Thursday, 10^th November, 2016

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

___________

 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

 

DELEGATION FROM THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to acquaint you with the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of the following hon. Members of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline, and a member of staff from the Parliament of Uganda:

 

Hon. Clement Kenneth Ongalo Obota, Leader of the Delegation

 

Hon. Abbas Agaba

 

Hon. Richards Oriebo Oseku

 

Hon. Gaster Kyawa Mugowa

 

Hon. Stella Namoe Nyomera

 

Hon. Onesmus Kuteesa Pecos

 

Hon. Susan Katono

 

Ms Eunice Akongo, Secretary to the delegation

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: On behalf the National Assembly of Zambia, I receive our distinguished guests and warmly welcome them in our midst.

 

Thank you.

 

__________

 

MOTIONS

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM ON THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE PARIS AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Mr Belemu (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism on the Approval of the Proposal to Ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 9^th November, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

 

Amb. Malanji (Kwacha): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, in order to acquaint itself with the provisions and ramifications of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, your Committee sought both written and oral submissions from relevant stakeholders. Your Committee’s findings are in its report, which I sincerely hope all hon. Members have had time to read, as that will help us make an informed decision. I will, therefore, highlight only the salient issues that arose from your Committee’s deliberations.

 

Sir, pursuant to Article 63 of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, and Section 5 of the Ratification of International Agreements Act No. 34 of 2016, your Committee was mandated to receive submissions and make recommendations to the House on the proposal for approval of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. One of the provisions of Article 63 of the Constitution is that the National Assembly will oversee the performance of the Executive functions by approving international agreements before they are ratified.

 

Mr Speaker, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was adopted on 12^th December, 2015, at the 21^st Session of the Conference of Parties held in Paris, France. It is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which deals with greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation, adaptation and financing for climate change programmes and projects. The agreement commits its parties to implementing ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects while promoting sustainable development. It builds upon the UNFCCC and brings all nations into a common cause to make ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects with enhanced support to developing countries. As such, it charts a new course in the global response to climate change.

                                              

Sir, the agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and keep this century’s global temperature rise well below 2ºC above the pre-industrial levels and to make efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5ºC. Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

 

Mr Speaker, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is applicable to all parties based on their contributions, which each party formulates through a country-driven process outlining the country’s contribution and requirements. In this regard, in 2015, Zambia submitted her nationally determined contribution, which has both adaptation and mitigation components. There are sixteen priority programmes for Zambia to implement in its nationally determined contributions. Of the sixteen, three are on mitigation while thirteen are on adaptation. That reflects the country’s focus on adaptation.

 

Sir, for the country to implement the programmes on both adaptation and mitigation by 2030, it will require around US$50 billion. Of that amount, US$35 billion is expected to come from external sources while US$15 billion will come from domestic resources.

 

Mr Speaker, all the stakeholders who appeared before your Committee recommended that the National Assembly approve the proposal for the ratification of the agreement. They also submitted that, as a member of the UNFCCC and an active actor in the formulation of the agreement, it is imperative that Zambia ratifies the agreement.

                       

Mr Speaker, your Committee observes that climate change is one of the biggest environmental challenges that our generation faces. It affects all sectors of life and concerted effort is required to mitigate its effects on the country and the world. By signing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, His Excellency the President demonstrated Zambia’s commitment to taking action in order to safeguard the planet. In addition, the approval of the Climate Change Policy, this year, cements that resolve.

                                                                      

Sir, after scrutinising the agreement and the submissions from the civil society organisations (CSOs) and various Government ministries, your Committee is convinced that the country should ratify the agreement.

                         

Sir, through the collective implementation of the agreement, developing countries like Zambia will be assisted to increase their ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate change resilience and transition into low greenhouse gas emission development. Ultimately, that will ensure environmental integrity, foster social-economic sustainability and help save our planet.

 

Sir, your Committee wishes to point out that ratifying the agreement comes with a number of responsibilities, including demonstrating commitment to meeting the country’s nationally determined contribution by allocating resources annually in the National Budget for adaptation and mitigation projects; taking steps to domesticate the agreement; and putting in place a well-structured, holistic and multi-sectoral institutional framework for managing climate change-related activities.

 

Mr Speaker, for the reasons already mentioned, your Committee recommends that this House approves the proposal to ratify the agreement.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Hon. UPND Member: Ema Chairman, aba!

 

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

 

Amb. Malanji (Kwacha): Now, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion urging the House to adopt the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism on the National Assembly Approval of the Proposal to Ratify the Paris Agreement for the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 9^th November, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, in seconding this very important Motion, I would like to begin by stating that we only have one world and it is the responsibility of every one of us to play our part in preserving and protecting it.

 

Sir, climate change is one of the biggest environmental, social and economic challenges that our world faces and, in order to slow down its effects, it is imperative that all of us take the responsibility to do our part to save the planet.

 

Mr Speaker, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as:

 

“A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variably observed over comparable time periods.”

 

Sir, it is a process that might be caused by a number of natural and human-induced factors, the most relevant of which is the emission of greenhouse gases through human processes. As many systems are tied to climate, a change in the latter can affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live. For example, food production, availability and use of water, and public health can be affected.

 

Mr Speaker, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change brings all nations into a common cause to make ambitious efforts to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort and Zambia, being part of the global environment, needs to commit itself to the fight by ratifying the agreement and domesticating its provisions. I, therefore, join the Chairperson of the Committee in urging this House to approve the proposed ratification of the agreement.

 

Mr Speaker, your Committee has no doubt that the Government is committed to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and will, therefore, take into consideration the recommendations in your Committee’s report.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Amb. Malanji: Mr Speaker, I am sure this vindicates the President and his Executive’s ...

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Aah, in the report?

 

Amb. Malanji: ... decision to create the new ministry.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

Are you still seconding the Motion?

 

Amb. Malanji: Yes, Mr Speaker.

 

Sir, this will vindicate the Executive from the criticisms of young men like Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, who are one step behind.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

This is a very honourable House and you are executing a very serious function. Do not trivialise it.

 

Hon. PF Member: Hammer, hammer, mudala!

 

Laughter

 

Amb. Malanji: Mr Speaker, allow me to end by expressing your Committee’s gratitude to you for the guidance rendered to our Committee during its deliberations. Your Committee is also grateful to the witnesses who appeared before it for their co-operation and input.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

I thank, Sir.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mukata (Chilanga): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to debate this important and urgent matter. Let me also thank the mover and seconder of the Motion for their presentations.

 

Sir, like any international agreement, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change will have its pitfalls in its enforcement. For example, while going through it, I noticed two very critical issues, the first of which is that it does not seem to clearly define or specify the emissions caps for each country. So, quite clearly, enforcement will be a bit of a problem, as was the case with the Kyoto Protocol. My second observation ‒ and, perhaps, this has been the difficulty in terms of the background to such agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol and Copenhagen Agreement ‒ is that this agreement is couched in a loose fashion, that is to say, it is not necessarily fully binding on signatories. So, whereas current governments may have the motivation to follow through on their commitments on the policy trajectory, subsequent administrations may not be equally motivated to do likewise. That is clear from the use of words like ‘may”, ‘encouraged’ and similar discretionary terms.

 

Sir, its non-binding nature notwithstanding, the agreement is still a starting point and a step in the right direction. I think it is the first time that we are seeing consensus of this magnitude at the international level. As the Executive Director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, says, when it comes to issues of climate change, we are in a deep hole today. However, agreements like this one make the sides less steep to climb out.

 

Mr Speaker, let me come to the issue of why, perhaps, we may have challenges in implementing these agreements. One of the reasons is countries, especially poor ones, and China, which is a developing country, have failed to really live up to the agreements because of financial challenges. Obviously, the effects of climate change cuts across a multiplicity of sectors, such as from agriculture to infrastructure. The point is, yes, we have financial commitments, but basically on paper only. So, if there will not be real-time commitment of financial resources, this agreement might just end up being nothing more than a beautiful document on glossy A4 white paper.

 

Sir, in 2009, in Copenhagen, developed countries committed themselves to providing US$20 billion to poor countries for climate adaptation and resilience. That amount was supposed to increase to US$ 100 billion by 2020. However, the commitment has not been honoured and I notice that it has not been inserted in this agreement. This agreement should have included a commitment by the developed countries to release the US$100 billion or whatever amount they are willing to release by 2020. Sometimes, the non-honouring of commitments is the source of problems in these agreements.

 

Mr Speaker, I also wish to state that even as we are taking these initiatives to counter climate change through measures to foster adaptation and resilience, the financing comes with certain hidden arrangements in human resource and technology. For example, many Europeans go to implement projects in the Western Province at great costs when our people should be trained and employed to do that work. So, I hope that the relevant authorities will bring that to the attention of the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and other agencies. Project financing should not be used by our colleagues in developed countries as a platform for employing their people as supervisors and paying them thousands of dollars while our people are only employed as labourers. With regard to technology in climate change resilience and adaptation, we have to be very careful not to underrate the significance of local technological solutions. We, Africans, have faced climate-related challenges for a long time. For example, we have had seasonal floods in the Western Province since time immemorial, and the people there came up with local adaptation technologies, including the digging of canals. However, how are they being improved? How are we taking advantage of climate change by flipping it to the other side and creating employment, and forward and backward linkages? For example, as we make canals in the Western Province, we can put fish in them so that they counter flooding, and become a source of fish and a means of transport.

 

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been undertaking tree planting activities. That is another programme for which we need to create appetite among our people.

 

Mr Miyutu: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mukata: That appetite can only be induced if our people get something out of the activity. For example, we should promote the planting of fruit tress like mangoes? One can drive from Livingstone all the way to Nakonde without seeing a single mango tree. Perhaps, the Ministry of Agriculture should develop seedless mango varieties that we can plant the entire length and breadth of this country. That will be a source of food and an incentive for people to plant trees. So far, tree planting has clearly failed in this country because there is no incentive in it. Let us face it. Even in traditionally farming areas like Chongwe and Chilanga, you will not see a single mango tree. Perhaps, the Government should also work with traditional establishments, …

 

Mr Mutale: Question!

 

Mr Mukata: … such as the headmen, and teachers and pupils, to promote the programme. In fact, tree planting and sustainable use of our forests should be part of the school curriculum from Grade 1 so that people grow up knowing that they cannot just go around cutting trees and destroying the environment.

 

Mr Speaker, the proposed approval of the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is a timing intervention and I support it.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, I also support this very historic report ably presented by the hon. Member for Mbabala and ably supported by the hon. Member for Kwacha.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Sir, this report is historic because it is the first time that this Assembly of the people is actually reflecting critically on one of the activities of the Executive, namely engagement with the world and signing an international agreement that will affect our country. The Constitution now mandates us to debate what the Executive does at the global level. We are also mandated to debate international agreements and treaties to which the Executive commits our country.

 

Mr Speaker, this initiative, being the first of its kind, should raise a lot of concerns in every hon. Member of the House, and I hope that all of us will debate it exhaustively. That said, the question we should ask is: Why is it important for us to debate this initiative? The answer is that this is an opportunity for us to scrutinise the role our country is playing in global events and the implications of that engagement on our citizens. Therefore, this initiative is important because international agreements and treaties afford our country an opportunity to do what you may call critical self-assessment by looking at our positions on this agreement and the challenges it imposes on us. We should look at our weaknesses with regard to the agreement and the level of engagement at which we are.

 

Mr Speaker, when we are afforded an opportunity to debate international agreements like this, we are being challenged to re-examine our policies vis-à-vis those agreements. It is time for us to ask whether we have adequate and relevant policies in the area of the agreement. If we discover that we do not, we should, then, formulate the policies. We should also ask ourselves whether we have the relevant plans and strategies, and adequate resources for us to attain the goals of the agreement. Again, if we find that we do not, we should quickly devise the relevant plans and strategies, and mobilise the required resource levels.

