8^th November, 2016

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

 

COLLAPSED CLASSROOMS IN KANCHIBIYA

 

1. Dr Malama (Kanchibiya) asked the Vice-President:

 

1. whether the Government was aware that the following infrastructure at the following primary schools in Kanchibiya Parliamentary Constituency collapsed in September, 2016:

 

1. 1 x 3 classroom block and two staff houses at Ngweshi; and

 

1. 1 x 2 classroom block and one staff house at Lumbatwa.

 

1. if so, what mitigatory measures were being taken in the interim to shelter the affected pupils and teachers, especially with the onset of the rains; and

 

1. what long-term measures were being taken to avert similar disasters.

 

The Minister in the Office of the Vice-President (Ms Chalikosa): Mr Speaker, the Government is aware that a 1 x 3 classroom block and two staff houses at Ngweshi and a 1x2 classroom block and one staff house at Lumbatwa in Kanchibiya Parliamentary Constituency collapsed in September, 2016.

 

Sir, in order to mitigate the situation at the two schools, the Government, through the Ministry of General Education, will mount tents by Thursday, this week, to facilitate continued learning at the two schools. The case is the same with the teachers’ accommodation. The ministry just completed assessment of the damage at the two schools and the estimated cost of the rehabilitation to be undertaken. The House may wish to note that the two schools are old as they were constructed in 1969. In the case of Ngweshi and Lumbatwa, rehabilitation will be undertaken as soon as the Government is ready.

 

Mr Speaker, as a long-term measure, the ministry has instructed all the district offices to monitor the state of infrastructure in their respective districts to prioritise the repair of dilapidated schools once funds are made available for repair of schools. In addition to the above, the ministry will introduce a budget line in the 2017 Budget to take care of emergency situations like what happened at the two schools in question.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, before I pose my question to Her Honour the Vice-President, I would like to congratulate the new hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: I wish to advise her to be humble as she ascends to that position. She must treat journalists in this country and other members of the public with humility, decency and prudence.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: When the axe falls on you, ...

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, you were just sending a congratulatory message. That is all I allowed you to do.

 

Pose your question.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, when will the Government ensure that all the schools in the country that fall in the category of those that are in Kanchibiya are rehabilitated? We have had several statements on the Floor of this House assuring us that money would be made available and that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) would move in to rehabilitate schools and other infrastructure. When will the Government actualise this assurance that was made on the Floor of this House?

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, there is a difference between the usual rehabilitation of a classroom or a hospital and rehabilitating infrastructure that has been affected by a disaster. Here, we are talking of a disaster. We have classroom blocks whose roof tops were ripped off under whatever circumstances. This is the type of repair that is undertaken by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU). The ordinary repairs are usually done by the Ministry of General Education. In this particular case in Kanchibiya, the classroom roof tops and the teachers’ houses are already being taken care of.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, ...

 

Mr Sing’ombe: On a point of order, Sir.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, thank very much for giving me this opportunity to raise a point of order.

 

Sir, are the Patriotic Front (PF) Executive Members, especially the hon. Minister of Defence and the hon. Minister of Home Affairs, in order to come into this House wearing badges whose colour is red, which is the prominent colour of the United Party for National Development (UPND)?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

You know, these symbols and colours are used variously. I am sure you can see that there are many others donning red here. They symbolise certain associations. If you are not very familiar, please, engage the hon. Minister. He will familiarise you on why he is wearing that particular badge as it were.

 

The hon. Member for Katombola may continue, please.

 

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, I acknowledge the fact that the Vice-President is talking about putting a budget line to deal with these matters in the future. However, does her office, under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), carryout periodic reports to ascertain the true picture of these calamities in terms of educational facilities? I am aware that most hon. Members of Parliament from rural areas have so many schools that have such kinds of problems and they have not been attended to up to now. Is the Office of the Vice-President informed on this issue which is so dear to our hearts?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, let me assure the hon. Member for Dundumwezi that the colour being worn by the hon. Minister of Defence is in recognition of a day called ‘Poppy Day’ which symbolises the end of the either the First or Second World War.

 

Laughter

 

The Vice-President: It has nothing to do with the colour of the party.

 

Sir, each year the DMMU budgets for disasters of this nature and whenever money has been made available to the unit, the repairs have been undertaken. If there is a classroom roof that has been damaged, I assure the hon. Member that we will attend to it when the funds are made available.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, how soon will staff from Her Honour the Vice-President’s office go round the constituencies to see these ‘corrapsed’ classroom blocks?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Could you repeat your question.

 

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out how soon Her Honour the Vice-President’s Office staff will go round the country to see these ‘corrapsed’ classroom blocks?

 

Hon. Government Members: Collapsed!

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, every district in Zambia has a DMMU committee headed by the District Commissioner (DC). Whenever these disasters occur, the DMMU office, at national level, is informed and it usually takes action.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Mr Speaker, how ready is the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), considering the onset of the rains? We anticipate a lot of roofs being blown off.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, we do not anticipate blown-off roofs ....

 

Laughter

 

The Vice-President: ... if these structures were examined by the relevant engineers in the various districts. As the name DDMU implies, it is always ready for disasters.

 

Sir, I urge hon. Members of Parliament who use the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to construct classrooms to ensure that contractors do a good job. They should ensure that the infrastructure is strong and can endure for a long time.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

___________

 

BILL

 

SECOND READING

 

THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE FOR TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STUDIES BILL, 2016

 

The Minister of Tourism and Arts (Mr C. R. Banda): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to issue this statement in support of the Zambia Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Studies Bill No. 30 of 2016.

 

Sir, the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) began as the Department of Hotel, Catering and Tourism Studies of Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce at Zambia’s attainment of political Independence from Britain in 1964.

 

Mr Speaker, the Government of the Republic of Zambia acquired a small hotel called Victoria Hotel, situated at the corner of Protea and Church roads in Lusaka, in 1971, where the Department of Hotel, Catering and Tourism studies operated. The hotel was later renamed College Hotel and was turned into a hotel school. At the time, the college operated under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education.

 

Sir, College Hotel was later renamed Fairview Hotel and transferred to the Ministry of Tourism, under the National Hotels Development Corporation (NHDC), in January, 1989. In 1991, Fairview Hotel became autonomous and the changes in management resulted in the change of the name to the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Trust (HTTIT) after the dissolution of the NHDC.

 

Mr Speaker, the vision, mission and goal statements of the institutes are:

 

1. vision

 

to be a leading tourism and hospitality training institute in Southern Africa by 2030;

 

1. mission

 

to provide quality training in tourism and hospitality to local and international students in order to fulfil requirements of the labour market; and

 

1. goal

 

to provide superior market-responsive training, upgrade and expand infrastructure and facilities in order to contribute to the fulfilment of the demands of the tourism and hospitality industry.

 

Mr Speaker, the objectives of the institute are as follows:

 

1. to provide quality and market-responsive training in tourism and hospitality in order to produce qualified and competent graduates;

 

1. to expand and upgrade infrastructure and facilities at the institute in order to create a conducive training environment and attain a three star hotel status by 2017;

 

1. to manage and develop human resources effectively in order to enhance individual and organisation performance;

 

1. to effectively and efficiently manage the provision of administrative and logistical support services in order to enhance operations in the institute;

 

1. to manage financial resources effectively and expand the revenue base of the institute in order to improve service delivery; and

 

1. to effectively plan, monitor and evaluate implementation of programmes at the institute in order to ensure the achievement of the set goals and objectives.

 

Sir, the HTTI currently operates as a trust under the HTTI Trust Deed, having been registered under the societies Act Cap. 119 of the Laws of Zambia. The HTTI Trust Deed mandates the institute to offer tourism training only. This means that the institute can only offer skills-based programmes and not academic programmes.

 

Mr Speaker, the HTTI is accredited to the following bodies:

 

1. Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority  (TEVETA);
2. Hotel and Catering Association of Zambia (HCAZ);

(c)     Association of Hospitality Schools in Africa (AHSA);

 

(d)     Institute of Hospitality in Zambia (IHZ); and

 

(e)     International Association of Travel Agents/Universal Federation of Travel Agent Association.

 

Certifications

 

Mr Speaker, the HTTI is certified by the United Nations (UN), under the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).TedQual certification. This is the highest level of accreditation that the UNWTO offers to deserving training institutions. You may wish to know that I am the first Vice-President or Chairperson of the UNWTO Council, as of last week.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

International Collaborations

 

Mr C. R. Banda: Mr Speaker, the HTTI collaborates with leading international universities and tertiary institutions through a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The following are the institutions:

1. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Studies for scholarships at masters level, staff exchanges and curriculum support;
2. The Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University, France, for staff exchanges, curriculum support and joint research and joint offering of advanced degrees;
3. The Gazi University Faculty of Tourism of Turkey for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Masters scholarships, curriculum support and joint research projects;
4. The Anadolu University Faculty of Tourism of Turkey for staff and student exchanges curriculum support;
5. The Seychelles Tourism Academy for staff and student exchanges, internships and placements;
6. The Macau Institute for Tourism Studies for staff and student exchanges, curriculum support, especially in culinary arts and sciences; and
7. Campus Lidkoping in Sweden for staff and student exchanges.

Challenges with the Current State of HTTI

 

Mr Speaker, the following are some of the challenges of the existence of the HTTI:

1. the trust deed provides for skills training only, thus, the HTTI has no legal mandate to offer higher academic programmes. This limits the institute’s influence in contributing to the capacity building efforts of the tourism sector in Zambia;
2. the trust deed has no provision for curriculum development and review. Therefore, the HTTI relies on the TEVET process. The lack of curriculum control implies offering training programmes that do not reflect input and responsiveness from the tourism market. As a result of this reliance on TEVET processes, the HTTI is not mandated to conduct examinations. The examinations are detected on the HTTI;
3. the trust deed does not mandate the institute to conduct research and consultancy and these are necessary ingredients for the growth of an academic institution. Participation in research and consultancy helps in strengthening the academic standing of an institution;
4. the trust deed has no provision for the minister responsible for tourism and arts to set up or dissolve the board accordingly. According to the deed, only the Board of Trustees itself has the mandate to replace members who separate from it. Thus, the Board of Trustees cannot dissolve itself even in times of inefficiency and poor performance. This has proved to be a negative provision as it has made it difficult for the board to survive;
5. currently, the Board of Trustees is practically non-operational, as most of its members have passed on. The institute has suffered a general lack of oversight as well as high level representation in resource mobilisation; and
6. due to the trust’s status (registered under the societies Act as a society and not a corporation), public-private partnerships (PPPs) and joint ventures have been very difficult to secure due to the non-profit nature of the legal existence of the HTTI. This has compromised the institute’s competitive advantage.

 

Benefits for Enacting for ZITHS Bill, 2016

 

Mr Speaker, the following are the positive consequences expected to accrue once the Zambia Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Studies (ZITHS) Bill 2016 is enacted:

 

1. the ZITHS will be able to offer academic programmes in addition to the training programmes currently being offered. The academic programmes will go as high as doctoral level. This will give the institute enough leverage to contribute to capacity building in the tourism sector;
2. the ZITHS will be able to develop and review its tourism curricula in direct consultation with the industry without having to go through the TEVET process. It is crucial that there is a great sense of responsiveness to the tourism industry needs in capacity building since the ZITHS will interact directly with the industry. With the leverage to dictate curricula, the ZITHS will also be able to set as well as conduct examinations. By assuming the authority to conduct examinations at the ZITHS, the industry will very easily be able to hold the ZITHS accountable for compromised skills and academic standards;
3. the ZITHS will be able to conduct research and consultancy. This will assist in enhancing the academic image and standing of the institute in the world of academia;
4.  the minister responsible for tourism will be accorded the much-needed versatility to handle the affairs of the board, as need arises;
5. the ZITHS will have a governing council that will be crucial for the following:

 

1. institutional oversight, unlike what is currently obtaining;
2. resource mobilisation and championing the PPP and joint venture linkages, where possible, for institutional development; and
3. champion the transformation of the institute into a centre of academic excellence in tourism training and education in Southern Africa and beyond.

