Debates - Wednesday, 24th September, 2014 | National Assembly of Zambia

DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Wednesday, 24th September, 2014

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

SESSIONAL COMMITTEES − MEMBERSHIP

Mr Speaker: In accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 131, the Standing Orders Committee has appointed the following hon. Members to serve on various Sessional Committees for the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly as tabulated below:

Committee on Privileges, Absences and Support Services (9)

The Hon. Deputy Speaker, Mr M. D. Lungu, MP (Chairperson)
The Hon. Minister of Justice, Mr E. C. Lungu, MP
The Hon. Chief Whip and Hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Mr Y. D. Mukanga, MP
Mr J. J. Mwiimbu, MP
Mr D. Mwila, MP
Mr G. G. Nkombo, MP
Mr R. P. Mtolo, MP
Ms S. Sayifwanda, MP

Reforms and Mordernisation Committee (10)

The Hon. Minister of Finance, Mr A. B. Chikwanda, MP
The Hon. Minister of Justice, Mr E. C. Lungu, MP
The Hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing, Mr E. Chenda, MP
The Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House, Mr C. K. Banda, SC., MP
Mr S. Katuka, MP
Mr K. Simbao, MP
Mr I. K. Banda, MP
Dr E. C. Lungu, MP
Ms M. Lubezhi, MP
Mr P. M. Mucheleka, MP

Committee on Government Assurances (8)

Mr M. Habeenzu, MP
Mr L. A. Lufuma, MP
Prof G. Lungwangwa, MP
Mr J. Zimba, MP
Mr R. L. Mpundu, MP
Ms M. G. Imenda, MP
Mr A. Sichula, MP
Ms V. Kalima, MP

Committee on Delegated Legislation (8)

Ms M. Lubezhi, MP
Mr C. Mweetwa, MP
Mr I. K. Banda, MP
Mr A. Sichula, MP
Mr B. Mutale, MP
Mr A. D. Mbewe, MP
Mr M. Mutelo, MP
Mr H. I. Mwanza, MP

Committee on Estimates (9)

Mr H. H. Hamududu, MP
Mr E. M. Sing’ombe, MP
Mr R. P. Mtolo, MP
Mr A. Chabala, MP
Mr G. Lubinda, MP
Mr R. L. Mpundu, MP
Mr L. A. Lufuma, MP
Mr P. Phiri, MP
Mrs A. C. Kansembe, MP

Committee on Local Governance, Housing and Chiefs Affairs (8)

Mr A. D. Mbewe, MP
Mr B. Hamusonde, MP
Mr M. Ndalamei, MP
Mrs M. C. Mazoka, MP
Mr H. S. Chansa, MP
Mr M. Chishimba, MP
Mr L. J. Ngoma, MP
Mr G. Lubinda, MP

Committee on Economic Affairs, Energy and Labour (8)

Mr K. K. Hamudulu, MP
Mr F. Mutati, MP
Dr S. Musokotwane, MP
Mr V. Lombanya, MP
Mr G. G. Nkombo, MP
Mr L. C. Bwalya, MP
Mr G. B. Mwamba, MP
Ms C. Ngimbu, MP

The other Committees will be announced tomorrow. After I have completed announcing the composition of all the Committees, and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been approved by this House, if any hon. Member finds that he/she does not belong to any Committee, such a Member should, without hesitation, notify the Office of the Clerk accordingly.

Thank you.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

NAMBWE AND MAZABA PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SESHEKE

27. Mr Sianga (Sesheke) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a) why construction of staff houses at Nambwe and Mazaba primary schools in Sesheke Parliamentary Constituency had stalled; and

(b) when the projects would be completed.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr P. Ngoma): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the two projects were partially funded with K49,000 each, instead of the K80,000 indicated in the 2008 Infrastructure Development Plan, leaving a balance of K39,000 for their completion.

The amount released …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, on my left!

Mr P. Ngoma: … was only enough to construct the staff houses to gable level. The two projects will be completed once the funds have been released.

Mr Speaker, the District Education Office has since advised the respective school communities to apply for funding from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in order to complete the projects.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sianga: Mr Speaker, before I pose my follow-up question, I would like to correct the pronunciation of the two schools. One is Ng’ambwe and not Nambwe and the other one is Mazaba.

Sir, the hon. Minister said that the two projects were partially funded. He further stated that the school communities should apply for the CDF. Most of the monies for the 2013/2014 financial year have gone towards the construction of teachers’ houses and classrooms. Are you considering putting these two projects in your 2015 Infrastructure Development Plan?

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, we are looking at both angles. If the ministry will be able to allocate money for the projects in the next Budget, then, we will take that route. Our guidance, however, is that whilst we are waiting for the money to be made available by the Ministry of Finance, the community can take the CDF route.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, I see that the hon. Minister is appreciating the CDF and how it is solving some of the problems in schools. Hon. Minister, do you agree with His Honour the Vice-President’s statement that the CDF should be scrapped off?

Laughter

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, the Government does not only appreciate the CDF, but also the communities’ contribution. Therefore, whichever way the contributions will be made will be appreciated by the ministry and Government.

I thank you, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu: Do you agree? Answer the question.

Mr Speaker: Please, indicate if you want to speak.

Hon. Member for Gwembe, you may ask your follow-up question.

Mr Ntundu (Gwembe): Mr Speaker, the question …

Mr Livune: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education in order not to answer my question which only needed a simple yes or no. Does he agree with His Honour the Vice-President that the CDF, which has been used to do so much work in as far as education is concerned, should be scrapped off?

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, the hon. Minister is not obliged to respond with a simple yes or no. I do not think that he should be straitjacketed in that fashion. He should simply respond. As the hon. Minister responds to the hon. Member for Gwembe’s question, he should clarify that position.

Hon. Member for Gwembe, you may proceed.

Mr Ntundu: Mr Speaker, I am surprised to hear the hon. Minister talk about the CDF which his Government has put on record that they wish to scrap off. Could you clarify, hon. Minister, whether the CDF is necessary since you have just advised us, hon. Members, both on the right and left, to continue using it for development projects? If not, should it be scrapped off, as stated by His Honour the Vice-President? Is His Honour the Vice-President, Sir, nominated or elected?

Laughter

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, there are questions that can be put in the House as Questions for Oral Answer and those that can be addressed during His Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time on Friday.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, you now sound like Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Answer the question as put to you.

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, as far as the ministry is concerned, and as far as this question goes, I have given the answer and I do not want to be diverted to a non-issue.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: I do not know whether the question was clear to you, hon. Minister. Hon. Member for Gwembe, could you, please, briefly repeat the question. Let us have clear responses to questions.

Mr Ntundu: Mr Speaker, the question, in simple English, is …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ntundu: The hon. Minister advised that the CDF is necessary for development projects and communities can apply for funds for the projects. Now, His Honour the Vice-President, who is boss to both you and us, made a statement that the CDF should be scrapped off. Do you agree with his statement?

His Honour the Vice-President indicated.

Mr Muntanga: On whom?

Interruptions

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Speaker: Order!

If His Honour the Vice-President would like to respond, he is free to do so.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

His Honour the Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, it is not the policy of the Patriotic Front (PF) that is made in headlines, but the stories read by the questioners on the other side. I was saying that one of the complications of the CDF is that people think that it is under the control of the Member of Parliament and attack him or her for the mistakes in it, which is not fair. In fact, the name should be changed to General Development Fund to be used by the local government in the constituency. This business of scrapping off …

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Makes sense.

The Vice-President: … is completely irrelevant and does not arise. Is the hon. Member in order?

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: You have stated the latter part of your response in jest.

Hon. Member for Chadiza, you may ask your follow-up question.

Laughter

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): I do not know whether my question is directed at His Honour the Vice-President …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Just pose your question.

Laughter

Mr Mbewe: Sir, my question is very simple. I would like to find out how much it costs to construct an average house for a primary or secondary school teacher. How much does it cost to put up such a house?

Mr Speaker: Order!

Is the hon. Minister able to answer that question.

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, I need to consult because it involves figures.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Order!

I think it is a very fair response. You are asking a question that relates to figures, but the hon. Minister may not be carrying the figures in his head.

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, my question is directed at His Honour the Vice-President.

Mr Speaker: Order!

May the hon. Member for Mwandi sit down. This is time for supplementary questions and there is an hon. Minister responding to the questions. So, it is not for the person posing a question to decide who should respond to that question.

You may continue.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I cannot continue.

REVISED 2008 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

28. Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a) when the revised Science and Technology Policy of 2008 would be released to the public; and

(b) what had caused the delay in releasing the document.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Prof. Willombe): Mr Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the revised Science and Technology Policy of 2008 is currently undergoing consultation with the relevant stakeholders. The policy had to go back to the stakeholders because there was a need for consensus on the proposed objectives, and institutional and legal framework.

Sir, the consultation has been with the general public and now the ministry is consulting the line ministries. After the consultations, the policy document will then be submitted to Cabinet Office for approval. The ministry has planned to complete this process by the end of 2014. Once the document has been approved, the ministry will then publish and launch it.

Mr Speaker, the Revised Science and Technology Policy document did not get approved by Cabinet in 2010 because of what has been proposed as objectives, and institutional and legal framework. As such, it was sent back to all the stakeholders in science and technology for further consultation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has admitted that the revision of the policy document in question started in 2008. Policies provide direction to the Government the governing of the country. Why would you still insist that this process will be completed in 2014, making it six years in which to consider a policy document for the governance of this country? Why should it be so?

Prof. Willombe: Mr Speaker, the point is that, as a Government, we found this document and, with the information that was given, we had to put it to public consultation with other stakeholders to make sure that it is in line with what we are supposed to be doing. After that, the process started and it will be concluded shortly.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

BUNDABUNDA RURAL HEALTH CENTRE IN RUFUNSA

29. Mr Chipungu (Rufunsa) asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health when Bundabunda Rural Health Centre in Rufunsa Parliamentary Constituency would be officially opened to the public.

The Deputy Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Ms Kazunga): Mr Speaker, the works done, so far at, Bundabunda Rural Health Centre include the construction of the clinic, a staff house and ablution block. Medical equipment has already been delivered, but it is being kept at Chinyunyu Rural Health Centre. However, the remaining works to be done before the centre can be opened to the public include the construction of the soakaway, erection of the tank stand and plumbing works which will be completed by November, 2014, as guided by the Lusaka Provincial Buildings Engineer’s Office.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, I still want to know when the rural health centre will be opened because the community keeps asking me when this will be done. I would like to know so that I can give a precise answer to those that are asking this question.

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, once the works have been completed in November, 2014, the clinic can be opened.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

MAHATMA GANDHI CLINIC IN KABWE

30. Mr Mushanga (Bwacha) asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health:

(a) when the rehabilitation of Mahatma Gandhi Clinic in Kabwe Central Parliamentary Constituency would be completed;

(b) what additional facilities would be constructed at the clinic; and

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, the rehabilitation of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Clinic in Kabwe Parliamentary Constituency has been completed. The project was inspected by the Buildings Department and handed over to the client on 3rd September, 2014.

Sir, the Hindu Association of Kabwe plans to build a children’s ward and perimeter wall fence around the clinic. In addition to this, the Zambia Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT) has built a modern Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinic at a cost of K581,103.50. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is also building a prefabricated Antiretroviral Therapy Clinic.

Mr Speaker, the rehabilitation works were undertaken at a contract sum of K142,205.16.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mushanga: I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether there are any considerations for the construction of a cervical cancer facility at this clinic.

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, since this project is going to be undertaken by the donor community, the Government has no plans to construct the cervical cancer clinic at the moment. Needless to say, these facilities are being offered regardless of whether there is a clinic built for those services or not. The clinic can still improvise and offer the services for cervical cancer because they are important.

I thank you, Sir.

COMMUNICATION TOWERS IN MWANDI

31. Dr Kaingu asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication when the Government would facilitate the construction of communication towers in the following wards in Mwandi Parliamentary Constituency:

(a) Mabumba;

(b) Luanja;

(d) Lwazamba; and

(e) Sankolonga.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr Mwimba H. Malama): Mr Speaker, the areas in Mwandi Parliamentary Constituency, which include Mabumbu, Luanja, Mushukula, Lwanzamba and Sankolonga, will be considered during the surveys on the construction of communication towers in Phase II of the project which is scheduled to commence in 2015.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to raise this serious point of order. I would also like to apologise to my brother, Hon. Dr Kaingu, for disturbing his line of thought. The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock made an assurance to the nation on the Floor of this House pertaining to the payment of farmers who sell their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). He assured this House and the nation at large that what had transpired in the past would not be allowed to recur.

Sir, a large number of farmers in various districts in the country have not been paid for the maize they supplied to the FRA. Further, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has started processing the distribution of fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Under this programme, farmers are required to pay a deposit for the inputs. As a result of the failure by the FRA to pay the farmers, they are having difficulties paying the deposit for the inputs. The hon. Minister assured the nation that once maize or any other produce has been taken to the FRA, it would not take more than fourteen days for the farmer to be paid. However, what has transpired is that some farmers have not been paid for more than four months.

Mr Speaker, I seek your serious ruling and direction on this matter, taking into account the fact that farmers in our various constituencies are suffering as a result of the policies of the PF Government pertaining to the sale of maize to the FRA.

Mr Speaker: All rulings are serious. So, my ruling on your point of order is that you should file in a question of an urgent nature and it will be processed accordingly. That is all I can say.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, the first school is Mabumbu and not Mabumba as indicated on the Order Paper.

