VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
TUESDAY, 12TH APRIL, 2016

1.    Papers Laid on the Table, -

Energy Regulation Board Annual  Report 2014 (04.04.16) (The Minister of Energy and Water Development)

Ministry of Defence Annual Report for the year 2013 (04.04.16) (The Minister of Defence)

Ministry of Defence Annual Report for the year 2014 (04.04.16) (The Minister of Defence)

Report of the Committee on Education, Science and Technology for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (04.04.16) (Mr Hamudulu, MP)

Report of the Committee on Information and Broadcasting Services for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (04.04.16) (Mr Pande, MP)

Report of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (04.04.16) (Mr Mweetwa, MP)

Report of the Committee on Communications, Transport, Works and Supply for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (05.04.16) (Mr Belemu, MP)

Report of the Committee on Communications, Transport, Works and Supply on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Government’s Measures to Reduce Road Traffic Accident for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (05.04.16) (Mr Belemu, MP)

Report of the Committee on Estimates for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (06.04.16) (Mr Hamududu, MP)

Report of the Committee on Youth and Sport for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (06.04.16) (Mr Muchima, MP)

Report of the Committee on Youth and Sport on the Report of the Auditor General on the Youth Empowerment Programme of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (06.04.16) (Mr Muchima, MP)

Report of the Committee on Agriculture for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (07.04.16) (Mr Chipungu, MP)

Report of the Committee on Agriculture on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Management and Control of Livestock Diseases for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (07.04.16) (Mr Chipungu, MP)

Zambia Labour Force Survey Report 2014 (08.04.16) (The Vice President and Minister of Development Planning)

Report of the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (11.04.16) (Mr Mufalali, MP)

Report of the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Provision of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care in Maternal Health for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (11.04.16) (Mr Mufalali, MP)

Report of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs for the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly (12.04.16) (Lt Gen Shikapwasha, MP

2.     Announcement by Mr Speaker, - Mr Speaker informed the House that the

National Assembly of Zambia with support from the Government of the Republic of Zambia successfully hosted the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians on 16th and 17th March, 2016, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and Related Meetings from 19th to 23rd March, 2016 the 23rd Meeting of Women Parliamentarians from 19th to 22nd March, 2016 and the Meeting of Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments was held from 20th to 23rd March, 2016. 

Mr Speaker informed the House that the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians which was attended by 130 young parliamentarians from 50 countries was held under the theme “Agenda 2030: Youth taking the lead, leaving no one behind” and focused on the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the Young Parliamentarians were eager to address from a people-centered perspective.

Mr Speaker further informed the House that some of the resolutions of the Young Parliamentarians Conference included the following:

(i)    to engage politicians and decision makers to show political will 
    and to lend their support to youth participation;

(ii)    to work hand-in-hand with the older generation of politicians in order to boost youth representation in parliaments;

(iii)    to lobby international and national agencies as well as civil society organisations, to work in partnerships in order to enhance and promote the collection and use of sex disaggregated data;

(iv)    to take the lead in ushering in a new era of democracy through the use of social media and digital communication media channels to better link young citizens and parliaments; and

(v)    to ensure that corruption is curbed as it is one of the greatest challenges to the implementation of a fair, equitable and sustainable development. 

Mr Speaker also informed the House that the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments discussed amongst others the role of parliaments in the ratification of Presidential appointments, issues and processes relating to crossing the floor by Members of Parliament, parliamentary privilege and a citizen’s right of reply, the issues concerning enacting emergency legislation and the process of setting and approving budgets of Parliaments.

Mr Speaker further briefed the House that the 134th IPU Assembly, which was attended by 1294 delegates from 126 countries of whom 40 were Presiding Officers; 39 Vice-Presidents and 634 Members of Parliament, passed the following resolutions:

(i)    urge parliaments to commit to the empowerment of women as a means of preventing and combating terrorism in all its forms, in particular by securing the full participation of women and youth in decision-making and their economic independence; 

(ii)    emphasise the absolute need for enhanced international cooperation and the promotion of inter-parliamentary information exchange, in order to effectively tackle terrorism and dismantle terrorist networks;

(iii)    call upon individuals to refrain from using religion, religious heritage and culture to commit terrorist acts, as this fuels religious and cultural prejudice; 

(iv)    ensure that recommendations on criminal legislation relating to terrorist acts or activities are clearly and precisely drafted to ensure that legal proceedings and international coordination in the fight against terrorism are effective;

(v)    encourage parliaments to adopt comprehensive regulations that provide for measures to protect cultural property in cases of armed conflict, disaster or emergency situation; 

(vi)    encourage the more systematic establishment of protection perimeters to prevent permanent or long-term damage to the country’s physical, cultural and environmental heritage; 

(vii)    endeavour  to ensure respect for and enhanced recognition of cultural heritage in society, in respective educational systems and policies;

(viii)    encourage parliaments to do everything possible to foster and organise high-level training on the conservation and protection of cultural heritage in all its forms, and facilitate capacity-building activities for their safeguarding;

(ix)    encourage the establishment both of national listed heritage assessments and of potential climate-change-related risks in order to take measures to limit them; 

(x)    call on parliaments to request their governments to put in place measures to inform parents of the need to register children at birth and remove all barriers to the registration of children in registry offices regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, language, religion or social status; and

(xi)    call on parliaments to ensure adequate funding for civil registry, including moving towards the digitisation of registration where possible.

Mr Speaker expressed his appreciation to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the National Coordinating Committee on preparations for the IPU, the Executive Committee of the IPU Zambia National Group, all members of IPU Sub-committees and staff of the National Assembly for the successful hosting of the 134th IPU Assembly in Lusaka.
3.    Ministerial Statement, - The Minister of Higher Education made a statement on 
 the closed University of Zambia and Copperbelt University and updated the House on the measures taken by the two institutions to meet the conditions set for their re-opening.

4.    The House considered Questions for Oral Answer Nos. 377 -386.

5.    The Service Commissions - Bill to provide for a principled and value based

decentralised human resource management system for the public service; provide for the composition, additional functions, operations and financial management of the Judicial Service Commission, Civil Service Commission, Teaching Service Commission, Zambia Correctional Service Commission, Zambia Police Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission pursuant to the Constitution; provide for the establishment of human resource management committees in Government institutions; repeal and replace the Service Commissions Act, 1991; repeal Part X of the Local Government Act, 1991; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing, - presented by the Minister of Justice, read the first time; and referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs for examination, until Thursday, 21st April, 2016. –(N.A.B. 2/2016)

6.    The Parliamentary Service - Bill to provide for the functions of the

Parliamentary Service; provide for the membership, functions, operations and financial management of the Parliamentary Service Commission; to provide for the transfer of staff and continuation of their service under the Parliamentary Service; and to provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing, - presented by the Minister of Justice, read the first time; and referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs for examination, until Tuesday, 19th April, 2016. - (N.A.B. 4/2016)

7.    The National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) (Amendment) - Bill to amend

the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, - presented by the Minister of Justice, read the first time and referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs for examination, until Tuesday, 19th April, 2016.- (N.A.B. 5/2016)

8.    Adjournment, - Resolved, That the House do now adjourn.  (The Vice President)

        The House adjourned accordingly at 1652 hours.

Patrick Matibini, SC
SPEAKER

MEMORANDUM

Mr Speaker will take the Chair at 1430 hours tomorrow.