 

Sir, another area of critical assessment vis-à-vis international agreement is the ability of our institutional mechanisms to facilitate the successful implementation of the agreements and what can be done if we find that our institutions are inadequate. Another aspect to consider would be whether we have performance indicators for each area of the agreement so that we are able to evaluate our implementation of the agreement and undertake periodic reviews of the Executive, which will superintend over that agreement. That way, hon. Members of Parliament will have an opportunity to see how well the agreement is being implemented, what the constraints are and what efforts are being made to address the constraints. In this regard, I hope that all the international treaties and agreements in the offices of our colleagues in the Executive pending ratification will quickly be presented to us for scrutiny.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Sir, that said, it is important for us to understand what the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is telling us. The agreement is actually a challenge and an indictment on us, as a nation, to re-examine ourselves. It is also a call to action. In a nutshell, as the report indicates in various sections, it is asking us what we are doing, as a country. For instance, how well are we adapting to climate change? Do we even know that there is climate change? Our communities may know that there is climate change, but what are we doing, as leaders, to actually address the challenges brought by climate change? I know, for example, that in my constituency, the lakes in which our parents used to fish when we were growing up are now so dry that one can literally drive through them. That is a result of climate change. However, have such environmental changes informed the environmental policies of the Government? Are the policies able to respond to the challenges of the communities whose lakes and rivers have dried up? How much knowledge has been generated locally on the effects of climate change in the various regions of our country? For example, how much forest cover have we lost due to climate change? Further, how have the rainfall patterns changed, and how have the changes impacted on the small-scale farmers? These are serious issues on which the international community, through this agreement, is demanding that we make a critical self-assessment.

 

Sir, we have to understand climate change. This report is asking us what we are doing in the area of capacity building for climate change adaptation and mitigation. For example, have we trained our citizens adequately for them to assist in addressing the challenges of climate change? Further, how much research on climate change is being conducted in our institutions of higher learning? How much resources have we allocated to programmes on this very challenging global phenomenon? Do we even think about it when formulating our National Budgets or do we depend solely on external resources? The report talks about action and mitigation programmes. Are we implementing any?

 

Sir, when we see loads of timber being carried from different parts of the country, sometimes destined for places we do not know overseas, do we think very seriously about the impact of that deforestation on climate change? When we see a lot of charcoal from our forests being sold in markets, do we think about the implications of that on climate change? Those are the questions this report is asking. This agreement is actually a challenge to us to start thinking differently about what is happening to the climate in our country. Yes, there will be resources provided at the global level, but they will only be accessed if we sufficiently understand the implications of climate change for our respective countries. We also have to develop various programmes of action that can easily be financed and whose impacts on climate change will be measurable. That is the challenge we face and that is why I think that it is important for us to debate international treaties. This report has particularly been an eye-opener for me and I think that it is educational and challenging enough even at the individual level. Therefore, as hon. Members of Parliament, we have to start thinking very seriously about the implications of this treaty at the local level, that is, in our respective constituencies.

 

 Mr Speaker, this being the first report on international treaties and agreements in this House, I thought I should highlight those points which, in my view, are very important in our consideration of this development in the House.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, let me thank the Chairperson of your Committee and the seconder of the Motion for the clear manner in which they bring out the issues pertinent to the subject at hand, namely the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

 

Mr Speaker, climate change is so complicated that, as the previous speaker said, it is very difficult to state what it means when people sing about it. In response to the devastation of the environment caused by industrialisation, countries of the world assembled in Kyoto, Japan, recognised the global nature of the problem. The summit identified the problems and suggested solutions. All in all, it was concluded that the damage to the ozone layer, melting of the ice caps and unusually extreme weather conditions, including floods and droughts, were all results of industrialisation. Unfortunately, this part of the world has contributed very little to the adverse climate conditions because we have remained unindustrialised or are at levels of industrialisation whose impact on the global environment is very insignificant.

 

Mr Speaker, the Kyoto Protocol eventually gave birth to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). I recall that at a meeting held in Copenhagen, some of us who were privileged to attend it, including the current First Deputy Speaker, followed the events as novices on issues of climate change. However, what we learnt was, very frighteningly, that, in this part of the world, there is little we can do to mitigate the effects of climate change. First of all, the response to climate change requires money and that money is provided by the same countries that caused the environmental damage. Yes, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is in place, but there is a need for more commitment on the part of the industrialised countries.

 

Sir, I agree that the reason very few hon. Members would like to debate this issue is that there is a clear lack of understanding of what is really taking place. So, people fear that they may embarrass themselves.

 

Hon. Members: Question!

 

Mr Nkombo: I also agree with Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa that, going forward, the Executive should learn to share information on international protocols, instruments and treaties with hon. Members so that they can be familiar with what the Government commits itself to. So, yes, we will ratify the agreement because it is our job. However, if we were to be individually examined on the subject, I am quite sure that some of us would be found wanting. I am not saying this to demean anyone because I, too, had to learn about this phenomenon at some point.

 

Sir, we need to develop a protocol or treaty tracker that can be put in the pigeonholes to inform us on the agreements our colleagues sign when they go to international engagements, like the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs does. Each time he travels out, he reports to Parliament. That is a good culture he has developed. For instance, when he went to a summit of the African Union (AU), he came back and informed us on the issues that were discussed there. So, I encourage other hon. Ministers to take a leaf from Mr Kalaba, the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs. If they do that, anyone of us can represent Zambia anywhere. However, if hon. Members will just be given air tickets to go to conferences, they will just be passengers or spectators.

 

Mr Speaker, the UNFCCC has established many organs to deal with this issue of climate change, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). I may have got the nomenclature wrong because I last looked at these issues a long time ago. Terminologies like ‘carbon credits’ and ‘carbon footprints’ come to mind. Essentially, we are told that we, from this part of the world, will be rewarded with some funds that will help us to mitigate and adapt the effects of climate change if we behave in a certain manner.

 

Mr Speaker, there is definitely too much carbon dioxide in this country and the world. As we all know, carbon dioxide does not respect borders and one cannot impose visa restrictions on carbon emissions. There are people who produce carbon dioxide in the process of producing goods that benefit them and there are those of us who do not benefit from the production of the carbon dioxide, yet we suffer from its effects. So, as we ratify this agreement, there is a need for a mechanism for ensuring that the highly industrialised countries like the United States of America (USA), England, Japan and Germany, which are the major producers of greenhouse gases, also adhere to the treaties. I do recall that Canada and the USA opted out of the Kyoto Protocol despite initially being part of the main advocates of the agreement. So, as long as those who represent us, the Executive, do not have a strong enough voice to actually tell America ‒

 

Sir, I encourage the hon. Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, whom I do not even know ‒

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

Just continue with your debate.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: Sir, I encourage the hon. Minister to be strong because he has people in his ministry who understand these issues. He should come out with a very strong voice instead of behaving like a certain head of State who was in Copenhagen, but decided to go to Paris to get a kickback in order for him not to do something that was contrary to the interests of the Group of 77 and China. So, to ratify is one thing and to enforce is another.

 

Mr Speaker, bringing the debate much closer to home, we are encouraged to avoid the use of fossil fuels. We are fortunate that the weather conditions in this part of the world have not become so extreme that we need central heating. Were we in the far north or, maybe, far south, we would have all frozen to death. When we are discouraged from using charcoal, what are we supposed to use? This is where home-grown solutions become necessary. We need to find out what we can do to encourage our nationals to stop cutting down trees indiscriminately when we know that the cutting down of trees and use of fossil fuels are not only done for survival, but also as a business. People sell charcoal and, from time to time, the Forestry Department arrests and charges them. Later, the department sells the impounded charcoal and we do not know where the money realised goes. Why can we not promote other sources of energy, such as the use of coal brickets?

 

Sir, we have a coal mine in Zambia. So, we can try using coal. It is not clean, as it produces carbon dioxide, but it can reduce the high rate of deforestation in our country. Another option to which we can turn in trying to play our part in environmental conservation is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Apart from tree planting, we can do something else, although it requires a complete cultural shift. Our people can be told about the benefits of preserving trees frequently. However, they have to eat cooked food. So, without other options, they will have to continue cutting down trees because that is a matter of survival.

 

Mr Speaker, let me stress the last point that Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa raised, namely deforestation arising from the legitimate trade in timber. When going to the North-Western Province using the Katunda/Lukulu Road, ...

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Yes, Sir!

 

Mr Nkombo: ... what you see will make you sad. Logs as big as my torso or my brother’s over there (pointing at Mr A. C. Mumba) …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: … are being ferried every day from that place through the Capital City, Lusaka, en route to Durban where it is shipped to China.  In China, the timber is used to make furniture, which is, then, brought back here to be sold. My point is that if we will allow the exploitation of our timber, at least, let us be the ones to benefit from it by telling the Chinese, who have come to this country in large numbers and have even started learning Chinyanja, to establish factories right in the areas where they cut the timber so that they create jobs for the surrounding communities. For example, if they cut trees in the black forest in Lukulu, the jobs should go to Hon. Mutelo’s relatives.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Nkombo: That will also stop the high rates of rural-urban drift, and it is achievable. All in all, Sir, so much can be said. The problem, however, is here we are, hopeful that the ‒

 

What are we doing here?

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: The ratification.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Nkombo: Yes, the ratification of the treaty. I just forgot. Otherwise, I have a functional brain.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: Sir, we are hoping that the ratification of this treaty will produce positive results for the people in the lowest stratum of our country because that is our aim.

 

Mr Speaker, I encourage all hon. Members to take keen interest in understanding this agreement. We may not feel the effects of climate change because we are like an engine that just keeps firing on all cylinders. However, we know that the Kyoto Protocol was necessitated by worries that the temperature would rise by 1ºC. Now, it is at 2ºC, which is very high.

 

Sir, let me end by thanking you most sincerely for allowing me to debate this seemingly simple, but very complicated subject.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube (Kabwe Central): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to lend my voice to those who are supporting this Motion.

 

Mr Speaker, I am of the view that apart from ratification, this country must start domesticating some treaties. I am extremely concerned that although we do have a Forestry Department to fight deforestation, it appears the department does not have enough manpower to police the scourge in most parts of this country. We are also aware that deforestation has a direct implication for the climate.

 

Mr Speaker, as you know, the dry spells that Zambia has experienced in terms of rainfall have been attributed to climate change. So, I wish to support the report of the Committee and, in the same vein, state that apart from just collecting carbon tax on all motor insurance paid, it is also important that an extra effort be made to stop the deforestation. I am also aware of foreign nationals who are illegally trading in mukula and other timber species. In the last two or three years, we have seem this country lose vast pieces of land and forest cover due to the illegal trade. In this regard, I wish to call for the stiffening of the penalties for engaging in this illegal activity. Currently, if a person is found guilty of illegally transporting or trading in mukula timber, he or she is simply fined. The impounded mukula trees are later auctioned and often bought by the people from whom it is initially confiscated. So, it seems we are failing to protect our environment.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on your Committee’s Report on the Ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

 

Sir, from the outset, let me thank the Chairperson and the members of the Committee for a job well done in scrutinising the agreement. I also thank all the hon. Members who have contributed to the debate on the report and assure them that the Government will take all the concerns that they have raised into account.

 

Sir, having appreciated the concerns raised by hon. Members on the Floor of this House, I also wish to highlight some of the salient issues regarding the implications of ratifying the agreement for Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, some hon. Members are concerned that ratifying this important agreement will negatively affect the development of our great country. However, to the contrary, the agreement is intended to increase the ability of countries to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change, which Zambia has already been experiencing, and foster climate resilience towards achieving a low-carbon development pathway.

 

Sir, in order to contribute to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Zambia has identified three key sectors in which programmes will be implemented to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also contribute to the achievement of the country’s strategic development goals in the sectors, which are agriculture, energy and forestry. The strategic selection and implementation of programmes will ensure that Zambia attains a win-win situation, as the current momentum in our development will not be disturbed.

 

Mr Speaker, ratifying the agreement might result in some administrative and opportunity costs. However, the benefits of doing so far outweigh any costs that may be associated with it. It is not only financial support that the country will be eligible to receive, but also technical support, technology transfer and capacity building. In fact, Zambia already benefits significantly from external funding for programmes on climate change. Among the major programmes is one being piloted on climate resilience in some parts of the Western and Southern provinces. The World Bank-funded programme supports work on Barotse canals and road networks. It promotes the construction of climate resilient communication infrastructure at the local level. Other programmes already being implemented include the strengthening of our early warning system so that our farmer can base their decisions on sound information.

 

Sir, Zambia has been a member of the UNFCCC from its inception in 1992 and His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change on 20^th September, 2016, thereby demonstrating his commitment to it. Therefore, it is important that this House ratifies this important agreement.

 

Mr Speaker, the Government already has in place plans, strategies and a policy for the implementation of the provisions of this agreement. It is also in the process of establishing the Department of Climate Change in the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, which will spearhead the implementation of projects and programmes relating to climate change across all sectors.

 

Sir, in order to ensure effective compliance with the provisions of the agreement, the Government will initiate a review or enactment of the relevant legislation for the domestication of the provisions of the agreement. I am aware that the Environmental Management Act No. 12 of 2011 has general provisions on climate change. However, the provisions may need to be enhanced.