 

ZITHS Competing with other Universities

 

Mr Speaker, the institute will compete with other universities and this will be for the following reasons:

1. the institute has a practice hotel within the school that most universities do not have;
2. the institute has a food science laboratory, a training kitchen and a travel agency (although needing a boost in equipment);
3. the institute has been a tourism education for longer than most of the universities;
4. the institute is UNWTO.TedQual Certified with tremendous international exposure;
5. the institute has a contingent of teachers who meet the training and education needs of the students.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Mr Belemu (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, Standing Order No. 157 sets out the terms of reference of your Committee and provides that it may consider any Bills referred to it by the House. In line with this, your Committee was tasked to scrutinise the Zambia Institute for Tourism and Hospitality Bill, 2016. In order to acquaint itself with the ramifications of the Bill, your Committee sought both written and oral submissions from identified stakeholders.The objects of the Bill are to establish the Zambia Institution for Tourism and Hospitality Studies (ZITHS) and provide for its functions. The Bill also seeks to provide for the development of human resource in the tourism sector through academic and professional development, skills training, research and consultancy.

 

Sir, where a tourist decides to visit is largely influenced by the standard of service that a particular destination has to offer. This makes suitable training an important pre-requisite to making Zambia a preferred tourism destination through superior tourism products and services. If well-developed, the tourism and hospitality industry has the potential to be a major contributor to the country’s economy.

 

Mr Speaker, during its interactions with stakeholders, your Committee was made aware of the fact that the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) was registered under the Societies Act Cap. 119 of the Laws of Zambia and currently operates under a trust deed which does not allow for curriculum development and review, among others, as outlined in your Committee’s report. As a result, the HTTI only provides skills training and has no legal mandate to offer higher academic programmes. This has limited the HTTI’s influence on contributing to the growth of the tourism sector in the country.

 

Sir, as a consequence of what I have stated, it has now become necessary to establish an institution that will train highly qualified human resource in the hospitality and tourism industry. The proposed ZITHS will provide higher level qualifications, including bachelors and masters degrees and doctorates.

 

Sir, in view of the dynamic and hands-on-nature of the tourism and hospitality industry, there is a need to ensure that the ZITHS has a well-developed curriculum that will be more developed and practical than theoretical.

 

The Bill provides for the transformation of the current HTTI into the new institute. However, a number of stakeholders expressed concern at the age of the training infrastructure at the hospitality and training institute. Arising out of this concern, your Committee is hopeful that the ZITHS, once established, will be equipped with modern and state-of-the-art training equipment that will allow students to have a practical feel of the facilities that the tourism and hospitality industry has to offer. This will prepare them to compete favourably on the market.

 

Sir, your Committee is also hopeful that the new curriculum will not only focus on hospitality, but also tourism services and entrepreneurship training.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to state that your Committee welcomes the Zambia Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Studies Bill. This is progressive because the establishment of the proposed institute will not only enhance the quality of tertiary education in the tourism and hospitality industry, but will also promote the growth of the tourism sector in the long run.

 

Your Committee has made a number of proposals in its written report and I urge the hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts to make the necessary amendments which have been recommended after extensive deliberations with stakeholders.

 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude, allow me to express my gratitude to you for affording your committee the opportunity to scrutinise the Zambia Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Studies Bill, 2016. May I also thank all the stakeholders who submitted both written and oral submissions before your Committee. My appreciation also goes to the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the able manner in which they rendered their services to your Committee.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to debate on this Bill on the Floor of the House. In supporting the Bill, I would like to make a few observations.

 

Mr Speaker, tourism, as a sector, is extremely important in our economic well-being. Research indicates that there are three pertinent factors that contribute to the development of tourism. First of all, it is the environment, which is naturally inherited. Secondly, it is the culture of the people and, thirdly, it is the leadership. To promote tourism, leadership is what comes to bear on the environment and the culture.

 

Mr Speaker, culture is diverse and any country that is serious about developing tourism has to pay attention to its divergent cultural enrichment and promote it whether it be dress or food that people eat or various other facets of life. This is very essential to tourism development. It requires leadership that will transcend beyond the subjectivity of people and look at each cultural aspect as essential to the development of the nation. In a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country, the aim is to develop each unique cultural contribution to the totality. This is important.

 

Mr Speaker, the environment is given. It is what God has given. We have to look into the environment to see how it can be tamed in order to promote tourism. A very good example is Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Today, it is an international tourism centre. It was basically a desert situated in the Sahara Desert, but leadership has transformed it into a centre of tourism activity with more than 200 thousand visitors every week and the entire place is full of hotels. It is a nice place to be and each person wants to go there and enjoy what is being provided. This is what leadership can do when tourism is looked at as an important aspect of the economy.

 

The question is: How do you develop that leadership? It is developed through training at different levels so that you have change designers and pushers in the tourism industry. It enables a critical mass of human resources that can actually address the different aspects of the tourism industry which eventually will promote tourism into the country. This leadership comes from training institutions, at best, at the highest level producing graduates at bachelors level, masters level and even at doctoral level in order to manage tourism. Just as you cannot develop the mining industry without a critical mass of engineers or various technicians because you need them in order for the mining sector to develop, the same applies to tourism.

 

Mr Speaker, in our case, the tourism sector has been a Cinderella sector in the scheme of economic development planning in our country. Yes, from the beginning, the idea to place in the Evelyn Hone College a training programme for the tourism sector on a small-scale and eventually growing it into the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) to train people in some skills of tourism that eventually was transformed into a college was a good idea.

 

However, you can see that we have not done very well, as a country, yet tourism is considered one of our major sectors for economic development, creating employment and generating income for our overall development. Furthermore, in terms of human resource management, we have not done well. If we compare ourselves to countries like Kenya and other countries even on the African Continent that have taken tourism seriously, they have gone a distance in the training programmes for tourism and, I think, this is where we welcome this initiative.

 

Mr Speaker, however, I have a number of concerns. The hon. Minister has said that he would like to see a transformation of the training programme from skills training into an academic training programme or the combination of both. That is good. He has also indicated that this particular institute will be able to compete with other universities and that is where my question comes in. Will it be a university or just an institute? Why have we not been bold enough to say that this will be our national university for training in tourism studies? If it will be an institute, and from what I know, it would be better to place it in a university so that the training programmes of that particular institute benefit from the multi-disciplinary environment of a university.

 

Sir, however, we are saying that it will be an institute that will offer degrees from bachelor’s level up to doctorate’s level. The question is: why have we not just said that as a nation we will establish a university for training in tourism? Why have we not done that hon. Minister? At this point fifty-two years after our Independence, why are we still afraid to take that bold decision? Other countries that are at the same level as us have done it. So, I think within the shortest possible time, let the hon. Minister be bold enough and tell us, as a nation, that the ministry or the Government will establish a university which will offer degrees at different levels of training.

 

Sir, let us be bold and do that. It can start as a small institution and eventually grow into a fully-fledged stand-alone university. I think that is important. There will be questions raised on why an institute should offer degrees. We know that degrees are associated with universities. However, here we have an institute from which people will train to acquire degrees? How is that possible? I think we have not done justice to this development.

 

Mr Speaker, if this institute is to offer degrees and, as it says in the Bill, that it will enter into some kind of collaboration with hopefully other universities in order for it to qualify as an institution that can offer degrees, we hope that will enable it to grow into a degree granting institution and not on its own.

 

Furthermore, Sir, we now have the Higher Education Authority in the country which oversees the development of our higher education sector and, I think, there should have been a place in the Bill to accommodate that development. I take it that this institution, like any other public or private higher education institution, will be answerable to the Higher Education Authority. Within the Bill, I think, accommodation should have been made to see how this particular institution will relate to the Higher Education Authority. It is already in place. We approved the Bill to that effect and it is now operational and that should have been taken into account.

 

Sir, my point is that we should be bold enough and think big at this point. Thinking big in this particular direction would mean establishing an institution at the university level which will train an appropriate, effective, relevant and highly professional cadre of leadership for the tourism industry. That is what we need at this point in our development. I thought I should highlight these points which, in my view, are extremely pertinent to what we should now be as a nation. We should not think small, but let us think big for the development of the tourism sector.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Sir, thank you very much and let me thank the …

 

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

 

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised. It is the last one this afternoon.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order hinging on the security of this country and the happenings on the Copperbelt vis-à-vis the issuance of illegal plots. Last weekend, we witnessed a very sad scenario where the hon. Minister for the Copperbelt Province had to bolt for his life …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … after he was harassed by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, as if that was not enough, there are reports of illegal land transactions in Ndola and Kabwe by PF councillors and officials. Her Honour theVice-President had to travel to the Copperbelt to pour cold water on the situation that was boiling there.

 

Sir, we are aware that a week ago, the hon. Minister of Lands and Natural Resources came to this House and made a ministerial statement in which she categorically stated that the Government of the day would not condone any illegal land transactions. It would appear that her advice and statement to the nation was ignored with impunity …

 

Mr Nkombo: In vain.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … and it was in vain.

 

Mr Speaker, is Her Honour the Vice-President in order to remain quiet and not come to this House to inform us on what actually transpired …

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … on the Copperbelt where an Minister of her Government was threatened by her own party cadres?

 

Mr Speaker, if nothing is done, the precedent set on the Copperbelt will continue. It will be allowed to prevail in all the councils in the country. Is Her Honour the Vice-President in order to remain quiet and not inform this House regarding that issue? Rulings have been made to the effect that whatever happens outside this House is hearsay. Therefore, as Members of Parliament, we need to be informed about that particular incident.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that Her Honour the Vice-President has not been silent on that matter. I have been following this particular event. She has expressed herself. That is not hearsay. I personally saw her expressing herself on this matter. However, that does not take away your privilege to ask her a question on that matter. So, if there is anything else, other than what she has stated, that is in the public domain about which you would like to pursue her, you are at liberty to do so.

 

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your ruling. I suppose, ...

 

Mr Speaker: You are just asking a question. That is all.

 

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, are you referring to me? I am debating.

 

Mr Speaker: You may proceed.

 

Mr Nkombo (Looking at Mr Mwiimbu): Is it question time?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: No.

 

Mr Speaker: You proceed.

 

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, it is normal to lapse.

 

I want to thank you for the opportunity to debate this very important Motion. I also thank the hon. Minister for a motivating statement on the creation of an institute that will not only answer to the issue of unemployment in this country, but also to the tapping into the untapped tourism potential that this country is endowed with.

 

Sir, let me also thank the chairperson of your committee for bringing out the salient issues surrounding the creation of this institute. Needless to say that there are some countries in the region, on the continent and the world over that depend solely on tourism as a mainstay of their economies. We have seen how the maximum tapping of this potential has transformed countries. I have in mind the Seychelles, Mauritius and South Africa. So, how do we achieve this without seemingly going back and forth on policies?

