolo and Limulunga. 

In addition, the procurement process for the engagement of the contractor for the Kalabo/Sikongo Road has reached an advanced stage. I am sure that the area hon. Member of Parliament for Sikongo is happy. 

Mr Ndalamei interjected.

Mr Siamunene: Sir, the following projects have also been earmarked for the period 2013-2016: construction of sixty-four health posts; construction of dams in Kaoma and Sesheke; construction of 60 km of the Mongu/Nalikwanda Road, which will be done in the coming year; construction of 265 km of the Kalongola/Kalabo/Sikongo Road; and construction of 450 km of the Sesheke/Kaoma Road. 

Mr Chairperson, the Kalongola/Kalabo/Sikongo Road will connect the province to Angola and open up the area to trade and investment. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: This is very important. 

Mr Chairperson, I was in Angola last month to try to negotiate for contracts for Zambians and they are prepared to do this. The canal, which has been constructed, will connect this country to Angola as well as enhance trade between the two countries ... 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: … because the market in Angola is a low-hanging fruit. 

Mr Chairperson, the province will continue emphasising equity in the allocation of resources in line with the National Planning and Budgeting Policy of 2014, and the Revised Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP). The nine newly-created districts which aim to bring services closer to the people will be accorded priority in the development process in 2015. 

Ms Limata: Kwahaye!

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, I am confident that this budget will continue enhancing economic development and contribute to the reduction of poverty among in the province. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: Mr Chairperson, in order to enhance economic activities in the Western Province, we need infrastructure. I am happy with this Government for starting with the road network because it is the most important. In the past, the province was neglected. However, this Government has started connecting the districts and we are happy with what has been achieved so far.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Siamunene: With these few words, Sir, I wish to thank you sincerely for according me the opportunity to outline the activities for the Western Province. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Eastern Province (Mr Sichone): Mr Chairperson, I thank you for giving me this chance to contribute to the debate on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. 

Mr Chairperson, I would like to join everyone who has debated in expressing heartfelt condolences to the First Family for the loss of the great leader of the land, who believed in uplifting the standard of life for the poor, weak and voiceless. This man has left a unique gap that will surely be difficult to fill. 

Mr Chairperson, the only consolation that this country has, particularly the Eastern Province, is that there is another God-sent leader who will help the province and the country at large to reach the promised land. 

Hon. Government Members: And who is that?

Mr Sichone: It is no other than Hon. Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, the Eastern Province has benefited from the great deeds of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government under the able-leadership of the late President, and now under the leadership of a great lawyer and leader who can also withstand any form of pressure and still remain resilient and focused. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: This is no other than President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: This man will save us from the bad and corrupt activities of many people, including those from the cartel.  

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, last year, the province was allocated K78,182,138. In 2015, there is an increment of about K3,743,108, giving a total of K81,925,246. 

Interruptions

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, this increment …

The Chairperson: Can we have order?

Mr Sichone: … will translate into an improvement in the lives of people, especially those of the Eastern Province. 

Interruptions 

The Chairperson: I called for order a second ago and before a second has passed, you are back at it. Please, consult quietly. 

Continue, hon. Deputy Minister.

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, under the Rural Roads Unit (RRU), which is very critical for the Eastern Province, we have proposed to use about K1,100,000 to purchase additional equipment for road construction out of the K20,000,000 that has been allocated.

Mr Chairperson, I would like to respond to some of the issues which were raised by some debaters from the Eastern Province, particularly Hon. Mtolo for Chipata Central and Hon. Mbewe for Chadiza. May I first thank them for raising those issues because they are eye-openers. Where I come from, there is a saying that goes, ‘Ichisosa chipamano’ …

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: … which means that those that speak out give you wisdom. The farmers in the Eastern Province will start receiving their money for the maize they supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) tomorrow because the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock has confirmed that the money was sourced and released. However, I must say that it is disheartening to note that some people are using these humble vulnerable farmers to gain political mileage. 

Mr Chairperson, you may have noted that the recent demonstrations in Chipata were perpetrated by our colleagues from the United Party for National Development (UPND) after they visited the province.

Hon. UNPD Members: Ah!

Hon. Government Members: Shame!

Mr Sichone: They visited Chipata and that is where the conflicts and demonstrations started.

Sir, my brother, Hon. Mbewe, talked about corruption during the maize purchasing exercise by the FRA. I cannot disagree with him knowing that the FRA is an institution that requires proper strengthening and supervision. There were some cases of corruption reported here and there, but I must urge our colleagues that they need to play a citizen’s role in such circumstances by arresting such corrupt people.

Mr Chairperson, I would also like to talk about health. It appears most of our colleagues did not want to acknowledge that this Government is doing a lot in this area and that the Eastern Province will get a lion’s share in terms of infrastructure. There are four hospitals under construction in the province. These are Chipata, Nyimba, Lundazi and Vubwi.

Mr Mwaliteta: Even Lundazi?

Laughter 

Mr Sichone: The projects were all started by the PF Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Sir, Lundazi has an ultra-modern …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: … hospital.

Mr Mwango: Bwekeshapo.

Mr Sichone: You cannot find such a hospital in Lusaka.

Mr Kampyongo: In Ludanzi?

Mr Mwaliteta: Kwisa? 

Mr Kampyongo: Where?

Mr Sichone: In Lundazi, which is my home. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter 

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, in 2015, we shall continue with the construction of health facilities under the leadership of the great lawyer, President Edgar C. Lungu.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: The people of the Eastern Province are saying, “Lungu awina kudala, amudala apumule,” which means that Hon. E.C. Lungu has already won the election. So, Mr Rupiah Banda should rest.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: Shuwa?

Mr Sichone: The people of the Eastern Province are saying that they are not ready to talk about Mr Hakainde Hichilema (HH) and you know what that implies. 