 

Mr Speaker, following the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December, 2015, the Government organised various sensitisation workshops and meetings with all the relevant organisations in all the ten provinces of the country on the agreement. In addition, a number of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) played a key role in the development of the agreement and are aware of the benefits that will accrue to Zambia from its ratification. The Government will continue sensitising members of the public on the relevance and benefits of this agreement to Zambia. Further, it will ensure that the benefits that will accrue to the country from this agreement have the desired effects on the most affected communities.

 

Sir, in conclusion, I assure this august House that the country is ready to meet its obligations to this agreement. I am glad to be the first Minister to present a treaty  for ratification.

 

 I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to debate this Motion.

 

Sir, the Government recognises the serious threat posed by climate change to our sustainable development. The adverse impacts of this phenomenon have been felt in all sectors of our economy and have the potential to reverse the social development gains that the country has achieved over the years. The Government is also aware that addressing this challenge will require the concerted efforts of the international community, as climate change does not respect international boundaries and cannot be adequately addressed unilaterally.

 

Sir, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is anchored on four key pillars, namely mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology transfer. It is for this reason that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has decided to ratify it and ensure that Zambia remains actively engaged with the rest of the international community in addressing the challenges of climate change. The agreement is the latest subsidiary instrument under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to which Zambia is party.

 

Mr Speaker, the UNFCCC was adopted at the Earth Summit on 6^th June, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Zambia signed the convention in June, 1992, and ratified it on 28^th May, 1993. The ultimate objective of the convention is to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions at a level that does not allow human-induced interference with the climate system. Since signing the convention in 1992 and ratifying it in 1993, Zambia has taken several specific steps to implement its provisions. The following are some of the specific steps that the Government has taken under the convention:

 

1. in 2004, Zambia prepared and submitted its First National Communication to the UNFCCC Secretariat. The communication is a report that details a country’s circumstances in terms of levels of greenhouse gas emissions, efforts being made to reduce the emissions and the support required, among other issues;

 

1.  in 2007, the country prepared the National Adaptation Programme of Action, which was aimed at addressing urgent adaptation needs, a requirement for least developed countries (LDCs) like Zambia that are party to the convention. Under that plan, ten projects were identified in various sectors, including agriculture, early warning, forestry and water resources management. Out of that number, four projects are under implementation at different levels while one has been completed;

 

1. in 2014, the country prepared and submitted its Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. The report outlined the country’s status of greenhouses gas emissions and efforts made to address the challenge, building on the First National Communication Report; and

 

1. in April, 2016, the Government adopted the National Climatic Change Policy, which provides a coherent framework for co-ordinating climate change activities in the country.

 

Mr Speaker, some of the challenges that climate change poses to our economy and country that have prompted this Government to action are:

 

1. an increase in the frequency and intensity of droughts and floods in the last decade;

 

1. a shortened agricultural growing season, as the rains start late and end earlier than usual in most seasons;

 

1. reduced electricity generation capacity resulting from low water levels in our water bodies, including dams;

 

1. modification of habitats of some of our wildlife species, including fish, thereby affecting their populations; and

 

1. reduced access to clean drinking water, particularly in rural communities, as the streams and wells dry up.

 

Mr Speaker, the challenges that I have highlighted are not unique to Zambia. In this regard, Zambia has to work with the rest of the world to address them through frameworks like this agreement. The salient features of the agreement include helping countries, including Zambia, to increase their ability to adapt to the adverse impact of climate change, foster climate resilience and attain low greenhouse gas emission development in a manner that does not threaten food production, as stipulated in Article 2(b) of the agreement. Further, in Articles 2(c) and 9, the agreement provides for making financial flows consistent with pathways towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience development. By ratifying the agreement, therefore, Zambia will benefit from the financial flows. As a result of the financial support that the country will receive, it will be able to implement projects that will benefit the most vulnerable groups in sectors like agriculture and food security, water, energy and health. It will also receive technical support that will enable Zambia to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the context of sustainable development, as spelled in Article 4(b). Other benefits to Zambia, under the agreement include technology transfer, as provided for in Article 9, and capacity building, which is provided for under Article 11.

 

Sir, there are other intangible benefits that may accrue to Zambia after it ratifies the agreement. These include having a good image as an important member of the international community, which can help us to leverage other diplomatic opportunities and alliances. We can also have collateral local benefits arising from addressing climate change, including improvements in the local environment. This might arise from addressing issues like deforestation to ensure that the country maintains carbon sink and, in the process, having well maintained forests that result in fertile soils and protection of water catchments. The use of clean energy sources in industry, homes and vehicles will not only reduce the dangerous greenhouse gases that cause climate change, but also result in clean local air, thereby reducing respiratory diseases and, subsequently, low health care costs to the country.

 

Mr Speaker, I urge the hon. Members of this House to continue showing interest in the topical, important and complex issue of climate change in order to be well placed to sensitise communities in their constituencies on the importance of addressing the challenge through local actions like tree planting and sustainable management of our forests. The Government is committed to safeguarding our economic gains and people’s lives and livelihoods from the adverse impacts of climate change. In this vein, may I take this opportunity to call upon all Zambians to support the Government in addressing this challenge through prudent environmental stewardship and promotion of strategies for mitigation of and adaptation to climate change so that we hand over a safe and functional planet to future generations. It is our obligation to do so.

 

Finally, Sir, I call upon all hon. Members of this august House to approve the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

 

With those few remarks, I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, I am indebted to you for giving me the opportunity to wind up the debate on the report of your Committee.

 

Sir, I appreciate the contributions from the hon. Members, and the praises and warm reception of this Motion. I appreciate the contributions of Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, Hon. Nkombo, Hon. Mukata and the hon. Member for Kabwe Central, Mr Ngulube. I must confess that it has been a while since I was praised by a fellow man and that I did not realise that could also make me feel good. So, I appreciate his praises.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Belemu: Mr Speaker, just as Hon. Kapata indicated, she is the first Minister to present this kind of document for ratification following the amendment of the Constitution. Your Committee is also grateful to be the first Committee to move this kind of a Motion in the House. In that regard, I want to appreciate the manner in which the Committee deliberated on this matter.

 

Sir, when you peruse this agreement, you will realise that there is one phrase that is critical, and that is, “Nationally determined contributions”. What that implies is that what we do, as a country, vis-à-vis this agreement is what will determine whether we derive benefits that will include financial resources and projects.

 

Sir, all the issues that the hon. Members raised are highlighted in the Committee’s report or arose at some point during the deliberations. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is couched in such a way that each country will set its priorities and determine the priority projects under the agreement. So, if we fail to do certain things under this agreement, it will not be because the agreement is wrongly written or was wrongly arrived at. Rather, it will be because the country failed to do things for itself. That said, I now invite hon. Members of this august House to adopt your Committee’s report.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES NO. 2 of 2016

 

The Minister of Finance (Mr Mutati): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now resolve into Committee of Supply to consider Supplementary Estimates No. 2 of 2016. I am a bearer of a message from His Excellency the President recommending that this Motion, which I now lay on the Table, be proceeded with in this House.

 

Mr Mutati laid the paper on the Table.

 

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, the Supplementary Estimates that I am presenting have been prepared in accordance with Article 203 of the Constitution of Zambia, which reads:

 

“The Minister responsible for finance shall, where the amount appropriated in an Appropriation Act for a financial year is insufficient to meet expenditure in that financial year, lay before the National Assembly for approval, in accordance with Article 202(5), a supplementary estimate of expenditure.”

 

Sir, by virtue of the authority conveyed in the Article of the Constitution I have just cited, I present the Supplementary Estimate No. 2, covering the financial year 2016. The total supplementary request stands at K3.9 billion. Of that amount, K490.4 million represents funds that were released to various Government institutions during the year by co-operating partners in the form of grants, but were not budgeted for in the current financial year while K241.8 million represents funds released to institutions towards the end of the 2015 Financial Year and spent in 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, the Government is expected to finance the balance of K3.2 billion through general revenues by re-aligning resources within the 2016 Budget, particularly on slow-moving items.

 

Mr Speaker, the proposed Supplementary Estimates No. 2 of 2016 is necessary to allow the Government to spend funds on the following items:

 

1. additional expenditure on domestic debt payments to cover the shortfall on matured Government securities, that is, Treasury bills and bonds;

 

1. additional expenditure related to the operations of public order and safety institutions, whose budgetary provisions have been exhausted following the increased scope of work during the August, 2016, General Elections;

 

1. additional expenditure with identified sources of funding, that is, donor-funded activities, budget re-alignments and carry-over funds from 2015; and

 

1. other unavoidable expenditure on Constitutional and statutory obligations that could not be foreseen at the time of budgeting, such as the depreciation of the kwacha and shortfalls in statutory expenditure, including emoluments of staff in missions abroad.

 

Mr Speaker, two key amounts in the proposed Supplementary Estimates are:

 

1. K1.2 billion is proposed under Constitutional and statutory expenditure for the financing of shortfalls on Government maturities during the 2016 Financial Year. The shortfalls are a result of under-subscription on Government Treasury bills and bonds at auctions; and

 

1. a provision of K1.49 billion under my ministry to cater mainly for the wage awards to all public workers that were done this year.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, I thank all the hon. Members of the House for their unanimous support.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

__________

 

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

 

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES NO.2 OF 2016

 

 [THE FIRST CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

The First Chairperson: Government of the Republic of Zambia, Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure No. 2 of 2016. We will go straight into considering individual Heads.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: On a point of procedure, Madam.

 

The First Chairperson: A point of procedure has been raised.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, I want to raise a procedural matter with regard to the report and this has to do with the notes ...

 

The First Chairperson: Order, Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa?

 

To which report are you referring?

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: This document (lifting the Supplementary Estimates).

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, this, as we all know, is not a report, but Estimates that the hon. Minister of Finance has presented to the House. He moved a Motion and there was an opportunity at which you were supposed to debate. General debate was called for by the Hon. Mr Speaker, but none of you debated. So, the hon. Minister wound up the debate and, now, we have resolved into Committee of Supply to consider individual items in the Estimates.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The First Chairperson: Can you ask on individual items in these Estimates. Right now, we are considering Head 01 – (Office of the President – State House – Head Quarters). You cannot raise a point of procedure.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, I fully understand and appreciate your guidance. It was not a matter for debate, but just a point of clarification on the various Heads.

 

Madam, under the sub-heading ‘Notes’, we expected to see explanatory notes for all the different sub-headings. That was the point I was trying to raise. There are no notes in the Estimates to explain to us, for example, the figures therein.

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, let me give you an example. On Head 01 – (Office of the President – State House – Head Quarters), there was an allocation of K1,034,396 in the 2016 Budget. The hon. Minister of Finance is requesting Supplementary Expenditure of K2,437,120. It is this supplementary amount that he wants you, the House, to approve in addition to what was appropriated last year in this year’s Budget. So, you could ask a question, if you want, on why he wants the supplementary amount and the hon. Minister of Finance will explain. I hope that is clear, Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa indicated assent.

 

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

 

Vote 02/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 03/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 04/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 07/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 08/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 11/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 15/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/09 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

The First Chairperson: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

 

[THE FIRST CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Members, when business was suspended, we were considering individual items in the Supplementary Estimates. We now continue.

 

Vote 17/10 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/11 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/12 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/13 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/15 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/18 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/20 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/23 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/24 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/25 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/26 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/27 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/28 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/30 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/31 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 17/32 – (Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Mission Abroad – Geneva K3, 392,721).

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 3000, Activity 005 – Other Emoluments – K3,392,721, Carry-over K3,392,721. What does the term ‘carry-over’ mean?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, ‘carry-over’ is simply money that was not spent in 2015 and we are proposing that it be spent in 2016.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, most of the embassies and missions abroad have always been financially stressed. How have they managed to have carry-overs of finances when they have been complaining that they do not have enough money?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, the carry-over from 2015 might not necessarily originate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but from other Government departments.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Madam First Chairperson: Any further debate?

 

Mr Livune indicated.

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Members, we need to make progress.

 

Mr Livune: Madam Chairperson, when Government departments have carry-over funds, are such funds not supposed to be surrendered to the Treasury by 31^st December of each financial year?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, there are situations, particularly for missions abroad, when funds for December are remitted in December, but received in January. Such funds become supplementary expenditure.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 17/32 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/33 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/35 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/36 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/37 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/43 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/45 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/47 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/48 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/50 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/52 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/54 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 17/56 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 18/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 19/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 31/01 – (Ministry of Justice – Headquarters – K44,344,217).

