Thursday, 16th March, 2017

Thursday, 16^th March, 2017

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

______

MOTION

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that Standing Orders 20, 21, 22(1), 26 and 32 be suspended to enable the House to sit from 0900 hours until conclusion of the Business of the House tomorrow, Friday, 17^th March, 2017; hear the President’s Address; and to omit the Vice-President’s Question Time from the business of the day.

Sir, as the House is aware, Article 86(1) of the Constitution of Zambia, as read together with Article 9, and Standing Order No. 11, require the President of the Republic of Zambia to attend Parliament and report to the House on the application of Constitutional values and principles. In this regard, His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has decided to address the House and the nation at large tomorrow, Friday 17^th March, 2017, at 0945 hours.

Mr Speaker, Standing Order No. 20 provides that the House shall sit from 0900 hours to 1300 hours on Fridays and suspension of business for twenty minutes at 1040 hours, while Standing Orders 21 and 22(1) provide for the procedures for automatic adjournment. Standing Order No. 26, on the other hand, provides for the daily routine of the Business of the House while Standing Order No. 32 provides for the Vice-President’s Question Time. This Motion is moved to suspend the aforementioned Standing Orders in order to facilitate the special address by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia in accordance with the Constitution.

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

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, indeed, this is a non-contentious Motion. Further, it is in line with our Constitutional mandate, since we have all sworn to defend the Constitution. Adherence to the Constitution is very important and we all look forward to seeing that done.

Mr Speaker, the national values enshrined in our Constitution are a yardstick for measuring who we ought to be and who we are, as a nation. They are the defining tenets of our citizenship, nationhood and governance, including the Government/citizen relationship. So, it is important that the country be briefed on the progress that has been made towards the attainment of the defining values and principles of our nation. It is equally important that the nation hears where we are in terms of these national values and principles because they are indicative of whether we are a failing or succeeding State. I am sure we all know that some States on the African continent can be defined as failing States. One of the causes of failure is a lack of values and principles to shape the destiny of those countries by defining the Government/citizen relationship and the parameters for governance.

Sir, it is important that we will be told where we are vis-à-vis the Constitutional values and principles. Hopefully, the debate that will be generated from the President’s Address will be prolific and profound enough to catch the attention of all citizens in the different corners of the republic. That is very important because in a democracy, citizens need to be informed of and critically evaluate the state of the nation, including the values upon which their nation is founded. Of course, that debate, if informed by a strong media, especially the private media, would go a long way in building the nation.

Mr Speaker, as indicated by Her Honour the Vice-President, this is a non-contentious and welcome Motion.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Mwashingwele (Katuba): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to debate the Motion.

Sir, as stated by Her Honour the Vice-President, this is a non-contentious Motion. However, in agreeing with it, I have an appeal to make.

Sir, my appeal is that women’s rights be included in the President’s Address tomorrow because gender-based violence (GBV) is coming back on the Zambian scene, which is quite disheartening. There are many other problems that plague women not only in the fields, but in the professional world, too. So, we want to hear the President talk about the protection of women, especially the women in uniform, who are often harassed on duty.

Sir, we want to hear about women being protected not because they are the weaker sex, as some think, but because they are human beings who have rights. Women’s rights are human rights. So, tomorrow, I want to hear Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, emphasise ...

Hon. Government Member: The President!

Ms Mwashingwele: ... the need to accord for our women their rightful place in society. Otherwise, people may continue trampling on women’s rights. Let me use the example of the woman in uniform who was literally harassed and almost stripped naked in her line of duty during the final match of the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Zambia won, thank God. We do not want to hear of such.

Hon. UPND Members: Shame!

Ms Mwashingwele: Women lawyers and media practitioners are also being harassed. So, again, we want to hear the Republican President assure us of protection from those who feel powerful, regardless of how close or far they may be from him. His protection is what will guarantee our safety in this country.

Sir, protection of women is an essential element of democracy and good governance. By the way, when I talk about GBV, I am talking about the protection of every Zambian, male or female, even when we differ in opinions. So, I am not segregating the men.

Sir, I thank Her Honour the Vice-President for moving this welcome Motion.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

The Vice-President: Sir, I am glad that Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa acknowledges the fact that the values and principles that we hold dear in this country are the bedrock of our State.

Mr Speaker, the unanimous adoption of this Motion has definitely given me a sense of hope for our country. Evidently, we, as the Legislators, see the value of the anticipated address by His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Question put and agreed to.

__________

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

THE ROLL-OUT OF THE SUPPORTING WOMEN’S LIVELIHOODS COMPONENT UNDER THE GIRLS EDUCATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND LIVELIHOODS PROJECT

The Minister of community Development and Social Welfare (Mrs Kabanshi): Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to issue a statement on the roll-out of the Supporting Women’s Livelihood (SWL) component of the Girls Education, Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) Project.

Sir, the GEWEL Project is a new initiative by the Government, with the support of the World Bank, to increase access to livelihood support for women and secondary school education for disadvantaged girls in extremely poor households in the selected districts. The project commenced in April, 2016, after the signing of the agreement between the Government and the World Bank.

Sir, the project has three components, namely:

Keeping Girls in School;

Supporting Women’s Livelihoods; and

Institutional Strengthening and Systems Building.

Sir, the Ministry of General Education is responsible for implementing the Keeping Girls in School component while my ministry is responsible for implementation the Supporting Women’s Livelihoods component and identifying girls from Social Cash Transfer Scheme (SCTS)-supported households for enrolment on the Keeping Girls in School component in sixteen districts. The implementation of the Institutional Strengthening and Systems Building component cuts across three ministries, namely Gender, General Education, and Community Development and Social Welfare. The Ministry of Gender is the overall co-ordinator of the entire project. The total funding for the project is US$65 million over five years, broken down as follows:

Component Amount (US$)

Supporting Women’s Livelihoods 36,000,000

Keeping Girls in School 25,780,000

Institutional Strengthening and System Building 3,220,000

Mr Speaker, allow me to report on the progress on the implementation of the SWL component.

Sir, SWL component will be implemented in the fifty-one districts of the country over five years in a phased manner. The phases of the component will be as follows:

Phase Number of Districts

I 11

II 20

III 20

Total 51

Sir, the districts will be from all the ten provinces of Zambia and the component is planned to reach a total caseload of 75,000 households.

Mr Speaker, the intervention will target the following households:

extremely poor;

those whose bread-winners are women aged between nineteen and sixty-four years old, and fit for work;

those keeping children under the age of eighteen; and

those not benefiting from the SCTS.