Mr Mwaliteta: Tell him. He does not know.

Laughter 

The Chairperson: Order!

The Chairperson does not know.

Laughter 

Mr Sikazwe: Hammer!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, Hon. Mbewe talked about Tafelansoni Secondary School. Tafelansoni Secondary School is part of the 2015 projects together with Sinda, Vubwi and about eight other schools.

Sir, the Eastern Province is a very dry province. There is a critical shortage of water in Chipata. It was after the efforts of the PF Government, together with the hon. Member of Parliament for Lundazi to have the Lundazi River dredged that we have been able to get water. I must also commend the hon. Member of Parliament …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: … for working round the clock to ensure that the Lundazi River is dredged.

Interruptions 

The Chairperson: Order!

When is the dredger going? 

Laughter 

The Chairperson: Okay, you can continue.

Laughter 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, the dredger is still there.

Sir, it is also important to note that Mwase Dam and two other dams in the province are still under construction using the 2011 budget. However, in the 2014 budget, Mwangazi Dam in Chadiza is among the dams earmarked for construction. 

Mr Chairperson, under the 2015 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, we shall build Luli Dam in Chadiza at a total cost of K266,250 and Uzi Dam in Nyimba at a total cost of K249,500. We shall also build Kanyanja Dam in Chipata at a total cost of K328,000. We shall further rehabilitate Kandaminga and Kabi dams in Chipata, Chitawe Dam in Sinda and Chamandala, Chamucheng, and Chansombe dams in Chadiza. These dams will be rehabilitated at a total cost of K175,000.

Sir, I should also mention that besides all these projects, there are many other projects under the education sector which include the construction of schools and teachers’ houses. A number of health centres and bridges will also be built in the province. When I talk about bridges, I am also referring to the famous Luntembwe Bridge which collapsed due to poor workmanship in Chipata. I hope Hon. Mtolo will be happy because that is a song he has been singing every day.

Mr Chairperson, we shall go further and electrify Vubwi District and several villages. We shall drill boreholes and construct water points that are too numerous to mention. However, I must mention that the boreholes and water points will gobble about K450,000, as reflected in the 2015 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. 

Sir, I must also applaud my sister, the hon. Member for Vubwi, who is the only female Member of Parliament from the PF in the province who initiated a lot of developmental projects that are being implemented in Vubwi. However, I will not itemise them. Hon. Mbewe raised the issue of a lack of medical doctors at Chadiza Hospital. I hope Hon. Mbewe takes time to go and visit his constituency …

Mr Mwaliteta: He is not here. 

Mr Sichone: … because Chadiza has got two medical doctors, Dr Lingenda, who is back at work and Dr Kaniki an expatriate doctor.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: The hon. Member should begin to visit his constituency and acquaint himself with the developments. Unfortunately, the hon. Member has decided to absent himself from the House. I do not know whether he is at the bar or has absconded.

Laughter 

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, there are many township roads that have been worked on in the province. The township roads in Mambwe, Chadiza and Lundazi have been worked on for the first time in fifty years. People in these areas are surprised because they never thought they would have tarred roads in the townships. In one of the districts, which I am not going to mention, people line up along the roads every evening. I do not know whether they do this in order to admire the roads or to conduct other activities.

Interruptions

Mr Sichone: They are my landlords. So, I am afraid they will chase me.

Laughter

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, people in the province are appreciative of the developments. What more can people ask for if the PF has done all this for them in three years? They are waiting for the polling day to come so that they can vote for Hon. Edgar C. Lungu who will continue with the projects that I have just highlighted, including those I have left out.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Sir, the people are asking how the UPND, with twenty-eight hon. Members of Parliament, will form Government when it failed to do so in 1996 when it had forty seats in the House.

Mr Mukanga: Chilingalinga!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, the people are also saying that the people who started the projects should complete them. There is no need for someone else to come and complete them. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Chairperson, I learnt of a very famous snake in this House called Chilingalinga. This is a snake which has two heads. It has one head on one side and another on the other side. This term came about when the UPND and Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) formed a pact. May I also mention that this snake has already started biting itself from both the MMD and UPND sides.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
 
Mr Sichone: This is a sign that Hon. Edgar C. Lungu is a God-chosen President of the Republic of Zambia from 20th January, 2015.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
 
Mr Sichone: I, therefore, urge the House to support the budget for the Eastern Province for 2015. May God bless us all.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Luapula Province (Brig-Gen. Kapaya): Mr Chairperson, on behalf of the people of Luapula Province, I convey my heartfelt condolences to the First Family and the people of Zambia. The loss of our great leader will be felt by the people of Luapula for he had just started developing the province when the Lord took him away from us. We shall indeed, miss him. However, as a party in the province, we have hope that Hon. Edgar C. Lungu will continue from where our great leader, the late President Michael Sata, left.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen. Kapaya: Mr Chairperson, let me congratulate the girl-child of Luapula Province fon recording a 100 per cent pass in this year’s Grade 7 Examinations.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Balikwata amano!

Brig-Gen. Kapaya: Well done our girls. Please, keep up the hard work.

Interruptions 

Brig-Gen. Kapaya: Mind you, they eat fish,.

Laughter

Brig-Gen. Kapaya: Sir, to the teachers and all the officers in the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education, we say, well done our brothers and sisters.

Mr Chairperson, Luapula Province has eleven districts. These are Chienge, Nchelenge, Kawambwa, Mwense, Mansa, Milenge, and Samfya, and Chembe, Mwansabombwe, Chipili and Lunga which are new districts.

Sir, Luapula, just like the other provinces, has had its fair share of development in all the sectors. 