Sir, the substantive hon. Minister of the ministry is on record as having said that there cannot be any development in any constituency without communication. He is also on record as having said that he was going to facilitate the installation of the masts in Mwandi Parliamentary Constituency. Could the hon. Minister compare what he has just read out and what your hon. Minister earlier stated on the Floor of this House.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, that is a very good question. The truth of the matter is that, as a Government that is very serious about implementing most of its projects, I stated that the areas that I had mentioned will be considered under Phase II of the project. This means that we are serious about the implementation of what the hon. Minister had stated here earlier when he said that there could be no meaningful development without communication. That is the more reason we are serious about ensuring that we put up communication towers and work on the road network so that development becomes a reality.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, could the hon. Minister care to inform this House what the radius of the towers that are being put up is.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, although that is a new question, I will still respond to it. The towers to be constructed in Phase II of the project will have a radius of about 15 km, but the ones we are erecting at the moment only have a radius of about 5 km.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Chipungu: Mr Speaker, I presume the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) is under your ministry. I still want to refer to the circular that was circulated in this Chamber, requesting us to indicate areas which have no network coverage, which we did. We do not know what Phase II or III of this project will involve. I would like the hon. Minister to address himself to the circular and state when it will be implemented.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I still want to remind the hon. Member for Rufunsa that that, too, is a new question, but I will still provide a bonus answer. I say so because the question relates to Mwandi Parliamentary Constituency in particular. When ZICTA came to this House and requested hon. Members of Parliament to submit names of areas that needed communication towers, very few Members responded. So, that will cause the delay in beginning Phase II of the project because ZICTA will have to conduct a survey, and that entails going round the country. When ZICTA has checked the areas that require towers, that is when it will commence the erection of the towers. If all hon. Members of Parliament had indicated the areas where towers are required, the Phase II of the project that we are talking about would have commenced in January, 2015. However, in this case, ZICTA now has to conduct the survey first, meaning that the erection of towers will commence in the second quarter of 2015.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Shakafuswa (Katuba): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that the communication towers have a radius of 5 km. Therefore, I think ZICTA does not need further information from hon. Members of Parliament because it is able to calculate which parts of a certain area would be covered and those that would not be in the 5 km transmission radius. It already knows where the communication towers are. So, the delay that the hon. Minister is talking about just tells us that there is inefficiency in the running of the ministry because ZICTA …

Mr Speaker: What is the question?

Interruptions

Mr Shakafuswa: Mr Speaker, is ZICTA not able to determine where the new installations are supposed to be, based on the information which it already has on the locations of the communication towers?

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I have to confess that it is quite difficult now for me to answer the question from the hon. Member. I say so because it is very easy to tell which areas have network coverage in constituencies like Katuba. However, in places like Mfuwe, it is very difficult to tell which villages have communication network coverage because they are very far apart. For example, I cannot just come and say there is a need for a communication network coverage in Katuba. Moreover, the installation of communication towers is expensive. So, the towers should be erected in places where they provide a service to many people.

Mr Speaker, this is why we actually need help from hon. Members in terms of identifying locations where the towers will benefit the most people in a given area. This is not to say that ZICTA will not verify whether we need to put up a tower at a said location. So, we need hon. Members’ input. On the other hand, there are priority areas. As hon. Members of Parliament, we know our constituencies better than other people. So, if we get information from hon. Members of Parliament, it will help the Government know where to take development. That is what I meant.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, why is the Government failing to put up a communication tower in Chilanga which is just about 15 km away from the closest tower? There is also no communication network in some areas of Katuba.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, we have not failed to erect communication towers. If anything, we are serious about ensuring that we take communication to the whole country. We are constructing towers even in the remotest places like Chief Nabwalya’s Area where people thought there were no human beings. As for Chilanga, which the hon. Member mentioned, one can just take, maybe, seventy steps to find network. Our priority, at the moment, is to consider the rural areas. So, I do not think we have failed. If anything, we want to cover the whole nation.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister say that ZICTA had come here to ask for information on where telecommunication masts must be located. For Members like myself who indicated the areas, and even included the Global Positioning System (GPS) points and altitude of the stations, is the ministry going to put up the towers at Luola, Siluwe and Liuwa now that it is armed with that information? We have just heard that this is being done in Chief Nabwalya’s area which is in the hon. Minister’s constituency. By the way, those are areas which were abandoned when our colleagues came into power.

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to correct the assertion made by the hon. Member that we abandoned the works that were initiated by the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD). Secondly, the information that was submitted by the hon. Members of Parliament who responded to the circular is in our database and will greatly help ZICTA to begin working on Phase II of the project in 2015. However, like I indicated earlier, ZICTA now has to go and get the information from constituencies where hon. Members of Parliament did not submit the information. So, Hon. Dr Musokotwane should know that we never abandoned any area.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kunda (Muchinga): Mr Speaker, I need a bonus answer from the hon. Minister. When is the ministry going to extend the towers that it has erected, but are short so that the network coverage can be increased?

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Sir, that is a matter that we are looking into. When you look at the village setup, you will find that there is only one or two villages that are covered in the 5 km radius of a transmission tower. The rest of the villages are beyond 5 km. So, it is an issue that we are looking at seriously because we feel it is important for everyone in the nation to have access to network coverage.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwila (Chipili): Mr Speaker, the ministry has allocated Chipili two communication towers in Phase II of the project, which is a commendable job. However, when, exactly, will the works start so that we can inform the people?

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, Phase II of the project will commence in the second quarter of 2015.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Sir, may the hon. Minister confirm that he will give us a list of the communication towers that are going to be erected in Phase II of the project because we submitted the names of the areas that needed the communication towers in Phase I of the project and, for most of us, our constituencies were not selected. So, to hear that hon. Members of Parliament did not submit the names of the areas in need of communication towers is actually very disturbing.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwimba H. Malama: Mr Speaker, it is not correct for the hon. Member to say that ZICTA came here to request for information for Phase I of the project. As for the list he is requesting for, that is very simple. I will ask ZICTA to provide that information and then we will distribute it. It might not be soon because we are still compiling it. It is only when we finish compiling the list that we can get back to hon. Members and provide the information. Moreover, we try to ensure that we satisfy the needs of hon. Members.

Thank you very much, Sir.

NTUMPA AND MUSA SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LUKASHYA

32. Mrs Kansembe (Lukashya) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early education:

(a) when the construction of Ntumpa and Musa secondary schools in Lukashya Parliamentary Constituency would be completed; and

(b) how much work was still outstanding at Musa Secondary School.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, the construction of Ntumpa and Musa secondary schools in Lukashya Parliamentary Constituency will be completed in 2015 and 2016 respectively, depending on the availability of funds. The remaining works at Ntumpa are external works such as the construction of oxidation ponds, sewer reticulation and a water supply system. The other remaining works include electrical and plumbing.

Mr Speaker, at Musa Day Secondary School, all the buildings have reached gable level except for the school hall. The contractor has also started fixing lip channels in readiness for putting up the roof. The outstanding works include roofing, plastering, metal and fitting works, plumbing, painting and external works.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Konga (Chavuma): Mr Speaker, what will the ministry do to ensure that as it submits the budget for 2015, it includes all the necessary funds for the two schools to be completed in 2015?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the Budget, ultimately, is brought to Parliament for approval by the hon. Members. So, our request is that, as the Budget is brought to Parliament, hon. Members should help to secure the necessary funding to complete the construction of the schools. Otherwise, as a ministry, we shall do our best.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lubinda (Kabwata): Mr Speaker, may the hon. Minister indicate when the construction of the schools commenced and whether in the year that the work commenced, the Government had allocated the requisite resources to complete the construction of the two schools.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker the construction period of these schools is up to four years. In terms of funding, the general problem has been the inadequate budgetary allocation. Like I said yesterday, when we took over the Government, the Budget was around K150 million against more than seventy schools. Obviously, this was not enough for the number of schools under construction.

Again, like I said yesterday, this is why the PF Government has increased the budget from the K150 million we found to about K500 million in 2014. This shows the Government’s commitment, but the problem was that of inadequate funding for the projects.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Shakafuswa: Mr Speaker, when a project is budgeted for, it is known how much will be needed up to completion. Hon. Minister, is the problem not as a result of your starting new projects with limited resources before completing old ones whose certificates the ministry has not paid for and is still owing the contractors? There are many contractors that have not been paid. Is that not the problem?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, firstly, I think hon. Members are aware that for 2014, we have not started any new projects simply because our determination and commitment is to complete the on-going ones.

Secondly, with regard to paying for the certificates, like I said yesterday, in July, 2014, we were given almost K260 million to pay the various contractors. We are very grateful to Hon. Chikwanda for this.

Col. Chanda: Yes!

Mr Mabumba: That goes to show the PF Government’s determination and commitment to completing the projects.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: However, Mr Speaker, like I have said, it is obvious that the projects were over procured and the budget was limited.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I take note of the hon. Minister’s statement that there was over procurement against the budget. Assuming it is true, which I doubt, why did you not adequately budget in 2012, 2013 and 2014?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, like I said, from K150 million to K500 million, …

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Mabumba: … that is quite a significant increase in terms of budgetary allocation …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: … compared to what our colleagues – I do not want to speak about the past, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwaliteta: Tell them, mwana!

Mr Mabumba: I just want to say that I think our colleagues did their best, and it is not for me to start demeaning them here. However, I can speak eloquently about the PF.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: We are committed to completing the projects, colleagues.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: As a Member of Parliament, your aspiration is also my aspiration, …

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Mabumba: … but there are limitations relating to these projects and the major limitation is the budget. It is not only the education sector that the Ministry of Finance has to fund, but also other important sectors in the Republic of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, we are committed to completing the projects. If Hon. Mooya is here, though I do not know if he is around, he will attest to this. We started constructing a secondary school in his constituency about a year ago. He can tell the House how far the project has gone. The construction has surpassed other projects that were started four years ago. This, to me, shows how committed this Government is to completing the projects.

Interruptions

Mr Mabumba: I know that hon. Dr Musokotwane will talk about Libonda Secondary School in his constituency which is almost completed.

Mr Speaker, let me just say that, as a Government, we are committed to completing the projects. We are not able to visit each and every project. So, like I said yesterday, let us use a multi-sectoral approach. When you visit projects and you find that the contractor is under performing, bring this to the attention of the ministry. We will appreciate it and will go to the project site.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ON SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMMISSIONS

33. Mr Chabala (Kankoyo) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development when the Government would appoint a technical assessment committee to look into the problem of sulphur dioxide emissions by mining companies which had adverse health effects.

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Musukwa): Mr Speaker, there is already a technical assessment team charged with the responsibility of assessing environmental pollution and hazards. This responsibility lies with the Mines Safety Department (MSD) and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

Mr Speaker, mining companies are working to address the emission of sulphur dioxide. By the end of the second quarter of this year, three mining companies that operate smelters had managed to achieve a sulphur dioxide capture of over 97 per cent. These are:

(i) Mopani Copper Mines which completed its smelter upgrade, bringing to an end the legacy of sulphur dioxide emissions in Mufulira of over eighty years;

(ii) Konkola Copper Mines commissioned its state-of-the-art Nchanga Flush Smelter in 2008. The plant has been performing well, achieving a 99 per cent sulphur dioxide capture; and

(iii) The Chambishi Copper Smelter was commissioned in 2008. The second acid plant was installed in 2012. This has seen an improvement in sulphur dioxide capture from around 50 per cent to 98 per cent recently.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, I would like to believe that the sulphur dioxide emissions are a health hazard that must be arrested at the time of constructing the smelters. May I find out from the hon. Minister how much collaboration there is between the ministry and ZEMA in order to minimise the emissions and secure the lives of the people living near the mines.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, there is 100 per cent collaboration between ZEMA and the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development, including the host mining houses because they also have capacity in terms of monitoring the emissions which are regulated by law. Most of the issues concerning the emission of sulphur dioxide are legacy issues from the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines’ (ZCCM) old and dilapidated plant smelters which were there for a long time. Currently, mining houses, by law, are being encouraged to put up state-of-the-art smelting facilities which have inbuilt capacity of capturing sulphur dioxide emissions by up to 98 per cent.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mucheleka (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to indicate whether or not there has been some form of compensation for people in Mufulira who have been subjected to pollution due to the emissions from the mines over the years apart from the penalties that are paid to ZEMA. If not, why have they not been compensated?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, it is regrettable that people in Mufulira and Kankoyo in particular have been subjected to that kind of environmental imbalance for over eighty years. This is why the Government has taken stringent measures to manage the state of affairs by ensuring that the mining houses adhere to standard safety practice. You will note that the PF Government has been vicious in ensuring that the operations of mining houses, including Mopani, that have not been compliant for a long time are closed in order to safeguard the lives of people. In instances where the MSD and ZEMA have assessed that the area is unsafe for people, we have recommended relocation and compensation by several mining houses, including Mopani.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Shakafuswa: Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to commend the good work and collaboration which has been exhibited between ZEMA and the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development.

Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether or not he will agree with me that in most cases, these incidences are happening because of the corrupt decisions made outside ZEMA and the ministry that have affected the ministry’s ability to monitor the adverse effects of sulphur dioxide emissions on the environment like in the case of Non Ferrous Company - Africa (NFCA) that has continued to mine in the Sabina area against the recommendations of ZEMA and the ministry.

Mr Musukwa: I thank you, Minister, for the commendation.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Well, which Minister now?

