DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Friday, 14th February, 2014

The House met at 0900 hours

[MR DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, I rise to acquaint the House with the business it will consider next week.

Sir, on Tuesday, 18th February, 2014, the Business of the House will commence with Questions. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.

On Wednesday, 19th February, 2014, the Business of the House will begin with Questions, if there will be any. This will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will deal with Private Members’ Motions, if there will be any. The House will then consider the Second Reading stage of the Business Regulatory Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 22 of 2013.

Mr Speaker, on Thursday, 20th February, 2014, the Business of the House will commence with Questions. This will be followed by the presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any.

Sir, on Friday, 21st February, 2014, the Business of the House will begin with the Vice-President’s Question Time, which may be short if the hon. Member for Kalomo Central will not be here. However, since I expect him to be here, it will take up the full thirty minutes. After that, the House will deal with the presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Then, the House will finally deal with any business that may be outstanding for the week.

I thank you, Sir.

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

2013 GRADE 7, 9 AND 12 NATIONAL EXAMINATION RESULTS

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to present a ministerial statement on the 2013 National Examination Results for Grades 7, 9 and 12.

Sir, I am mindful that I presented the three sets of examination results whilst Parliament was on recess, but the need to update hon. Members of Parliament has overwhelmed me because we, in the ministry, recognise the critical role that they play in the education sector. My presentation this morning is also meant to pre-empt the various questions that may arise if this information is not given to hon. Members and to prepare the House for the thirty minutes of His Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time.

Mr Speaker, I will lay on the Table the three sets of examination results for Grades 7, 9 and 12 so that hon. Members of Parliament can further interrogate them.

Sir, let me apologise and seek the hon. Members of Parliament’s indulgence because this presentation is going to be a little longer than anticipated. I will seek your attention to the details that I shall present. There is no excuse for me not to present these details.

Mr Speaker, the 2013 Grade 7 Composite Examination results were processed in November, 2013. This made it possible for the 2014 Grade 8 classes to start on the first day of the school term which fell on 13th January, 2014.

Sir, the 2013 Grade 9 Examination results were processed in January, 2014 in time for the Grade 10 classes to start on 27th January, 2014. For the first time since Independence, the 2013 Grade 12 Examination results were processed in January, giving an opportunity to the school leavers to apply for tertiary education immediately without having to wait for another year as was the practice in the past, while those who have not done well now have an opportunity to register as General Certificate of Education (GCE) candidates for the 2014 October/November examination sessions. This is a sign of the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that pupils make timely decisions about their future academic or career progression after an examination.

Mr Speaker, the House will, no doubt, join me in commending the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) for this tremendous achievement.

Sir, let me begin by describing the candidature of the 2013 Grades 7, 9 and 12 examinations.
 
Sir, 352,266 candidates entered for the 2013 Grade 7 Composite Examinations, representing an increase of 4.31 per cent from the 337,706 candidates who entered the similar examination in 2012.

Mr Speaker, a total of 353,443 candidates sat for the 2013 Grade 9 Examinations, representing an increase of 2.3 per cent from the 345,565 candidates who entred the examinations in 2012.

Sir, 106,956 candidates sat for the Grade 12 Examinations in 2013, representing an increase of 1.07 per cent from the 105,825 candidates that sat for the examinations in 2012.

Sir, the increase in the number of candidates is as a result of the enabling Government policy of free examinations at Grades 7 and 9 levels. The Government will continue to offer free examinations at the two levels to enable most young people to access, at least, a Grade 7 Certificate without any hindrances.

Mr Speaker, a total of 312,443 candidates sat for the Grade 7 Composite Examinations, representing an increase of 2.3 per cent from the 305,429 candidates who sat for the examinations in 2012. At Grade 9 level, 285,636 candidates sat for the Grade 9 Examinations, representing a decline of 1.8 per cent from the 291,018 in 2012, as I mentioned earlier. At the Grade 12 level, 104,809 candidates sat for the examinations, representing an increase of 0.92 per cent from the 103,853 candidates who sat for the 2012 Grade 12 Examinations.

Mr Speaker, the number of candidates who were absent from the Grade 7 Composite Examinations increased from 33,277 in 2012 to 39,823 in 2013, while that for candidates who were absent from the Grade 9 Examinations increased from 54,547 in 2012 to 67,807 in 2013 and the number of those who were absent from the Grade 12 Examinations increased from 1,972 in 2012 to 2,003 in 2013.

Mr Speaker, the increase in the candidature at Grade 7 and 12 levels can be attributed to the provision of additional infrastructure through the construction of new schools and classroom blocks in existing schools, leading to increased access to education. All the examinations, that is, Grades 7, 9 and 12, experienced an increase in absenteeism with the highest being at Grade 9 level, from 54,547 in 2012 to 67,807 in 2013. The highest absenteeism rates were recorded in the Central Province at 15.24 per cent at Grade 7,28.63 per cent at Grade 9 and 2.53 per cent at Grade 12 level. The lowest absenteeism rates were recorded on the Copperbelt at 8.50 per cent for Grade 7, and 12.81 per cent for Grade 9. The reduced number of candidates who sat for the 2013 Grade 9 Examinations is attributable to increased absenteeism from examinations which, according to the study that was carried out by the ECZ in 2013, is a result of inadequate preparation due to absenteeism from class by pupils and teachers, candidates repeating grades, early marriages, pregnancies, double entries for examinations and environmental factors such as flooding and caterpillar collection …

Hon. Members: Ah!

Dr Phiri: … also known as ifinkubala. To address this situation, …

Interruptions

Dr Phiri: … I am sorry for letting out your cultural practice into the public. To address this situation, the ministry will strengthen monitoring of schools to ensure that teacher/pupil absenteeism rates from class are reduced. This will enhance pupil preparedness for examinations, leading to the reduction in rates of absenteeism from examinations. Additionally, the ECZ has now established a system that will allow candidates at Grade 9 and 12 levels to sit for examinations using the examination number they used at Grade 7 level. This will eliminate double entries that are currently prevalent at Grade 9 level and, by so doing, reduce on absenteeism figures. The use of one examination number during all school examinations will also make it possible for researchers to conduct tracer studies from primary to senior secondary school level.

Mr Speaker, allow me now to discuss the performance of the candidates that sat for the Grade 7, 9 and 12 examinations in 2013.

We, in the ministry, have observed a general improvement in the quality of the 2013 examination results compared to the 2012 Grade 7 results. At Grade 7 level, the performance was as follows:

 Category 2012 2013 Comment 

 Division 1  53,539 58,737 Increase   

 Division 2  65,640 72,919 Increase   

 Division 3 48,782 53,070 Increase

 Division 4 136,468 127,717 Reduction

Mr Speaker, at Grade 9 level, the performance was as follows:
 
Category 2012 2013 Comment

Full Certificate 154,395 156,787 Increase

Statements 116,116 108,919 Reduction

Fail  20,507 19,930 Reduction

At Grade 12 level, the results were as follows:

Category 2012 2013 Comment

School Certificates 60,319 63,104 Increase

General Certificate of 41,307 39,926 Reduction
Education (GCE)

Fail  2,227 1,779 Reduction

Mr Speaker, this improvement in performance can be attributed to the implementation interventions agreed on by the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education during the National Performance Review Meeting that took place in May, 2013. To continue improving on the reported gains in learner performance, the ministry should do the following:

(a) continue holding performance review meetings as an annual event and extend the reviews to provincial and district levels. The reviews will enable the ministry to determine the factors that influence learner performance at the grassroots and develop strategies to improve learner performance in all the subjects. Each head teacher is now made to account for the school’s performance and to show cause why he/she should continue to lead the school. This year, the schools will be stringently monitored;

(b) continue, through the Directorate of Standards and Curriculum, to ensure that learner performance strategic plans that are generated by the provinces are implemented at all levels of the education delivery system. This must be monitored stringently;

(c) in 2014, implement the revised curriculum which places emphasis on hands-on experience in the classroom. The revised curriculum offers learners options of pursuing either the academic or vocational career pathways, depending on their abilities, interests and aspirations which they must discover between Grades 1 and 7; and

(d) roll out the new curriculum in a phased approach, starting with the early childhood education level and Grades 1, 5, 8 and 10 in 2014. The first Grade 9 Examinations based on the new curriculum will, therefore, be in 2015. We are confident that learner performance under the new curriculum will improve further, as its design will make learning more interesting and satisfying to both the learners and teachers.

Mr Speaker, regarding performance by gender, the results were as follows:

(a) at Grade 7 level, slightly more boys obtained Division I and 2 than girls, while more girls obtained Division 4 than boys. Details of this will be in the paper which I will also lay on the Table;

(b) at Grade 9 level, more boys obtained full Grade 9 Certificates than girls. More girls than boys obtained statements while others failed; and

(c) at Grade 12 level, more boys obtained school certificates than girls. Additionally, more boys failed the examinations than girls, while more boys obtained GCE Certificates than girls.

Sir, I wish to state that generally, boys performed better than girls during the 2013 Grades 7, 9 and 12 examinations. To address this situation, the ministry will continue to pursue the agenda on equity to ensure that girls are not discriminated against by the education system. Partnerships with stakeholders and co-operating partners will be strengthened to ensure that the girl-child programme becomes a success and that no candidate is disadvantaged by virtue of location of their school or gender.

Mr Speaker, as regards performance by subject, again, it is worth mentioning that the details will be in the paper that I will lay on the Table.

Sir, although, as a ministry, we acknowledge the marginal improvement in the performance of candidates during the 2013 Grades 7, 9 and 12 examinations compared to the 2012 examinations, the 2013 examination results are still generally poor and more effort needs to be made to make them a bit more acceptable.