 

Mr Speaker, I want to adopt Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa’s debate as my own by insisting that you cannot have an institute producing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Masters or, indeed, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Tourism and Hospitality.

 

Sir, at this juncture, I would like to commend the faith-based organisations, in particular, the Catholic Church for its work. When you go into most of the five star hotels, you will note the presence of the Zambia Youth Project, a project that trains young boys and girls how to cook and interface with members of the public in the hospitality industry. It is doing a good job and, I think, it is in almost every district of this country. However, these young boys and girls only generate certificates.

 

Mr Speaker, if you go to Taj Pamodzi Hotel, like some of us who have parties from time to time, you will find youngsters queuing up at the hotel’s back entrance in search of casual daily employment such as serving guests, and they are paid a small token at an hourly rate. So, what am I saying?

 

Sir, in the 1970s, the Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce had an annex called College Hotel. That hotel has a different nomenclature today, and I have forgotten what it is called. However, it is from the concept of the College Hotel that certain countries like Kenya, which have excelled in the tourism industry, tapped from. Kenya borrowed an idea of College Hotel and established Utalii University, which trains people in the hospitality industry.

 

Mr Speaker, as Member of Parliament during the Eleventh National Assembly, I was fortunate to have undertaken a tour to see what Utalii College was at the time. I was amazed when the principal of that college told us that they borrowed that model from Zambia. Just like the Kenyans and Ugandans borrowed the concept of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from Zambia and have developed it. We are either going backwards or just stagnant.

 

Sir, I also agree that leadership in policy formulation and creating trajectories for any country may be lacking. However, this activity we are carrying out to today may be the answer to this particular vacuum. It is also true that in a natural environment where people use their heads to think positively and widely, you can develop this industry. In Zambia, we house one of the seven wonders of this world, the Victoria Falls. We should have used that as an anchor to build on the tourism industry. Fifty-two years later is when we are thinking of building an institute and not a university. So, as far as the creation of this institute is concerned, I want to suggest that we look at the distant future and not just today. We have Sylva Catering, and so, we should not just box ourselves to catering because the hospitality industry is the real interface. It is what reflects how you are viewed. Those in the industry will determine whether a visitor will want to come back to our country or not.

 

Mr Speaker, the Utalii College, which I am talking about now has seen the building up of Kenya Airways. The hospitality in Kenya Airways, which is one of the most successful stories on this continent, comes from that particular institute. Therefore, like Hon. Prof Lungwangwa said, if the intention of the Government is to just make it an institute, then, it should make it a department at the University of Zambia (UNZA). When you talk about accreditation, who will you accredit this institute to? Which institution has the parent authority of the core values of what this institution will churn out? In his statement, I expected the hon. Minister to touch on the issue of courses that would enable one to be admitted to this institute.

 

Mr Speaker, when I was growing up, primary schools used to have a department of nutrition. I am sure the hon. Minister understands what I am talking about because we are nearly in the same age group. We no longer see the domestic science, home crafts and cookery subjects in primary schools. It goes beyond that. Even just the issue of auxiliary services such as laundry, which are provided in this country, leave much to be desired. If you go into a hotel and ask for a laundry service, you will be surprised to find that your shirt is burnt or still creased. That happens because that service is supposed to be rendered after specialised training.

 

Mr Speaker, in terms of marine transport, people who travel on the Lake Tanganyika use the MV Liemba – is that what it is called?

 

Mr Livune interjected.

 

Mr Nkombo: Yes. This is a cargo and passenger ferry. However, you will find that there is no hospitality service on this boat. You will probably be served some nshima and kapenta. Let us bring the argument closer to home in Livingstone, where we think we have made it. There is nothing to write home about the luxury boats in Livingstone, for instance. The issue of conformity to world standards is something that should be addressed by this institute. If you went on one of those boats and ordered a cocktail or chocolate mousse, if you understand what I mean, …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: … or one of those cozy drinks, the attendant will say that he/she has never heard of what you are talking about.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: So, we need to have a complete overhaul of what we currently have in place in the hospitality industry.

 

Sir, in the Northern Circuit, it is a nightmare to go to places that would ordinarily generate money like Lumangwe and Kalambo falls in Mbala. If we improved such places, the rural-urban drift would stop. If you go to Lusiwasi Falls or Kundalila Falls in Serenje, just nearby, you must be sure to carry your own food in a lunch box because there is no one to provide any services at those natural features that we are supposed to be used as avenues to not only create jobs, like I said in the beginning, but also build our economy.

 

Mr Speaker, overall, I think that the idea of creating this institution is good, save for the fact that the hon. Minister must think a little wider and work towards building a fully-fledged university with its own credentials that will bring out top class waiters, laundry people and front desk reception persons.

 

Sir, today, if you go into any hotel in Zambia, you will know that these people were actually employed without the employer looking at them because just the way they look tells you a story. As a guest, I should be able to say, “This is a place I must come back to.” I do not want to walk into a five star hotel and, then, find that it is a nightmare just by virtue of the people I see there being unfriendly and unkempt, among others. This particular institute is supposed to even address the issue of outward appearance of hotel staff. The appearance of hotel employees must give confidence to those who are coming to visit that they are in the right place.

 

Mr Speaker, there is so much that can be said about our hospitality industry, but let me just thank you for giving me this opportunity to add just a few facts about natural features. A quick example is in the Masai Mara in Kenya. Those who have been there know that this is a bush like Liuwa. Another example is the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, which is also just a bush like the Luangwa National Park. However, if you went there blind-folded and, then, opened your eyes after getting there, you would be surprised at the first class service that you would receive right in the bush.

 

Sir, if we emulate our colleagues in Kenya and Tanzania in the management of our natural features, we will stop people from the hon. Minister of Defence’s village, for example, from coming all the way to Lusaka to look for employment. They will be employed just there where he comes from. Ngorongoro is a typical bush almost in the middle of nowhere, but you will find everything you need such as hotels with air conditioning and beautiful people who are nice to look at.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo: So, I hope that the hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts will take these seemingly careless statements in his note book so that he can use them. He will have our support if he wants to work with us in building the tourism industry because it is not with doubt that I say that in our political party’s ten-point plan, that part about tourism is a stand-alone point which we think could be of use in the development of the economy. Tourism must be a pillar that we will use to better the lives of the people whose interest and aspirations we have come here to serve. As the National Budget is presented on Friday, we will see whether the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is putting its money where its mouth is regarding this particular issue of using tourism as a means to better the lives of our people.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Speaker: You were on firm ground to rise to debate, hon. Member for Mazabuka Central.

 

Mr Mukata (Chilangwa): Mr Speaker, indeed, as I join the two hon. Members in congratulating and, perhaps, encouraging the hon. Minister for the timely presentation of this Bill, I will be quick here to underscore the importance of the tourism sector, which has, unfortunately, been underplayed in Zambia. As honourable colleagues have indicated, in certain countries even in Africa, the tourism sector even ranks first in terms of revenue generation. These countries do not even have much in terms of landscape or beauty to talk about, but they innovate. One such country that has been referred to is the Seychelles.

 

Mr Speaker, it is very worrisome for Africa as a whole that, for instance, in 2016, we are projecting to receive about 50 million tourists, yet that is only 4 per cent of the total travel around the world. What is causing the low levels of attraction to tourism in Zambia and Africa at large? It is issues of training of workers in the hospitality industry and how innovative we are.

Therefore, I think that this Bill is timely although there are a number of suggestions that should be taken into account in revising it.

 

First and foremost, my humble submission is that the setting up of an institute to train our citizens in tourism and hospitality is unattainable in the sense that this institute will become a white elephant just hanging out there. It is unattainable because it will not be able to cover every spectrum of the tourism and hospitality industry in Zambia. It will not be able to also open its doors to the entire length and breadth of the country and cater for all the youths scattered around Zambia.

 

Sir, there is also the issue of comparative advantage in terms of our unique culture. Will this institution have the capacity to impart that level of education? If I was European, for instance, I will not travel out of Leeds to come to look for the same things back in Leeds unless, maybe, I am running away from something. What we need to do is provide something that is unique in our hospitality industry. Our culture, as Zambians, is already unique.

 

Therefore, is it our plan and policy to start training our people in African cuisine at this institute? How many of the people we train even in our existing schools know how to make chikanda, or whatever it is called, and sweet potatoes mixed with groundnuts, among other cuisine? We should be able to excite foreigners, but we seem to shun away from our own foods. We are embarrassed by some of our foods. Why do we not train our people to prepare and sell our local food to tourists? In Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia, local food is even served on the plane because our colleagues are very proud of it. This meal is actually grass, but they eat it religiously and make money out of it.

 

Mr Speaker, cultural relativism to begin at the grassroots by taking advantage of our comparative advantage, in terms of endowments, is extremely important. Let us not start from the top. I would expect the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, for instance, to take advantage of its cultural villages. Cultural villages should be centres of training and excellence for apprenticeship programmes because that is where these things are happening real time.

 

Mr Speaker, Hon. Nkombo, made reference to Ngorongoro, where people have formed an enclave where there is economic activity. The Government can go into Livingstone or the Eastern Province, where there is a cultural centre, and decentralise institutions that would be unique to the circumstances that would be happening in that particular vicinity. In other countries, you have taxi drivers who are trained as tour guides. Already they have linked in a skill. They have a skill, then, they are empowered with vehicles, and so, they take advantage of their knowledge in guiding.

 

For instance, Mr Speaker, all taxi drivers can be involved in inland tourism, which is not really taken advantage of. They do not need to be degree holders. You do not need to spend so much money to send a taxi driver to an institute to spend five or six years learning. All you need to do is to find some platform for taxi drivers and impart that level of education. Within Lusaka, taxi drivers can take tourists to Villa where the freedom fighters from Zimbabwe used to live. There are former homes of very prominent people like Thabo Mbeki in Chilenje. The people taking these people to these tourists’ sites do not need to be professors. Sometimes, we tend to cut our cloth bigger than the current trends would demand.

 

Mr Speaker, we have so many youths who are growing into adulthood who will never have an opportunity to sit in a classroom. What about the apprenticeship programmes? These can be tied to hotels. The Government needs to incentivise the hotels in order for them to train the youths. We do not need this particular institute. The Government needs to have an enabling Act that will give incentives to hotels like the Intercontinental Hotel and lodges to train these youths in real time. With the current unemployment problems that we have, I think that this will be a quicker solution to turning around the problem rather than building a central institute for the youths.

 

Mr Muchima: Hear, hear!           

 

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, we ruminated one of the problems of institutions such as the one being mooted when Hon. Prof. Nkandu Luo brought a Bill to do with higher education, which is the education to employment miss-match.

 

Sir, we are churning out degree holders and professors with very nice manila papers. However, when you look at what the degree holders and professors studied, it was about David Livingstone and what he used to wear and how he cried.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata:  Such graduates, then, go to companies like Lafarge Cement Company to look for jobs.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: Who wants to employ a professor with skills in history on David Livingstone?

 

Mr Speaker, we need to amend this particular Act so that it meets the needs of the hotel industry. The Government needs to demand the hotels to train people in apprenticeship programmes. These people do not necessarily need to be employed. For example, the government in India has a robust apprenticeship programme. One does not really need to have a Grade 12 or Grade 9 certificate to acquire these skills of excellence. So, I am hoping that within the spectra of this policy and the Bill under consideration, the Government could take into account these issues.

 

Mr Speaker, the problem is not up there. It is not degree holders or professors that we need in this country at this point.

 

Prof. Lungwangwa: Aah!

