DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Tuesday 22nd October, 2013

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR DEPUTY SPEAKER.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that, on Friday, 18th October, 2013, the hon. Members of Parliament and Diplomats accredited to Zambia played netball and football matches at the Olympic Youth Development Centre, as part of the commemoration of the Forty-ninth Independence Anniversary of Zambia. The games were also meant to enhance relations between the National Assembly of Zambia and the Diplomats. The results of the games were as follows:

    Netball

    Members of Parliament     11
    Diplomats            16

Hon Members: Hear, hear!

    Football

    Members of Parliament    4
    Diplomats            1

Hon Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: May I, on behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, congratulate the winners and urge those who did not do well to take heart. There is always a next time. I also wish to thank all the participants in both matches and urge them to continue to represent the National Assembly of Zambia with vigour and dignity. Lastly, I wish to thank the individual Parliamentarians and staff who were involved in facilitating and supporting the games.

I thank you.

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MINSTERIAL STATEMENT

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF THE PASSENGER TRAIN 602 THAT WAS GUTTED BY FIRE AT NATEBE STATION, 20 KILOMETRES FROM LIVINGSTONE ON 11th OCTOBER, 2013.

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) has been operating passenger trains on both the northern and southern-bound routes, which are Livingstone to Kitwe and Kitwe to Livingstone, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mr Speaker, on Friday 11th October, 2013, the northern-bound train 602, with nine coaches and two baggage vans, was scheduled to depart at 20:00 hours, but was delayed for fifty minutes. This was due to electrical repairs after it was discovered that it had an electrical fault on the distribution box and repairs on the main jumper cable which sparked due to poor insulation as a result of aging of insulation and later on shear.

Mr Speaker, after these repairs on the distribution box and all other routine procedures were conducted, the train was declared ready for use. The coaches were pulled by the locomotive engine 01-251 and had 199 passengers on board.

Mr Speaker, the train left Livingstone with nine coaches and two baggage vans. All seemed to be well until after travelling for 20 km. At about 21:25 hours, the passengers alerted the train crew of a suspected fire in the first coach as they noticed some smoke coming from its ceiling.

Mr Speaker, the ZRL crew immediately stopped the locomotive and assisted all passengers to disembark with their luggage to safety.

Mr Speaker, the crew decoupled the coaches from the locomotive engine. It was in the process of decoupling the first two, which they thought were the ones that had caught fire, that they discovered that even the other coaches were on fire as the fire had propagated through the cushioning materials in the ceiling at a very fast rate.

Mr Speaker, by the time the Fire Brigade came to assist, the nine coaches and part of one baggage van, which houses the generator, were already in flames and were lost in the inferno. They could not be salvaged.

However, Sir, no human life was lost and no injuries were sustained by anyone.

The post-accident events were as follows:

(a)    ZRL hired ten buses to ferry the passengers to Livingstone; and
(b)    all 199 passengers were then refunded their monies, both those who had and did not have tickets.

Mr Speaker, to revive the passenger service train by replacing the lost coaches, the ZRL would need about K18.6 million or US$3.5 million. However, despite the loss, the corporation has re-organised its existing coaches and rehabilitated four coaches to ensure that the trains are operational again. It will, however, reduce the number of coaches the locomotive engine will be pulling from nine to seven per train.

Some of the measures to be taken, in the interim, to prevent a recurrence are:

(a)    all ballasts on electrical fittings will be replaced on the coaches;

(b)    address communication system lapses between:

(i)    the crew and base stations;
(ii)    the crew and the passengers; and
(iii)    the station administration and clients in Livingstone.

(c)    review the security, safety, fire fighting training methods and equipment on the train; and

(d)    review all engineering maintenance inspections procedures, methods and content.

Mr Speaker, the long-term plan is to replace all forty-year old coaches.

This, Mr Speaker, is a preliminary report as investigations are ongoing in order for us to find an optimum solution.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarifications on the ministerial statement given by the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication.

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, I note that the train was delayed by fifty minutes and underwent repairs which were not thorough. May I know whether it was not necessary to test the train before allowing the passengers onto it. Normally, when a vehicle is repaired, it goes for a road test. Why did this not apply to the train?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, what I said was that after the repairs were done on the distribution box, all other routine procedures were conducted. One of the routine procedures after repairs is for the train to be driven and then parked in readiness for use. It had to be passed before it could be used. That is why I said it was declared ready for use after all tests were conducted.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Matafwali (Bangweulu): Mr Speaker, I want to find out if the train was insured and, if so, under which company it was insured.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, not insuring property is one of the problems that we have in this country. The train was not insured. I believe that we need to look at the insurance policies for this trend has been going on for a very long time. We, as a Government, are looking into that so that we insure property.

I thank you, Sir.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha (Keembe): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the fire started from the ceiling, and yet that is an unusual place for a fire to start. Could the train have been sabotaged?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, in this case, we have the lighting and ballast in the ceiling.

Mr Speaker, in 2010, there was a near fire as a result of ballasts which caught fire, but the fire was put out. So, we are suspecting that the fire could have started from the ballast. That is why we are saying that we need to replace it.

Sir, on the issue of sabotage, I can only say that we cannot rule that out. However, we will get a final report and only then will we know.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hamudulu (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister if the reduction of the number of coaches from nine to seven has an impact on the optimum use of these trains.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, definitely, the reduction of the number of coaches will reduce the number of passengers on the train. However, for now, we want to make do with what we have. We have procured some wagons. In April, we are expecting about thirty new wagons to come into the country. At that particular time, we will be able to utilise the engines to full capacity.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that the train and wagons are very old. Not long ago, the Government boasted of having acquired a Eurobond and one of its beneficiaries was to be the ZRL. What immediate action is the Government taking in order to save lives which are endangered by the use of these trains?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member will recall that railway transport was given an allocation of K120 million of the Eurobond and that is what is being used to rehabilitate the railway network. Just this morning, I was commissioning a rehabilitation programme to ensure that sleepers on the entire railway network from Chingola to Livingstone are replaced. There are a number of contractors who are working there. So, part of the Eurobond is being used to ensure that life is brought back at the ZRL.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Belemu (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the passengers, both those who had tickets and those who did not have, were refunded. Is it a common practice for passengers to travel on these trains without tickets and, if so, what was the basis of this refund?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, passengers do not travel on a train without tickets. However, some claimed to have lost their tickets in the inferno. We had a record of the number of passengers who were on board, which was 199. We also had a record of the names of the people who were on the train and the number of tickets sold. The records tallied. It was on that basis that refunds were made. Therefore, people do not travel without tickets except, in this case, some claimed to have lost their tickets because of the accident.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwale (Chipangali): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the train was not insured, which is a very unfortunate situation. I would like to find out from him if there was any insurance policy in place to cover passengers in case of death or injury.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, you may repeat your response.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, these are some of the issues that the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) left behind which we are trying to review.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. MMD Members: Aah!

Mr Mwale: Two years in the Government and still talking about the MMD!

Hon. MMD Members: Two years!

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has just said that the coaches and the lives of people were not insured. Can he tell this House what his ministry is doing in order to secure the lives of the people who use this mode of transport in the short-term. This is because it is not good to let people move from one place to another without being insured.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, in answering one of the questions, I said that the Government is currently trying to look at how best it can resolve the issues of insurance in order to safeguard the lives of people.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Konga (Chavuma): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned, in his statement, that the number of wagons has been reduced. Therefore, is the ZRL considering getting some wagons from the Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA) to use in the meantime?

Mr Muchima: On a point of order.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I have already stated that the Government is getting thirty wagons by April, next year. So, measures have already been put in place to ensure that thirty wagons are procured. These will be new and so, we do not need to get from TAZARA. I want to just remind the hon. Member that the gauges of these wagons are different and, therefore, it might not be advisable to get wagons from TAZARA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, is the procurement of the thirty wagons something that has been prompted by the accident or it was planned for.

Mr Muchima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, I rarely rise on points of order. However, is the hon. Minister in order to say that the Government could not insure the lives of the people and the locomotive, which is public transport serving the people of Zambia, because this problem was inherited from the MMD and so, this Government will continue to endanger the lives of the people? Is he in order to say this?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: Well, he was asked a question and he gave an answer. I think it is not for the Chair to decide whether he was in order or not, but the point is that he was giving an answer.

Can the hon. Member of Parliament for Kabompo West continue, please.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, before the point of order was raised, I was asking the hon. Minister whether the procurement of the thirty wagons is as a result of the accident or it was pre-planned.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, it was planned for. The ministry had planned to procure these wagons before this accident occurred because it had a K120 million allocation from the Eurobond.
 
I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisanga (Mkushi South): Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to shed more light on how possible it is that fire crossed over through the ceiling board when the coaches are not connected to each other except for the hooking.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, houses are not connected to each other, but when one house catches fire, it spreads to the next house as well. I think what propagated the fire is the cushioning material in the ceiling. One wagon caught fire and it spread to the next.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Antonio (Kaoma Central): Mr Speaker, may I know how old the coaches, which the Patriotic Front (PF) continued using …

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

I cannot hear the question.

You may continue, hon. Member for Kaoma Central.

Mr Antonio: Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I know how old the coaches, which the PF continued using, were.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the coaches were manufactured in 1973.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Mr Speaker, the management of the ZRL has changed hands from one organisation to the other in the recent past. In the course of this action, definitely, assets and liabilities and accounts receivable and payables are easily noticed on financial statements. Is it possible that an element as important as insurance could have not been noticed by the current Chief Executive such that we have a very big machine now burnt to ashes without being insured? Is the current Chief Executive of the ZRL worth keeping if he could not see that anomaly?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I think it is important to know the status of assets at the point when their management changes hands. However, in this case, it is also important to realise that the issue of insurance was noticed at the very beginning and that is why it is being addressed. The MMD grappled with the issue for twenty years, but did nothing about it and that is why we are now faced with all these problems. The issues that were left unresolved by the MMD for twenty years cannot be resolved in two years. That is why we are trying to address these challenges as they come. So, if the hon. Members on your left expect the PF Government to resolve all these problems in two days, then, they are expecting too much because we are not angels, particularly Angel Gabriel. We will resolve the problems as they arise.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, were the wagons secured with fire extinguishers, and if not, why?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the wagons were secured with fire extinguishers. However, I believe that the fire extinguishers were not enough to fight the nature of the inferno. That is why we are saying, in future, we are going to review the way we fight fires using such machinery.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, are you aware that for the twenty years that the MMD was in the Government, it did not experience such a calamity?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, yes, the MMD did not experience such a calamity, but it had more serious ones in which lives were even lost. So, we cannot judge its operations on the basis of not having experienced an inferno because, under the MMD, there were serious accidents in which people’s lives were not insured.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Imenda (Luena): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister, being an engineer, said that the fire spread rapidly because of the inflammable materials that are part of the makeup of the coaches. Is the Government planning to procure wagons that do not have so much of such inflammable materials?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, that will be the prudent thing to do.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katambo (Masaiti): Mr Speaker, since insurance is done on an annual basis, when were these coaches, which were gutted, last insured?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I think it is important to pay attention when questions are being answered. I said that the coaches were not insured.

Interruptions

Mr Mukanga: I am still answering the question. I want to state that the MMD did not insure the wagons and because of that, we have found ourselves in this situation. The coaches have not been insured in the last five years and I do not know when they were last insured. However, as a Government, we are going to look into that.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr M. Malama (Chitambo): Mr Speaker, since the coaches are not insured, would the Government not consider shutting down the ZRL for the time being, as a way of safeguarding the lives of passengers.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I think, the Government will not consider that option.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, in his answers, the hon. Minister, has consistently blamed the MMD for not insuring these wagons. Is he not aware that the two highest office holders in the PF were actually very senior Cabinet hon. Ministers in the MMD? Does he also blame them for the problems that occurred during that period?

Laughter

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, when the senior members of our party discovered that the MMD was not on the right track, they moved out and formed the PF with a new vision. So, blaming them would not be doing them justice.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mukanga: Sir, they have formed the PF and are geared to provide the right services to the people of Zambia. They presented a manifesto to the people of Zambia who voted for them based on it. The PF will implement that manifesto to the letter and ensure that it delivers what it promised the people of Zambia. This Government is not going to be derailed by anyone.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: I hope we are not turning the Chamber into a political battle field.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said …

Mr Hamudulu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister in order to mislead this House by saying that the two senior-most members in his party left the MMD because it was off track when it is common knowledge that it was due to the failed third term bid.