Laughter

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, he used to sit at the back, but I have noticed that he has been promoted to the United Party for National Development (UPND) shadow cabinet for 2080.

Laughter

Mr Musukwa: Hon. Member, I thank you for the commendation. As a Government, we are working tirelessly to ensure that the country is purged of all the unscrupulous activities of officers as regards the safety of people and the running of the Government in order to protect the people. I am very grateful that you have referred to the NFCA issue which my Government is actively pursuing to ensure that we clean up the system.

Sir, like Hon. Mabumba said, I, too, do not want to go back in history because that is a plant that was commissioned by the former Government. Despite all the environmental measures not being taken, the mine was commissioned by the President in the former Government and the hon. Member for Katuba, if my memory serves me right, was close to that Government.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister must go back in history. He should not forget his history.

Mr Speaker, I worked in the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and recall that the smelters should have been constructed a long time ago. Would the hon. Minister care to inform the House what has delayed the construction of the smelters.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, obviously, the delay in the construction of the smelters has to do with approval. ZEMA, as a key stakeholder in controlling whatever mining infrastructure is put up across the country, has a timeline for consultations. Principally, that is the cause of the delay. We have to get stakeholder approval before we can get on the ground.

I thank you, Sir.

STRATEGIC FOOD RESERVE SILOS IN KAOMA

34. Antonio (Kaoma Central) asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock:

(a) when the construction of silos for strategic food reserves in Kaoma District, as promised by the Government, would begin;

(b) what measures had been taken to encourage crop diversification in the district; and

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Monde): Mr Speaker, this year, the FRA signed a works contract with a Chinese firm, China Engineering Company (CAMCE) to construct grain silos in Kaoma, Kalomo and Choma using a Chinese credit facility. The construction works are scheduled to commence once the financing agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China is finalised.

Sir, the Government has taken several measures to encourage crop diversification countrywide, Kaoma District included. Through the FISP, the Government has included crops such as sorghum, groundnuts and rice as a way of promoting crop diversification. Other initiatives aimed at encouraging crop diversification include the cassava and rice commercialisation strategic plans that are currently being implemented.

Sir, data from the crop forecast surveys indicates an increase in area under production of crops other than maize in most parts of the country. The construction of irrigation schemes in some districts is another measure that has been taken to encourage diversification into crops such as sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, irrigated maize and rice.

The ministry has also categorised crops with regard to suitability in the three agro-ecological regions of the country. The focus is on increasing the production and productivity of crops in areas where they have the greatest comparative advantage.

Mr Speaker, farmers are being encouraged to grow both food and cash crops. They are also being encouraged to grow cereal crops such as maize, sorghum, rice, millet; legume crops such as beans, cowpeas, soya beans, groundnuts; root/tuber crops such sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes; oil crops such as sunflower; fibre crops such as cotton and fruits and vegetables.

However, Sir, crop diversification depends on the comparative advantage of the crops in each agro-ecological region which depends mostly on climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall and soil conditions. In the interim, farmers are encouraged to start growing crops with a ready industrial market such as soya beans, sugarcane, sorghum, barley and palm trees, among others.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Antonio: Mr Speaker, may I know who will fund this project of building the silos. Is it the Zambian Government …

Mr Mbewe: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Order!

A point of order is raised.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, I am Member of Parliament from the village. I am also a headman, and I live among the people in the village.

Mr Speaker, I stand here on behalf of the good people of Chadiza whom I have to speak for.

Mr Speaker, the Government promised the people of Zambia that the farmers would be paid ten days after they had supplied maize to the FRA. In Chadiza, people supplied maize on 1st August, 2014, but they have not been paid to date. At the same time, they have received D-Compound fertiliser without seed. I do not know whether, in the thinking of this Government, people plant fertiliser and not seed. Seed was supposed to be distributed earlier than the basal dressing fertiliser, but the opposite is the case.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, is the Government in order to start distributing fertiliser under FISP without having paid the farmers? Where do they think the farmers will get the money to pay for the fertiliser under FISP? Are they in order to starve the people of Chadiza by not paying them the money for the maize they delivered to the FRA? Are they in order to take so long to pay the farmers?

Mr Speaker, I need your serious ruling.

Mr Speaker: Order!

I am surprised because, a few minutes ago, the hon. Member for Monze Central raised a similar point of order, and I urged him to file in a question of an urgent nature. Anyway, that is a redundant point of order because I have already responded to it. Please, care to find out what is happening, especially when you leave the Chamber. For those of you who are going in and out of the House, try to update yourselves so that we avoid these unnecessary interruptions. Let your neighbour give you an update. Ask them: “I was out, what transpired in the House in my absence?” You can have a briefing so that we avoid these unnecessary interruptions. Now, I cannot remember who was on the Floor.

The Hon. Member for Kaoma Central may take the Floor.

Mr Antonio: Mr Speaker, may I know who the funders of this project are? Is it the Chinese Government or the Zambian Government? If it is the Zambian Government, is the project going to be reflected in the 2015 Budget?

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, as I stated in my earlier response, the funder is going to be the Government of Zambia through a loan from the Exim Bank of China.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamudulu (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has emphasised the need for farmers to diversify to other crops, and he further itemised some of the cash crops that farmers have been encouraged to grow. Apart from the crops that have a ready market, what measures has the Government put in place to ensure that there is a ready market for crops for farmers who will be courageous enough to go into unchartered waters in terms of diversification?

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, as a Government, we also work with the private sector. So, if farmers grow crops that do not have a ready market, we shall look for a market for them. For now, we will not talk about crops that have not been grown yet.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out what has happened to the assurance that was made on the Floor of this House by the then Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Sichinga, that contracts were signed for the rehabilitation of silos in Monze, Chisamba, Ndola and Kabwe. The hon. Minister assured us that contractors were on the ground. However, to date, we have not seen anything pertaining to the rehabilitation of the silos in the respective places.

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, the rehabilitation of the silos is underway. That contract is separate from that for the new silos under discussion. In fact, the formalities for the contracts that were signed have not yet been completed for the contractors to get on site.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sianga: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister how much the Government intends to get from the bank for the construction of the silos.

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, the total cost of the contract for this project is US$99 million.

I thank you, Sir.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, in his response, the hon. Minister made reference to the close relationship between crop diversification and the agro-ecological zones. That is very important. Is the hon. Minister willing to take the hon. Members of Parliament through that relationship so that we can understand the relationship between diversification in agriculture and the agro-ecological zones in the country?

Mr Speaker: Order!

That is an invitation to lecture. However, the hon. Minister may answer the question.

Mr Monde: Mr Speaker, as you have guided, I think it will take time for us to discuss the climate in the various parts of the country or put together this information. Suffice it to say that Kaoma lies in Agro-ecological Region Number 2. As such, there are some crops that are well suited for this agro-ecological region. These include cassava, maize, groundnuts, mangoes, millet, sorghum, rice and cashew nuts. Maybe, I can end here.

I thank you, Sir.

ST FRANCIS MISSION HOSPITAL IN KATETE

35. Mr P. Phiri (Mkaika) asked the Minister of Health:

(a) when a medical doctor would be deployed to St Francis Mission Hospital in Katete;

(b) when the Hospital would recruit the following support staff:

(i)    plumber;
(ii)    welder; and
(iii)    stores officer; and

    (c)    when the Government would procure the following equipment for the hospital:

        (i)    autoclave machine;
        (ii)    power generator; and
        (iii)    incinerator.

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Chilufya): Mr Speaker, currently, St Francis Mission Hospital has fourteen doctors in the following categories: three consultants; one senior registrar; two general medical officers and eight senior resident medical officers …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, on both the left and right!

I can hardly hear what the hon. Minister is saying. There are a lot of animated conversations going on.

If you feel like conversing in that manner, please, step out, have your conversation and come back when you are done. We cannot share this platform in that sense. You cannot have your conversations while the hon. Minister is responding.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, Saint Francis Mission Hospital does not have vacant and funded positions in its current establishment for the recruitment of a plumber, welder and stores officer. However, the Government will facilitate the creation of such positions during the net recruitment of staff in 2015.

Sir, the equipment, which the Government will procure for Saint Francis Mission Hospital, includes an autoclave and generators before the end of 2014. We shall implement this programme in a phased approach. The hospital will be supplied with a generator in 2015 during Phase III of the procurement of generators for health facilities. Further, the hospital shall be supplied with an incinerator in 2015.

Mr Speaker, it should be noted that Saint Francis Mission Hospital is a grant-aided institution. Therefore, all the contributions from the Government should be understood to be part of the grant-in-aid and not replacement of the institutional responsibility.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr P. Phiri: Mr Speaker, Saint Francis Mission Hospital is currently paying the plumbers and other personnel that have been mentioned. The grant given to the hospital is not enough to pay for the extra vacancies that I have mentioned. When are you going to give more money to the health institution so that it can pay for the extra services?

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, what the Government gives to Saint Francis Mission Hospital is a contribution. The institutional responsibility remains with the hospital. We embrace partnership as part of our programme to deliver services to the people, and we are partnering with Saint Francis Mission Hospital to provide services in that area. What we give Saint Francis Mission Hospital is a grant-in-aid.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simbao (Senga Hill): Mr Speaker, I am concerned about the question and the answer given by the hon. Minister. Is the questioner implying that there is not a single doctor at the hospital? May I get clarification on that.

Mr Speaker: Let me be sure. Are you asking the questioner or the hon. Minister?

Laughter

Mr Simbao: I am asking the hon. Minister. The questioner has phrased his question in such a way that it seems like there is not a single doctor …

Mr Speaker: Just pose a question to the hon. Minister.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, is it the position that there is not a single doctor at Saint Francis Mission Hospital?

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, I said that there are fourteen doctors at Saint Francis Mission Hospital. However, it is important to note that the current establishment only has twelve positions for doctors. So, there are two extra doctors at Saint Francis Mission Hospital.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, who, in this case, is assisting who? Is it Saint Francis Mission Hospital assisting the Government or the Government assisting Saint Francis Mission Hospital? I am given to understand that there are certain obligations that the Government has to fulfil even at grant-aided institutions. Could I get clarification on this.

The Minister of Health (Dr Kasonde): Mr Speaker, it is important for us to establish the basis on which this discussion is taking place. The Government has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Churches Medical Association of Zambia (CMAZ) to collaborate, in partnership, in support of health services. In that agreement, there is a provision for consultation annually to establish the extent to which both parties will contribute. In these circumstances, Saint Francis Mission Hospital may have more than would be given to a Government institution. It is entirely up to them. On the other hand, they may have less and, if that less is due to some difficulties, then, the Government intervenes.

Sir, this is a continuous dynamic relationship in which we have not found any difficulty in communicating and determining the extent to which we shall collaborate for or against increases or reductions.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Lubinda: Redundant.

Interruptions

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, Saint Francis Mission Hospital is the pride of us, easterners.

Sir, are there any plans to open some departments such as one for cancer treatment at Saint Francis Mission Hospital?

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member will be pleased to know that we all share our admiration for the contribution of Saint Francis Mission Hospital. We also share the desire to extend our cancer services across the country. However, I have said that, in this case, when an autonomous institution owned by a church determines its programme of action or strategic plan, the Government does not own the strategic plan. However, the Government is ready to collaborate in that strategic plan. To this extent, in the event that Saint Francis Mission Hospital is interested to establish what we agreed is a priority in the area of cancer, then, we anticipate collaboration.

I thank you, Sir.

KAPUTA DISTRICT HOSPITAL

36. Mr Ng’onga asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health:

(a) what the staff establishment for medical doctors at Kaputa District Hospital was;

(b) why the hospital had only one doctor; and

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, the staff establishment for medical doctors at Kaputa District Hospital is two senior resident medical officers. One position is filled while the other is vacant.

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: It is not possible.

Ms Kazunga: It is not by design that the hospital only has one doctor. It is due to the shortage of trained doctors to fill the vacant position. The position will be filled as soon as the ministry receives new graduates from the school of medicine.

Mr Speaker, in addition, the position of medical licentiate has already been filled to support the doctors.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, in the absence of doctors, is it possible that we could be given some clinical officers to take charge of Kaputa District Hospital?

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, the staff establishment for Kaputa District Hospital is two doctors and one vacancy has already been filled. At the moment, there is a licentiate who is sitting in for the doctor.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lubinda: Mr Speaker, we have heard that the establishment for Kaputa District Hospital is two medical doctors, and there is only one doctor at the moment. Are there any hospitals that have more doctors than are provided for on the establishment? If so, is it possible to transfer one of them so that he/she fills the position at Kaputa District Hospital?

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kazunga: Mr Speaker, as of now, the position of the ministry is that the licentiate who is at Kaputa District Hospital will sit in for the doctor until 2015.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: The question has not been answered. Could you repeat the question, hon. Member for Kabwata.

Mr Lubinda: Mr Speaker, my question is that in the response given by the hon. Minister, she stated that the establishment for doctors at Kaputa District Hospital is two, but there is only one doctor there. Are there any hospitals in Zambia that have more doctors than is provided for on their establishment? If so, is it possible to transfer one of them to Kaputa? I am talking about the doctors that are provided for on the establishment and not the licentiate.