Mr Speaker, the selected women will be trained in life and business skills, including savings, and given a productivity grant to assist them finance their livelihood activities. Further, the project will facilitate linkages to other services for the beneficiary households, such as access to markets.

Sir, a twelve-member Project Implementation Unit has since been established at the ministry headquarters under the Department of Community Development. Further, to ensure that we have a robust targeting mechanism to select the most deserving households for enrolment on the programme, my ministry has completed the two phases of testing the selection criteria. The ministry is also committed to ensuring that the selection of beneficiaries is done before the end of the second quarter of 2017.

Mr Speaker, the ministry has so far developed the payment strategy, which will support disbursement of grants to the beneficiaries once selection and training activities are completed. The strategy will encourage potential payment providers to set up payment platforms in the implementing districts, and sensitise the beneficiaries on selection of payment providers. In places where the payment providers cannot provide their services, alternative mechanisms, such as actual cash deliveries to the beneficiaries are being explored by my ministry.

Mr Speaker, allow the successful uplifting of women’s livelihood depends on linkages to other support services, such as markets. To this effect, my ministry held a linkages consultative forum last year, which led to the development of a linkage strategy that identifies the private or public institutions best suited to provide services to the women and contribute to their success. The other activities still in progress include:

procurement of motor vehicles for the eleven districts in the first phase;

procurement of furniture;

procurement of motorcycles, bicycles, marine vessels; and

development of the management information system.

Sir, all these activities are meant to improve the capacity of the implementing districts. Further, to address the concerns that may arise during project implementation, a grievance redress mechanism will be developed.

Mr Speaker, the steps that will be taken immediately include training of communities and reorganisation of community structures. The selection of beneficiaries will start in April, 2017.

Mr Speaker, allow me to reiterate my Government’s commitment to empowering women in this country. As you all know, women contribute a lot to the economic development of this country.

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

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ng’onga: Ema Minister, aba.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, you are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement issued by the hon. Minister of Community Development and Social Welfare.

Mr Mbangweta (Nkeyema): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for her statement. However, is she in a position to share with us the names of the eleven districts selected for the first phase of this programme and the criterion used to select them?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, as a working Government, we try to spread the social protection programmes …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kabanshi: … as evenly as possible. However, this programme will be implemented in the districts where we have not implemented the Village Banking Project.

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the eleven districts are as follows:

Province District

Copperbelt Lufwanyama

Eastern Petauke

Luapula Lunga and Samfya

Muchinga Mafinga

North-Western Zambezi

Northern Chilubi and Mungwi

Central Itezhi-tezhi

Southern Gwembe

Western Nalolo

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, most programmes of the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare very important, especially for the empowerment of the women. However, the hon. Members of Parliament are only involved at their inception or when problems arise during implementation. What role will we play in the implementation of this programme?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the departments of Social Welfare and Community Development have offices in every district. So, I encourage all hon. Members of Parliament to visit our offices to get all the necessary information and get involved. We have an open door-policy.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kundoti (Luena): Mr Speaker, this programme is quite exciting. However, my question is on the Keeping Girls in Schools component. Most schools in the rural areas have no boarding facilities and, consequently, many girls rent private accommodation. Such girls often fall …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, on the right!

Mr Kundoti: … pregnant and drop out of school. What will be done to resolve this problem, especially in Luena, where I come from?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, as I went round the country, I observed that problem. However, all I can say is that the Government is concerned about empowering the girl child. Therefore, it has engaged the World Bank, through the Ministry of General Education, to fund the construction of more boarding schools. We hope that more co-operating partners will come on board and help us provide build more boarding schools for our children. This programme is the beginning, and I think we will make progress in resolving the problems.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the ministry is exploring ways of transferring the money to beneficiaries in areas where there are no banking services, and the Social Cash Transfer Scheme (SCTS) has faced some problems in that regard because the payment managers remove an amount before paying the beneficiary. What measures has the ministry put in place to ensure that the beneficiaries will get all the money?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, under the SCTS, the money is now disbursed electronically to the beneficiaries. We engaged the banks to participate in this programme so that the money reaches the beneficiaries without anybody tampering with it. The stakeholders have shown interest in this programme, which will also be implemented electronically.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Chonya (Kafue): Mr Speaker, it is, indeed, elating to hear a statement that focuses on girls and women, considering that there is so much gender inequality in our society. That said, the hon. Minister stated that the project commenced in April, 2016, and that it has a budget of US$65 million. How much has been disbursed by the World Bank, so far?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I do not know the amount that has been disbursed, so far, but I think it is negligible. Currently, we are raising awareness in the communities, but most of the project funds are intact. I can provide the information to the House tomorrow or at a later date.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chibanda (Mufulira): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that the Keeping Girls in Schools Project will be implemented in sixteen districts. What criterion used to select those districts and how much has been allocated to each?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the girls who will benefit are supposed to come from vulnerable homes. So, under Phase I, we targeted districts with high poverty levels.

Mr Speaker, this is a pilot project that will cover only sixteen districts. If we receive support and there is a need to extend it to other districts, then, we shall do that.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that statement. That said, she has indicated that the criterion for selecting women to participate in the Supporting Women’s Livelihood Project has already been established by her ministry. Who will be responsible for the actual selection of the beneficiaries? Will it be officers in the ministry, the Ward Development Committees (WDCs) or other establishments?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, there are community members we use for targeting the vulnerable people all over the country. That is the structure we will use to target select the women who will be put on this programme. However, the girls who will be targeted under the Keeping Girls in School Project will have to be those SCTS-supported homes.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Ngulube (Kabwe Central): Mr Speaker, on behalf of the people of Kabwe Central, I would like to know why all these Social Cash Transfer Scheme (SCTS) activities, such as village banking, by-pass us when we are the most disadvantaged provincial capital in this country. All the industries have closed down and the headquarters for the Zambia Correctional Service and many public institutions that were headquartered there have been moved to Lusaka. So, what do the people of Kabwe need to do for them to be put on these programmes?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, survey data shows that the poverty levels in Kabwe are at 33 per cent while the extreme poverty rate is at 17 per cent. If you look at the districts we have selected under the SWL Programme, such as Nalolo ... (Looked for documents among her papers).

Interruptions

Ms Kabanshi: Mwalufya kabili, imwe bene.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Meaning?

Mr Ngulube: Luapula technology.