Mr Speaker, generally, the 2013 examination results are attributed to the fact that, today, the majority of pupils cannot read with understanding and write intelligently. To address the challenge at all literacy levels, the ministry, effective January, 2014, has launched a National Mobilisation Campaign on Reading dubbed, “Let us Read Zambia”. I would like this august House to support the ministry in this campaign because the poor reading culture is a ‘killer’ in the nation. Many of us have no time to read. We need to start reading so that our children can copy our good practices. We have launched this campaign which I want hon. Members of Parliament to support. This campaign is working with the help of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other stakeholders under the Revised Curriculum which, I hope, the Hon. Mr Speaker will give me an opportunity to also present a ministerial statement on.

Sir, I launched this campaign on behalf of the ministry on 17th January, 2014. We hope that this campaign will result in improved reading levels in our schools, and thereby facilitate improved pupil performance in all subjects. This will enable the public to appreciate why we are advocating for instructions in the classroom in the early Grades of 1 to 4 to be in local languages.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Dr Phiri: Question, indeed.

Laughter

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, with regard to the “Let us Read Zambia” Campaign, yesterday, I was mesmerised when Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa – sorry to embarrass you, hon. Member – made quite a significant contribution when the House was debating the Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill. I told him that he had the strength of reading before he opens his mouth.

Laughter{mospagebreak}

Dr Phiri: The disease that Zambia is suffering from is that we find it easy to contribute even when our contribution is not based on anything tangible.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Phiri: So, we have a shining example amongst us. There are also many other debaters in this House who read extensively so that their contributions make sense.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Phiri: Sir, this reminds me of what I saw during my trips across the country. I came across a library outside Mwinilunga …

Mr Livune: Read your speech.

Dr Phiri: This, you might benefit from.

Hon. Members: Aah!

Interruptions

Mr Muntanga: You are not reading. You read.

Dr Phiri: It is here.

Laughter

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order, order!

Please, continue, hon. Minister.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, to meet this challenge of literacy levels, the Directorate of Standards and Curriculum shall ensure that all schools adhere to the Language of Instruction Policy. It is emphasised that instructions through a local language will help improve the levels of literacy and numeracy.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Dr Phiri: This has been cemented by research results countrywide …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Dr Phiri: … and we hope that the use of local languages from Grades 1 to 4 will later impact positively on learner performance in all languages.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Dr Phiri: I am glad that I can hear applause.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, below are the schools that presented candidates for examinations:

Examination GRZ Private Grant Aided Community Total

Grade 7 5,070 417 90 101 5,678

Grade 9 2,323 169 111 18 2,621

Grade 12 247 69 69 1  386

Sir, when performance was analysed by the running agency, we observed that the performance of private schools during Grade 7 and 9 examinations was the best, followed by grant-aided schools.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

On my extreme right, can you, please, consult quietly.

Please, continue.

Dr Phiri: The least in performance are Government (GRZ) schools.

Mr Speaker, the reason private and grant-aided schools perform better than the Government schools is simply that most pupils who enroll in private and grant-aided schools have had pre-school education which is not available to the majority of children, particularly in the rural areas.

Sir, the second reason is controlled enrolment. Private and grant-aided schools do not stick to the guidelines provided by the ministry while the Government schools usually have to accommodate pupils who would ordinarily not find places in Government schools. The third reason is the lack of adequate teaching/learning materials in the Government schools. We are still struggling to meet this demand.

Mr Speaker, the fourth reason is inadequate learner contact time. Private schools do not have streams/shifts which affect the teacher/learner contact time while the Government schools are yet to meet the demands of this practice. Generally, there is good management in private schools and most learners can read and write because of their pre-school experience. The absenteeism rate during classes is also low.

Mr Speaker, the Government commends the managements of grant-aided and private schools for attaining good results in the 2013 examinations. It is also worth mentioning that the Government has continued to present more than 75 per cent of the candidates during examinations. So, as you focus on the results from the private and grant-aided schools, be aware that 75 per cent of the candidates are from the Government schools.

However, Sir, there is something we can learn from the private and grant-aided schools. In this case, head teachers in the Government schools have been instructed to benchmark their practices against the grant-aided and private schools to improve learner performance.

Sir, progression to Grades 8 and 10 is my next ‘bus stop’.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, should I …

Mr Muntanga: Stop.

Dr Phiri: … just lay the paper on the Table …

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Dr Phiri: … and allow speculation even from learned people?

Laughter

Dr Phiri: I sought your indulgence and it was given.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Please, let him read his ministerial statement unhindered.

Dr Phiri: The progression rate to Grades 8 and 10 is important for the nation. I wish to bring to your attention the issue of progression to Grade 8.

Mr Speaker, out of the 312,443 candidates, which I referred to in the 2013 Grade 7 Composite Examinations, a total of 279,186 pupils were selected to Grade 8, giving a progression rate of 89.36 per cent. The highest progression rate was recorded in Luapula followed by the Western Province. From this paper, hon.  Members will see where their provinces stand.

Sir, in plain language, let me just state that 33,257 Grade 7 candidates were not selected to Grade 8 after they sat for the examinations while, as I said earlier, a total of 39,823 were absent from the examinations. So, the figure 73,080 includes both those who were absent and those who were not selected to Grade 8.

Mr Speaker, I now want to give the figures for the progression rate to Grade 10. Out of the 285,636 candidates that sat for the Grade 9 Examinations, a total of 110,739 were selected to Grade 10, giving a progression rate of 37.10 per cent. This represents an increase in the progression rate by 2.45 per cent compared to the 2012 results.

Sir, 174,897 candidates were not selected to Grade 10, notwithstanding the improvement in both the performance and progression rates.

Mr Speaker, allow me to caution hon. Members of Parliament that the figures I have given must be treated as tentative. This is because they are based on the selection criterion to Grade 10, which is forty pupils per class while, in reality, as at last week, the Government schools had absorbed more pupils who obtained Full Grade 9 Certificates because of the high demand for school places.

Sir, the hon. Members of Parliament must also consider the fact that at the time of selection, a number of secondary schools had not opened their doors to absorb more classes at Grades 8 and 10. With more schools opening after the selection date, the figure is not the same. A number of basic schools have not yet opened Grade 10 classes. However, more basic schools have since opened Grade 10 classes in anticipation of the Upgrading Programme. Therefore, the number of pupils in Grade 10 will change again.

Mr Speaker, in the meantime, Provincial Education Officers (PEOs) have been instructed to prepare a postmortem report after the official selection has passed which, I am sure, will reveal the lower figures of progression to Grades 8 and 10 than the ones I have given. I also wish to reiterate the ministry’s commitment to upgrading strategically-located basic schools so that the number of selected pupils increases.

Sir, this is a crisis that explains why my ministry has continued to focus on infrastructure development in an effort to complete all the construction projects for existing secondary schools in 2014 and 2015. This will create more school places in Grades 8 and 10 when all the projects have been completed.

Mr Speaker, in addition, this year, we have devised an out-of-the-box intervention to absorb more pupils into Grades 8 and 10. The ministry has launched a programme of upgrading 220 basic schools all over the country.

Sir, allow me to address the subject of examination malpractices. Pursuant to the ministry’s stance of zero tolerance to examination malpractices, the ministry shall not condone any teacher involvement in examination malpractices. Additionally, the ECZ has been directed to work closely with the ministry and security agencies to wage a crackdown on examination malpractices. The ECZ …

The Vice-President left the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Phiri: … will review the Examinations Council Act and completely separate the GCE from the School Certificate of Education. It is worth noting that the ECZ will run a GCE examination in June and also in October/November. We are also going to tighten security for both the GCE and School Certificate of Education examinations and amend the guidelines for the administration and management of examinations to keep them in line with our demands.

Mr Speaker, however, let me remind this august House that one contributing factor to examination malpractices during the Grades 9 and 12 examinations is the brutal competition we have exposed our learners to because there are limited opportunities at Grade 10 and in institutions of higher learning.

Sir, in conclusion, allow me to restate that this Government looks forward to a time when learning is going to be a pleasure for every child and adult. We look forward to a time when the children will be as proud of their languages, cultures and identity, as they will be able to express themselves competently and with confidence in their local languages and English, having been prepared in the early years of schooling to excel with excellence in any form of training or career of their choice. This can only be realised if the Government increases investment in education. I thank God that the Government has made a commitment to make education a core programme in the allocation of funds. I acknowledge, with thanks, the contributions hon. Members of Parliament have made to the education sector. In fact, it is no secret that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is more glaring in primary sector infrastructure development than funds from the Government. We would like this support to continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Phiri: Sir, God has given you the opportunity to be an hon. Member of Parliament to plant smiles on his children just as he has given me the opportunity to be an hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education.

Mr Livune: Question!

Dr Phiri: Let us serve the Zambian children, urban or rural, rich or poor, so that their tomorrow is different from that of the majority of our people who are languishing in poverty.

Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to be this verbose although it was not intentional. I was merely reading what was given to me.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the ministerial statement given by the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education.

Mr Mwamba entered the Chamber.

Hon. Members: GBM, GBM!

Laughter

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for that elaborate statement. In his own admission, he has stated that he looks forward to the time when learning will be a pleasure. This means that at the moment, learning is not a pleasure. Can the hon. Minister, please, tell this House if the issue of teaching in vernacular from Grades 1 to 4 is not torturous not only to the pupils, but also to the teachers who are learning to teach in the vernacular at the same time? Where is the role of the …

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

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwewa: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Are the hon. Opposition Members of Parliament in this House in order to call Mr Mwamba GBV which stands for gender-based violence instead of GBM? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Deputy Speaker: Can the hon. Member for Mumbwa continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, I was making a follow up on the statement made by the hon. Minister on …

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order, in the House!
 
Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: … how he looks forward to learning being a pleasure. Does the hon. Minister not think that the introduction of vernacular as a medium of instruction from Grades 1 to 4, whose basis is unclear, is actually torturous not only to the pupils, but also to the teachers because they both have to struggle to learn the languages?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, in my statement, I indicated that in the next two weeks, there will be a ministerial statement on the new curriculum, that is if I will be allowed to make one. I am not trying to dodge the hon. Member’s question. Those are his feelings. However, let me state to this House that this is not a new policy or shift in the policy. For a number of years under your Government, hon. Member, the seven official local languages were the medium of instruction in Grade 1.

Interruptions

Dr Phiri: Oh yes, I am telling you. Zambia, let us read.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Dr Phiri: We have merely extended it to four years because of the gains we have seen after the language policy at Grade 1 was made. We thought we could consolidate those gains by giving an opportunity to the children to learn in the local language for four years.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mweetwa (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, when you say that using the local language as a medium of instruction is going to improve the learning skills of pupils if it is introduced from Grades 1 to 4, what do you have to say about children of civil servants who are often transferred from one province to another where the language of instruction from Grades 1 to Grade 4 is different, especially having seen the number of transfers under the Patriotic Front (PF) Administration? Are you also aware that the majority of Zambians, including many hon. PF Members of Parliament, are opposed to this ill-conceived policy?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: Please, let us not turn the hon. Minister’s statement into an opportunity to start debating instead of asking questions on points of clarification.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, again, I seek your indulgence not to answer this question because, as I have indicated, I will present a statement on the new curriculum during the course of next week if the Hon. Mr Speaker wills. I do not want to pre-empt the statement, but I just need to give a background. For now, just to satisfy the ego of the hon. Member of Parliament …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Dr Phiri: Is it a bad word? I beg your pardon. If I have to answer his question, I would say that the language of instruction policy did not come like a ‘bomb’, but took four years of serious discussion.

Hon. Opposition Members: By who?

Dr Phiri: You always deny it. I have heard that before, but this was as a result of very serious consultations across the country. Those who participated in the discussion should know that this is the policy that we have formulated and we only hope that the hindrances that the hon. Member of Parliament has mentioned will be minimised. This is a working document. We shall see how it progresses. We will review it if the results are not forthcoming.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, …

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

Mr Deputy Speaker: No. On who?

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Please, let us follow the rules.

Continue, hon. Member for Kaputa.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I would like to seek your guidance in order to avoid being repetitive in this House. The hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education stated that he would come up with a ministerial statement pertaining to the curriculum. I would like to seek your guidance whether we should continue asking questions pertaining to this serious issue or you have allowed him to come and present a statement on the Floor of this House so as to clarify the critical issues being raised at the moment.

Mr Deputy Speaker: This is the first time the Speaker would like to be guided by the House.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: It is never done, but I have the opportunity to utilise this provision. Do you want us to continue asking questions on points of clarification or not? Can I be guided.

Interruptions

Hon. Members: Yes.

Hon. Members: We can continue asking questions on the results.

Mr Deputy Speaker: I see that you seem to be saying that we can continue asking questions on the results and not the curriculum.

Hon. Members: Yes.

Mr Deputy Speaker: So, let us confine our questions to the results instead of the curriculum. With that clarification, the hon. Member for Kaputa can continue with his question.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, if I heard the hon. Minister correctly, he said that the Government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether there are any incentives given to the teachers that invigilate examinations to prevent them from falling into temptation. I say this because I know that teachers who mark examinations are paid.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, there are incentives that are given to teachers that invigilate the examinations. Let me also add that from the incidents of examination malpractices that we have seen, the invigilators are not the culprits because they adhere to the firm guidelines given by the ECZ.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Ms Imenda (Luena): Mr Speaker, the information I have is that the pupils are not taught and, towards the end of the term, they are grilled in answering examination questions. That is the main reason for the poor results. I would like to find out what the hon. Minister is doing to address that matter.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, I indicated that we hold reviews at national level. We also want the reviews to be held at provincial level. In fact, some provinces have already reported having held reviews. It is from these reviews that we get a firmer understanding of what is happening in our schools and what strategies to adopt. Let me confirm that the marginal improvement in the results can be attributed to that exercise. I hope that our officers at district and provincial levels will closely monitor the progress of pupils so that we can make learning more meaningful to them and better their performance. However, let me retract what you attributed to me as having said which is that the poor performance of children is due to their lack of learning. That is not what I said. In fact, I am a little excited that we are making progress regarding the performance of pupils at Grades 7, 9 and 12 although a lot still needs to be done.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education what measures the Government is putting in place to ensure that all the libraries that were closed as a result of mismanagement and lack of books are revitalised and used by the pupils and members of the public in schools and other public areas.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, indeed, libraries are cardinal to any learning process. This is why I must thank our co-operating partners, both at home and abroad, for coming to the aid of the ministry. I think you might have heard that I launched the Library in a Box Project which was supported by our co-operating partners and business houses in the country. They have subdivided Zambia into areas where they can provide the boxes. However, let me be the first one to say that this effort is not adequate. When we revisit the laboratories’ issue, we are likely to touch on the issue of libraries too. Here, we are talking about major constraints in terms of how much is available per year. However, that is a subject area that is critical to our “Let Us Read Zambia” Campaign.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what his ministry intends to do in view of the extremely low pass rate in science and mathematics, particularly in the North-Western Province

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, I am glad Hon. Pande asked that question because it is now exercising our minds in the ministry as to whether Zambia can develop with such a weak science and mathematics base. We have since taken practical steps to highlight the importance of science and mathematics. One of them includes reviving the laboratories in all schools that have been turned into classrooms. We want to arouse our children’s interest in science and mathematics by producing en masse mobile laboratories. There will be four laboratories per school and the programme is working very well. We intend to inject more money in that project this year. We also intend to train teachers. We have arranged with St Eugene University of India which has two campuses; one in Lusaka and the other in Chipata, to train about 2,000 teachers, for a start, in science and mathematics. Soon, I will announce that we may have three colleges of education specifically tailored for mathematics and science. This is how seriously we are looking at that issue and I seek your support in this endeavour.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker,  there have been assertions that one of the contributing factors to the poor examination results is the fact that teachers, especially those in Government schools, spend a lot of time providing private tuition either in their homes or other areas. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what the stance of the Government is on this issue.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker that issue ‘died’ last year when we gave a directive to stop private tuition. Now, there is less grumbling among the teachers because their conditions of service have improved. So, they are not encouraged to give private tuition. This, however, does not remove our focus on ensuring that private tuition does not continue. We have discouraged teachers from giving private tuition. In fact, there is a circular to the effect that tuition should not be provided selectively. Tuition conducted in homes or anywhere else will not be tolerated.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, a lack of accommodation for teachers is one of the reasons for the poor results. Teachers, especially in rural areas, sleep in classrooms. Hon. Minister, what are you doing about this?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Mwandi is right. Accommodation plays a critical role in any worker’s performance. Given the latitude and volume of support, we would have solved the problem of accommodation, but there are thousands of teachers who are yet to be accommodated.

Sir, the effort we are making might appear to be just a drop in the ocean, but it is significant. I am pleading with the teachers to bear with us because it is not pleasant for teachers to rent a house in a village or be accommodated in classrooms.

Mr Speaker, under the circumstances, the little money that we send to the provinces and districts is not enough to make an impact, but we will continue to soldier on. Hon. Mbewe made an offer yesterday. So, through his consultancy, we can do something outside the box.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, most teachers in rural areas like Kazungula and many other districts in the country do not benefit from the rural hardship allowance. In fact, they are deprived of many things that teachers in urban areas get.

Mr Deputy Speaker: What is your question?

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, what is the hon. Minister doing to help improve teachers’ welfare in rural areas in order to improve the pass rate?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker that has nothing to do with results. However, I will give the hon. Member a bonus answer. Teachers in rural areas are badly hit by the lack of accommodation and many of them tend to run away. This has exercised our minds in the ministry. At the moment, this issue is being dealt with by the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) under the Office of the Secretary to the Cabinet.

Sir, we are aware that the allowance was abused and we are cleaning up the act so that the allowance is given to deserving teachers only. In due course, we will announce to the teaching fraternity the measures that we have undertaken.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister referred to absenteeism from examinations as one of the reasons for the low progression rates. Do you not think that your unclear decision on the issue of basic schools has contributed to this? Could we have a firm decision on the issue of basic schools? This is because most schools do not know whether basic schools have been abolished or not.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, all the structures in the ministry are aware of the direction we are taking. Only two days ago, the vibrant PEO for the North-Western Province rang me to inform me that the process of identifying basic schools has been completed and that all stakeholders had been told of the Government’s direction. I would be very surprised to hear that the direction is not visible on the ground because it is.

Sir, the PF Manifesto is very clear. If I have to repeat myself without seeming to advertise my party, the manifesto states that the basic/high school arrangement shall be phased out gradually because we do not have the money to immediately abolish this structure. It will, therefore, take a while.

Mr Speaker, a day will come when someone will announce, here, the direction in which we are moving. We will get to a point where basic schools cease to operate. For now, however, we are tolerating them and even upgrading some of them for the good reason that they contain pupils who would ordinarily not have any other school place. This is the direction we are taking.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Mpundu (Nchelenge): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what his general assessment is of the performance of pupils at various levels of examinations since the PF took over Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, the performance, though marginal, is encouraging.

