Tuesday, 1st November, 2016

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Tuesday, 1st November, 2016

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_____________

 

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR MAYORS AND COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS

 

The Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to submit a ministerial statement on the Floor of this House on the terms of reference for Mayors and Councils Chairpersons in this country. Prior to the enactment of the amended Constitution, Mayors and Council Chairpersons were elected by the council amongst persons who were councillors, in accordance with Section 161(a) and (b) of the Local Government Act, Cap. 281 of the Laws of Zambia. These provisions stipulate that:

 

“There shall be:

 

  1. for every city or municipal council a mayor and deputy mayor; and

 

  1. for every township or district council, a chairperson and vice-chairperson who shall be elected by the council from amongst persons who are councillors.”

 

Sir, Article 154(1) of the amended Constitution stipulates that:

 

“There shall be a Mayor and Deputy Mayor or Council Chairperson and Deputy Council Chairperson for every council as prescribed; (2) Mayor and Council Chairperson shall be elected directly in accordance with Article 47(3) during elections for councillors as prescribed.”

 

The amendment was meant to deal with the situation whereby Mayors or Council Chairpersons owed their incumbency to fellow councillors. By amending the mode through which Mayors and Council Chairpersons were ushered into office, other terms of reference have not been changed.

 

Mr Speaker, in the amended Constitution of Zambia, Mayors and Council Chairpersons shall now be elected directly by the electorate in every district. As a consequence of this development, there have been different perceptions on whether such an elected Mayor or Council Chairperson should hold executive office or not. These perceptions have also extended to how the elected officials should be remunerated.

 

Sir, you may wish to note that the amended Constitution does not provide for an Executive Mayor or Council Chairperson, but for a Mayor and Council Chairperson, who is directly elected by the electorate in the district, rather than by fellow councillors as the case was previously. In addition, this amendment was intended to, among other things, ensure that the allegiance of the Mayor or Council Chairperson is to all the electorate in the district, rather than to draw their allegiance from fellow councillors or a specific ward.

 

Mr Speaker, following this amendment, the positions for Mayor and Council Chairperson have been made full-time.

 

Article 154(3) stipulates that:

 

“a Deputy Mayor and a Deputy Council Chairperson shall be elected by the councillors from amongst themselves”.

 

Thus, the effect of Article 154(3) above has not changed the mode of election before a Deputy Mayor or Council Chairperson can assume office. A Deputy Mayor or Council Chairperson shall be elected by the council from persons who are councillors and are regulated by the Constitution and the Local Government Act, Cap. 281 of the Laws of Zambia. The implication of Article 154(3) is that the positions for Deputy Mayor and Deputy Council Chairperson remain part-time as was the case.

 

Functions and Roles of Mayors/Council Chairpersons

 

Mr Speaker, Mayors/Council Chairpersons have varying degrees of responsibilities across the country depending on the size and type of local authority (city, municipal and town). The Office of Mayor or Council Chairperson is established under Article 154(1) of the Constitution of Zambia, which stipulates that “there shall be a Mayor and Deputy Mayor or Council Chairperson and Deputy Council Chairperson for every council, as prescribed.”

 

Mr Speaker, the Mayor/Council Chairperson is the political head of the council and the following are his/her functions:

 

  1. superintend over policy making;

 

  1. ensure the preparation of the annual budget and implementation plan;

 

  1. ensure the preparation and implementation of the strategic plan and community and district development plans;

 

  1. ensure the development and design of economic development programmes;

 

  1. ensure the development and implementation of robust performance management systems;

 

  1. promote citizens engagement and participation; and

 

  1. preside over council meetings and ceremonial functions.

 

Functions and Roles of Town Clerks/Council Secretaries

 

The office of a Town Clerk or Council Secretary is established under Article 152(4) of the Constitution of Zambia, which stipulates that:

 

“there shall be a Town Clerk or Council Secretary for each local authority and other staff of the local authority, as prescribed.”

 

Mr Speaker, the Town Clerk/Council Secretary is the principle officer and Chief Executive Officer of the council and the following are his/her functions:

 

  1. manage institutionalisation of strategic and performance management in the local authority;

 

  1. oversee the initiation and implementation of human resource management and development policies, functions and programmes;

 

  1. oversee provision of administrative and logistical support services;

 

  1. provide advice, technical assistance and secretarial services to the council and its committees;

 

  1. oversee public relations functions;

 

  1. oversee the initiation and provision of public services;

 

  1. oversee the implementation of financial management and resource mobilisation systems and strategies;

 

  1. oversee the election of Deputy Mayors and chiefs of the councils; and

 

  1. conduct statutory functions delegated to the office under the various pieces of legislation.

 

Mr Speaker, as stated earlier, despite the amendments to the Constitution, there has been no change in the functions and roles of Mayors/Council Chairperson, vis-à-vis Town Clerks and Council Secretaries other than the manner in which they are elected into office.

 

Reporting Relationships Interface of the Mayor/Council Chairpersons with Other Public Functionaries

 

  1. The hon. Minister of Local Government

 

According to Article 116(2) of the Constitution of Zambia:

 

“a Minister shall be responsible, under the direction of the President, for the policy and strategic direction of the ministry, department or other state institution as assigned by the President.”

 

Mr Speaker, the implication of this provision is that in superintending over policy matters, the preparation of the annual budget and implementation plan, the preparation and implementation of the strategic plan and community district development plans, the development and design of economic development programmes, the Mayors/Council Chairpersons will have to work closely with the hon. Minister of Local Government to ensure that the policy and strategic direction of the local authority is consistent with Government policies;

 

  1. Provincial Ministers

 

Article 117(3)(c) of the Constitution of Zambia stipulates that:

 

“the Provincial Minister shall ensure the concurrent functions of the province and the exclusive functions of local authorities are performed in accordance with the Constitution and other laws.”

Sir, the implication of this provision is that in superintending over policy matters, the Mayor/Council Chairperson will have to work closely with the Provincial Minister to ensure that the inclusive function of local authorities are performed;

 

  1. Town Clerks and Council Secretaries

 

The Office of the Mayor/Council Chairperson will liaise with the Office of the Town Clerk/Council Secretary on the implementation of development programmes and activities in a particular district;

 

  1. District Commissioner

 

Mr Speaker, the Office of the Mayor/Council Chairperson will liaise with the Office of the District Commissioner in the respective district in the implementation of development programmes and activities through the District Development Co-ordinating Committees (DDCC) reports submitted to the council; and

 

  1. Member of Parliament

 

Mr Speaker, the Office of the Mayor/Council Chairperson will liaise with hon. Members of Parliament on the implementation of development programmes and activities in the district.

 

Mr Speaker, in considering the terms and conditions of service for Mayors/Council Chairpersons, the following were guiding principles:

 

  1. the provision of the amended Constitution should be supreme;

 

  1. the provision of subsidiary legislation, in this case, the Local Government Act, Cap. 281 of the Laws of Zambia should be in force until the Act is amended;

 

  1. the position of the Mayor/Council Chairperson shall be full time;

 

  1. a monthly salary shall be paid to the Mayor/Council Chairperson and this has already been determined; and

 

  1. duty facilitating and sitting allowances will be paid as and when applicable, in line with circulars and guidelines issued by relevant authorities.

 

Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, under His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, …

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: … has placed importance on the role to be played by the local government sector. We believe that without a strong local government, all our efforts at national level will be in vain. This is the reason that, since Independence, it is only now that a Government has embraced decentralisation as an ultimate service delivery. This policy shall ensure optimum utilisation of our resources.

 

Sir, it is in the light of the above that I urge all local authorities to safeguard public resources that have been placed under their charge. The PF Government will not tolerate corruption of any form and shall not relent in taking punitive measures to arrest the scourge. We, as the Government, shall require leaders who will bring about positive change in organisations and societies to alleviate poverty and improve the social and economic status of the poor at the local level.

 

Mr Speaker, in view of this, I wish to call upon all the Mayors/Council Chairpersons and councillors to put behind them partisan politics and focus on their civic responsibility of ensuring that quality services and development are provided to the residents in their respective districts, regardless of their party affiliations. This approach will enable them to provide efficient and effective services to their residents.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, having clarified the terms of reference of Mayors and Council Chairpersons, I wish to state that the Government expects the Mayors, Council Chairpersons and Town Clerks to observe the limits of their roles, responsibilities and functions in order for them to work in harmony and to avoid disruption of services in the districts so that the Government can provide efficient and effective service delivery at the local level for the betterment of communities of our nation.

 

Mr Speaker, I, therefore, call upon all public functionaries to apply the principle of subordination of the individual interest with the broader interest of the communities as a whole.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker and God bless.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement given by the hon. Minister of Local Government and Natural Resources.

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I take note of the statement that has been made by the hon. Minister of Local Government and Natural Resources pertaining to the status management of councils. However, the hon. Minister is not very categorical over the hierarchy in the local government system, which is likely to cause confusion. Can he categorically state who the head of the local government system is. Is it the Mayor, or the Town Clerk? He must be very specific on this matter.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, I have clearly stipulated the roles, functions and responsibilities of the Mayor and those of the principle officers, who are the Town Clerks.

 

Mr Speaker, the status quo continues. I have said in the statement that nothing has changed. Things continue to be how they used to be in the past. What has only changed is that this time around, Mayors are elected by the people, but that has not changed their roles, functions and status. They still remain what they used to be in the past. Hon. Mwiimbu, who …

 

Mr Mwiimbu: You have not answered the question.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Mwale: … in the past worked for the council, knows the hierarchy very well.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, there is a question about precedence here. Who is in charge of the local authority? Is it the Mayor, Town Clerk, Chairperson or Council Secretary?

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the Mayor is responsible for providing policy guidance. I think, as the system is everywhere within the Government, that makes the Mayor senior.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Livune: What about Council Chairperson?

 

 

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Minister for the timely statement.

 

Sir, I would like the hon. Minister to shed some light on the financial remuneration of the elected councillors, although I know for sure that he may not have touched this aspect. Is there anything that the elected councillors will get when they sit in council meetings?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, councillors get an allowance every month and this has not changed. However, we have put the Mayor on salary, but have not changed anything as far as the councillors are concerned. Therefore, they will continue to get the monthly allowance, which they used to get in the past.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, with all the various functions of the Mayor and the Council Chairpersons, cutting across policy, strategic planning, human resource development, performance assessment and budgeting, does the hon. Minister not think that the Office of the District Commissioner is redundant and, therefore, should be phased out?

 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, I stated the roles of the District Chairpersons (DCs), the Mayor and the Council Chairpersons. I said that the Council Chairpersons and Mayors have distinct roles and functions from those of the DCs. At the moment, we still find both offices relevant and helpful. Unless the appointing authority or His Excellency the President, together with the House, are of the view that there will be some conflict arising as we go, so far, they are both performing different functions and are working together very well. We will, therefore, advise as we go along on whether there will be a need to change the status quos.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mwamba (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, I wanted to ask the question which Hon. Ng’onga has asked. However, since it has been overtaken by events, I would like to find out whether there is a possibility that we can be given copies of the statement that the hon. Minister has presented so that we are able to answer questions as we go to our constituencies using that authority.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we have no problem with that. We will make copies of the statement available in the pigeon holes to all hon. Members by tomorrow.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. Minister for …

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Mr Mung’andu: … a well-presented statement particularly, …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mung’andu: … on the part of corruption. We are all behind the hon. Minister, especially when it comes to the fight against corruption. I know that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, had also put emphasis on this issue.

 

Sir, from the issues that the hon. Minister has just presented, it is clear that Mayors and Council Chairpersons will become policy-makers while Town Clerks will act more or less like the secretariat, which will carry out the administrative work. I would like to find out to whom the Mayors and the Council Chairperson will report, considering that hon. Members of Parliament are excluded from attending the council meetings.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, in my statement, I said that the Mayors and the Council Chairpersons will continue to work in liaison with the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing and the hon. Provincial Ministers.

 

Sir, even in the past when hon. Members sat in council meetings, Mayors and Council Chairpersons did not report to them. Maybe, that is an issue that we need to look at separately. However, in terms of the line of reporting, they will continue to report to hon. Provincial Ministers and work in liaison with the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minster for the well-timed statement.

 

Sir, I have a copy of the Constitution from which I would like to quote. First of all, there is an exclusion of hon. Members of Parliament from attending the council meetings, as stipulated in the Constitution.

 

Mr Speaker, Article 153(5) of the Constitution states that:

 

“A council may invite a person, whose presence is in its opinion desirable, to attend and to participate in the deliberations of the councils, but that person shall have no right to vote.”

 

Mr Speaker, pursuant to this particular provision, will it be wrong for any council in the Republic of Zambia to invite an hon. Member of Parliament to be part of the deliberations in the council meetings?

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, maybe, we need to interrogate why the decision to exclude hon. Members from sitting in council meetings was arrived at. After doing that, again, we need to sit and reflect on whether we would want hon. Members to get back to attending council meetings. If we reach a consensus, why not use the right channel to revert? Very soon, the hon. Minister of Justice will talk to us about this.

 

Sir, actually, His Excellency the President challenged this House.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Mwale: He was of the view that if there are certain constitutional provisions that the House is not happy with and would like to amend, it is free to do so. Therefore, if this is the wish of the people, country and the hon. Members, surely, that matter can be revisited.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Sir, whether we would want to make those changes in the interim, we will have to check with the Ministry of Justice if it will be in order to allow hon. Members of Parliament to attend council meetings. We equally realise that it would be important to have hon. Members of Parliament attend council meetings, especially that we have now embraced decentralisation. We, therefore, need councils to be proactive and vibrant in dealing with matters of service delivery at a local level.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Hear, hear! Ema minister, aba!

 

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, at this hour, I thought we would be talking about decentralisation, that is, moving power from Lusaka to the villages. I wonder whether the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing has communicated with the hon. Minister of Justice to ascertain the position of the district commissioner (DC) for him to refer to it in his statement. I have not seen the position of the DC in the new Constitution and, therefore, do not know it is being referred to.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the Office of the DC is established as an extension of the Office of the President. Therefore, His Excellency the President wants to have his eyes in the districts to help him make sound decisions in the running of the country.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Sir, I cannot talk about whether to have DCs or not because His Excellency the President, who is the Chief Executive Officer of this country and oversees the affairs of this country, needs people he can work with, hence the extension to have the DCs in all the districts of the country for him to operate efficiently. Unless he deems it fit that he will now use other offices to carry out the duties of the DC, for now, this office shall continue because His Excellency the President wants the office to exist.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!      

 

Mr Jere (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, I strongly believe that the rationale behind an elected Mayor or Council Chairperson was in a quest to have an effective decentralised Government. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether the Decentralisation Policy has been shelved or it will still be embarked upon, and if so, how?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, decentralisation was to be implemented whether or not Mayors were to be elected by the people. Even if Mayors were elected by councillors within councils, we would have still implemented the Decentralisation Policy. We are not decentralising to have elected mayors.