 

Mr Sing’ombe: Oh!

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: Honestly, it is not. What we need are artisans and craftsmen who are actually on ground in real time.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mukata: Yes, we can have professors and doctors to capture these things and share with their colleagues at seminars.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: However, I have noticed that the higher you go and the more manila paper-prone you get, you become unproductive …

 

Mr Sikazwe: Yes!

 

Mr Mukata: … in terms of the actual work on the ground in real time. Let us see how we can do the backward and forward linkages with cultural centres for the people at Buseko Market and those who are making curios. In Mwembeshi Ward…

 

Mr Jamba: Mwembezhi?

 

Mr Mukata: Mwembeshi is one of my wards in Chilanga and not Mwembezhi Constituency for the independent, …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: … but the one who belongs to a political party.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: You will find people making curios in Mwembeshi. In fact, yesterday, one hon. Member there showed me a pen.

 

Mr Machila: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mukata: I wish I could lay it on the Table.

 

Mr Machila handed a pen over to Mr Mukata.

 

Mr Mukata: This pen was made by our young people …

 

Mr Speaker: You have made your point, hon. Member.

 

Kindly, continue with your debate.

 

Mr Mukata (lifting the pen): If I find this pen in Boss, London, I would buy it even for 500 British Pounds, …

 

Mr Muchima: You see!

 

Mr Mukata: … but we are not taking advantage of such skills. I had an occasion to be at the Ministry of Tourism and Arts and at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry as Deputy Minister. People brought all these artefacts in form of nice pens, but nobody is tapping into those skills and showcasing them.

 

Ms Kalima: But you were a Minister.

 

Mr Mukata: Dorica, keep quiet!

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Member!

 

Mr Mukata: So, I am urging ...

 

Ms Kalima: You are now insulting me?

 

Mr Mukata: ... and encouraging…

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Member for Chilanga! I am talking.

 

Ms Kalima interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Minister!

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Minister!

 

Ms Kalima: He cannot say that!

 

Mr Mukata: Iwe, keep quiet.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Minister!

 

Ms Kalima: Iwe, you cannot tell me to be quiet after insulting me.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Minister! You are a Minister.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Let us avoid dialogues.

 

Ms Kalima: You are insulting me?

 

Mr Mukata: Uko, iwe!

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

I will request the both of you to leave the House if this continues.

 

Mr Mukata: Sir, but I am still debating.

 

Mr Speaker, …

 

Mr Speaker: Order! Could you …

 

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the term “Dorika” and I replace it with “hon. Minister.”

 

Mr Nkombo: What does it mean?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mukata: My apologies for loss of direction.

 

Ms Kalima interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Mukata: Mr Speaker, this is a robust piece of legislation that the hon. Minister is bringing to the House, but it has to be multi-faceted. It has to link with the end-users, that is, the people who are at ground zero. The business community must dovetail and identify with this piece of legislation. Hopefully, rather than it being a Bill to create an institute, it can be a Bill to create an enabling environment for creation of institutes by the private sector.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Ms Kalima: Iwe, wanitukwana.

 

You will see.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Members!

 

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to add my voice to the debate in support of the Bill.

 

Mr Speaker, I think that the people who have spoken before me have spoken very well. I am a bit worried about the level of limitations that are imposed on people on what I can term as misguided eloquence. People speak very well, yet go round and make no points.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Lunte.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

You know, debates are battles of ideas.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: There are battles of ideas and not personalities. So, if you have a competing idea, advance it. Advance your idea.

 

You may continue.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Hammer!

 

Mr Kafwaya: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for the guidance.

 

Sir, my idea is that we are in the era of diversification. This has been properly spelt out by His Excellency the President. We want our country’s economy to diversify.

 

Mr Livune: Question!

 

Mr Kafwaya: Tourism can be a very important ingredient in our bid to diversify this economy. My understanding is that we need to educate our people appropriately in order for them to give us the visions that we need. Actually, it must not only end with a vision, but we must also have competences that are able to plan for the attainment of these visions. Therefore, to establish an institute with a view of educating and developing people is a good idea.

 

Sir, I do not think that developing people can only be done through academic universities. For example, I hold a degree from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, but it is not a university. I know many people who have acquired degrees from the London School of Business, but this is not a university. I also know many friends who hold degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology but this, again, is not a university. So, I have a problem supporting the idea that there is a need to have a university to produce a bachelors degree, the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) or Database System (DBS).

 

Sir, in my view, the most important thing in developing cognitive abilities for people to perform is to facilitate that development, which stimulates abilities in people. We may do this through Ordinary Levels (O-levels) of educational institutions. Establishing an institute responsible for training people in this sector can create opportunities of collaborations with universities and other research institutes around the world. Therefore, it is important to critically analyse whether this institute will produce people who will organise this sector properly, co-ordinate activities in this sector properly and be assigned roles and execute them so that we make progress.

 

Mr Speaker, I like what the hon. Member for Chilanga said that we need these abilities at ground zero, as he put it. We need many people to undergo hands-on training. I do not know whether the universities are the only places where we can do that. Failure to see things in this way and many other progressive ways may be bad for the advancement of our country.

 

I, therefore, wish to submit that this Bill be supported in its current form. If we say that unless and until we amend it to allow for these programmes to be undertaken in the university, then, we are recognising that we cannot produce educational competencies from any other place other than a university, which is a wrong notion as far as I am concerned.

 

Mr Speaker, my friends who have obtained the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) or even the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) qualifications from a university. So, clearly, let us be broad in the way we view these issues.

 

Sir, I thought I should support this Bill and add my voice to the debate.

 

I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr A. C. Mumba (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, to start with, it is very clear that the Government has a strategy, and, it seriously means business as regards the issue of the one million jobs.

 

Sir, tourism in this country can and has the ability to produce the one million jobs. Therefore, the initiative which the Government has taken to start by looking at issues of training so that we start to create the confidence in the sector, which has been missing, should highly be commended.

 

Mr Speaker, the tourism sector in this country has focused on bringing tourists from abroad. When I served this country as Trades Secretary in London, my colleague who was in charge of tourism had a target to attract one million tourists to Zambia. At the moment, we have over one million tourists in this country and, those people are ourselves.

 

Sir, I have probably only visited Livingstone, yet there are so many tourism sites that I have read about. However, there have been no incentives to convince colleagues to visit such places. Even during Easter, we would find that most of our colleagues fly to South Africa or Botswana. So, this sector has the ability to create not only these million jobs, but also have a ripple effect even in our agriculture sector.

 

Mr Speaker, when it comes to our traditional foods, very soon, we will have mushrooms. At the moment, there are caterpillars on the market. We can showcase these foods. Not too long ago, I was passing through Ethiopia and I drunk their traditional coffee. In the process, I ended up buying it. We also have the best coffee and tea in the region.

 

Sir, the other day, I was at the airport and asked for tea, but I was offered rooibos tea. I asked if they had Kawambwa Tea. We can stimulate jobs by promoting our local products in all the ten provinces in this country. There is ability to create wealth in those particular provinces.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mumba: Mr Speaker, we can actually create a lot of trade among the provinces. At the moment, we have been talking about cassava. At least, we are moving away from maize and I am very happy with that. We have been talking about rice. We have five aromas of rice in this country. This is now tourism. That is agriculture through tourism because when you have these different dishes, somebody from abroad will say that there was a particular dish with a distinct aroma I had in the southern part or eastern part of the this country.

 

Sir, the Government is very clear that it means business in creating these jobs, and I am extremely excited because I can see that even sectors such as energy will start to benefit.

 

There is no need to keep pushing the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), which uses hydropower. We can use solar energy, which is highly underdeveloped in this country even though God has given us the sun for 365 days a year.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, as you continue your debate, please, bear in mind the business before us. We are looking at a Bill.

 

Mr A. C. Mumba: Mr Speaker, I was trying to gather my thoughts about why I feel the Government has taken a bold and correct decision from which we, as a country, will benefit. We have not had such an initiative in a long time. However, not to take up much of your time, I would like to support this Bill on the Floor of this House.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, I would like to declare interest.

 

Mr Speaker: On a Bill?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mung’andu: Yes, Mr Speaker, because I am in the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: You may proceed, hon. Member for Chama South.

 

Mr Mung’andu: I thank you, Sir, for allowing me to debate on this important Bill.

 

Mr Speaker, I think that it is important that we break down this Bill, which seeks to establish an institute that will deal with tourism and hospitality. The understanding of some hon. Members, who have debated, particularly those on your left, is that tourism and hospitality are one and the same. We must understand that tourism is a totally different sector which needs different skills. We are talking about diversification of the economy and this multi-sectoral approach prioritises agriculture. In second place is industrialisation while tourism is at third place.

 

Mr Speaker, tourism, the world over, is about attractions, which come in different forms. We have natural wonders, national parks and cultural aspects. Have we trained our people in these skills? Only after we train our people in these skills can the hospitality sector thrive. People will come to Zambia not to specifically enjoy bed space at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel. They will come to Zambia because they want to see the Victoria Falls or the different types of animal species that, for instance, South Luangwa National Park, in Chama South Constituency, has. Tourists will go to Sioma because they want to see the different animal species that Sioma National Park has. In terms of cultural aspects, tourists will go to Mongu, for instance, because they have heard of the Kuomboka Ceremony. However, have we trained people in this sector to ensure that the tourists are attracted to our culture? The answer is, no. 

 

Sir, in supporting this Bill, we should differentiate between professional and academic qualifications. In my understanding, people are trained to undertake specific tasks in most professional qualifications such as the Associated Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). It is more like a special purpose vehicle where you set up a company to specifically achieve a certain objective, which once achieved, it ends there.

 

It is no wonder there is what is called professional competence in professional qualifications. For instance, all CIMA students are not graduates. They are still students because this course evolves with time, and that is why students pay membership fee annually. I do not pay membership fee to the Copperbelt University (CBU). Students of CIMA and ACCA pay membership fee so that as things evolve, they are updated. This is the difference between professional and academic qualifications.

 

Mr Speaker, academic qualifications have an analytical tool attached to them. A person who has academic qualifications is required to write dissertations and defend his or her research. Similarly, the tourism set up in this country is different from that of Kenya. We are a landlocked country and we need to train manpower which will understand the tourism dynamics of this country. Therefore, this Bill encourages the publication and research in the tourism sector.

 

Mr Speaker, to oppose this Bill, …

 

Interruptions

 

Hon. Opposition Members: To oppose it, again?

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Mung’andu: To oppose the Bill, Mr Speaker, …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

I think that he is trying to construct some sentence. Just give him a chance.

 

Continue, hon. Member.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, let me try to simplify for those who have not understood what I am trying to say.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Mr Mung’andu: Sir, to try to oppose this Bill is, to some extent, limiting what it is trying to bring to this country.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, …

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Continue, hon. Member.

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, in the hospitality industry the world over, in case hon. Members on your left are not aware, there are people who specialise in food and beverages.

 

Mr Kamboni: We know!

 

Mr Mung’andu: Some people have acquired Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs) in food and beverages.

 

Mr Kamboni: We know!

 

Mr Mung’andu: We can enhance our traditional foods. Research has shown that the food that we eat the world over poses a health challenge. We are told that the threat to health that alcohol, tobacco and safe sex  ...

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mung’andu: … pose cannot be compared to that which the food we eat does.

 

Mr Speaker, how do we ensure that our traditional vegetables such as katapa and dried bean leaves are preserved? We can do this through training.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left!