 

Mr Samakayi: Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 4001, Activity 003 – Office Administration – K913,207, Programme 3144, Activity 001 – Operations and Maintenance of Plant and Equipment – K2,584,213, Programme 4005, Activity 026 −  National Prosecutions Authority and Programme 4012, Activity 191 – Building Insurance – K44,344,217. Hon. Mwiimbu raised a question on the carry-over and we were given an answer. I take it that answer related to missions abroad. Could the hon. Minister of Finance explain the carry-over in the Judiciary, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, and Ministry of Justice?

 

The First Chairperson: I want to believe that the hon. Minister explained that the explanation is the same for all carry-overs from 2015.

 

Mr Samakayi: Madam Chairperson, the hon. Minister said that, sometimes the money is remitted to missions abroad in December and it is received in January.

 

The First Chairperson: Order, hon. Member!

 

Let us not go back, but deal with the current Vote, that is under the Ministry of Justice. Could you ask a question on that so that I can ask the hon. Minister to respond.

 

Mr Samakayi: Madam Chairperson, could the hon. Minister explain to us what this carry-over is all about?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, the hon. Member is not specific. However, in the case of the Ministry of Justice, the same explanation is the same as the one I gave earlier. The amounts were carried over from December to January because of late disbursement. That is what it all means.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 31/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 34/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 37/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 37/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 37/07 – (Ministry of Finance – Financial Management and Administration – K1,490,268,600).

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 3000, Activity 001 − Salaries Division I − K1,457,268,600. What exactly happened to justify such a colossal supplementary amount?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, the amount might appear to be colossal, but what happens is that when we negotiate for salaries, the funds are held in Control Account No. 21 and when an agreement is reached, the money is, then, decomposed into the various ministries. So, it is basically a transfer from one account to various accounts.

 

Thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 37/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 37/08 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 37/11 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 44/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 46/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 46/02 – (Ministry of Health – Policy and Planning - K102,074,920).

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 5025 – Health Systems Management, Activity 005 ‒ K44,989,342, Activity 014 – Health Care Financing – K736,081, Activity 025 – Social Health Insurance – K526,502, Activity 167 - Health System Strengthening – K55,074,920. If you compare the allocation in the 2016 Budget with the supplementary budget, you will note that the supplementary budget is about 500 per cent more than the original.

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Member, are you talking about Vote 46/01?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, I am talking about Vote 46/02 – Policy and Planning. The allocation in the Budget was K32,045,053 while the supplementary budget is K102,074,920. How can a supplementary budget be 500 per cent more than the original allocation? Is it because of poor budgeting?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, on Programme 5025 – Health Systems Management, Activity 005 – K44,989,342, Activity 014 – Health Care Financing – K736,081, Activity 025 – Social Health Insurance – K526,502, Activity 167 – Health System Strengthening – K55,074,920, there is a note explaining that it is a carry-over. What normally happens in most of these activities, particularly in the Ministry of Health, is that continuous activities are carried over due to the non-availability of funds and remain outstanding in the following year. I indicated that most of the donor funds were received in the following year, hence their being spent in the following year.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Chairperson, the point that I am making is that the original allocation is 500 per cent less than the supplementary one. I am not asking about how the supplementary expenditure came about.

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Minister, could you explain why the supplementary budget is higher than the original appropriation.

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, the funds to which the hon. Member is referring were in respect of donor financing that was not budgeted for, but became available in 2016 and had to be put on that account.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 46/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 46/05 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 46/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 64/07 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 68/01 – (Ministry of Tourism and Arts – Human Resource and Administration ‒ K18,588,427)

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 1001 – General Administration, Activity 003 – Office Administration – Exceptional Revenue – K18,588,427. Could the hon. Minister enlighten the House on what is meant by exceptional revenue?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, Programme 1001 – General Administration, Activity 003 – Office Administration –  Exceptional Revenue – K18,588,427 relates to the tourism levy.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 68/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 77/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 77/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 77/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 77/04 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 77/06 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 78/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 85/01 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Vote 86/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 88/09 – (Office of the President – Muchinga Province – K18,361,353)

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, before I ask my question, could I request that you look at us.

 

The First Chairperson: Let me put on my glasses.

 

Laughter

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, may I have clarification on Programme 6067, Activity 108 – Maintenance and Construction of Government Buildings – K18,361,353. On what was this money spent?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, quite obviously, the money was spent on maintenance and construction of Government buildings.

 

Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Laughter

 

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

 

Vote 89/03 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

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

 

Vote 99/02 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 65 – (Ministry of Higher Education – K 106,756,456)

 

Mrs Chinyama (Kafue): Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 5504, Activity 015 – Higher Education Staff Development ‒ New Universities – K41,677,615. In one of her ministerial statements, the hon. Minister of Higher Education told us that one of the new universities is the Robert Kapasa Makasa University, which only opened in September, 2016. So, where is this huge expenditure on staff development coming from if this university was only opened a few months ago?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, these are funds that were received from the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2016, but were not initially appropriated in the Budget.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 5504 ‒ University Education ‒ K45,331,927, and Programme 5506 ‒ Skills Development ‒ K61,424,529. Can the hon. Minister of Finance tell the House whether both programmes are being financed through loans from the African Development Bank (AfDB)?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, the AfDB does provide both grants and loans to the Ministry of Higher Education. However, I do not have the breakdown of the grants and loans.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 5504, Sub-Programme 001, Activity 015 ‒ Higher Education Staff Development ‒ New Universities ‒ K41,677,615, Programme 5504, Sub-Programme 008, Activity 001 ‒ University Infrastructure ‒ K3,654,312, Programme 5506, Sub-Programme 001, Activity 002 ‒ TEVETA ‒ 52,802,829 and Programme 5506, Sub-Programme 005, Activity 002 ‒ Training Equipment ‒ TEVET ‒ K8,621,700.  Has the money from the African Development Bank (AfDB) already been expended or does the Government hope to expend it this year?

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, when we bring supplementary expenditure, it means we have spent the money for which we seek approval.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Madam Chairperson, I am trying to make a follow up…

 

The First Chairperson: Order, hon. Member!

 

Is that your usual place?

 

Mr Sing’ombe: Yes, Madam.

 

Mr Lubinda: He is out of out of order.

 

The First Chairperson: Okay, the Clerks-at-the-Table have confirmed that it is your usual place. Go ahead and ask your question.

 

Mr Sing’ombe: I am Member of Parliament for Dundumwezi Constituency.

 

Matokwani, Kampyongo.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Sing’ombe: Madam, I seek clarification on Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification on Programme 5504 ‒ University Education ‒ K45,331,927, and Programme 5506 ‒ Skills Development ‒ K61,424,529. Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa asked a question on Programme and the hon. Minister said he did not have the breakdown of the loans and grants from the African Development Bank (AfDB). Will he clarify that issue when he presents the 2016 Budget?

 

The First Chairperson: Hon. Members, we have a supplementary budget before us and the hon. Minister has tried very hard to clarify the many issues you have raised. We need to make progress.

 

It is very clear that the money has already been spent. Unless the hon. Minister wants to clarify further.

 

Mr Mutati: Madam Chairperson, I do not have anything to add to what you have said.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Vote 65 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 80 – (Ministry of General Education – K181,945,359)

 

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Chairperson, I seek clarification, as I am a bit confused. A while ago, the hon. Minister referred to the estimates of expenditure as money that has already been spent, and we are calling it supplementary. However, budgeting means planning our expenditure. Now, he is confusing me by saying that we are discussing what has already past. Why are we looking at this document, then?

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Kambita: Is it to ratify it?

 

Interruptions

 

The First Chairperson: Order!

 

Hon. Kambita, the hon. Minister of Finance explained that it is a Constitutional provision that supplementary estimates of expenditure be brought to the House even if it has already happened. That is what we are doing now. As stated by the hon. Minister, some of the resources have already been expended.

 

I hope the matter is now clear.

 

Vote 80 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

_______

 

HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Supplementary Estimates No. 2 of 2016 reported approved.

 

Report adopted.

 

Question put and agreed to and Mr Speaker appointed the Minister of Finance a committee of one to bring in the necessary Appropriation Bill to give effect hereto at a later date.

 

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS 19, 20, 21 AND 31

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that Standing Orders 19, 20, 21 and 31 be suspended to enable the House to sit from 1415 hours until business has been concluded and that the Vice-President’s Question Time be omitted from the agenda on Friday, 11^th November, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, the House is aware that in accordance with its tradition, the hon. Minister of Finance presents the National Budget on a Friday afternoon. However, Standing Orders 19, 20, and 21 provide that the House sits from 0900 hours to 1300 hours on Fridays, while Standing Order 31 provides for the Vice-President’s Question Time on the same day. It is in this regard that I move this Motion to suspend the mentioned Standing Orders so that the House can sit in the afternoon on Friday, 11^th November, 2016, and omit the Vice-President’s Question Time from the agenda so as to provide the hon. Minister of Finance with ample time to present the 2017 National Budget.

 

Mr Speaker, this Motion is straightforward and non-controversial. I, therefore, urge all hon. Members to support it.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to support the Motion that has been moved by Her Honour the Vice-President.

 

Sir, you may not be aware, but the nation has been anxiously waiting for this budget because of the financial stress and economic difficulties the nation is facing.

 

Mr Lufuma: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Therefore, they are waiting for the hon. Minister of Finance to give them various forms of relief in the budget tomorrow.

 

Mr Speaker, as a result of the economic malaise the country is facing, the majority of our people ...

 

Mr Ngulube: Question!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … are looking forward to their suffering being ameliorated by the Government. For that reason, I will not hesitate to support this particular Motion …

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … on the condition that the hon. Minister Finance will provide relief in the budget.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I thank Hon. Mwiimbu and all the hon. Members for supporting this Motion.

 

I thank You, Sir.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

__________

 

BILLS

 

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

 

[THE FIRST CHAIRPERSON in the

Chair]

 

THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE FOR TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STUDIES BILL, 2016

 

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 6 – (Council of Institute)

 

The Minister of Tourism and Arts (Mr C. Banda): Madam Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 6, on page 9:

 

1. in line 7 by the deletion of the words “the Chairperson” and the substitution therefor of the following phrase: “a citizen from the private sector who shall be the Chairperson;”;

 

1. in line 14 by the deletion of the word “and”;

 

1. after line 14 by the insertion immediately after paragraph (d) of the following new paragraph:

 

“(e) A student nominated by the students in accordance with such election procedure as the student’s union may determine;”;

 

1. in line 15 by the renumbering of paragraph (e) as (f);

 

1. in lines 18 and 19 by the deletion of the words “from the Zambia Qualifications Authority”; and

 

1. in line 28

 

1. by the deletion of paragraph (a); and

 

1. by the renumbering of paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) as (a), (b) and (c), respectively.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

__________

 

HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

 

The Zambia Institute for Tourism and Hospitality Studies Bill, 2016

 

Report Stage on Tuesday, 14^th November, 2016.

 

REPORT STAGE

 

The Patents Bill, 2016

 

Report adopted.

 

Third Reading on Tuesday, 14^th November, 2016.

 

________

 

MOTION

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

The Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development (Mr Chitotela): Mr Speaker, it is my sincere hope that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, with the backing of this august House, will continue with infrastructure development as the main anchor and catalyst for the industrialisation and economic diversification processes. This process will include continued accelerated investment in health, education, water and sanitation infrastructure, power generation capacity and distribution through upgrading and construction of new hydro power stations and use of alternative energy sources, enhancement and expansion of the railway network ‒

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister.

 

You might have an electronic gadget on you or nearby that is interfering with the signal.

 

Mr Chitotela: ... to improve transportation and reduce the burden placed on road infrastructure, construction of additional main and feeder roads in order to open the country and facilitate investment in endowed areas, expansion of existing airports and construction of new aerodromes, and establishment of one-stop border posts to enhance regional integration.

 

Mr Speaker, I am greatly humbled and overwhelmingly indebted to His Excellency President Edgar Lungu for the confidence he has placed in me by appointing me a Cabinet Minister initially for the Ministry of Works and Supply and, later, for the newly created Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development.

 

Sir, my ministry is at the centre of the economic development agenda, as it is responsible for facilitating the development of public infrastructure on which all economic activities are anchored. The ministry is also very important because it is responsible for spearheading the transformation and modernisation that this country needs in terms of infrastructure development. I remember the hon. Minister of Home Affairs calling me to tell me that I had become “Sontapo reloaded.” I am ready for that challenge.

 

Mr Speaker, let me now focus a bit on ...

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

 

What does sontapo reloaded mean?

 

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, it means that the development of this country has been placed squarely on my shoulders. What we do today will determine the future of the PF.