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: It is now time for questions for oral answer.

Prof. Lungwangwa rose.

Mr Deputy Speaker: I am sorry, that is what happens when the Chair realises that we are turning the debate into something else.

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, before the point of order was raised, I was saying that the management of the ZRL was in the hands of the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ). Is the lack of information on insurance a result of that information not having been passed onto the ZRL by the RSZ, the private company which was running the company then?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the PF was not yet in the Government when the concession was signed. However, it looked at the way the concession was operating and decided to revoke it. If there was information that was passed onto the ZRL by the then RSZ, that will be addressed. That is why I am saying that the Government is looking at how best it can have these coaches insured to cover our people and the equipment.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

STRATEGIC FUEL RESERVE FUND

126. Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central) asked the Minister of Finance what the legal basis for collecting money for the Strategic Fuel Reserve Fund was.

The Deputy Minister of Finance (Mr Mukata): Mr Speaker, the establishment of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fund was approved by the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Cabinet in April, 2005. The establishment of this fund was re-enforced by the introduction of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fee by the ministry responsible for Mines, Energy and Water Development. This fee is not deposited in the main Treasury Account Control 99.

Sir, it is partly for this reason that this particular fee does not fall under my portfolio. The ministry responsible for Mines, Energy and Water Development superintends the collection and administration of this fee through the Energy Regulation Board (ERB).

Mr Speaker, the legitimacy and administrative arrangements for collecting and utilising the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fee are reposited in the ERB and the ministry responsible for energy. The regulation Act Cap. 436 gives powers to the hon. Minister responsible for formulating regulations to apply to different undertakings in the energy sector.

Mr Speaker, it is against this backdrop that I wish to make a humble appeal that you accord my colleague, who is responsible for the energy sector, an opportunity to issue a comprehensive statement on the issue. My ministry will follow this matter with keen interest since it borders on finances.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: In light of that answer, Hon. Mwiimbu, I would request the hon. Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development to come up with a comprehensive answer because the response by the hon. Minister seems to be saying that the topic under question falls under that ministry. I, therefore, request that, maybe, the hon. Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development comes up with an answer.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I know that this is unprecedented, but I tend to think that the hon. Minister of Finance is part of the Government. If there was a legal basis of ensuring that there is an Act or statutory instrument (SI), he would have laid it on the Table. However, since you have made a ruling that you would want the hon. Minister to come and justify an illegal Act, I have no option, but to oblige.

Laughter 

Mr Deputy Speaker: The ruling was not in the context you have put it. The Chair was saying that in light of what was said, I request the hon. Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development to come up with an appropriate detailed answer. That should be done by Friday this week.

MINERAL PROSPECTING PERMITS IN SOLWEZI

130. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development:

(a)    how many Zambians applied for prospecting permits for minerals in Solwezi District, in 2012:

(b)    of the total applications, how many were unsuccessful;

(c)    of the unsuccessful applicants, how many appealed to the hon. Minister from January to February, 2013; and 

(d)    whether the hon. Minister had already considered the appeals.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Musukwa): Mr Speaker, thirty Zambians applied for prospecting permits in Solwezi in 2012, out of which fourteen were successful. Of the unsuccessful applicants, one appealed to the hon. Minister from January to February, 2013, and the consideration of the appeal has not been concluded.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, thank you for according me this opportunity to raise this very serious point of order emanating from Article 51 of the Constitution of Zambia, as read with the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act of 2002, as amended by Act 26 of 2010. 

Mr Speaker, this House passed the Independent Broadcasting Authority Bill with the intention of establishing an independent broadcasting authority without the interference of the Government. According to section 7 of the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act, the hon. Minister has been empowered to appoint nine part-time board members. These members are not supposed to be influenced by any authority in the Government when making decisions. Further, the board is supposed to elect its own chairperson to preside over it. 

However, Sir, we have noted, with concern, that the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has become the chairperson of this particular independent broadcasting authority, contradicting the spirit and import of this particular law. We are also aware that there is no PS in the Republic of Zambia who chairs a board of a parastatal organisation.

Therefore, is the hon. Minister of Justice, who is supposed to ensure that there is justice in this country and the legal interests of the people are protected, in order to remain quiet on this matter? Further, is the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting in order to abrogate the spirit and intent of the law this House passed by appointing a civil servant to superintend over this board, which is supposed to also report to the PS? I need your serious ruling in the interest of members of the public.

Mr Deputy Speaker: My understanding of that point of order is that there are aspects which require interpretation of the law. I think that the Legislature would not be the best in terms of law interpretation. That falls under another arm of the Government, which is the Judiciary. However, that notwithstanding, there are aspects which we believe the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting can shed more light on. In this context, I request the hon. Minister of Information and broadcasting to come up with a ministerial statement on the matter by Friday, this week.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, how long does it take for an appeal to be heard by the hon. Minister or is it done at his pleasure?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, the appeals made to the hon. Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development are not heard at his pleasure. An appeal is supposed to be concluded once the issues surrounding it are adequately resolved, in consultation with our technical staff based at the ministry. So, if the issue is complicated due to its surrounding matters, it takes a bit longer, as noticed from one of these cases asked on by the hon. Member of Parliament. We are, however, working speedily to ensure that it is resolved.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwanza hesitated in indicating to ask a question.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Please, if you want to ask a follow-up question, do not hesitate because if you do, I tend to move on.

Mr Mwanza (Solwezi West): Mr Speaker, can the appeal be considered in a particular period and not just be left up to the grace of God?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, I have just indicated that, in fact, once an appeal is logged, it is supposed to be resolved in record time. At most, an issue must be resolved within ninety days. However, the matter under discussion has taken relatively long because the appeal was made in the midst of the appellant having his licence overriding other licences. So, it took long because we had to send our men in the field.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

MWINILUNGA/SOLWEZI (T5) ROAD CONTRACT

131. Mr Katuka asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication:

(a)    why the contract for the rehabilitation of the Mwinilunga/Solwezi (T5) Road was terminated;

(b)    what the contract sum for the project was;

(c)    how much of the contract sum had been paid to the contractor at the time of termination of contract;

(d)    how much of the contracted works were completed; and 

(e)    whether there were any plans to find another contractor to complete the project.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, the periodic maintenance for the Mwinilunga/Solwezi (T5) Road contract was signed on 1st July, 2008. However, due to insufficient funds, the contract was terminated on 1st October, 2010.

Mr Speaker, the contract sum for the project was K67,907,796.06. At the time of termination, a sum of K54,353,307.49 was paid to the contractor.

Mr Speaker, at the time of contract termination, the physical progress of the works was at 85 per cent.

Mr Speaker, the Mwinilunga/Solwezi (T5) Road is scheduled for periodic maintenance works.  Currently, the procurement process is in progress and work is expected to commence in 2014. Funds for this project have been provided in the 2014 Road Sector Annual Work Plan (RSAWP).

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kalaba: One Zambia.

Col. Kaunda: One nation.

Laughter

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Why do you want to turn the Chamber into some political stage?

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I rarely rise to make points of order.

Laughter

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I would like to raise this point of order on the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication pertaining to the composition of the Road Development Agency (RDA) Board. Is the hon. Minister in order to contravene Section 6 of the Public Roads Act Number 12 of 2002, without appointing a board, and allowing a single-member board to sit, determine and award contracts in contravention of the law of this country? Taking into account that the hon. Minister of Finance has borrowed a lot of money on behalf of the people of Zambia for road construction, is he in order to not appoint a board, but continue constituting an illegal one to award contracts?

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, please, come up with a ministerial statement on that issue next Tuesday.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister why the contract was terminated.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, the contract was terminated because of lack of funds.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, I am very aware that this contract was terminated because of poor workmanship. That being the case, why has this contractor been employed to work on the Chingola/Solwezi Road?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, it is not right to say that it was terminated due to poor workmanship. There was some money allocated in the Budget towards this road. Unfortunately, the funds ran out. We asked for an extension and it was given and extra funds were given for the project. Unfortunately, the funds got depleted again and the works on the road did not materialise. There was no poor workmanship. The contractor did a very good job which we are happy with.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwanza: Mr Speaker, what is the name of this contractor?

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, this project was divided into two portions. The first portion, which was 89 km, was worked on by Raubex Contractors and the other portion, which was 191 km, was worked on by Roads and Pavings Zambia Limited.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamudulu (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that this contract was terminated due to insufficient funds. What I would like to find out from the hon. Minister is whether the Government undertook this contract without due consideration of what it would take to complete this project and what it had in its coffers.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, a budget is made with very good intentions. Sometimes, when work starts, the Ministry of Finance does not have funds to give us, therefore, we cannot continue the work without the contractor being paid.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, I would like the hon. Minister to assure me and the nation over the status of that road and whether its maintenance will be an annual event since it is now damaged. I have seen some figure allocated towards the maintenance of this road in the Budget. Therefore, will the Government continue to maintain the road every year?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, as a very responsible Government, we could not leave the road in an unusable state. We have been maintaining it and funds have been set aside in the 2014 Budget to complete the works on the road.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

TEACHER-PUPIL RATIO AT BASIC AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN MWINILUNGA

134. Mr Katuka asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a)    what the teacher-pupil ratio at the following schools in Mwinilunga was;

    (i)    Kalumbinga Basic;
    (ii)    Lunga High;
    (iii)    Kanyihampa Basic;
    (iv)    Kanyikomboshi High; and
    (v)    Ntambu High.

(b)    what the recommended teacher-pupil ratio was; and

(c)    what plans the Government had to improve the teacher-pupil ratio countrywide.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr P. Ngoma): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the teacher-pupil ratio at the following schools in Mwinilunga is:

    School        Teacher-pupil ratio                
    Kalumbinga Primary School    1-93
    Lunga Secondary School    1-44
    Kanyihampa Primary School    1-58
    Kanyikomboshi Secondary School    1-44
    Ntambu Secondary School    1-25

Mr Speaker, the recommended teacher-pupil ratio for primary schools is 1-40, for junior secondary schools it is 1-40 and for senior secondary schools it is 1-35.

Sir, the plans that the Government has put in place to improve the teacher-pupil ratio countrywide are as follows:

(a)    building more schools in areas that are heavily populated in order to decongest existing schools;

(b)     deploying more teachers to schools with low staffing levels; and

(c)    expanding existing school staff establishments to match the enrolment levels. This is ongoing.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, with this sad state of affairs, what immediate plans does the Government intend to put in place to improve the situation in terms of staffing levels, particularly, in Mwinilunga?

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, what I have given out to the House is what the ministry is doing so far. I would request the hon. Member of Parliament to monitor how the ministry is going to improve on all this.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out how the hon. Minister intends to deploy teachers to Mwinilunga, considering that there is a serious shortage of teachers in the country and to make matters worse, his Government has decided to freeze the recruitment of teachers for another two years.

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, we are ready to offer answers, but questions should be put in the right context.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Dr Phiri: Sir, we were discussing the teacher-pupil ratios in Mwinilunga before even the recruitment drive was undertaken this year. The picture will be slightly better when the exercise comes to an end and this will be soon. We are hoping that the Kalumbinga Primary School teacher-pupil ratio will be much better than it was in 1993. The state of the rest of the schools is not very bad, but we will make sure that Kalumbinga Primary School is given a fresh look as we roll-out teachers this year because this ratio is highly unacceptable. We have insisted that the local authorities in education look into this matter.

Mr Speaker, whether this has any bearing on our future plans, I cannot forsee. As at now, these are the efforts that the ministry is undertaking to address this situation and not only in Mwinilunga, as the hon. Member is suggesting, but also everywhere else in the country.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, the question is clear. It is talking about the teacher-pupil ratio. However, in his response, the hon. Minister is talking about classroom space and construction of more schools. If that is the stance, how many schools are you constructing in Mwinilunga in order to avoid congestion?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, the question was very clear and our answer was specific in trying to answer to questions (a), (b), and (c). We provided the answer on what the teacher-pupil ratio was. We also provided the recommended teacher-pupil ratio, and I will repeat the answer. I said that for the primary school, it is 1 to 40, junior secondary school, 1 to 40 while the senior secondary school ratio is 1 to 39. Obviously, the three secondary schools, which are at 1 to 44, 1 to 44 and 1 to 45 ratios, are in a moderately reasonable zone of comfort although we need to work on this further.