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, this Bill is trying to establish an institution where innovation in food can be encouraged. As I said earlier, there are people who major in food and beverages. Their job is simply to research. Once this institution is set up, this country will have its own traditional foods being recognised internationally. We will have tourists who will come to simply enjoy some of the best foods that this country has. This will only be possible if we encourage research in tourism.

 

Mr Speaker, in other countries, they have tour guides. The moment a tourist arrives, there are people specifically trained to take care of their needs. We do not have such people in our country. I am very confident that, through this Bill, that will be taken care of.

 

Mr Speaker, I have heard that this institution is under a trust and that its board members have passed on. Therefore, who makes decisions? The hon. Minister has no power to appoint or dissolve the board. That is a hindrance. Through this progressive Bill, competition and innovation will be embraced in the hospitality sector.

 

Mr Speaker, let me look at the opportunities that the tourism sector has. I will give an example of Chama South. In my inaugural speech, I mentioned that North Luangwa and South Luangwa National parks converge in Chama South. How can we develop the tourism sector if we do not have skilled people? The Zambia Institute for Tourism and Hospitality Studies (ZITHS) will train entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. I heard one speaker say that this institution should not be in the Ministry of Tourism and Arts. This is a specialised institution. Hospitality is not like any other academic training. Let us look at the in the world. In the region, South Africa, has not put institutions such as this under the Ministry of General Education or Higher Education because of the nature of training that is required to be undertaken.

 

Mr Speaker, with these few remarks, I support the Bill and urge the other hon. Members, particularly those on the left, to do the same.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Mr Mung’andu: Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

So far, I do not see anybody opposing the Bill.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

 

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the Chairperson of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism for the report he has rendered to the House. I assure him that the observations they have made have been noted.

 

Sir, I would like to comment on a few points which have been made by my colleagues, especially the hon. Member for Nalikwanda, who is also a former lecturer at the University of Zambia (UNZA), hon. Member for Mazabuka Central and hon. Member for Chilanga. I think we are debating the same thing. There is nothing that these hon. Members have opposed except that they have missed a point. They have missed the fact that this institution already exists. We are not building something new. We are not starting anything from scratch. We will improve upon something that already exists. I want the hon. Members to understand that we will operate within the whims and norms of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) which is international. This means that the qualifications that students will get from there will be something ...  

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that all my colleagues who have contributed seem to support the Bill. However, one or two things were not captured in their perspective. We already have an institution, but would like to upgrade it in order to meet international standards. We want to train people who will be recognised at a very high level as they will provide service in this very critical industry called tourism and hospitality. This is being done in many other countries.

 

Sir, to be told that we can only offer degrees and Doctor of Philosophy (Phd) degrees at universities is a though that needs to be revisited. I am very aware of institutions which are just colleges, but are offering degrees. For example, here in Zambia, the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) is not a university, but it offers degrees now. Also, the Copperbelt Secondary Teachers Training College (COSECO) and Nkrumah Teachers Training College are not universities. However, they have been allowed to offer degrees. This case is not unique to Zambia. It is happening in many countries, including some of the countries that have been mentioned like the Seychelles and Kenya. I believe that if we support this Bill, we will elevate the ZITSC and this will benefit Zambia, the region and the entire continent. We will be the second country from Kenya to attain the standards of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), which are very high.

 

Mr Speaker, somebody said that I should have come with a list of courses that will be offered at this institution. That is not the job of the Minister. That is why, in my presentation, I said that the institution will develop its curriculum.

 

The competent staff who will be employed to lecture at the college are the ones who will come up with the curricula. I will not dictate what subjects they should lecture. We want to create a conducive environment in which tourism in Zambia can be upgraded. We can start upgrading tourism in Zambia by recognising the fact that we need to train people who will work in the industry.

 

Mr Speaker, another issue which we need to discuss is the 1 million jobs. These jobs we are talking about today can only come about if people are alerted to ways they can tap into as areas which are potentially available for the creation of jobs for themselves and others. The training we will offer at an institution like this one we are talking about will elevate to a higher level the jobs that are being done at a level which is not acceptable, as we have all agreed on. We seem to all agree that there is not much competence in this area and that it is absent because there is no training.

 

Sir, this Bill is non-contentious and I urge hon. Members from both sides of the House to support it so that we make progress.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

 

Committed to a committee of the Whole House

 

Committee on Thursday, 10^th November, 2016.

 

__________

 

MOTIONS

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

Mr Chabi (Chipili): Mr Speaker, first of all, I want to preface my speech by extending my hearty congratulations to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on winning the 11^th August, 2016 Presidential Elections.

 

Sir, permit me to also congratulate you and your First and Second Deputy Speakers on your re-election and election to preside over the third of Arm Government of the Republic of Zambia. Allow me to also extend my profound and sincere gratitude to the people of Chipili for giving me this rare privilege of being their representative in this august House. I am the elected servant of the people of Chipili who is at their beck and call and I want to assure them that I am willing to be misunderstood, to do what is difficult and different for as long as it is to the benefit of the people of Chipili that chose hope against fear.

 

Mr Speaker, for the sake of those who may not be privy to the geographical location of Chipili Constituency, it is one of the fifteen constituencies of Luapula Province and shares boundaries with Kawambwa, Pambashe, Bahati, Mambilima and Mwense Central. It has ten wards with two chiefs and five sub-chiefs. Chipili Constituency is only 44 km from Mansa, which is the provincial headquarters of Luapula Province where the provincial administration offices are.

 

Sir, with regard to the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Party, the people of Chipili were amongst the first to have believed in the ideologies of the PF and the leadership of Mr Michael Chilufya Sata at a time when it was not fashionable for others to do so. This means that the people of Chipili saw that which others could not see in the PF. This can be traced from as way back as 2006 when my predecessor was elected hon. Member of Parliament for the constituency. He took over from the then Deputy Speaker of this august House, Hon. Jason Mfula, during the reign of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Government.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognise the efforts made by previous hon. Members of Parliament who have had the privilege to serve and tried to socially, politically and economically emancipate the people of Chipili. I particularly want to recognise the efforts of my predecessor, Hon. Davis Mwila, even if he is finding it difficult to recognise mine.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Chabi: I can only assure my constituents that I will continue from where he left because there is not only power, but also dignity and respect in continuity.

 

Sir, as I stand before this august House, I am also standing on the shoulders of the late Hon. Enock Mwewa, who served the people of Chipili from 1981 to 1991 and the late Hon. Ntondo Chindoloma who served the people of Chipili from 1991 to 1998. The spirits of these noble men who took time to serve the people of Chipili are alive in me as I take on the journey to drive the people of Chipili to success.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube: eh ma MP aya!

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, my journey started like a whisper because I come from a background from which it was not clear that I could have the chance to stand in this House as the people’s representative. That is why I thank my dear wife, Veronica Chola Kabamba for her support and my campaign manager, Mr Bernard Chalwe, popularly known as ‘simple’. I also thank Mr Kakinga Mututa who was my election agent and always stood by my side when it mattered most and all those that made up my campaign team. Had it not been for their involvement and support, I would not have been elected Member of Parliament for Chipili. I owe it to them as much as I owe it to the people of Chipili.

 

Mr Ngulube: Thank God!

 

Mr Chabi: Sir, allow me, once more, to deliver a message of gratitude from the people of Chipili to the PF Government of both the late Mr Michael Chilufya Sata and His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for tarring the Mansa/Luwingu Road via Chipili Constituency.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chabi: It has economically improved the lives of my people in the constituency and this clearly shows that it pays to be faithful and true to a cause. Generally, we must learn to give credit where it is due.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hammer, hammer!

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, to my fellow Members of Parliament from Luapula Province, history reminds us that if it was not for the selfless leadership and unity of purpose exhibited by our founding fathers from the region, Chipili would not be where it is today. It was people like the Kapapulas of Mwense, the Shapis of Chifunabuli, the Senoir Mwatafwalis of Bangweulu, the Simon Chisa Kalabas of Bahati and the Kamalondos of Mansa to mention but a few, who persuaded the then President, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, to construct what is today called Tuta Road. They also convinced him to construct the longest bridge in Zambia at a time our people were being harassed at Mokambo and Mwenda Boarder of the then Zaire. My humble and passionate appeal to hon. Members from my province is that we get united for the benefit of the people of Luapula because we can only be strong when we move as one entity. Luapula can only be good for us, as leaders, if it is good for the people of that region as well.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, to my colleagues in the House, both on your left and right, I want to state categorically that I reject politics that are based solely on ethnicity. Yes, I am new enough on the national political scene such that I serve as a blank screen on which people of vast different political strides project their own views, but I realise that we have all fallen short of the glory of God and that of our mother land. The fact that, sometimes, we have made the blood of ethnicity look thicker than the blood of Christ, posterity will not spare us.

 

Mr Speaker, I understand the skepticism , but I still believe that there has always been tradition to politics, a tradition that stretches from the time when the country was founded to the days of the multi-party democracy. This is a tradition based on a simple idea of having a stake in one another and that what binds us together is greater than that which drives us apart. If more people believe in this proposition and act on it, we might not necessarily solve every problem but instead, get something meaningful done. Therefore, whether we are from the north or south, east or west, we know that the nation’s most significant challenges are being ignored. Therefore, if we do not change this course soon, we may be the first generation in a very long time to leave a weaker Zambia to the future generation as compared to the one we inherited. Perhaps, for the first time in history, we need a new kind of politics that excavates and can build upon that shared understanding that can pull us together as Zambians.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to get to some of the challenges that the people of Chipili are facing.

 

Health

 

Mr Speaker, against the population of more than 50,000 people in Chipili, there are only thirteen rural health centres. Despite Chipili being a district, it has no single hospital. The catchment areas for these rural health centres are so vast such that people have to walk a distance of 18 km to 25 km to access health services. These long distances are making it very difficult for expecting mothers. Some of the feeder roads in Chipili have not been worked on since 1978. In my constituency, the health infrastructure is a sorry sight with male and female patients, in some instances, being admitted in the same ward because that is what can be offered currently. Therefore, I strongly appeal to the Ministry of Health, working hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development, to consider Chipili a priority in terms of health infrastructure. The people of Chipili overwhelmingly voted for President Lungu, resulting in him getting 11,000 plus votes against his closest rival who only polled 700 plus votes. This is a bold statement by the people of Chipili and surely, it needs to be acknowledged and appreciated as compared to that of Dundumwezi.

 

Mr Sing’ombe: On a point of order, Mr Speaker!

 

Laughter

 

Education

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, you may wish to know that it is only in Chipili Constituency …

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, just a minute. Take a seat. I think I gave guidance a few days ago. Let us avoid debates that tend to divide as opposed to uniting us. In fact, that is what you were saying not too long ago. I think in fairness to His Excellency the President, he has said that he is committed to the whole nation. So, I do not think it is fair to say, “Look at us and not them.” That is the effect of your debate.

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your wise guidance. You may wish to know that it is only in Chipili Constituency where teachers are forced to spend their only resources on building houses at school premises due to lack of staff accommodation. If a teacher is transferred, he or she will decide on whether to sell that house to the school or rent it out to a possible tenant. This is a clear indicator that education infrastructure is a serious challenge in Chipili Constituency.

 

Mr Speaker, in Chipili Constituency, we do not have a single college. I hope that the minister in charge of education, working hand in hand with the minister in charge of housing and infrastructure development will look into this issue. Therefore, my humble message to them is that I will knock at their doors so that we compare notes and see how best we can improve the education infrastructure in Chipili.