 

Mayors now need to become pro-active because there is a lot more responsibility placed on local authorities. Councils are now expected to perform. Councillors are now not just expected to discuss who they should give plots to, but will also have to do more than that because we now have primary health care falling under councils. We have district health directors, district education board secretaries and agricultural extensions services reporting to councils. All this is in an effort to improve service delivery.

 

Mr Speaker, when the PF Government said that it would take power to the people, this is exactly what it meant, ...

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: … and it is happening.

 

It is happening regardless of whether Mayors are to be elected by the people. As I said earlier, Mayors are expected to be pro-active and work very hard to ensure that service delivery improves. The reason we wanted Mayors to be elected by the people is so that their allegiance would not be to councils. I affirmed this in my statement. For instance, councillors would go to Mayors to threaten them about not retaining them if they refused to give out some pieces of land. So, the allegiance of Mayors used to be to fellow councillors and not to the people. This is what we wanted to change and have done so. I think that it will help to improve service delivery.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Malanji (Kwacha): Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. Minister for a well-articulated submission.

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Mr Malanji: Mr Speaker, we all know that hon. Members of Parliament lobby for development in their respective constituencies. At the end of the day, they have to work in conjunction with the council. To quote from the hon. Minister’s submission, “there will be valid liaison between the Mayor and the Member of Parliament.” Considering the status quo whereby an hon. Member of Parliament does not have a tangible platform in the council, what will be the terms of reference?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, it is in the best interest of hon. Members of Parliament, Mayors, Town Clerks and everyone involved to ensure that development is taken to our areas. We expect that Mayors and hon. Members of Parliament will work together because they both operate in the same localities. For example, a district like Ndola, which has a Mayor, will have a constituency with an hon. Member of Parliament. This is what will bring the Mayor and the hon. Member of Parliament together. I know that it is very difficult, at the moment, because hon. Members of Parliament are not part of the councils. However, the connection is that they both operate in the same area and have to liaise.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mbangweta (Nkeyema): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister gave job descriptions for the council chairperson, mayor and council secretary, but omitted the job description for the district commissioner (DC), yet this is one position already in existence. From the hon. Minister’s statement, it is very difficult to appreciate the role of a DC. It might help, as the hon. Minister gives us the documentation tomorrow, to also indicate the functions of the DC. The other challenge which will be associated …

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

This is a time for questions on points of clarification. You seem to be making suggestions. If you have anything to clarify, please, do so.

 

Mr Mbangweta: I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Sir, I would like clarification on the functions of a DC so that I know the relationship with the District Council Chairperson and Mayors.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, under my ministry and within my mandate, I deal with councils, councillors and Mayors, and so, I had to bring their job descriptions. The job description for the DC can be better discussed by Her Honour the Vice-President. I would encourage the hon. Member of Parliament to put a Question to Her Honour the Vice-President …

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: … so that we can get a better response.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Fundanga (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, welcome back.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sampa: You missed him?

 

Mrs Fundanga: I did miss him, yes.

 

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister deliberated on most of the issues that I was concerned about. However, I want to put on record that when the draft Constitution was brought to this House, hon. Members concentrated on the 50 per cent plus one and Grade 12 clauses. What we are talking about now is a very important issue.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Fundanga: Had people looked at it critically, we would not have this confusion right now.

 

Mr Speaker, in each area, we have a Town Clerk, District Commissioner, Council Chairperson and the hon. Member of Parliament. We have four people whose hierarchy is not very clear and all these people are supposed to deliver services to the people. We may agree, in this House, that the hierarchy is clear, but it is not. So, does the hon. Minister not think that this matter is very serious and that we should get back to the Constitution and review it?

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the question from the hon. Member who missed the Hon. Mr Speaker is very brilliant.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, answer the question.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Proceed.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the ball has been thrown in our court. Both His Excellency the President and the hon. Minister of Justice have mentioned the fact that if want to see certain changes in the Constitution, straighten up certain issues and clear the lacunas that were created as a result of us not paying much attention ...

 

Hon. Opposition: Aah!

 

Mr Mwale: A good example is this one. The matter of removing hon. Members of Parliament from councils was discussed in this House, and a few months later, we are back again pushing that they go back. 

 

Ms Lubezhi interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the ball is in our court. We are the ones who have the mandate and powers to change the Constitution on behalf of the people. If this suits the people, we can do it. We, in the ministry, are open to discussions and will agree to any constitutional changes that are in the best interest of the nation.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for having retained the district commissioner so that matters can be insulated from possible problems that may arise in the districts. In view of the devolution of powers to the districts, I would like the hon. Minister to clarify whether there will be a review of qualifications for the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in councils, including their chief officers, because these are the principle advisers to the councils. If we do not have adequate qualified staff to manage our councils, we should forget about service delivery to our people.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member has raised a very important matter of capacity in our councils. Like I said, councils have to deliver services on behalf of the Government. We also have to make sure that these councils are up to standard. We have to make sure that the perception which exists that councils are incompetent, corrupt and inefficient is changed. We cannot change that perception if we do not provide capacity in these councils to enable them to provide good services. Therefore, this matter is receiving a lot of attention. Currently, the Local Government Service Commission is going round the country assessing the personnel in these councils and checking their qualifications. We want to ensure that we retain and employ those who will help the Government to deliver services to the people. This matter is receiving so much attention from the Government.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Musonda (Kamfinsa): Mr Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister mentioned that the hon. Members of Parliament and the Mayors will work in liaison. Will the liaison between the two be informative or consultative? What will determine the issues on which the Mayors and hon. Members of Parliament inform or consult each other over?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, it will be consultative because mayors will have to report to the hon. Ministers or work in liaison with them. We cannot say that whatever will come from an hon. Member of Parliament will be binding because the Mayors have other institutions at their disposal.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwewa (Mwansabombwe): Mr Speaker, does the hon. Minister not think that it is prudent for him to come to this House to present a Motion to change certain clauses such as changing the title of ‘Chairperson’ to ‘Executive Chairperson’ and ‘Mayor’ to ‘Executive Mayor’ so that what we have talked about can be embedded in the Constitution?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, that is a matter of the Constitution and not subsidiary legislation. So, I will throw that challenge back to the hon. Member. He can move that constitutional amendment here if he thinks it is of interest to all of us. However, I think that at the time we were formulating our Constitution, we did not want to have an Executive Mayor and there must have been some reasons for this. Remember that the process of enacting the new Constitution started from the grass root, with the people. The people had to say exactly what they wanted to have in the Constitution and they did not say that they wanted an Executive Mayor. That is why it was very difficult for us, in this House, to make our mayors executive. If this is something that the hon. Member feels needs to change, I encourage him to begin doing some consultations within the party which he belongs to, the PF, and the Government so that we can agree whether it is necessary to have Executive Mayors or not. I will leave it at that for now.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Ms Miti (Vubwi): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister clarify the role of the alderman of a city in the councils.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, an alderman is a man or councillor ...

 

Hon. Members: Or woman!

 

Mr Mwale: ... or woman, thank you very much. An alderman is a man or woman who has served in a particular council for the longest time or a considerably long time. I think that we have an example. The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has Hon. Given Zayelo Lubinda ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: For twenty-years, he has served as a member of the LCC. He is an example of an alderman. The importance of having aldermen is that they provide the experience that they have gathered over the years to new councillors so that they can better understand the town or city problems and help to find ways in which they can be sorted out.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Ms Mwashingwele (Katuba): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the Mayors and the Council Chairpersons are employed on a full-time basis. Chibombo District Council, for example, has been making losses. It has literally been living in the negative Therefore, who will pay these Council Chairpersons and Mayors? Is it the Central Government or the respective councils?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, that is a very important question, especially that salaries for these people have to be decent. I know that some councils are struggling financially. I have in mind Chama District Council. The hon. Member for Chama North came to my office to complain about how the council cannot raise its own resources because there are not many markets and bus stations from which to collect levies. He stated that the council has to solely depend on the Local Government Equalisation Fund. To help councils such as this one meet their expenditure, we have proposed an increment in the allocations to councils, which will reflect in the coming Budget. This will be done through the Local Government Equalisation Fund. We do not want to burden the councils with the responsibility of looking for allowances and salaries for Mayors and Council Chairpersons. This money will come from the Treasury or the Central Government, through the Local Government Equalisation Fund.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, now that the people who were reporting to the district commissioner (DC), through the District Development Committee (DDC) in the district, have have to report to the district council or city council, what is the formation of the new DDC? What will it look like? Will the DC still be the head and who will constitute it, because these district heads are reporting to the council directly? Will they sit in the council and go to the DC to constitute the DCC?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, that arrangement has not changed. What has changed is that these departmental heads have now begun to report to the mayor. However, they have not been stopped from reporting to the DCs as well.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, what is wrong with them reporting to the mayors whilst still giving reports to the DCs? The DCs are the eyes of His Excellency the President.

 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwale: We cannot say that because they are now reporting to the councils, then, they should not report to the appointing authority, His Excellency the President. They will report to the appointing authority through the DCs. This arrangement has not changed. The DDC meetings will continue to be carried out the way they used to be. This is just an addition. They will now fall under and report to the councils, but the liaison with DCs will still be there. We expect that harmony will continue to prevail as all this is happening.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Fungulwe: (Lufwanyama): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that councillors get monthly allowances. To me, these allowances are minimal. Are there any plans to increase the allowance for councillors countrywide?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we have such considerations, but they are subject to approval by the Treasury. We are carrying out consultations on how we could improve on the allowances. However, you may want to know that councillors want to be put on salary like the Mayors, but that is a challenge because nothing about the councillors has changed. They are still part-time employees and can still continue to have other jobs while carrying out this work on a part-time basis. Therefore, they cannot claim a salary from the Government. Their terms of reference have not changed.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Samakayi (Mwinilunga): Mr Speaker, I would like to put the hon. Minister of Local Government on the spot by suggesting that he thinks outside the box.

 

Hon. Members: Question!

 

Mr Samakayi: Mr Speaker, we are aware that the country is implementing the National Decentralisation Policy by devolving functions or mandates that are held by various ministries. I am also aware that the implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy has advanced with functions of education, agriculture and health at the district level being devolved to local authorities. This means that the Office of the District Commissioner (DC) has nothing to do in the district except for organising presidential rallies and mundane activities.

 

Hon. Members: Question!

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mutale interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Samakayi: Could the hon. Minister of Local Government clearly state what exactly the DC will be doing at district level, considering that we are going through economic problems in the country and need to exercise restraint in managing public affairs.

 

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister has already answered that question. He said he is not in a position to state the terms of reference and he deferred to the Office of the Vice-President. So, he is not on the spot.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mwiinga (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, my question has been tackled by the hon. Member for Kazungula. However, just as a follow up, is the position of District Commissioners (DC) recognised in the amended Constitution?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, like has been said, the Office of the DC was established by the Office of the President. It is not a constitutional office. I guess this is a bonus answer because I cannot think of everything in the Constitution. That office is established by the Office of the President, which has the mandate to run this country.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Mr Speaker, allow me to commend the hon. Minister for a very informative statement.

 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mecha: The positions of Council Chairperson and Mayor are now full-time and I believe it is in your best interest to ensure that they are as impartial, as effective, as efficient and as accountable as possible. In view of this important fact, do you think people holding these two positions should also vie for positions in the party?

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, if His Excellency the President, hon. Ministers and hon. Members of Parliament have party positions and still discharge their functions, then, there is nothing wrong in having Mayors who may hold party positions in the parties they belong to. In my statement, I mentioned the fact that Mayors and Council Chairpersons are actually politicians and not civil servants. Since they are not employed as civil servants, there is no requirement that they should leave politics. These people are politicians and that is how they are connected to their party manifestos and this forms the basis on which they are elected. We do not see anything wrong with them being politicians at the moment.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, when will we have more meaningful financial decentralisation to go hand-in-hand with what is being discussed? For example, when we are short of teachers in Liuwa because a teacher posted to a school in Liuwa is actually in Chingola, we can say that the money which is being paid to that teacher must be brought back to Liuwa to enable us to hire a teacher. When will we have financial decentralisation whereby, if we want to build a clinic, we do not have to go to the Ministry of Health, but would have been given lump sums of money at provincial or district level to enable us to decide where to build clinics in Liuwa? When will this decentralisation come about to avoid a situation whereby institutions are heaped with responsibilities, but are not given money? They say, “The one who plays the piper calls the tune.” We know that if this is not implemented, councils will still queue up at the Central Government where they will be manipulated.

 

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we, as a Government, came up with a decentralisation plan. Currently, we have a secretariat that has been moved from the Ministry of Local Government and is domiciled at the Cabinet Office. It does stipulate when we will actually have scaled-up decentralisation which will also deal with aspects of fiscal decentralisation. I may not say when some of those things will be done, but they are surely in our plan. I can make available that document to the hon. Member. The hon. Member is also free to visit our secretariat at the Cabinet Office that is dealing with decentralisation so that he can get the exact times when we will have decentralisation implemented at full scale in this country.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

INCREASED MEMBERSHIP OF THE HOUSE OF CHIEFS

 

The Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mr Sichalwe): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank you for according me this opportunity to report to this august House on the increased membership of the House of Chiefs as provided for in the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) No. 2 of 2016. The Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs has continued to engage the 288 Royal Highnesses spread across the country in an effort to strengthen and promote the institution of chiefs in order to enhance traditional local governance, chiefdom development and preservation of culture. In addition, my ministry has continued to foster relations with chiefs in recognition of the important role that traditional leaders play in spearheading the implementation of developmental projects in chiefdoms.

 

Mr Speaker, during his presidential assent to the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) No. 2 of 2016, on 5th January, 2016, His Excellency of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, assented to the increment of the membership of the House of Chiefs. In this regard, the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) No. 2 of 2016, Article 169(2) provides that the House of Chiefs shall consist of five chiefs from each province elected by the chiefs in a province. This implies that the membership of the House of Chiefs has increased from three chiefs from each province, as previously contained in the House of Chiefs Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 41 of 1998, to five chiefs per province, thereby bringing the total representation to fifty from thirty members in the House.

 

Mr Speaker, in addition, the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) No. 2 of 2016, Article 170(1)(a) states that:

 

“A Member of the House of Chiefs –

 

shall hold office for a term of five years and is eligible for election for a further term of five years.”

 

This piece of legislation, as mentioned earlier, will enhance effective co-ordination and representation of programmes for the different cultural groupings in the chiefdoms throughout the country. As you may be aware, the House of Chiefs is an advisory body on traditional, customary and any other matters referred to it by the President. The increased membership will add value to the resolution of various customary, traditional and developmental issues affecting the rural populous in …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left!

 

Mr Sichalwe: … chiefdoms and the country at large. In addition, this will enhance the administration and conduct of Business of the House of Chiefs and the operations of the institution of chieftaincy. Therefore, among others, there will be enhanced linkages with Parliament in its deliberations on Bills relating to customs or traditions referred to it by the President before the Bill is introduced into the National Assembly. Further, the management and dispensation of justice, through traditional courts, will be enhanced.