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, I think the hon. Member for Kabwata has raised a very important point in relation to the national distribution of human resources for health. Yes, wherever there is a surplus, it is important that that surplus is distributed to the less favoured parts of the country. This is the intention of the Ministries of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, and Health. In this case, we know that the difficulty with centres like Kaputa is that of getting someone to go there. I was there last week and can confirm that it is difficult to get there. Therefore, I am sympathetic with those who have found it difficult to go there. It does not, in anyway, detract from the intention of the Government to continue to press for doctors to be sent there. Indeed, the efforts that have been taken since I have been there will probably result in that second doctor being found.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Health seems to emphasise that it is very difficult to live in Kaputa. What has the hon. Minister done about the Health Worker Retention Scheme (HWRS) that was put in place in order to solve the problem that he has lamented, and that would have helped to fill the vacancies at Kaputa District Hospital?

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, the HWRS is very much appreciated and has continued to be appreciated and applied. In this case, I happen to have been referring to the difficulty of getting to that place. However, I would like to assure the hon. Member that a tarred road is going to be constructed as a follow up to one of the PF Government’s greatest initiatives of this country in road construction.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, as a rider to Hon. Lubinda’s question and the answer that the hon. Minister has given that it is very difficult to get to Kaputa, I wish to inform the hon. Minister that Mwandi Hospital has no doctor, and yet it is very easy to get to Mwandi.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: When are you going to provide a doctor for Mwandi Hospital?

Laughter

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, I am sure there is a need for many new questions and this is the first one of the many to come.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

CHIEF INGWE’S PALACE IN KASEMPA

37. Mr Pande (Kasempa) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development:

(a) when the electrification of Chief Ingwe’s Palace in Kasempa District would commerce;

(b) what the cost of the project was; and

(c) whether the electrification project would include the following institutions which were within the vicinity of the palace:

(i)    Kankolonkolo Police Station;
(ii)    Miombe School; and
(iii)    Kankolonkolo Clinic.
The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Zulu): Mr Speaker, the electrification of Chief Ingwe’s Palace in Kasempa is subject to the outcome of the feasibility studies scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2014. The cost of electrifying the palace and surrounding areas will be determined after the feasibility study of the area has been conducted. Yes, the electrification project would include the following institutions:

(i)    Kankolonkolo Police Station;
(ii)    Miombe School; and
(iii)    Kankolonkolo Clinic.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, I do not know whether the hon. Minister does realise that it is the second time that this question has been posed in this House. I asked this question last year, and the ministry promised that the electrification would start in 2014 and the issue of feasibility studies was not mentioned. Why is there this change in position?

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, I remember this question was posed in this House last year and we said that the electrification would start in 2014. Projects start with feasibility studies and, thereafter, the actual project takes off.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwanza (Solwezi West): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out whether these abrupt changes that are only heard about on the Floor of the House are responsible for lack of provision of electricity to Solwezi but, in instead, electricity is given to the white communities in the area?

Interruptions

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, our response was based on the question by Hon. Pande who wanted to know about the situation in his constituency. If there are tribal or racial issues in Solwezi West Constituency, I think the hon. Member can come to our office so that we see how we can sort them out.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Lubinda: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that a feasibility study is yet to be carried out and that the feasibility studies depend on whether it is technically or economically feasible to supply power to that area, which is understandable. However, in answer to part (c) of the Question, the hon. Minister confirmed that the three institutions will be electrified. How is it that he is sure that the three institutions will be electrified, and yet for the Chief’s palace, from which power to those institutions will be drawn, a feasibility study is required? Can he, please, clarify what he means by that.

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, when we conduct a feasibility study, we want to come up with the costing and things like that. It is not like we are going to electrify the Chief’s palace only. When we go into an area, we aim at improving all the Government institutions like schools, clinics and the Chiefs palaces. So, this feasibility study will be conducted in all the institutions. Then, we will come up with the costing for the project. We want to ensure that all the rural areas in this country are electrified. We do not want some people to be in the dark while others are enjoying the benefits of electricity. We are committed to this and are going to electrify that area.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister how much has been budgeted for this feasibility study?

Laughter

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, I do not have the information at the moment. However, I can bring it to the House after consulting with the Rural Electrification Authority (REA).

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether in the event that the feasibility study, which is not budgeted for is negative, what is he going to do about it?

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, I do not think the feasibility study will be negative. As a Government, our intention is to connect all the rural areas to the national electricity grid. So, we will stick to that and make sure that the area is connected. The feasibility study will commence next month. Thereafter, the project will start.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

WYNTER MULEYA STADIUM IN KABWE

38. Mr Mushanga asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing:

(a) whether the ministry had any plans to rehabilitate the Wynter Muleya Stadium in Kabwe and, if so, what the plans were;

(b) what the cost of rehabilitating the stadium was;

(d) what the estimated cost of constructing a new stadium was.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Kufuna): Mr Speaker, the Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sport, has plans to rehabilitate all the provincial stadia, including Wynter Muleya in Kabwe. This programme will be implemented subject to the availability of funds from the National Treasury.

Sir, the full cost of rehabilitating Wynter Muleya Stadium is yet to be determined. This option can only be considered when the full cost of rehabilitating the stadium has been determined.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.
[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Kufuna: Mr Speaker, the cost of constructing a new stadium is dependent on its design and size.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mushanga: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister which budget he is talking about? Is it the 2014, 2015 or 2018 Budget that will provide funds for the rehabilitation of the provincial stadia?

Mr Kufuna: Mr Speaker, I am speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sport because the infrastructure is run by it. All I can say is that funds may be provided for, probably in the 2015 Budget because there are no funds in this year’s Budget for the rehabilitation of the stadia.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, when installations are named, it is for purposes of keeping a legacy. Therefore, for avoidance of doubt, I wish to find out from the hon. Minister whether this facility is called Wynter Kabimba Stadium or Yotam Muleya Stadium?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, is it Wynter Muleya or Yotam Muleya?

Mr Kufuna: Sir, according to the Order Paper, it is Wynter Muleya Stadium.

Hon. Opposition Members: It is Yotam Muleya.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: He has clarified.

Mr Kufuna: Mr Speaker, that is what I read.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: That is the information that he has.

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify whether this stadium will continue being run by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing or it will be handed over to the Ministry of Youth and Sport so that both the maintenance and, indeed, the revenue that is generated therefrom can go to the Ministry of Youth and Sport.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, before you respond, you may wish to clarify the information that you have and confirm that it is still correct.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Respond to the question by the hon. Member for Lupososhi.

Mt Kufuna: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing only safeguards the infrastructure on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, which runs them.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, since the hon. Minister insists that the name of the stadium is Wynter Muleya, may I know what contribution this Wynter Muleya made to Zambia for a stadium to be named after him.

Laughter

Mr Kufuna: Mr Speaker, there is some doubt in relation to the name. I will research on it and come back to the House with a response.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Very well.

Hon. Member for Chembe, has your question been overtaken by events?

Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe): Aah …

Laughter

Mr Mbulakulima: Hon. Minister, in your day-to-day …

Dr Kaingu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mbulakulima: Yes, very good.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, are the hon. Ministers in order to bring unresearched responses to this House? Is the hon. Minister in order to say that he has to go and carry out some research when he was given ample time to answer this question? Is he in order, Sir?

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that the hon. Minister was given a question which he has responded to. Up to this juncture, we are not very clear yet as to the correct position with regard to the name of the stadium. Some of you may be very convinced that the response is wrong. I think that it is only fair and proper that we give him an opportunity to verify that information. I do not think that is to suggest that, generally speaking, hon. Ministers come into the House with unresearched responses. I would not go that far. Therefore, let us give the hon. Minister an opportunity to verify this information since some doubts have been raised.

Hon. Member for Chembe, you may proceed.

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, I am simply making a follow up.

Hon. Minister, in your day-to-day responsibilities as Minister, are you not supposed to be conversant with the infrastructure existing in either the Ministry of Local Government and Housing or the Ministry of Youth and Sport?

In Kabwe, there is the Ucar Godffrey Chitalu Stadium. Can you share with the House the names of the other two stadia in Kabwe?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, let us restrict ourselves to what we are supposed to do, and that is to ask supplementary questions to the main Question.

Hon. Member for Dundumwezi, you may ask your follow-up question.

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, in one of the responses, the hon. Minister indicated that the Ministry of Local Government and Housing simply safeguards this infrastructure. I would like to know what it is safeguarding that the Ministry of Youth and Sport cannot safeguard.

Mr Kufuna: Mr Speaker, the stadium falls within the jurisdiction of the district council. Therefore, the council is responsible for looking after it. However, the day-to-day running of the stadium is the responsibility of the Ministry of Youth and Sport.

Mr Speaker, I would like to get back to the name Wynter Muleya that is appearing on the Order Paper. I have some information to the effect that there was a Wynter who came to Zambia to compete against a Muleya and was defeated by Muleya. This is how the name came about.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

MULTI-FACILITY ECONOMIC ZONES

39. Mr Mucheleka (Lubansenshi) asked the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry:

(a) how many Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) there were in the country as of December, 2013;

(b) of the MFEZs, how many had been subjected to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), as provided for under the Environmental Management Act, 2011; and

(c) if there were any MFEZs that had not been subjected to an Environmental Impact Assessment, why.

The Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Sampa): Mr Speaker, by December, 2013, there were four approved Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) in the country, namely Chambeshi, Lumwana, Lusaka East and Lusaka West. In addition, there are two approved industrial parks, namely Roma in Lusaka and Sub-Saharan in Ndola.

Mr Speaker, each MFEZ developer is required, under the Environmental Management Act, to develop an EIA. All developers of the MFEZs, except Lumwana MFEZ, have the EIS.

Sir, an EIS is an extensive evaluation of the effects likely to arise from a project significantly affecting the national and man-made environment. Consultation and participation of stakeholders is integrated into this evaluation. The study is undertaken by a group of experts approved by ZEMA in accordance with the terms of reference preferred by the developer in consultation with ZEMA.

Furthermore, each investor seeking to establish an enterprise in the MFEZ is required to undertake a detailed EIA for his line of operation. All investors inside an MFEZ are subjected to this process. All enterprises seeking to operate in an MFEZ are subjected to an EIA.

Mr Speaker, the developer for the Lumwana MFEZ is yet to commence the development of the MFEZ. Once the works on the Lumwana MFEZ begin, an EIA will be developed as was the case with all the other MFEZs.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, quite a number of people were displaced to pave way for the construction of the mentioned MFEZs. Can the hon. Minister indicate the form of compensation that was given? If the compensation was in monetary form, what was the total amount of the compensation given to the displaced people?

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the question may need additional research because it involves figures. Suffice it to say that in these assessments, if it was stipulated by the developer that the settlers needed to be compensated, this Government will ensure that they are compensated.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister why the Government allowed its partner, which is a private company at the Ndola South Park MFEZ, to take the gemstone polishing machine from the MFEZ to its premises.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, again, that is not within the frame of this question because the Question I have before me refers to Chambeshi, Lumwana, Lusaka East and Lusaka South MFEZs. There is no Ndola MFEZ. The hon. Member’s question needs research. I would like to advise the hon. Member to submit a question for oral answer.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister why, of the four MFEZs, Lumwana has not done an EIA. I would like to know why it is taking so long for Lumwana to have the EIA.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the first step is for the investor to apply to the Government, through the Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry, to put up an MFEZ. Once approval is given, the next stage is for the investor to go to ZEMA and obtain the EIA. In this case, Lumwana has been authorised to set up the MFEZ, but it has not started operating. Therefore, before, the MFEZ officially begins operating, it will need to have qualified with ZEMA for the EIA.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Konga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated that there are four MFEZs, including Chambeshi. Can the hon. Minister furnish the House and the nation at large with information as to whether the whole MFEZ has now been fully subscribed to.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the Chambeshi MFEZ has already done this and it is now operational. Apart from that, it is setting up various companies such as the one supplying tractors and others. Therefore, the information I have and what I have seen, is that the operations have started in compliance with ZEMA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, I do not think that it would be wise to inject chroloquine into a dead body.

Laughter

Mr Miyutu: It is not prudent.

Laughter

Sir, I have said this because of the answer given by the hon. Minister. The way I understand the EIA is that there must be a standard. The EIA can either be negative or positive.

Mr Speaker, my question is that if the EIA comes after operations have been allowed to go ahead, what will be the value of that assessment? Maybe, the hon. Minister can clarify that.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, I do not understand the analogy the hon. Member has used but, maybe, I should respond by saying that, for instance, before one can sit for the Grade 7 Examination, he/she has to be admitted into a school. So, the same is what is happening. For any investor to obtain an EIA from ZEMA, the investor has to be accepted by the Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry. This is a process. At the moment, the investor is writing the examinations which will then be approved by ZEMA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ndalamei (Sikongo): Mr Speaker, the Lumwana MFEZ has failed because it is in the mining area. There was a suggestion that it should be moved away from the mining area. How far has the ministry gone with is?

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, maybe, the information the hon. Member has provided explains why ZEMA approved the EIA. This is subject to discussion at the round table with the Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry and all the ministries involved. This mater is being dealt with. What is important is that the MFEZ is not yet in operation, and if there is anything that needs to be reversed or progressed, it will be taken into consideration since the matter is still being discussed.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, if the EIA is negative because the report indicates that there will be a lot of adverse effects on the environment if the company is allowed to operate and it has already mobilised on site, what are you going to do about the report?