 

Agriculture

 

Mr Speaker, the people of Chipili are predominantly crop farmers. There are only a few livestock farmers in Chipili. One of the challenges that these farmers face is the lack of good roads. Just like I mentioned earlier, some of these roads have not been worked on since 1978. This has made it very difficult for farmers to efficiently and effectively deliver their farming inputs to the markets. This has also made it difficult for them to reach the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Satellite Depots. For example, the people of Kaoma Makasa take their maize to Mwenda FRA Satellite Depot, which is a distance of 38 km. The people of Chikubi take their maize to Chipili FRA Satelite Depot, which is a distance of 26 km. The people of Musalango and Chisaka take their maize to Kamami, a distance of 39 km. It is for this reason that I will knock at the door of the hon. Minister of Agriculture to try to see how best we can motivate our famers, as they are the people who overwhelmingly voted for His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu. Surely, it is time for this Government to pay them back.

 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude, I want to submit that His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, acquitted himself before the people of Chipili and Zambians at large in his speech to this Parliament. The onus to develop and change the face of this country lies with our colleagues, who are the Executive and their technocrats in their respective ministries. Something meaningful and productive has to be done.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chabi: Mr Speaker, I am pretty sure that it will be done because if it is not done, then, we are done.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Higher Education (Prof. Luo): Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for giving me this opportunity to give my contribution to the speech given by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, chosen by the Lord Almighty, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, leadership is chosen by God and not by personal desires or desires of a collection of a few individuals. Let this sink in our heads once and for all.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, first of all, I want to start by celebrating the success of our great party, the Patriotic Front (PF), for its vision and choice of leaders in the name of His Excellency, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and his running mate, Her Honour the Vice-President, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, who convincingly won the just ended 2016 Elections.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Sir, many people thought that the introduction of the 50 per cent plus one would be problematic, but the Lord Almighty intervened and the will of the people prevailed. Such people were proven wrong.

 

Sir, here was the mighty, PF once again, at the helm of providing leadership to the Zambian people. Therefore, let me celebrate the Zambian people for ,once again, putting their confidence in His Excellency, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and his running mate, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, to run the affairs of this nation. We thank God for this and I think we need to give ourselves, as the PF, a pat on the back.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, secondly, let me also take this opportunity to congratulate you, the First Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker for being elected to run the affairs of this august House. Once again, let me reiterate the adage which states, “Leaders are born and not made.”

 

One cannot just wake up one morning and decide that one will be Speaker of the National Assembly or President of the country. This does not happen.

 

Hon. PF Member: Its does not work.

 

Prof. Luo: It takes attributes that people see in individuals to raise them to greater heights.

 

Mr Speaker, thirdly, I thank my party, the PF, for adopting me. I also thank the people of Munali for the confidence that they have entrusted in me by re-electing me a second time.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also take this opportunity to brag a bit. I have made history. This is the first time in the history of Munali Constituency that a sitting Member of Parliament has been elected a second time.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: In fact, this is what the architects of confusion in Munali wanted to use. I call them the leaders of ISIS. They thought that they could come to Munali to cause confusion by saying that an hon. Member of Parliament cannot be elected twice. Alas, the people of Munali spoke through the ballot box and shamed them.

 

Mr Speaker, I did not just win the election in Munali, but won convincingly. I want to salute the people of Munali and promise to build on the development agenda that we started together in 2011.

 

Mr Speaker, I want to acknowledge the wonderful men and women of God in Munali and beyond for the contribution they made during my campaign. They stood by me and prayed for me through and through.

 

Sir, I also want to acknowledge my family – my uncles, mothers, aunties, sisters, brothers, cousins, in-laws and my two lovely sons, Kunda and Mwelwa, with their lovely wives and daughters – for supporting me financially and emotionally. Some of my family members even accompanied me on my campaign trail.

 

Mr Speaker, my campaign team was simply wonderful. My strategist, Mr Chanda, my planner, Mr Martin Mwanza, my constituency officials led by Forbes Mufwaya and my councillors, I salute them. Furthermore, let me also acknowledge all the well-wishers who supported my campaign. Thank you very much.

 

Mr Mwale: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, let me now make some observations on the speech made by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, at the opening of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly under the theme “Building an Integrated Multi-Sectoral Approach to Development that Enhances Inclusiveness in Development without Leaving Anyone Behind.” 

 

Mr Speaker, I want to construct this in remembering the President’s last address when he spoke about embracing a transformative culture for a smart Zambia. He called on all Zambians to change the way they do things, be innovative and embrace technology to quicken the provision of services.

 

Hon. PF Member: Hammer, hammer!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, in his speech, the President spoke about an integrated approach to development; inclusiveness in the way we conduct business and the diversification of our economy. The examples he kept referring to were agriculture and tourism. In the mining sector, he talked about moving from copper to other minerals and gas.

 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President also spoke about industrialisation. He spoke about the importance of putting in place mechanisms for monitoring production and export of minerals and the importance of partnerships, especially with the mining industry which is one of our main economic activities that will ensure a win-win situation.

 

Sir, His Excellency the President also highlighted some of the issues that challenge Zambia today and require our energies and focus, namely climate change, energy, youth unemployment, the lack of mechanisation in our approach to agriculture, creation of opportunities for Zambians to prosper and competitiveness of our local products locally and internationally. However, as His Excellency the President referred to all these, on Page 18, he hit the nail on the head. He said:

 

“Human capital development is key for any country to make lasting progress.”

 

Mr Speaker, this is, indeed, the mandate of the Ministry of Higher Education. I want to inform this august House that the Ministry of Higher Education is, indeed, focussing on developing ways and means to improve human development through education with special focus on science, technology, innovation and vocational training.

 

Sir, it is in this regard that I bring new energies and renewed efforts to the Ministry of Higher Education to ensure that we catalyse the Government’s desires to invest in technology and vocational skills that will increase self-employment, particularly among the youth.

 

Mr Speaker, it is why this year’s World Science Day will be celebrated by putting on display scientific projects which are paying particular attention to innovation. These activities will be held at the Northern Technical College (NORTEC) in Ndola. Awards will be given to deserving scientists and, in addition, career talks will be given to pupils. This is because the ministry wants to stimulate interest in science and technology amongst pupils both in primary and secondary schools.

 

Mr Speaker, let me point out that, at the moment, all our graduating students from our institutions of higher learning and skills training centres are all waiting for white collar jobs or to be employed by somebody. This attitude has to come to an end. The reason for this scenario is the current structure of our curriculum which provides very limited opportunities for hands-on training, technology and very limited practical skills training and exposure. Therefore, the energy that I bring to the Ministry of Higher Education is the urgent curriculum reviews in all our institutions of higher learning to enable Zambia to develop a human capital with appropriate survival skills sets.

 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President was spot on when he highlighted the need to target those who have been and not been to school in our human capital development as well as the need to revive apprenticeship in our approach to training and the strengthening of our internship.

 

Mr Speaker, I will come back to inform the House about the reforms that we are proposing, as a ministry, to not only focus on human development, but also on how we can fast track human development in this country and be inclusive in our approach to training. I will also bring the proposed financing models to these trainings.

 

Mr Speaker, the reforms I will bring to this august House are premised on the youth bulge and demographic dividends. This is why it is prudent that we realign the higher education sector and ensure that science, technology and innovation are at the centre of analysis. This can only be achieved if we exploit the potential of research and create linkages and partnerships with the industry and other institutions locally, in the African region and elsewhere.

 

Mr Speaker, currently, we only talk about public- private partnerships (PPPs) when we refer to infrastructure development. There are also PPPs in education and we bring this to the table in our Ministry of Higher Education. There will be a paradigm shift in the way we do things in this country under the leadership of Prof. Nkandu Luo in the Ministry of Higher Education.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: As I bring new energies to the sector, I will ensure that the thinking of all our centres for knowledge, namely the universities and colleges, where there is a critical mass of intellectuals and would-be intellectuals are in tandem with the way colleges and universities are managed elsewhere.

 

Mr Speaker, I intend to bring to the table the need for students in all our institutions of higher learning to appreciate that the universities are not for political battles, but for intellectuals who give guidance to the development of this country. Therefore, the reforms will touch the structures of our institutions in the country, the financing models, the attitudes and mindsets of all stakeholders, especially our students, investments in research so that policies can be evidence-based and the creation of partnerships and linkages with institutions and industry in and outside Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, let me start concluding by putting emphasis, in capital letters, that at the heart of all that needs to be done in Zambia is investment in education.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: With the ambitious programme that His Excellency the President of Zambia has put before us in this august House, there is a need for Zambians to start celebrating education.

 

Mr Speaker, let me reiterate my favourite sentence once more. Colleagues, there is no substitute to education. You will have to either invest in education or you be left behind in the new dispensation.

 

Sir, let me end by thanking the people of Munali for their overwhelming support and my campaign team for the hard work. I am in this position because of their sweat and efforts.

 

Mr Speaker, finally, let me remind this honourable House that the female hon. Members of Parliament in this House will not tolerate insults from the male hon. Members of Parliament.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: How can an hon. Member of Parliament call another hon. Member of Parliament Dorika? Who does not know the meaning of Dorika?

 

Mr Ngulube: Or greenhorn!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, we, in this House just passed a Gender, Equity and Equality Bill. We need to walk the talk.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, as a former Minister of Gender, …

 

Hon. Government Members: Suspend!

 

Prof. Luo: … I really think that the hon. Member of Parliament who insulted a female hon. Member of Parliament should be dealt with.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, I think you have made your point.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister of Labour and Social Security.

 

Prof. Luo: I have not finished.

 

Hon. Government Members: She has not finished.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Please, move away from the line of debate you adopted. I assumed you had come to an end.

 

Conclude, hon. Minister.

 

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, finally, I want to say that education shapes the future of this country and the manner in which we conduct ourselves. I thank you for this opportunity.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube: Ema Professor, aya!

 

The Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mrs Simukoko): Mr Speaker, first and foremost, I wish to thank you for this opportunity granted to me to stand before this august House. I will start with my maiden speech and then debate the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Speech presented on the Official Opening of the First Session of the Twelfth Assembly.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I would like to congratulate His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and Her Honour the Vice-President, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, on their election by the people of Zambia. I would also like to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, and your two Deputies on your election to preside over the affairs of the august House for the next five years. I also want to congratulate all hon. Members of Parliament, both nominated and elected, on their nomination and victory, respectively.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I thank God for having given me this opportunity to be appointed by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, as both a nominated Member of Parliament and Minister of Labour and Social Security. I went through the furnace of painful trials which God used to prepare me for the task before me today. God was, indeed, preparing me for a bigger position, not as a raw material, but as a finished product.

 

Sir, I want to thank His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the Patriotic Front (PF) Centre Committee and the entire PF structures countrywide for having welcomed me in the party and for the confidence shown in me. I will always owe them gratitude.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, even more so, I would like to thank His Excellency, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for appointing me Chairperson of the PF Labour and Social Security Committee of the Central Committee. I want to thank my late parents who made me what I am today. I thank God that he took my parents away at a time when I was able to stand on my own. I thank my husband, Jeffrey, sisters, brothers and the children for their unfailing support.