Mr Livune: Question!

Dr Phiri: A marginal performance is better.

Sir, there are a lot of challenges that this Government must face before we can make headway in the education sector. These challenges give us in the ministry an opportunity in the ministry to prove why we are there. This is a challenge for all teachers and administrators at all levels. Let us move the education sector to a higher level than where we found it. There are indications that we might make it.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, …
 
Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Prof. Lungwangwa: … allow me to congratulate the hon. Minister on being a …

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised. 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education in order, as he is praising his Government for the so-called improvement, not to mention that the rate of absenteeism during examinations has trebled during the tenure of the PF Government. Is he in order not to mention that?

Mr Deputy Speaker: Can the hon. Member for Nalikwanda continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, allow me to congratulate the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education on being a good student of reading.

Laughter

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has clearly underlined the problem in our education system, namely poor learner performance. Learner achievement is a problem in our schools.

Sir, the hon. Minister has identified development of reading proficiency as the intervention to be undertaken. There are a number of other competencies that ought to be developed if we are to promote learner achievement, namely numeracy, reading, writing, technology proficiency and communication competency. I would like to know what the ministry is doing to promote these competencies that are central to the promotion of learner achievement in the schools.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, we are very aware. This is the fourth time that I am saying that I will present this package to this august House. My ministry is aware that it is not just the low learner achievement that is a problem. There are many interrelated components to look at such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), numeracy and so on and so forth.

However, Sir, give me an opportunity to explain further how the new curriculum is looking at all these components and how we have distributed them in the subjects that we have proposed which are being implemented now at the early childhood education level of Grade 1, and Grades 5, 8 and 10. I hope you will bear with me, Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, especially that I made you an example of good ‘whatever’. I expect your support.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Sir, the hon. Minister has said that some measures will be taken against head teachers who will be failing in their duties. I would like to find out from him what his Government is doing in instances where the head teacher is the only teacher from Grades 1 to 7 and the results are very poor.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, in a situation where there is only one person calling himself head teacher, deputy head teacher, senior teacher, teacher and everything else, every school will have to set targets that it will ensure that it meets. In a situation where there is only one teacher, the onus is on the administration of which I am privileged to be Minister to ensure that there is no school where you ask one person to account for the results of that school. We must move fast. It is for this reason that we want to monitor more seriously the allocation of teachers countrywide.

Sir, we are aware that this is a major problem in rural areas where teachers report after two days and leave with their permit numbers. This means that they will continue receiving a salary at a school, but using a permit number for another school. This is a serious crisis which we are addressing in the ministry with the help of the PSMD.

 I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

 Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Phiri (Mkaika): Mr Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister referred to the lack of teaching/learning materials in most of the schools. When is the Government going to provide teaching/learning materials?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, I referred to teaching and learning materials when I was saying that the private schools and the grant-aided schools are doing better because they have learning/teaching materials. I envy them on behalf of the ministry because it is something that we can learn from.

Sir, the hon. Member also said that 75 per cent of the pupils that sat for examinations are from the GRZ schools. We have a more serious undertaking than the grant-aided and private schools, but that is not an excuse at all for not providing teaching/learning materials.

Sir, with the introduction of the new curriculum, we have been supplying teaching/learning materials but, as I said earlier, it is a drop in the ocean. With the introduction of the new curriculum, the materials are now being transported to schools and some schools have already received them, while others will receive them before the end of the term so that we can begin this programme on a good note.

Sir, although Hon. Banda is using me to learn how to ask questions …

Laughter

Dr Phiri: … I have heard his cry and we shall talk in Chichewa at break time and see how we can move forward.

 I thank you, Mr Speaker.

_________

HIS HONOUR THE VICE-PRESIDENT’S QUESTION TIME

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, it is now over two years since the Patriotic Front (PF) took over the Government from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Government. We have seen that this Government is using the MMD policies and claiming to have put up infrastructure without acknowledging that this was initiated by the MMD Government.

Interruptions

Dr Kaingu: This is tantamount to borrowing governance tools. Are you devoid of original ideas?

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Sir, perhaps, the hon. Questioner would send me round copies of the MMD and PF Manifestos, cross referenced to the page numbers, so that we can see what he is talking about.

 I thank you, Sir.

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, on 28th January, 2014, His Honour the Vice-President held a press briefing at his office where he dared the hon. Member of Parliament for Kasama Central to resign. Among the various reasons stated was that there should be a straightforward Parliament where those who came to Parliament on the PF ticket should remain in the PF and those who came on other tickets should stick to those tickets. To borrow His Honour the Vice-President’s words, what advice would he give to the ‘crocodiles’ that cross the Floor of the House and are serving as hon. Deputy Ministers in his Government on other party tickets?

Mr Mukata: You chap are the one who is a crocodile.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, hon. Members of this House who are serving as Ministers in the PF Government evidently have the approval of their parties because there has been no attempt to expel them or make them go back to their parties. So, they are very welcome. In any case, we all came from the MMD. It is the mother party.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwila (Chipili): Mr Speaker, the Government intends to re-establish the Industrial Development Corporation (INDECO). I would like to find out from His Honour the Vice-President what the Government wants to achieve by this.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, let me say that we are not going to imitate the United National Independence Party (UNIP) INDECO which was a vehicle created to nationalise companies immediately after Independence that were largely based in South Africa or Southern Rhodesia with whom we were effectively at war. One of the functions is to act as a regulator and shepherd or kachema of all these parastatals that are law unto themselves and  are behaving like cats running this way and that way or like Ilombas drinking blood and switching the television over.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Sir, we want to put them together and get some consistency of salaries and policies and so on and so forth. In the green field areas, we want to bring in the public-private sector, partner with it and do things which are not being done by the private sector alone at present.

Sir, those are the basic outlines and are not an imitation of what you have seen before.

 I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Mucheleka (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, there is a lot of poverty, inequality and unemployment. Could I get His Honour the Vice-President’s view with regard to specific short term and long-term strategies which this Government intends to use to respond to the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker that is a subject for a full ministerial statement on economic and employment policies.

Sir, if I begin to lecture on that subject now, we will arrive at the entire 30 minutes having not achieved anything. Of course, that question is based on economic growth, restructuring and also picking out the labour-intensive industries like tourism and small-scale agriculture. However, I cannot extend the list which is very lengthy and substantial. I would rather promise this House that we will consult among ourselves and produce a detailed statement which can take up to an hour of this House.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, I would like an honest answer on whether His Honour the Vice-President, who is also Leader of Government Business in the House, shares the same view as the Republican President who says that all those talking about the Constitution should be ignored. What is your position, His Honour the Vice-President?

Mr Deputy Speaker: I will not allow His Honour the Vice-President to answer that question because I made a ruling yesterday to the effect that the hon. Minister of Justice should issue a ministerial statement on that matter.

Mr Kunda (Muchinga): Mr Speaker, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, was out of the country trying to woe investors to come and invest in our country. However, I saw on Muvi TV a senior PF Member of Parliament, who is also a Cabinet Minister, calling investors rats.

Interruptions

Mr Kunda: Sir, I would like to find out if investors have now become rats under this Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I am not aware of the story to which the hon. Questioner is referring. However, he could,

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

The Vice-President: … perhaps, refer me to the date of that particular article and I can attempt an answer.

Sir, I want to consol Hon. Request Muntanga who has been waiting for His Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time for two months, but now that it has come, his question is disallowed.

Interruptions

The Vice-President: Sir, I want to assure him that when we come with that statement on the Constitution …

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

The Vice-President remained standing.

Mr Deputy Speaker: His Honour the Vice-President, I have ruled that the hon. Minister of Justice will come up with a ministerial statement on the matter of the Constitution. So, let us not dwell on that issue. You may continue.

The Vice-President: Sir, we shall make sure that the television is here, and you can talk as much as you like.

Hon. UPND Members: Aah!

The Vice-President: That is all I am trying to tell him.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Mphande (Mkushi North): Mr Speaker, the previous Government abolished crop levies in the councils. Does the PF Government intend to re-introduce the levies to help cushion the revenue base in the councils?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, we shall deal with each case on its own merits.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Hamududu (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, the local authorities in this country are performing very poorly as evidenced by uncollected garbage, poor drainage systems, urban roads and lighting, salary and pension arrears for workers and pensioners as well as disorganised urban development. I would like to find out what the PF Government is doing to shape up the councils, especially that the councils are currently controlled from the centre.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Questioner for an excellent description of what it was like to be a councillor in the Lusaka City Council during the last five years of the presidency. I agree that things have not changed from being that bad to very good, but we are implementing various policies, particularly the Decentralisation Policy to try to improve the situation. I thank him for his description, but we did not start that situation or bring the councils to where they are at the moment. There have been problems building up over the years and we are now trying to clean out the stables.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ndalamei (Sikongo): His Honour the Vice-President, when is your Government going to remove the police officers who are guarding Chief Chitimukulu’s Palace and allow him to live in his palace comfortably?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, we are monitoring the situation …

Hon. Opposition Members interjected.

The Vice-President: … and will increase or reduce the number of police officers in any particular place in Zambia accordingly, as we assess the risks to everybody concerned, whether he be chief, claiming the chieftaincy or just a simple humbug or yeoman.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mushanga (Bwacha): Mr Speaker, can His Honour the Vice-President update this House and the country on what the Government is doing about the many problems that the workers at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) have been facing for a long time now.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, from the outset, I will say that the KCM issue is complicated and this House needs to know quite a lot about it in order to help us sort it out. I think we can promise that in the next two weeks, a statement from the ministries responsible for mines and finance will enlighten us on that issue.