 

Mr Speaker, let me focus a little on housing development. Since the 1980s, Zambia has not had a housing development policy and that has resulted in a lack of Government investment in new and modern housing infrastructure. That, in turn, has resulted in an acute housing deficit of about 1.3 million housing units. The lower income and disadvantaged groups are especially affected by the resultant high cost of constructing houses, rentals and mortgage rates. There has also not been proper housing development planning, and standards and quality control. Further, there has been a lack of planning for the provision of basic utility services like water supply and sanitation, power, roads and other infrastructure. Therefore, I take this opportunity to accept the challenge to make housing one of the pillars of development.

 

Mr Speaker, the establishment of the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development is timely, as it provides an opportunity and platform for correcting anomalies. In this regard, one of my immediate tasks is to review all past national housing policies and come up with a comprehensive and focused national housing development policy whose objectives will include the development of a strategic framework within which actors in the housing industry, including the Government, will be expected to operate. The policy will aim to create adequate, safe and sustainable housing stock of different types, sizes and price ranges in both urban and rural areas of the country. It will also ensure that all dwelling units have easy access to basic sanitation facilities, drinking water, power and other livelihood infrastructure. Further, it will seek to strategically position housing development to play a key role in the implementation of Vision 2030 and Zambia’s economic development strategies and objectives, namely economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

 

Mr Speaker, in discharging my duties, I will ensure effectiveness, efficiency and transparency. To that effect, I hereby reiterate His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s call for hard work and zero tolerance for corruption. Further, I pledge my allegiance to His Excellency President Edgar Lungu, the PF, the people of Pambashe Constituency and, above all, the people of Zambia. I will serve them diligently and tirelessly.

 

Mr Speaker, I am aware that the responsibility to enhance education, health, housing and rail infrastructure has been placed on my shoulders. In that regard, I promise Zambians and the appointing authority that I will serve them to the best of my ability and without discrimination on the basis of their geographical location because they did not choose to be born where they are. I will also serve them without fear or favour.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Religious Affairs and National Guidance (Rev. Sumaili): Mr Speaker, it is with great humility and reverence that I stand before you and the hon. Members of this august House. Allow me to heartily congratulate you, the First Deputy Speaker, Hon. Catherine Namugala, and the Second Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mwimba Malama, on the mandate given to you to preside over the Business of this dignified House for the next five years. May God Almighty continue to grant you divine wisdom and strength. I also congratulate all the hon. Members of Parliament elected by the people of Zambia in various constituencies on 11^th August, 2016. I further congratulate my fellow nominated hon. Members of Parliament on their nomination.

 

Mr Speaker, it is by the uncommon grace and providence of God that I am in this House today as a nominated Member of Parliament.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: I, therefore, thank the Almighty God for His grace and favour dispensed on my humble life as a servant of God and of the people.

 

Mr Speaker, I celebrate and honour the President of this blessed, constitutional, democratic and unitary State, the Republic of Zambia, ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: ... and congratulate him on the resounding and unquestionable victory ...

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: ... in the 11^th August, 2016, Elections. The people of this nation, with God’s guidance, have chosen to be led by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his hardworking former running mate, our wonderful and wise mother, Her Honour the Vice-President, Mrs Inonge Mutukwa Wina. She has made history and will leave a legacy that will last for generations to come.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Sir, I thank the husband of my youth, Dr Fanuel Sumaili; our children; family; and friends for their unflinching support on my journey of life. I also thank the Board of Governors, leadership and membership of Jesus Cares Ministries, a faith-based interdenominational organisation that I founded twenty years ago, by the grace of God. It has now spread throughout the country and is impacting our nation by providing social services, care and support, and empowerment for the under-privileged, especially women and children. It has also been instrumental in propagating the gospel, and enabled me to work with different denominations throughout the country.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, let me highlight some aspects of our newly established Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance. At the same time, I will comment on the powerful and well-articulated speech made by our President during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, whose theme was “Building an Integrated, Multi-Sectoral Approach to Development that Enhances Inclusiveness in Development without Leaving Anyone Behind”.

 

Sir, I pay glowing tribute to our President for being obedient to God’s instructions to establish the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: I also thank the hon. Members of Parliament for ratifying the establishment of this prophetic and apostolic ministry, ...

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: ... which has been birthed in due season. The views of those who opposed the establishment of the new ministry are also useful as we lay the foundation together.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Sir, I am humbled to have been appointed the first Minister of this ministry by the President.

 

Mr Speaker, the preamble of our Constitution of Zambia, as amended by Act No. 2 of 2016, reads as follows:

 

“We, the people of Zambia:

 

Acknowledge the supremacy of God Almighty;

 

Declare the Republic a Christian Nation while upholding a person’s rights to freedom of conscience, belief or religion …”

 

Therefore, the Constitution acknowledges the supremacy of God the Creator over the affairs of the nation, implying that Zambia is not a secular State. We have given Jesus Christ, by covenant, every inch of the Zambian soil.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Sir, Zambia belongs to Christ. Blessed is a nation whose God is the Lord.

 

Mr Speaker, further, the Amended Constitution expresses the commitment of Zambians to upholding human rights, the fundamental freedoms of every person, and the principles of democracy and good governance. Zambians have resolved to maintain the values of family, morality, patriotism and justice, and that all functions of the State are performed in the common interest. The people of this nation have recognised and upheld their multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural character, which gives Zambia strength and beauty. The ethnic diversity also gives us the impetus to manage our affairs and resources in a sustainable and equitable manner in a devolved system of governance. ‘Power to the People’ is our motto.

 

Sir, the people have resolved to maintain Zambia as a unitary, multi-party and democratic State. The Constitution Amendment Act, under Part II, provides for national values and principles, and makes it mandatory for the Republican President to report to the National Assembly on the progress made in the application of the values and principles.

 

Mr Speaker, the ideals of Zambians cannot be promoted without an appropriate institutional framework to spearhead, support, monitor, evaluate and report on them, hence the necessity of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Sir, the 2016-2021 Patriotic Front (PF) Manifesto recognises and appreciates the pivotal role that the Church plays, especially in the areas of education, health services, social justice and good governance. As the country implements austerity measures for economic recovery, the role of the Church in national development will become even more pronounced. In this regard, the State seeks to partner with the Church, not to control it. God remains supreme.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, the ministry will work with the Church mother bodies to ensure that that administrative issues like tax, registration and similar issues are facilitated. It will also provide oversight on the body of Christ to ensure sanity and prevent the exploitation of the people. For example, it will screen foreign ministers of the gospel entering Zambia.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Additionally, corporate good governance practices like the establishment of governing boards, codes of conduct, disciplinary procedures and separation of functions for accountability should be a must for the Church umbrella bodies.

 

Sir, my ministry will operationalise the declaration of Zambia as Christian nation in which the word of God is the standard. That is good news to the Church because a great and effective door for the expansion of the Kingdom of God has been opened. It is a new season and a new day. So, I am very passionate about this ground-breaking assignment and I believe that I have what it takes to succeed. The grace of God is sufficient for me.

 

Sir, very soon, I will table in this House a comprehensive statement on the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance vis-à-vis the relationship between the structures of the State and the Church, programmes and other pertinent issues.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, let me now comment on the speech made by His Excellency the duly-elected President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly …

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: ... on Friday, 30^th September, 2016.

 

Sir, the President’s Speech was inspired by the Holy Spirit ...

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: ... and it is an embodiment of smart and innovative thinking, which has lifted the veil of limitations that was over the nation. It announced the dawn of a new era that embraces technology, mechanisation and industrialisation. It also proposes an integration and multi-sectoral approach to national development.

 

Sir, first and foremost, we are all Zambians despite our ethnic backgrounds, beliefs, political affiliation, gender and other characteristics. We are “One Zambia, One Nation.” Our diversity is beautiful and colourful. Therefore, it should not divide us at all. Instead, it should give us uniqueness and strength. God is the architect of this variety and His creation is full of flowers, birds and animals. However, of all His creations, the masterpiece is man. Everyone, though unique, is created in the image of God.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

                                                   

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, the integrated and multi-sectoral approach to development will only work well when we are united and work as a team in peace. By the way, integration means different types being closely connected and working successfully together. Unity and teamwork ride on love. Hate speech, on the other hand, deepens the wounds and drives us farther apart. So, people must be ready to embrace one another and move on with the development agenda. In this regard, we, the leaders, need to guide our people. The words that should go through the airwaves from this dignified House should be those that give hope to the people, build people’s lives and promote love and unity.

 

Sir, His Excellency the President talked about inclusiveness and not leaving anyone behind.

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, we are one big family. In this regard, it is gratifying to note that the Government is concerned about the vulnerable in our society, such as children, women, the unemployed youths and the poor because there is no dignity and peace in hunger and poverty. The PF is living true to its pro-poor orientation by putting in place various empowerment programmes targeting poor people. In this vein, the contribution made by the Church towards caring and empowering the needy is significant and commendable, and my ministry will work with the churches in harnessing local resources, economic activities and national development. We call this an integral mission.

 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude my maiden speech, I commend our beloved President …

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Rev. Sumaili: … for speaking very clearly and strongly against corruption.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: He said that the fight against corruption, money laundering and drug trafficking was a key tenet of democracy and good governance. In that regard, transformation should start with us, the leaders. Corruption is a cancer that destroys the destinies of both individuals and nations. Therefore, it should be tackled decisively and viciously by every Zambian. My ministry will immensely contribute to the fight through the dissemination of Christian values. The fear of God, righteousness and justice should be the foundation on which we build our nation.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Rev. Sumaili: Mr Speaker, Zambia is a blessed nation poised for greatness. We are in a new season and are ready to operationalise the declaration of the country as a Christian nation.

 

Sir, let me end by quoting the Scottish missionary, Dr David Livingstone, who died in 1873 at Chitambo Village in Central Province. His prayer for Zambia’s heritage remains a significant prophetic promise that God has for the country. He prayed:

 

“Lord, from the land upon which my knees rest, raise a mighty Christian nation, a nation that will become a beacon of light and hope to the continent of Africa; a nation that will take the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mawere: Amen!

 

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Yaluma): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Speech by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, during the official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly. Let me also join the hon. Members of the House who have congratulated the President on his inspiring and visionary speech to this House and the nation at large.

 

Mr Speaker, I also congratulate you, the First Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker on your election to your respective positions. Before I contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech, allow me to present my maiden speech.

 

Mr Speaker, let me sincerely thank the people of Malole Constituency for the overwhelming support they rendered to His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, which translated into the many votes he got to convincingly beat his opponents.

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, that was a clear ‘go to sleep’ message. Viva President Chagwa Lungu. Viva Her Honour the he Vice-President, Mama Inonge Mutukwa Wina.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the support I got from the people of Malole Constituency. They say, Ushitasha, mwana wa ndoshi. Mwebena Malole, mwabombeni.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: What does that mean?

 

Mr Yaluma: It means, “Thank you.”

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, it means that people must appreciate everything that is laid before them.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister! Why are you not translating it fully?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, it means, “Whoever does not appreciate is an offspring of a witch.”

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I extend my sincere gratitude to the Patriotic Front (PF) Central Committee for adopting me to re-contest the Malole Constituency seat. Just like Hon. Prof. Nkandu Luo brags, I am the first Member of Parliament to be elected for two consecutive terms in my constituency.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Yaluma: That demonstrates the confidence that the people of Malole and …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Yaluma: … Mungwi have in the PF, as a whole, and me, in particular. Hola, Malole, I will remain committed and always excel to meet your expectations. Mukwai, ndikalume wenu. That means, “I am your servant.”

 

Mr Speaker, I take my hat off to the provincial team because it made the difference in my campaign strategy. Mr Mfula, félicitation. I congratulate him for his great and unique leadership. The PF in the Northern Province is blessed to have a leader of his calibre. I also thank the unstoppable strategic campaign manager, Mr Simon Mwila, for making it easier for me to pull through the elections. He made the competition feel like Barcelona playing a Parliament Select football team captained by Hon. Kampyongo.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, merci beaucoup to Bwalya Bwikalo, the Constituency Chairperson, and Mr Charles Mwamba.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was thanking the A-Team of Clive; Andre; Ross; Philip and Phillip; Peter, who is popularly known as Rocky; Hanyane; and Muleya. The guys are great.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

 

‘Guys’ is unparliamentary.

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word ‘guys’ and replace it with ‘people’.

 

Laughter

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Yaluma: Sir, I thank the various church organisations and individuals with sharp taste buds for the word of the Lord Almighty for the relentless prayers in my favour. When God says yes, nobody can ever say no. Once more, I am sincerely grateful to all the women, youths and freedom fighters in Malole Constituency for a job well done.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also thank my family for its unwavering support throughout the campaigns. I also ask my mother and father to hold on to their wisdom, which is phenomenal at their age.