 

Sir, I want to pay tribute to the late President, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata. I am indebted to him. He was a father, family friend and I learnt a lot from him as a courageous man with amazing leadership qualities. When he served as Minister of Labour and Social Security in the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government, he worked very closely with us in the labour movement. He was, indeed, a change-setter and man of action. He left a legacy that we shall always point at. Look at the flyover bridge, Merzaf Chilenje houses, …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: … the construction and sale of Avondale houses on behalf of the Zambia State and Insurance Corporation (ZSIC), improved conditions of service for council workers, landscaping of State House surrounding, allowing women nurses to wear trousers, just to mention, but a few.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I would also like to thank my former employers, the Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS), who trained me professionally up to the time I left as a revenue accountant to go full time into trade unionism. Similarly, I want to thank the Zambia Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (ZUFIAW) for its overwhelming support when I became the first woman general secretary in the financial and labour sector. I also thank the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) which also made me the first woman president to lead a trade union centre in Zambia.

 

Sir, I thank the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which made me what I am today by training me in leadership. I thank the Union Network International which exposed me the world over. I was elected first woman vice-president of the Union Network International African Region. I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) for having recognised me as one of Zambia’s heroes in unionism at fifty years of Independence in 2014. They have placed my picture and write-up in the National Archives of Zambia. I would like to thank my church, the Roman Catholic, for the spiritual support throughout my life and my choir, the Sacred Heart Choir, popularly known as the 1000 hours choir at St. Ignatius Church, for the love and support.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I would like to also thank my friends, Beatrice Kamuzwa and Rose Sichangwa, just to mention a few, and relatives too numerous to mention who have always been there for me. Finally, I want to thank all those who have honoured me with various awards and recognitions too numerous to mention.

 

Sir, let me hasten to state that the PF Party is a pro-poor party whose main aim is to promote social democratic standards. It is against this background that His Excellency the President has appointed me in his team to realise this end.

 

Mr Speaker, I have been in the labour movement the past twenty-eight years and during this period, I am one of those who stood and voiced out the evils of privatisation.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: I warned that the process ought to have been carefully handled. I personally led a demonstration against privatisation. The people managing the privatisation process at that time, unfortunately, called us people of little knowledge.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hakainde!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, these so-called knowledgeable people continued misleading people by propounding economic theories of privatisation. Where are they now to come and show us growth, employment creation and living wage? Yes, they have become rich, but when we ask them how they made their money, they start sweating.

 

Sir, however, what we predicted that people’s rights would be infringed upon, loss of jobs without benefits and other forms of abuse in work places have come to pass …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: … and this is the reason I am so passionate about labour issues. It is sad to note that due to the evils of privatisation, many people died, marriages were broken and children’s education curtailed as parents could not afford to pay school fees all because of the mishandling of the privatisation process. Some people became rich on the backs of the poor and are today even trying to aspire to lead this country.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hakainde!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I am also very concerned that the evils of privatisation have not been documented to serve as a lesson for posterity. For instance, in the financial sector, organisations could just be liquidated and in the process most employees lost out on benefits. However, those are human beings whose lives have forever been destroyed by the greed of a few. Let me warn that those who benefitted from privatisation and may appear smart now must know that a day will come for them to account before God and that further, they will never ever rule this country.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, let me comfort the Zambians by telling them that they have a compassionate President who has been very concerned about the plight of workers who have not been paid their benefits. He is also concerned about those workers who are mistreated by some employers and those who have been worried about their working environment.

 

Sir, my appointment comes with a serious charge to look into these wrongs. I wish to assure His Excellency the President that I am equal to the task. I will speak and act against these vices that are affecting the Zambian people.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I will address these genuine concerns of the Zambian people and endeavour to balance power so that employers are assisted to continue to have sustainable business entities while workers are accorded a decent age.

 

Sir, I want to remind our colleagues in the Opposition that leadership is about situations. Our colleagues have been lamenting the lack of development in their constituencies. I am surprised by that because the PF has only been in power for five years.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Sir, the constituencies that the hon. Members are talking about were led by their own people for years. Those people served in very senior Government positions in the Kaunda, Chiluba, Mwanawasa and Banda governments without taking development to their own constituencies since Independence. How can they now blame the PF for the lack of development? Is it because the PF is not led by their own? In fact, the PF has done more in their constituencies in the five years it has been in power than all previous Governments put together.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, you can fool man, but not God, because God is watching and knows your thoughts.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Amen!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I have heard a lot of lamentations and negativity in most of the speeches delivered by the hon. Opposition Members in this House. I take it that we have come here to find solutions to most of the problems which our people are facing and not to lament. Leaders are expected to find solutions to problems and not merely lament. In this House, we should debate solutions and not lamentations. We should also accept that leadership is about situations.

 

Sir, our friends on the opposite side have said that they will not recognise the presidency of His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. This literally implies that there should be no development in their areas in the next five years as long as His Excellency the President Lungu is at the helm of the leadership of this country. The best they can do is leave this House.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Members come here through a process. Hon. Minister, you are free to debate but, please, tone down.

 

Mr Ngulube: Ema Ministers aya!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, there is a notion that the Opposition strongholds voted against the PF because it had failed to take development to certain areas, yet they are ready to vote for the same hon. Members of Parliament who are their own and have not taken development to those areas. Some of them have been there for more than one or two terms. Others have been hon. Members of this House even before the PF came into power. What a contradiction.

 

Sir, Zambians should know that the 50 per cent plus one Clause in the amended Constitution was meant to foster unity and gunner support from all regions. People who imagine that they can win elections using the previous first-past the post simple majority are in the wrong place and they will never succeed. A party needs every region to attain the 50 per cent plus one threshold,...

 

Mr Ngulube: Hammer, hammer!

 

Mrs Simukoko: ... which His Excellency the President, Mr Lungu, and the PF attained in the just-ended elections.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Interruptions

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I should mention here that, ...

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, you may continue. I am just trying to get some silence.

 

Mrs Simukoko: ... I was a victim of tribalism at a very tender age, but my father told me that Zambians love one another. However, it is the politicians who peddle tribalism to promote divide and rule so as to attain cheap political goals. I do not want to be part of that failed class of politicians. Practically, tribalism is a curse. There is no way one can claim to be a Christian when they hate their neighbour because of his/her tribe or race.

 

Sir, I happen to have worked with one gentleman who would write the name and tribe of every person President Kaunda appointed to a certain position. So, I asked him why he did that and he told me that I did not appreciate tribalism because I had never benefitted from it.

 

Mr Mwiinga: Do not bring your family matters here.

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to remind those politicians in the Opposition, ...

 

Hon. Opposition Members interjected.

 

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left! I can see you.

 

Mrs Simukoko: ... to stop praising late President Sata when they insulted him daily when he was alive. Some of them even lay a wreath on his grave. I want to conclude my maiden speech by saying that we are all one and we need to work together.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to now debate the Motion of Thanks on the speech rendered by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. As His Excellency the President mentioned, our unemployed youths constitute an enormous potential workforce. Job creation, therefore, remains high on the agenda of this Government. His Excellency the President indicated that his result-oriented Government will create one million jobs in the next five years in the growth sector areas of manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and information and communication technology. Related to that, I wish to remind the Zambian people that the Government enacted the Employment Act No. 15 of 2015 to curb casualisation and unfair termination of employment for vulnerable workers. This has guaranteed job security and fair treatment for workers. It is sad that some employers are still treating this matter lightly and mistreating workers. I wish to categorically state that my ministry will not allow the exploitation of workers through casualisation.

 

Sir, to further strengthen the enforcement of the casualisation law, I will soon issue regulations that will further approve the resolve of this pro-poor Government to improve the welfare of people. Job casualisation of a permanent nature is wrong. It robs workers of access to finance, and in the long-term, pension funds will become affected because very few workers will contribute to pension houses. This is a responsible Government that cannot stand aloof while Zambian workers are crying out there. His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, walks the talk, and as his able lieutenant, I will ensure we bring sanity to this area of casualisation.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Simukoko: Mr Speaker, on 11^th August, 2016, Zambians spoke in favour of a pro-poor social and democratic Government, and we are not about to let them down. Let me sound a warning that the one million jobs that His Excellency the President spoke about are quality jobs where a fair wage is paid. In that respect, my ministry will ensure that it implements the sector best minimum wage legislation.

 

Sir, I am glad to inform this august House that my ministry has embarked on a comprehensive process of reviewing all labour legislation in order to reduce rigidities in the labour market and ensure that the resulting laws are responsive to economic development. I further wish to inform you that my ministry will continue with the on-going labour law reforms, endeavour to engage with our social partners and all the other relevant stakeholders through a process of dialogue within a framework of the tripartite consultative labour council. In line with our PF Manifesto, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will continue to play a leading role in protecting vulnerable workers from exploitation. In this regard, as I mentioned earlier, the ministry is in the process of introducing the sector-based minimum wage for various workers of the economy.

 

Mr Speaker, let me mention that my ministry has been working with the Ministry of Justice to towards the finalisation of the National Social Protection Bill, which has reached an advanced stage. This is Bill will be tabled in this august House. Once enacted, it will address, among other issues, the payment of pensions on time and establishment of the National Social Health Insurance Scheme. The National Social Health Insurance Scheme will enable the majority of Zambians access healthcare.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity to reiterate the call made by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for enhanced productivity. Productivity improvement is indeed a catalyst for massive creation of productive and decent employment, increased competitiveness and poverty reduction. Productivity improvement offers a mechanism for efficient and effective utilisation of resources in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner, thus breaking the poverty trap and ending under-employment and underdevelopment.

 

It is for this reason that my ministry has developed the National Productivity Policy which will soon be tabled before Cabinet for approval. The policy will, among other things, spell out the appropriate legal and institutional framework as well as the respective roles of the Government, employers and employees. Given the cross-cutting nature of productivity, the policy will also define and clarify the roles of various stakeholders in national productivity development. Implementation of the policy will involve, among other measures, enactment of appropriate legislation to institutionalise the country’s productivity effort. This is necessary if the country is to reap the full benefits of a well coordinated and inclusive productivity drive.

 

In the same vein, I wish to appeal to all workers to have a positive attitude towards work and realise that vices like late coming, theft, laziness and low productivity cannot be accepted as normal. My ministry, in ensuring that power is balanced between the employees and employers, is cautioning all employees to put in their very best to help improve productivity.

 

Mr Speaker, why should a Zambian bricklayer manage only 200 bricks per day while a Chinese national will in the same timeframe handle 500 bricks? These issues are a grave concern for the ministry and while workers want conditions of service to be improved by employers, the workers must pull up their socks and work diligently. The following anomalies will be also looked into:

 

1. investors ill-treating workers and refusing to respect Zambian laws shall be dealt with;
2. human resource practitioners being hired from abroad by foreigners shall be stopped;
3. unfair salary and discriminatory structures i.e. a chief executive officer (CEO) getting a salary of K100,000 and lowest paid K500 in some institutions shall be stopped;
4. conditions of service should be empowerment based;
5. tribalism at work places shall be monitored and eliminated; and
6. clear employment policies must be developed.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Minister of Defence (Mr Chama): Mr Speaker, may I thank you for giving me this rare honour to render my first maiden speech to this august House and at the same time comment on the speech that was made by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces …

 

Mr Ngulube: The only one.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: … and the only President of the Republic of Zambia.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Umwine wamushi.

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, since this is my first time to render a speech to this august House, allow me to pay great tribute to our late founding President of the Patriotic Front (PF), His Excellency Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, may his soul rest in eternal peace.

 

Mr Kampyongo: The king cobra.