Mr Chairperson, for us, Luapula Province is like one constituency. Our aim is to develop the whole province regardless of who the hon. Member of Parliament is.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen. Kapaya: Mr Chairperson, the vision of the province is to have a poverty-free province by 2030. This is anchored on the following mission statement for the province:

“To effectively and efficiently promote and coordinate sustainable development in the province in order to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the community in a transparent, accountable and equitable manner.”

The goal for the province is:

“To achieve increased equitable access to quality socio-economic services in the province in order to promote a high standard of living.”

Sir, during the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period 2015 to 2017, development in the province will be guided by various policies and reforms to be implemented in various sectors. Notably, implementations of the Decentralisation Implementation Plan will play a key role in accelerating development in the province. The Revised Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) will also play a key role in guiding the development process. The strategic focus for the province during the MTEF period will be on infrastructure development and other programmes that have a high propensity to reduce poverty and accelerate economic growth such as tourism promotion and development, scheme establishment and land resettlement, natural resource protection and management, water resource management as well as rubber and exotic tree plantation expansion. To ensure that these high economic growth-yielding programmes are effectively implemented, we have realigned resources from less productive programmes.

Sir, with regard to the major achievements made in 2014, K72,266,728 was allocated to the province, out of which, at the end of August this year, K32,068,771 was released and disbursed. The province hopes that the balance of K38 million, which had not yet been released by the end of August, will be released by the end of this year in order to effectively implement the programmes, as they are still on-going.

Mr Chairperson, some of the notable major achievements made by the end of August, 2014, include the following:

(a)    under forestry, K421,077 in the form of forest revenue was collected and 11.5 tonnes of honey produced. A total of 85,000 assorted tree seedlings and 38,000 rubber tree seedlings were raised. One hundred and eighty-nine hectares of assorted tree plantations and 189 hectares of rubber plantations were weeded;

(b)    twenty-five water right investigations have been conducted and one dam rehabilitated;

(c)    a total of 600 km and 32 km of rural roads were rehabilitated and constructed respectively;

(d)    a total of 318 stands, fourteen farms and fifteen lots were surveyed as a way of formalising them so that owners can obtain title deeds;

(e)    a total of 100 farm plots were demarcated to facilitate the settling of people in settlement schemes;

(f)    with regard to the preparation of development plans for new districts, Statutory Instruments for three of the four newly-created districts were issued;

(g)    long and short-term skills training progrmmes for thirty-two youths were conducted; and

(h)    a number of investment promotion activities were conducted in the tourism, agriculture, mining sectors and other potential areas of investment which have resulted in a number of investors expressing interest in investing in the province.

Mr Chairperson, in 2015, the province will undertake the following major programmes, among others:

(a)    complete all on-going infrastructure projects in the resettlement schemes, tourist sites and other areas;

(b)    update promotional materials on tourism and other key investment potential areas in order to effectively market the province;

(c)    continue to rehabilitate rural roads and clear water canals to ease the movement of people and transportation of agriculture inputs and crops as well as provision of other services; and

(d)    continue to upgrade squatter compounds to improve the livelihoods of people.

Sir, other programmes that have been planned for include the management of water resources, especially with regard to borehole construction and rehabilitation, establishment and management of forest and rubber plantations, protection of forests, training of the communities, including the youths and women in bee-keeping, entrepreneurship and leadership. 

To strengthen the execution and implementation of the above-mentioned programmes, monitoring and evaluation will be enhanced. In order for us, as a province, to implement these programmes, we need the K79,732,555 which has been allocated to the province. I, therefore, request the House to approve this budget to enable us to bring development and provide the necessary services to the people in Luapula Province.

I thank you, Mr Chairperson.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for North-Western Province (Mr Mubukwanu): Mr Chairperson, as I wind up debate on the Vote for the province, allow me to join those who have debated before me in conveying our deepest condolences, as a province, to the First Family and the people of Zambia on the demise of the late President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata. I also wish to seize this opportunity to do the same on behalf of the people of Mongu Central whom I am privileged to represent in this House. It is our prayer and hope that the First Family will continue drawing strengthen from the risen Christ as they continue to forge ahead without a father, husband and leader of the family.

Sir, I would also like to acknowledge the contributions that have been made by the three hon. Members of Parliament who debated this Vote on behalf of the province. The North-Western Province is predominately rural and has suffered a lot of under development for many years due to neglect by the previous administrations.

Mr Chairperson, since assuming office, the Patriotic Front (PF) decided to revise the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) whose focus for the province is to continue providing relevant infrastructure and reliable energy sources to support agriculture production and improve the competitiveness of the province. This was aimed at increasing mining and agriculture productivity in order to improve the standard of living of our people.

Sir, the focus of the 2014 budget has been capital investments and social service delivery. In 2014, we had a total of K72,498,449 which was mainly spent on projects and programmes which included the construction and rehabilitation of health centres and health posts among which are the Weigh Bridge, Zangameno and Zambia Compound clinics. We also constructed and rehabilitated some schools, the hostels at Kaimbwe Secondary School in Kasempa District, the hostels and laboratory at Lamba Secondary School in Solwezi East and the kitchen, dining hall, girls’ hostel and ablution block at Mutanda Secondary School in Solwezi.

Mr Chairperson, the rehabilitation of feeder roads in some of the districts in the province was undertaken. Our intention was to work on all the roads that were budgeted for in 2014 but, due to challenges in the flow of funds, we were not able to carry out all the planned activities under this Vote. However, I am pleased to inform the House that the following roads were worked on:

(a)    the grading and gravelling of Kanongesha Road in Mwinilunga District;

(b)    the grading and gravelling of Manyinga/Chitebe Road in Manyinga District;

(c)    the light grading and bush clearing of Chikenge Road in Kabompo District; and
(d)    the grading and gravelling of the Manyinga/Chongo Road is yet to commence this year.