 

Sir, lastly, I thank the Lord God Almighty for everything He has done for me. I also thank Malole in reverse. I will always dununa.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, mining has been and will continue to be the driver of Zambia’s economy. It follows, therefore, that it will, to a larger extent, be the key to the attainment of some of the goals of the Seventh National Development Plan (7^TH NDP), whose focus is on achieving a resilient and diversified economy. This is because mining is a major source of the tax revenue needed to invest in the priority sectors of the economy. Further, mining is the source of raw materials for the other emerging sectors, such as construction. For this reason, I will, in my speech, highlight the developments in the mining sector and show how they will contribute to the development of a resilient and diversified economy.

 

Mr Speaker, as pointed out in the President’s Speech, Zambia is endowed with a variety of minerals that can be used in various sectors to act as the engine for the diversification of the economy. As a country, we have concentrated so much on copper, but there are other minerals that can add value to mining and the economy at large. To this effect, my ministry is making efforts to attract investment and increase production of other minerals.

 

Mr Speaker, let me highlight some of the mining programmes the ministry is implementing to promote investment in and production of other minerals.

 

Geological Mapping and Mineral Resource Surveys

 

Mr Speaker, geological information is cardinal for the growth of the mining industry. The ministry, therefore, continued with the geological mapping of areas in Luapula, Muchinga and the Northern provinces with the support of our co-operating partners. The geological and geochemical mapping and geological survey of parts of Kasama was concluded in April, 2016, and the maps and associated reports will be ready by early 2017. Mineral resource surveys for non-traditional minerals meant to promote diversification within the mining sector and stimulate growth in other sectors are ongoing.

 

Monitoring and Regulation of the Mining Industry

 

Mr Speaker, to ensure that the country continues to maximise benefits from copper mining, the ministry has continued to implement the Mineral Production Monitoring Support Project, a three-year European Union (EU) supported project whose main objective is to enhance the capacity of the ministry to fulfil its mandate as a mining authority by monitoring and regulating mining activities and mineral production in Zambia. The project was started in 2015 and has a budget of €4.69 million. Achievements so far made under the project include water reticulation to laboratories at the Geological Survey Department, procurement of laboratory equipment, and development of online data reporting and export permit modules.

 

Promotion of Ore and Gas Exploration

 

Sir, the ministry has been promoting the exploration of oil and gas in the country. To this effect, the issuance of petroleum exploration licences continues. The ministry issued seventeen petroleum exploration licences in 2011 and an additional nine in 2013. Unfortunately, fourteen of the licences were cancelled in 2015 for non-performance while four were made to create one sizeable block. Two more licences were issued in 2016, taking the current total to twelve. Some of the companies have commenced desk studies and the development of environmental project briefs (EPB) in preparation for field work, which will include geological and airborne surveys.

 

Sir, the ministry is also in the process of reviewing the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act of 2008 in order to improve Zambia’s attractiveness and ensure that Zambians benefit from the sector once a discovery is made.

 

Safety, Health and the Environment

 

Mr Speaker, my speech would be incomplete if I did not touch on safety, health and the environment because mining, by its nature, has negative impacts on these aspects. The enforcement of safety, health and environmental regulations is, therefore, important because it reduces mine accidents and environmental degradation. Increased mine accidents have implications on the mine’s productivity, which ultimately result in a reduced contribution to economic development. Environmental degradation also diminishes the industry’s contribution to economic development because it is a cost to the nation. In this vein, the ministry has been working to enhance the enforcement of regulations and has introduced audits of the mines in addition to routine inspections. The strengthening of the Environment Protection Fund (EPF) has also continued.

 

Transparency and Accountability

 

Mr Speaker, transparency and accountability have become important in the management of mineral resources. As the House might be aware, Zambia has been implementing the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) since 2009. A notable feature of this initiative is the production of reconciliation reports. To make the initiative more relevant and address some governance challenges, there are plans for it to begin publishing more information, such as the real owners also known as beneficial owners of the mines.  It is hoped that will help reduce financial leakages with which the industry has been associated.

 

Performance of the Mining Sector

 

Mr Speaker, let me also talk about the performance of the mining sector in general over the past one year. Despite the decline in metal prices coupled with frequent changes in the fiscal regime and power deficit, the sector has continued to grow, as evidenced by the increase in copper production. By the end of the third quarter of 2016, copper production increased by 8 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2015. The increase from 531,140 tonnes in 2015 to 574,782 tonnes in 2016 is mainly attributed to the increase in production at Kalumbila Mine.

 

Mr Speaker, the positive performance of the mining sector is also evident from the following projects, among others:

 

1. Mopani Copper Mines Synclinorium in Ndola and deep shaft Sinking Projects;

 

1. Katumba Copper Project in Mumbwa by Intrepid. Exploration was completed and plans for the mine development are underway; and

 

1. Non-Ferrous Metals Mining Corporation commenced the South East Ore Body Project.

 

Sir, these developments indicate that mining will continue to grow and contribute to the economic development of the country.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Ema Minister, aba!

 

The Minister of Justice (Mr Lubinda): Mr Speaker, I you most sincerely for according me the opportunity to add my voice to the speech delivered by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Sir, as you are well aware, tomorrow, the hon. Minister of Finance will present the National Budget, which will call for hon. Ministers, including me, to issue policy statements for their ministries. As such, allow me to reserve my policy statement until after the Budget has been presented. However, allow me to just state that the Ministry of Justice is poised to ensure that the aspirations of our people are fully met through the services that we, in the Government, as their humble servants, will continue to provide to them. In that regard, let me borrow the following few words from His Excellency the President’s Speech:

 

“Let us all remain hard working. We must be selfless, honest and united. We must focus our energies on what we are able to give to others and the nation at large, as opposed to our selfish gains, at the expense of the nation.”

 

Mr Speaker, these words resonate very well with what I had to go through at the hands and machinations of some who were incapable of living up to the tenets of the President’s counsel. My saying these words today, my standing in this august House at this moment, my execution of the functions of the honourable office of Member of Parliament and my occupation of the very privileged office of Minister is neither of my making nor ordinary; it is neither an accident nor a product my intellect. Having been humiliated, scorned, ridiculed, mocked, wrapped in the clothes of high treachery; having been chewed and spat out …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Lubinda: … like chewing gum that has lost its taste is spat out by little children …

 

Mr Sichone: Hammer, hammer!

 

Mr Lubinda: … and having been symbolically buried in those mock coffins, many rightly believed that I had been vanquished and annihilated. Some deserted me as a result. Indeed, to some, I had become a shadow of my former self. My tongue was tied and heavy and it could not move, I was dumb; my ears were deaf, I could not hear; my eyes were blind, I could not see; my feelings and emotions were numb, I could not respond; and my tears were dry, and anxiety and despair seized me, I could not react. Then, not many could have anticipated that, today, I would be in the people’s National Assembly.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: Indeed, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob …

 

Mr Bwalya: Amen!

 

Mr Lubinda: … was alive then, he is alive today and will live forever.

 

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: He sheltered me in his bosom from the weapons that were forged against me by my friends. Then God Almighty reinvigorated my soul and flourished my spirit and kept the faith in me. It is, therefore, to the glory and praise of His name that I am here today.

 

Sir, it is with a sense of joy that I reminisce about how the late President Michael Sata quickly realised that I had been clothed in attire that did not suit me. I cannot, but pay glowing tribute to President Edgar Lungu for seeing through the mud that had been smeared on me and appointing me to his first Cabinet. As if that was not enough, the entire leadership of the Patriotic Front (PF) put on my feet sandals of armour when they adopted me to contest the Kabwata Parliamentary Seat and the noble and most loving people of Kabwata sealed me with the most precious anointment when they turned out in large numbers to vote for me for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: To all those loving people, I can only pledge my total and unflinching loyalty and dedication. I do not pride myself on being the first Member of Parliament to be elected four consecutive times in Kabwata. Instead, I take it as a rare and most humbling honour.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: Sir, through this House, let me reassure President Lungu that I cannot take his trust in me for granted, and commit myself to serving his Government and the people of this great country to the best of my abilities.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: What we, the people of Kabwata, have achieved over the last fifteen years in transforming our constituency into the most developed in Zambia inspires me to do even more.

 

Sir, to my fellow constituents, I can only say that I am theirs for the keeping. Let us continue to work together to make Kabwata the constituency of choice in Zambia. Our high performance has been a result of our willingness to humble ourselves and lobby various institutions and, especially, the Government. Even during my first two terms in Parliament when I was a member of the Opposition, we still managed to deliver to the expectations of the people. At no time did we say that the Government had not provided this or that. Rather, we ensured that the Government attended to our plight by lobbying it with humility, openness and honesty. Now, with the hardworking PF in Government, development in Kabwata has been unprecedented over the last five years. In this regard, I reassure my fellow constituents in Kabwata that their decision to give President Edgar Lungu a resounding victory will be celebrated by all of us because he will spur the development of our constituency and our country in general to even greater heights. We all know that he is a reliable, humble and hardworking President who is driven by a burning desire to serve rather than be served.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: Sir, we are on the right trajectory of providing paved roads throughout the constituency. All the township roads, including the one leading to my humble residence, will be added to the already long list of tarred roads in Kabwata. Modern shopping malls and markets are also under construction while play parks are being rehabilitated, some by the Government and others by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). More clinics and hospitals are under construction to complement the services of the new first-level hospital in Chilenje while schools will be rehabilitated and modernised. On this score, let me praise God for rewarding President Lungu’s meekness and Her Honour the Vice-President’s resilience by elevating them from positions of ridicule to offices of the highest honour in our land. We remember the kinds of sobriquets by which they were called during the elections. Let me also thank God the Most High for giving them a high sense of patriotism, patience and love for the country during the long wait for their inauguration. Not many could have waited for such a long time to be sworn in.

 

Mr Speaker, even today, they continue to remain magnanimous under extreme provocation by those who have made it their relish to debase the election of the two. In the process, the President and Her Honour the Vice-President are setting very high political standards that I, sometimes, think may be too high for some of our politicians, whose quest for leadership positions is inspired by their insatiable appetite for unfettered power and self-aggrandisement to emulate.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: Mr Speaker, you, together with your First and Second Deputies deserve my sincere congratulations on your unopposed election to those high offices. Knowing your credentials the way I do, I have no doubt that you will discharge the functions of those highly respected offices with excellence. To that effect, I humbly submit to your authority and pledge to rely on your wise counsel as I execute my mandate on behalf of the people of Kabwata Constituency in Parliament.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also congratulate all my colleagues on their election or nomination. I also congratulate all those who were appointed to various positions of leadership in the Cabinet, the provinces and here, in Parliament. This, obviously, includes my friends, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu and Hon. Gary Nkombo, the Member of Parliament for Monze Central and Mazabuka Central constituencies, respectively, in the Southern Province. I congratulate them on their appointment as Leader of the Opposition and Opposition Chief, respectively. I have no doubt that the fifty-eight United Party for National Development (UPND) hon. Members of Parliament, forty of whom hail from provinces other than the Southern Province, will join me in supporting our two opposition parliamentary leaders.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. Government Members: Eighteen over forty.

 

Mr Lubinda: Indeed, eighteen over forty.

 

Sir, the campaign in Kabwata was most satisfying. Besides the support that we received from the top party leadership, I also had that of my darling wife, Irene, who was literally my running mate. The management and leadership abilities made available to the organisation by the campaign manager, former councillor, Derek Chansa, was exemplary. The provincial, district, constituency and ward leaders, the foot soldiers, my media team, the pioneers, recruitment officers, the singers of campaign songs, the polling agents, the managers of our campaign centres, the security teams, and the poster and bill board minders were all nothing, but a very dedicated lot. I owe it to them to say thank you.

 

Mr Speaker, the many friends and relatives who provided material and financial support made it happen for all of us and we are indebted to them. The reverends, priests, ministers, pastors, bishops and ordinary churchgoers in Kabwata Constituency prayed for us, and their God in heaven heard and answered their prayers. Their prayers were not in vain.

 

Sir, it would be amiss of me if I did not recognise the efforts of four members of the PF in Kabwata Constituency who even after not being adopted by the party to contest the elections as Members of Parliament did not leave the party in protest, but came along and campaigned with me for the councillors, the mayor and His Excellency the President and his former running mate.