Sir, the last question is on what plans the Government had. The hon. Deputy Minister indicated three plans. Obviously, to build more schools so that schools like Kalumbinga are decongested. We will deploy more teachers and, as I said, the current recruitment drive will take cognisance the challenge of Kalumbinga Primary School.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister also said that we were expanding existing school staff establishments to match the enrolment levels. He added that this would be on-going because it will not be done at once. There are movements of teachers and other factors. We, therefore, intend to continue doing this in order to bring a little sanity in terms of teacher-pupil ratios in our schools. This is a big challenge, but we are meeting it as funds and infrastructure permit.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwanza: Mr Speaker, the question has been overtaken by events.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that the recruitment drive and roll-out of teachers will, to some extent, relieve these schools of the problems they are faced with. Could he be kind enough to indicate when the actual roll-out and posting of these teachers will be effected.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, this is an on-going exercise which is almost coming to its logical conclusion this month. If you read in the papers, various District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) are proudly organising orientation talks with the teachers. I have read about Kawambwa and many other schools. This is an indicator that, probably, Mwinilunga has had orientation done for these new teachers and we are hoping that the figure will change in due course.

I thank you, Sir.

CHIEFS’ RECOGNITION IN NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE

135. Mr Katuka asked the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs whether the following Chiefs in the North-Western Province, whose recognition were withdrawn before Independence, would be recognised again:

(a)    Chief Mpulumba;

(b)    Chief Katambi; and

(c)    Chief Mukangala.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order, on my right!

The Deputy Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mr Taundi): Mr Speaker, the chiefs whose recognition was withdrawn before Independence will not be recognised again.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, since the chiefs’ recognition was withdrawn due to the struggle for Independence, is the Government still going to punish them for sacrificing for the good of this country?

The Deputy Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mrs Kawandami): Mr Speaker, the Government will not punish any chief that sacrificed for the country. However, due to financial constraints, the Government is not able to recognise more chiefs.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, is that not a contradiction? Not long ago, the hon. Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs indicated that this Government is already in the process of recognising chiefs and that if anybody has details which could lead to the identification of these chiefs, then, they should submit the names. Is she …

Interruptions

Mr Muchima: What is the stance now? 

Laughter 

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, the stance is that the Government will not recognise anymore chiefs.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister confirm that the Government is now backtracking. It is going back on its word that chiefs will be recognised on a case-by-case basis, as and when presented by petitioners. Is the hon. Minister’s statement a withdrawal of their stance?

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, no, it is not.

I thank you, Sir. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, we are getting confused. In one breath, the hon. Minister said that the Government would recognise chiefs on a case-by-case basis while in another she says it will not. Which is which?

Hon. Government Members: Both!

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, both.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter 

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

We must assist not only the hon. Members here, but also the people out there who are listening. It is not for me to say, but the question was on those chiefs whose recognition was withdrawn before Independence. The answer to that was that they will not be recognised. Now, will the issue of the case-by-case basis apply to chiefs whose recognition was withdrawn before or after Independence? Merely saying both can confuse us. Can you clarify.

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, the case-by-case studies is in reference to chiefs whose recognition was withdrawn after Independence. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, in most instances, traditional rulers are looked after by their subjects. Suppose the people of Mwinilunga decided that they have the money to pay these chiefs, as they do now, will the Government recognise the chefs as it will not have to spend any money, as the hon. Minister stated that the inhibiting factor in recognising more chiefs is financial constraints?

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, chiefdom is a constitutional office and the Government makes the decision on who to recognise. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwanza: Mr Speaker, my question has been overtaken by events.

MANYINGA/MWINILUNGA ROAD UPGRADING

136    Mr Katuka asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications when the Government would commence the upgrading of the Manyinga/Mwinilunga Road to bituminous standard.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, Hon. Katuta, Member of Parliament for Mwinilunga, …

Interruptions

Mr Katuka: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: It must have been a slip of the tongue. Hon. Minister, the hon. Member is raising a point of order on you for calling him Mr Katuta.

Laughter 

Col. Kaunda: Oh sorry, Mr Speaker. Hon. Katuka, the Government, through RDA, has awarded the contract for consulting services, techno-economic study, detailed engineering design and tender document preparation for the upgrading of 327 km of the Manyinga/Jimba/Mwinilunga Road in the North-Western Province.

Mr Speaker, works to upgrade the above-mentioned road to bituminous standards will only commence after the finalisation of the feasibility study in 2014.

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Mwanza: Mr Speaker, this road we are talking about is a very critical one. Why does the question of feasibility studies become very prominent when roads are from the North-Western Province?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President sat in the House, the words written on his big Chair were “One Zambia, One Nation.” This Government does and will not segregate when it comes to roads. The roads are being worked on according to how they were prioritised and that will stand.

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, how will the priority to work on this be set, considering that this road is in two portions, namely Manyinga/Mwinilunga which is on a different standing from Mwinilunga/Ikeleng’i which is on the International Road called the T5 and connects Zambia to Angola?

Mr Speaker, how and when will this job commence? We want the Government to be specific. The Government should know the road map even when carrying out feasibility studies. If it is 2014 …

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

You have asked your question, hon. Member.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, this job will be done in two parts. There is the D286 and T005.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, excuse me if I sound a bit confused concerning this road. Could I know whether the design and feasibility studies were done during the course of this year and next year will mark the implementation of the road or the studies will be carried out next year and implementation will follow thereafter?

Interruptions

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, I will repeat the response to the last part of the question. Works to upgrade the above-mentioned roads to bituminous standard will only commence after the finalisation of feasibility studies in 2014. Works will start as soon as the feasibility studies are done.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Muchima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: … that is right. 

Laughter 

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, I am forced to rise on this point of order. We are in this Parliament to conduct serious business and we expect the Executive to give us serious answers. We are not here to be told stories. We want facts so that we understand what this Government is doing. Is the hon. Minister in order to avoid my question on when this road will be worked on? I need your serious ruling.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order! I thought the answer that the hon. Minister gave with regard to the specific period was 2014.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: That was my understanding.

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: However, I might be saying things that I did not get correctly. Hon. Minister, when will the works on the road begin?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, let me state this very clearly. You cannot work on a road without conducting feasibility studies. At the moment, the Government is in the process of conducting the feasibility study. We can only start doing what the hon. Member would want us to do after the feasibility study has been conducted. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, may I be comforted by knowing who is supervising these works at the RDA since there is no board in place.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I think it is also misleading to state that there is no board. Currently, there is a board in place at the RDA, but it is a skeleton because the full membership capacity has not been attained. It is also important to note that the board does not award contracts. It is the RDA’s Procurement Department that does.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, I do know that there are feasibility studies and detailed designs being done on a number of roads such as the Luwingu/Samfya, Luwingu/Nsombo and the Manyinga roads. Do we see the strict implementation when these studies are properly done so that we can stick to the road map as stipulated in the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project?

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, we are a Government that keeps promises. We will do whatever we can according to the plans that our experts will give us.

I thank you, Sir.

__________

MOTIONS

BUDGET 2014

(Debate resumed)

Mr Simbao (Senga Hill): Mr Speaker, I believe that Zambians are now beginning to awaken to reality.

Mr Kaingu: Yes!

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, on page 2 of the Budget Address, the hon. Minister of Finance agrees that the removal of subsidies has actually led to an escalation of prices of goods and services in the country. The cost of things such as meat, chickens and mealie-meal are now almost unaffordable. When the subsidies were removed, the hon. Ministers went around the country telling the people that it was for their good. I think Zambians now believe that the rising of prices is not for their good. It is fine with the people in the urban areas because they have received salary increments, but I fear for the people in my constituency. 

Hon. MMD Members: Even ours!

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the people in my constituency will soon be failing to buy things such as cooking oil, soap and salt. I am happy that the people are beginning to see reality under this Government.

Sir, with regard to the word “moratorium”, which was used by the hon. Minister, I was surprised when I was told that it actually means, “no increment or freezing.” I am shocked that a party that came into Government on the promise of putting more money in the people’s pockets is actually keeping it away from them for two years.  No one knows what will happen after these two years. The situation might even get worse. People might not be paid. The hon. Minister made it very clear that this wage freeze is due to insufficient funds. 
 
Dr Kaingu: There is no money!

Mr Simbao: Sir, if there will be no money in the next two years, what guarantee do the Zambians have that there will be money after this period? This really surprised me because it has never happened in my working life. Maybe, it happened before I started work. 

Mr Speaker, I think that there is a lot of fear amongst the graduates. Those who will graduate next year will do so in a … 

Rev. Lt-Gen Shikapwasha: Frozen!

Mr Simbao: … frozen employment environment. There is nothing that they should expect from the Government. I worry a lot. We already know that we have a shortage of nurses in the hospitals, and yet the nurses who will graduate will have nothing to do. We know that, at the moment, our doctor/patient ratio of 1:1,060 is overstretched. The normal doctor/patient ratio is 1:5,000. You will find that, in 2015, doctors will graduate, but they will just sit at home. Where are we going? The Zambians are now beginning to wake up to reality. 

Mr Speaker, when the United National Independence Party (UNIP) came into power, it found a very buoyant economy. It is said that it had no absorption capacity. By the time it was leaving office, there was no money and everything had run out in this country. The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) came into power and left a buoyant economy and this is where the Patriotic Front (PF) Government picked it from. In two years, there are signs that the PF is driving it into the ground. Already, it has shown that there is no money. The Government will not recruit anyone in 2015 because there is no money. Where is all the money the MMD left behind?

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, Zambians now have a basis on which to make a good comparison. They saw a party, UNIP, that inherited a lot of wealth and ran it down because of investing in social infrastructure. Social infrastructure does not generate funds. What generates funds are industries, and yet this Government is saying nothing about them. This man, Hon. Katuka, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mwinilunga, has been crying for a canary … 

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, on a point of order.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, I do not expect the Chief Whip to raise a point of order.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order. Is the Member, who is debating, Hon. Simbao, Secretary-General of the MMD, in order to continue saying that industries can create a good economy when the MMD ran down the industries on the Copperbelt?

Mr Deputy Speaker: When your time to speak comes, hon. Minister, you can address that issue.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: You may continue, Hon. Simbao.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the Chief Whip is an engineer like me and so, he knows that the Government is doing nothing.

Laughter

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the Government is concentrating on social infrastructure which does not even generate any revenue. Much as the MMD Government went in the wrong direction, the PF Government is worse. It has chewed all the money that we left.

Laughter

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the Zambian people can now compare and decide on which party …

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Simbao: … should come back into power in 2016.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, we are talking about the Vision 2030, but we are running out of time and the PF Government has taken away the money to implement it. There is no money for the Zambians.

Mr Sikazwe: Where has it gone?

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, I am very sad that people want to …

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of Order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I have followed the debate of the hon. Member on the Floor since Friday, last week. He complained about his constituency being the most impoverished, and yet he has been the hon. Member of Parliament for that area for the past ten years. Today, he is saying that his Government left behind a lot of money. If, indeed, his Government did that, why is he complaining about his constituency being impoverished when he could have utilised some of that money his Government left behind to improve his constituency?

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, you really want to make use of points of orders to debate. Please, when your time comes, you can rebut what he is saying.

Continue, Hon. Simbao.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, this Government is dividing Zambia.

Mr Muntanga: That is right.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, the Northern Province has now been forgotten and that is my problem. Everything has now gone to Muchinga Province.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, we are one and were one province until a year ago. The entire Northern Province is completely dead. There are no funds going towards the province. Everything is being directed towards Muchinga Province and that is the reason I am complaining.

Mr Livune: Look at them.

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, if there was any fairness, the construction of the roads, schools and hospitals in my constituency would have continued. All these projects have stalled. Why are these things happening now that the PF party is in the Government?