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, that is unprecedented because it has not happened before. However, if it does happen, there are guidelines to be followed when authority to mobilise has been by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. One of the guidelines is to satisfy the requirements of ZEMA. So, if the investor has started putting money into the MFEZ without ZEMA’s approval, it is taking a risk. When an investor is given authority by the Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry, there are many guidelines it needs to follow, including meeting ZEMA’s requirements. So, if any investor proceeded without meeting the ZEMA requirements, then, that is the risk the investor took.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, could the hon. Minister make a policy clarification because his ministry has been very strong on industrial clusters and the MFEZs have been inherited. Could he clarify from the policy point of view how the two operate? Is there any difference between the industrial clusters, which the ministry has been pushing for and the MFEZs that have been inherited?

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the question is on the MFEZs. Therefore, industrial clusters might need another question. As a ministry, we are focusing more on value chain. The difference between the MFEZ and value chain is that, with the MFEZs, the investor brings in the money from outside. Even local investors can also be encouraged to invest in a certain area. Value chains entail, for instance, going to Mwandi to see what economic activities there are. If they grow mangoes, the ministry will take money to improve the status quo and, maybe, buy processing machines for mangoes. That way, we are adding value to that area. Then, we will also go to Nakonde and elsewhere to see what economic activities there are in the area and value to them.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, let me help the hon. Minister because I was Minister in charge of …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Are you going to ask a question?

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I am going to ask a question, which will help him because I was in charge of environment and I am aware of the EIA. I would like the hon. Minister to clarify whether the EIA is given to the MFEZ or the project in the MFEZ.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, you are being assisted.

Laughter

Mr Sampa: Sir, I do not know whether that is an answer. Maybe, I should pose a question because the hon. Member has given the answer already.

Laughter

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, yes, it is given to the developer of various projects because some of the investors in the MFEZ will be putting up a pharmaceutical company, for instance. So, they will need a different type of approval. Some may be processing minerals and so on and so forth. Therefore, each developer that comes needs approval from ZEMA.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

PRIVATISATION FUND ACCOUNT

40. Mr I. Banda (Lumezi) asked the Minister of Finance:

(a) how much money was in the Privatisation Fund Account as of June, 2014;

(b) what the money would be used for ; and

The Minister of Finance (Mr Chikwanda): Mr Speaker, as at 30th June, 2014, the Privatisation Revenue Account had a balance of K15,273,280. The Government will utilise the balance in the Privatisation Revenue Account in line with the guidelines provided under the Zambia Privatisation Act Cap 386 of the Laws of Zambia. The purpose for which the monies deposited in the Revenue Account will be or have been applied includes:

(a) funding the cost of privatisation and the Privatisation Fund;

(b) initial financing of mutual funds;

(d) financing credit creation by the Government for Zambian investors;

(e) rehabilitating existing plants;

(f) supporting new capital investments;

(g) funding the restructuring of State-owned enterprises to be privatised;

(h) supporting the redundancy payment schemes in consultation with the Ministry responsible for labour;

(i) supporting alternative income generating projects; and

(j) funding any social projects that will be in the public interest.

Mr Speaker, processes such as restructuring of parastatal companies, receivership and liquidation, including payment of employee terminal benefits have to be undertaken in a meticulous manner and processes have to be thorough to avoid lapses. These take time to conclude and are currently ongoing to cover outstanding payments as approved by the Ministry of Finance under the Act. The balance of the monies in the account is reserved for mitigating eventualities that may arise from the privatisation. It is in cases such as these that the monies could have remained unutilised.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr I. Banda: Mr Speaker, I would like to know why we have left out very pressing issues like improving community schools which are quite dilapidated. Why can we not utilise this money to help improve these structures so that children learn in a better environment?

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Speaker, as you can see, the balance in the account is only K15 million. This is after the money has been put to various uses as specified under the Privatisation Act and other structures are funded through the Budget separately.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

_______

MOTIONS

MOTION OF THANKS

(Debate resumed)

Mr Mwila (Chipili): Mr Speaker, when business was suspended yesterday, I was saying that I strongly support the directives given to the hon. Ministers of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication and Finance to speed up the construction of roads.

Sir, another important Government assignment that the President referred to is revamping the railway system. He informed the House that this has been demonstrated by the allocation of US $120 million to the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) in 2012, which was collected from the Eurobond. He further informed the House that the rehabilitation of the 1,062 km railway line from Livingstone to Chililabombwe has commenced. In addition, the rehabilitation of locomotives, wagons and passenger coaches is also in progress. This will be a big boost in the transport sector and will also help in the creation of employment.

The President further informed the House that the Patriotic Front Government is also implementing the National Mail Address System and Postcode Project which will improve postal service delivery, responses to fire, police and health emergencies as well as the collection of revenue by various State agencies. His Excellency, the President called upon all Zambians to support this project and guard the signage to be installed against vandalism.

Sir, the National Address and Postal Code Project is a well meaning and progressive project which is expected to bring a lot of benefits to our people. Service providers such as courier service companies, local authorities, hospitals offering ambulance services and the Zambia Police will all find it easy to navigate their way to areas needing their services.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I am convinced and duty bound to call upon all hon. Members of Parliament to work as a team, like we have done in the past, in finding solutions to the many problems affecting the people of Zambia, ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: … especially those in rural areas, like Hon. Muntanga.

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Mwila: Sir, it is only by working together that we will see a transformed Zambia which our President is seriously advocating for in this historical speech to the nation as a whole.

Mr Speaker, it is important for all Members of Parliament to support President Sata’s Government which means well to the Zambian people.

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Mwila: President Sata means well. He is a man of his word, as he has fulfilled most of the promises he made in 2011. So, it is important for all Members of Parliament to support President Sata’s Government.

Sir, I beg to move.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr W. Banda (Milanzi): Mr Speaker, from the outset, allow me to thank you most sincerely for giving me this rare privilege to second the Motion of Thanks to the Speech made by His Excellency Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the President of the Republic of Zambia, at the Official Opening of the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly on Friday, 19th September, 2014.

Sir, let me recognise the able manner in which Hon. Davies Mwila moved the Motion of Thanks to the Speech delivered by His Excellency the President. Allow me also to take cognisance of the circumstances under which the President gave the Speech. Let me commend him for his commitment to duty. It is my hope and prayer that God will continue to strengthen and guide him so that he can effectively supervise the implementation of his policy pronouncements.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr W. Banda: Mr Speaker, as you are fully aware, the Ceremonial Opening Speech by the President is aimed at giving the policy direction that the Government would take in the coming year. In seconding this Motion, I will restrict my discussion to the following:

(a) the Constitution-making process;

(b) agricultural development;

(d) development of a consistent mining sector policy.

Mr Speaker, on the Constitution-making process, His Excellency the President acknowledged that the Executive had received the Draft Constitution and informed this august House that the country would be informed at an appropriate time on the next course of action. During the legislative meeting of the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, hon. Members demanded for the immediate release of the Draft Constitution to the general public. The same demand has been consistently made by several civil society organisations.

Sir, I had hoped that His Excellency the President was going to give a clear-cut response and put this matter to rest. Unfortunately, it appears to me that going forward, the Constitution-making process will still not be a priority. The President stated that the focus of his Government would be achieving necessary rates of economic growth and development by addressing issues of higher rates of investment, job creation, economic restructuring and improved efficiency, among others. The House and country as a whole needs a clearer direction with regard to the Constitution-making process than the way it was put by His Excellency the President.

Mr Speaker, it is interesting to note that the President stated that his Government was committed to promoting democracy and good governance and that he was strongly opposed to electoral violence. The problem I have with that is that this seemingly good statement has not been followed up with concrete actions by his Government. We are still witnessing an unfair implementation of the Public Order Act by the Zambia Police Force. Opposition leaders and their members are still being attacked by suspected Ruling Party members in the course of doing their work without any action being taken by the police. If this continues, it will not be possible to promote democracy and good governance in Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr W. Banda: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President stated that his Government’s strategic focus in the agriculture sector is to achieve food security, promote crop diversification as well as increase productivity and value addition. While this policy statement is welcome, the Government is failing to practically implement it in the crop subsector, as there is still heavy concentration on the production of maize. The President’s Speech concentrated on the investment that the Government has made in maize production. There is no mention of high value crops such as cotton which matter a lot for poverty reduction in many parts of the country, including my province and constituency.

Mr Speaker, the country has been recording bumper maize harvests from the time of the late Third Republican President, Mr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC., to the current President, but the poverty levels in rural areas have not declined. This clearly shows that the implementation of the policy of diversification from maize production has been poor and should be expedited. I, therefore, welcome the efforts aimed at promoting the fisheries and livestock sectors.

Mr Speaker, let me turn to the issue of job creation. The President stated that his Government had adopted agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, construction, creative industries, information technology, metal fabrication, steel production, clothing and textiles as job creation strategies. Allow me to discuss two of these strategies, namely construction and manufacturing. With regard to the construction strategy, I welcome the Presidential directive that all ministries, provinces and spending agencies should ensure that, at least, 20 per cent sub-contracting and job creation goes to the locals. This will certainly ensure that local contractors are not sidelined in preference for foreign contractors.

Sir, I am, however, concerned that the President did not clearly state how his Government will ensure that these works are actually carried out by local contractors. Without proper and effective monitoring, it will be work as usual, whereby Lusaka-based businesses and foreigners are taking up all the works and local people get nothing from all the Government-funded projects. This will go against the stated policy of growing the small and medium businesses as engines for job creation.

Mr Speaker, in trying to promote manufacturing as a source of job creation, the President announced that the Government has finally established the Industrial Development Corporation (INDECO) to oversee and manage State-owned enterprises as well as complement private investment in strategic areas. My concern with this policy from the President is that while it is acknowledged that parastatals in Zambia have scored some success in the areas of human resource development and, to some extent, promoting diversification of industry, their general levels of efficiency has left much to be desired, especially on account of their vulnerability to political interference.

Sir, you will remember that we had the Zambia Industrial and Mining Cooperation (ZIMCO) which was dismantled by the former MMD Government of the late Dr Frederick T. J. Chiluba. How sure are we that INDECO will not go the same way? If this happens, then all the public funds being invested will go to waste. In this regard, I wish to advise the Government to be very transparent in the implementation of this policy so that all political players can see value in it.

Mr Speaker, let me end by calling for the full implementation of the Presidential policy directive to the hon. Ministers of Finance and Mines, Energy and Water Development to come up with consistent policies that will guarantee transparency and accountability in the declaration of minerals produced and exported. There is no dispute that the mining sector should contribute its fair share to the development of our country. I believe this directive is necessary because, in the recent past, we have witnessed inconsistencies in policies in the mining sector.

Sir, you will remember that His Excellency the President recently revoked Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 89 signed by the hon. Minister of Finance permitting mining companies to export copper concentrates tax free. You will also recall that the hon. Minister responsible for finance had been pushing for the amendment of Value Added Tax (VAT) Rule 18 to allow the payment of US$600 million of VAT refunds to the mines and other exporters without the necessary documentation as demanded by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). We have also seen inconsistencies on the part of the ZRA on the same issue. Therefore, this Presidential policy directive is timely. The hon. Ministers responsible should take note of this and abide by it accordingly.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Kalima (Kasenengwa): Mr Speaker, I am announcing my comeback. I am back.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity to deliver my Maiden Speech.

Firstly, allow me to congratulate the new hon. Members of Parliament on winning their seats. That is Mkushi, Mangango and Solwezi. Special congratulations go to the two powerful women Members for Zambezi West and Vubwi.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, as a young vibrant female from the East, I have been sent back by the people of Kasenengwa for the second time. They did so convincingly and without doubt and, in the process, shamed all the haters on that side of the House.

Hon. Opposition Members: Wynter, Wynter!

Mr Livune: Where is he?

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I could not let another day pass without delivering my Maiden Speech. I had to do it today so as not to allow these pathetic failures, the Patriotic Front, to continue misleading the people of Zambia while I am quiet.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I am deeply humbled to stand here as a new Member of Parliament. My presence in this House again was not perceived to be likely, especially by my colleagues on your right who failed to use their Government machinery to know that I was unbeatable.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, everything about the PF is about denial. They live in denial and that made them spend taxpayers’ money irrelevantly in Kasenengwa despite knowing that Victoria was unbeatable.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I say this because on the first day that I went to Kasenengwa, I used their machinery to assess what percentage votes I would get. I was being updated. I was shocked to see people going into Kasenengwa, hoping to beat me when I knew that I would win with not less than 73 per cent. However, they decided to go ahead and waste taxpayers’ money. I was not surprised because they care less for the people of Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, allow me to thank my Lord Jesus Christ who died for me on the cross of Calvary.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: I want to thank Jesus for enabling me to retain my seat convincingly.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: To the PF haters, you are not dreaming. This is real. I am in the House as Member of Parliament for Kasenengwa.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, in 2011, I was the highest candidate by 87 per cent and, this time around, I polled the highest among all the winners, polling 10,986 against a meagre 3,000. The votes for all the winning PF Members of Parliament in Mangango, Vubwi, Mkushi and Zambezi West put together are still below my 10,986 votes.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Actually, Mr Speaker, the Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT) showed that I polled 11,400. These people (pointing at the Government Bench) stole my votes.

Laughter

Mr Mwila: On a Point of Order, Mr Speaker.

Ms Kalima: Such victory, Mr Speaker, can only be because I serve a true living God …

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: ... who is great and faithful and does not fail.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hammer, hammer!

Ms Kalima: My God is a faithful God.

Mr Speaker, I made a declaration at the Supreme Court that the PF will never get my seat and this has come to pass. I testify that it can only be the blood of Jesus that did it for me.