 

Mr Speaker, the councillors blended very well and the Mayor of the City of Lusaka added a very dynamic dimension to the PF campaign. Regrettably, against this background, Kabwata Constituency experienced unprecedented levels of violence during the recent elections, with some musicians being beaten almost to death simply for singing at PF rallies. I am, however, very grateful that the PF campaign team restrained its members from reacting to provocation. Now that the elections are over, it is time for all of us to pick up the loose ends and connect them so that we forge ahead as one indivisible nation. We cannot continue to live in the naivety of believing that there can be a parallel leadership in the country because the hard reality is that there can only be one Government at a time ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: … and, by providential goodness, this time, it is President Edgar Lungu’s Government. Indeed, our role, as politicians, is to keep one another in check. This is particularly true with regard to the opposition parties keeping vigil over the Executive. However, it can and should be done in the interest of society at large, not of regional or sectarian ones. Never should we exercise these functions in pursuit of individual or private interests.

 

Mr Speaker, for my colleagues who have only recently been elected to this House, my advice to them, for which I am qualified to give by my fifteen years in this House, ten of which were in the Opposition, the Back Bench, and five in the Ruling Party, is that an effective parliamentarian is not necessarily about rhetoric; it is not about merely speaking the loudest or the longest. It is not even about being disruptive, unruly or disrespectful of others. Rather, it is about  being productive through moving Private Member’s Motions like the one we debated yesterday, responding to and proposing legislation, moving amendments to Bills and the Budget, and supporting progressive ideas irrespective of the side of the House from which they originate. Opposing everything for the sake of opposing it is risky because, sooner rather than later, you get caught up in a web of deceit and inconsistency. That is my free advice and it can be heeded or rejected.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lubinda: Sir, let me end by appealing to all of us gathered in this House to seek to change ourselves first before seeking to change others. Let us seek to serve as we pursue our desire to lead. I am very confident that God will free all of us from the trappings of bitterness; anger of all forms; and egocentricism, which is slavery to the ‘me’, ‘myself’ and ‘I’ trinity of man. Instead, let us concern ourselves with loving rather than being loved. Let us not look for personal glory, but for service to the people; let us tame our complexes and realise that all of us are here because of the people of Zambia and that whatever we say must be said with respect to one another.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

                       

Mr Lubinda: Let us conquer ourselves before we attempt to conquer the world. In that regard, I pledge to you that I will pray that God makes me the first to conquer myself before I aspire to conquer anyone.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Energy (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to make my maiden speech and contribute to the Motion of Thanks to His Excellency the President’s Speech delivered during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly delivered to this august House on 30^th September, 2016.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left and right!

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, let me also thank the Patriotic Front (PF) Central Committee, especially His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, for giving me the opportunity to recontest the Mwense Parliamentary Constituency Seat. I also thank the Church, traditional leadership and the PF party machinery for supporting my candidature and helping to secure a resounding victory for me on 11^th August, 2016.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mabumba: My victory was a result of the hard work, commitment and dedication of the PF party machinery from the district to the section committees. Therefore, I thank our party structures and the voters in Mwense Constituency for their faith and trust in my leadership, which has been anchored on unlocking the infrastructure development potential of the constituency.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the right!

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, today, Mwense Constituency has ongoing infrastructure development projects like the construction of a hospital, college, five piped water schemes, urban and township roads and modern markets, and upgrading of two primary schools into day secondary schools. Two banks have since opened their branches and selected feeder roads have been worked on while a number of households have been connected to the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) power grid. In this regard, I assure the people of Mwense that the ongoing projects will be completed and new ones started in order to reduce poverty levels. The projects to be started will include solar milling plants and fish farming.

 

Sir, I also thank my family, the Church, friends and all the residents of Mwense Constituency for supporting my candidature and that of my President and Vice-President. Let me also thank my God for giving me the opportunity to come back to this august House.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to sincerely congratulate His Excellency the Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and Her Honour the Vice-President, Mrs Inonge Mutukwa Wina, on their re-election to the highest offices of the land and getting a well-deserved five-year mandate.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Mr Mabumba: Indeed, the resounding victory that Zambians gave the PF on 11^th August, 2016, under the new Constitution is a clear demonstration of the confidence that they have in the party. May I reiterate that the victory did not come by chance, but was a result of the continuous hard work and demonstrated commitment to championing the interests of our people from the time we came into power in 2011 with His Excellency the late President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, may his soul rest in eternal peace.

 

Mr Speaker, I also congratulate you and your two Deputies on your election to your positions. Let me also congratulate all the hon. Members of Parliament who managed to make it to the National Assembly. I look forward to working with them in developing Zambia.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech clearly shows how visionary and committed our leader is to the development agenda of this nation. Creating 1 million jobs is a key national performance indicator (PI) in our journey to industrialisation and job creation. It is in this context that I thank the President for appointing me to serve the people of Zambia in the Ministry of Energy, which is a driver of industrialisation and job creation. I take the challenge of the power deficit that we are currently experiencing as an opportunity for me and my team to provide the leadership the country needs to get out of the crisis and make Zambia a net exporter of power in the medium and long term. My service in the ministry will be premised on hard work, commitment and dedication in driving the transformation and reform agenda of the energy sector.

 

Mr Speaker, my ministry’s mandate remains that of developing and managing our energy resources in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the people of Zambia. The sector is a key ingredient in the socio-economic development of our country, as it anchors all our developmental processes.

 

Mr Speaker, let me highlight some of the key programmes and interventions the ministry is implementing in the sector. As you may be aware, the main strategic thrust of the sector has been the expansion of the electricity generation, transmission and distribution capacity and enhancement of cost-effectiveness in petroleum supply chain management. Consequently, the Government has continued implementing measures targeted at realising the following:

 

1. increased electricity generation capacity;

 

1. improved electricity transmission and distribution network;

 

1. increased fuel storage capacity; and

 

1. identification of new and innovative ways of developing renewable and alternative sources of energy.

 

Mr Speaker, 2015 and 2016 has been a very difficult period due to the severe power deficit that was exacerbated by low rainfall, which resulted in low water levels for power generation, mainly in the southern part of the country. Consequently, the country has a power deficit of about 835 MW, of which about 300 MW is being imported.

 

Sir, in order to meet the growing demand for power and counter the effects of climate change, the ministry is currently pursuing the following measures:

 

1. generation diversification, including the generation of 300 MW from renewable energy, of which a project to produce 100 MW has since been awarded to two companies from Italy and France while the production of 200 MW will soon be procured. The ministry is also finalising the development of the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff Strategy, which will contribute to enhancing access to modern energy services and doubling of the share of renewable energy in the energy generation mix;

 

1. operationalisation of the 1,200 MW Batoka Hydro Power Station, which will be co-owned by Zambia and Zimbabwe;

 

1. construction of the 750 MW Kafue Gorge Lower Project, which is progressing well;

 

1. facilitation of the construction of the Luapula River Hydro Power Plant, consisting of the Mambilima and Mombututa Falls sites, which have a combined capacity of 1,000 MW;

 

1. development of the 80 MW Ngonye Falls Power Project in Sioma District by the Western Power Company;

 

1. upgrading of small hydro power plants, such as the Lusiwasi (12 MW to 86 MW), Chishimba Falls (6 MW to 14.5 MW) and Musonda Falls (5 MW to 10 MW), by ZESCO;

 

1. development of the 240 MW Kalungwishi Power Project by Lunzua Power Authority;

 

1. development of the 55 MW second phase of the Ndola Energy Heavy Oil Power Plant, which is nearing completion and will come on the grid before the end of this month;

 

1. development of the 240 MW Lufubu Power Plant on the Lufubu River in the Northern Province;

 

1. development of off-grid solar and mini hydro solutions to accelerate rural electrification in the growth centres identified in the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP); and

 

1. construction of the 300 MW Maamba Coal-Fired Plant and 120 MW Itezhi-tezhi Plant have been completed. Currently, we are discussing with Maamba Collieries on the expansion of its plant to produce an extra 300 MW.

 

Mr Speaker, it is envisaged that the long-term projects will add a minimum of 3,000 MW to the national power grid by 2025. The Government is also focusing on improving reliability by rehabilitating and expanding the distribution network infrastructure. This will include the following activities:

 

1. construction of new sub-stations;

 

1. upgrading of existing sub-stations;

 

1. replacement of obsolete switch gears; and

 

1. upgrading of high-tension underground cables in all the major towns. Further, ZESCO is upgrading and constructing transmission lines, including the Livingstone/Muzuma/Kafue, Pensulo/Kasama and Pensulo/Chipata networks. The Pensulo/Kasama and Pensulo/Chipata lines have since been completed.

 

Mr Speaker, in the petroleum subsector, my ministry has embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of fuel storage facilities in order to ensure security of supply of petroleum products. The current status is as follows:

 

1. the Lusaka Fuel Depot has a capacity of 25 million litres and was commissioned in August, 2013;

 

1. the Mpika Fuel Depot has a capacity of 6.5 million litres and was commissioned in September, 2014;

 

1. the Solwezi Fuel Depot has a capacity of 15.5 million litres and was commissioned in December, 2015; and

 

1. the Mongu Fuel Depot has a capacity of 6.5 million litres and was commissioned in August, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, the projects mentioned are a demonstration of the PF Government’s commitment to improving the reliability and independence of our petroleum sub-sector. Following the completion of the first phase of the construction of fuel storage facilities, the ministry will now embark on the second phase of the programme. This is meant to improve fuel security, independence and reliability in the petroleum supply chain management. The ministry’s strategic focus in the short term is on the continued enhancement of procurement efficiencies in the sub-sector while the long-term strategy will be to facilitate and support the construction of a multi-finished product pipeline through private sector investment and participation. The ministry’s strategic policy reforms will cover the following areas:

 

1. review of the National Energy Policy of 2008 and the 2011-2016 Strategic Plan;

 

1. review of the institutional framework of the ministry to align it with our goals;

 

1. review of the procurement and financing model of the petroleum supply chain management;

 

1. review of the governance and operational model of the electricity sub-sector to make it competitive; and

 

1. review of the pricing mechanism and its adjustment modalities in order to allow for a flexible structure for the review of petroleum and electricity tariff structures.

 

Mr Speaker, the mentioned reforms are meant to fight energy poverty and make Zambia energy-independent and secure.

 

Sir, in conclusion, policy, legislative and regulatory reforms will be undertaken to ensure that the ministry creates a competitive petroleum and electricity business environment anchored on private sector participation. This will unlock the potential of the sector to become a contributor to social and economic development and, more importantly, to drive the agenda for industrialisation and job creation.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Hon. Minister of Local Government (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, before I add my voice to the debate on the inspiring and focused speech by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr Edgar Lungu, to Parliament, allow me to pay tribute to the people of Chipangali Constituency for showing confidence in me by electing me their representative in Parliament for the third. I will never take them for granted and I give myself fully to their developmental needs. I will be at their disposal so that, together, we can address the challenges we face and drive Chipangali to greater heights.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also pay tribute to the Patriotic Front (PF) for adopting me as their parliamentary candidate for Chipangali Constituency. There were a number of individuals who applied to be adopted who may even have been better than me, but the party adopted me. I, therefore, thank the PF Central Committee headed by the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the Provincial Committee headed by the hardworking Mr Andrew Lubusha, the District Committee headed by Mr Msimuko and the Constituency Committee headed by Mr Suzyo Lungu.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to also thank my wife, Constance Nachilima Mwale; my children, Kondwani, Kayla and Vincent Jr; and my niece, Faith Bwalya, for the moral support they gave me during the elections.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to congratulate His Excellency the President on his re-election for a full five-year term, and Her Honour the Vice-President on being such a dependable running mate. I am more than confident of her leadership qualities the able manner in which she performed as Leader of Government Business in the House during part of the immediate past Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, which ended in August, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to also congratulate you; the First Deputy Speaker, Hon. Catherine Namugala; and the Second Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mwimba Malama, on your election as the Presiding Officers of this honourable House. May God bless you with wisdom and guide you throughout your tenure.

 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Sir, I sincerely thank His Excellency the President for showing confidence in me by, once again, appointing me Minister of Local Government. This, too, I do not take for granted.

 

Mr Speaker, let me now address the salient issues that were articulated by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia with regard to the Ministry of Local Government.

 

Sir, His Excellency called for the creation of a resilient economy that departs from copper dependency to agriculture. In line with the decentralisation policy and principle of integrating and streamlining the way of doing business, my ministry will focus on improving the capacity of local authorities to handle developmental issues and making the process of doing business as efficient as possible through investing in modern technology to equip councils with better standards and capabilities. This will not be easy and calls for support from all sectors in the spirit of the integrated approach that His Excellency espoused during his speech. We will invest in human development through training of staff and provision of appropriate equipment to all councils.