Mr Speaker, the people of Zambia have a solution. In 2016 …

Hon. Members: Order! Order! The hon. Member’s time has elapsed.

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to debate the Budget 2014 Motion. From the outset, I would like to say that I am disappointed with this Executive. This is because this is a Government which is known to break the laws of Zambia with impunity.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear! Tell them.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the decorum and etiquette of this House demands that no party regalia, material or anything to do with a party symbol should be brought to this House. However, at the back of this speech, there are pictures of party cadres.

Mr Muntanga: And a dog.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I am very disappointed.

Sir, I would also like to support those sectors of the society that do not support this Budget.

Mr Nkombo: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, this Budget will not lift the burden of the poor. The much-talked about economic growth in this Budget does not translate into the people’s needs. It does not empower women. It is not going to create jobs either in the informal or formal sectors.

Mr Muntanga: They are going to freeze jobs.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the Budget does not outline any mechanisms, at all, on how it will cater for the poor. Despite the removal of subsides, I am very disappointed that the Government has still brought a crap of a Budget to this House.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Col. Kaunda: On a point of Order, Sir.

Ms Kapata: On a point of Order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: I missed that word. What was the word you used?

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, …

Interruptions 

Mr Deputy Speaker: I did not get the word. What word was that, Hon. Lubezhi?

Hon. Opposition Members: Which one?

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, which word? My debate is flowing and I cannot pick out the word.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: This is why, sometimes, I appear to be difficult. You cannot tell me that your debate is flowing when I, the Hon. Mr Speaker, want to seek clarification. Otherwise, you will force me to do what you do not want me to do. What was that word you used?

Interruptions

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I said that, “despite the removal of subsidies, the Government has still brought a scrap of a Budget to this House.”

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Hon. Oppositions Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Scrap Budget!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Nkombo: Ci kuwa ca shupa.

Ms Lubezhi: … may I continue?

Mr Deputy Speaker: Yes, you can continue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Kaunda: On a point of Order, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, I believe that everything that we say on the Floor of this House is recorded. I request that we have a replay of what Hon. Lubezhi said so that we can find out whether she said ‘crap’ or ‘scrap’.

Dr Deputy Speaker: If the hon. Member used another word when I asked for clarification, then, the first word she used was unparliamentary. So, it should be withdrawn.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Members on your right heard ‘crap’, I withdraw the word and replace it with ‘scrap’.

Hon. Opposition Members: That is right.

Mr Sianga: The Budget is scrap. It is rusty.

Laughter 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, this is because we do not have a Planning and Budgeting Act.

Mr Muntanga: Hear, hear! Bambile.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the Budget Speech talked about borrowing. It is true that it does not pay to borrow to finance administrative costs. Forty-nine years after Independence, we are supposed to be self-reliant when it comes to revenue for administrative costs.

Mr Hamudulu: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: However, Sir, under the PF Government, there is talk of putting borrowed money into the people’s pockets. It is a shame.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, instead of borrowing, we can raise this money through maximising taxation of the mines.

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, my main worry about this borrowing is that the Government has taken to the terrible route of borrowing expensive money and loans which are not concessional and syndicated. I do not know why it has decided to borrow expensive money when it is within its powers to borrow cheap money.

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, this may be because of some of the pronouncements made by the senior PF party members that they are leading a corrupt Government.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sianga: Corrupt Government!

Mr Muntanga: Balike bali corrupt.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I want to be on record as having stated that I am not going to associate myself with anything that is going to push the people of Zambia into more poverty like this Budget as is trying to do.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker, the PF Government promised this country to grow the economy by 10 per cent each year. On the contrary, it is growing it at less than 5 per cent per year. I am not even sure whether this 5 per cent is real or fabricated. 

Mr Miyanda: It is fictitious.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, this Government promised to dismantle domestic debt, as a priority, but instead it has made borrowing its priority. 

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the Government promised prudent financial management. However, what prudent financial management can one talk about with the Government’s selective developmental programmes? 

Mr Muntanga: This tribal party. 

Mr Mwiimbu: Very selective.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, as regards agriculture, my heart bleeds because the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has collapsed.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, not only has the ministry collapsed because of its paltry budgetary allocation, but also because of the lack of human capacity to run it.

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear! 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, it is very shocking that even after being assured, on the Floor of this House, that farmers would be paid their dues ten to fourteen days after delivering their products, they still have not been paid. It is very shocking that despite His Excellency the President’s directive, on the Floor of this House, our farmers have still not been paid. During his speech, His Excellency the President directed that farmers be paid the next day. He had an idea of how much was in the Treasury for him to give such a directive. He was definitely not talking from without. The ministry, however, decided to ignore the directive and has not paid the farmers to date. 

Hon. UPND Members: Aah, aah!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, come to think of it, this is one Government that disowns and distances itself from the President’s Speech. On the Floor of this House, we were told that the Constitution-making process would be completed within ninety days. However, it is not in the PF Manifesto, and yet, in his Inaugural Speech, His Excellency the President told us that the Constitution of Zambia would be ready in ninety days. 

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Sir, this is one Government which does not respect presidential directives. 

Mr Mwiimbu: No, it does not. 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Hamudulu: On a point of order, Sir. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised. 

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, I sit here a very sad hon. Member of Parliament. 

Sir, His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Sata, is well-meaning. He assured us, in this House, that the farmers would be paid their dues. Is this Government in order to make him not to tell the truth before this House? 

I need your serious ruling, Sir. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: Why can you not allow her to continue debating because that is the issue she is deliberating on?

Hon. Lubezhi, you may continue. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, earlier I said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has totally collapsed. 

Mr Mwiimbu: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, in March, this year, we were told that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock had come up with an e-voucher system which was going to improve the delivery of inputs to the farmers. It was on the Floor of this House, in September, this year, that we were assured that development of the e-voucher system would be advertised and a contract would be signed by the end of October, this year. 

Sir, way before the end of October, this year, and the ministry has suspended the e-voucher. This is why I am saying that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has totally collapsed. This Government should look into the shortcomings of the ministry and desist from de-campaigning hon. Members of Parliament in their constituencies. They are better off in the House answering to our concerns. 

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock cannot even gather up efforts to answer the concerns raised from the President’s Speech. The ministry could not come up with a statement. When we tell our colleagues on the right to be in the House and give policy statements, they think we are joking. Some of the reasons that the hon. Minister cited in order to justify the cancellation of the e-voucher system, such as having no computers, were very flimsy. Oh my goodness! 

Hon. UPND Members: Shame!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, is the Government telling me that when it went ahead to advertise the e-voucher, it had no idea that the ministry had no monitors? This is why I am saying that the inefficiency at the ministry has more to do with human capacity than it does with the paltry allocation. 

Mr Muntanga: Honourable, has Hon. Monde failed also?

Laughter 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, we were told that the other reasons for cancelling the e-voucher were because of other pressing matters. Of course, the Government has more pressing matters like the construction of Paul Mushindo University … 

Mr Livune: Where is it?

Ms Lubezhi: … forgetting about agriculture.

Mr Speaker, the Government would have done much better had it given the Northern Province only Robert Makasa University instead of putting up two universities in one district. 

Hon. UPND Members: One village!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, this is what is called selective development. 

Mr Speaker, what has this Government done about value-addition in the textile industry? Not a thing. 

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members on my left, you are too close to the person debating and your consultations are too loud. Please, give her the opportunity to debate and be heard. 

Hon. Member for Namwala, you may continue. 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, what has this Government done to revamp the textile industry? Not a thing. This is all because the ministry has got no direction at all. It has totally collapsed. The textile industry can help create jobs. 

Hon. UPND Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Sir, I would …

Interruptions

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

Just after guiding my right to consult quietly, the left has now taken over the disorderliness. Can we, please, be orderly. 

You may continue. 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I would appreciate if the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock came up with defined livestock policies. For instance, in Namwala, we have worked tirelessly to upgrade our animals to A-grade. As a result, what is pertaining now is that when the small-scale farmers in Namwala take their animals for sale to the abattoirs, the animals are treated as standard beef. These are some of the policies we expect the ministry to come up with instead of its running around the country donating re-conditioned tractors. 

Laughter 

Mr Miyanda: Without ploughs. 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, if I may, I want to ask the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock when last a livestock census was conducted in this country. 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, the ministry has no idea whatsoever on the need to carry out a livestock census. I do not even know why I have to continue …

Mr Kazabu: On a point of order, Sir. 

Ms Lubezhi: … debating a ministry which does not exist technically. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised. 

Mr Kazabu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member, who is debating on the Floor of this House, in order to dwell on assumptions. I seek your serious ruling. 

Hon. Opposition Members: What assumptions?

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order!

How can I make a ruling when you have not pointed out the assumptions the hon. Member has made?

Mr Kazabu: The assumption that we do not know what a livestock census means. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: I listened very carefully to the hon. Member. She did not say that you do not know what a livestock census means, but rather questioned when the last livestock census was done.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Deputy Speaker: That is the issue. When your chance to debate comes, you can handle that matter. 

The hon. Member may continue. 

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, when I stand here to say that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has collapsed, this is what I mean.

Mr Mufalali: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, I am aware that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock imported 50 thousand metric tonnes …

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order, on my left! I want to hear what she is saying.

Ms Lubezhi: … of fertiliser from Saudi Arabia. I do not remember, at any given time, seeing an advertisement inviting bids for the tender of transportation of such huge cargo from Dar-es-Salam into the country. We know that our colleagues in the PF confessed to being corrupt.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, under local government, there has been unprecedented selective distribution of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which has been very disappointing. The hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing said that only those councils that had submitted their returns would be given the CDF. I would like to give an example of Choma District. The district has three constituencies, namely Choma Central, Mbabala and Pemba. At what point did the ministry decide to omit the other two constituencies and give only one when the district, in its entirety, had submitted its returns?

Mr Speaker, in Namwala, we made our returns in May, 2013, but we have not received the CDF. Those people in the ministry, who are involved in this selective disbursement of the CDF, must surely be ashamed of their mortal being. When responding to the concerns raised on the President’s Address, the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing tasked all of us to be ambassadors of sanitation. However, how can I go to Cairo Road, Cha Cha Cha Road and Freedom Way to the tell vendors about sanitation before the ministry builds toilets? It is up to the ministry to come up with a sanitation programme before it can involve the people on your left. 

Mr Speaker, the unplanned expenditures, like the outbreak of districts, in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, is a sign of misplaced priority. When asked about infrastructure in these districts, the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication or the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing does not know when this infrastructure will be built. Is the Government aware that, in Mitete District, the District Commissioner (DC) was almost beaten up because he wanted to take over the constituency office? 

Mr Speaker, before the Government thinks of creating districts, it should think about the safety of the DCs. Putting up infrastructure in a district is far beyond giving it a DC and a white Land Rover. The Government should be methodical in the way it comes up with these districts.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, going back to street vending, this is not just a near miss where sanitation is concerned, but also a safety and security hazard. Those people on the street use braziers. Just imagine the confusion a vehicle catching fire on the streets of Lusaka would cause. Yet, the Government thinks that by modifying the term ‘street vending’ into what it is now calling …

Mr Mufalali: Street traders.

Ms Lubezhi: … ‘street trading’ is doing the people a favour. It is a near miss under safety and security of the property of the people who park their vehicles in town. 

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order! 

Business was suspended from 1615hours until 1630 hours 

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON in the Chair]

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, as you know, I have a passion for agriculture.

Mr Speaker, I took time to go back to the Budget Speeches of 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1976 wherein the current hon. Minister of Finance strongly talked about subsidising agriculture. What has changed now?

Mr Speaker, I have a proposal to make for this Government in its quest to improve the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. I recall, in the past, that this country had an hon. Minister of Agriculture who gave a directive to slaughter pigs and paid himself. Maybe, the Government might consider taking that hon. Minister back to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali: To go and slaughter more.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, because I think he had a vision for the ministry. Lastly, planning and financing are critical components of national development, but I know that this Budget has shown that there was no planning involved and the Government is not willing to finance the Budget.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, my voice is not good enough today, but I hope that those who are listening will be able to get me clearly. I would like to engage the hon. Minister of Finance on the theme he has chosen because that is extremely important in understanding the Budget and its implications on our people.