Sir, we are keeping a very careful eye on the KCM. There are some very strange things happening there and it seems that the KCM has taken a lot of money out of the country. It seems that it has liabilities in excess of US$1.5 million. As a Zambian company, they have not paid their creditors and have not repaid their loans from the banks. They also owe other mining companies money for the concentrates that they have processed and that is threatening various companies also with reduced production and increased costs. There are other strange things happening. By the way, we have discovered that there are two companies called Vedanta. One owns the KCM here in Zambia and it is a private company which is not bound by the London Stock Exchange’s demands or the Financial Services Authority in Britain. It is not bound by their regulations in terms of disclosure. So, this organisation is actually hiding information from us, which is very sad. It seems as if it does not mind heading to a situation where bankruptcy or receivership is entailed. Preferably, from its point of view, it would like its liabilities, which it has deliberately built up, to be taken on by the Government of Zambia. This would blow a hole in our Budget. So, I would plead with all hon. Members of this Parliament to treat this as a matter of national importance. It is a very big issue. It is not an issue concerning a small mine in the Lower Zambezi or something like that, but is a matter that is concerned with tens of billions of kwacha that we stand to lose if we do not stand together and show that we will not be taken for a ride. That is all I wish to say at this juncture except, perhaps, to inform the Opposition that the owner of Vedanta Plc is Anil Agarwal who is the chairman and founder and is buying Vedanta shares at the moment. If you could explain to me what is going on, I would be very grateful.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katambo (Masaiti): Mr Speaker, could His Honour the Vice-President mention specific areas where money saved from subsidies will go.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, if I were to give the hon. Member some free money and he mixes it with what he has and then later I ask him where it has gone, he would not be able to tell me because the free money will be together with the money that is already in his pocket. He cannot distinguish that this one note came from His Honour the Vice-President and so on and so forth.

Sir, I have said before during the Vice-President’s Question Time that it is an improvement in general revenues or a reduction in general expenditures that entails the removal of the subsidies which leads to an increase in efficiency. We do not track all the maize that is leaving the country for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We can only track half of it. The same goes for all the fertiliser going to Malawi. We are only able to track, maybe, 10 per cent of it. So, we are getting improved efficiency in the distribution of goods. We are making savings from the removal of subsidies so that we can think about spending it on better and cheaper secondary education and things like that. Therefore, it is not a matter of saying that this kwacha that we took off a particular bag of mealie-meal is going to this particular expenditure. These things are done in totality.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, the primary objective for the removal of subsidies on the prices of fuel and agricultural inputs was to balance the act for those that were deemed to be very poor. The PF Government indicated that this measure would remove the advantage from the rich over these particular commodities. I would like to know whether this transfer mechanism has actually happened as a result of the removal of subsidies. Further, can His Honour the Vice-President confirm that Zambian people are now very comfortable with the price of those two commodities, that is, maize and fuel.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, as the hon. Questioner well knows, it is a gradual process. I will try to give him an answer so that he can also consol his neighbour on his left who did not get an answer to his question.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the point is that, for example, in our Budget for this year, we have considerable quantities of money for the Social Cash Transfer Scheme. It has gone up by something like 800 per cent. We are now rolling out this programme to the different corners of Zambia. It is a process that was tested during MMD time in office and it has been continued by us, the PF. It was found to be an effective way of targeting the poor, especially those who are disabled and are unable to work.

Sir, we can see that as the level of water in one category goes down, in another one, it comes up. So, the specific answer on the impact of taking away fertiliser subsidies, which is only 50 per cent of the cost, is that it has improved the targeted cash transfers in rural areas. So, there is an example of what logic says should be done and what we are doing.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, sometime back, there was an announcement that, henceforth, the Government would pay councillors salaries. Sometime last week, councillors from Kalabo and Sikongo districts came to the area headquarters to get their money, but were not given. The councillors have, therefore, asked me to ask His Honour the Vice-President whether this was another issue of donchi kubeba. If not, when are the councillors going to be paid this money, including the arrears?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member knows the answer to that question. They will be paid, including arrears, when funds are made available.

Thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Chishimba (Kamfinsa): Mr Speaker, my question has been overtaken by events.

Mr L. J. Ngoma (Sinda): Mr Speaker, during the last sitting of the House, the hon. Member of Parliament for Muchinga asked His Honour the Vice-President when he was going to resign, considering that the PF Government and him as the Vice-President had lamentably failed.

Hon. PF Members: Question!

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Two to three months have passed now and the PF has continued to fail the Zambian people as evidenced by a number of things. May I find out what the results of those consultations have been and when he is going to resign.

Mr Deputy Speaker: The hon. Member for Mkaika.

Laughter

Mr Phiri (Mkaika): Mr Speaker, mealie-meal prices are too high in most parts of the country, including Katete. A 25 kg bag is going at K70 to K75, which is unaffordable to most poor people in my area. What is the Government doing to make this commodity affordable?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, firstly, I think that we should back peddle a bit on this political habit of making everything sound as if it were a life-threatening disaster. I have a mobile phone number which is accessible all over Zambia and people know it. It is even written on the walls of pubs in Solwezi. It was also given to people who asked my boss when we were campaigning. When they asked him what his phone number was, he gave them my number. So, I get a lot of Short Message Service (SMS’s) every day. I assure this House and you that the main topic of these SMS’s, which are complaints to the Vice-President, is the cost of education which runs way in excess of the price of even three or four bags of mealie-meal a month. This myth that comes from the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era that mealie-meal must be cheaper than sand has been ‘killing’ our agriculture for a long time.

Interruptions

The Vice-President: At one stage, around 1990 or 1991, mealie-meal was cheaper than building materials like sand. When there was an attempt made to lift the price in line with inflation, there was rioting because everyone had been taught that the language of our discourse should be mealie-meal, mealie-meal and mealie-meal all the time. Never mind that the price of bread has failed to come down, even though we removed Value Added Tax (VAT) on it. Nobody cares how much they pay for a loaf of bread because they have been programmed to think in terms of the price of mealie-meal. Now, I would say …

Mr L. J. Ngoma: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, His Honour the Vice-President is comparing mealie-meal to sand, and yet people in this country do not feed on sand. Mealie-meal is a very essential commodity. If anything, it is the staple food of this country. Is he in order to trivialise the question by the hon. Member of Parliament for Mkaika by answering in such a way? I seek your serious ruling.

Mr Deputy Speaker: His Honour the Vice-President, can you address that issue since you are on the Floor.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I am just comparing prices. People also live in houses made of cement and sand, which are basic commodities. I just want to say that the Hon. Questioner is also aware that in all the areas of East and Central Africa, in countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, maize is in very short supply. The critical issue this year, and I was very worried for a while, was that we were going to take a beating on the crop, but we are not. Due to these increased prices, more people are planting the crop. Commercial farmers are coming back to maize farming and we are getting back to being the bread basket of Central Africa.

I thank you very much, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, His Honour the Vice-President said that the Opposition hon. Members of Parliament who are serving in his Government were authorised to do so by their political parties.

Mr Speaker, is he not aware that for the United Party for National Development (UPND) in particular, all those who are serving in his Government have been expelled and are surviving by way of injunctions? Is he not aware that they were not authorised and are no longer members of the UPND?

What is your comment, His Honour the Vice-President?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for that information.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, it is imperative that our three international airports obtain state-of-the-art drug-detection equipment. The Government has been offered this equipment by a known South American country. However, it turned down this free offer in preference to US$3 million sub-standard and outdated Chinese-made body scanners and the contract has been awarded to Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Company (ZTE) without following tender procedures.

Mr Speaker, could His Honour the Vice-President care to enlighten this House and the people of Zambia on the rationale behind this decision, especially in view of the fact that we are in dire need of revenue to fight hunger and poverty.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, if he can bring the question in more detail, I will go into it and give him the answer in the next session of the Vice-President’s Question Time if we will all be present.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mweetwa (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, not too long ago, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cleared the former Minister of Defence, Hon. Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), and the hon. Minister of Justice of corruption allegations. Later on, corruption allegations against the former Minister of Defence have started agian. Should we, therefore, question the integrity of the ACC and also treat Hon. Kabimba as a suspect.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, how would a politician, Vice-President and member of the Executive conclude anything about the ACC without somehow delving into it? I do not know what the answer to that is. Anyway, this particular incident, now being referred to, is being handled by the Police and not the ACC. I would have to take a look and answer that quite intelligent question. I am not objecting to the question, but I am trying to explain the difficulties I have in answering it.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Mr Speaker, in light of the political violence which we are experiencing in Katuba, I would like to find out from His Honour the Vice-President whether he does not feel that it is important for members of the PF to be identified by some form of registration because, at the moment, anyone can claim to be a member of the PF. What would his comment be on that?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, let us be realistic. Anyone can pretend to be a member of the UPND, MMD, National Restoration Party (NAREP) and Communist Party of Zambia by simply buying a card for K5. What is the reality of having identification?

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1045 hours until 1100 hours.

[MR DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, the PF is now in the third year of governing. When is it going to bring to this House the Freedom of Information Bill?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, it is under active consideration by the system at the moment. I promise, promise and promise that it is being processed, Sir.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

_______________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MUSELE-MATEBO GMA

273. Mr Mwanza (Solwezi West) asked the Minister of Tourism and Art:

(a) when the Musele-Matebo Game Management Area (GMA) would commence operations;

(b) who would manage the GMA; and

(c) what had caused the delay in the GMA commencing operations.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism and Art (Mr Evans): Mr Speaker, the Musele-Matebo GMA has not been de-gazetted. Therefore, the GMA is operational. The hon. Member may further wish to know that there are three categories of protected areas in the GMA.