Ms Kabanshi: Sir, the poverty levels in Nalolo are at 92 per cent with extreme poverty being at 76 per cent. So, Nalolo has been put in the first phase because it is one of the most vulnerable districts in the country. We want to help the people who are suffering there.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Tambatamba (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for her inspiring statement. Programmes like this one, which target the vulnerable, poor and hard-to-reach, are very inspiring to our constituents. For example, the people in Nyoka and Mbulumunene in Kasempa are extremely hard to reach.

Sir, which districts are in the second and third phases?

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have already mentioned the names of the districts in the first phase. The following are the districts under the second and third phases:

Phase Districts

II Chitambo, Mpongwe, Sinda, Mambwe, Mwansabombwe, Chienge, Milenge, Rufunsa, Chama, Manyinga, Luwingu, Nsama, Kaputa, Pemba, Chikankata, Sinazongwe, Sikongo, Nkeyema, Sioma and Limulunga.

III Luano, Chisamba, Ngabwe, Masaiti, Chingola, Chadiza, Nyimba, Chipili, Luangwa, Shibuyunji, Ikeleng’i, Mwinilunga, Zimba, Kalomo, Siavonga, Mulobezi, Mitete, Sesheke, Shangombo and Luampa.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Tambatamba: Abash!

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, we thank the World Bank for this initiative. I am sure that institution wants to see the impact of the programme on the girl child in terms of education. How will the Government ensure fairness in the rolling out of this programme? Further, the hon. Minister has indicated that the programme will be piloted before being rolled out. Is that the wish of the World Bank?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the money that the Government was given for this programme is for 14,000 girls and we targeted the most vulnerable districts in the country so that we address inter-generational poverty. Working with the World Bank and the Central Statistical Office (CSO), my ministry is well-placed to know where there is poverty, starting from the areas of highest prevalence going all the way down. Therefore, we know where the services are needed the most.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, I think that Chama District has the highest rate of child marriages in the country, at 37 per cent. Of that, 32 per cent are school dropouts. Could the hon. Minister shed more light on the criterion used to select the districts. She has not answered that question. Did she take into account factors like the scenario I have described for Chama District regarding child marriages and school dropouts?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, indeed, we took all those issues into account.

Sir, this Government is committed to ensuring that as many girls as possible are empowered. For example, in the 2017 Budget, the hon. Minister of Finance has increased the allocation to the Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS), which we use to sponsor children from vulnerable homes. Our hope is to target more people in each district. We have covered all the districts under the PWAS. What we need to do is see how we can increase the numbers of those to be put on bursaries.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Mulyata (Rufunsa): Mr Speaker, in rural areas, it is mostly the chiefs and indunas who know and understand their people better. As the local leadership, they would be of great help to this programme. So, why is the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs not among the implementing institutions?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I want to emphasise that my ministry works with the communities, through the Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWAC), which are chosen by the community and often include chiefs or village headmen. The CWACs are the ones that identify the beneficiaries.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Gwembe, you may ask your question on points of clarification.

Ms Chisangano (Gwembe): Mr Speaker, my question has been overtaken by events. I just thank the hon. Minister for including Gwembe among the beneficiary districts.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisopa (Mkushi South): Mr Speaker, Luano is made up of two parts, namely the plateau and the valley. The valley is where Government provides relief food year in and year out. Which criterion did the hon. Minister use to assess the vulnerability of districts and arrive at the percentages? As far as I am concerned, the valley of Luano District has higher vulnerability than some areas chosen.

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, Zambia has been mapped down to the ward level and we know the poverty levels in each area. The hon. Member for Mkushi South, therefore, should not worry because we will take the money where it is most needed. We do not want to leave anyone behind.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Katuta (Chienge): Mr Speaker, when will the second phase be implemented?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the second and third phases will be implemented in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

I thank you.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, my question concerns the keeping of our girl children in school.

Sir, annually, between 11,000 and 16,000 girls fall pregnant and drop out of school. We would need hundreds of chambers this size to accommodate that number. That is how many school-going girl children we lose to pregnancies annually. Is there a component on sexual and reproductive health, particularly sex education and family planning, in the project design?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, we are working very closely with the ministries of General Education and Higher Education, and issues of sexual and reproductive health and everything else that goes with the subject has been incorporated in the Ministry of General Education School Curriculum.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Mr Speaker, what is the ratio of the funds that will be used to run the programme vis-à-vis those that will actually be spent on the beneficiaries? There have been times when Government programme funding has leaned heavily on the operations rather than the beneficiaries.

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have mentioned the amounts being spent on administration and on the actual project.

Sir, to keep girl children in school and women empowered, the amount allocated is … Let me check. I cannot remember where it is.

Mr Mwiinga: Baiba!

Laughter

Mr Ngulube: Ema language, aya!

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the amounts that will be spent on supporting women’s livelihoods, keeping girl children in school and on implementing the institutional strengthening and system building components are US$36 million and US$25.78 million and US$3.22 million, respectively. From these amounts, the ratio can be calculated.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, I commend the Patriotic Front (PF) Government for coming up with such comforting programmes for elevating the underprivileged to a higher profile. However, the mode of transport that has been mentioned, that is, motorcycles, does not befit the transport needs of the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBSs) and inspectors of schools. Which people does she have in mind when she says that her ministry will work with the Ministry of General Education to implement this programme?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, what I meant about my ministry working with the Ministry of General Education is that my officers will go out into communities and identify beneficiaries while the Ministry of General Education will release the funds for the payment of school fees and other necessities for the girls. Further, my ministry intends to buy Land Cruisers, boats, motorcycles and bicycles to ease the movement of those who will reach out to all the beneficiaries across the country.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nanjuwa (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, I did not hear in which phase Mumbwa is. Further, what is the time frame for the implementation of the whole programme?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the implementation of the programme will be from this year to 2020.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: What is the position of Mumbwa, hon. Minister?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have to check through my list. I hope I will be able to find it.

Ms Kabanshi checked her papers.

Sir, I think the name has gone missing.

Laughter

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have not found Mumbwa on the list. However, since we are implementing other programmes, Mumbwa will be covered in a programme called Village Banking.

I thank you, Speaker.