 

Mr Speaker, to achieve economic diversification, my ministry will focus on improved service delivery at the local level through the local authorities. All economic activities have a link to the local authorities, and it is only realistic that, in order for us to get the fundamentals right in our quest for development, we streamline our local authorities to levels where local economic development translates into national development.

 

Mr Speaker, in order to achieve industrialisation, my ministry will ensure that councils provide land for setting up of industries that will support job creation in line with the vision of the PF Government, as elaborated by His Excellency in his speech. My ministry will also work closely with other ministries, including the ministries of Commerce, Trade and Industry, and Lands and Natural Resources, to create space for investors in order to realise the objectives of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which was mooted during the first term of the PF Administration.

 

Sir, let me stress my ministry’s commitment to contributing to the creation of 1 million jobs. We will, therefore, work to unlock the potential of local authorities to facilitate development and job creation at the local levels.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me, to reiterate His Excellency’s focus on the promotion of research on sustainable solid waste management because solid waste management has eluded many councils and has been a big threat to the health of citizens. That is why my ministry is excited by His Excellency’s vision on sustainable solid waste management initiatives, such as recycling and the use of solid waste as a source of energy and plant nutrition. We are grateful to the President for this vision.

 

Sir, His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu assured the nation, through this House, of the PF Government’s continued vision of providing adequate, modern and well-functioning social and economic infrastructure. This includes housing, roads, airports, aerodromes, rail, and inland water transport. All these border on proper spatial planning by all planning authorities. I am, therefore, glad to report that the new Urban and Regional Planning Act No.3 of 2015 provides for councils that meet set requirements to be appointed as local planning authorities. These requirements include adequate planning staff and capacity to manage planning matters. I will, therefore, support all local authorities to attain planning authority status so that they may help in the realisation of decentralised planning functions, as provided for in the Urban and regional Planning Act No. 3 of 2015.

 

Mr Sikazwe: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Once we improve on the physical planning function in the councils, the construction of houses, roads and other socio-economic infrastructure will add not only value to our wellbeing, but also an aesthetic environment to our towns and settlements.

 

Mr Speaker, councils will be encouraged to partner with the private sector through the newly created Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development to construct affordable housing units. This will not only help in creating jobs, but also go a long way in reducing the national housing deficit, which stands at more than 1.5 million houses.

 

Mr Speaker, in his speech to this august House, His Excellency the President stated that the new Constitution had entrenched our decentralised system of governance and, therefore, given impetus to the implementation of the Decentralisation Policy. Decentralisation by devolution promises a future of equitably shared prosperity for all of us and broadens opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision making across the country, thereby ensuring that no one is left behind on our journey towards prosperity for all. To this effect, the ministry and the Decentralisation Secretariat at Cabinet Office have been conducting field demonstrations on the establishment of Ward Development Committees (WDCs) in the country. The establishment of sub-district structures, the WDCs, is provided for in the Revised National Decentralisation Policy (R-NDP) and in Article 148(1) of the Constitution of Zambia, which stipulates that:

 

“Local governance shall be undertaken through sub-structures”.

 

Sir, it is a constitutional requirement that WDCs be established within two months after general elections. In this regard, I implore all citizens, including hon. Members of Parliament, to take keen interest in the decentralisation process and demand total accountability and better results from those who manage resources to ensure that their needs and expectations are met. To put it simply, allow me to illustrate the implication of decentralisation using a person’s life from birth to death. When people are born, they are issued with birth certificates and, ideally, they are supposed to be born in a medical facility. As they grow, they will require medical and education facilities, clean drinking water and sanitary facilities, good road infrastructure, sports facilities et cetera. Further, as the people grow older, they will need a good business environment for a job, space to build or rent a house and many other services that support human life. Finally, when they die, their remains will need a burial site. All these activities and functions, and many others will be provided at the local level by the councils once devolution is fully implemented.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: The implication is that there will be efficiency in service delivery and enhanced citizens’ participation in local economic development. A person should be adequately catered for in terms of their developmental needs from birth to death within their locality. With decentralisation, citizens will be able to demand for greater accountability, for instance, by reporting non-performing officers to authorities at the local level and action will be taken at that level without waiting for the Central Government to Act.

 

 Mr Speaker, the implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy has gained momentum in the areas of primary health care, agriculture extension services and early childhood and primary education, to mention, but a few sectors. To accelerate this process, the Government will conclude the legal and the regulatory reforms needed to facilitate the transfer of specified functions with matching human and financial resources to the councils. This is in order to enhance the councils’ legal and financial autonomy, and improve service delivery. To this effect, the ministry is in the process of repealing the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia to re-align it to the new Constitution.

 

Interruptions

 

 Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

That is not an acceptable response.

 

Hon. Minister, please, continue.

 

Mr Mwale: Sir, the Ministry of Local Government in the process of repealing of the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia to re-align it to the new Constitution and the National Decentralisation Policy. Therefore, I will present the Local Government Bill to this House once the Cabinet clears it. Similarly, in the spirit of enhancing fiscal decentralisation and the financial autonomy of the councils, the ministry, working with stakeholders, has embarked on the development of the Inter-governmental Fiscal Architecture (IFA), which will guide the collection and flow of financial resources between the Central Governing and the local authorities.

 

Sir, solid waste management remains a serious challenge for most cities and towns. The Government will, therefore, prioritise improved solid waste management by mobilising financial resources for infrastructure development, and refuse collection and disposal equipment to enhance the capacity of our local authorities in maintaining healthy and clean environments. My ministry will also encourage the local authorities to partner with the private sector in solid waste management to ensure that our cities, towns and districts are kept clean.

 

 Sir, we will continue constructing modern markets and bus stations, and rehabilitating the existing ones in both urban and rural areas.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: This will create a conducive trading environment and improve business as part of the deliberate Government policy of reducing poverty. These facilities will also be supported by sanitation facilities to prevent water borne diseases.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I assure the nation that under the current decentralised dispensation in which additional functions have been given to the local authorities, I will ensure that my office closely monitors the performance of all councils and ensures that they meet the expectations of the general public. Currently, councils are always associated with failure, inefficiencies, corruption, and a lack of transparency and accountability. This will surely change and councils will soon become centres of excellence in the delivery of service.

 

 I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

 Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I rise to contribute to the debate on the Motion before the mover winds up the debate.

 

Sir, the Executive greatly appreciates the contributions made by the hon. Members of this august House on the forward-looking address by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

 

 Mr Speaker, hon. Members made wide-ranging contributions on subjects like national unity, challenges of socio-economic development at the national and constituency levels, and support for the Executive’s development policies and priorities for the next five years, among others.

 

Sir, His Excellency the President’s Address to this House was a message of hope for Zambia …

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President: … and shows that Zambia is moving in the right direction. It is also a commitment by His Excellency the President to improving the socio-economic situation of every Zambian in line with his deep commitment to national unity and social justice.

 

Mr Speaker, tomorrow, the hon. Minister of Finance will unveil the 2017 National Budget, which will operationalise the President’s policy pronouncements to develop a diversified, resilient and inclusive Zambian economy in an integrated multi-sectoral framework. Before, the end of the year, His Excellency the President will also launch the Seventh National Development Plan (7^TH NDP), which will incorporate the sustainable development goals (SDGs) aimed at ending poverty, promoting prosperity and protecting the environment. The 7^th NDP will also lay the foundation for Zambia’s graduation from the least developed countries category to the middle income category. This will, then, set the foundation for Zambia’s progression towards a developed country status by 2064, as articulated in the President’s Address to this House in 2015.

 

Sir, Article 90 of the Republican Constitution specifies that the Executive authority of the Government is derived from the people of Zambia. The Article also states that the authority shall be exercised in a manner compatible with the principles of social justice, and for the people‘s well-being and benefit. It also underlines the fact that at the purpose of a government is to serve the people, and the President’s Address to the National Assembly operationalised the Article. Let me also reaffirm that the Executive wing of Government exists to serve all Zambians and assure them and posterity of a secure and prosperous future.

 

Sir, hon. Members of Parliament spoke passionately about the need to foster rapid development in their constituencies.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President: That is as it should be, and it shows that hon. Members of Parliament are committed to improving the lives of the people in their constituencies.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice-President: To them all, I can only say that their voices have been heard by the Executive.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Vice President: The task ahead is for each one of them to ceaselessly engage sector hon. Ministers to ensure that their respective constituencies benefit from development programmes and projects in the next five years.

 

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

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima (Milenge): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me yet another opportunity, this time, to wind up debate on this Motion. Today marks exactly twenty-three days from the time I moved it and I would describe the debate that followed as quite unprecedented. 

 

Sir, when we mention the terms that we have been in Parliament, basically, it is because we want to use the past to shape the future. This is my third term in this House and I will say that this debate has been unprecedented from many angles. For example, we usually debate the Motion of Thanks for eight to ten days. This one, however, has been debated for twenty-three days. Also, the debates were quite exciting, almost exciting, quite controversial or, in some cases, simply outrageous.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mbulakulima: I believe that was uncalled for, especially in the current dispensation. I believe that some of the things that were said could have been avoided so as to bring this country together. The kind of venom, anger and frustration that was evident in some debates could have caused chaos in this House had it not been for the timely intervention and tenacity of the Presiding Officers. I believe that my advice will be taken.

 

Mr Speaker, some of the accusations that I heard being made were uncalled for and unfounded. The level of development in this country, province by province, is almost on a par. Lusaka Province is probably the most developed, followed by the Copperbelt Province, then, the Southern Province, and Central Province and the Eastern Province, in that order. The Western, North-Western, Luapula, Northern and Muchinga provinces are almost on a par as the least developed.

 

Interruptions

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: So, I find it awkward that someone from Muchinga Province can accuse a brother from the Western Province if there is some form of development in the Western Province. For someone from the Northern Province to accuse someone from the North-Western Province or vice-versa is uncomfortable. All of these provinces are struggling. So, this spirit of brother against brother and sister against sister should come to an end. We must be proud when we hear of two universities being built in Chongwe District because that is good for us. In Kabwe, Central Province, there are also two universities ...

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: ... and that is as it is supposed to be.

 

Sir, in Muchinga Province, the much-talked-about construction of Paul Mushindo University has not taken off. So, as national leaders, we should be above politics. The so-called Robert Kapasa Makasa University infrastructure was started by the United National Independence Party (UNIP) Government as a police college a long time ago, but later abandoned.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) came into power and barely scratched the surface in trying to make it a teachers’ training college. The Patriotic Front (PF) is the one that has decided to complete it.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Surely, we should be happy about this instead of fighting it.

 

Mr Chilangwa: Ba yama, muli baume.

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Ladies and gentlemen, these are very serious matters.

 

Mr Chilangwa: I agree.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Sir, if the people of the Copperbelt Province had adopted the attitude that some people have adopted, Zambia would not be where it is today. So, I pay tribute to the Lambas for their selflessness.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: The people of the Copperbelt Province know no race, tribe or language. They are a very united people and they have allowed the resources from their province to be used to make Zambia what it is today.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: This is the way it is supposed to be.

 

Mr Ng’onga: I hope that you are listening!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, let me pay tribute to some hon. Members of Parliament who debated. The Member of Parliament for Kasempa, Hon. Tambatamba, reflected on the state of our nation, post-elections and talked about Zambia being at the crossroads. It is up to the men and women in this august House to redeem the country. It is in this House that every inch of Zambia is represented. What we are currently seeing in this country can be rectified only if we come together.

 

Sir, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilanga had this to say, and I totally agree with him:

 

“Mr Speaker, incidentally, I note that during break time, hon. Members sit in corners, talking and laughing even though they are from different political parties. However, immediately they turn their backs on each other, the venom that will come out of their mouths, casting their colleagues to the gallery and the people, leaves much to be desired, and yet they have just been drinking tea together. One would think that may be someone has already poisoned his friend because the hatred is too much.

 

“Why do we have double standards? Let us walk the talk. If you do not like Hon. Mukata, just come and tell me to my face. Do not smile at me and, immediately you turn your back, start telling people that I am this and that. Let us sit as family. We found this Parliament and we will leave it.”

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbulakulima: That is the way it is supposed to be. Why the venom and hate? Sixteen years into the 21^st Century, we cannot afford to go tribal. Of course, it is important for us to speak for our small areas because that is what we are elected to do. However, let us aspire to be national and global citizens. We should be above petty politics, fellow countrymen and women.

 

Sir, as I end my debate, I beg that the concept and spirit of One Zambia, One Nation rises again.

 

Sir, I thank you.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_________

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_________

                                                                     

The House adjourned at 1939 hours until 1415 hours on Friday, 11^th November, 2016.