 

Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the above benefits, the increase in the membership of the House of Chiefs has undoubtedly presented new challenges. The 67 per cent increment in the number of members for this honorary House entails an upward adjustment in the budgetary allocation to the House of Chiefs, whose primary function is to promote …

 

Mr Livune and Ms Lubezhi interrupted.

 

Mr Speaker: Order! Hon. Members for Namwala and Katombola, the doors are open if you want to converse. Do not compel me to send you out.

 

The hon. Member may continue.

 

Mr Sichalwe: … effective local governance participation in our chiefdoms. Further, in order to accommodate the new members of the House of Chiefs, there will be an urgent need to renovate the Chamber as the current sitting capacity accommodates only up to thirty members and also to improve the recording and public address system.

 

Mr Speaker, with the increase in the number of Members of the House of Chiefs from thirty to fifty, the existing Chamber is inadequate to accommodate the members during sessions. In this regard, the ministry will consult the Clerk of the National Assembly to propose the use of the infrastructure at Parliament, in the interim, when the House is on recess. This proposal arises from the fact that the construction of the new infrastructure for the House of Chiefs may not be a priority as of now, considering the current budgetary constraints.

 

Mr Speaker, I, therefore, wish to conclude by assuring their royal highnesses that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, through my ministry, remains resolute in delivering on its commitment to improving the livelihood of the people in our rural communities. I further wish to call upon all the hon. Members of this august House to support the Motion to approve the budgetary allocation to the House of Chiefs when the hon. Minister of Finance presents the National Budget.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement given by the hon. Minister.

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, I would like to ask about transport for our traditional rulers, particularly in Serenje. There are a few traditional rulers like Chief Muchinka, Chieftainess Serenje, Chief Muchinda and Chief Mailo who are very badly hit by transport problems. When will the Government consider providing transport to these royal highnesses?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, as I stated, we are looking at 280 chiefs and, therefore, to provide vehicles for all of them would strain the Budget. In this regard, subsidies were increased just towards the end of last year and the aspect of mobility was considered. Additionally, when their royal highnesses are invited to functions or called upon on national duty, such as attending the House of Chiefs meetings, they are paid allowances.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr D. Mumba (Chama North): My question has been overtaken by events.

 

Mr Mbulakulima (Milenge): Mr Speaker, in his statement, the hon. Minister mentioned that he will consult the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly on the possibility of using the National Assembly Chamber for the House of Chiefs meetings. I am wondering what should have come first between the consultation and the pronouncement to the House because if the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly does not avail the space, will this not strain the relationship between the House of Chiefs and this House?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, we are to consult the Clerk of the National Assembly. My statement read: “In this regard, the ministry will make consultations ...” The idea is not conclusive. The consultations will direct us on how to go about resolving this matter.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, from the interactions that the hon. Minister has had with chiefs, are they comfortable with the provisions of Article 153(2)(c) of the Constitution of Zambia where chiefs in a particular district are required to elect a number of chiefs to serve as councillors, taking into account certain traditions in certain jurisdictions where chiefs cannot speak in public, except through their appointees? Has he ever had a discussion on how this particular provision of the law will be implemented and, if so, what has been the reaction of the House of Chiefs?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, I would refer to the hon. Member as a big Sangoma who has entered my office and pre-emptied what I have discussed with the chiefs.

 

Mr Speaker: What do you mean by Sangoma?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: I know you are the hon. Minister of Chiefs, but ...

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: ... you need to explain these terms.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Sichalwe: A Sangoma is a traditional prophet, Mr Speaker.

 

Sir, I interacted with Members of the House of Chiefs in a quest to familiarise myself with them. Indeed, there were a number of issues that were brought out pertaining to the Constitution and, Article 153(2)(c) is one of them. A number of them are not comfortable sitting in the councils with subjects and arguing with them. So, the ministry has thrown this back to the House of Chiefs for it to sit and come up with what it feels should be amended in the Constitution. Subsequently, we will pass it on to the Ministry of Justice.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, the new Constitution has withdrawn the power of the Head of State to gazette and degazette chiefs. This move has already had a negative impact. For example, in some chiefdom in Mpulungu, there was a wrangle and the chief was killed by subjects. This happened, maybe, because the Head of State had no powers to intervene. Are there any intentions to reverse this legislation which, if not carefully dealt with, may result in people killing each other because His Excellency the President’s powers to intervene have been withdrawn?

 

Mr Speaker, it is also a fact that some chiefs have been actively and openly involved in politics because they know that the Head of State has no power to gazette or degazette them. Are there intentions to review this piece of legislation to restore the powers of the Head of State to degazette chiefs who act contrary to the interests of the country?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, indeed, this article referred to by the hon. Member is Article 165. It is one of the items that I discussed with the chiefs who visited me in my office and it is one of the lacunas in the Constitution. Although it precludes the Government from interfering in chieftainship wrangles it, again, creates a problem in some chiefdoms whereby somebody just groups up a number of people in his village, declares himself chief and says he will be recognised by Article 165, going by the cultures and traditions of that chiefdom and requests the Government to pay him/her the allowances that are paid to the chiefs. So, this is one of the articles that we intend to discuss with the House of Chiefs and have literally left it to the chiefs to bring it as a proposal to us that they are not comfortable with the article and would want it amended.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Ms Katuta (Chienge): Mr Speaker, I only have one question for the hon. Minister.

 

Hon. Government Members: It is only one question.                                    

 

Ms Katuta: Maybe, things have changed.

 

Laughter

 

Ms Katuta: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what his ministry is doing about the sub-chiefs and headmen regarding salaries. They are not paid and that creates tension amongst the sub-chiefs, headmen and senior chiefs. Could he, please, help us ensure that the headmen also get minimal salaries because they do a lot of work compared to the senior chiefs.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, subsidies were given to paramount chiefs, senior chiefs and chiefs. If the hon. Member feels that we are not doing enough for the headmen, I would invite her to our office so that we can sit down with our technocrats and see how best we can handle this matter.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Chali (Nchanga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the number of gazetted chiefs has been increased to 280. What happens to the construction of the chiefs’ palaces? Will all the 280 chiefs benefit from the construction of chief’s palaces or does the ministry have to request for extra funding?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, I wish to refer back to my statement. I guess the hon. Member did not quote me correctly. I did not say that the number of chiefs has been increased, but that the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs has continued to engage the 280 royal highnesses spread across the country. So, these 280 royal highnesses have been in existence. We have not increased their number.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Mr Speaker, we have noticed that in some chiefdoms, a chief appoints a headman from a neighbouring chiefdom. Has there been consideration to work with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to show the exact boundaries of these chiefdoms in our country?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, as a ministry, we rely on the chieftaincy boundaries of 1958. We have recommended that we update that because what was used as beacons in the1958 boundaries were streams, mountains and hills. This review will now give us the proper beacons of the chiefdoms. So, we are actually looking into this issue. Although it is an extremely expensive venture, it is on our cards.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mrs Fundanga: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister when the Government will recognise Chief Mwape Kalunga? There have been wrangles between Chief Mwape Kalunga and his chiefdom and the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). Before the Late President, Mr Sata, died, I remember him saying that “kuti mwacindika inima ukukana cindika abantu.”

 

Hon. Members: Meaning!  

Mrs Fundanga: This means that how can you respect animals and not human beings? Chief Mwape Kalunga and his people have lived in that area for a very long time but, unfortunately, he has not been gazetted and his people are always being tormented by ZAWA.

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, unfortunately, as at now, the State is precluded from being involved in the recognition of chiefs, as per Article 165(1), which states that:

 

“The institution of chieftaincy and traditional institutions are guaranteed and shall exist in accordance with the culture, customs and traditions of the people to whom they apply.”

 

So, Sir, this will be left to the cultures and traditions to who this applies to handle.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned the fact that he is consulting on the interim venue for meetings of their royal highnesses. He stated that the Clerk of the National Assembly of Zambia would be engaged on the use of the National Assembly Chamber as an alternative venue. I would like to find out whether the hon. Minister has considered the Government Complex as an alternative venue.

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, well, it is one of the avenues that may be considered. If the Clerk of the National Assembly turns down our suggestion, we can certainly look at that avenue and other major halls that are available.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, more gratitude to the hon. Member of Parliament for Kabompo for the question that he asked. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister where he thinks the Clerk of the National Assembly draws the power to grant his wish for the royal highnesses to assemble in a people’s assembly.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, I want to caution the hon. Member that I am Minister of Traditional Affairs and Witchcraft.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Sichalwe: So, he should be careful.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: You see, the Speaker is also part of the administration.

 

Laughter                                 

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, I said that we will consult the Clerk of the National Assembly over this matter and she will advise accordingly.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mrs Miti: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out if the House of Chiefs has any mandate to help chiefdoms that have had succession disputes for a long time. These disputes have, in certain instances, affected development because the chiefs who could have been acting in those positions for a long time are not recognised, and so, they are not respected.

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, under the new Constitution, the House of Chiefs will also consider disputes that will be brought before it.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Kasandwe (Bangweulu): Mr Speaker, what role do traditional ceremonies play in building national unity as per our “One Zambia, One Nation” Motto?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, traditional ceremonies preserve the different cultures of our nation. Therefore, they are a unifying factor of chiefdoms. They bring together people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political affiliations. People come together as one, thus, promoting the “One Zambia, One Nation” concept.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mrs Mulyata (Rufunsa): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out what measures the Government is putting in place, as it works with chiefs, to curb early marriages in the rural areas. Some indunas are culprits when it comes to marrying off young girls. I hope it will not happen to you. What is the hon. Minister’s comment?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Who are indunas?

 

Mrs Mulyata: Mr Speaker, indunas are sub-chiefs. I just want to get a comment from the hon. Minister on this matter because these are the people in the fore-front of orchestrating early marriages.

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, I take exception to that statement because we have law enforcers who are supposed to handle issues of that nature. However, my ministry is fostering efforts in the campaign against early marriages in the chiefdoms. You may wish to know that this project is largely financed by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). The ministry has a small budgetary component for the same activity as well.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, as the hon. Minister gave his statement, which I followed keenly, I observed that the House of Chiefs Council membership will be increased. That increase will have two effects, firstly, the incremental wisdom, which will obviously improve the quality of recommendations that we might get from the House of Chiefs. Secondly, there will be an incremental cost arising from the increase in the number of chiefs being part of the council.

 

Sir, in the hon. Minister’s opinion, where does the cost benefit analysis weigh heavier? Is it on the incremental wisdom or on the incremental cost?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, it will weigh heavier on the incremental cost.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kufakwandi (Sesheke Central): Mr Speaker, for some years now, there has been an on-going programme of building chiefs’ palaces. Since chiefdoms are responsible for administering the customary law, does the Government have any plan of building traditional or local courts in various chiefdoms across the country?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, currently, we are in the first phase of constructing chiefs’ palaces, which also includes the queens’ quarters and a museum. Once we are done with the first phase of constructing these institutions, we may look into that aspect of constructing traditional courts.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, my question is a follow-up to the question raised by Hon. Anthony Kasandwe relating to traditional ceremonies as a tool for national unity, which is to the contrary. In my view, traditional ceremonies actually seek to promote the fact that one tribe wants to recognise and preserve itself culturally. Therefore, it cannot be said to serve the purpose of national unity. I suppose that is the spirit in which my colleague asked this question. As a way of fostering unity in the nation, is the ministry thinking of doing away with traditional ceremonies and tribal associations?

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, these are cultures and heritages that cannot be done away with by the ministry, but the people themselves. Just as Article 165 of the Constitution states, chieftaincy succession is left to the cultures and traditions of the people of the chiefdom.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

______

 

MOTIONS

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

Mr Kopulande (Chembe): Mr Speaker, I am greatly humbled to be here today as a representative of more than 40,000 people of Chembe Parliamentary Constituency, including the children, who may not have been able to vote on 11th August, 2016, but whose welfare is ultimately the reason I stand on the Floor of this august House.

 

Sir, I wish to thank God that I am here today as a witness to his divine mercy and grace for having answered my prayers at the scene of the accident that left my right hand severed from the rest of my body fourteen years ago tomorrow, 2nd November, 2016. Let me take this opportunity to put on the record of this august House my sincere thanks and eternal gratitude to our departed President, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC., for having taken an unprecedented decision that saved my life. Later, despite my apparent disability, he honoured me by recognising as a trusted adviser and confidant in his office at State House, hence restoring my self-esteem and worth that has seen me to this day. I have no doubt that the late President, Mr Mwanawasa, SC., will always be close to my heart as a friend, brother and mentor who stood by me in my darkest hour.

 

Mr Speaker, it is not the circumstances of my physical condition at my birth that define me. It is more the faith of my parents, Anna Chembe Kopulande and Theophile Kopulande, both now gone to their eternal father’s house, but imparted their Catholic faith in me, giving me the will to live and to persevere even in the face of impossibility. A very simple man without even a basic education, my father, grew to become the first and longest serving Catechist in the Catholic Church in the two neighbouring districts of Chembe and Milenge. Although he lived in a time and place where sending children to school was unfashionable, he was determined to, at least, see a good number of his eleven children finishing secondary school and one or two attending university. What I am not too sure about though was whether, at the time, he ever dreamt of having a son in Parliament.

 

Nevertheless, it is my hope that both my father and mother feel that, at least, a fraction of their earthly dreams have been achieved today, as they watch and listen to this maiden speech from their special window in their father’s house of eternity above.

 

Sir, let me take this opportunity to congratulate you and your two Deputy Speakers on having been elected to guide the Business of this august House. I am confident that you are all equal to the task, with the support of your outstanding Clerk and staff. Allow me to render my pledge of full support to you as I carry out Parliamentary duties.

 

Sir, let me, from the outset, express my profound appreciation to you for having recognised and honoured me with the onerous responsibility of representing our beloved country on the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly where I commenced my duties in Brussels mid last month and was elected Rapporteur on Aid Effectiveness.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kopulande: I wish to assure you that I will represent our great nation to the best of ability as the good Lord himself grants me the strength and wisdom to do so.

 

Mr Speaker, from the people of Chembe I bring messages of goodwill and a directive to this august House that in line with the spirit of the founding fathers of this great nation, they will always cherish, uphold and defend the three cords which bind us together as a nation. These cords are:

 

  1. one Zambia, one nation;

 

  1. one nation, one people; and

 

  1. one people, one destiny.

 

These cords remain far much more enduring, inspiring and progressive in driving the development agenda of our motherland and, therefore, far much more worthy of pursuit than any perceived discord of regionalism, disunity and separatism. Our collective pursuit of a prosperous middle income country by 2030 cannot and will not be achieved by the balkanisation of our motherland, but by maintaining, defending and preserving the peace and unity that has been the bedrock of our existence as a nation.