Sir, the Provincial Administration acquired earth-moving equipment in order to enhance feeder road construction. We acquired four tipper trucks, two water bowsers, one low bed, one bulldozer and one grader. We believe this will greatly improve our efforts to work on the feeder roads in the province.

Mr Chairperson, under the same allocation for 2014, some resources were availed for the construction of the Chavuma Police Station which is yet to be completed. We have also used some of the resource to construct and rehabilitate office blocks in some of the districts. Other works carried out include the office block for the Forestry Department in Chavuma and the construction of the cultural village in Solwezi which is also yet to be completed.

Sir, we would like to diversify the economy of the province by placing special emphasis on the resettlement schemes. This will require the development of the infrastructure in these areas. So far, the infrastructure that has been worked on includes access roads, health posts, classroom blocks and staff houses for both teachers and health personnel. The health post  and staff house for the agricultural camp officer in Kainamfumu in Solwezi has been built; the staff house for the health personnel at Kainamfumu Resettlement Scheme in Solwezi is now at tender stage; the construction of a classroom block at Kikonge Resettlement Scheme in Mufumbwe is at tender stage; and ten boreholes are yet to be drilled, that is, five at Litoya Resettlement Scheme in Kabompo and two at Kainamfumu Resettlement Scheme in Solwezi, three at Chivombo Resettlement Scheme in Chavuma are at tender stage.

Sir, the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Solwezi Sports Complex is ongoing. We also supported the bee-keeping development in Kabompo, Mwinilunga and Zambezi districts through conducting training and providing extension work for farmers.

Mr Chairperson, the Provincial Administration has given priority to ground water development to supply more water for both human consumption and agricultural purposes. To this effect, we have acquired a new drilling rig for which we hope it is going to help us address the challenge of poor water supply.

Sir, under the youth, child and women empowerment programmes, the Department of Youth conducted training for targeted beneficiaries and follow-up visits were made to all the districts. 

Sir, under community development, 700 women’s clubs received K350,000 as grants to women and village banks in Kasempa, Solwezi and Mufumbwe which will replace grants in the long run.

Mr Chairperson, under the Department of Child Affairs, Kilelabalanda Orphanage Centre and Cheshire Homes were given K10,000 each. Street children were also removed from the streets and put in schools. 

As the Provincial Administration, we recognise that skills improvement amongst civil servants remains important if civil servants have to be effective in the implementation of Government programmes.

Sir, the province has received K78,353,308 budgeted for the financial year 1st January, 2015, to 31st December, 2015. As indicated earlier, our focus is to continue with infrastructure development and social service delivery. We shall continue with the construction and rehabilitation of health centres and health posts. We shall also continue with the construction of the Chavuma Police Station. Hopefully, this will be completed in 2015. We are also going to continue addressing the challenges of rehabilitating dilapidated infrastructure in our schools. Office accommodation still remains a challenge for our staff in the various districts across the province. We shall ensure that part of the resources is channelled towards the construction of office accommodation.

Mr Chairperson, we want to continue with the programme of constructing feeder roads in all the districts. This will be supported with the procurement of more equipment. The targeted roads include:

(a)    Nkulwashi/Kabulamema;
 
(b)    Zambezi/Chitokoloko;

(c)    Manyinga/Ndunga;

(d)    Kalambo/Kamusamba/U6;

(e)    Kabipupu/Shungulu;

(f)    D181/Kelongwa;

(g)    Kapiji/St Francis;
 
(h)    Kanyama Turn Off to Kakoma; and
(i)    
(j)    Chinyadji/Kalene. 

The earth-moving equipment that has been purchased also has to be insured.

Sir, as the Provincial Administration, it is our hope that with the allocation for 2015, we may bring to completion the construction of the cultural village in Solwezi. We also want to continue with the development of infrastructure in the resettlement schemes which include access roads, health posts, classrooms and staff houses for both teachers and health personnel.

Sir, I would also like to take this opportunity to comment on some of the issues that were raised by hon. Members from the North-Western Province. The North-Western Province has received a fair share of development under the PF Government …

Mr Livune: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: Ba Mwanza, mumfwikishe!

Mr Mubukwanu: … because, out of the 650 health posts to be constructed by the Ministry of Health, the North-Western Province has received seventy-four.

Ms Sayifwanda: Where are they?

Mr Mubukwanu: The province has a total of nine districts and has received a total of sixteen ambulances. On average, there are about two ambulances per district. Sir, every mission and district hospital has an ambulance.

Hon. Government Members: Sure!

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Chairperson, the North-Western Province, under the PF Government, …

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Mubukwanu: … has an electricity grid extension project to all the nine districts at a cost of US$163 million. At the moment, Mr Chairperson, only two out of the nine districts in the province are connected to the national electricity grid. All the procurement processes for this project have been completed and the contractors are already on site.

Mr Chairperson, the Solwezi/Chingola Road is the most politicised and talked about road in the province. As the Provincial Administration, we, in collaboration with the Road Development Agency (RDA), resolved to demarcate the entire stretch into three lots with a view to getting three contractors in order for us to expedite the works on this road. As you may be aware, some contractors were already on site, but because of the change in the scope of works to be carried out, we had to cancel the contracts and engage the contractor on the new cost estimates that were required for us to do a g lasting job.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: Unfortunately, Mr Chairperson, the negotiations with the current contractor did not materialise. As a result, we had to re-tender the works. The tenders will be closing soon, and I hope that we shall soon have the contractor on site. 

Mr Chairperson, although our colleagues are complaining and heckling, they were in power for twenty years and had the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership qualities by working on this road. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Mubukwanu: However, they did nothing and one wonders where they are getting the audacity to criticise those of us who have shown a commitment to do something within the three years that we have been in Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Chairperson, Zambezi West, under the leadership of the PF Government, can now boast of having three communication towers. The connection of the towers has greatly improved not only the communication in the area, but also the security of the people.