 Mr Speaker, before I do that, this Budget is proposing that there be 150 classrooms constructed next year. 150 classrooms in the education sector translate into one classroom per constituency and …

Mr Livune: Shame.

Prof. Lungwangwa: … this is something which we, as hon. Members, are supposed to celebrate. In addition, the Budget is saying that there will be 150 teachers’ houses to be constructed next year. That also translates into one teacher’s house per constituency and we, as hon. Members of Parliament, are supposed to dance to that as hon. Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, the question that we ought to ask the hon. Minister of Finance is: How come, in the recent past, we had budgets presented in this House where there were proposals of constructing more than 1,000 classrooms each year and that was done? What is really the problem in this coming Budget?

Sir, in this Budget, we have been told that K10.5 billion out of K42.6 billion is money that has to be sourced through foreign loans or domestic borrowing. The question that we ought to be asking is: What will really necessitate this and why should we put on the table US$2 billion to borrow, and yet we know that that US$2 billion will come from foreign borrowing? Already, the indebtedness of the country is more than US$3 billion. Why? The simple answer is that the policy aspirations of the Executive are too ambitious.

Mr Speaker, in simple terms, a National Budget reflects the policy aspirations of the Executive benchmarked against revenue targeted for the year. If the policy aspirations are too ambitious, you are bound to have a very ambitious revenue target which may not be attainable or affordable. This is the situation we find ourselves in today.

In simple terms, Sir, ambitiousness means a plan or piece of work intended to satisfy high aspirations and, therefore, difficult to achieve. Therefore, the underlining policy implications of the budget are too ambitious, hence inviting very high costs and expenditure and, therefore, increasingly putting the country in very high indebtedness, and this is the problem with this Budget. That is why we must be cautious about putting our country in more debt.

Sir, the hon. Minister of Finance, like his colleagues in the past, is in search of a legacy. That is why he came up with the Budget theme, “Moving Forward to Consolidate Growth and Social Justice in Peace and Unity.” It is very important for us to interrogate this search for a legacy on the part of our hon. Minister of Finance.

Mr Speaker, briefly, in the 1990s, the hon. Ministers of Finance, came to this House with budget proposals that concentrated more on containing Government expenditure and the focus was on aspects such as how to reduce the high expenditure of the Government through reduction in subsidies, how to cost share in service delivery, how to freeze wages and how to freeze recruitment in the Public Service. That was the focus of the hon. Ministers of Finance in the 1990s. 

However, at the beginning of this century, 2000, the focus was more on how to meet the conditionalities of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Imitative. The focus was more on measures that would assist the country to qualify for the HIPC Initiative conditionalities. Of course, Hon. Magande, who was the Minister of Finance, established that legacy of enabling the country to qualify for HIPC.

After that, Sir, we saw our economy now picking up when the debt was forgiven. We saw the growth of our economy. The legacies of the Ministers of Finance, under Hon. Magande and Hon. Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, were to grow the economy. From 2000/02 or somewhere there, we saw the economy growing up to 2010/11. The economy has been growing at an average of 5.6 per cent per year. That is a legacy and the Ministers of Finance are in search of a legacy.

Now, Mr Speaker, in this Budget, and following this theme, what is the legacy that the hon. Minister of Finance is trying to achieve for the country?

Mr Speaker, maybe, before I say that, let me point out that his predecessors paid special attention to equity issues in our development struggle when they were trying to contain high Government expenditures and to contain the need to meet the HIPC Initiative conditionalities. They did this by ensuring that there was attention paid to the vulnerable and poor through the Social Cash Transfer Programme.

Mr Speaker, programmes like the Social Cash Transfer, introduced in 2000, if I am not mistaken, with an experiment in Kalomo and other districts, was a way of addressing the difficulties of the poor and vulnerable as the economy was undergoing stress. The Youth Fund was another equity directed strategy, including the bursaries schemes for the vulnerable orphaned children in schools.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: Yes!

Prof. Lungwangwa: School feeding programmes and support to women empowerment, food security packs and also the Food Input Support Programme (FISP) were strategies put in place by his predecessors to attend to issues of social justice …

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Yes!

Prof. Lungwangwa: … that, to a large extent, were addressed.

Now, Sir, if we are to understand the legacy that the hon. Minister of Finance is struggling to establish, let me quote his own statement so that we see where his is coming from and where he is trying to go. According to Hon. Chikwanda, he says:

“The people of Zambia are and should be the reason for all national investments, developments and delivering of all public and private services. National policies and programmes in every sector together with the relevant systems and mechanisms to reach intended beneficiaries are of primary importance to the people’s welfare and higher living standards. A reorientation of focus with regard to public finance resources needs to be addressed. Identified gaps must be searched so that we put in place a people-centred development.”

This is evidence that the hon. Minister of Finance is struggling in his attempt to put in place a legacy. The question we should be asking ourselves is: What really are the gaps in our development efforts that ought to be addressed?

Mr Speaker, the gaps have to do with the challenge of poverty reduction in our country, and I will give you a few figures. When I look at poverty, especially extreme poverty, the indicators are that in Luapula, 64.9 per cent of the people were living in extreme poverty in 2010. In the Western Province, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty was at 64.0 per cent, in the Eastern Province, 58.7 per cent, in the Northern Province 55.8 per cent, in the Southern Province 47.5 per cent and the North-Western Province was at 46.1 per cent. In Central Province, poverty stood at 36.7 per cent, the Copperbelt was at 18.3 per cent and Lusaka stood at 11.5 per cent.

Sir, these figures of extreme poverty indicate that we have a country that is divided into two, the extreme poor rural sector and relatively better urban sector. That is the gap which ought to be addressed. If this Budget is to be meaningful, it has to address that gap.

Mr Speaker, over the years, the efforts that have been put in place have been addressing the particular problem of how to eradicate extreme poverty. Whether you look at the Poverty Reduction and Strategy Paper from 2002 to 2004, the Transitional National Development Plan from 2002 to 2005, the Fifth National Development Plan from 2006 to 2010 or the Sixth National Development Plan from 2011 to 2016, the challenge is how to address extreme poverty.

Sir, the gap between the rural and urban areas is simply because the rural people do not have access to the fundamentals of development which can improve the quality of their lives such as infrastructure capital, which includes roads, canals and other infrastructure. They also lack human capital, schools, water and sanitation and health services, business capital, access to the markets and money to invest in their ventures, be it agriculture or any other, and access to knowledge for scientific and technical know-how. These are lacking in the people who live in the rural areas. If this Budget is to be meaningful to the lives of the greater majority of our people, it must address itself to the challenge of how to narrow the gap between the rural poor and the urban relatively better.

Mr Speaker, this is a challenge we have to face and clearly, when I look at what is happening in this Budget, I see that we have a problem. For example, one of the problems has to do with the distribution of various services that ought to raise the quality of life of our people in the rural areas.

Sir, whatever will be attempted in the upgrading of the roads, particularly, the feeder roads, will not be enough to address the problems of the rural poor, such as their inability to access markets. For example, in my constituency, we have a 50 km road which needs rehabilitation. That is a major road in the constituency, but for the past two years, the Executive, through the Rural Roads Unit, has only been able to rehabilitate 10 km. Thus, people have to walk long distances. This is a challenge.

Mr Speaker, with special areas like the Western and Luapula provinces, the waterways are clogged up and we expect that if this Budget is to be meaningful in uplifting the quality of life of the people, the K87 million set aside for dredging machines should go to Luapula and the Western provinces to clear the waterways and rivers. Once that is done, we should be able to see productivity increasing in those areas. Equally, a lot of attention must be paid to what would make a difference, in terms of improving the quality of life of the people.

Sir, poverty levels in the North-Western Province have slightly improved over the years. This is because of the bold decisions that were taken by the previous Government to search for resources to which investments can be directed and create employment for the people, hence the various mining efforts going on in the province. These efforts will significantly impact on improving the quality of life of the people. This is as it should be and we expect the hon. Minister of Finance and his colleagues to search for the type of resources available in those extremely poor regions of our country and carry out investment programmes so that there can be an improvement in the quality of life of the people.

Mr Speaker, one of the challenges our colleagues who are running the affairs of this country have is the breaking of the Budget law once it has been approved by this House. Those in the Government stand on a campaign platform and tell the voters that if they do not vote for the PF candidate, there will not be any development taken to that particular area. This is contrary to social justice and the legacy of equity which the hon. Minister of Finance is trying to put in place. The hon. Minister must warn his colleagues about the wrongness of threatening voters to withhold development if they do not vote for a Ruling Party candidate during campaigns. Doing so is actually engaging in corruption.

Sir, a simple definition of corruption, according to the dictionary, is that it is a behaviour of dishonesty or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery. Let this Budget not be used for bribery and corruption.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Floor. The 2014 Budget is not inspiring. It is what I would term, in my language, as nkanga kaaye mulonde which is a game played in the village in the Southern Province by young children. This game is usually played at night.

Mr Speaker, this Budget is not different from the previous ones that have come through this House. The people of Dundumwezi have continued suffering before the eyes of the PF Government.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear! 

Mr Sing’ombe: Our colleagues in the Government have, so far, not addressed any challenges in the constituency. The only thing that the people of Dundumwezi are happy about is the appointment of the ‘Lion of Mbole village’. That is the only thing that they view as a source of happiness in their lives.

Mr Speaker, His Honour the Vice-President, last year, visited the Southern Province, Dundumwezi in particular, and a number of projects were suggested to him. However, it is sad to note that, in the 2014 Budget, we see nothing that addresses the many challenges that the people of Dundumwezi are going through. Earlier this year, in April, the Head of State also visited Dundumwezi. He met twenty-seven chiefs from the area and a lot of challenges were brought before him. However, this Budget does not address any of those challenges. This is why I say this is a nkanga kaaye mulonde type of Budget.

Interruptions

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, if we allow this nkanga kaaye mulonde type of game …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Continue reminding me what that means.

Laughter 

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, nkanga kaaye mulonde is more or less like hide and seek. Even in a home, if you allow children from another family to do nkanga kaaye mulonde in your home, sometimes, there are a lot of dirty things that happen. Similarly, I think the PF has allowed nkanga kaaye mulonde to be played in its Government and that is why we are now seeing a lot of problems.

Mr Speaker, personally, I always sit with my family on a monthly basis to come up with a budget for our home. First of all, as a parent, I should know my children better. I should know which schools my children go to so that I buy appropriate uniforms. I should also know what kind of food they eat so that I do not starve them. I cannot just go into town and start buying school uniforms for my children before knowing the specifications. I will end up buying wrong sizes and types of uniforms. This is what I see in this Budget. Allocations have been made without knowing the specific challenges faced by our various constituencies.

Mr Lufuma: Hanjika.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, before the Government can come up with a budget for the nation, there is a need to scan the whole country in order to address its various challenges. The Government must ascertain the problems various constituencies are faced with. After that, then, it can sit around the table and look at how to minimise these problems. 

Mr Speaker, however, I note that the PF seems to have forgotten what it was telling the people during the campaigns before coming into power. This Government does not seem to have the conveyer belt to take what it promised the people of Zambia in the various constituencies. It is clear that, indeed, it does not have the capacity. This is why His Excellency the President ended up coming to this side and picking some of the best brains to serve in his Government and help him explain certain developmental projects to the people.

Interruptions

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, it is also clear that the Head of State has even failed to find good people from the Back Benchers on your right to serve in the Government. We have seen that Hon. Mwila has not been replaced since he resigned as an hon. Deputy Minister because the Head of State has failed to find a replacement. His Excellency the President has appointed all the capable people to serve in his Government and now there is no one left. Even when Hon. Miyutu left that Government, he failed to replace him.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, that Government has no capacity.

Interruptions

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, I want to state that the Budget has not inspired the people of Dundumwezi. We have had people killed in Dundumwezi and this Budget does not address that problem. A number of people have also been shot dead in various constituencies. It was just last week when I asked the hon. Minister of Home Affairs whether the Government would bring in the required human resource once hon. Members of Parliament constructed police posts using the CDF. He assured the House that the Government is ready to do so, but what I see now in this Budget is something else. Where is he going to find women and men to operationalise the police posts that some of us are planning to construct?