 

Mr Speaker, this position, as held and espoused by the people of Chembe, implies that as elected leaders in this House, national unity and cohesion against all odds must be our mantra. This virtue must permeate our thinking and action and must form the basis or our interaction in the conduct of our duties.

 

Sir, it is for this reason that I wish to call upon the hon. Members on your left to join hands and unite with us on your right so that we can collectively deliver the much-needed development for our people that have entrusted us with the rare honour or representing them in this House. Let us remember at all times that when all is said and done, we are one people with the inextricable ties that cannot and will not be broken, whether we like it or not.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kopulande: Mr Speaker, the people of Chembe, an area named after the mighty African fish eagle, have actively interacted with the speech delivered to this House by His Excellency the President on 30th September, 2016, and are in full concurrence and harmony with it. This is especially that it emphasises a governance approach that enhances inclusiveness in development without leaving anyone behind.

 

Consequently, Sir, they are anxiously looking forward to the implementation of the pronouncements made in the speech that will change the quality of their lives for the better so that they can fly and soar to the highest heights of development like the eagle whose name they carry. Kindly permit me now to single out some of the specific pronouncements …

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr Kopulande: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was kindly asking to be permitted to single out some of the specific pronouncements from the President’s Speech that directly speak to the aspirations of the people of Chembe.

 

Mr Speaker, in paragraph 9 of the speech, the Head of State has indicated his Government’s desire to add value to our agricultural raw materials through beneficiation for both local and export markets. Chembe Constituency does not have a short supply of these crops and is itching for investment in food processing for value addition, with a readily available export market in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), right across the Luapula River. With a Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) already established in the area, the people of Chembe do not want to be left behind in the industrialisation drive that the Government wishes to pursue.

 

Sir, in paragraph 23 of the speech, His Excellency the President singles out the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors as integral to the nation’s economic diversification agenda. It is not far from the truth to say that Chembe Constituency has all it takes to contribute significantly to the attainment of Zambia’s economic diversification into agriculture and agro-processing. The area has vast amounts of arable land for agricultural and livestock production, vast water bodies for aquaculture, irrigation, tourism and other water-related activities.

 

However, Sir, in order to tap this potential there is a need for investment in agricultural mechanisation, timely delivery of agricultural inputs, provision of efficient marketing services, effective extension services, incentives for crop diversification and access to capital.

 

Sadly, Mr Speaker, under the current maize marketing arrangements, the people of Chembe have been technically denied access to sell their maize to the market on the Copperbelt. Since they sit on the border with the DRC, they are not allowed to move their crops to the Copperbelt through the shortest and cost-effective route via the Pedicle Road, a distance of 85 km. For fear of smuggling, our people are forced to travel a distance in excess of 800 km with their crop through Serenje to reach the market. This makes their maize uncompetitive, hence discouraging many farmers in the area from growing crops for sale.

 

In addition, mealie-meal from Lusaka and the Copperbelt is not permitted to pass through the Pedicle Road for the same reason. As a result, the staple food must travel the length of our country to reach the people of Chembe, making it rather too expensive for them to afford due to their low, subsistence-type incomes.

 

I, therefore, wish to make an earnest appeal to the hon. Minister of Agriculture to urgently look into these matters. I am ready to propose measures that will meet the wishes of both the Government and the people of Chembe.

 

Mr Speaker, in paragraph 33, His Excellency the President acknowledges the availability of water resources in our country encouraging the development of aquaculture in communities with this resource.

 

Sir, Chembe Constituency is endowed with massive water resources and is longing for investment in fish production and processing, provision of training in fish farming, harvesting, preservation and marketing and training in fish processing for exports. I would like, therefore, to request the Government to extend the development of aquaculture parks, mentioned in paragraph 34 in the President’s Speech, to Chembe where this development strategy will certainly sit well with the people who already have the basic traditional knowledge in the fisheries industry.

 

Mr Speaker, the people of Chembe are excited about His Excellency the President’s emphasis on youth skills development, as applied in paragraph 86. They would like to have a piece of this programme, particularly, in areas of bricklaying, carpentry, electrical and electronic technology, motor mechanics, entrepreneurship and many others. They need urgent construction of a skills training institute to impart these skills so that they are not left behind in development.

 

Sir, in response to the President’s Official Speech, the people of Chembe are available, ready and willing to participate actively in the development agenda of our great country, given the necessary skills and an enabling environment. Nevertheless, Mr Speaker, I must state that availability, readiness and willingness on the part of the people of Chembe to engage in the development process does not necessarily mean that all is well in Chembe, far from it. It only reflects the endearing resolve of our people that despite the challenges they face day in and day out, they have to soldier on and ensure the development of the country themselves. No one else will develop this country for us if we do not do it, hence the need for us to unite and work together across family, clan, tribe, district and, indeed, province.

 

Our people in Chembe face numerous challenges some of which I now wish to highlight. Mr Speaker, firstly, is it not ironic that people sitting on the banks of the Luapula River, one of the largest water bodies in our country, would go thirsty without safe drinking water? Desperate as the people of Chembe may be today, they are, however, hopeful that with the establishment of the new Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, their suffering may be a thing of the past. They are pleading that their plight be placed at the top of the priority list of the new ministry by urgently investing in a water treatment plant in the area to deliver safe piped water from the Luapula River to their door steps.

 

Secondly, Mr Speaker, standards of health facilities in the area are far from what could be expected in modern society. The people are desperate for a district hospital with all essential diagnostic facilities and a mortuary to be built at the district headquarters as a matter of urgency. Clinics that have been built already must be equipped and staffed to provide a service to the people. For the people of Chembe to not be left behind, as they have been in the past, they need to be healthy for them to be active players in the development of our country.

 

Thirdly, Mr Speaker, the standards of both primary and secondary schools in the area are a far outcry. Many of them do not have teachers’ houses, forcing teachers to travel long distances by bicycle to their workplaces. Most schools are not electrified despite the introduction of computer courses.

 

Mr Speaker, the dropout phenomenon amongst girls that has been passively attributed to early marriages may have been misleading. The predominant reason for the high dropout rates amongst the girls are the poor sanitary conditions in most of the schools in Chembe District and many other rural areas. Coupled with high poverty levels in the area, estimated at nearly 70 per cent, the girls cannot afford costly sanitary pads during their menses, forcing them to stay away from school for fear of embarrassment. It is for this reason that I wish to appeal to the hon. Minister of Finance to waive import taxes on sanitary pads and other female hygiene products in the forthcoming Budget. While there may be marginal revenue losses, the productivity gains from the resultant increased female labour will far outstrip the losses and will give an opportunity to the poor rural girl to continue with school and later contribute to national development.

 

I further suggest, Mr Speaker, that the hon. Minister of Health comes up with a policy to provide free sanitary pads to school going girls, especially in rural areas and poor urban communities.

 

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kopulande: If condoms could be distributed free of charge in this country, what about sanitary products for the poor school girl?

 

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kopulande: Fourthly, Mr Speaker, communication is a major input in today’s development process and a key tool in the fight against poverty. In Chembe, communication still remains archaic and needs.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Kopulande: Mr Speaker, the people of Chembe are cognisant of the fact that for their welfare to improve sustainably, there is a need to have a strong economy anchored on effective policies. Therefore, we would like to see policies that are consistent so as to rekindle and sustain investor confidence to guarantee higher inflow of Foreign-Direct Investment (FDI) into our country. This is not only to improve capital formation, but also stimulate national productivity through efficient exploitation of our natural resources and their beneficiation for higher wealth creation that will benefit our people.

 

Mr Speaker, we would like to see policies that will release resources to the private sector for productive investment. In this regard, the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) should be further recapitalised and decentralised to all provincial centres to allow for access throughout the country. In addition, prohibitive interest rates should be addressed vigorously to guarantee access to credit by our local entrepreneurs. We would like to see policies that will reduce borrowing to manageable levels so as to allow for more social spending away from debt servicing. While the people of Chembe are fully aware that you cannot develop a country on a balanced budget, hence making debt financing inevitable, memories of the pre-High Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) times are still very fresh in their minds and they are terrified at the prospect of a recurrence.

 

Mr Speaker, as I near the end of my address, allow me to pay special tribute to my party, the Patriotic Front (PF), for having given me a rare opportunity to be of service to the people of the land of my birth and upbringing. The constituency committee, central committee and the district committees deserve my special mention. Our Provincial Chairperson for Luapula, Hon. Nixon Chilangwa, and the Provincial Member of the Central Committee, Mr Chipolo Mwale, were strong pillars of strength and I am incapable of finding sufficient vocabulary with which to thank them except to, hereby offer my sincere pledge to deliver to their expectations as I assure them that their trust and confidence placed in me was not miscalculated.

 

Finally, Mr Speaker, I would not have been here today had it not been for the love and support of the four special loving women in my life, namely my dear wife, Ethel, and our three daughters, Mumba, Mwape and Chishiba, who kept the spirits high even in the face of discouraging campaign challenges. Our son, Michael, though miles away on study mission in China, was always with us in spirit and also through the presence of his dear wife, my lovely daughter in-law, Audrey Hakasenke Kopulande, and our beautiful granddaughter, Kunda. To my friends and extended family, thank you for your ever enduring love and support.

 

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, the people of Chembe strongly believe that the challenges they face are not insurmountable if we work together, Opposition and Ruling Party, under the spirit of one Zambia, one nation, one people, one destiny, which is espoused in the Vision 2030 as becoming a middle income country. In other words, with all our eyes focused on Vision 2030, there should be something to share from the national cake for every constituency, district and province in our vast country every year for the next five years. His Excellency the President’s Opening Speech to this Session of the National Assembly on 30th September, 2016, laid out the first steps on the journey to our collective destiny.

 

Going forward, Mr Speaker, our body politic should have no victors and the vanquished as we are all on this journey together as equal and worthy partners towards a mature and sound democracy. Let us, therefore, hold each other’s hand sharing our joys and sorrows, speaking to each other with a language of peace and unity as we match on our journey to the socio-economic emancipation of the people that we have taken the oath to serve.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister for Western Province (Mr Mubukwanu): Mr Speaker, I would to thank you for affording me the opportunity to render my maiden speech and to also debate the Motion ably moved by the hon. Member of Parliament for Milenge.

 

Sir, in delivering my maiden speech, I wish to place on record my deep appreciation to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for nominating me to this House as a Member of Parliament and subsequently, appointing me into his Cabinet as Minister for the Western Province. My nomination and appointment are a clear measure of the confidence His Excellency the President has in me. In return, I pledge loyalty, hard work and commitment to the common cause espoused by the Patriotic Front (PF) to better the lives of our people under his leadership.

 

Mr Speaker, it is befitting at this point to join those who have spoken before me in congratulating His Excellency the President and Her Honour the Vice-president for their resounding victory in the 11th August, 2016 Polls. I further wish to congratulate my party, the PF, for designing and mounting a robust campaign programme under the theme anthem “Dununa Reverse.”

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, the PF Government, under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, will continue to recognise the supremacy of God in the affairs of our country.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Others have attempted to despise this stand by pouring scorn on the Day of National Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation and even the establishment of the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.

 

Sir, it is the duty of every Christian in our country to faithfully serve our God. To the detractors, we say, “Sela tubombeko.”

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: On the day of judgment, …

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

What does that mean?

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, it literally means that give us space to work.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: On the Day of Judgment, God will ask each one of us to account for our time on earth by telling us to “Sonta epowabomba,”

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubukwanu: … which also simply means let your works speak for themselves. Failure to do that will definitely be dununaling reverse into that hot place.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubukwanu: The hot place is usually described by the hon. Member of Parliament for Monze Central.

 

Mr Speaker, you and your two deputies too deserve to be congratulated on winning your respective positions as presiding officers. There is no doubt that your team will diligently discharge its duties in the best interest of our country. I also want to congratulate all hon. Members, both elected and nominated, for making it to the House. It is my hope and prayer that collectively, we will have a successful session and build on the achievements of the previous years.

 

Sir, with that said, may I make a few comments on this Excellency the President’s Speech made on the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly on 30th September, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech is a clear blue print to making Zambia great again. On page 2, His Excellency the President states that:

 

“Our efforts to move the economy from the current heavy dependence on copper to one based on agriculture, livestock and fisheries and their entire value chain will continue in a more robust manner.”

 

Sir, in light of the foregoing, I wish to outline the following as the Western Province’s key performance areas to feed into His Excellency the President’s vision:

 

  1. to pursue the completion and operationalisation of key projects in the province within the available fiscal space. This includes infrastructure projects such as roads, health facilities, schools, university and district administration offices in our new districts;

 

  1. the realignment of Government interventions towards efficient and effective service delivery to our people; and

 

  1. to explore and translate the given potentials into real economic benefits for our people in the province. The focus will be on cashew industry, fish farming, livestock, rice farming, forest and forest products, and tourism.

 

Mr Speaker, we will aggressively market Liuwa Plains National Park and its annual wilder beast migration, the Sioma-Ngwezi National Park and the Kuomboka Traditional Ceremony beyond the borders of Zambia.

 

Sir, I have no doubt that this effort will yield the desired results in uplifting the living standards of our people. We intend to expose the Western Chamber of Commerce to explore the yawning market in the neighbouring Angola.

 

Mr Speaker, we are resolved, as the provincial administration for the Western Province, to scale-up our agriculture production and value addition by way of seeking smart partnerships and maximum participation of the locals. This will greatly contribute to job creation and improve the livelihood of our people.

 

Sir, may I at this point respond to some of the issues raised by the hon. Members of Parliament from my province. To put the response in context, I wish to proudly state that the Western Province is one province that has benefited the most since the Patriotic Front (PF) took over Government in 2011.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Thus far, we have received the highest number of new districts in the whole country compared to the other nine provinces and this comes with the requisite infrastructure and budgetary allocations from the Central Government. The construction of the King Lewanika University is progressing very well since its commissioning by His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, a few months ago …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: … with more than twelve staff houses having reached various stages of completion.

 

Mr Speaker, it was shocking to hear the hon. Member of Parliament for Mongu Central claiming that this is a failed project. My advice to the hon. Members is to slow down and take time to familiarise themselves with the numerous projects in their respective constituencies. In fact, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mongu Central has inherited a very successful and privileged constituency.

 

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, what I expected from the hon. Member of Parliament from the Western Province and those yet to debate is to use their maiden speeches to outline their priority areas of focus during the next five years, in line with the election campaign promises.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, decent politics demand that you acknowledge the achievements of your predecessors and pledge to build on them. Simply put, give credit, where it is due.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Instead of denying and despising the massive development the people of the Western Province are enjoying, the hon. Members need not be reminded to engage their party leadership to consider other regions when sharing positions. How can one explain the fact that the United Party for National Development’s (UPND’s) Opposition Whip and the Leader of the Opposition are both held by hon. Members from the Southern Province?