Sir, the extension of the Social Cash Transfer Scheme to the province is proving to be a great success in cushioning the effects of poverty among the target communities. So far, three districts are benefiting from this scheme. These are Chavuma, Mufumbwe and Zambezi, with a total of 8,756 beneficiaries.

Mr Chairperson, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project comprises major roads in the province which will, no doubt, make it easy for the movement of not only our people, but also that of goods and services within the province. Some of the hon. Members who debated before me criticised the approach of the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project. They said that it should have focused on the neighbouring countries or the regional network.

Sir, our people are finding it difficult to travel from Jimbe to Solwezi because of the high cost of transport due to the poor state of the road. So, the implementation of the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project will result in low cost of maintenance of vehicles as well as reduced costs for those that are involved in the transportation of both people and goods.

Mr Chairperson, I wish to report to the House that the fuel storage facilities that have been under construction in Solwezi have since been completed and are ready for use.

Sir, I wish to appeal to my colleagues from the North-Western Province to develop some negotiation skills. They must learn to engage the Government as opposed to coming to complain when they do not visit the Provincial Administration to interact with us and compare notes on the developmental programmes that are taking place in their respective constituencies. To this effect, I would like to acknowledge the commitment shown by Hon. Ambrose Lufuma who has been collaborating with our office in the quest to help overcome the challenges that the people in his constituency are facing. Hon. Member, that is the way to go and, please, keep up the spirit. I would also like to tell the people of the North-Western Province that their future lies with the PF.

Mr Livune: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Chairperson, I will gladly repeat that the future of the North-Western Province lies with the PF under the leadership of Hon. Edgar C. Lungu, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: … who is in a better position to address their developmental challenges as Republican President. It is my hope and prayer that this House supports the Vote for the province.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Southern Province (Mr Munkombwe): Mr Chairperson, I would like to thank you for affording me this opportunity to respond to the points raised by the hon. Members from the Southern Province. The developmental programmes for the Southern Province include infrastructure development, agriculture, education and health.

Sir, the Government is constructing an ultra-modern bus terminus in Livingstone. A modern market, which will probably be the best in the whole of Zambia, is being built in Livingstone. The Government has also entered into a contract to connect water in all the townships at a cost of K65 million.

Mr Chairperson,  in the area of road development, I think that the legacy of President Michael Sata will continue to be appreciated for many years to come. Among the many things that will forever be appreciated is the construction of the Bottom Road which stretches from Sinazeze through Malima, Chiawa right up to Gwembe. At the moment, the breaking of stones on that road has gone up to Gwembe District. Fifty-seven kilometres of the road has since been tarred and the people are now able to travel by bus.

Sir, I was an elected Member of Parliament in the Southern Province for twenty years. During that time, the province sang about the Nico/Monze and Bottom roads. Fortunately, a great son of Zambia and Africa won the Presidency of this country and straight away embarked on the construction of the two roads which we failed to achieve in the twenty years that I was elected Member of Parliament.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, there are also other roads that have been earmarked for construction. Unfortunately, there are no contractors who can produce quality work. The contractor who worked on the Dundumwezi Road did not do a good job. So, when the rains start, our people will be cut off from the rest of the country. The contractor who was awarded the contract to work on the road from Marambo cutting across to Siavonga District has done nothing so far on that road.

Mr Chairperson, Munyumbwe Hospital in Gwembe District is awaiting commissioning. We thank the hardworking hon. Minister of Health and his Deputy whom we will invite to commission the hospital. The constriction of Namwala Stage One Hospital is almost  complete.

Interruptions

The Chairperson: Order, on my right!

Mr Munkombwe: It will also be commissioned very shortly. The construction of Kalomo District Hospital is equally in the final stage. The Moyo, Pemba and Kabanga health centre …

The Chairperson: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the 
Chair]

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, before business was suspended, I was talking about infrastructure development. Those who visited Choma three years ago would get lost if they went there today.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: The office block for the Provincial Administration has now reached four stories and about twenty executive houses have been completed. Thirty medium-cost houses have also been constructed. Of the twenty executive houses, ten are super class executive.

Mr Chairperson, on health, I would like to acknowledge the services of mission hospitals in the province, especially Chikankata, Monze, Macha and Chikuni mission hospitals. There is also a mission hospital coming up in Namuyanga. Once again, I would like to acknowledge the services of these hospitals. 

Mr Chairperson, Gwembe District is another beneficiary of our infrastructure development programme. There is a new hospital and secondary school being constructed at Munyumbwe. 

Interruptions 

Mr Munkombwe: Batoka and Sinazongwe secondary schools are also under construction, with the later having reached wall-plate level.

Mr Livune interjected.

Mr Munkombwe: For those saying that these were Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) projects, why did they not finish them? 

Laughter 

Mr Munkombwe: I was a member of the MMD. Therefore, I know better.

Mr Pande: We did not finish them because we left office.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, unfortunately, the payment of farmers is a vexing issue in the Southern Province. Therefore, I would like to share the background to this situation. Instead of limiting the maize to buy from farmers to 500,000 metric tonnes, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) bought up to 1 million metric tonnes. This is because we did not want to leave our people to be exploited by briefcase businessmen. So, we took the risk of buying the maize and paying for it later.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: By the way, I am one of the major producers of maize and one of those owed by the FRA. This is not tuli tushonto, but large sums of money.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: We have also established the Kanchomba Livestock Centre where there is a programme for breeding Boer goats and cattle. Under livestock development, there is money for the Livestock Restocking Programme which has been lying idly since 2013. This money will now be utilised to restock cattle in the province.

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, there has been talk about the problems in the Patriotic Front (PF). I think those who are talking about this should worry about how they are going to get into State House instead of paying attention to other people’s problems. There are no problems in the PF.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: At every political convention, there are problems. However, those who emerge victorious must accommodate their opponents.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear! Wiseman.