Mr Speaker, some of us have gone around our constituencies and decided to use part of the CDF to construct health posts. I have three health posts in my constituency whose construction is almost complete and, in the next four or five months, they will require health personnel. Alas, this Budget does not address that particular issue. This means that these health posts will be unmanned in 2014 and 2015. This is why I keep repeating that this is a nkaanga kaye mulonde type of budget.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Hanjika.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, I just stated that the only thing that the people of Dundumwezi have appreciated is the appointment of the ‘Lion of Mbole Village’ in the Southern Province. However, I now see that this Government is about to embarrass him.

Mr Lufuma: Who is this lion? Tell them.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, how do you appoint a great man like Hon. Daniel C. Munkombwe without giving him matching resources?

Laughter 

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, the present hon. Deputy Minister for the Southern Province retired in 2011 as a great man. I thought that, in future, especially when the United Party for National Development (UPND) takes over power, we were going to construct a university named after him in the province, like has been done for Paul Mushindo in Muchinga Province. I see problems if we suggest such a name because you have not given him …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Just by way of guidance, let us desist, by all means, from debating ourselves.

You may continue, hon. Member.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, I want our provincial hon. Minister to be given enough resources to bring development to the Southern Province and Dundumwezi in particular. 

Mr Speaker, I also want to state that the people of Dundumwezi were so happy when the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock visited them. He saw a number of challenges. Our animals have no water. We use boreholes to fetch water for animals under difficulties. However, I have seen that the visitation that he made was in vain because all the challenges that he saw have not been addressed in this Budget. At the moment, our animals in Dundumwezi are starving and this Budget does not bring any …

Hon. Government Member: Hope.

Mr Sing’ombe: … hope. 

Mr Speaker, in the Budget, we have been informed that the Government will not be recruiting. This means that we will not have veterinary services in our country or Dundumwezi in particular. We will not have camp officers. Therefore, I fail to believe that the PF is a pro-poor Government because I have not seen anything coming to Dundumwezi. 

Mr Speaker, Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa has just said that if we are to share the 150 classroom blocks amongst constituencies, it means that Dundumwezi will only have one classroom constructed and that is nothing compared to the challenges Dundumwezi is facing in education. 

Mr Speaker, lastly, let me talk about the CDF. I have just distributed the CDF to all my schools and all the 300 headmen in my constituency. The feedback that I have from the people is that I should not be surprised by the late disbursement because the Head of State, when he visited the palace of Chief Chikanta, said that there was no way that the people there could receive development because he first had to deliver development where he comes from. He said this and it is on record.

Mr Kambwili: Question!

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, it is on record. He said that there was no way he could take development to the Southern Province or to constituencies represented by the Opposition before he takes development to the PF constituencies. He said it and the people just reminded me that I should not be surprised because that statement was made by the Head of State.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, it is sad that people can continue suffering when we have a Government in place …

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

A point of order is raised.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise this very serious point of order and I apologise to my dear colleague for disturbing his nkaanga kaye mulonde debate.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

What does that mean?

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, that is what he has called the Budget and he has explained the meaning.

Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member in order to insinuate that the Head of State told the people in his constituency that he would not take development to them …

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Kampyongo: … without laying the evidence on the Table? He knows very well that some of the big developmental projects that are on-going in the Southern Province, which the people of the province have been crying for over the years, for example, the Bottom Road …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. Kampyongo: … are underway.

Hon. Government Members: And the airport.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Airport is standing.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, Choma is developing into a provincial headquarter. Is he in order to bring the name of the Head of State into public ridicule in the manner he has done? I need your serious ruling.

The Deputy Chairperson: order!

The serious ruling is that do not debate through points of order.

 Hon. Sing’ombe, you may continue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, I want to state that what I have said is what the Head of State said.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, this is also something that we have proved as hon. Members of Parliament. Kalomo District bought earth-moving equipment for Dundumwezi Constituency, Kalomo Central Constituency and Mapatizya Constituency in Zimba District. What has happened is that our equipment has not been released because the PF-held constituencies, and to be specific, Kanyama, Munali and one constituency in Muchinga, it should be Chinsali, did not pay the shipping company some money which was supposed to be paid. That company has said that it will not release our equipment until these three constituencies pay what is due to it. Why should we suffer when we have paid in full? Should we suffer because we have the PF Government in power? 

Mr Speaker, it is clear that the PF Budget for 2014 does not mean well for the people of Zambia and the people of Dundumwezi in particular. I want to challenge the hon. Ministers that as they stand to debate, they should tell me exactly what is going to Dundumwezi. This is because, to me, this Budget is not different from the many that have been presented to this House. For the past one year, nothing has gone to Dundumwezi apart from salary increments to civil servants. However, it is so sad to note that there will be no more recruitment.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima (Kasenengwa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Motion on the Floor of the House.

Mr Speaker, in the preamble, the hon. Minister of Finance talked about the strength of the country’s peace and unity. Indeed, this comes as a driver for the theme for the 2014 Budget which is “Moving Forward to Consolidate Growth and Social Justice in Peace and Unity.” I cannot agree more with the hon. Minister. Indeed, moving forward to consolidate growth and social justice needs peace.

Mr Speaker, as I continue, I want to state that a budget is nothing, but a financial document used to project future income and expenses. To do this, implementation of the Budget is key in order to make it successful.

Mr Speaker, peace and unity are key to ensure that we move forward. Thus, this theme really fits in so well. However, the question is: Is this theme really attainable? I find this Budget, fake, unspecific and, indeed, not attainable. This is because when I look at the aspect of peace and unity …

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

The word ‘fake’ is unparliamentary. May you substitute it with an appropriate word.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word ‘fake’ and replace it with the phrase ‘not inspiring, unattainable or not specific.’

Mr Speaker, we know that the Budget is supposed to be SMART and …

Hon. Government Members: Eeh, eeh!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I hear some people saying, “eeh, eeh.” This shows that you have not done economics.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, being a smart budget simply means being specific and measureable and for the rest of the characteristics of a smart budget, go back to school.

Interruptions 

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, in implementation, two cannot walk together unless they agree.

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order! Order!

Let us consult less loudly. You heard the hon. Member say that some people are saying, “eeh, eeh,” meaning they have not studied economics. She is just reminding us that if we are appreciating her debate, we should say, ‘hear, hear.’

Please, continue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, as it is said, divided we fall and united we stand.

Sir, since the coming of the PF Government into power, we have not seen the unity and peace that this Budget is talking about except for the disunity in the many by-elections that have been conducted. This has caused discomfort to the Opposition side, and yet we are key to the implementation of this Budget.

Mr Speaker, we have seen the in-fighting among the top leadership of the PF, and yet it is supposed to be the key manager in the implementation of this Budget. Like I said, how can the top leadership implement it if it does not agree? The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance and, indeed, the Office of the Vice-President, are supposed to agree and co-ordinate together as they implement this Budget.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, these wrangles are the reason I doubt that this Budget will be implemented. There is insubordination where a junior staff stood up to say, “I do not report to you,” and yet this junior staff is supposed to submit to his/her seniors.

Sir, apart from that, we have heard about the self-confession of corruption amongst the leaders and this is worrying. Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa described corruption as a cancer which should not be tolerated. We have seen people like His Honour the Vice-President failing to take the mantle of leadership by not exposing the hon. Ministers who are corrupt. Where is the leadership there? This is worrisome.

Mr Speaker, we have heard about tribalism and this is also worrisome. Sometimes, I wonder whether it means that the Eastern Province has the worst hon. Ministers. I am asking myself whether this is the tribalism that the PF is talking about. Why do I say so? We have noticed that the hon. Ministers who were dropped hail from the Eastern Province. The hon. Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs were dropped. Some hon. Ministers were moved to Diplomatic Service. All these hail from the Eastern Province. Is this tribalism at work? I am concerned as a hon. Member of Parliament from the Opposition side.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, when the PF came into power, the first affected …

Mr Bwalya: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to raise this very serious point of order. We all know and had to swear that we would protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia and that we would also pay allegiance to the President of the Republic of Zambia, and that is what the people of Lupososhi Constituency are saying. Is the hon. Member on the Floor of the House in order to question the presidential prerogative on the appointments and reshuffling of hon. Ministers when she knows very well that the power to do so is vested in the Head of State?

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

I understood her contribution to mean that she was bemoaning the removal of hon. Ministers who hail from one side of the country and, according to her, she thought that, perhaps, it bordered on certain ‘isms.’ 

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: That is just an opinion. Therefore, the ruling is that she was in order to debate because when your turn comes, you will reply, and I hope decisively.

Please, proceed.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, the most controversial by-elections that we have ever had were in the Eastern Province in Chipata Central and Petauke Central. I wonder why. 

Sir, the first thing that the PF Government did when it came into power was to reduce the Eastern Province to a small province by taking away Chama. I want to mention that this is the only separation that has been done to date. Is this based on hatred or tribalism? Is this what the hon. Minister of Justice means when he talks about tribalism? What is it?

Mr Speaker, as regards the CDF, many hon. Members in this House have lamented the discriminatory manner in which the CDF has been distributed. I want to add that, actually, when we received the CDF in the Eastern Province, we also suffered the same setback of late disbursement in Kasenengwa, Chipangali, Sinda, Petauke and Chipata Central constituencies. All these constituencies did not receive their CDF on time like other constituencies did. We have just received it now when the full council has already passed. This means that we can only submit our projects when the full council sits again in December. This shows that we will lag behind. Nevertheless, I am not surprised by this. During by-elections, I have heard hon. Ministers state that hon. Members of Parliament from the Opposition will fail to bring development. Is the delay in distributing the CDF what they meant? 

However, Sir, I am delighted to know that, indeed, the people of Kasenengwa, in particular, and Zambia in general have eyes and ears. They have been seeing what is happening and will stand to defend us.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, the only constituencies which received the CDF on time were those that are PF sympathisers, namely Luangeni, Nyimba, Kapoche and Msanzala constituencies. This is evidence of the greatest segregation.

Sir, I will move to job creation. The President’s Speech on page 27 talks about the creation of 316 jobs. The Budget talks about having created 58,000 jobs and the 200,000 more jobs to be created. The question is: How will this be done amidst the job freeze? This Government has spoken about freezing the recruitment exercise, and yet, again, it says that it is going to create 200,000 jobs. This is contradictory and it is based on things such as this that I say this Budget is not realistic. On one hand, it is talking about freezing the recruitment exercise and on the other hand, it is talking about creating jobs. 

Mr Speaker, according to the International Labour Organisation, a decent job is one that promises an opportunity to prosper. The work environment should allow a worker to prosper and advance in order to grow professionally. The worker should have rights at work, social protection and be entitled to social dialogue. These facets can only be found in a decent job which should be permanent.

Sir, if the Government is going to freeze recruitment, then, this means that it will create jobs through the Pave Zambia 2,000 km Road Project and the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project. However, these are casual jobs …

Mr Mulenga: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, I am a very decent man …

Laughter 

The Deputy Chairperson: Just like every hon. Member of Parliament is decent. Make your point of order.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, what I mean is that I do not actually rise on points of order unnecessarily. 

Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member of Parliament for Kasenengwa, who is debating so loudly, in order to mislead this House and the nation that this Government is contradicting itself in that it has stated, under the micro-economic indicators, that it shall create 200,000 jobs, and yet has suspended or deferred recruitment? 

Mr Speaker, when the hon. Minister of Finance …

The Deputy Chairperson: What is your point of order?

Mr Mulenga: Sir, is she in order to mislead the House when, on page 3 of the Budget Speech, the hon. Minister of Finance was very categorical by stating the following: 

“The Sixth National Development Plan has been revised to align it with the PF Government’s development agenda. At the centre of the plan is an ambitious job creation agenda in the …” She should listen. “… agriculture, tourism …” 

The Deputy Chairperson: You have debated your point of order.

Hon. Member for Kasenengwa, you can continue.