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: This is a failure on the part of the UPND, as a political party, to acknowledge the political support received from other regions.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, my province has produced some of the most experienced Parliamentarians in the current session with vast experience both in the Government and in the Opposition who could have taken up the position of Opposition Whip or Leader of the Opposition.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, as their Minister, I speak for all of them without fear or favour.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, listening carefully to their debates, …

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Minister, I am getting concerned. Please, do not focus on your colleagues. You know the tradition of this House is to avoid debating ourselves.

 

You may continue.

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Much obliged, Mr Speaker.

 

Listening carefully to their debates, I have come to realise that the issues …

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Minister, please, focus on the issues in the province.

 

You may continue.

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, at this point, I am responding to the issues that were raised.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Continue.

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Thank you, Mr Speaker. 

 

Listening carefully to their debates, I have come to realise that the issues that they attempted to raise revolve around lack of jobs for the youth, poor road network, inaccessibility to markets for agricultural produce and delivery of inputs, inadequate schools, health and communication facilities.

 

Mr Speaker, these are issues that this Government is resolved, more than ever before, to address. Had the hon. Opposition Members sat in this House during the Official Opening to listen to His Excellency the President’s Speech, they would have heard the answers to these problems from him. Actually, this is the more reason His Excellency the President came to address this august House. On page 2, paragraph 8, His Excellency the President stated that:

 

“… My administration will place high priority on industrialising the economy to create more jobs and wealth for our people.”

 

Mr Speaker, although the perceived poor road network is a common denominator among the hon. Members of Parliament from the Western Province, they criticise our road projects by telling innocent people that they cannot eat roads. It has never been our intention to construct roads for consumption.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubukwanu: All we wanted was for our people to have easy access to areas of productivity and generally ease the movement of people, goods and services. It is good that the hon. Members of Parliament are realising the importance of a good road network. The signature road project under the sector in the last five years of the Patriotic Front (PF) in the Government is the Mongu/Kalabo Road. Contrary to the assertions that were raised in the debate that this was a Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Project, this is a purely PF project.

 

Hon. UPND Members: How?

 

Mr Mubukwanu: The Mongu/Kalabo Road, which the MMD attempted to build, was washed away three times in consecutive floods. The materials used in that road construction must be well deposited in the Indian Ocean as debris.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, the creation of the new districts has not only reduced distances for our rural populous when accessing Government services in the once-upon-a-time vast districts, but also accelerated infrastructure development. These new districts also come with increased employment opportunities and resource allocation.

 

In conclusion, I wish to invite my colleagues, the hon. Members of Parliament, to take advantage of the goodwill of the Government to join hands for the benefit of their respective constituencies and province at large. Once the election petitions are over, for those who have to go to court, I will invite all of them to a roundtable discussion so that we collectively find ways of serving our people better.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister for Northern Province (Mr Mundubile): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to render my maiden speech to this august House. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on his re-election as President of this great country. I also wish to congratulate Her Honour the Vice-President, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, on her election as Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia.

 

Allow me to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your well-deserved election to this esteemed position in the House. Let me also congratulate the First and Second Deputy Speakers on their election to their esteemed positions. To all hon. Members of Parliament, I say congratulations on your election to this distinguished House. The great task before us now, as Members of this dignified House, is to effectively contribute to the development of our great nation.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also express my profound gratitude to the people of Mporokoso for electing me as their area Member of Parliament. I would not be here today without the excellent support from the team and for the spirited fight that they put up to secure our victory. I feel most honoured and humbled for the confidence that they have reposed in me to represent them in this august House for the next five years.

 

I am further indebted to my wife, Achiwe, and our lovely children and the family in general, for their continued and resolute support. Above all, I wish to thank God, through whom all things are possible, for his grace and favour that enabled me to ascend to this position. I will continue to seek his guidance as I play my role in national development.

Mr Speaker, the Northern Province lies in a high rainfall belt with about 1,200 mm to1,300 mm of rainfall per annum. Economically, the province is predominantly agricultural. The major crops grown are cassava, finger millet, rice, beans, maize, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, sugarcane and coffee. However, these agricultural crops are not fully and commercially cultivated to create job opportunities, improve food security and raise household and national incomes.

 

Mr Speaker, the Northern Province is further subdivided into four agricultural land systems as follows:

 

  1. Zone 1: Lake Tanganyika and Mweru Wantipa Depression

 

          This is a cassava/fish system area covering Kaputa, Nsama and part of Mpulungu. Finger millet is commonly grown. Rice is an increasing important cash crop. Soils are alluvial with high organic and clay content;

 

  1. Zone 2: Central Plateau

 

This area covers Mporokoso, Luwingu, Kasama and parts of Mungwi. This area is traditionally a Chitemene-based finger millet, cassava, groundnuts and bean farming system. It has become an important maize producing area, with improved market opportunities and is home to commercialised coffee and sugar production. The soil type generally contains iron and aluminum and is usually acidic;

 

  1. Zone 3: Northern Plateau

 

          This area is composed of Mbala and parts of Mpulungu and Northern Mungwi. Traditionally, it is a fundika-based finger millet and cassava bean farming system, but increasingly a high productive maize area. Cattle rearing is equally common. The soil type generally contains iron and aluminum and is usually acidic; and

 

  1. Zone 4: Chambeshi/Bangweulu Flood Plain

 

          This area is composed of Mungwi, Kasama and Chilubi. It is predominantly a cassava and fish farming system based in the flood plains of Chambeshi River and Lake Bangweulu with rice as an increasingly important cash crop. The soils are alluvial with high organic and clay content.

 

Mr Speaker, cassava, rice, sugarcane, groundnuts and soya beans have great potential of turning the Northern Province into a major agriculture hub.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mundubile: Mr Speaker, to unlock this potential, there is a need for a deliberate and integrated approach to make farming a commercial activity by creating farming blocks in the province.

 

During my tenure, I will ensure that the province embarks on crop diversification. Maize farming has been the mainstay of agriculture in many parts of country, including the Northern Province. There is a need for a cultural shift from overdependence on maize, as a staple food, as it is capital intensive crop that is also vulnerable to climate change. This has been so due to the support and ready market that the maize crop is given.

 

Mr Speaker, the PF Government will endeavour to promote the creation of specialised farms in every district under the Public -Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative between the Government and the co-operatives. These farms will serve as anchor projects in each of these districts not to only change the mindset of our people on the scale of farming, but also to create jobs for our people, especially the youth.

 

The increased productivity within the districts and the province at large will attract strong markets to the province. Agriculture needs to become a real business venture even for small-scale farmers and peasant farmers. Further, with guaranteed supply of raw materials such as farm produce, investors and the private sector in general will be attracted to the province to set up industries.

 

Tourism

 

Mr Speaker, tourism is another potential growth sector for the diversification of the Zambian economy and could contribute significantly to national growth. The Northern Province is endowed with abundant water resources. About 30 per cent of all fresh water in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region originates in Zambia and most of it is in the Northern Province. We have spectacular, beautiful and uncountable number of tourism assets like waterfalls that have not been fully exploited. Among the prominent ones are, Kalambo, Lumangwe, Chishimba, Kabweluma and scenic Ntumba Chushi falls. These are some of the gems that are rarely visited because they have not been adequately marketed. The Government is now increasingly paying attention to tourism and will put effort in increasing tourist number inflows into the Northern Province in order to make it one of the preferred tourist destinations in the country. In line with the Government’s policy, we will encourage private investment to speed up the expansion of the province’s tourism sector, for example, by reviving Kasaba Bay as a potential tourist destination. The private sector should take note of these opportunities that abound and begin to form partnerships with the local people.

 

Forestry Sub-sector

 

Mr Speaker, I also with to draw the attention of this august House to the forestry sub-sector, which has vast potential if utilised in a sustainable manner. The plan for the forestry sub-sector in the Northern Province is to enhance the quantity and quality of the yields by commercialising the timber industry. The Northern Province is endowed with abundant forestry resources, including different species of timber. Currently, forestry contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is less than 1 per cent despite the sector having a lot of potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country if harnessed properly. There is a lot of potential for wood and wooden products in the Northern Province. We are going to focus on this sector as one of the economic activities to contribute to job creation and industrialisation. We shall encourage the locals to apply for forest concessions by designing concessions that will favour the local communities. Empowering our people with concession licences for timber will not only elevate the people into being private sector players in the timber sub-sector, but help to guard our resources against the illegal harvesters of timber. Our vision for the sector is to be able to supply all wood and wooden products made from our factories in the province to all Government institutions. We cannot continue to export raw materials and timber and import furniture.

 

Mr Speaker, the Industrialisation and Job Creation Policy encourages us to create jobs through industrialisation and for that reason, we shall ensure that, within three years, we set up mega factories for timber in areas that have good timber species. In conjunction with trade schools in the province, we intend to introduce courses in timber processing to complement the carpentry and joinery courses already in the curriculum so that, in the next few years, this nation may be able to completely substitute the imported furniture with that made by people in our province.

 

Health

 

Mr Speaker, in the last five years, significant strides have been made towards improving the quality of health services being provided to the Zambian people, especially in the areas of infrastructure development, disease control and curbing of maternal and child deaths. As Provincial Minister, my focus will be on supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen the immunisation programme to cover every child in every part of the province by improving the immunisation supply chain, using technological innovations and strengthening surveillance. The bulk of the suffering experienced by our people is by preventable causes. This suffering can be ameliorated by already existing technologies and interventions and, in some cases, relatively simple methods such as basic hygiene such as hand-washing with soap and adequate infant and young child feeding practices. Although children may not lobby strongly, they have the right to health. I challenge everyone to partner with the Patriotic Front (PF) Government to ensure that the lives of our children are saved.

 

Mr Speaker, as outlined in the PF Manifesto, the PF Government recognises that the health system consists of six main building blocks, namely service delivery, human resource, medicines and technology, health financing, health information systems and leadership and governance. We solemnly believe in these fundamental statutes and are committed to increasing the budgetary allocation to the health sector from the current level to, at least, 15 per cent of the National Budget, in accordance with the Abuja Declaration. Let me hasten to say that we are not only committed in words, but also in actions and making lasting positive change. This is a promise we have made and intend to implement.

 

Mr Speaker, at this juncture, allow me to focus on child health nutrition, knowing that the children are the future of our nation. 40 per cent of the children under-five in Zambia are affected by chronic malnutrition and stunting. The Government is committed to fighting malnutrition by improving the agriculture sector. While boosting agriculture production stimulates overall economic growth, there is a need for an agriculture approach that maximises its contribution to nutrition. In order to make an impact on nutrition, agricultural programmes should deliberately focus on women and promote diversity of crops in both production and consumption. As laid out in the manifesto of the PF, the current Government will promote diversification of agricultural production and provide nutrition education in order to improve the nutritional status of children in Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me now to contribute to the speech delivered by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly on 30th September, 2016.

 

Sir, firstly, I welcome the broad thrust of the speech presented by His Excellency the Republican President. As it will take long to cover every point in the President’s Speech, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight part of the speech.

 

Energy

 

Mr Speaker, one of the most critical resources that His Excellency the President mentioned was energy. It is only a potential source of income, but an essential ingredient in all sectors such as agriculture, health, education and commerce and industry. It is, indeed, gratifying to note that the PF Government has provided the necessary environment for 655 MW of power to be added to the grid in the next few years, through the commissioning of the Ndola Energy Company Limited extension, the EMCO Energy Zambia Limited Coal Fired Plant and the Maamba Power Station Extension. The Government will also enhance the use of renewable energy such as bio fuels, bio gas and solar energy. Further, the Government has continued to create an enabling environment for the private sector to be attracted to investment in the power sector by establishment of the Grid Code and the Open Access Regime, which protect the interest of investors in accessing the grid owned by the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) or any other already existing utility. By doing so, investors do not worry about having access to the grid to evacuate power to their power to the market.

 

The Creative and Recreation Industry

 

Mr Speaker, in order for this great nation to industrialise, we need to give special recognition and rewards to innovation. Zambia is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) which creates an environment for us to ensure innovations are protected at the highest level with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) being the local link point. Our universities, public and private, have continued to churn out high level performing students who have contributed significantly to research and development in the sub-region and overseas. Painfully, there is not much that we can see as having been birthed within Zambia by the creative minds of our great nation. We need to enact laws that protect and provide direct value to inventors through royalties and guaranteed markets for their innovation within and around this nation.

 

We need to realise that intellectual property does not just subsist in music, literary works and film. More should be done to encourage innovation in machinery and tool creations that can be utilised at domestic and industrial levels. Innovations in science and technology are what are driving the Asian industrial complex and we cannot afford to be left behind on the global stage.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I am confident that, with the measures the PF Government is putting in place, the future of our great nation is not only bright, but also promises empowerment for current and future generations.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwamba: eh ma Minister, aya.

 

Evg. Shabula (Itezhi-tezhi): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to deliver my maiden speech to this august House in my respective capacity, courtesy of the great people of Itezhi-tezhi Constituency. Allow me to join the many others who have spoken before me in congratulating you and your two Deputies on your election to these prestigious positions in our land.

 

Sir, let me record my sincere gratitude to my party leadership, under the stewardship of my president, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, formally known as ‘HH’ ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: ... for according me the opportunity to serve the people of Itezhi-tezhi Constituency. My special gratitude goes to Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba ...

 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: ... for his tireless effort to remove the cleavage of the political divide by being part and parcel of reassembling our great nation.

 

Mr Speaker, I owe my family members, especially my wife, Mutinta, enormous appreciation for their prayers and unwavering support during and after the campaign period. To a great extent, I would like to thank my campaign manager, Mr Oliver Sitengu, deputy campaign manager, Hon. Godfrey Mwize Beene, and the entire constituency officials. I would also like to thank the chiefs and all the people of Itezhi-tezhi Constituency.

 

Sir, allow me to express my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the almighty God for his hand, which led me to this august House. Further, gratitude goes to the United Party for National Development (UPND) family for adopting me as a candidate on the ticket of this great party. I thank them for the moral, material, financial and other support rendered to me during the campaign period.

 

Mr Speaker, my congratulations go to the new hon. Members of Parliament and those who made it back into Parliament. It is my hope that despite the tightly contested election, and of a seriously disputed result, the country, through us, its representatives, can make an earnest, deliberate and honest attempt to reduce the ugly cleavage that is seen in all social, economic and even religious strata.

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Sir, Itezhi-tezhi is a rural constituency with a population of 200,000. It is dived into six chiefdoms, namely Chief Shezongo, Cheif Musungwa, Chief Kaingu, Chief Muwezwa, Chief Shimbizhi and Chief Chilya Bufu. It has thirteen wards and forty-four polling stations.

 

Mr Speaker, the wonderful people of Itezhi-tezhi are pastoral famers, agricultural farmers, fishermen, businessmen and women, whilst others are office workers and the rest are unemployed youth. Itezhi-tezhi Constituency has lagged behind in development since Independence. The people of Itezhi-tezhi have never enjoyed the benefits of our independence because of poverty, ...

 

Mr Mwamba: Question!