Interruptions 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order, order!

Mr Munkombwe: Mind you, I have been going to conventions for many years. As you know, even earlier …

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: Mr Chairperson, I thought you only permitted my uncle, the Deputy Minister for Southern Province, Hon. Munkombwe, to speak about the Southern Province, and not on conventions. There has never been a political convention in the Southern Province. Therefore, is he in order to talk about conventions?

Interruptions 

The Deputy Chairperson: The hon. Deputy Minister debating was merely spicing up his debate when he veered off course. So, now you can go back to your speech, hon. Deputy Minister.

Interruptions 

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, for the benefit of those who do not know political history, the first conference which elected Dr Kenneth Kaunda as Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) was on 30th September, 1953 at Samulyamoomba in Monze. The second conference was in 1961 in Magoye.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: I attended all those conferences. Therefore, I know what I am talking about.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Allow the hon. Minister to go back to his speech.

Laughter 

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, again, …

Interruptions 

Prof. Luo: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune interjected.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Prof. Luo: Mr Chairperson, thank you very much for according me this opportunity to rise on a point of order. As you know, I rarely rise on points of order. Are the hon. Members of Parliament for the United Party for National Development (UPND) in order to come to this House and demonise the Patriotic Front (PF) by saying that we have been fighting among ourselvs when they have been going round the country organising farmers to rise against us?

Mr Livune: Question!

Prof. Luo: When that happens, they want to come here and look good. I need your serious ruling, Mr Chairperson.

Interruptions 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! 

The serious ruling is that the Chairperson has no information on what is happening outside this House.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: May the hon. Deputy Minister for Southern Province continue.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, there is no one who does not dream of going to State House. Everybody does, including political parties that have only one member. They all want to go to State House, …

Laughter

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: Mucheleka.

Mr Munkombwe: … but the road to State House is very narrow. You need to wear a very large coat which embraces everybody ...

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Yes!

Mr Munkombwe: … as you go to that place. We have sorted out our problems in the PF.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: We are as strong as ever.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: I can assure you that I am trouble proof.

Mr Livune: Trouble proof?

Mr Munkombwe: Nobody can create any problem for me. Nobody can afford to do that.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Yes!

Mr Munkombwe: So, whatever happened at the convention has been forgotten. It is history.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: We are now moving as one.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Chairperson, I thank you.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Chief Whip, and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mukanga): Mr Chairperson, I would like to appreciate every hon. Member who has debated this important Vote.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Mukanga: I would also like to thank the hon. Deputy Ministers from the various provinces for their insight into the things that are happening and the projects that are being implemented in the country. It is important that the people out there and hon. Members hear the massive developmental projects that are taking place in the country.

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Mukanga: Even if people here question this, the people out there are able to see.

Hon. PF Members: Yes!

Mr Mukanga: Since they can appreciate the projects, they will be able to vote based on what they have seen.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: When you start questioning the projects, people will start talking about what is happening on the ground. 

Mr Chairperson, people are so excited in the country about the progress we have made. As the Patriotic Front (PF), we have achieved most of the targets that we set. There are road projects in every province. The Monze/Nico, Bottom, Mongu/ Kalabo roads are being worked on. There are many other projects that are underway even in the Western Province.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Yes!

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: So, we have not segregated the province in any way. We are working across the country. Mr Chairperson, because of this, people have realised that the PF is not a tribal party …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: … and it will never be a tribal party …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: At the convention, we chose Edgar Chagwa Lungu …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: … as President who will take over from Mr Michael Chilufya Sata …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: … while other parties had problems when it came to succession. They only wanted a Tonga as president.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: That is where people should see the difference.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: Our long time favourites, the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), also have problems, …

Mr Mwaliteta: Yes!

Mr Mukanga: … but we are not going to go into the archives.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Yes!

Mr Mukanga: The people of Zambia do not go backwards.

Mr Mushanga: Yes!

Mr Mukanga: This is a year of new beginnings. We cannot go backwards. We need a new, young, focused and energetic leader, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Mukanga: … and that is Edgar C. Lungu.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: Sir, this is not a year for experiments. This is not a year for job-on-training.

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Mukanga: Somebody who has never been a section chairperson or ward chairperson should not be considered for election.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order, order!

Mr Mukanga: That is why, Mr Chairperson …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! 

I think we are spending too much time on campaigns. The arena for campaigning is out there. May you go back to the subject matter.

Mr Mukanga: Thank you, Mr Chairperson. We shall go to the arena.

I thank you, Mr Chairperson.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Vote 88/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/17 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/35 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/36 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/40 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/41 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/44 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/53 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/55 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 88/56 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Mr Mubukwanu rose.

The Deputy Chairperson: Oh! 

You are leaving? I thought you were trying to catch my eye.
    
Vote 90/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 90/40 – (Office of the President – Lusaka Province – Community Development Department – K4,438.471).

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6012, Activity 034 – HIV/AIDS Campaigns – Nil. Knowing how important this campaign is, I am wondering why there is no allocation for 2015. Are we discontinuing campaigns on HIV/AIDS?

Secondly, may I have clarification on Programme 6019, Activity 001 – Community Based Projects – Nil. I would like to understand what these community based projects entail and the rationale for leaving them out during the 2015 financial year.

The Deputy Minister for Lusaka Province (Mr Kosamu): Mr Chairperson, Programme 6012, Activity 034 – HIV/AIDS Campaigns – Nil, this non-allocation is due to the re-alignment of resources to other activities as a way of mainstreaming.

Sir, Programme 6019, Activity 001 – Community Based Projects – Nil, is due to the re-alignment of resources to activity 006.

I thank you, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: What are the community based projects is the other leg of the question.