Laughter 

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, it states that there will be a job freeze and a job freeze means deferment. As I continue, permit me to ask where these 200,000 jobs will come from. I know that the private sector cannot accommodate the amount of university graduates that will graduate for the next two years. 

Mr Speaker, I get very worried and wonder whether this is what the youth voted for. Did the youth vote for a job freeze? Did the civil servants vote for a wage freeze?

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Ms Kalima: Sir, it is very worrying that the youth of Zambia were promised more money in their pockets, but will receive no money in the pockets. The people that will suffer the most are those in the rural areas like Kasenengwa because this Government will have implemented a job freeze during this period.

Mr Speaker, on agriculture, analysis of the Budget is very cardinal …

Mr Livune: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised and this will be the last one on this particular hon. Member who is debating.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to raise a point of order. May I also apologise to the hon. Member who is debating well on the Floor.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Sir, my point of order has to do with the decorum of this House.

Mr Speaker, I am raising this point of order on the Leader of Government Business in the House. In The Post newspaper dated 19th October, 2013, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia said Hon. Lubinda was suffering from unemployment. He said this in reaction to a letter written by Hon. Lubinda to Hon. Kabimba in relation to what the latter is currently facing in his party.

Mr Speaker, was His Excellency the President in order to demean an hon. Member …

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

May the hon. Member debating continue.

Laughter 

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, analysis of the Budget is key to its success. As we implement the Budget, it is important to carry out a situation analysis and look at the previous performances, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in order to make informed decisions. 

Sir, on page 4 of the Budget Speech, the hon. Minister states that the main reason for reduced output in agriculture was that of the outbreak of army worms at the time of planting and lower than normal rainfall in the Southern half of the country that led to reduced maize production output.

Mr Speaker, I insist that a situation analysis is very important. When we carry it out, it is important to be honest with ourselves if we are to make proper decisions as it will influence them. We notice in this analysis that the hon. Minister does not bring out the many reasons that could have led to the low output in maize production.

Sir, the late delivery of inputs was one of the reasons that contributed to the poor output in agriculture and this was because the urea fertiliser top dressing was delivered late. By the time the fertiliser was getting delivered, the farmers had not use for it. This shows that the hon. Minister failed to carry out an analysis. We have often asked where the top dressing is …

Mr Kalaba: Slow down.

Ms Kalima: It is okay. That is how I talk. We all talk differently.

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Do not be concerned with hecklers.

Continue, hon. Member.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, we have been told that fertiliser was imported from Saudi Arabia and that the many different middle companies that were used before were excluded. We see from this that we are in a crisis. We will have a problem again because of the failure to conduct a proper analysis of the weaknesses that we encountered in the previous year in order for us to perform better this time around. 

Mr Speaker, the Government talks about army worms. However, in Kasenengwa, we did not get affected by army worms, and yet still the production was not as expected. It has to be noted that the Government is not telling the truth. This Budget is not realistic. I am surprised that the Government is also attributing the low maize production to the rainfall pattern. We know that the rainfall window changed a long time ago. The Northern-Province was the area which received the highest rainfall and the onset of the rainy season was by the 24th of October, but about five years ago, this situation changed. I am surprised that this phenomenon is new to the PF Government.

Sir, if the Government was really honest with itself, it would have carried out a proper analysis to find out what it can do in order to mitigate the challenge of poor rainfall. One of the resolutions it could have come up with is to ensure that the seed companies are paid on time. I believe this would be the main solution because if it happened this way, the seed companies would invest in the proper seed varieties that would contain the problem of drought. 

Mr Kampyongo interrupted.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I am being disturbed by Hon. Kampyongo and I do not think it is fair. He has left his seat to disturb me. I will need extra time added.

Laughter 

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

I think what Hon. Kampyongo is doing is not acceptable. You cannot leave your seat to go to the other side of the divide just to disturb an hon. Member who is debating. That is not in order.

I know there is joking cousinship, but that should be reserved for the outside.

Continue, hon. Member.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, add two minutes for me because he took up my time.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, a situation analysis is very important. Hon. Lubezhi, Hon. Chenda and the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock all talked about the e-voucher system. The Government was bragging about how it was going to implement this, but has recently claimed that it has failed. This shows that there was no planning prior to the implementation. Like I said earlier, this Budget is something that will not be attainable because there is so much that is happening. 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to say that the creation of the forth party republic, the corruption, the tribalism, the failed promises, the no money in the pockets, the injustice and the in-fighting that is going on in the PF Government would have made me happy as an hon. Opposition Member, but that is not the case. The failures of the PF Government will not make me happy because I know that the MMD left a vibrant economy and we would like to find it when we take over Government in 2016. It is for this reason that I want to urge the hon. Minister of Finance to review the wage freeze, job creation and all the things that I have highlighted because as I become a proper hon. Minister in 2016, I want it to be easy for me.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! Hanjika!

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion on the Floor of this House. 

Mr Speaker, a budget is a very important tool or instrument in the raising and distribution of funds. Due to this, it is an item that excites everybody. Everybody gets interested when the hon. Minister of Finance comes to present this Budget because we have expectations. We want certain things to be done. It also equalises in terms of development throughout the country. These expectations are based on what the PF Government promised. It promised that there would be more money in people’s pockets, more jobs, poverty reduction, a people-driven Constitution and that it would table an Information Bill. The PF Government also promised to repeal the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Act, to bring about the Barotse Land Agreement, to fight corruption and reverse the decision to do away with the Windfall Tax because the country was losing a lot of revenue. These are the expectations that most Zambians were thinking this Budget would actually meet, but we were wrong. The Budget has not been able to address most of these issues as I will show in a few moments.

Mr Speaker, before I go on, I want to register that the economic policies of the PF are no different in substance from those of the MMD. We are talking about the gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, debt, taxation and various targets that have been indicated in various budgets that have been presented by PF to this Parliament. The GDP hangs around 7 per cent as it did with the MMD. Inflation rate also hangs around 7 per cent. Bank interest rates must be maintained, but as we have seen, they are pretty high despite the fact that this Government has tried to put in instruments that should lower the cost of capital. 

Mr Speaker, the MMD Government left exchange rates at about K4.70. At the moment, they are at about K5.50. This represents the depreciation of the kwacha of about 17 per cent. This has economic repercussions. We should, therefore, ask ourselves why these exchange rates, which were left by the gallant MMD, …

Mr Kaingu: Thank you!{mospagebreak}

Mr Lufuma: … reduced so much. This is a matter of uncertainties that the policy direction of the PF Government has introduced into this economy. There is less confidence in this economy.  The in-fighting in the PF hinges on confidence as well. Governance issues also boost the economy because investors are confident. However, a lot of opposition parties have been denied their freedoms and liberties, and this hinges on democracy. Democracy must thrive for foreign-direct investment (FDI) also to thrive. So, because of bad governance, we have seen a reduction in the FDI into this country.

Mr Pande: Hanjika, mwata!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, to add salt to injury, the introduction of Statutory Instrument (SI) 55 has not helped matters, in terms of policy. The investors want to know what is happening. Is this Government introducing or re-introducing exchange rate controls? All this adds to a bad environment in terms of investment. Therefore, injection of investments into this country which are the cry of the PF Government are no longer forthcoming.

Mr Speaker, I would like to talk about debt stock. Debt stock is very worrisome. It has increased at an exponential rate. In 2006, when the international community pardoned our debt through the HIPC Initiative, the debt stock was about US$500 million. To date, it has risen to K3.13billion. If we do not check this, the ultimate fate will be going back to the pre-HIPC Initiative days and this is very dangerous for this country. We are going into what is called a debt trap. US$7.2 million was what the debt was at that time, but within a few years, it has risen to K3.13 billion, and this is only international debt. When you add domestic debt, which is at the rate of US$3.34 billion, we have a current debt stock of US$6.5 million.

Mr Speaker, our position, as the UPND, is that this can be avoided by reviewing our tax system. It can be avoided by actually introducing the windfall tax. If I recall, the PF vehemently supported the re-introduction of the windfall tax. I do not know what has happened now that the party is in the Government. This is because, as the UPND, we believe that the mining sector is not contributing enough to the revenue base or Treasury of this country. Should it have been able to contribute as it fairly should, we would not have gone to the international market to get the Eurobond of US$750 dollars. So, it is important for the PF Government to review the policy of windfall tax so that the mines contribute. The PF Government should take the bull by the horn and ensure that we get what is due to us as a country.

Mr Speaker, secondly, I would also like to talk about the Budget Deficit. We are being told that the Budget Deficit is at 8.5 per cent of the GDP at the moment. This is 4 per cent more than what was planned. 

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Again, Mr Speaker, in combination with the debt stock and Budget deficit, what we have been seeing in the 2013 Budget is that there is completely nothing that has happened in terms of development. Agriculture has been left out in terms of developing the productive sector and it has not had enough capital injection into it to make it vibrant. As soon as you do not make agriculture vibrant, which is actually the biggest employer, you will not tackle poverty.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: So, Mr Speaker, the levels of poverty will remain the same as they have. Sadly, because of this debt stock and Budget Deficit, we have seen that a lot of projects in various constituencies, as you have heard from hon. Members of Parliament, have not been done. There have been pronouncements made of undertaking different infrastructure development projects such as  construction of schools, health centres and roads, but nothing has been done. The people are getting tired of hearing these pronouncements. Let us talk and walk the talk. Let us implement these projects so that the people can see the developments. We can also uplift the people from poverty through employment so that they can support their families. However, this is not happening. 

Mr Speaker, this is a sign of a stagnant economy. I am using the word ‘stagnant’ because if we look at the 2013 Budget, it was at K32.2 billion, and this year’s Budget has increased by K10.5 billion to K42.7 billion. Where did this K10.5 billion come from? Under normal circumstances, it is supposed to come from the revenue that is collected. An economy that is growing should be able to grow the revenue as well. However, this K10.5 billion is simply coming from external and internal borrowing. This is a sign of a stagnant economy. In this case, since there is this stagnation and a huge debt stock, we have to try to mitigate the effects of this debt stock and deficit. 

Mr Speaker, in the first instance, how did this happen? The Budget Deficit has happened because of unplanned projects and policy announcements which have actually attracted the necessity for the Government to spend. The establishment of seven universities has just been announced, but the implementation of this will need money. Other unplanned projects also include by-elections. There are ten unplanned elections and these need a lot of money. I am told that the holding of one by-election costs about K10 million. So far, about K100 million has been spent on the by-elections that have taken place. Such unplanned projects are contributing to the Budget Deficit.

Mr Speaker, I have a few suggestions that can work to mitigate the effects of the Budget Deficit and the debt stock. If you look in the Budget, you will find that there is a Budget line called Events Budget. I think that this Budget line should be put on freeze.

Mr Mutelo: On a point of Order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of Order is raised.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I am sorry for interrupting the hon. Member who is debating so well on this Budget. To date, Zambians are expectant because the hon. Minister of Justice promised the entire nation to spill the beans. Is he in order to remain mute by not spilling the beans which the Zambian people are eagerly waiting to hear?

I seek your serious ruling.

Laughter

The Deputy Chairperson: The serious ruling is that if the hon. Minister of Justice promised to spill the beans in an unknown domain, it puts the Chairperson in a position where he is unable to make a ruling. The alleged spilling of the beans was made in a domain that I am not familiar with and I do not even know where the beans that were to be spilt were grown. Therefore, I am unable to make a ruling on that one.

Continue your debate, hon. Member. 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, the Events Budget Line must be put on freeze. There is lot of money in that Budget line that has been allocated to events such as the Public Service Day, International Women’s Day, Labour Day, Freedom Day, Youth Day and Secretary Day, among other events. That money can be saved so that it mitigates the effects of the Budget Deficit.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: To start with, Sir, maybe the Forty-ninth Independence Day Celebrations must also be put on freeze. Come Thursday, we should all boycott the Independence Day Celebrations in order to save a bit of money.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! Hanjika.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Interruptions

Mr Lufuma: Secondly, Sir, we should restrict every department to core business and scrape off auxiliary activities as this will save us a lot of money.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, we should put a moratorium on workshops because this will save us money.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, a moratorium on travel by hon. Ministers and top civil servants will save us money. We should reduce the number of Cabinet hon. Ministers because this will …

Mr Mulenga: On a point of order, Sir.