 

Evg. Shabula: ... the lack of social and educational infrastructure, poor road network and health facilities. Government support, if any, has been minimal.

 

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, I have noted, with great sadness, that the people of Itezhi-tezhi have been abandoned, ignored and sidelined by the previous Governments and, now, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government. The PF Government should be mindful to allocate and distribute valuable resources fairly across the country regardless of peoples’ political affiliation, gender, religion and tribe. Such kind of impartiality has the capacity to inspire and unite the people of Zambia to live according the “One Zambia, One Nation” philosophy.

 

Sir, excluding Itezhi-tezhi from national development is very unfair because most of the PF strongholds, including the newly-created Muchinga Province, are now developed although they were recently established.

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, this is the highest form of developmental discrimination ever experienced in Zambian history and it should be condemned in the strongest terms by all well-meaning Zambians as it is vengeful and unfair.

 

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

 

Evg. Shabula: Sir, Itezhi-tezhi has many challenges such as poor road network. The Itezhi-tezhi Road known as the D769 has been abandoned by the contractor due to the lack of funds. The Itezhi-tezhi/Namwala Road needs to be worked on urgently and brought to bituminous standard. The Pontoon at Banga on the Kafue River, connecting Itezhi-tezhi to Namwala District, needs to be replaced with a modern bridge.

 

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, feeder roads need to urgently be graded to acceptable levels. The chiefdoms of Musungwa and Shezongo are usually cut-off from Itezhi-tezhi Boma for a period of five months due to the floods during the rainy season. There are a few dip tanks, no dams and no vaccines for cattle. Storage sheds for both farming inputs and produce in the area are not available. Farming inputs reach farmers late. Improved fish farming is required in the area.

 

Sir, radio and television signals from the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) are poor in the whole area. In view of this, Itezhi-tezhi cannot pick the ZNBC signals. Itezhi-tezhi has a few schools, most of which are dilapidated, without desks, books, computers, electricity and teaching aids. Most schools are managed by untrained teachers who are usually accommodated in school offices or class rooms. Shame!

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Shame!

 

Evg. Shabula: The girl child is usually vulnerable to sexual abuse because of walking long distances to and from school.

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: The whole of Itezhi-tezhi has no Government college, no university, no skills training centre and no football team ...

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: ... no football club.

 

Mr Speaker, the people of Itezhi-tezhi need boreholes, hand pumps, dams and dip tanks for their animals.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Evg. Shabula: There are only a few clinics in Itezhi-tezhi and most of them lack adequate medical supplies, equipment, qualified personnel, electricity and staff houses. There are no blankets, no beds and no mattresses at the existing health facilities. These are no social amenities and these must be provided to the people of Itezhi-tezhi urgently.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: By who?

 

Evg. Shabula: By the PF Government.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: On governance, the country is split apart ...

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

There are too many running commentaries on both sides. I want to follow the debate.

 

You may continue, hon. Member.

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, the country and the Church are split apart.

 

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

 

Evg. Shabula: There is a split in the anthropological setup of our country. Associations that were once together are now split apart. Worse still, God forbid, even families are split apart.

 

Ms Kalima: Man of God!

 

Evg. Shabula: Why are we in our current situation? My take is that we have been a generation of reckless pretenders and ...

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: ... hypocrites who will chastise and pour scorn and abuse on one another all for political expedience while placing ourselves before our mother land, Zambia. Just like in the field of philanthropy, that is placing others before oneself, the business of service to mankind, ours must be country before self.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, I would like to place on record my true feelings about what characterised the just-ended elections, both during and after. The aftermath has yielded the worst results in Zambia’s existence. I abhor violence and its effects. My heart bleeds each time violence manifests.

 

Mr Speaker, in an attempt to divide the people of Zambia and perpetuate its rule, the PF Government, through one individual or ministry, has been alarming the wonderful people of Zambia with tribal and hate speeches. The ordinary man, woman, boy and girl on the street does not even pay attention to issues of what tribe or region one comes from. In the Church, there is no talk about Bembas and Tongas. In bars and taverns, Lozis drink beer with the Nyanjas. As a marriage counselor, in holy matrimony, …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Evg. Shabula: … there are no tribal boundaries. We have situations where Tongas have married Bembas and there is no problem. In my home, I have Bemba blood. I have many grandchildren with names such as Chewe, Chomba, Mwenya and Mubanga whose fathers are from the Northern, Luapula and Muchinga provinces. I do not see any problem with the fact that my grandchildren are Bembas. To me, they are my grandchildren in whom I am well pleased.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, where are these tribal lines coming from?

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, this is a PF strategy meant to divide the people of Zambia.

 

Interruptions

 

Evg. Shabula: Sir, this is meant to cause people to hate, attack and label each other tribalists. In the PF’s quest to retain power during the campaign, it used the discrimination style in the Southern, Copperbelt, Central, Western and North-Western provinces. To those who attempted to divide us on account of tribal lines, I propose to them to take a step further to study and understand anthropogeny and anthropomorphology. 

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, man is anthropocentric in nature and this explains his anthropological set.

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, in the era of technological advancement such as this one, fifty-two years of our independence, we cannot retreat into the culture of demeaning other tribes. It is not only retrogressive, but also sinful and shameful before man and God. Therefore, we refuse the term “tribal” to be a watch word in our united Zambia because they say, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, in view of the afore mentioned, I further propose to the PF Government to be inclusive of all tribes in the appointment of the Cabinet, Judiciary, parastatal organisations, sports, awarding of Government contracts and consideration of constituency development. Remember that God has gifted those in the Opposition with talents to move this nation forward.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, on 18th October, 2016, the PF Government denied itself food during the Day of National Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation. With whom did it reconcile? We need to see the fruit of this prayer, fasting and reconciliation. Otherwise it will be a waste of time.

 

Mr Speaker, true prayer means that those who declared 18th October a Day of National Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation must take the first step to go to Mr Hakainde Hichilema to explain to …

 

Interruptions

 

Evg. Shabula: … him what happened at the polling stations on 11th August, 2016.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, take a seat.

 

Please, do not drug people who are outside in this debate.

 

Evg. Shabula rose.

 

Mr Speaker: Wait, I am not done.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: You can discuss all these issues of national unity and the need for tribes to work together and you will be on course. However, the moment you now bring in people from outside into your debate, then, you will run into difficulties. Concentrate on issues and concepts.

 

You may continue.

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, thank you for that guidance. However, the programme continues.

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, when the Constitutional Court is done with dealing with the issue of what really happened at the totaling center at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC), the people of Zambia will respect the PF Government. At the moment, the country remains divided.

 

Mr Speaker, the issue of the Constitution of Zambia brings sadness to me. We have heard this Government speak about constitutional amendments. What is the point of amending a people’s document which this Government can abrogate at will? This document has been adulterated by the PF Government. The members of the PF spoke about a cadre of interest groups that helped them determine what they termed contentious and non-contentious clauses of a sacrosanct people’s document. They mutilated it right here and …

 

Mr Speaker: Order! Hon. Member, take a seat.

 

You see, you need to be factual. You may not have been present here when that document was considered. It was considered by both sides of the House.

 

Hon. UPND Members interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: It was considered by both sides.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: So, please, do not cast aspersions. This document was considered by the House. It was not one side of the House that considered it. Both sides were present overnight right here. They were here.

 

You may continue.

 

Interruptions

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, due to time, I will not talk about the abuse of the Public Order Act, the media suffocation, which we all know about, and the rule of law. We know that there are certain people who have even attacked aircraft.

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, how can someone attack an innocent aircraft in Shiwang’andu and be appointed an hon. Minister?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, if you persist on that line, we will end your debate. Maybe, you are done with your debate.

 

Mr Livune: Pepe!

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: I have just been advising that we do not accept innuendos. You are making innuendos here. This is the last warning I am giving you.

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Chairperson, …

 

Laughter

 

Hon. Members: Mr Speaker!

 

Laughter

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, in conclusion, Zambia is, for now, a country where birds fly backwards. It is dununa reverse.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: They have failed to enforce the judgement of the court. The people of Zambia are saying that they are watching them. They should pay back the money they illegally paid themselves.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Evg. Shabula: Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, I think you are done.

 

Laughter

 

Hon. UPND Members: Well done, reverend.

 

The Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Lusambo): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this rare opportunity to present my maiden speech and contribute to the debate on the Motion on His Excellency the President’s Address to the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Mr Speaker, I am delighted to be part of this august House and wish to contribute positively to the debates and functions of this House during my tenure as Member of Parliament of the great people of Kabushi Constituency and as Copperbelt Minister.

 

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: I wish to express gratitude to the people of Kabushi Constituency, who have allowed me to serve them. I shall always respect and cherish their support.

 

Sir, at this juncture, let me quote from our founding leader, a great son of the soil, the late President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, who said during his address to the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly that:

 

“The citizens of this great land not only deserve better lives, but are entitled to better lives.”

 

It is from this call that I will approach my tenure as Member of Parliament for Kabushi Constituency and Minister for the Copperbelt Province with the principle of servitude leadership so that, together, we can make the lives of our people better.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, I thank the Lord almighty to whom we all owe our success. I also express gratitude to my late mother, Mrs Ireen Mwansa Mwindula Lusambo, and my late father, Mr Donald Abraham Charles Lusambo, for their guidance and support. I also wish to thank my lovely wife, Nancy Manase Lusambo, and our two beautiful daughters, Sibongile and Kezia Lusambo, for allowing me many days and nights away from home during the busy campaign period.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, allow me to further thank my party, the Patriotic Front (PF), for adopting me as its candidate for Kabushi Constituency. I wish to affirm that this was the right choice and the party shall not be disappointed as I will endeavour to ensure that it is well-represented.

 

As a young politician, I also wish to pay glowing tribute to the late President, Mr Sata. I personally learnt a lot from him and most people did not know that I enjoyed a very close working relationship with him until his untimely death. May his soul continue to rest in peace. I would like to pledge that his vision for a better Zambia for all shall continue to guide me in my political career.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to congratulate his Excellency the President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on his re-election as Head of State. I must hasten to say that I was greatly impressed with his tenacity, zeal and desire to retain the presidency and keep it away from vultures who wanted to hijack the destiny of this great nation.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

 

Hon. PF Members: Bwekeshapo!

 

Mr Lusambo: His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, has approached his presidency with a view to serve the people of Zambia selflessly.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, I also wish to thank His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, for the great leadership that he continues to provide to this great nation. Let me also congratulate Her Honour the Vice-President, Mrs Inonge Wina, on her re-election as Republican Vice-President. Everyone will agree that she has handled her office in an exemplary fashion and, her stay as Vice-President further goes to confirm His the President, Mr Lungu’s, commitment to the gender agenda.

 

I further wish to thank His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, and members of the Central Committee for according me this great opportunity to represent the people of Kabushi Constituency and for further appointing me as Copperbelt Minister.

 

Most of you knew me as a vibrant young man mostly associated with overalls and I will not belabour to state what was written on them.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear! Die hard!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, it was inconceivable that one day, I would stand in this august House wearing a tie and a suit and being referred to as “hon. Minister”.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, I am convinced that I am a product of grace and I am in this august House by the grace of the almighty God. Thus, I will forever look to God to guide me as I serve the people of Kabushi Constituency and as Copperbelt Minister because I am a product of grace. I believe that God spoke through His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, and my presence in this august House is a testimony of God’s grace.

 

Mr Speaker, my adoption and that of many young people on the PF ticket and my subsequent appointment as Minister is a testament of His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu’s, firm belief in youth leadership.

 

Sir, I also wish to thank the leadership of the Opposition, the United Party for National Development (UPND), for putting up a great fight in the August election, but as we all know, in a democracy, there can only be one winner, which was the mighty PF.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, to the perpetual losers, I suggest that they try again in 2090, ...

 

Laughter

 

Mr Lusambo: ... but I know that the PF is here to stay.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, I wish to congratulate you on your re-election. I believe that your re-election is a confirmation of the confidence that the nation and the hon. Members of this House have in your able leadership.

 

I also wish to congratulate Hon. Catherine Namugala and Hon. Mwiimba Malama on their election as First and Second Deputy speakers, respectively. I have no doubt that they are a good team that will diligently serve this House and the rest of the nation.

 

Sir, let me also take time to congratulate my fellow hon. Members of this House on their election in their respective constituencies or their nomination by His Excellency the President.

 

I also wish to pay special tribute to my predecessor, Hon. Dorothy Kazunga. She worked with me tirelessly during my campaigns and even escorted me when I went to file-in my nominations.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: I intend to carry on from where Hon. Kazunga left off as I am fully aware that development is a process and not a one-off event.

 

I wish to thank my friends who supported me financially, spiritually and morally during my campaigns. Special thanks go to His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, who I wish to thank most sincerely for always believing in me even when others doubted me. I further wish to thank the party former Secretary-General, Hon. Davies Chama, ...

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Laughter

 

Mr Lusambo: ... Hon. Mwansa Mbulakulima and Hon. Harry Kalaba for their support. I wish to thank my able campaign team for the job well done.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to also thank the youths of Zambia from all walks of life, from the street kids to the street vendors, jerabos, marketeers and students who have supported me throughout my political career. The youth of Zambia should now feel proud to have produced one of their own to speak for them in Parliament. I wish to reassure them that I will not disappoint them.

 

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, as I respond to the President’s Speech, as Minister for the Copperbelt Province, I will also share with this august House some of the key priority areas for Kabushi Constituency.

 

Mr Speaker, my constituency, Kabushi, is one of the twenty-two constituencies in the ten districts of the Copperbelt Province. It has a population of over 100,000 people and a three-minute drive away from the Ndola Central Business District.

 

Health Sector

 

Mr Speaker, my Government is making efforts aimed at improving health care delivery in the province. To this effect, a number of health facilities, that is, hospitals, clinics and health posts are currently under various stages of construction throughout the province. The population for the population in Kabushi Constituency, has been on the increase. The three existing clinics at Masala, Kabushi and Lubuto are clearly not adequate to meet the demand of health services in the constituency. To this effect, I wish to report that I have started consultations with my colleague, Dr Chitalu Chilufya, at the Ministry of Health over the possibilities of constructing a mini-hospital in Kabushi Constituency. My constituency is vast and deserves to have a mini-hospital.

 

Education Sector

 

Sir, in order to improve education standards in the province, my Government is implementing a number of policies which include expanding educational facilities in all the ten districts in the province. To this effect, a number of educational infrastructure projects are currently under construction. My Government is also making effort in increasing places at tertiary level of education through the upgrading of some colleges into universities and the construction of additional facilities at existing universities such as Mukuba University, formerly Copperbelt Secondary Teachers College (COSETCO) which is undergoing final touches, and the construction of the Copperbelt University (CDU) School of Medicine in Ndola, at a contract sum of K116 million.