Mr Mwiinga (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, for which specific programmes to support the girl child is this funding intended in the Ministry of General Education?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the intention to keep girls in school is meant to reduce the gap between the boys, and girls’ access to education. I am sure the hon. Member is aware that there are very few girls who finish school. Therefore, we want to keep them in school so that we can reverse that trend. When girls finish their education, they will be better mothers while the Government will benefit from their participation in the economic development of the country.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwene (Mangango): Mr Speaker, how much will each beneficiary get from the US$36 million grant in the component on supporting women’s livelihoods?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, firstly, the women will be empowered and mentored. Secondly, they will be given K2,000 seed money.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mweetwa (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, borrowing the vocabulary of my former lecturer, Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, I want to place it on record that I am extremely disappointed with the Patriotic Front (PF), which the hon. Minister has repeatedly called a working Government on the Floor of the House.

Sir, the hon. Member of Parliament for Luena asked what the ministry intends to do to keep girls in schools given some challenges that he specified. In her response, the hon. Minister has said the ministry will do more if her ministry receives more money from donors. My question is: Why is this Government relying on donors to fund life-saving programmes like the one we are discussing and the Social Cash Transfer Scheme (SCTS), and the works on the drainage system in Lusaka being funded by the American Government, yet for trips abroad, such as the one to Israel, in which the President went with a big entourage, including half the Cabinet, money is not an issue?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ng’onga: Question!

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, what is coming out of the hon. Member is bitterness ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: mwaona manje!

Mrs Kabanshi: … because this effective Government is working very hard to keep 14,000 girls in school.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kabanshi: Additionally, we are building eighty secondary schools to keep our girls safe from people like you, hon. Member, who is a vulture feasting on our girls.

Mr Mweetwa smiled.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Mrs Kabanshi: Sir, is he in order?

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Let us have some order.

Mr Mung’andu: Ema Minister, aba!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Please, withdraw that reference, hon. Minister.

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

Mrs Kabanshi: I withdraw that reference, Mr Speaker.

Sir, what I wanted to say is that this is a working Government and that it is implementing programmes that are changing people’s lives. We are investing in people’s lives and transforming communities. That is why the donors love us. So, the hon. Member should not be jealous.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kabanshi: I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa left the Assembly Chamber.

Mr Mwale: Uyenda kuti, iwe?

Mr Speaker: I think we need to conclude.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: We have been on this statement for some time now.

Mr Michelo rose.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Bweengwa, I have taken note of you. You can resume your seat. There is no need, henceforth, to indicate, and I will not announce the list of names that I have. So, do not indicate. Otherwise, it will be in vain.

Mr Nyirenda (Lundazi): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mung’andu: Ema sibweni, aba!

Mr Nyirenda: Sir, my question to the hon. Minister is almost similar to the one asked by the hon. Member for Mumbwa. Has Lundazi not been included on the list of beneficiary districts or has she just omitted it? Maybe, she can check for me again.

Laughter

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for being so concerned about the people in his constituency. However, we are only implementing this programme in fifty-one districts. All the other districts not covered by this programme will be taken care of by another programme called Village Banking.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mulunda (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, since the hon. Minister has said that the donors love us, what is the fate of the districts that have not been covered by this programme?

Mr Speaker: She has just answered that question.

Princess Kucheka (Zambezi West): Mr Speaker, what is the targeted number of girls per district? Further, is it uniform in all the districts?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the number cannot be uniform because the poverty levels in the districts vary. We look at the statistics and where there is more poverty, we put more girls on the programme so that we break the inter-generational poverty cycle. The idea behind this programme is for us to reduce the gap between the haves and have-nots.

Sir, I cannot mention the number we are targeting in each district because they are not uniform. It all depends on the poverty levels of each district.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mukata (Chilanga): Mr Speaker, just like the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare has various empowerment programmes and, year in and year out, we hear of monies being disbursed. However, we do not seem to see a turnaround in the lives of the people on those programmes. We need to hear of classic cases of people who were empowered and have now been weaned off. We want to hear testimonies of people who were helped and can now sustainably take care of themselves. Does the hon. Minister not think that her ministry lacks the capacity to appraise, monitor and evaluate the businesses of beneficiaries, and that, perhaps, it is time the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry started managing those funds through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC)? I believe the beneficiaries are being assisted through businesses, but the ministry does not have the capacity to monitor the businesses.

Mr Kampyongo: It is not business.

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, for Hon. Mukata’s information, my ministry deals with the most vulnerable people in society and prevents people from engaging in things like deforestation because those are the kind of things to which people resort due to poverty.

Sir, under the SCTS, we are empowering the vulnerable to invest in agriculture. That is why I support the Ministry of Agriculture and would like to ask the hon. Minister of Finance to work with it so that they give us extension workers in the communities.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabanshi: This is because most of the monies that we give the beneficiaries of our programmes are invested in agriculture. A person that is given K250 can buy a goat or two chickens and can change his or her life because these are people who had not had the chance to have even K1. Now, we give them K90 every month, ...

Mr Mwale: Yes, yambuzi.

Ms Kabanshi: … and they are able to plan what to do with the money. Unfortunately, we cannot wean off the disabled or aged. However, now, we also have an integrated system for targeting youths, child-headed homes and widows.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I know the SCTS is not yet in Hon. Mukata’s constituency, but we will reach Chilanga because we know that there are people there who need of this programme. They should be able to participate in the businesses about which the hon. Member talked.

Sir, we have a monitoring system and, every three years, we go on the ground. So, when this programme goes to Chilanga, I think we will work together with Hon. Mukata.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, yesterday, I heard the hon. Minister of General Education talk about some money for building schools. Today, the hon. Minister of Community Development and Social Welfare has also said that about K65 million will be provided by the World Bank. Are the two hon. Ministers talking about the same funds?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, ministries in the PF Government do not work in isolation. The ministries of General Education; Higher Education; Chiefs and Traditional Affairs; Gender and Community Development and Social Welfare have been working together in fighting early marriages, for example. Therefore, it is important for me to mention the boarding schools that will be built by the Ministry of General Education because that will enable more girls in this country to access education services. We implement our programmes as one Government because we have only one goal, which is to make our country develop and attain middle income status.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ng’ambi (Chifubu): Mr Speaker, I commend the hon. Minister for coming up with the initiative to support the girl child, which is consistent with an earlier initiative to provide sanitary pads to school girls. However, even urban constituencies have some peri-urban areas with extremely vulnerable people and girls cannot go to school and, especially, reach Grade 12 because they are forced to rent houses or walk 15 km to their schools. Therefore, it is important for the hon. Minister to take that into consideration. My question is: Does the ministry have any programme to assist girls in urban areas?

Mr Ngulube: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I think the hon. Minister has addressed that issue. Nonetheless, she can repeat her response.