The Deputy Chairperson: A point of order is raised.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much and I want to apologise for interrupting the hon. Member on the Floor. However, I am concerned, hence raising this point of order on the hon. Member who is currently debating. Is he in order to incite the people of Zambia on the Floor of the House to not participate in the celebration of Independence when this is a national programme? I need your serious ruling.

Mr Kambwili: Is he not ashamed?

Mr Mulenga: Sir, I need your serious ruling on this matter as this borders on treason.

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: The hon. Member for Kabompo West may continue. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Lufuma: Sir, I thank you for your usual wise counsel. 

Mr Speaker, maybe, a moratorium on all by-elections that are ill-caused other than by death should be put. It is unfortunate that His Honour the Vice-President has left, but we could save money by reducing the use of helicopters during elections.  

Laughter 

Mr Lufuma: All this is a way of saving money so that the Budget Deficit is mitigated. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, I want to touch on transport and communication which hinges directly on the North-Western Province. 

Sir, we have heard of the Link Zambia 8,000 km and the Pave Zambia 2,000 km road projects and have seen the works. These projects seem to be one-sided because they are being undertaken in urban areas alone. We have not seen any works in the North-Western Province. When we ask questions about the roads that are supposed to be worked on in the North-Western Province such as the Kaoma/Lukulu/Watopa/Mumbezhi Road, we are told that feasibility studies are being carried out. When we ask about the Manyinga/Mwinilunga/Jimbe Road, we are told that design and feasibility studies are underway. When we ask about the Kaoma/ Kasempa Road, we are told the same thing. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, does this mean that the roads in Lusaka do not need feasibility studies? Why are works going on without design and feasibility studies being undertaken? Is this a way of delaying works so that we do not benefit from the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project? By the way, the people of the North-Western Province sent me here to tell His Excellency the President and hon. Ministers that they are not happy at all because they have the short end of the stick. This is how they said it in my local language, “awamalya awa meva vumba Zambia yetu ose,” meaning only a small clique of individuals are eating well while others, the poor, are only getting the aroma of the meals. This is what is happening and it has to change.  

Interruptions

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, the North-Western Province wants change. We want development projects such as the construction of universities, roads and clinics in the province as well. Let not these projects only go to one side of the country. Equality and social justice must prevail. Let us not only talk about them.  

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Mr Mutati (Lunte): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me a chance to make reflections on the 2014 Budget. 

To start with, a budget is one of the instruments that we, as representatives of the people, use to improve their livelihood. It is one of the instruments through which the people we represent must find expression in the work that we do. At the same time, we are clothed with the burden of answering the fundamental challenges our people face. 

Mr Speaker, the first challenge is that of youth unemployment, particularly their frustration at the inability to earn a regular income. The other challenge we have is that of the child who is unable to read and count. As for the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, we have a challenge in the sub-optimal delivery of services and sometimes, some public officials who ordinarily must be warm in the delivery of services, but remain cold. 

Mr Speaker, in analysing the Budget, we have seen that the total revenue collected over the last two years has increased by almost 100 per cent, and yet the contradiction is that the levels of poverty, with increasing revenues, remain significantly the same. This means that there is growth, but we are leaving progress behind. Perhaps, this answers, in part, what Hon. Hamududu said. Indeed, there is growth, but perharps it is percolating, hence inclusive growth is not being achieved. Growth must be represented in the instrument of the Budget. 

Mr Hamududu entered the Assembly Chamber and shouted “Hear, hear!”

Laughter 

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, there are a number of areas that we can address ourselves to.

Mr Speaker, a key concern is that in any model, in the budget formulation, the total revenue collection must, at least, match remunerations, recurrent expenditure and deal with the debt burden. However, because our Budget cannot balance properly, we have to borrow to consume. This model is not sustainable. The answer that we must register for ourselves, therefore, is that any deficit financing or borrowings must not find residence in the room of consumption. We must not borrow only to balance our consumption. 

Perhaps, Sir, what the hon. Minister of Finance should do is put a cap on the 2014 Budget so that, at least, a portion of domestic revenue is used for capital expenditure so that we do not grow using deficit financing. We must be able to reduce recurrent expenditure and put a cap of, at least, 10 per cent as we approve this Budget. It will help. 

Mr Speaker, we must look at the fiscal burden being placed on the monetary policy. This colossal burden, particularly this year, which we should address next year must not distort the macro-economic fundamentals. We can deal with this structural deformity fundamentally by firstly addressing the impact of the deficit on monetary policy. 

Mr Speaker, the second factor is the implementation capacity. Clearly, we have no poverty of ideas. Our challenge is implementation. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, our challenge is to try to narrow the gap between the intentions and our ability to implement. We must try to narrow the gap between what has been approved by the Budget and Budget implementation. This is the challenge that we must begin to address. We want growth, but leave progress behind. 

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Finance secured a bond, but the receiving entities were less prepared for its absorption. This is where you grow and leave progress behind. So, as we proceed, let the receiving entity be put on check that they do not receive money until they have properly appraised projects so that when the money becomes available, it finds them ready.

Hon Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, that will delay the course of idle funds, which has an impact on the economy. 

Sir, we promulgated the Decentralisation Policy. In order for this policy to be effective, let us shorten the journey for transactions. What I mean is that, because this money moves from one place to another, this creates delay and red tape. There is a feeling that, in order to control, you must write a cheque. I think at the centum, our job should be to co-ordinate activities. We must be able to make a decision, particularly that the Ministry of Finance, as part of the Decentralisation Policy, disburses the CDF directly to the constituencies …

Hon Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: … and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing merely monitors the utilisation of those funds. That way, we shall shorten the journey of the funds and, in turn, encourage physical and financial decentralisation. 

Mr Speaker, what we must consider also is that while we want to expand infrastructure at a fast pace, consideration must be given to prioritising the infrastructure that will help grow the economy. The Zambian economy is export-led.

Mr Mufalali: Quality.

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, if we have an export-led economy, the intervention in infrastructure expenditure must be associated with those assets that will enable us to be able to accelerate our export move.

Hon Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, the borders that permit quick exports must be attended to so that we can use that to grow the economy to create the jobs that are actually needed. Those must be prioritised together with the bureaucracies associated with boosting the export base.

Mr Mufalali: Quality.

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, that is critically important. In 2013, the hon. Minister of Finance made a routine allocation to the manufacturing sector through the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) of US$20 million. I think for 2014, he needs to take an extra step and create a Venture Capital Fund to allow our people to access money at a relatively cheaper cost. We must move from what we allocated last year, that is US$20 million, and create a Venture Capital even through the DBZ in order to support the growth of our private sector. From the cabbings that we do under recurrent expenditure, let us divert some of this money to a Venture Capital Fund that will help us to grow the economy.

Mr Speaker, one of the issues that has been raised by the private sector time and again is the journey in the modification and changes in the Companies Act. I think for 2014, we must make it a target that we carry out those necessary revisions, but we should be mindful that the revisions that we undertake are able to motivate investment and create a framework of appropriate corporate governance by defining the responsibilities of all the players. You cannot have a chairperson without a board.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: Those are the things that the modification in the Companies Act must deal with going into 2014. Mr Speaker, as representatives of the people …

Ms Kalima: Point of order.

Mr Mutelo: Continue. Hanjika, mwata!

Mr Mutati: … I do know that even for 2014, we are going to borrow. For me, it is not the quantum of the borrowing because I do know that the ratios are not important. However, what is important is that when we borrow, we find projects ready for execution.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutati: Mr Speaker, when we borrow, the funds acquired must be spent so that we create the capacity for the economy to grow itself and the ability for us to be able to repay. When you borrow and put money in the bank, you are actually sub-performing. For 2014, I trust that the hon. Minister of Finance will not be the borrower, but will only support the institutions that want to borrow. That way, they will be put on guard and do a proper job. We have to change our methodology. Going forward, …

Hon UPND Members: Yes going forward.

Mr Mutati: … we need to have a cap on recurrent expenditure because it is inducing the deficit. My colleague from Kabompo West, enumerated the areas where expenditure can be cut, but to make it simple for this Parliament, we can just put a cap of 10 per cent on all recurrent expenditures. That money shall be channeled to create a Venture Capital Fund for the purpose of investing in the economy and creating those jobs that are badly needed.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Chairperson: Order!
ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______ 

The House adjourned at 1813 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 23rd October, 2013.

________________________________________ 

WRITTEN REPLIES TO QUESTIONS

DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS’ PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS

127. Mr Chipungu (Rufunsa) asked the Vice-President why the Government had allowed District Commissioners (DCs) to publicly campaign for the Patriotic Front (PF) during Parliamentary and local government by-elections.

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, DCs are the highest ranking civil servants at district level. However, despite this being so, they are bound by the Public Service Code of Ethics like any other civil servant. The code does not permit Public Service employees to engage in partisan politics and are required to execute their mandates professionally. Consequently, the Government has and will not allow Public Service employees to engage in partisan politics by campaigning for any political party.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

LWELA BRIDGE REPAIRS

128. Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication:

(a)    when the Lwela Bridge, which connects Milenge Boma to Senior Chief Milambo’s area, would be repaired;

(b)    what had caused the delay in repairing the bridge; and

(c)    what the estimated cost of the project was.

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, the damaged Lwela River culverts were assessed and a 30 m bridge has been proposed for construction in 2014. However, temporary measures to repair the existing structures were undertaken to make the road passable. The delays were due to budgetary constraints. The estimated cost for construction of the 30 m bridge is at K10,000.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

MILENGE HIGH SCHOOL’S OFFICIAL OPENING

129. Mr Mbulakulima asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a)    when Milenge High School would be officially opened; and

(b)    what had caused the delay in opening the School.

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, Milenge Secondary School is expected to be officially opened in 2014 as soon as the contractor finishes the external works which include water, electrical and sewer reticulations. The delay in opening the secondary school has been due to budgetary constraints which led to the contract being split into two phases. Phase I includes the construction of classroom and administrative blocks, laboratories, boarding facilities and teachers’ houses, while Phase II includes external works which are water, electrical and sewer reticulations and sports fields. The contractor was first awarded Phase I of the contract in 2008 and Phase II in 2013. However, considerable progress has been made towards completion of the school.

I thank you, Sir.

HEALTH CENTRE CONSTRUCTION IN KAFWANKA

132. Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe) asked the Minister of Health:

(a)    whether the Government had any plans to construct a health centre in Kafwanka area in Chembe Parliamentary Constituency;

(b)    if so, what the estimated cost of the project was; and

(c)    if not, what immediate measures the Government had taken to provide health services in the area.

The Minister of Health (Dr Kasonde): Mr Speaker, a health post has been earmarked for construction in Kafwanka area in Chembe Constituency under the India Line of Credit Project to construct 650 health posts countrywide. This is illustrated in the 2013 Infrastructure Operational Plan.

Mr Speaker, the total cost of constructing the 650 health posts is US$55 million.

Mr Speaker, the people of Kafwanka area are currently accessing health services from nearby facilities such as Kabongo Rural Health Centre.

I thank you, Sir.

SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION IN CHEMBE

133. Mr Mbulakulima asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education whether the Government had any plans to construct the following in Chembe Parliamentary Constituency:

(a)    a secondary school in Lingomukuta; and

(b)    a primary school at Kashila.

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, the Government is constructing secondary schools across the country. Currently, Milenge Secondary School is under construction in Chembe Constituency and another contract has been awarded to construct Chembe Secondary School on the other side of the constituency.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education is now in the process of upgrading some of the primary schools into day secondary schools and Lungomukuta is among the proposed schools to be upgraded. The intention of the ministry is to increase access at secondary school level because the current space at the old secondary schools is limited and cannot meet the current demand.

Mr Speaker, Kashila is one of the proposed sites for construction of a primary school. The current problem which this site has is its inaccessibility to the road, which has five streams with collapsed culverts. The site can only be accessed using a motor bike. It is hoped that Milenge Local Authority, in collaboration with the hon. Member of Parliament who is also a member of the council, will ensure that the site becomes accessible.

I thank you, Sir.