It reminds me of a story in the Book of Numbers about Balak and Balaam. You cannot curse that which the Lord has blessed ...

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: … and that is me. I am the blessed and anointed one of the Lord.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: I am proud to be born again.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Hidden in the blood of Jesus.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Spirit filled.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Tongue speaking …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: … and I am back here to God’s glory.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Naimwe bene, mukapusuke!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, before I proceed, allow me to thank the lovely people of Kasenengwa.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Kasenengwa, please, take your seat.

Ms Kalima: My time.

Mr Speaker: When you resort to vernacular language or languages, please, care to translate. You used a vernacular expression which went untranslated.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, it simply means, you should also be born again like me. Repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. That is what I meant.

Mr Speaker, before I proceed, allow me to thank the people of Kasenengwa for their overwhelming support, confirming that I was their choice even in 2011 and that the PF has no right to choose a representative for them. The people of Kasenengwa confirmed that they cannot be bought with K5, K10 or the cheap chitenge which we call …

Mr Pande: Telela.

Ms Kalima: … nkhunyu nku moto in my language, …

Laughter

Ms Kalima: … meaning when you put it near the fire, it shrinks.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: They confirmed that they are not cheap and cannot be mocked as they are focused. They refused to be bought and bribed by the PF.

Mr Speaker, I am proud to stand here on behalf of the young people and women. For a long time, women have been trampled on and looked down upon as failures. I am glad to join the many hardworking women who have stood up to prove that the sky is the limit for women.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: It does not matter who is against you or how much resources are available. What matters is God and one’s determination.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: I am back to encourage the young women waiting to join politics that together, we can do it. Mzimai pasogolo, meaning women in front …

Mr Livune: Forward.

Ms Kalima: Yes, forward.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I want to thank the PF Ministers, Members of Parliament, including His Honour the Vice-President. I feel sorry that they came to waste their time in Kasenengwa.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: It just shows that they lacked focus by deciding to come and haul insults at me, …

Mr Mucheleka: Pa kaiche!

Ms Kalima: … including my former President, Mr Ruphiah Banda, who has retired from active politics. I feel very sorry for you that you came to waste your time in Kasenengwa.

Mr Speaker, I further want to thank the PF Government for funding my campaign.

Mr Chipungu: Oh, oh!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, all the money that was given to the PF campaign team for the electorate was gathered in the night, village by village, and given to me the following morning …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: … for my fuel.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: The headmen in Kasenengwa collected a total of K15,000 which was distributed at night and given to me. They said, “Victoria, we have to put taxpayers’ money to good use.” My drivers also queued up at night to get the money. I was given K15,000 for my campaign. Thank you very much to the PF Government for supporting me.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, let me dwell on the reason I am back. I am back to continue adding my voice to the failed Constitution-making process. The PF Government promised to release the new the Constitution within ninety days of forming Government. To date, which is three years later, we are still talking about the Constitution. I want to join the church mother bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Opposition political parties as well as well-meaning Zambians in calling for the release of a new Constitution. A lot of money has been spent on the Constitution-making process and it is sad that the PF would like to continue behaving like it does not matter.

I am not surprised, Mr Speaker, because they care less for important issues. They care less for job creation; they care less for the cost of living which has been escalating; they care less for the exchange rate; and they care less for a lot of other issues, including corruption. What they care about is to fight for the presidency everyday through the papers.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I would like to remind the PF that they promised a new Constitution and have to deliver it. It is sad that I missed the session of Parliament in which the powerful hon. Opposition Members of Parliament screamed, “Constitution, Constitution!” in demand for a new Constitution. I saw this on television and wished I was here.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: However, I thank God that I am back and want to assure the people of Kasenengwa that I will not rest, but work with the well-meaning Zambians to ensure the release of the new Constitution.

Mr Speaker, it is sad that when I look around the House, I cannot see some people that thought that they were almighty and decided not to release the new Constitution because they thought that they would remain in power perpetually.

A writer in Ecclesiastics 3:1-8 says that there is a time for everything. Indeed, it was my time to be outside, listening to them boast about the Constitution and now it is my time in the House while they are outside listening to me making a statement.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: That is the problem with being a nominated Member of Parliament. It is not permanent, but I am back.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: I am back in the House and I won by a big margin. You know what I am talking about.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Member: Kokolapo apo!

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, it is just because there is a God above. The Bembas say, insansa kuchinjanya. Lesa wabonse. This means that each one of us deserves a chance at happiness. Today, you are happy and tomorrow, it will be someone else. Some people think that they will be in those seats for ever. Tomorrow, it will be me on that side of the House.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: I want to take this opportunity to warn the PF hon. Ministers that these seats are temporally.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: So, take note.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, on the Constitution, I would like to urge the hon. Minister of Justice to ensure that the new Constitution is released. Otherwise, the people will rise and many other hon. Ministers will join their colleague who is outside. The one whose mock coffin you have been carrying.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I am back to add my voice against the injustices that the people of Kasenengwa have suffered in the area of agriculture. I will not keep quiet. I know that some people thought that they had won when I exposed the fertiliser scandal. They flexed their tuma muscles and my seat was nullified, but now I am back. The people of Kasenengwa are suffering due to the poor agriculture policies of the PF.

Mr Speaker, I would like to state that before I went away for nine months, there was a case which I was warned about. I hope I can be allowed to reopen it because I am back. There was a scandal in the agriculture sector.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, the PF Government promised sixteen bags of fertiliser to the farmers at a very affordable price. What did we see? The price per pack was increased from K50 to K100. Instead of sixteen bags, the Zambian people woke up to a rude shock of sharing two to three packs per co-operative of twenty to thirty members. They got their fertiliser in gallons instead of bags. Surely, this was not what the PF Government promised. Worse still, the fertiliser is distributed late. This has led to a reduction in maize production per hectare. Instead of twenty to thirty tonnes per hectare, farmers are now harvesting less than two tonnes per hectare.

Mr Speaker, I would like to remind the PF Government that its stay in power is short-lived. In my language we say, lonjezo inadula mutu Yohane. This means that when you promise and fail to deliver, you will have your head cut off like John the Baptist. However, in this case, I do not think that we need your heads. We will have you out through the vote because the people of Kasenengwa are listening. What happened in Kasenengwa, that is, the landslide victory, will happen countrywide.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: It will not just be in Victoria’s constituency, but in all the constituencies. Wait for 2016. You will wake up to a rude shock. Continue working at this pace and you will be shocked.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, the PF should know that rural areas like Kasenengwa depend on agriculture. Therefore, any disturbance during the farming season further disturbs the future of the Zambian people; the future of the people of Kasenengwa and that of their children because they depend on agriculture to send their children to school. I am able to stand here proudly as a Member of Parliament because my mother used to have good harvests and was able to pay for my education. If the people of Kasenengwa do not have a good harvest, the future of their children is in danger. So, you have to ensure that you deliver according to your promise.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hammer, hammer!

Laughter

Hon. Government Member: Mupeleniko amenshi.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I would like to add my voice to …

Mr Mucheleka handed Ms Kalima a bottle of water.

Ms Kalima drank some water.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I would like to talk about something that shocked me during the campaigns. I promised the people of Kasenengwa that I was going to talk about it, and I am here to talk about it. This notion that hon. Members of Parliament from the Opposition can never deliver development is a lie.

Hon. Opposition Member: Boza!

Ms Kalima: It is ‘fake’ and, I want to state …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, the word “lie”, as you may recall, is not permitted in the House. Please, withdraw it.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I withdraw it and replace it with “not true”. Sir, I promised the people of Kasenengwa that I was going to talk about this, and I am talking about it now so that people such as the hon. Provincial Ministers who were telling the people of Kasenengwa that they will not receive fertiliser can hear it.

Sir, I want the people of Kasenengwa to know, in the presence of Opposition Members of Parliament and Mr Speaker, as the witnesses, that this is not possible. I want to assure the people of Kasenengwa, just like I did during the campaign, that the PF is just a party and does not own fertiliser. Therefore, it has no right to withhold fertiliser or development from a constituency under an Opposition Member of Parliament.

The Farmer Input Support Programme was started by the Movement for Multi-party Democracy Government and has continued under the PF. FISP belongs to the Zambian people, including the people of Kasenengwa who contribute towards tax which is used to procure fertiliser. My warning to the hon. Provincial Ministers, especially the one for the Eastern Province, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Malozo!

Ms Kalima: … is to stop the cheap politics of threatening voters with lack of fertiliser.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Let us have issue-based campaigns. Zambia does not belong to President Sata, it does not belong to hon. Ministers or anybody else, but to all of us and we have the right to access development. In case the PF does not know this, it is just the custodian of national resources. Come 2016, like I said, if it continues working at this pace, it will surely be kicked out.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hammer!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, farming is incomplete without a ready market. The Food Reserve Agency began crop marketing late, using the excuse of high moisture content. Three weeks later, His Honour the Vice-President announced the closure of the marketing season. The people of Kasenengwa were shocked until we spoke about this during the campaign and the decision was rescinded. However, most of the farmers have not been paid to date. What is the use of farming when you cannot be paid or you get paid late? If the MMD Government managed to pay the farmers on time, why can the PF Government not do it?

My appeal to His Honour the Vice-President, like the two points of order that were raised that showed how serious the issue is, is that, please, let the money be released like you promised during the campaigns. Let the people be paid because many children have failed to go to school. The farmers delivered the maize after a lot of hard work, but you have not been able to pay them.

Finally, I am appealing to the PF Government to consider paying an allowance to the village headmen just like the chiefs are paid.

Interruptions

Ms Kalima: Village headmen are the custodians of the people and need to be looked after. My appeal to the village headmen is not to keep quiet, but to help me advocate for an allowance for them.

Sir, during the campaigns, I promised the haters and those that went on radio to say funny things about me that I would talk to them in Parliament because I was sure that I would come back. Today, I want tell them that, munanipasa kavula mulomo. This means that they gave me the opportunity to open my mouth.

Hon. Opposition Members: Talk time!

Ms Kalima: Yeah, talk time. After this speech, I can now talk to them and they can come and shake my hand because the meagre 3,000 votes they got was the ka vula mulomo for me.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to debate the Motion on the Floor of the House.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Ms Lubezhi: … from the outset, I would like to declare interest and say that I am going to refer to the written speech and not the verbatim one for the simple reason that I do not want to be controversial.

Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech is not inspiring at all.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Just a moment, hon. Member. Take your seat. I think that we have now got into earnest business. Therefore, I need silence. For those of you who are not able to observe this rule, I will invite you out. There is a place for you outside …

Hon. Members: In the bar.

Mr Speaker: Order!

… or elsewhere beyond. This is earnest business. We are discussing public policy. The address was laid there. I received it and tendered it there for this purpose. Just for avoidance of doubt, there is nothing else we are debating here other than the address or the public policy as indicated by the hon. Member for Namwala. Those are our parameters. You are free to criticise and have a battle of ideas. Let the better ideas prevail, and nothing more, nothing less. For those who are not able to confine themselves to the public address or public policy, I am afraid there is no space for them here.

You may continue, Hon. Lubezhi.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I was saying that in my own opinion, the President’s Speech was not inspiring because it is not responsive to the suffering of many Zambians out there. I sat here listening to the President, hoping that he would say something to instill hope in the Zambian people, but I struggled to make heads and tails of his speech.

Mr Speaker, we have had three harsh years under the PF Government, and yet the President misused the platform for telling the Zambians what he would do or what the PF Government would do in 2015.

Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech is relative to the Budget. When I read this Speech, I failed to figure out what we should expect in the Budget. I do not know what the Budget will be all about because the President’s Speech was just a repetition of the same programmes which were stated in 2011. It was like I was listening to the President’s Speech for 2011. There was nothing new in this speech. He talked about the Bottom Road. How long have we been hearing about the Bottom Road? He talked about the Paul Mushindo University. How long have we heard …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: … about the Paul Mushindo University?

Mr Speaker, on page 32 of the bulky Volume II Speech, the President talked about infrastructure. What infrastructure are we talking about? He talked about the infrastructure that was in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 speeches. We are tired of hearing about the same projects. We need to hear about new projects under the PF Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, on page 33 of the Speech, the President talked about the Zambia Railway Limited. What is new about the ZRL? He talked about the Eurobond which they comfortably borrowed and the next thing we heard were quarrels between management and the board with regard to which bank they were to keep the Eurobond in so that it would earn interest. Is that what they borrowed the Eurobond for?

Mr Speaker, there was nothing new in the Speech. That is why I am saying that I sat here and struggled to make heads or tails of the President’s Speech.

Hon. Opposition Members: Mawe!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the President misused that momentous occasion to give a clear road map on the Constitution. His people are now blaming the lack of a new Constitution on one of the former Ministers who is not with them now. Are they telling me that in their Cabinet meetings, only one voice used to prevail? If that is the case, they are not worth being in Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, it is not fair for them to start lumping the blame on the failure to give the country the new Constitution on one person who is not among them now.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, they must stop masking themselves. They must just own the problem. The failure of the Constitution-making process should be owned by all of them, and not one person whom they fired.

Mr Speaker, I believe that governance is a collective responsibility. The President misused that momentous occasion. He did not give a clear policy on how the PF intends to address the ever- rising cost of living, high cost of the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) tariffs; high fuel prices; and high medical fees at the Cancer Diseases Hospital at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). It is not easy for an ordinary Zambian to access treatment at the Cancer Diseases Hospital. The President did not also talk about the high cost of farming inputs.