These are:

(a) primary, with abundant animals;

(b) secondary, with enough animals; and

(c) under stocked, with very few animals.

Unfortunately, the Musele-Matebo GMA is understocked. Therefore, it will remain closed to hunting activities.

Mr Speaker, the responsibility to manage GMAs in Zambia lies in the hands of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). As such, ZAWA officers from Solwezi are responsible for protecting the GMA.

Mr Speaker, as stated above, there is no delay in commencing operations in the GMA since the area is not de-gazetted. What is not taking place though is the hunting because it was banned and there will be no hunting until the ban has been lifted. However, even if hunting was authorised, the area would still remain closed until the animal population increased to secondary or primary levels.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Pande (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, the Matebo-Musele GMA is one of the GMAs which were richly endowed with wildlife. Is the ministry not considering managing the GMA with the private sector as is the trend in many countries rather than leaving it to the Government? Are you considering inviting private investors to join hands with the Government to manage the GMA?

Mr Evans: Mr Speaker, we will try to see if we can bring the private sector on board.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.
 
WESTERN PROVINCE CANALS

274. Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication:

(a) how many canals in the Western Province were cleared between 2010 and 2013, year by year;

(b) of the cleared canals, how many were in Kalabo Central Parliamentary Constituency;

(c) what the total cost of clearing the canals in the Western Province in 2013 was; and

(d) when the canals in Kalabo District would next be cleared.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, the Western Province has a total of 1,910 known canals. However, 1,557 km have been worked on between 2010 and 2013. Canal clearing and maintenance is usually done either manually using hand-held tools or mechanically using dredging machines.

Sir, currently, there is only one dredging machine in the province which is not adequate to cover all the districts. This has led to most of the canals being cleared manually.

Details of the clearing and maintenance of canals in the Western Province are as follows:

 Year   Distance Cleared (km)
 
 2010 290

 2011 950

 2012 300

 2013 17

Mr Speaker, only 17 km of canals have so far been cleared since last year due to the fact that the dredging machine, which was supposed to do most of the work, has broken down. This has led to most of the funds meant for the clearing of canals being used to repair the dredging machine.

Sir, the clearing of canals using a dredging machine is more effective because canals remain wide and deep enough for a longer time than when they are cleared manually.

Mr Speaker, the lengths of canals cleared in Kalabo Central Parliamentary Constituency are as follows:

 Year Distance Cleared (km)  Amount Spent (ZWK)
 
 2010    70  70,000

 2011 230    230,000

 2012 100     100,000

 2013  Nil Nil

Sir, the total cost of clearing the canals in the Western Province in 2013 is K235,000. Clearing and maintenance of canals in Kalabo District will commence since funds for the exercise have already been sent. In the interim, K100,000 has already been sent to the Western Province for the clearing of canals and the provincial administration, in liaison with the chiefs, has been asked to choose which canals to be worked on.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, the response is very clear. However, I have a simple question. Why does the Government not use a different office other than the District Commissioner’s (DC) Office because what I have observed in Kalabo is that the works are politicised. The DCs engage their cadres …

Mr Deputy Speaker: The question …

Mr Miyutu: The question is: Instead of using the DC’s Office, why does the Government not have an office specifically to deal with canals?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, in every district, there is an entry point. It is entirely up to the district to give us suggestions of methods that they want to use in their districts. Every district has a different approach. They can tell us whether or not they want to go through the DC’s Office and we shall go by what they say.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Antonio (Kaoma Central): Mr Speaker, why does the Government not use the local Government offices, the local councils, to do these jobs?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, just like the case is with roads, we can use the local Government to do the job for us.

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Mr Speaker, may I find out how many canals were dredged from 2010 to 2013 or has the dredging machine not been functional from 2010 and, therefore, nothing has happened?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, it is difficult to go canal by canal. We normally work in terms of the number of kilometres that have been cleared.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ndalamei (Sikongo): Mr Speaker, what should we do to your DCs if they just employ PF cadres to clear the canals and leave out people from other parties?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, the DCs are not in charge of dredging machines. They are under my ministry. If you have any questions to ask, come to us.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Hon. Minister, your DCs in the Western Province are making you very unpopular.

Hon. Government Member: Question!

Dr Kaingu: They are simply politicking and doing nothing else.

Hon. Member: What is your question?

Dr Kaingu: When are you going to employ qualified men and women to do this work instead of using the DCs who are simply politicking?

Colonel Kaunda: Mr Speaker, maybe, we had too much tea.

Laughter

Colonel Kaunda: When I was answering the last question, the hon. Member had stepped outside.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: KK!

KALABO CENTRAL STREET LIGHTING

275. Mr Miyutu asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing:

(a) why the street lighting project in Kalabo Central Parliamentary Constituency had stalled; 

(b) when the works on the project would resume;

(c) what the timeframe for completing the project was;

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

(e) whether the distance between the street light poles met the minimum standards and, if not, why.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr N. Banda): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the august House that the works were procured by the Provincial Administration in conjunction with the Building Engineer’s Office. According to the Provincial Administration, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) could not light the street lights after the project had been completed because there were flaws in the works that were identified through the bill of quantities (BoQ).

Mr Speaker, the works will resume as soon as the Provincial Administration and contractor, African Power System Limited, resolve issues of the extra works. The time frame for the project is six weeks.

Sir, the cost of the project was K103,198. The distance between the street light poles does not meet the standard minimum distance of between 30 m or 35 m and maximum distance of 50 m. It was found that the specifications in the BoQ did not meet this standard.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, this work has stalled for one year. The question is: Was there any BoQ raised? If the BoQ was raised, how come there are extra works that need to be done?

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, in my response, I indicated that the work had some flaws. Some works were left out that were later identified. We cannot respond in detail to the technical failure of this project because it was procured under the Provincial Administration.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Mr Speaker, the poles that were used for the street lighting in Kalabo are of a poor quality. They do not look like they can stand for the next two or three years. This situation is the same in almost all parts of the country. Is the ministry thinking of changing the quality of the street lighting poles which are being erected? If they will not be changed, this project will end up a waste of resources.

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, that is a technical question. I indicated that we cannot go into the details of the technical failure of the BoQ which was implemented. However, now that this has been brought to our attention, as Ministry of Local Government and Housing, we will follow up the project and ensure that it is successful because street lighting is our baby.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, I believe the hon. Member of Parliament for Chipata Central has no technical expertise in determining the quality of a pole, but probably just used his sight to determine that this pole may not last for two years. What is so technical about a pole that you cannot explain to this House what the problem really is? I feel that you are hiding behind the word “technical”. What is technical about a street pole?

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, I am reluctant to delve into technical issues.

Laughter

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, what is technical about a street lighting pole is that the installation of street lights is technical work. However, the project in question was not directly procured by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. Therefore, it still remains that the technical flaws that were found should be looked at and corrected now that they have been brought to the attention of the ministry.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, the ministry only released K200,000 in some cases, which is just enough for lighting a kilometre of streets. Does the ministry have a budget for the extra kilometres to be covered for street lighting in some of the councils?

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, street lighting is an on-going project in most of the districts. Therefore, the ministry will continue to budget for it in order to increase the coverage in different districts.

I thank you, Sir.

MWANDI DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

276. Dr Kaingu asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing:

(a) what progress with regard to infrastructure development at the Mwandi District Headquarters had been made; and

(b) when staff for Mwandi District Council would be employed.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Tembo): Mr Speaker, the Government has started the process of preparing detailed layout plans for key infrastructure in Mwandi District. Once the process has been finalised, the Government will embark on the construction of infrastructure in Mwandi District.

Mr Speaker, the Government, through the Local Government Service Commission, has already appointed key staff for Mwandi District Council who are yet to be deployed once all the operational funds have been made available to commence operations.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, this is yet another problem that is being created by the DC in Mwandi. The site for Mwandi District Administration Office is very far from where there is water. Considering the situation that this Government is in, the district administration office will not be built.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

What is your question?

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, the question is: What is the Government going to do with the DC who is undermining it? He has moved the site for the district administration office from where there is water to somewhere in the shatini, in the forest.

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, that is a very good concern. I can promise you that we have taken note of that issue. Suffice it to say that that was a prerogative which was given to the local people, especially the local authority, to discuss the issue of the location with the stakeholders. That was done within the district but, since you have raised that concern, we shall try to make a follow up so that we can correct the situation.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out the prudence and rationale behind the recruitment and posting of firemen and women to almost all the councils in the country where there are no fire tenders and fire extinguishers, and yet councils are supposed to meet the wage bills of these workers? What is the prudence and rationale behind this irresponsible recruitment?

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, we have taken your concern …

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Let there be order on my left.

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, we have actually taken a swipe at the district councils over the employment of staff. What we have done so far is that we have summoned the Local Government Service Commissioners so that they can come up with a strategy to enable them to co-ordinate with the councils and the ministry in terms of allocating staff in district local authorities.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, going by the hon. Member for Mwandi’s question on the location of the office for Mwandi District Administration, is it not fair to state that the authorities there went to find a site for the office without the knowledge of the hon. Member of Parliament. Was that not an anomaly?

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, I would not comment on that because I do not have proof as to whether the hon. Member of Parliament was consulted or not. However, according to the procedures, all the stakeholders, including the hon. Member of Parliament who is also a councillor at that council, are supposed to attend these important consultative meetings.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, it is generally believed that when the centre fails to hold, things fall apart.