 

Agriculture Sector

 

Mr Speaker, a number of agriculture programmes are being implemented by my Government and these include irrigation, agro-processing and conservation agriculture. In terms of irrigation, the main aim is for the province to be food secure throughout the year. To this effect, a number of irrigation projects are being implemented. Concerning conservation agriculture, my Government has established the Luswishi Farm Block in Lufwanyama, which covers 100,000 ha. The Luswishi Farm Block is being operated as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Ministry of Agriculture and Global Plantations Ltd. Global Plantations Ltd begun operations on its initial 5,000 ha in 2013 growing wheat, soya beans, sunflower and rare side oil.

 

Livestock Sector

 

Sir, my Government has established Mutaba Livestock Breeding Centre in Masaiti aimed at promoting goat and sheep production, in the short-term, and cattle, in the long-term. Mutaba Livestock Breeding Centre is 1,000 ha and is yet to be secured on title. A breeding stock of 200 boer goats was procured in January, 2015.Transact structures and watering points were established. We are also promoting artificial insemination to improve breeds and one artificial insemination centre has been constructed in Ndola. It will become operational as soon as specialised equipment is installed.

 

Fisheries Sector

 

Mr Speaker, in terms of small-holder aquaculture production, the Copperbelt Province has a total of 1,056 fish ponds and 268 small water bodies. More than 268 fish farmers and twelve fishing clusters are registered. The National Aquaculture Research Development Centre at Mwekera continues to produce fingerlings for small-scale fish production. To further enhance the production of fingerlings, the province is rehabilitating the Ibenga Fish Farm. The production of fingerlings will commence once the works are completed. A number of private sector fingerling hatcheries, such as riverdale in Baluba and luansobe in Masaiti, are also available in the province.

 

Water and Sanitation

 

Sir, I will focus my attention on improving the state of the sewer system in Kabushi Constituency and that of many areas on the Copperbelt. For example, the existing sewer system in Kabushi Constituency was set up in 1955 and has now been overwhelmed due to the rapid growth in population. As area Member of Parliament and Copperbelt Minister, I wish to commit my office to improving the water and sanitation situation in Kabushi and across the province. Through the on-going US$104 million Water and Sanitation System Improvement Project being implemented by Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company (KWSC) Limited and supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Kabushi Constituency will be a major beneficiary. My office will ensure the successful implementation of this project which will see the overhauling of the 18 km sewer system in Masala Township.

 

Roads and Infrastructure Development

 

Mr Speaker, a number of roads are being constructed and rehabilitated. The aim is to link up the province and make business easier. The following are some of the road projects being undertaken by my Government in the province:

 

  1. upgrading of 45.5 km dual carriageway between the Kitwe/Chingola Road, popularly known as T003, at a total cost of K844.9 million. So far, 60 per cent of works have been done;

 

  1. upgrading 97.8 km to bituminous standard of the road between Lufwanyama and Kankolonkolo in Copperbelt and the North-Western provinces at a contract sum of K432.8 million. The contractor is still mobilising;

 

  1. rehabilitating of the Chingola/Solwezi Road at a contract sum of K481 million. So far, 16 per cent of the works have been done;

 

  1. rehabilitating 64 km of Ndola/Kitwe Dual Carriageway at a contract sum of K311.2 million. So far, 77 per cent of the works have been done;

 

  1. rehabilitating of 23.35 km of selected urban roads in Chingola Town at a contract sum of K71.5 million. So far, the works have been completed; and

 

  1. rehabilitating and upgrading of urban roads in Ndola City at a contract sum of K141 million. So far, 78 per cent of works have been done.

 

 

Youth Development

 

Sir, youth unemployment on the Copperbelt stands around 22.3 per cent. The high level of unemployment among the youth has contributed to high crime rate, alcohol abuse, early marriages, prostitution and high infection rate of the human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among other vices that are prevailing in the province. In order to address this challenge, my Government, through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, is implementing several youth development programmes such as the Youth Development Fund, skills training, micro-financing for street vendors, higer buses for youths in transport business, youth resettlement schemes in Mpongwe, mentorship and internship. I am pleased to note that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, in his state of the nation address emphasised the industrialisation agenda through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). As hon. Members of Parliament, we all should support His Excellency the President’s industrialisation drive because this is a sure way of creating decent and sustainable jobs for our people, especially the youth.

 

Peace and Security

 

Mr Speaker, as the population continues to increase on the Copperbelt, the need to maintain peace and security becomes even more critical. For instance, in Kabushi Constituency, there is no fully-fledged police station except for a few police posts. During the campaigns, my family and I pledged to work with the Zambia Police Service Command to construct a police station in Kabushi Constituency. The Lusambo family is pleased to announce to this august House that land in Kambeba in Lubuto area has been secured and we will commence negotiations with the Police High Command on the modalities, designs and staffing of the police station.

 

Economy

 

Sir, even at 3 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth, Zambia still remains one of the fastest growing economies globally. We have to continue working at strategies of ensuring that the benefits of a growing economy …

 

Hon. Government Members: Time!

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, finally, it is a pity that I am racing against time because this is a very nice speech.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Lusambo: Mr Speaker, Zambia is a country of laws and so, we should all respect the governance institutions that we have set up for ourselves. As Copperbelt Province Minister, I will not tolerate lawlessness in the province. I wish to urge all citizens and visitors to the province to respect the rule of law.

 

In conclusion, I wish to, again, congratulate His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on his re-election and pledge to diligently work to fulfil all campaign promises that the party made to the people of Zambia. I will always rely upon his wise counsel as I serve the people of Kabushi Parliamentary Constituency and the Copperbelt Province.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo (Sinazongwe): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to deliver my first ever maiden speech on the Floor of this House.

 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo: Sir, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you, the First Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker on your election as presiding officers of this august House.

 

Mr Speaker, my profound gratitude goes to the United Party for National Development (UPND) President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, together with his running mate, Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, and the party leadership at all levels for adopting me as their parliamentary candidate. I thank my campaign team led by Mr Edicco Siabana, programme manager, Mr Peter Siavuulwe, election agent, Mr George Bbabbi and many others.

 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo: Sir, during the campaign period, my family was so supportive. I, therefore, wish to take this opportunity to thank them for their spiritual, moral and material support.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to address some of the pressing issues in my constituency. Sinazongwe Constituency is among the vast constituencies in the country. It is my hope and that of the people of Sinazongwe that this august House will support the delimitation of constituencies. The people of Sinazongwe sustain themselves through agriculture, which has greatly been mismanaged by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government.

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Mr Sialubalo: Mr Speaker, it is my hope that this time around, the PF Government will learn how to manage the agriculture sector from the UPND.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo: Mr Speaker, the road network in Sinazongwe is in a deplorable state. Despite the 2015 ground breaking ceremony by the PF Government on the famous Bottom Road, no works have commenced on that road. The Bottom Road is a very important road in this country. It passes through Siavonga, Gwembe, Malima, Sinazongwe, Siampondo, Kalomo and Livingstone.

 

Ms Siliya: Ask HH.

 

Mr Sialubalo: I am asking you.

 

Sir, if this road is worked on, the people from these areas would benefit economically because of easy access to other key roads, leading to various markets of agriculture products.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the right!

 

I am not able to follow the debate because of the running commentaries.

 

You may continue.

 

Mr Sialubalo: Mr Speaker, works on the Sinazeze/Sinazongwe Boma Road, which was under construction by Stefanutti Contractors, stalled, thus, rendering the road impassable. As if this is not enough punishment for the people of Sinazongwe, the Batoka/Maamba Road, in its current state, is a death trap. Therefore, there is urgent need for the Government to rehabilitate this road before lives are lost through road accidents. Additionally, there can be no investor in an area with no roads.

 

Mr Speaker, education is the key to success because it can equalize those from rich families with those from poor families in society. However, while my fellow hon. Members of Parliament boast of having so many secondary schools in their constituencies, this is the opposite in Sinazongwe.

 

Sir, currently, Sinazongwe only has one high school, a situation which is extremely unfortunate. I will engage the Ministry of General Education to consider rehabilitating the abandoned Malyango High School as well as upgrade Kanchindu Basic School to the standard of a secondary school.

 

Mr Speaker, my constituency has limited health facilities with inadequate medicines. This is making it difficult for medical personnel to carry out their duties effectively. In most cases, lives are lost even to curable diseases, and that is very unfortunate. This situation needs urgent attention.

 

Sir, Sinazongwe is endowed with coal. Currently, the only thermal plant in Zambia is nearing completion. Let me reiterate that as a way of empowering the local people, they should be given priority in terms of employment. Additionally, the electricity generated from the new thermal plant should be sold at very affordable rates so as to benefit the local people.

 

Mr Speaker, may I thank the leadership of my party for selecting me as the candidate for the Sinazongwe Parliamentary Seat. I sincerely thank the electorate for the resounding victory.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo: Mr Speaker, from this day, may I remain approachable, continue to listen and above all, may wisdom and humility guide me in both this place and the confines of the UPND,...

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sialubalo: ... so that development goals can be kept afloat in my constituency. I thank you and the people of Sinazongwe. May the good Lord bless you.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. Government Members: Quantity.

 

Mr Speaker: That is a very brief maiden speech.

 

Laughter

 

The Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mr Sichalwe): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank you for giving me this opportunity to declare my support for the President’s Speech, which was distinctly delivered during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly. Firstly, I am highly indebted to the wonderful people of Chawama Parliamentary Constituency, following my resounding re-election as their Member of Parliament. It is not easy to win an election twice and concurrently in a big constituency like Chawama.

 

Ms Siliya: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sichalwe: Sir, it is for this reason that I would like to express my deep thanks and appreciation to the people of Chawama for placing their confidence in me.

 

Mr Speaker, in this regard, I do not take this support by the party and that of the people for granted. I will, therefore, reciprocate by being loyal to the party, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and the people of Chawama. The victory in Chawama was a demonstration of the good work that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and the Patriotic Front (PF) Government have done in the area.

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, may I hasten to congratulate His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and his running mate, Her Honour the Vice-President, on their election for a five-year term as the sixth President of the Republic of Zambia and Vice-President respectively.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sichalwe: I further wish to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, and your Deputies for the honour bestowed on you to preside over and offer diligent guidance to this august House. Congratulations are also extended to my fellow hon. Members of Parliament for emerging victorious in the last elections and to nominated hon. Members of Parliament for the confidence and trust that His Excellency the President has conferred on them.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Sichalwe: Mr Speaker, in his last address to Parliament, His Excellency the President categorically indicated that the next five years will be anchored on the Seventh National Development Plan (7th NDP) whose focus is a resilient and diversified economy. His Excellency the President’s strategic direction is premised on a Zambian economy that is based on value- addition to the country’s raw materials.

 

Indeed, Sir, Zambia is endowed with abundant natural resources in all the 288 chiefdoms. Despite the potential for development, there are challenges in realising it and transforming it into tangible benefits for the people. My ministry will, therefore, endeavour to ensure that the existing raw materials in chiefdoms are put to good use to realise benefits for the people.

 

Mr Speaker, the theme of the President’s Address, “Building an Integrated Multi-Sectoral Approach to Development that Enhances Inclusiveness in Development without Leaving Anyone Behind,” is timely and appropriate as it is intended to instill a collaborative spirit and approach to development. However, since Independence, chiefdoms have not been placed at the centre of the development chain of this great nation. The Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs will, therefore, revamp and incorporate chiefdoms as an integral part of national development. This will be done through the awakening of the traditional community to actively participate in social, economic and political development.

 

Consequently, the ministry will collaborate with both public and private sectors in providing the necessary support to projects in chiefdoms. Against this background, my ministry will effectively strengthen and spearhead the co-ordination of various sectoral linkages among Government ministries in the development of chiefdoms at district level.

 

Mr Speaker, agriculture is a major livelihood activity for most of the people in the chiefdoms. However, most of the activities are undertaken at a small-scale level with maize being the major food and cash crop. Further, agricultural mechanisation is relatively low with most farmers using hand tools, thus, resulting in low yields.

 

Mr Speaker, in responding to this challenge, my ministry, through the Chiefdom Development Programme, will collaborate with stakeholders in supporting the adoption of appropriate technologies and value-addition to agricultural produce. The implementation of the programme shall be through the creation of co-operatives in chiefdoms that will set up projects and programmes from which profits will be earned for the improvement of the standard of living of the rural communities.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that the Government, through my ministry, remains resolute in its quest to promote peace and co-existence between and among their royal highnesses, traditional establishments and their subjects. This effort is aimed at unifying the country through the promotion of the “One Zambia, One Nation” Motto.

 

Sir, we all need to continually proclaim unity in our nation because when conflicts occur, it is the women and children who suffer the most. Children must, especially, be protected at all times as they form the foundation for our future. Indeed, as the saying goes, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children,” my ministry will, thus, continue to engage their royal highnesses as they are the custodians of norms and traditions in the country.

 

Mr Speaker, rural areas have continued to lag behind in socio-economic development, with poverty levels remaining high while other human development indicators are deteriorating. In responding to this challenge, my ministry, in conformity with the Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will continue to improve people’s lives through wealth creation for the youth and women, especially those who are resident in communities that are endowed with heritage resources. In this regard, my ministry is in the process of formulating the Heritage Policy which aims at promoting increased community participation and benefit sharing, which should cheer the hon. Member of Parliament for Bweengwa.

 

Mr Speaker, my ministry will also continue to support programmes aimed at ending child marriages. To this effect, the campaign on ending child marriage, especially in rural areas where the prevalence rate is high, requires the concerted efforts of the traditional leaders. This initiative will deter children, especially girls, from getting into marriage at a tender age and will allow them to obtain their education so that no one is left behind in the development process of Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude my debate in support of the Motion on the President’s Speech delivered during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, I wish to commend His Excellency the President for calling on Zambians to appreciate the theme of “Building an Integrated Multi-sectoral Approach to Development that Enhances Inclusiveness in Development without Leaving Anyone Behind” as the best way to accelerate national development. Further, commendation is given to His Excellency the President for fostering peace and unity in diversity by embracing the “One Zambia, One Nation” Motto.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr Mazoka (Pemba): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to present my maiden speech to this august House. Firstly, allow me to congratulate you on your re-election and also the two Deputy Speakers.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to start by thanking the people of Pemba Constituency for electing me as their area Member of Parliament and consequently, giving me another opportunity to serve them. This is not a privilege I take lightly, but one that I regard a summon to greater service. May I also take this opportunity to thank the district, constituency, ward and branch officials who worked tirelessly to make sure victory was achieved. I wish to make special mention of my campaign manager, Mr Obey Habeenzu, Mr and Mrs Joshua Simuyandi, Mrs Venus Kalimina, Mrs Zulu, Mrs Simaanya, Mr Kachelo and Mr Chidyaka who left the comfort of their homes to come and campaign for me under very difficult conditions. I thank my family who worked behind the scenes to make sure I was supported sufficiently.

 

Mr Speaker, I would like to also express my profound gratitude to the leadership of my party, the United Party for National Development (UPND), for selecting me as the party’s flag bearer for Pemba Parliamentary Constituency in the 11th August, 2016, Presidential and General Elections.