Mr Speaker, the President misused that momentous occasion because he failed to revoke the cruel and unfair wage freeze. He should have used that platform to revoke that cruel act by the PF Government.

Mr Speaker, the President failed to give a clear policy direction on fiscal management. This is a Government which is borrowing everyday. It is sad to hear that this Government failed to use the money which it was given by a donor to address climate change challenges when the President, on page 39 of his Speech, said:

“… the National Climate Change Policy will be in place before the end of this year. This will provide for a coordinated response to climate change. It will further guide the growth of the Zambian economy in an environmentally sustainable manner.”

Mr Speaker, the President recognises the climate change challenges, but this Government has not utilised the money it was given by a donor to combat them. They would have been the first ones to borrow had they been given a chance to borrow the money to combat the climate change challenges. However, when they are given a donation for this, they do not utilise it.

Mr Mufalali: What is wrong with them?

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Sir, the list of issues that should have been addressed in the speech is endless. This is unacceptable in this jubilee year, especially that they have only one year left in those seats …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: … because most of them, like my colleague, Hon. Kalima, …

Mr Mufalali: They are going.

Ms Lubezhi: … said, will not come back after the 2016 Elections.

Mr Speaker, the casual approach of the PF Government towards national affairs borders on economic sabotage and I am glad that they have brought back the clause on Abuse of Office Clause because it shall surely visit them.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, how can this Government justify the engaging of a consultant to conduct research on street vending when it has a full-fledged Ministry of Local Government and Housing? Is the Government saying that it does not have the required expertise in the ministry who can carry out the research? When we talk about corruption, the Government is the first one to cry foul.

Sir, street vending is a problem which the PF created because they kept saying, “Leave the vendors alone. They voted for us.”

Ms Kapata: They are our voters.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, you cannot walk on some streets in town, including Cairo Road, without stepping on somebody’s tomatoes.

Mr Livune: Bauleni is very dirty.

Ms Lubezhi: The Government then goes ahead and engages a consultant to look into this problem when it created the problem.

Sir, I would have expected the President to give a clear policy statement on how the PF Government is going to run this country, at least, for the remaining year it has in office. This is a Government which gladly bent the rules on Value Added Tax in support of the mines at the expense of its citizenry.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government must stop this governance of arrogance. We pleaded with them on the Floor of this House not to fire the nurses in the Ministry of Health, but they went ahead and fired them. On 24th January, 2014, the Ministry of Health was lamenting that it does not have enough personnel when it fired the nurses. Worse still, on 31st January, 2014, the hon. Minister of Health, when addressing health personnel at Choma District Hospital, mentioned that there is a deficit of 35,000 health personnel when they fired the nurses who were only demanding for what was due to them.

Sir, I mentioned that there is no collective responsibility in this Government. Even when we had a shortage of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the Ministry of Health gave contradictory statements. One hon. Minister was saying there was a shortage while the other was saying there was no shortage. Governance is a collective responsibility. You have reduced the standards of running the country to that of a committee. Zambia is not a committee. It is a nation.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kapata: Question, mwaiche.

Mr Mufalali: Tell them!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, governance of arrogance will not take them anywhere. We pleaded with the Government not to introduce local languages as a medium of communication in schools.

Sir, if I may ask, how does it make them feel that Grades 1 and 4 pupils, whose ages range from 5 to 11 went on riot against their policies as was the case in Zambezi?

Hon. Opposition Member: Tell them!

Ms Lubezhi: Is that not a wakeup call, telling you to get back to the drawing board? Language is important to development. Education is supposed to be progressive in order for us to be able to compete globally.

Hon. Opposition Member: Tell them!

Ms Lubezhi: Sir, I wonder how the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock can justify the unutilised funds to the tune of US$115 million which were meant for irrigation countrywide. Hon. Members have been asking the ministry for dams on the Floor of this House while the ministry is still sitting on US$115 million two years down the line. The PF Government has got misplaced priorities. The only thing the Government could think of is to send the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock to Zambezi West as a campaign manager.

Laughter

Ms Lubezhi: He was in Zambezi West for six weeks while there was nobody to give authority to utilise the US$115 million for the construction of dams. This shows that the Government has misplaced priorities.

Mr Livune: Shame!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I was shocked yesterday when the hon. Minister said that the farmers who have not been paid yet are those who sold about 500,000 bags of maize to the FRA. How can the hon. Minister mislead the nation when farmers in Namwala who sold less than 500,000 bags of maize have not been paid? Are these the people we have entrusted with running the affairs of this nation? This is why I am saying they have reduced Zambia to the level of a committee.

Mr Mufalali: They are not working. They must go. They must resign.

Ms Lubezhi: Sir, the President did not mention anything in relation to revamping manufacturing, and yet we all know that manufacturing can help improve the economy of Zambia. Some media houses reported that a new investor for Mulungushi textiles has been found and I am reliably informed that the investor is not even going to do the same business that the textile company was doing. How can you boast that Mulungushi Textiles is going to be revamped when it is going to be doing something else? It is a shame to see the way the PF Government is running this country.

Mr Mufalali: Let them resign.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali: Pack your bags and go.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, with these few words, …

Mr Mufalali: Continue!

Ms Lubezhi: … I look forward to the time when Zambia will be self sufficient. I tend to agree with the writer, Chika Onyean who wrote in his book:

“Capitalist nigger proposes a day of atonement when Africa will boycott all goods not made by themselves.”

Sir, it is high time we revamped the manufacturing industry. There is a lot that we can do in the cotton industry instead of giving millions of jobs to people in foreign countries using merchants who cannot even be found on Google. We can revamp our cotton industry in this country. However, I was shocked that the President did not at any point in his speech …

Mr Mufalali: He did not have the energy.

Ms Lubezhi: … mention manufacturing. When the United National Development Party (UNPD) comes into power, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: … under the leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema, it is going to revamp the manufacturing and the cotton industries. The agricultural policies that we are going to put in place will enable everybody to go into farming.

Mr Speaker, in relation to education, we, as the UPND, are saying when we take over power, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: … and my president, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, comes to open Parliament, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: … people will not have to struggle to make heads or tails of his speech.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Let me state what I have said before, and that is that we have an address before us and, in the past, I have said that I will not straightjacket the debate. We have general themes and I hope, as far as possible, we will try to centre our debates around the Speech. I know that there are a lot of issues that we would like to address, but this is not an omnibus Motion to allow us to debate all and sundry. We are debating the Address. I think we should bear that in mind. It is a Motion. If you have not read the Speech yet, I would urge you to do so.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: It does not matter what you think about it, but it is important that you read it and to prepare yourself so that when you debate, you will have an enriched debate. We have a huge audience out there waiting to see the level of debate that you are going to engage in your constituencies that are very expectant.

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, I am grateful that you have given me this opportunity to contribute to debate on the President’s Speech which was delivered on Friday, 19th September, 2014. I think that there is very little to debate in the President’s Speech.

Sir, it was quite excruciating for me to sit here and see my President fidget with papers in that manner. It was clear that he was unwell. Before I refer to the Speech, allow me to congratulate my colleagues who have come to this House. I welcome all of you, especially our gem, Ms Victoria Kalima.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu: She is back. His Honour the Vice-President, Hon. Kalima is back.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, in my opinion, the President’s Speech should be concise. It should not be so voluminous that it should take twenty minutes to deliver. The President’s Speech should be delivered within ten minutes. There is no need for the President to belabour the policies when we know that the hon. Ministers will present the ministerial policies at the time of the Budget. It is frivolous and superfluous for hon. Ministers to overload the President’s Speech with their ministerial policies. I strongly believe that the President’s Speech must only address topical and salient issues in the nation.

Mr Speaker, I believe that the President should have used the Social, Legal, Economy, Politics, Technology and Environment (SLEPTE) when delivering his Speech. As you are aware, the first letter “S” stands for social. We wanted to get that from the horse’s mouth and not from the printed document. We wanted him to give us direction because his speech is a pace setter or pointer to where we are going. Socially, I thought the President was going to discuss firmly the problems of early marriages. We were privileged to receive Archbishop Desmond Tutu who came to talk to us about the problem of early marriages. In fact, Zambia has been singled out as a country where this scourge …

Prof. Luo: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kaingu: … is prevalent.

Mr Speaker, the other social programme, which I thought the President should have come out strongly on, is the issue of Ebola that the whole world is experiencing today. He should have given direction on how prepared his Government is.

Mr Speaker, the other social problem, which the President did not come out strongly on, was the issue of gender-based violence (GBV). Those of us who have watched Muvi Television news will have noticed that almost on a daily basis, there is a spouse who has been murdered. I think it is very important that the President should have come out strongly on social matters such as this one.

Mr Speaker, going back to my acronym SLEPTE, I want to come to the letter “L” which stands for legal. The President did not come out strongly on the Constitution of Zambia. The Constitution of Zambia is the cause of all our problems. We are having these by-elections due to a bad Constitution. Some of these seats were nullified on suspicion that there was corruption involved in the elections. It is like firing a person for eating a tadpole only to bring back the one who ate the frog.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, the corruption that was demonstrated by the PF in all the by-elections was unbelievable. The Constitution of Zambia is on the operating table. We cannot talk about the roadmap anymore. If the President is talking about the roadmap, we do not want it anymore. That area has been exhausted. We need to operate on our Constitution because it is the cause of problems. Probably, that is the reason the President came here looking ill. This is because he could not send a proxy to come and read the Speech. We are lucky that he summoned all the energy to come and open this Parliament. Probably, this Parliament would not have opened. All this is due to a bad Constitution that we have. Our Constitution needs to be operated on and we need this like yesterday. It is in the theatre. It is the Constitution that is not looking addressing the issue of the Public Order Act. We need to seriously look at the way we interact as a people. Those are the tenets of democracy. There is no way you can cage people and think that you are actually promoting democracy.

Sir, it is our Constitution that is causing by-elections in this country. We cannot continue with a Constitution like this one. There are many silent areas and lacunas that are not acceptable in this Constitution.

So, I want to appeal to the President and this Government to give us the Constitution. It is now in the theatre and we want to operate on it.

Interruptions

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, let me now talk about the letter “E” in my acronym which stands for economy. The President should have come out strongly on the revenues coming from the mines because there are many conflicting statements coming from the mines. So, the President should not have sat there for ten minutes talking about people’s zips.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: “Fackwell, stand up.”

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Who is ‘Fackwell’?

Dr Kaingu: “Hon. Prof. Luo, stand up.”

Interruptions

Dr Kaingu: Sir, you can see that they are not standing up because I am not a President. You can see how bad this Constitution is.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, it has given the President powers which we cannot even understand.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Hon. Dr Kaingu, sit down.

Dr Kaingu resumed his seat.

Mr Speaker: I want the debates to flow. I will also seize this opportunity to indicate that I will be very slow to allow points of order, and I will be alert. If there will be something seriously wrong, I am sure I will detect it. At the same time, let us not trivialise these debates. I do not want to go into particulars, but I think you have a sense of what I am saying. Let us deal with the real issues.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I am still talking about economics or the economy of this country. The President should have come out strongly on the sabotage that we are seeing in relation to the mukula tree.

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu: If it is really worth what we are being told, then we must commit it to real use. Let it generate income for us. However, I strongly believe that the President should actually have come out strongly on the issue of the mines. I hope the hon. Minister of Finance will come out strongly on this issue when he presents the Budget.

Sir, let me talk about politics. The President was very quiet on how his colleagues, the leaders from the Opposition, are being treated by the police. He should have come out strongly against the acts of violence of the police. It is important that he should have denounced the violence. However, the President did not come out strongly on this matter because he was preoccupied with cracking very dry jokes.

Interruptions

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, technology is vital today and fundamental to our lifestyle. The President did not come out strongly on this topic, and yet he flew from here with someone who was going to receive an award on Information and Communications Technology (ICT). I think the President should have …

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: … emphasised that this country needs to embrace ICTs.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, as I terminate my debate, let me talk about the environment. The environment, which embraces climate change, is a topical issue today. I am sure the President found that this is one of topics for discussion at the United Nations (UN) Conference. However, he was quiet and did not tell us how this country is going to mitigate the problems of climate change and how he was going to create adaptation programmes for us. He did not talk about the deforestation which is taking place. Zambia has been ranked one of the highest countries in the world where deforestation is taking place. So, the President should have talked about these salient issues.

You do not want me to crack jokes, but you allowed him to make jokes, Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Are you raising a point of order on me?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Please, wind up your debate.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, on a lighter note, we are still waiting for the President or probably he will use The Post Newspaper to explain to us what he meant when he said that he once came to this place seventy-four years ago and by then, he was under the pillow of the UTH …

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: … and how …

Mr Nkombo: He was three years old.

Dr Kaingu: … His Honour the Vice-President whom I respect so much could appear before him with his line down.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: Sir, with these few remarks, I want to thank you.

Laughter

Dr Kaingu: I really want to echo the sentiments of my colleague, the hon. Member of Parliament for Namwala that she felt sorry for those who were still going to read and study the speech. I equally do not know what they are going to read and report on because to me, it is frivolous.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity to debate the Speech of the Republican President which he presented last Friday. I would like to make the following statement.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: First of all, Mr Speaker, it is with a rather heavy heart, this time round, that I am debating this kind of Motion for obvious reasons and for the reasons that I will state as I proceed. Secondly, turning to Volumes I and II of the Speech, there is something that is very interesting on page 1 …

Mr Speaker: Of which volume?