Sir, by his own admission, the hon. Minister says that there is no co-ordination between the Local Government Service Commission, his ministry and the councils. Is he aware that councils such as Kasama Municipal Council have not paid their workers for close to a year? If he is aware, why can they not overturn the arbitrary and irresponsible employment of fire tenders in the councils?

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, let me correct the hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central. He should not put words in my mouth. I did not state that. Suffice it to say that we are dealing with Mwandi Constituency which is a district. So, I would urge the hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central to file in a question for oral answer and we shall come up with a proper answer.

I thank you, Sir.

IMPLEMENTATION OF 2010 AGRICULTURE CREDITS ACT

278. Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock:

(a) when the Agriculture Credits Act of 2010 would be implemented; and

(b) why the Act had not been implemented since its enactment in 2010.

The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Sichinga): Mr Speaker, the Agricultural Credits Act will only be effected after comprehensive consultations have been completed. The Act also empowers the Minister to issue a statutory instrument (SI) that will enable the delegation of the powers of the Warehousing Licensing Authority (WLA) to a selected entity. That SI would have to be issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock.

Sir, consultations so far have indicated that the cost of setting up this authority would be high and could even be in conflict with other laws, including those that are currently in operation in the ministry such as the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Mr Speaker, the Agricultural Credits Act has not been implemented because of the lengthy consultative processes and the need to avoid the creation of a huge costly institution which is the WLA, as I indicated above. This authority would essentially implement the Warehouse Receipt System. It has been felt that an existing institution should be delegated these functions to administer the Warehouse Receipt System.

Sir, those processes have included the harmonisation of the different laws so that we do not have duplication or even an overlap of these functions. This is the reason there has been this delay and we hope that the process will be concluded this year and we can proceed onto effecting the changes that are necessary.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Livune: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, when good things are done, we must acknowledge them.

Sir, is Hon. Limata in order not to move to Hon. Shichinga’s seat to help him answer questions like she did when she was helping Hon. Forrie Tembo?

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, was there any diligence study pertaining to the enactment of this Act now that the hon. Minister is giving reasons for its not being effected? That is drawing us backwards.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, it is difficult for me to respond to that question because, as will be evident from the age of the Act, this was outside the current Government’s term of office. I am not able, hon. Member of Parliament for Monze Central, to indicate whether or not there was a due diligence.

However, Sir, even if one was undertaken, it is quite clear that from the point of view of implementation, the review that has been undertaken is what triggered the need for us to review and consult further on the implementation of the Act itself. That is exactly what we have done. In fact, at the moment, some feedback is being awaited from the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) together with an organisation called ZMAS that are supposed to help to effect this change.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, governments come and go. The Civil Service and all the stakeholders in the formulation of Bills usually remain.

Ms Imenda: Technocrats.

Mr Nkombo: The technocrats. If the hon. Minister is very sure about these bottlenecks that he is speaking about regarding this Act, would he not be prudent enough to indicate that they intend to repeal it so that it comes out of the statutes, especially that he indicated that the biggest bottleneck is that the authority will be too big and expensive to run.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, in fact, the suggestion of the hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central is exactly why we are doing the consultation process. We think that arising from there we will have the benefit of a wider audience to ensure that when we make the changes, they will be acceptable to all the parties.

I thank you, Sir.

ZAMBIA /ANGOLA BORDER CORDON GUARDS

279. Mr Ndalamei asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock:

(a) what the reasons for retrenching all the cordon guards along the cordon line on the Zambia/Angola Border were;

(b) what the status of the Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in the Western Province was, as of October, 2013; and

(c) when the ban on transporting cattle from the Western Province to Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces would be lifted.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, the cordon guards who were manning that cordon line were retrenched in 1997 as part of the re-organisation that took place then. As a result of that, there was nobody to look after the cordon line.

Consequently, the cordon line has been vandalised and it has become too costly to maintain the kind of damage that has occurred there.

Further, the CBPP has spread into Zambia. As I indicated, the ministry underwent a restructuring process that caused the downsizing of the staff complement. Consequently, we were no longer able to sustain the cordon line.

Sir, as at October, 2013, the prevalence rate of the CBPP in the Western Province stood at about 1 per cent. The lifting of the ban on transporting cattle from the province to Lusaka and the Copperbelt provinces, which has been on for almost seventeen years, is linked to the eradication of the CBPP in the Western Province. Although this disease has been contained to a large extent, it has not been entirely eradicated. Once the disease is eradicated in the Western Province, the movement of cattle from the province will be authorised. However, in the meantime, what is currently permitted is the transportation of carcasses only.

Mr Speaker, in fact, we have gone a step further and sent a team of staff to Italy to learn how we can deal with any outstanding disease situations. Once it has returned and given us the final position in terms of what we can do, our intention is to review this ban because we know that it has got economic and social implications on our people. Seventeen years without any review has been a very long time. Therefore, we want to do that now. I am hoping that, probably, by mid this year, we will have had a position and the personnel to manage the lifting of the ban.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, what measures is the Government taking to prevent animals from moving from Angola to Zambia since the cordon line is no longer operational?

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, that point is valid. In fact, we are concerned about it. Let me digress a little by pointing out the dangers that this poses due to the recent experience that we have had in this country regarding the African Swine Fever. That was the biggest outbreak of the African Swine Fever we have ever had. This has taught us a number of lessons. We are drawing from this experience to ensure that the disease does not recur. Without a cordon line, it is extremely difficult to control the movement of animals.

Sir, it is also worth pointing out that the borders with our neighbours are very long. It is not just in the Western Province, but also in other areas such as the Southern Province. At least, in this case, there is a river along the border. With the DRC, it is very difficult to sustain the ban because the border is porous. We are reviewing it in order to see how we can reinstate the ban and the cordon line. As I have promised, we hope that by mid this year, we will have a position in terms of the way forward.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simfukwe (Mbala): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out if the hon. Minister will be willing to go back and interrogate his officials properly on why the cordon line was abandoned. I am saying so because the answer they gave him may not be accurate. This coincided with the end of donor support from the European Union (EU) in that area. I suspect that the hon. Minister has not been given the full information on why the donors stopped supporting the maintenance of that cordon line.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, I think I have explained that issue. I said that at the moment, we are in the process of reviewing this. In fact, we have gone to the extent of sending a team of people to Italy to be trained to see how we can handle it. The particular dates that I have here are that in 1997, there was a retrenchment exercise to restructure the ministry. I am hoping that as we carry out the review, what may have happened will be evident. We need to find out where the gaps are and how we can overcome those challenges. I would like to assure the hon. Member for Mbala that if there are any mistakes in the dates that have been given to me or the reasons this was done, that will come out in the review that we are undertaking.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, the problem of the CBPP in the Western Province seems to be perpetual. I wonder whether the ministry is considering working with the Angolan Government to tackle this issue together rather than just on one side of the border.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, that is also a very valid point. In fact, any disease situation on our borders would require a combined effort from both sides. We will certainly take that into consideration.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, let me thank the hon. Minister for his answers. In one of his answers, he indicated that some training has been facilitated for staff to go to Italy to gather some knowledge on how to deal with the matter at hand, if I got him correctly.

Going by the dichotomous nature of the prevailing climatic conditions between Italy and Zambia, would it not have been prudent for the hon. Minister to send his staff to Botswana that has recorded a successful story about the management of cattle diseases, and especially that Botswana also does share common borders with some of the countries where these diseases is seemingly coming from?

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, it is just that I have not given all the details. We are actually collaborating with Botswana at the moment. In fact, some of the vaccines that we use in this country come from Botswana.

Sir, the first thing we did is that the hon. Deputy Minister visited the Western Province to assess the situation on the ground. Unfortunately, when we were responding to this question, he was not around. I would have liked him to respond to it. He would have given us the details of what is actually being done on the ground. We have not just stopped there. We have just sent some officers to Italy. We have also asked for assistance from our colleagues in Brazil. It is part of the agreement that we have with them. I visited Brazil and went to Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) to see if we can tap into their technology in gene control. I would also like to indicate that previously, before the PF Government came into office, there was a vaccine production plant at Balmoral Research Station. I was hon. Member of Parliament for Kafue then.

Sir, for some unknown reason, this was disposed of and transferred to Malawi. Now, we have to bring some of the vaccines from Malawi where the very research that we had carried out in this country is. I am not in a position to indicate why the previous Government did what it did. I am merely indicating what happened. I am not explaining why it happened that way. One of the considerations we have at the moment is to revamp that research station. This is why we are seeking assistance from those that have got good disease control such as Brazil. They have been more successful in this case than Botswana. We are, therefore, drawing from all these experiences to ensure that we relieve the pressure that is on our people in the Western Province so that they can get better money for the crops and livestock assets that they have.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, the cordon line in Shang’ombo is not only for disease control purposes, but is also used as a security measure for those who actually track animals from the other areas. I am mindful that there are some materials that were bought and are already in this area. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether there is a way in which the parts of the cordon line that were destroyed could be repaired using the materials that are already in the area.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, the reports that we have are that the extent of the damage is so significant that we would not be able to do a patch job. We would have to put up a completely new cordon line. Even after we have done that, it will need to be manned. This is why we need to conduct a holistic review of what we are doing. So, while we acknowledge that there are some materials that we use, they are not sufficient to take care of all this.

 Sir, let me add that the cordon line is a very useful demarcation for the reasons that the hon. Member of Parliament has indicated. So, it is necessary that we reinstate it. However, this will need the collaboration of others within the province. At the same time, let me take note of what Hon. Pande has said that there is a need for collaboration on both sides of the border. This is what we are currently working on and that is why we said that we will need more time. By mid this year, we will be able to indicate to the House how far we will have gone.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify whether the MMD Government sold the research on the CBPP or the equipment itself just like Dunlop was sold to Zimbabwe. Can I have clarification on this.