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, we do not want to leave anybody behind. As I have said earlier, we run a programme called Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS), which pays schools fees for boys and girls. However, we always target more girls than boys, and we are very lucky that the budgetary allocation for the programme has been increased from K6 million to K16 million. So, we will target more vulnerable people, although in the areas where we are not implementing this programme.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Fungulwe (Lufwanyama): Mr Speaker, my question has been overtaken by events. However, I just want, on behalf of the people of Lufwanyama, to commend the hon. Minister for this programme.

I thank you, Sir.

Princess Mwape (Mkushi North): Mr Speaker, the border between Mkushi North and Luano is just a road. So, why has Mkushi North been omitted from the list the hon. Minister read out when the two places are next to each other and have the same poverty levels? They are like Siamese twins.

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have already said that this programme is only being implemented in areas where we are not implementing the Village Banking programme, and I know very well that we are implementing the Village Banking programme in her constituency. So, that is why it is not on this list.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Mr Speaker, huge sums of money are being used to empower the girl child. After some years, more girls than boys will be empowered and boys will be vulnerable. What is the ministry doing about that?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, we are empowering only 14,000 girls, but the need is far greater. Most households support boys, but not the girls. That is why the gap between the girls and boys accessing school is big. So, we want to narrow it.

Sir, this programme will be implemented over five years only. However, I think that the PF Government, which loves development very much, will extend it after we see the impact that will be created on the ground.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Mr Speaker, this programme that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is implementing is very good. However, Central Province has about eleven districts, but only two are benefiting from this programme. Will there be a fourth phase of the project to cater for other districts where poverty levels are high?

Ms Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, there are other programmes that we are implementing, including the Women Empowerment Programme, in which we give small grants to women to enable them to participate in the economic development of their areas; the SCTS; and the Food Security Pack (FSP) Programme in which we give fertiliser and seed to the vulnerable. I hope we will improve those social protection programmes so that they can cover the areas we have not covered this time.

I thank you, Sir.

________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH POSTS IN KAFULAFUTA CONSTITUENCY

189. Mr Kabamba (Kafulafuta) asked the Minister of Health:

how many health posts were earmarked for construction in Kafulafuta Parliamentary Constituency;

when the construction works would commence; and

what the time frame for the completion of each health post was.

The Minister of Health (Dr Chilufya): Mr Speaker, six health posts have been earmarked for construction in Kafulafuta Constituency under the Indian Line of Credit, namely Kansamfu, Ishitwe, Munkulungwe, Mbotwa, Mpulabushi and Mobe.

Sir, the construction of the seven health posts has commenced and all are at the slab level.

Mr Speaker, the project contractor in that region has slowed down the works because he is awaiting the release of funds by the Ministry of Finance. So, the time frame will only be determined when the funds are made available.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, when the hon. Minister was away, the then Acting Minister of Health, Hon. Prof. Luo, told this House that the India Line of Credit, which he has just mentioned, has been closed and that the construction of health posts under that project would only resume when funds became available. Further, the hon. Minister of Health once mentioned on the Floor of the House that the Zambia National Service (ZNS) would take over the execution of the project. Consequently, Muchinga Province in general and Chama South in particular, and Luapula and the Northern provinces have been affected by the lack of progress in the implementation of the project. Now, he has told us that the works on health posts in the Central Province have started. Are those works under the Indian arrangement or are other means being used?

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, to begin with, let me clarify that Kafulafuta Constituency is on the Copperbelt Province. That said, the company that is constructing the health posts in question is different from Angelique International Limited, which was contracted to construct the health posts in Muchinga, the Northern, Luapula and the North-Western provinces, but the contract was later terminated. The contractor for the Copperbelt Province is Jaguar overseas Limited. The contract we are talking about today is about counterpart funding.

Sir, the projects in Muchinga, Northern, Luapula and North-Western Province have been affected because the contract with Angelique International Limited was terminated, and the money that is being sought from the Ministry of Finance is for the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to take over the construction of the remaining health posts in those four provinces. So, for now, we await the release of those resources from the Ministry of Finance so that the ZNS can mobilise and commence the construction, including in the hon. Member’s constituency. So, the statement made by Hon. Prof. Luo is consistent with what I have said before on the Floor.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, I appreciate the hon. Minister for coming here and proudly giving us a time frame for the construction of all the clinics, including those in Kafulafuta. I do not know whether the hon. Minister of Finance released the counterpart funding then and whether it has been swallowed up now. However, my question is: When will the health posts be completed?

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, I agree that we gave a time frame based on the projections that were made then and the expectation that money would be released as budgeted for. However, there has been a delay in the disbursement of the counterpart funding, resulting in a corresponding delay in the project in four provinces, including the North-Western Province. The delay on the Copperbelt Province is because Jaguar Overseas Limited has not yet had its Letter of Credit (LC) opened because of the delay in the release of the counterpart funding. We will come back to the House with the rescheduled project timeline based on the projected release of money.

I thank you, Sir.

CONSTRUCTION OF KALUNGWISHI HYDRO POWER STATION

190. Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Energy:

what the status of the construction of Kalungwishi Hydro Power Station was;

what had caused the delay in commencing the project; and

what the time frame for the completion of the project was.

The Minister of Energy (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, the Kalungwishi Hydro Power Project involves the construction of power stations at Kabwelume Falls, with a 96 MW capacity, and Kundabwika Falls, with 151 MW capacity, at a cost of US$690 million. The project will also include the construction of a 220 km 330 KV transmission line from Kasama to Mporokoso. The developer, Lunzua Power Authority (LPA), was selected as the preferred bidder through an international competitive bidding process in 2007 and the implementation agreement was signed in 2011, following the completion of the optimised feasibility study.

Sir, the status of the implementation of the project is as follows:

the developer, LPA, and Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) are negotiating a power purchase agreement (PPA);

the developer is currently undertaking the environment and social impact assessment (ESIA); and

the developer has found an equity partner and the mobilisation of financial resources is in progress.