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, President Sata was a great man of this soil. He was a rare breed, gallant soldier, leader and our commander. Whilst he is gone, I want to take this opportunity to to thank him for having made it possible for the PF to form Government in 2011 and that is why we are still here.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, many people called President Sata names, probably because they did not understand him. Many people, maybe because of his voice, were afraid of him, but his passion and love for the poor and people of Zambia at large was equal to none. President Sata struck me to be a man who would tell the truth in your face, whether you liked it or not. He was a man who pledged to leave Zambia a better place than he found it and indicated that Zambians are entitled to better lives.

 

Mr Speaker, I remember when we had a by-election in Mkushi South and when you looked at President Sata’s physical stature, you could tell that his health was failing him. This was towards the end of his life, but I was amazed to see that he could find time to come and campaign. I had not seen him for quite a while because at that time, I was put on the bench for agitating for certain things within the party.

 

However, he struck me to be a man who would die on duty. It is true that he was a gallant soldier, a workaholic, a man who loved the poor and was willing to die whilst working. I remember watching on television when he came to address this House for the last time. As other speakers have indicated, when he came to this House his health was not at its best, but he still came because he loved his people and the call of duty to make sure that Zambia was transformed and changed. At this moment, allow me to pay great tribute and thanks to the family of the late President Sata for his contribution to our party and nation at large. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for having seen it fit to appoint me the Secretary General of our great party. He gave me this rare honour at the end of 2014, at the most difficult time of our party because of the issues within our party. I will greatly be indebted for this honour that was bestowed upon me.

 

Mr Speaker, let me also take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President for having nominated me as Member of Parliament in this august House. When I was reading about this House, I found out that this building, where we are, was built with soils and stones from all our ten provinces.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: It is, indeed, a great honour that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, nominated me to this House and later honoured me greatly by appointing me Minister of Defence. I say thank you to His Excellency the President.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube: Ema President, aya!

 

Mr Musonda: Ema Defence Minister’s, iwe!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, I also want to thank Her Honour the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, I usually refer to her, as our Iron Lady. At the time when we were facing challenges within the party after we lost our beloved President, Mr Sata, she stood up to defend our party.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Your Honour, we want to thank you for the job that you did to protect the integrity and the unity of our party.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to add my voice to several messages of congratulating you for having been re-elected Speaker of this great House. I remember in 2011, the time when you were first elected as Speaker, you were marginally elected by only one vote, but you have presided over this House from 2011 to 2016 with great honour, humility and with great integrity that is why this time around, people could not challenge you.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: I say congratulations, Mr Speaker

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the First Deputy and the Second Deputy Speakers of the House.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me, at this moment, to thank all members of the Central Committee of our great party for having supported me at the time I served as Secretary General of our beloved party and for giving me all the support to stir our party to victory on 20^th January, 2015 and again on the 11^th August, this year.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, allow me to thank all the ten provincial committees of our great party and all the members for the support that they rendered to me whilst I served as Secretary-General of the party. Let me also thank all the district committees of our party for having supported me during my tenure as Secretary-General of our party.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, let me also take this opportunity to thank all the constituency committees, ward, branch and section committees and generally all the members of our party for supporting me at a time when it was very hard because within our midst in our party, we had people who wanted this party to not proceed and live the legacy of our beloved late President Mr Michael Chilufya Sata.

 

Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to appeal to all members of our party to support the new Secretary-General, Mr Davies Mwila, who has been appointed by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Please, render him the same support you rendered to me.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity, since this is my first time to speak in this House, pay great tribute to the founding President of this Republic, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, for the great job that he did to unite Zambia. I remember when he was still President. I was a young man on the Copperbelt and I never knew that there are even other tribes that exist in Zambia because Dr Kaunda promoted the motto, “ One Zambia, One nation.”

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Dr Kaunda is an icon of Africa and of this country. I want to take this opportunity to pay great tribute to this rare son of Africa. I am proud that we can associate ourselves to this living former President of the Republic of Zambia

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity also to thank the late President, Dr Fredrick Jacob Titus Chiluba, the second President of the Republic of Zambia. In Zambia, sometimes, we are fond of insulting our sitting Presidents. Dr Kaunda was insulted. President Chiluba was insulted, but his visionary leadership that led to the sell council houses, at the time, to empower Zambians is still manifest in the growth of the housing sector. Residents and citizens of Zambia are building houses and Zambia is growing beyond recognition.

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: May I also take this opportunity to thank the late President, Mr Patrick levy Mwanawasa, SC., ...

 

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: … may his soul rest in peace. A great son of Africa and …

 

Hon. Members: Yes!

 

Mr Chama: … workaholic. May I also take this opportunity to thank President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, the Fourth Republican President.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Once more, I want to thank the contribution of our late President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the fifth Republican President.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: I now want to pay tribute to this rare man, the son of the soil, the new leader of our party, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: … a man of humility, who espouses love, gifted and has been appointed by God.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: If any leader wants to be President of the Republic of Zambia, but your name is not written in heaven,

 

Mr Sikazwe: It is in vein.

 

Mr Chama: ... regardless of how many times you will try, ...

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: ... you will not be President of the Republic of Zambia.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: The name of His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, was written in heaven …

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: … that in 2015 he would become President of the Republic Zambia. Others under rated him and looked down on him. He may not have been a good speaker, rich or been fat, ...

 

Mr Kampyongo: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: ... but God anointed him to one day be the President of the Republic of Zambia

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chilangwa: Lesa nimalyotola!

 

Mr Chama: Mr Speaker, allow me to talk about the past elections that we had. Our election were observed by the European Union (EU), the Carter Centre of the United States of America (USA), the Commonwealth, the African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern African (COMESA), The Southern African Development Community (SADC), many International observers, all Church mother bodies, non-governmental organisations and many local observers.

 

Sir, these elections were deemed free and fair.

 

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

 Mr Chama: Therefore, it was quite puzzling that some people were insinuating that their votes were stolen in Lusaka. How could the votes have been stolen in Lusaka? When we were in Opposition in 2006, we won in Lusaka and our votes were not stolen then?

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Sir, how come the votes were not stolen from us in 2011 and we managed to win in Lusaka, where there were many observers? Those who have lost must admit defeat.

 

 Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: Sir, allow me to comment on the speech of His Excellency the President that he delivered on 30^th September, 2016.

 

Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President was delivering the speech, I had the privilege of representing him in Israel at the funeral of the late President of Israel, His Excellency, Peres ...

 

Laughter

 

Mr Chama:  Shimmon Peres.

 

Sir, I was not in the House at the time, but I had taken the opportunity to read the President’s Speech. It was quite inspiring and has a transformational agenda of our motherland. I can tell you that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has come to change this country beyond recognition.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chama: The PF Government will shame those who are in doubt. If anything, they should try their luck in 2116.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Kalaba): Mr Speaker, from the outset, allow me to congratulate His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for having been re-elected President of this Republic overwhelmingly. Allow me to also congratulate Her Honour the Vice-President for having been re-elected together with His Excellency the President. It goes without saying that you too require recognition and congratulations for being elected Speaker together with the your two Deputies Speakers, Madam Namugala, very equal to the task and my very good friend, Mwimba Malama, also equal to the task.

 

Sir, I would also like to thank and, indeed, congratulate those hon. Members of Parliament who have been nominated to this House by His Excellency the President.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, I would also like to thank the members of the central committee for having found me worthy to contest my seat, Bahati Parliamentary Constituency in Mansa and Luapula Province.

 

Sir, I also want to thank the people of Bahati Constituency for having brought me back to this august House. To be elected Member of Parliament is not easy. To be re-elected is a task beyond measure. It requires a lot of capabilities and a lot of issues for someone to bounce back to this august House.

 

Mr Speaker, I will be failing in my duties if I do not thank my wife, Ireen, my children and everybody who meant well during the process for having stood by my side during the time I was campaigning.

 

Sir, allow me to express gratitude for being given this opportunity to reflect on the speech delivered on the Official Opening of Parliament of the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, under the theme “Building an Integrated Multi-Sectoral Approach to Development that Enhances Inclusiveness in Development without Leaving Anyone Behind.” This theme intonates how my ministry will carry out its mandate in this spirit. The President’s Speech was will focused, balanced, articulated the real issues and challenges faced by our country that need our utmost attention to ensure that not only should the development agenda succeed, but also that the country is reconciled and returns to normalcy. So, as discombobulating as the environment might be, we know too well that such are the vicissitudes of life.

 

Mr Speaker, you will recall that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, highlighted the move from a mono-economy dependent on Copper to one based on agriculture, fisheries and their entire value chain. His Excellency the President further referred to prioritising such areas as job creation, industrialisation, energy, climate change, human capital development, employment and productivity, infrastructure development and information and communication technologies (ICTs) which will be promoted to ensure the development of this country.

 

Sir, the Government’s focus in the next five years, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be to ensure that economic diplomacy is advanced by harnessing global economic forces and engaging in strategic partnerships, as outlined in our foreign policy. Zambia’s foreign policy is based on principles of common interest and respect as well as good neighborliness and non-interference in internal affairs of other countries. It also addresses the needs and aspiration of the Zambian people in the changing global environment.

 

Mr Speaker, it is, therefore, cardinal that, through diplomacy, the country will be able to focus on activities that increase agriculture exports, attract foreign investment as well as project Zambia as a country that is ready for business partnerships. This will be an important avenue for employment creation and ultimately development will be realised throughout the country.

 

Sir, I must hasten to say that my ministry will not operate in isolation, but will closely work with other key sectors to ensure that we move at the same pace by promoting trade and attracting investment, especially in agriculture and agro processing, including all other priority areas and support Zambian businesses to secure fair trade and access to regional and international markets.

 

Mr Speaker, in the weeks to come, I will present the Foreign Service Bill to this House for consideration. This important Bill will ensure that Zambia realises the achievement of her desired national objectives globally through an efficient and effective career Foreign Service. The Bill will sum up the structure, conduct and the means by which the country will conduct diplomacy and international relations. In this regard, I wish to take this opportunity to request for your usual and most appreciated support in passing this historical document into law.

 

Sir, this PF-led Government, under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, will continue to play a strategic role in the promotion of peace and security in the region and the continent. You will recall that Zambia was elected to the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council from 2016 to 2019. Zambia will, therefore, ably use her membership on the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) to strengthen her role in mediation, conflict resolution and peace building initiatives under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the AU.

 

Mr Speaker, you will recall that Zambia was recently endorsed by the AU to host the AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC). This is a great honour for the country as this is the first organ of the continental body that Zambia will host. The benefit of Zambia hosting ECOSOCC will translate into employment creation for Zambian citizens.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kalaba: The increased frequency of hosting meetings will inevitably boost the tourism sector and other related sectors.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to fully support His Excellency the President’s call in urging the nation to take a reconciliatory path and for all of us to join hands and move this great nation forward. His Excellency the President urged the people of Zambia to remain united, hardworking and selfless. I, therefore, wish to emphasise the need to focus our energies on what we are able to give to others and the nation at large as opposed to what we are set to gain at the expense of the nation.

 

We must desist, at all times, as a country, from identifying people based on regions, but rather on the content of their character. Zambia gives me hope because when it comes to the Church, we have always congregated under the umbrella of One Zambia, One Nation …

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kalaba: … and refused to allow partisan politics to divide us because we are not as divided as our politics suggest.

 

We will look to the future with a sense of optimism and hope. We will aspire for a Zambia that cuts across tribal inclinations, seeks to bridge the divide and will put common interest at the summit of the agenda.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kalaba: This is a Zambia that we should all endeavour to pass on to our children’s children in order for posterity to be on our side.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

 

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 1757 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 9^th November, 2016.