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, the information that is available to me, both as former Member of Parliament for Kafue as well as Minister, at the moment is that the research station was moved from Zambia to Malawi as a consequence of some kind of regional rationalisation. So, at the moment, Malawi is the centre for that particular research station, including the results that were already obtained in this country.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has stated that the prevalence rate of the disease in the Western Province is 1 per cent. Is there any mechanism which can be improvised by the Government to enable 99 per cent of the animals …
 
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Miyutu: … to be transported to Lusaka?

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Mr Sichinga: Mr Speaker, sometimes, the spirit is very willing, but the realities on the ground are different. I think the experience we had from the African Swine Fever clearly established that unless you undertake an analysis and take blood samples from every single animal, it is not possible to know which might be a carrier and where it might be located. In fact, there was a long debate in this House when this particular matter was brought up about how animals in the Eastern Province were infected and why there was no form of compensation. Those are the issues that were raised. The problem that we have is that in some areas, the disease becomes endemic and also the animals develop immunity.

Sir, at the moment, we are not in a position to indicate which areas are in a position where we can safely transport the 99 per cent live animals that the hon. Member referred to. This is why we are sending staff to go and learn how we can undertake this on a scientific basis to ensure that we relieve the pressure. I want to assure you that this matter was being discussed even before this question was raised. We are already discussing this matter seriously so that we can relieve the pressure on the people. We are aware that this problem has economic and social implications.  We want to ensure that as we try to eradicate the disease, we do not spread it and, therefore, have a situation where we are going backwards by putting a ban on it again.

So, Mr Speaker, I want to assure this House that we are actively following this matter and we intend to tackle it properly.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned that the equipment used to eradicate this disease was moved to Malawi. I would like to find out from him whether this equipment came in the form of a donation or it belonged to Malawi.

Mr Sichinga: Sir, this question was not specifically on the Balmoral Research Station. However, I am aware that even the staff that were working there also moved to Malawi. What we have managed to retrieve out of the situation is that the station was, to a large extent, supported by donors, in particular the Indian Government that had offered technical assistance and each country had to pick up from there. We do not know why the research station did not remain in Zambia since it was already established and why it was moved to Malawi. What we have at the moment is a gene bank for livestock. We intend to get some assistance from the EMBRAPA in Brazil which has experience in this area so that we can develop that institution. Hopefully, we can start to look at how we can develop the genes, immunities as well as vaccines that are necessary for our livestock. However, we will probably have to learn from Botswana, Angola and Brazil how we can undertake this work so that we can contain the problems in specific areas. So, that is what we are working on at the moment, hon. Member for Namwala. I hope you are listening to what I am saying.

Thank you, Sir.

SISHEKANU LOCAL COURT IN LIUWA

280. Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa) asked the Minister of Justice:

(a) whether the money appropriated in the 2011 Budget for the rehabilitation of Sishekanu Local Court in Liuwa Parliamentary Constituency was disbursed;

(b) if the money was disbursed, what had caused the delay in commencing the rehabilitation works; and

(c) when rehabilitation works would commerce.

The Deputy Minister of Justice (Mr Mukata): Mr Speaker, I wish to confirm to the House that Sishekanu Local Court in Kalabo District was initially earmarked for rehabilitation in the 2011 Budget. The money was, in fact, duly disbursed.

Sir, Sishekanu Local Court was not rehabilitated because, as a matter of priority, the funds were instead used to construct Litapuya Local Court within the same district.

Mr Speaker, funds permitting, the rehabilitation works for Sishekanu Local Court will be done in 2015.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, to the best of my knowledge, there is no court that was constructed at Litapuya. So, could the hon. Minister explain where the money went.

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, the project being undertaken in Litapuya is the construction of the local court. The facts that we have are that it has reached an advanced stage and it is almost at completion stage. So, currently, there are no rehabilitation works at Sishekanu Local Court.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, most courts in Nalolo, Sikongo and Liuwa in the Western Province conduct sessions under trees. What is the ministry going to do in order to provide shelter for the local courts?

Mr Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister answered the question with particular reference to Sishekanu Local Court and not all courts in the Western Province.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, in the 2011 Budget, money was allocated for the rehabilitation of Sishekanu Local Court. Why did the ministry use this money to construct another local court when we are supposed to use an activity-based Budget?

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, under the Appropriation Bill, amounts targeting a particular programme will be consolidated and approved. Litapuya and Sishekanu were both under one programme for rehabilitation and construction, respectively.

Sir, within the confines of the law, the controlling officers are allowed to vary and spend within that programme. This expenditure, therefore, was not spent on cattle restocking, for instance, but on local government projects within the same district.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Antonio: Mr Speaker, I would like to know how much money was spent on the construction of the other court.

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, it is as provided in the Budget for 2011.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, there seems to be a misunderstanding between the two. The hon. Member of Parliament for Liuwa says that the court, which is purported to have been constructed, has not been constructed and neither was there any rehabilitation. Could you come out clearly on that?

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, if those facts do exist, there are channels of verifying. Suffice it to say that we have very competent and seasoned civil servants who will not indulge in falsifying facts. People have gone to inspect the projects.

Sir, as early as this morning, I was in contact with the chief administrator at the Judiciary who informed me that the works are ongoing. In fact, that local court should have been completed by now, save for the fact that there were certain structural programmes in Litapuya. Therefore, if at all there is empirical data that, in fact, the court does not exist at all, that should be brought forth and the relevant institutions will take it up. I do not think that there is anything mystical about it.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mutelo (Lukulu West) Mr Speaker, if I got the hon. Deputy Minister correctly, he said that in the 2011 Budget, money for rehabilitation and construction was allocated for the other court structure in question. He also said that the controlling officer used all the monies for construction. Could that not have been a way of “eating” the money, resulting in Sishekanu Local Court not being rehabilitated. Can the hon. Minister confirm that.

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, I am not going to go on an escapade in wonderland regarding what did and did not happen. I am talking about what has actually happened. The controlling officer was within the confines of the law and it was indicated in the answer that it was a matter of priority.

In fact, Sir, I think that we must appreciate the fact that, now, there are two local courts in the area. Although Sishekanu Local Court has not been rehabilitated, it is in existence. Another local court has been constructed which brings the number of local courts to two. It was, therefore, prudent within the wisdom of the officers to begin to construct and apply the funds. Let me say that at times, when resources are being apportioned for a particular project, in this case Litapuya, it may not be 100 per cent.

In addition, given the priority and urgency of the project, those monies were then diverted within the confines of the law.

I thank you, Sir. {mospagebreak}

Mr Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, in order to help the hon. Member for Liuwa to feel comfortable, are you thinking of providing funds for that particular court? We were told that money had been released for Sishekanu Court in his constituency. 

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, I did say in my answer that in 2015, funds will be mopped up for that particular project.

I thank you, Sir.

FREE HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AGED AND DISABLED

281. Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma) asked the Minister of Health when the Government would start providing free health services to the aged and the disabled.

The Minister of Health (Dr Kasonde): Mr Speaker, the policy of the Government …

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order, on my right!

Please, let the hon. Minister be heard.

 Dr Kasonde: … is to provide free primary health care services to all citizens regardless of their social and economic status. However, where fee-paying is unavoidable, exemptions are provided for the elderly who are sixty-five years and above and children below the age of five and also those suffering from chronic illness.

Sir, regarding the disabled who fall in this safety net, free services are provided based on recommendation from the Social Welfare Department that a particular disabled person is unable to pay for the services.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, in many cases, there are no medicines in hospitals. Suppose an elderly person finds that there is no medicine, will you give money to them to buy medicines elsewhere?

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, in the event that any patient is in need of medicines which are not available, and there is justification to explain that the medicines are essential, then, regardless of age, there is a provision to pay for those medicines. This applies only to those few items which are not normally stocked. If they are stocked, then, it is the mandate of the relevant district to utilise the resources that they are given to purchase them and ensure that a provision is made for health institutions.

I thank you, Sir.

_____

BILLS

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the 
Chair]

THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2013

Clauses 1 and 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬______

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee without amendments:

The Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill, 2013

Third Reading, on Tuesday, 18th February, 2014.

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_____

The House adjourned at 1206 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 18th February, 2014.

WRITTEN REPLY TO QUESTION

LUAPULA PROVINCE APRROVED POLICE OFFICER STAFF ESTABLISHMENT

277. Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe) asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

(a) what the approved establishment for police officers in Luapula Province was, district by district;

(b) whether all the positions on the establishment were filled;

(c) if not, what plans the Government had to deploy more police officers in the province; and

(d) what the establishment for Ndola and Kitwe districts was in comparison to Luapula Province.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, in response to the question by Hon. Mbulakulima, I wish to inform the House that:

(a) the approved establishment for police officers in Luapula Province by district is 437 though, currently, there are only 353 broken down as follows:

District   No. of Officers

Mwense    39
Chiengi    17
Mansa    107
Samfya    64
Nchelenge   49
Kawamba    54
Lunga District 
Chipili District  10
Mwansabombwe District  13
Milenge 
Chembe 

(b) Regrettably, not all the positions on the establishment are filled.

(c) The Zambia Police Service will deploy some officers in areas where there are gaps to beef up the existing personnel after the current recruits that are undergoing training graduate. For the long term, a permanent establishment will be developed and officers deployed on a permanent basis.

(d) The establishment for Ndola and Kitwe Districts are as follows:

District   No. of Officers

Ndola      870
Kitwe    863

I thank you, Sir.