Laughter

Mr Belemu: Both volumes, Mr Speaker, and I will quote from both of them. The first paragraph and second sentence of Volume I reads as follows:

“It is now three years since the Patriotic Front Government took office and there are only two years before the next elections.”

Mr Speaker, paragraph 2 of Volume II also states something very similar, but in the following fashion:

“Three years have gone by since the Patriotic Front assumed office and during this period …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was quoting paragraph 1 on Page 1 of Volume I of the Speech which reads as follows:

“It is now three years since the Patriotic Front Government took office and there are only two years before the next elections.”

I also referred to Volume II of the Speech just before the break. I would like to quote the second paragraph, downwards …

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I do realise that you indicated that you would be extremely slow to allow points of order. However, using the privilege that I have as Opposition Whip and in discharging the functions of a Whip, I would like to raise a point of order on the Government.

The Vice-President entered the Assembly Chamber.

Mr Nkombo: The fact that His Honour the Vice-President has just walked in will probably help the situation.

Sir, it has been two days since we resumed sitting after the very important President’s Address, and I have not seen the Government Chief Whip, who is supposed to assist you to ensure that Cabinet Ministers who were just two out of twenty-something before His Honour the Vice-President walked in, are seated and paying attention to the comments that hon. Members of Parliament are raising in regard to the President’s Speech.

Is the Government in order to continue with this inertia of not being in the House to listen to this very important proceeding of the House or must I move to the other side and be the Government Chief Whip since there is a definite vacancy that side?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Well, you were right to point out that I did indicate earlier on that I would be very slow to allow points of order but, when you rose, I did a conjecture on the trajectory of your point of order and that is why I allowed it.

Firstly, I would like to indicate that the Government Chief Whip is, in fact, out of the country on official business. Before he left, he communicated that fact to me and indicated that, in his absence, the Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Hon. S. Kampyongo, will be assisting him whip this side of the House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Secondly, I do agree, no doubt with your observation, that we are debating a very important Motion, and that is the President’s Address by the Republican President. I, therefore, think that it is only fair and proper, as I have said before, that regardless of the business and, as a matter of discipline, we should return to the House on time. Particularly, it becomes extremely discouraging for the colleagues on the left or right to begin debating when there are many seats that are vacant or unoccupied.

In fairness, I have a long list of those who are absent for official reasons. I, therefore, leave this matter to the Whip to ensure that those who are expected to be here take their seats on time. I am sure that his Honour the Vice-President is present and he will assist me in this regard so that we are seen to be earnest about this business. I am the first one to urge that we should be very earnest about this business. We are doing this business in a representative capacity. We are public trustees. Therefore, let us discharge this trust with honour. This is the prayer I make everyday. We are trustees.

I did state earlier on that even the level of serious debate should reflect that fact because we are trustees. The people of Zambia are looking up to us. Some of them are in dire straits and look to us for solutions. So, let us take this business seriously. I acknowledge the intervention by the hon. Member for Mazabuka Central.

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, the second paragraph of Volume II says:

“Three years have gone by since the Patriotic Front (PF) Government assumed office. During this period, Zambia has posted strong indicators of progress in the political, economic and social spheres. Politically, our young democracy is being consolidated economically. Zambia is among the fastest growing economies in the world. Socially, the standard of living of our people is progressively improving. These achievements have been made possible because of our enduring unity, peace and stability. For this, we must be thankful to the Almighty God.”

Mr Speaker, this is where my trouble is. According to them, they think that we must be thankful to God because we have made progress. To the contrary, we must be thankful to God because we have endured three years of pain under the PF Government. They cannot tell us that they have made progress after all the pain that they have inflicted on us.

Sir, if we had to write the history of the PF Government, the question would be how have they managed to destroy a country so full of promise and hope within three years. These three years have been trying and very difficult for a number of us. Now, they want to turn round and tell us that we must thank God because there has been progress in the last three years.

Hon. Opposition Member: What progress?

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, the consolation is what is contained in Volume I of the President’sAddress, especially that we only have two years before the next elections. It is a consolation and also our hope. Otherwise, this country would be hopeless.

Hon. Opposition Member: What progress?

Mr Belemu: It is strange that the PF Government can claim that we are making progress as a country.

Mr Muntanga: What progress?

Mr Belemu: What manner of reasoning is this? We all know what has characterised the PF rule over the last three years.

Mr Muntanga: Yes. Remind us.

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, after they have destroyed this country in record time, how can they now turn round and say all the destruction that you have been seeing is actually progress? How can they?

Laughter

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, this amounts to political blasphemy, ...

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: … and the sanctions for political blasphemy should be complete excommunication from the political arena. The PF Government cannot mock us …

Mr Muntanga: And the revocation of their …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, let us give the hon. Member on the Floor an opportunity to address us in silence. Let us give him that opportunity and, for those of you who are, perhaps, disagreeing with all the various statements he is making, just take down notes. I always say take down notes and, when your time to debate comes, you will also give your side of your story. That is democracy.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, you may continue.

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, the side of my story and that of Zambians is that the PF has destroyed this country. The PF cannot come and mock us by telling us that all these things you have been seeing around are progressive. I will single out the areas that have been referred to in the Speech. These are politics, the economy and social sector. We have spoken about the Constitution. The PF has continued to dodge the issue of the Constitution, and yet they have the cheek to come here and tell us that …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, please, try to avoid being emotive. I do not think that is an appropriate way to address hon. Colleagues. You cannot use the word “cheek’. Do not be emotive, but objective. There is nothing personal about this. So, just be objective.

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, English is my second language. The equivalent of whatever I am saying is that the PF can come here and tell us that we have made political progress, and yet the critical issue that we have been talking about since 2011 is a people-driven Constitution which they promised to deliver within ninety days. However, they have used all forms of deception to dodge it.

Mr Muntanga: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: Sir, even when we come here and ask them about it, they want to continue pretending like they do not know how to count the years because they are under pressure. They talked about delivering the Constitution within ninety days and not the seventy-four years that they are telling us about now.

Laughter

Mr Belemu: They promised us ninety days. We do not know about the seventy-four years that they are talking about today. Let them deliver a people-driven Constitution because they made that promise. Now, they want to come here and tell us that we have made progress.

Mr Speaker, on the issue of human rights, the PF has abused us and the citizenry. It has done all it can to muzzle the Zambian people and, in the process, prevented them from enjoying their rights, including the right to associate and freedom to speak. We have seen how the PF has, within its camp, been carrying mock coffins in the streets of Lusaka. They carry mock coffins of whoever they do not want. Where I come from, carrying a coffin of a person who is not dead is a bad omen, but the PF wants to tell us that that is political progress. They can ride police vehicles half naked as they march to State House and tell us that we must thank God for that because it is political progress.

Hon. UPND Member: Shame!

Mr Belemu: They have continued to associate with governments or groups of people on the African Continent that have been condemned for human rights violations. They have formed linkages with such people and visit each other. Then they want to call that political progress. How can that be political progress? Who are they deceiving?

Sir, everywhere we have gone for elections in this country, the PF militia are a common feature. People are being maimed and injured, and in very sad circumstances. Some of our citizens have even died, and yet they want to turn round and describe as political progress all these instances where people have been injured, arrested or killed at the command of the PF Government. How can that be political progress? This is where my problem with this Government lies.

Interruptions

Ms Lubezhi: Lingweshi is taking some notes.

Laughter

Mr Belemu: We have had incidences where we are told that no hon. Minister shall be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) without the permission of the President. How can that be called progress in this country?

Mr Speaker, this is nothing, but an attempt to deceive us, the citizens of this country. Our colleagues in the PF want to come here and pretend like they have forgotten about all their promises and start talking about very strange years when some of us were not even there …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member, I am very constrained. You see, you are free to criticise, but let us be relevant. Let us not trivialise these debates. I have said this for the umpteenth time. We are not doing any service to the Zambian people by talking about things that are not relevant to the subject under discussion. I do not think this is what is expected of us. You know the issues to debate.

Let me seize this opportunity to remind those who are yet to debate that, if you are not ready, please, go and read the Speech. I repeat, go and read the Address. This is not an omnibus debate. I am wasting precious time because this is not my time to speak. It is your time, but there is the temptation to get to issues that are of absolutely no value to the people you represent. We are using the taxpayers’ time here. Therefore, let us use it prudently. I was here on Friday.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Of course, I was.

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, we were probably misled by the Chief Whip who, for some reason, wrote somewhere that we are at liberty to criticise and express any views that we may hold on the matters raised by the President in the Speech.

Nonetheless, Mr Speaker, I will proceed with my debate. On the social front, we are, again, told that, as a country, we have made progress and we must be thanking God for it. How about our very basic human needs? How about people who are suffering? How about the people of Mbabala some of whom, to date, have not been paid by the FRA and now they are in dire need of resources, but the Government is not saying anything about this?

Mr Speaker, how about the very wellbeing of our society in terms of access to information? How can we say we have improved socially when basic things like the flow of information are being hindered by the Patriotic Front Government? We have spoken, for example, about access to information and communication-related legislation. Our colleagues have made so many promises regarding that matter. We have had instances where even a junior police officer can stop a radio broadcast that has been paid for.

Sir, if you cannot allow citizens to have access to information and freely move and communicate, how are you going to measure your social progress? How about the so many things that we have spoken about regarding our personal freedoms, choices, inclusiveness, tolerance and so on and so forth?

Mr Speaker, I have referred to very sad incidences where anyone who differs with them is deemed public enemy number one. They have carried mock coffins and scared off people, and yet, at the same time, they are saying we have made social progress as a country.

I think this is a mockery to us. This is a mockery to the people we represent. It is an insult to the people we represent …

Mr Muntanga: Mm!

Mr Belemu: … to come and say you have made progress when everyone who cares to see can see that there is nothing that has gone on. To the contrary, all that has gone on is negative.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, I represent a rural constituency.

Mr Livune: That is right.

Mr Belemu: When you say that we have made progress in the economic sphere, it amounts to a total insult. How about the price of commodities which are going up everyday? How about the non-payment for the very simple thing that they did, that is, supplying maize to the FRA, an agency of the Government? They have not been paid while the planting season is starting in a month’s time or so. How can that be economic progress? They want to make us believe that agriculture is flourishing in this country when the situation for the majority of the farmers is worsening off.

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

Mr Belemu: We all know that, for example, during this year’s planting season, top dressing fertiliser was distributed earlier than the basal dressing and seed. Then you want to make believe that there is improvement in the economy. Which economy is improving? How can we say that there is improvement in the economy when all we hear about and read everyday are quarrels about who must be taxed more or who should not be taxed?

Laughter

Mr Belemu: Then, we say that we are making progress economically. That is not progress. How about the much talked about debt that we have incurred through the PF? The domestic and international debt that we have incurred will haunt us for a very long time. How can we call that progress in this country?

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, I want to summarise my debate by saying that the PF is on a path of self destruction

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: They will not deceive anyone by saying that everything has improved in this country. There is nothing that has improved.

Hon. Opposition Members: Mm!

Mr Belemu: If anything, the situation has worsened when you put the aggregate. Our situation, as a country and as citizens, has worsened.

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: It is not writing Volumes I, II or X of documents that is going to change what the PF Government is doing in the eyes of this country. It is their deeds that we have been looking at based on the promises which they have all collectively failed to fulfil. Now, they want to blame even those they have fired for their mistakes. It is they themselves who have collectively failed us.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: The writing now is on the wall. Those people have been assessed and found wanting.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: It is not delivering volumes of documents here that will change their status.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: They have been found wanting politically, economically and socially.

Interruptions

Mr Belemu: The consolation, as I said earlier, is that we have two years before the next election. In those two years, I can rest assure you that there will be more rejection.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Belemu: I am reminded that they must go into the wilderness and eat grass.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: In the words of William Shakespeare, “This is the third time and I hope good luck lies in odd numbers.”

Hon. Opposition Members: Mm!

Mr Belemu: They have a choice to make.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: They want to continue deceiving people by believing that we are making progress when all we are seeing is destruction from them.

Prof. Luo: You are lying.

Mr Belemu: It is them.

Mr Speaker, I am disappointed by the contents of these volumes that we have read. There is no one that you will deceive.

Mr Livune: That is right.

Mr Belemu: We face these things everyday in our lives. We walk in these communities everyday of our lives.

Dr Kaingu: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: We know the uncoordinated policies and positions. We know their fights. We know everything.

Ms Lubezhi: The Post is telling us everything.

Mr Belemu: There are also witnesses to their brutality. We are witnesses to their failures.

The President did not tell us what is going on that will change this nation. It is what they choose to do that matters, and they have a very short time to choose what they must do for us and this country.

Sir, I am disappointed.

Hon. UPND Member: Even me.

Mr Belemu: That is why I said that I am debating this Motion with a rather heavy heart. They cannot be telling us the same things from 2011 to date.

Hon. Government Members: It is consistency.

Mr Belemu: They cannot be telling us the same things, none of which has been achieved.

Ms Lubezhi: Paul Mushindo.

Mr Belemu: We cannot be hearing the same song. Even the dancers in their camp are now tired.

Mr Livune: That is right.

Laughter

Mr Belemu: You cannot be listening to the same song.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Belemu: Let those who have ears hear.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: As we continue to debate, please, let us reflect on the term public policy and what it means.

Order!

ADJOURNMENT

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

________

The House adjourned at 1857 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 25th September, 2014.

________

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Debates - Wednesday, 24th September, 2014

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