Sir, the main causes of the delay in the implementation of the project are:

the initial developer, Kalungwishi Power Authority (KPA), was unable to find a good equity partner; and

a delay in the conclusion of the PPA negotiations due to the low tariff regime in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, we have agreed with the developer and the new equity partner, Global Lake, that the ground-breaking ceremony for the project will be in October, 2018, and that the project be completed in October, 2022.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, I wish to remind the hon. Minister that the people of Kaputa, Kawambwa, Mporokoso and Nsama have been waiting for this project for quite some time now. Since there were factors that caused this delay, such as the search for an equity partner, how sure is he that this project will now take off? We want to go and inform the people in our areas.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, I assure Hon. Ng’onga and the people of Kaputa, Mporokoso and the neighbouring districts in Northern Province the Government plans to diversify the generation of power from the southern region of the country to the northern region. So, the construction of the Kalungwishi Hydro Power Plant is one of our strategic projects despite the setbacks that the developer has in finding an equity partner. Initially, the equity partner was Quantum Power, which I think did not have the necessary financial investment ability. As I said, this project requires a US$690 million investment. However, I assure the hon. Member that the current equity partner has both the financial and technical credibility.

Sir, I do not want to bore my colleagues by giving out too much information. I am doing so because of the significance of the project.

Sir, at one point, we almost terminated the agreement because the project was taking too long; more than ten years, to commence. However, when Global Lake, which is part of the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC), came on board, we felt that we had found a partner with an international reputation in financial mobilisation and the technical ability to execute the project.

Sir, by July, 2018, we need to hold the ground-breaking ceremony for the project and the developers know that if that deadline is not met, the project will be terminated.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Ms Katuta (Chienge): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member of Parliament for Kaputa for this question because the project in question will also be implemented in my constituency.

Mr Ng’onga: Yes.

Ms Katuta: Sir, when the hon. Minister talks of the ‘‘developer”, is he referring to Olympia Milling, which I believe does not have the capacity to execute this project? Could he, please, clarify because I am pretty sure that the people of Chienge are listening to us.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the developer is LPA. Of course, Olympia Milling is part of that group.

Ms Katuta: Yes.

Hon. Government Member: Order!

Mr Mabumba: Sir, the setback in the implementation of the project was a result of the developer being unable to find an equity partner after it was given the concession to develop that project through a competitive bidding process. Now, LPA has engaged Global Lake, which is part of the CDC of the United Kingdome (UK) equity partner. As I have said, Global Lake is, by international standards, one of the most reputable companies in the construction of power projects across the world. Therefore, it has the technical and financial ability to execute that project with LPA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

CONSTRUCTION OF CONVENTION CENTRE IN LIVINGSTONE

191. Mr Jere (Livingstone) asked the Minister of Housing Infrastructure Development:

when the construction of a convention centre in Livingstone would commence;

what had caused the delay in commencing the project;

what the cost of the project was; and

what the time frame for undertaking the project was.

The Minister of Housing Infrastructure Development (Mr Chitotela): Mr Speaker, the construction of the convention centre in Livingstone was supposed be commence under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, which initiated the project in 2014. The tender for the design and building of the centre was advertised in 2014 and the evaluation of bids received was concluded in the same year. However, the contract was not awarded because the Treasury could not confirm the availability of the K50 million that was required for the project. Consequently, the project has since been shelved, but it is proposed for implementation under a public-private partnership (PPP), as Livingstone is a very attractive destination.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

TARRING OF CHIPATA/VUBWI ROAD

192. Ms Miti (Vubwi) asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

when the tarring of the Chipata/Vubwi Road, which stalled in 2014, would resume; and

what had caused the delay in resuming the project.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, the works on the upgrading of the Chipata/Vubwi Road are expected to resume as soon as funds for the project are released by the Treasury.

Sir, the project has delayed to resume due to fiscal challenges, which led to delayed payments to the contractor. I must state, however, that the Government has started releasing funds for projects, including for the Chipata/Vubwi Road works.

Sir, the amount spent on this project by a company called China Jianxi amounts to K190 million, of which the Government has paid K150 million. We expect the contractor to move back on site and continue with the project immediately after the rainy season.

Sir, the contract sum is K529 million.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Miti: Mr Speaker, the Vubwi/Chipata Road is very important to the people of Vubwi. Apart from being an economic road, we also use it to transport our patients to Mwami and Chipata. Unfortunately, it is in a bad shape. So, as I go back to the constituency next week, what assurance should I take to the people of Vubwi, who have been waiting for the road to be completed since 2014?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I drove on that road when I toured the area and I have since instructed the Road Development Agency (RDA) to start paying the contractor working on it. In December, 2016, we released K10 million to the contractor and we should be able to release a further K20 million before the end of next week. After that amount, we will owe the contractor a K10 million balance. Further, talked to the contractor and was assured that he was on site waiting for the rainy season to end after which he would resume works. So, the people of Vubwi will soon see the works on the road resume. That is my assurance to them.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, hon. Ministers have a preponderance to use the word ‘releasing’. It has become the ‘in’ word in their vocabulary. For example, yesterday, we heard the hon. Minister of General Education talk about ‘realising’. Now, it is the hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development using the word.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Sir, now that the rainy season is in full swing, has there been preparations for variation of the contract due to damage caused by rainfall to parts of the road that have already been worked on? Is the Government prepared to make variations and release the money on time?

Mr Mutelo: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I will restrict myself to the Chipata/Vubwi Road, which is still under the charge of the contractor.

Mr Nkombo interjected.

Mr Chitotela: It has not yet been handed over to the Government. Therefore, it is still the responsibility of the contractor to repair any damage to any portion of it. The responsibility only becomes the Government’s after the road has been handed over by the contractor and the defect liability period, which is usually one year, has elapsed. Further, I cannot talk about variation orders until we see a need for some works that were not part of the original scope of works to be undertaken.

Mr C. Zulu (Luangeni): Mr Speaker, I agree with Hon. Miti that the road in question is very important. For example, there is evidence of the occurrence of minerals like gold in that area. The road also goes to Zozwe.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr W. Banda: The legendary Zozwe!

Mr Kampyongo: It is true.

Mr C. Zulu: Sir, Hon. Miti asked a question relating to the bridge on that road about two weeks ago and the hon. Minister promised that it would be worked on within two weeks. When will that bridge be worked on?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, when the question on the bridge was raised, I summoned the contractor and instructed him to make the bridge passable before resuming the works on the road so that the movement of people is not disrupted.

Sir, part of the road is in Luangeni Constituency and the contractor has done a fantastic job on that stretch of it, with up to 95 per cent of the works done. The contractor is doing a good job. So, I assure the people of Vubwi that we are committed to seeing that road completed.

Mr Speaker, the Government has paid more than K150 million of the K190 million contract sum, which shows its commitment. We want the road to be completed in record time.

I thank you, Sir.

DEPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS TO NANGOMA CONSTITUENCY

193. Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma) asked the Minister of General Education:

when additional teachers would be deployed to schools in Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency; and

how many teachers would be deployed to various schools in the constituency.

The Minister of General Education (Dr Wanchinga): Mr Speaker, the Government deployed thirty-eight teachers to Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency and hopes to send twenty more during the 2017 recruitment exercise.

Mr Mubika: Only?

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister is aware that teachers who are sent to rural areas have challenges in terms of ‘houcess’ ...

Laughter

Mr Hamusonde: ... or accommodation and usually run away from their stations as a result. The problem is not the non-deployment of teachers, but rather their running away from where they are deployed. So, when will the Government build enough accommodation for teachers so that they stop sleeping in classrooms? When will the Government build the ‘houcess’?

Hon. Members: Houcess?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, indeed, the issue of teachers’ ‘houcess’ ...

Laughter

Mr Mwale: It is okay. Just continue.

Interruptions

Hon. Member: Bakumana.

Mr Speaker: Continue, hon. Minister.

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, indeed, the issue of the teachers ‘houcess’ in the ...

Laughter

Dr Wanchinga: My tongue, because of flu, is a bit ...

Laughter

Mr Speaker: You can use alternative words.

Dr Chilufya: Teachers’ accommodation.

Laughter

Dr Wanchinga: I will stick to my language, Mr Speaker.

Sir, the issue of ‘houcess’ for teachers ...

Laughter

Dr Wanchinga: ... is of great concern to the Government, whose wish is to provide decent accommodation for teachers both in the rural and urban areas. However, like I have said before, we have provided hardship and housing allowances to teachers so that they are able to rent private accommodation in the areas in which they work.

Sir, we need to make the provision of decent accommodation to teachers a collective responsibility and collectively find ways of solving the problem of inadequate housing for teachers. The Government can only build houses if resources permit. No wonder, I have made several suggestions, including that of hon. Members building low-cost houses to rent out to Government workers. The local business people can also help solve this problem. That is a feasible proposition.

Mr Speaker, there is a lot of collective wisdom and experience in this House, which can be used to improve the education system. The only challenge is that people are focusing more on the issue of teachers’ houses. Schooling and learning are two different things. Therefore, as we debate on improving teachers’ houses, let us also look at the issue of improving other burning issues that affect our schools.

Mr Mwale: Mwaona manje!

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Kufakwandi (Sesheke): Mr Speaker, the issue of housing for teachers, as the hon. Minister has rightly admitted, is a very huge problem. Does the hon. Minister not think that if the Government recapitalised the National Housing Authority (NHA), that institution could solve this problem? Instead of competing with the private estate developers in the urban areas, the NHA can spread out to the rural areas and take a portion of this burden off the Government’s shoulders, as it is one of the Government institutions that are strategically placed to undertake such a task.

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, that is a very useful suggestion and I will discuss it with the hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.

Sir, this question reminds me of the former Minister of Education saying that we can have a national plan for constructing teachers’ houses using public-private partnerships (PPPs). Such are the useful ideas that we take into consideration.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Miti: Mr Speaker, schools in rural areas face the challenge of teachers, especially female ones, not wanting to work in rural areas, and I am sure Nangoma is not immune to this problem. They just use rural areas as employment points. Once posted, they only stay in rural areas for a short time after which they request for transfers to urban schools. What measures has the ministry put in place to keep teachers in rural schools? Does the ministry, for example, have any plan to improve the conditions by, at least, electrifying the schools as a way of motivating the teachers?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the ministry is addressing this issue on three levels. Firstly, it has increased the number of years teachers must stay at a school before they can request for a transfer to four. Secondly, as the hon. Member of Parliament for Luena suggested in this House, we are thinking of reviewing the pay points so that we attach the positions and salary structures to the schools to make it difficult for teachers to leave the schools. Thirdly, we will strengthen the terms and conditions on which teachers are employed so that unnecessary transfers are not easily made because they are really depriving our rural schools of teachers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lihefu (Manyinga): Mr Speaker, does the ministry have intentions of deploying teachers to newly-created districts, such as Manyinga in North Western Province?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member should be at ease because the recruitment of teachers is an annual exercise. For instance, in 2016, we recruited 5,600 teachers and, in 2017, we will recruit 5,200 more. It is my sincere hope that Manyinga will receive its share of the teachers to be recruited this year.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, in 2016, the ministry deployed thirty-eight teachers to Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency and we are told that twenty more will be deployed. What is the shortfall of teachers in that constituency?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I do not know the exact shortfall. I will consult my colleagues at the ministry and if the hon. Member will still be interested, I will bring that information to the House next time.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has always indicated that hon. Members of Parliament should invest in building medium and low-cost houses. Is he saying that those who want to invest can build houses on school premises where there are no houses for teachers?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I have tried to explain that point to the hon. Member in a note. However, I think he hon. Member is still not satisfied or, maybe, wants others to also benefit from his question.

Sir, building private property on school premises would create ownership problems, as there are legal issues involved. So, those who are willing to build houses can do so in areas as close to the schools as possible, not within the school premises.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nanjuwa (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, in Nangoma and many other rural constituencies, there is the challenge of teachers concentrating on their personal businesses like farming. In the process, they abandon their school duties. What measures is the ministry putting in place to solve this problem?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the ministry has created the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) whose responsibility will be to ensure adherence of the teachers to their code of ethics. The institution will monitor the performance of teachers and take to task those who will be found wanting. The behaviour to which the hon. Member is referring takes away the time teachers are supposed to spend with pupils. So, we are determined to bring it to an end and hope that the TCZ will be the instrument for achieving that.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Mr Speaker, are there programmes or plans to incentivise teachers in the rural areas, like it is done in other countries? If there are none, we will forever experience a high teacher turnover in rural areas.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, when I answered an earlier question, I referred to the incentives that the ministry has provided for teachers to remain in rural areas. Firstly, we provide housing and hardship allowances. Secondly, like all other teachers, rural teachers now have access to loans. Nowadays, it is common to find teachers in remote areas driving cars, which means that these incentives are working and keeping some teachers quite happy in the rural areas.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Fungulwe (Lufwanyama): Mr Speaker, as much as we appreciate that the Government recruits teachers every year, the recruitment process has been such that the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBSs) select the teachers and submit the lists to the Ministry of General Education. What criterion does the ministry use to replace teachers selected by the DEBSs, who know the people who are most likely to be content to stay and work in rural areas?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I am not aware if what the hon. Member has said is what happens in the recruitment process. What I know is that there is a national committee that sits to review applications. The District Education Board Secretaries (DEBSs) contribute to the process, but not in the manner he has put it.