Mr Kosamu: Mr Chairperson, Programme 6019, Activity 001 – Community Based Projects – Nil, will be used to undertake women development programmes and community based projects. The activities have been re-introduced.

I thank you, Sir.

Vote 90/40 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 90/41 (Office of the President – Lusaka Province – Youth Development Department – K945,182).

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on programme 6034, Activity 005 – Youth Right Promotion – K13,086. I would like to find out what exactly this Youth Right Promotion is. Secondly, this activity has not been undertaken previously. Therefore, what is the rationale of introducing it this time? 

Mr Kosamu: Mr Chairperson, the activity has just been introduced, and it will take place in Shibuyunji and Rufunsa districts.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, the hon. Minister has not answered my question.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Ask the question again.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, what activities are involved in this Youth Right Promotion?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, the Youth Right Promotion Activity is actually advocacy for rights for the youths so that they understand what their rights are. We are trying to promote their rights. That is why this programme has been introduced.

I thank you, Sir.

Vote 90/41 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/44 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 90/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 90/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 90/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 90/53 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 90/55 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

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

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

Vote 9103 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

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

Vote 91/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/17 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 91/24 (Office of the President – Copperbelt Province – Social Welfare Department – K3,045,951).

Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6018, Activity 008 – Rehabilitation and Integration of Street Kids (Relocation) – Nil. May I ask the Government why it is not going to relocate street kids? Have they completed their mission? I am asking because there is no allocation to this item.

The Deputy Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Mwenya): Mr Chairperson, the funds for Programme 6018, Activity 008 – Rehabilitation and Integration of Street Kids (Relocation) – Nil, have been directed to priority activities. This programme has been running for some time. So, most street kids on the Copperbelt have been removed from the streets. There are very few on the streets, if not none at all. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha interjected.

Interruptions 

Mr Mwenya: Therefore, we have directed this money towards priority activities.

I thank you, Sir. 

Vote 91/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/35 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/36 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/40 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/41 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/44 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 91/45 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 91/46 – (Office of the President – Copperbelt Province – Town and Country Planning Department – K813,887).

Mr Sianga (Sesheke): Thank you, Chair.

The Deputy Chairperson: Chairperson.

Chair is what you sit on. 

Laughter 

Mr Sianga: Thank you, Mr Chairperson. 

Sir, may I have clarification on Programme 6031, Activity 001 – Monitoring and Evaluation – Nil. I note that in the 2014 Budget, K9,793 was allocated. May I know why there is no allocation in the 2015 Budget? 

Mr Mwenya: Mr Chairperson, Programme 6031, Activity 001 – Monitoring and Evaluation – Nil, has been discontinued and budgeted for under the Provincial Planning Unit. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Vote 91/46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 91/47 – (Office of the President – Copperbelt Province – Government Transport Control Unit – K177,471).

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6002, Activity 001 – Labour Day Celebration – K 2,400. 

Mr Chairperson, historically, the Government Transport Control Unit has never had any Labour Day Celebration. However, an amount of K2,400 has been allocated for this activity next year. I would like to find out why this department will celebrate Labour Day suddenly. 

Secondly, K2,400 is ‘pocket money’. How do you expect an adequate Labour Day Celebration with a meagre K2,400?

Mr Mwenya: Mr Chairperson, for the last two years that I have been Provincial Minister for the Copperbelt Province, we have been having challenges in accounting for monies spent during the celebration of various national events. As a province, therefore, we have decided that this year there will be a Vote created to help us account for each and every ngwee spent on such events.  

I thank you, Sir. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Vote 91/47 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 91/49 – (Office of the President – Copperbelt Province – Provincial Planning Unit – K898,041). 

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6001, Activity 146 – Public Affairs and Summit Meetings – Nil. In 2014, K50,000 was allocated and, in 2015, there is nothing. Are there going to be no meetings? 

Mr Mwenya: Mr Chairperson, Programme 6001, Activity 146 – Public Affairs and Summit Meetings – Nil, has been discontinued and replaced with core area activities under Development and Planning Review on Programme 6044. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Vote 91/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/53 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

VOTE 91/54 – (Office of the President – Copperbelt Province – Procurement and Supplies Unit – K710,358).

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification of Programme 6035, Activity 002 – Monitoring and Evaluation – K40,000. This year, this Activity was allocated K6,000, but this amount has increased to K40,000 for next year. What has prompted this increase? 

Mr Mwenya: Mr Chairperson, Programme 6035, Activity 002 – Monitoring and Evaluation – K40,000, is necessary to make payments for allowances, stationary, fuel and other expenses needed to undertake monitoring of all developmental programmes awarded through tender and being undertaken in the Copperbelt Province, not in the Western Province, Hon. Miyutu.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6003, Activity 008 – Staff Development – K10,000. What has caused the reduction in the allocation from K70,000 this year to K10,000 next year?

Mr Mwenya: Mr Chairperson, on Programme 6003, Activity 008 – Staff Development – K10,000, the reduction can be attributed to the fact that the officer who was undertaking this programme completed the work that he was doing. Therefore, it was no longer necessary to maintain that budget line. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification of Programme 6002, Activity 007 – Independence Day – K1,000. What activities will be funded on Independence Day worth K1,000?

Mr Mwenya: Chairperson, Programme 6002, Activity 007 – Independence Day – K1,000, is necessary to meet costs for the purchase of attires and refreshments for the Provincial Administration Office when participating in the celebrations.

I thank you, Sir. 

Vote 91/54 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 91/55 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

VOTE 92/01 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Headquarters – K12,494,358).

Mr Sing’ombe rose.