 

Mr Speaker, I would like to believe that my electoral success demonstrates that the people of Pemba believe that I am doing something right, within my limited means, hence their decision to grant me another term. It also shows that they regard the UPND their undoubted party of choice.

 

Mr Speaker, I am the bearer of “a cry for help” message from Pemba residents. They have sent me here to present their main concerns to the leadership of the country, under the belief that any normal and legitimate national leadership would rise above partisan considerations …

 

Mr Kampyongo: You did not vote for us. So, twalamimona!

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, please, wait.

 

You are an hon. Minister …

 

Mr Mwiimbu: He forgot.

 

Laughter

 

Ms Lubezhi: Oh!

 

He forgot.

 

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Pemba, please, continue.

 

Mrs Mazoka: Where was I?

 

Laughter

 

Mrs Mazoka: The leadership would rise above partisan considerations and act on the grievances of citizens, regardless of whether or not those citizens voted for the part in power.

 

Mr Speaker, the biggest problem in Pemba remains the lack of access to safe and clean drinking water for both human beings and livestock. The basic things that we do here in Lusaka without much thought like taking a bath, washing clothes and cooking beans call for serious decision-making in my constituency. Many people have to think about whether to skip bathing in order to preserve the limited water a little bit longer for more essential uses in the home such as washing children’s clothes or sharing the litres of water with their livestock. Despite my considerable efforts in the past five years aimed at addressing this challenge through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), complemented by the laudable efforts of development partners such as the World Vision, water supply in the area remains very inadequate. The people of Pemba are calling upon the Government to construct more dams and drill more boreholes across the constituency. Any Government leader worth his/her sort would feel ashamed and lose his/her sleep when the people he/she supposedly serves have no access to human necessities such as water.

 

Mr Speaker, inadequate and underdeveloped infrastructure is the other challenge in Pemba. The roads are so deplorable and impassable that there is completely nothing to point at. The worst affected is the ring road from Muzoka to Chisekesi which, with the onset of the rainy season, is likely to get worse. Other roads which are in a poor state and need urgent attention are Jalila, Mayasanino, Habbanyuka, Moyo, Kasiya and Hamabbonka. Pemba Constituency also has only one Government secondary school, fifty-two years after Independence. A school that was originally intended to cater for a few villages now serves the entire district with a population of nearly 70,000 inhabitants. Primary schools remain so scanty that many children who desire to access education are forced to walk long distances to the nearest learning centre. The net effect of these factors continues to be reduced enrolment, especially for the girl child, with adverse consequences for the future.

 

Furthermore, Mr Speaker, there is no district hospital in Pemba and no expressed indication from those on the Front Bench about when the construction of one will be initiated. As a result, disease continues to claim the lives of my constituents with ease largely because the existing health centres lack adequate trained personnel and essential drugs required to cure even the simplest of illnesses. Recently, one of my constituents died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka after being involved in a car accident near Muzoka area in my constituency. Hospitals in Pemba, Choma, Monze and Mazabuka did not have the appropriate drugs, functioning x-ray machines or even a stretcher. The victim arrived at the UTH being carried on a sheet and died a few days later. Had the health care system been functioning, the deceased would have lived.

 

Mr Speaker, perhaps, more than anything else, the uneven distribution and lack of proper and well-equipped hospitals across our country illustrates the failures of Independence. When one adds on the poor management of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) to the noted insufficiency of roads, schools and health facilities, any sane, free and mature mind would easily understand why Pemba residents continue to vote for the promise of a better tomorrow offered by the Opposition …

 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: … rather than the underwhelming record of those in power, who have consistently refused to act on their concerns.

 

Mr Speaker, fifty-two years after achieving political independence, Pemba resembles a colonial outpost …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Her, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: … rather than a modern district in an independent country.

 

Sir, what is even more disturbing is that the backward state of my constituency that I have described here is not unique to Pemba, but it is replicated throughout the country.

 

 Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

 Mrs Mazoka: The question is: “Where, then, does the money go?” How can any normal person call himself/herself a national leader amidst this underdevelopment and backwardness?

 

Mr Speaker, five years ago, I stood here to draw the attention of those on the Front Bench to the above- mentioned grievances. Today, I am here to repeat that call for help from Zambians in Pemba.

 

Sir, allow me to address myself to wide concerns that cut across the nation. In particular, I wish to register my displeasure at the growing divisions in our country illustrated by the outcome of the August, 2016 Elections. The voting patterns in the previous elections show that Zambia, today, is a deeply divided country. This outcome was somewhat inevitable given the messages of division and hate speech that characterised the pre-election campaigns mainly instigated by the senior Ruling Party officials.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Mr Speaker, very insultingly, Lozis in the Western Province were told to vote for a certain party because one Vice-President came from their tribe, as if they prioritised ethnicity over service delivery.

 

Interruptions

 

Mrs Mazoka: When Tongas said that the composition of Cabinet and the Government in general made them feel largely excluded, they were sarcastically told …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mrs Mazoka: … to produce more children if they are to win power and raise leaders who could address such concerns and attend to their problems.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mrs Mazoka: When Zambians in the North-Western Province complained about the state of the Solwezi/Chingola Road and that the benefits of the booming mining industry in the area were not trickling down to them, those in power looked away and blocked their ears.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, remarkably, the leadership of the Ruling Party, including some of those seated on the right today, expected to win the support of the humble voters from the Western, Southern and North Western provinces whom they took turns to insult and continue to vilify …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mazoka: … and mock to this day. If there is any lesson that we should take away from the voting patterns, it is that we reap what we sow.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Mr Speaker, the concerns of our people from the three provinces I have mentioned do not need a commission of inquiry to address.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mazoka: What they need is a leadership that listens, one that is there to serve and promote the public good, a leadership that identifies and acts on their grievances, one that is above partisan considerations, one that unites the energies of all Zambians, regardless of their tribe, for nation building and one that seeks to unite rather than divide us.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, I am not convinced that the current crop of politicians in Government is capable of providing the kind of quality leadership that the post-election context demands.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Mr Speaker, when you look at the composition of the present Cabinet, which under normal circumstances should be representative of the character and diversity of our nation, how many of those appointed, if any, come from the Southern, Western and North-Western provinces? The traditional power ministries of Defence, Local Government and Housing, Health, Finance, and Home Affairs are all occupied by people …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Let us have some order.

 

You may continue, hon. Member.

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, the traditional power ministries of Defence, Local Government and Housing, Health, Finance, and Home Affairs are all occupied by people …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Pemba, just give me a minute.

 

Hon. Members, we will not proceed in this fashion. There is no need. If you want to point out evidence, you will have an opportunity because we have not exhausted the debate. Just take notes of what is being presented on the Floor. We cannot carryout business and debate whilst seated and shouting at each other. I will not just sit back and watch your mayhem.

 

You may continue, hon. Member.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!   

 

Mrs Mazoka: … appointed from one region, yet an entire province like the Southern Province, which has nineteen constituencies, has no representation in the Cabinet. A district like Chipata, with only three constituencies, has three hon. Cabinet Ministers.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, the number is much bigger when one considers the Eastern Province as a whole.

 

Mr Speaker, the Constitution provides that up to eight people may be nominated to Parliament by the President to address electoral imbalances. So, the excuse that the PF has no hon. Members of Parliament in Southern Province does not hold.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: When voters complain of ethnic bias in political appointments to public offices and cite exclusion to reject your candidate and party, you insult them. This is not a recipe for uniting a country or addressing that cited sense of exclusion.

 

Ms Lubezhi: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, the other week, in this House, Her Honour the Vice President acknowledged that the country is politically divided. The question is: What is being done to heal this divide? Please, unit us! Poverty and class are enough to grapple with as it is.

 

Mr Speaker, if you also look at who is in prison today, not a single member of the PF is incarcerated in any part of the country for election-related activities. Not even that imported PF cadre and operative close to State House, who gained entry to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Server Room, where the count was underway.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka:  Mr Speaker, we are told that it is only the UPND members, who engaged in violence, who populate many of our prison cells today, yet we all know of the election-related violence that many supporters of the PF engaged in, but none of whom have been arrested or punished to date. We do not need a commission of inquiry to address this issue not just because perpetrators are well-known, but also because we do not have resources to waste on such unnecessary undertakings, especially now when our economy is performing poorly that we have had to invite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to save us from ourselves. What is needed is to let the police carry out their work in a professional manner, free from political interference.

 

Sir, what we need to interrogate is why the governance institutions such as the ECZ, the police and the Constitutional Court did not perform their duties professionally.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mazoka: Mr Speaker, we ought to acknowledge that there was something fundamentally wrong with the 2016 Elections and work to bring back public confidence in the electoral system. Failure to do so will lead to the declining participation in future elections. Let us not divert attention from real issues and look for scapegoats to victimise.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Sir, to suggest that even voting patterns of certain regions should be investigated is an affront to democratic choice, …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: … but there is a broader issue here, thus, the democratic backslides and erosion of civil liberties that have continued to characterise the tenure of the PF leadership.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Today, nearly all civil society groups have been coerced into submission or silence, including the print and electronic media. We have also seen the arrest and detention of Opposition leaders on trumped up charges such as attending funerals, beating and harassment of journalists from the independent broadcasting media houses and an increase in the stifling of dissent.

 

Every week, we hear of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) harassing private radio and television stations with demands for recordings of political programmes, deemed by those in power, as fanning public dissent. We have effectively become a police State.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: Mr Speaker, there are times when I fear that the Government may soon start arresting us for what it thinks we, the citizens, are thinking.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: As I end my address, I am reminded of a recent article published on 23rd October, 2016, in the New York Times, in which a professor of African politics at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom (UK), was quoted saying:

 

“When you start to delegitimise your system, including your electoral systems, Judiciary, media and the police in different ways, then, you start to have people genuinely questioning the value of the system. It takes a generation to rebuild that trust. This is not something that gets done in a year or two.”

 

Mr Speaker, these words were meant for a certain American presidential candidate, but I think that they have a wider relevance and the PF and its leadership will do well to reflect on them too, …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mazoka: … as some of their actions and words continue to delegitimise or undermine our democratic institutions.

 

When all is said and done, the question that each one of us should answer is this: At the end of it all, what is it that I, as an individual to whom my community entrusted its power, have contributed to making this country a better place than I found it? Zambia is bigger than all of us and no person, whatever their position or how ever powerful they feel has the right to bring down this country. Just like our lives, public positions are temporary. We are here today and gone tomorrow. What should endure are impersonalised and democratic institutions that enjoy public trust, respect and confidence.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to give my maiden speech. I wish to congratulate you and the First and Second Deputy Speakers on your election to your positions.

 

Mr Speaker, I would to thank the United Party for National Development (UPND) President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, his vice-president, Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, and the entire UPND hierarchy for adopting me as their party candidate in the Shangombo Parliamentary Constituency.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubika: I managed to retain the Sinjembela Seat now known as Shangombo, after the formation of Sioma District and Sioma Constituency. For those who do not know, especially those who are new, this is my third maiden speech on the Floor of this House.

 

Mr Mumba: We know you!

 

Mr Mubika: I also want to thank the UPND National Management Committee at provincial, district, constituency and ward level for the confidence they reposed in me and the support they rendered to me during the last general elections on 11th August, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, my special thanks go to Mr Cinceho Kwalela, the district chairperson, Mr Tuta, district secretary, Mr Desmond Malamo, constituency chairperson, Mr Mbaita Sikwani, Mr Sililo Mwakamwi, Mr Mwenekwandu, Mr Siyunda, Mr Libakeni, my ninety-one year old father, Mr Jonas Mubika, my mother, my wife, Mutepa Lindiwe Mubika, and the entire Mubika family for the unity and hard work. I would like to assure the people of Shangombo that I will work for them and, together, we will manage to develop Shangombo Constituency.

 

Mr Speaker, before and during the last election campaigns, the country was being shown pictures of a district hospital, post office, a canal connecting Shangombo to Livungu in Angola and a sugarcane plantation. These projects were implemented under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government. There is no project that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government can point at.

 

Interruptions

 

Mrs Fundanga: Question!

 

Mr Mubika: The much-publicised pictures of the sugarcane plantation were taken at Mazabuka’s Nakambala Sugarcane Plantation.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubika: No single sugarcane was planted in the area. The locals in Shangombo were swindled by some PF cadres.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Miti: Question!

 

Mr Mubika: They were made to pay huge sums of money with a promise to get employment at the sugarcane plantation.

 

Mr Nkombo: We should go to Mazabuka.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubika: To-date, nothing has happened. The only development I have seen that the PF claims to be a high school is a 1x3 high school classroom block at Natukoma and a single staff house. Does a single classroom qualify to be called a high school?

 

Ms Lubezhi: No!

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mubika: At Shangombo, there is a 1x3 classroom block and one staff house and it is claimed that this is development. Meanwhile, in some other parts of the country such as the Eastern Province, Northern and Muchinga provinces, we see high schools being built all over. I am calling upon the PF Government to invest more in infrastructure development in rural constituencies like Shangombo, especially with regards to teachers’ accommodation, classrooms and clinics to shorten the distance between the existing ones.

 

Mr Speaker, the terrain in the Western Province is sandy. Therefore, the movement of people, goods and services is very difficult due to a lack of feeder roads. I am appealing to the PF Government to provide money for fuel for the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) for it to open up Shangombo by constructing feeder roads. As a matter of urgency, I am appealing to the provincial administration of the Western Province to urgently work on the 140 km-stretch from Matebele to Shangombo.

 

Mr Speaker, the road from Ngandwe to Shangombo has not been graded since 2010 when I was Member of Parliament for Sinjembela Constituency. Under the MMD Government, a tarred road was supposed to reach Shangombo. To-date, the Chinese contactor is at Sioma. When asked why he is not proceeding, he says that there is no kwacha to get to Shangombo. I am, therefore, appealing to the PF Government to pay the contractor so that the people of Shangombo can also be connected by tarred road. We deserve it because we are all Zambians.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubika: Mr Speaker, the people of Shangombo also deserve to be connected to the national electricity grid from Sioma to Shangombo. Currently, in Shangombo, we only have a generator set (genset) and most schools and clinics are using lamps and candles for lighting.

 

Mr Speaker, we are also asking the PF Government to connect the people of Shangombo, through the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), to all Zambians with the provision of network in Kaungamashi, State Ranch, Mambolomoka and Keyana wards in order to promote the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in rural areas. 

 

Mr Speaker, I am appealing to the PF Government to unite Zambia. It should carry out a post-mortem in areas where it did not even win a single seat at parliamentary level, instead of petitioning all the hon. Members of Parliament. That is not the solution.

 

Sir, lastly, but not the least, I would like to thank all the people of Shangombo for giving me this rare opportunity to represent them in this august House. Without them, I would not stand here today.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

 

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 1901 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 2nd November, 2016.