Mr Speaker, it is important to ensure that teachers who are recruited have the necessary qualifications. So, there is a very stringent computerised vetoing system.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister assure the Hon. Member for Nangoma that the figures that he indicated, that is, thirty-eight and twenty, are actually additional teachers? I ask this question because the policy parameters in the deployment of teachers take into account those who have died, retired, absconded or who did not reported.

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, yes, the thirty-eight are additional teachers.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Wanchinga: If the hon. Member is interested, I can give him the breakdown of the teachers we will deploy to each school in the constituency.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr A. C. Mumba (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, in the last five years, the Government has been constructing schools at a very high cost. What is strange, however, is that when the schools are being built, there is no planning for the number of teachers that will be employed so that the school compound is constructed to accommodate that number. Since we are still building more schools, will the ministry consider auditing and confirming the number of teachers who will work at a particular school before it is constructed so that the schools are built together with houses and the provision of electricity is also planned for?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, these days, schools are constructed as a complete package. So, there is a correlation between the number of teachers expected to be deployed at a particular school and the houses to be built. We want teachers who are deployed to find decent houses in the schools. Further, the houses are built with amenities like water and electricity, which are required for a school to operate effectively, in mind. So, I do not know why the hon. Member is asking this question because that is the standard practice.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Laughter

Ms Kucheka (Zambezi West): ‘Shank’ you, ‘Mishter Shpeaker’.

Laughter

Ms Kucheka: Mr Speaker, the issue of retirees occupying school houses is a contributing factor to the problem of a lack of accommodation. Why does the Government not pay those people so that they vacate the houses?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, that is really a good question.

Sir, there are a number of retirees who continue to occupy teachers’ houses, thereby depriving new teachers accommodation. This is so because the Treasury is unable to pay the retirees their benefits on time. However, the ministry is working hard to pay their benefits. I am sure that the hon. Minister of Finance has heard that there is need to pay retired teachers their benefits on time.

Mr Mutati smiled.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that the hon. Minister of Finance had about heard the problem that the non-payment of retired teachers’ benefits was causing.

Sir, we need to pay retirees quickly to relieve the pressure on the housing stock in the ministry.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Musukwa: ‘Madam Speaker’.

Dr Wanchinga: Oh, I am sorry, Madam Speaker.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Chonya (Kafue): Madam Speaker, when is the teacher recruitment exercise likely to take place? Further, are we beginning to meet our requirement of teachers? In this year’s Budget, I think a provision was made for the recruitment of 2,500 teachers, which is a departure from the 5,000 teachers the Government has traditionally been recruiting over the years.

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, I think the 2,500 to which the hon. Member has referred will be harmonised. In fact, the total will be 5,200 teachers. As usual, the recruitment will start around July or August, 2017.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Madam Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile the staffing levels in most of the districts and constituencies, not just in Nangoma. I know that the Government has sent teachers to various schools, which is commendable. However, the teachers are being transferred immediately after they are given Payroll Management and Establishment Control (PMEC) numbers, which makes it difficult to determine the number of teachers at a given school at a given time. What is the ministry doing to resolve this situation?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, I referred to this issue in my response to an earlier question.

Sir, due to the problem to which the hon. Member has referred, we want to tie the salary structure with specific schools through provinces so that teachers who leave their original station forfeit their salary unless the transfer is initiated by the ministry. Currently, some teachers just report at the school to which they are posted and leave immediately thereafter because there is looseness in the tying of salaries to the places of work. That means the teachers will occupy salary spaces for schools at which they do not teach, thereby preventing that school from receiving new teachers. At a later date, I will update the House on the actual measures we will put in place to arrest this problem.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Daka (Msanzala): Madam Speaker, what is the Government doing about our current situation of having many teachers who have not been employed, on the one hand, and many schools with shortages of teachers, on the other? What is the Government doing to stop us from accelerating and breaking at the same time?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, the recruitment for teachers takes place at two levels. The first is the national recruitment exercise in which a big number of teachers are recruited and posted. The second is the replacement exercise in which we recruit teachers for schools to which the initially posted teachers have failed to report.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

__________

BILLS

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES

in the Chair]

THE REFUGEES BILL, 2017

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 2 – (Interpretation)

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 2, on page 10, in line 23, by the deletion of the word “religion” and substitution therefor of the words “religious beliefs”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 8 – (Authorised Officers)

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 8, on page 15, in line 32, by the insertion of the words “or other biometric information” after the word “photograph”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 8, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 14 – (Exclusion or Refusal to Grant Recognition as Refugee)

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 14, on page 19, in lines 7 and 8, by the deletion of the words “that person” and the substitution therefor of the words “there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person or asylum seeker”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 14, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56,57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 and 73 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

First, Second and Third Schedules ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

THE AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF ZAMBIA (Amendment) BILL, 2017

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

CLAUSE 5 – (Short title and commencement)

The Minister of Agriculture (Ms Siliya): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 5, on page 8:

in lines 8 and 9 by the deletion of paragraph (e) and the substitution therefor of the following:

undertake research in agricultural policy related issues;

in lines 17 and 18 by the deletion of paragraph (i); and

in lines 19 to 25 by the renumbering of paragraphs (j), (k), (l) as (i), (j), (k) and (l).

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 6 and 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 8 – (Constitution of Council)

Ms Siliya: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 8, on page 9, in lines 25 and 26, by the deletion of the words “and agricultural development”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 8, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 9, 10, 11 and 12 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 13 – (Establishment of Agricultural Registration Board)

Ms Siliya: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 13, on page 12:

in line 17 by the deletion of the word “and”;

in line 18 by the insertion of the word “and” after the semi-colon; and

after line 18 by the insertion of the following new item:

“(vi) forestry.”

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 13, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 42 – (Initiation of complaint)

Ms Siliya: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 42, on page 19, in lines 30 and 31 by the deletion of the words “upon payment of the prescribed fee.”

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 42, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 and 53 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

_______

HOUSE RESUMED

[MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

The following Bills were reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

The Refugees Bill, 2017

The Agricultural Institute of Zambia Bill, 2017

Report Stages on Tuesday, 21^st March, 2017.

_____

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_________

The House adjourned at 1743 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 17^th March, 2017.

Search form

You are here

parliament.gov.zm