The Deputy Chairperson: Too late. You have to be quick. Otherwise, you will be left behind. The train never stops where there is no robot.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6002, Activity 007 – Independence Day – K8,616. The Copperbelt is using K1,000 for its celebrations while you are using K8,616. Can you justify the difference or discrepancy?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, Programme 6002, Activity 007 – Independence Day – K8,616, the Copperbelt is using K1,000 for a particular department. This allocation is also meant for a particular number of people, but we have worked from the bottom up and that is how we came up with this figure.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6070, Activity 045 – Completion of Mechanical Workshop at Serenje Youth Training Centre – K100,000. This year, there was an allocation of K100,000 to complete this workshop and the same amount has been allocated for next year. Has the Government failed to complete this workshop? If they have, why did they fail and can they assure us that this K100,000 will be adequate to complete this project so that we do not have a repetition year in and year out?

The Deputy Minister for Central Province (Mr Mwaliteta): Mr Chairperson, Programme 6070, Activity 045 – Completion of Mechanical Workshop at Serenje Youth Training Centre – K100,000, will cater for the completion of a mechanical workshop at Serenje Youth Training Centre. Take note that this project is ongoing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo (Mumbwa): Mr Chairperson, I seek clarification on page 1608 …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! 

We have not reached that page yet. Hold your fire.

Laughter

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, when the hon. Minister says that it is an on-going project, how long do we have to keep projects on the books? This is simply a workshop which is a one-time project and you have allocated K100,000. Can we know when you are finishing this project.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, a project of this nature is a capital project and we have to make a provision for it, considering the resource envelope that we have. This was the second provision. We will make another provision to operationalise the workshop. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, in that case, could we know the provisional estimate for the amount that will be required to complete this project.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, if the hon. Member wanted to know the actual provision in the policy statements that was given, we mentioned the workshops and the amount of money that we needed. We cannot go back to the policy statement.

I thank you, Sir.

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

VOTE 92/01 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Zambia News and Information Services – K1,493,350).

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 6001, Activity 008, Staff Development – K27,000. May I know how many members of staff have been catered for in this allocation since the amount of money is so small? 

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, in 2014, we have K17,500 and, in 2015, we have allocated K27,000. This increment of K9,500 is what we can afford at the moment and it will cater for the high cost of training due to the increased number of staff intending to go for training in 2015. Kindly refer to the Yellow Book on page 1608.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 6002, Events. Why do we have the same amounts for 2014 and 2015?  

The Deputy Chairperson: Why are the allocations constant? 

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, it is because we are not changing the activities.

I thank you, Sir.

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Chairperson, my question was not answered.

The Deputy Chairperson: May you ask it again.

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 6001, Activity 008, Staff Development – K27,000. How many members of staff have been earmarked to benefit from this K27,000 for training in capacity building? 

Interruptions

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, I think five members of staff will benefit.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Vote 92/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 

Vote 92/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/16 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/17 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 92/18 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Survey Department – K998,187).

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 6002. The activities that are under this programme have the same amounts for 2014 and 2015. Things change day by day. What explanation can the hon. Minister give apart from the answer he gave me earlier on?

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, these amounts have not changed due to limited funding.

I thank you, Sir.

Vote 92/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/19 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/36 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/37 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/40 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/41 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/42 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/44 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/45 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/47 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 92/48 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Sports Department – K610,437).

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6003, Activity 011 – Workshops and Seminars – Nil. This year, K16,800 was allocated for this activity. Therefore, I would like to find out why there is no allocation for this activity next year.

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, this amount has gone towards Programme 6028, Activity 010 – Sensitisation and Awareness Campaign on HIV/AIDS through Sport – K66,600.

Thank you, Sir.

Vote 92/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 92/49 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Provincial Planning Unit –K1,458,433).

Mr Sianga: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6001, Activity 357 – Management and Coordination (PDCC Meetings) – Nil. This year, K146,900 was allocated for this important programme. Therefore, I would like to find out why there is no allocation for this programme next year.

Mr Mwaliteta: Sir, the programme has been realigned.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Sianga: Where?

Vote 92/49 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: If you want to take the Floor, just try to catch my eye by standing. You do not catch my eye by debating while seated.

Vote 92/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 92/53 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 92/54 – (Office of the President – Central Province – Procurement and Supplies Unit – K652,116).

Mr Miyutu: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6035, Activity 003 – Tendering Process – K60,513. In 2014, K14,400 was allocated for this activity and, this year, it has been increased to K60,513. I would like to know the reason for this increment.

Mr Mwaliteta: Mr Chairperson, this increment will enhance the operations of the department in terms of service delivery.

Thank you, Sir.

Vote 92/54 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 93/01 – (Office of the President – Northern Province – K13,579,598).

Mr Lufuma: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6001, Activity 011 – Parliamentary Sessions – K406,500. The allocation for Parliamentary Sessions has gone up from K103,250 to K406,500. It has quadrupled. This is a routine activity and, from the historical trend, it is round about K100,000. May I find out which activities have been fused into this activity to swell it four-folds.

The Deputy Minister for Northern Province (Mr Sikazwe): Mr Chairperson, this amount is required for the Parliamentary Sessions. The amount has been increased in 2015 in order to meet the actual cost of Parliamentary Sessions.

I thank you, Sir.

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

Vote 93/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Vote 93/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

VOTE 93/09 – (Office of the President – Northern Province – Buildings Department – K7,162,801).

Mr Miyutu: Mr Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6028, Activity 005 – Sports Festivals – Nil. In the 2014 Budget, there was an allocation of K5,000, but there is nothing for 2015. Why?

The Deputy Chairperson: The question is why is there no allocation.
Mr Mukanga: Mr Chairperson, there is no allocation for this year because of budgetary constraints. 

I thank you, Sir.

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

Vote 93/16 …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

__________

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

(Progress reported)

_________

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Chief Whip and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

_________

The House adjourned at 1957 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 12th December, 2014