DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Wednesday, 9th October, 2013 

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

____________ 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

INDEPENDENCE DAY FOOTBALL MATCH BETWEEN HON. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND DIPLOMATS

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I am pleased to inform the House that, as part of the commemoration of the Independence Day, which falls on 24th October, 2013, the Hon. Members of Parliament Football Team will play a team of selected diplomats on Friday, 18th October, 2013, at 1530 hours, at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC). Hon. Members of the football team are requested to liaise with Hon. Munji Habeenzu on the standard of physical fitness required.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: The rest of the hon. Members are implored, as usual, to support the team on the material date. 

I thank you.

_____________ 

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

CONSTRUCTION OF POLICE POSTS AT KAFWANKA AND LUNGOMUKUTA

88. Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe) asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

(a)    whether the Government had any plans to construct police posts at Kafwanka and Lungomukuta in Chembe Parliamentary Constituency; and

(b)    if not, what immediate measures the Government had taken to improve security in those and surrounding areas.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mrs Mwamba): Mr Speaker, the Government has no allocation for the construction of police posts at Kafwanka and ‘Lingomukuta’ in Chembe Parliamentary Constituency in the 2013 Budget. However, Kafwanka and ‘Lingomukuta’ will be considered in future when the Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) that the Ministry of Home Affairs is implementing is extended to cater for areas not currently captured. 

Mr Speaker, it is the wish of the Government to provide law enforcement services to all areas in the country. Therefore, in order to police and manage the security situation in Kafwanka, ‘Lingomukuta’ and surrounding areas, the Zambia Police Force conducts weekly patrol exercises in the areas.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, first of all, there is no area called Lingomukuta. It is Lungomukuta, which is near Mufulira and about 150km from Mansa and Milenge. 

Sir, the hon. Minister must be very fair. What kind of patrols are we talking about? There is no road in this area. It is an isolated area, and she is talking of …

Mr Speaker: Can you put your question forward, hon. Member.

Mr Mbulakulima: How truthful is the hon. Minister’s statement that the police conduct weekly patrols? For example, when were weekly security checks last conducted? Can the hon. Minister be honest.

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, we know that, in areas like these, the police conduct both foot and motorised patrols. The hon. Member of Parliament would not know when the patrols were last conducted because he is here in Lusaka, but they are very frequent.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, when will the Ministry of Home Affairs make the famous IDP available to hon. Members so that they are able to know whether their constituencies are being considered or not? We have heard so much about this plan, but have not seen it.

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, the plan will be made available when the Budget is approved because we cannot talk about the plan when there is no money to implement it. When the money is available, then, we will plan for all the areas where there is a need for police posts to be constructed. Thereafter, the plans will be made available to all hon. Members.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisanga (Mkushi South): Mr Speaker, which is cheaper between conducting patrols and constructing a police station?

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, I think that conducting patrols is cheaper. For example, it costs less to send officers on patrols for a week. Putting up infrastructure requires quite a colossal amount of money. That is why the development of infrastructure can only be extended to areas like the ones in the hon. Member’s constituency after money has been made available.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister has just said that patrols are conducted even on foot. We understand that this place is about 150km from the nearest town. How can foot patrols be conducted over such a long distance?

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, it is common knowledge that police officers are taken by motor vehicle to areas where there is a need for them to patrol.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

DISBURSEMENT OF THE CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT FUND

89. Mr Milambo (Mwembeshi) asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing:

(a)    how many constituencies, countrywide, had received the 2013 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as of 31st August, 2013; 

(b)    what factors were inhibiting the Government from disbursing the CDF to the remaining constituencies;

(c)    whether the constituencies at (b) would receive their CDF by 31st December, 2013; and 

(d)    when the CDF for Mwembeshi Parliamentary Constituency would be disbursed.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Tembo): Mr Speaker, fifty-six constituencies had received their CDF amounting to K72,800,000 as at 31 August, 2013.

 Sir, the factors inhibiting the disbursement of the CDF to the remaining ninety-four constituencies, whose unreleased balance is K122,200,000, include the late submission of expenditure returns on the utilisation of the CDF for 2012, which is the basis for the release of the 2013 allocation, and the late utilisation of the previous allocation by different constituencies. 

Mr Speaker, all the remaining ninety-four constituencies, including Mwembeshi, will receive their CDF before 31st December, 2013. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Milambo: Mr Speaker, the disbursement of the CDF in this country is very irregular. For example, the 2012 CDF allocation for Mwembeshi Constituency was only disbursed in the fourth quarter of that year. As for 2013, we are now in the fourth quarter, but the CDF has not yet been disbursed. Can the hon. Minister assure me that the 2014 CDF for Mwembeshi Constituency will be disbursed in the first quarter of the year?

The Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mrs Kabanshi): Mr Speaker, firstly, the absorption rate of the CDF is very slow. Secondly, returns for the money have not been submitted yet. If we had all used the money for 2012, the Treasury would have released all the money for 2013 by now.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: There was another part to the question, which was about an assurance that the 2014 CDF will be received in the first quarter of that year.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, it will depend on when the constituency will submit its returns and how quickly it will use the 2013 allocation. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, how many of the fifty-six constituencies whose CDF has been disbursed are from the Eastern Province and which ones are they?

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, it would be very difficult for me to know, off-the-cuff, which constituencies were funded. That is a new question. If he wants specific information, he should ask a new question, which I will answer later.

I thank you, Sir.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha (Keembe): Mr Speaker, the non-disbursement of the CDF is creating problems for most of our constituencies. My constituency only received the 2012 CDF on 30th December, 2012. Hon. Minister, can you lay those fifty-six constituencies that have received the CDF on the Table and tell us why they received it when they did.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I will lay the schedule of constituencies that have received the CDF on the Table tomorrow. As to why those constituencies have been funded, I think that the release of the money from the Treasury depends on when we submit the returns for the previous year.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Dr Musokotwane: … the officers responsible for executing CDF projects and submitting the returns are employees of the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. What is the hon. Minister doing to ensure that the employees absorb the money fast enough? Further, what is she doing to discipline those who do not?

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is focused and is building the capacity of councils so that they absorb the money in time. Therefore, you should give us time to build the capacity of councils because we found them in very bad state. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mooya (Moomba): Mr Speaker, some few months ago, there was an announcement that priority would be given to the development of, if I may borrow the term used, “rural rural constituencies.” Has that policy changed?

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, we have more rural constituencies than the fifty-six that received the CDF. Therefore, some of the rural constituencies received it while others did not. The latter will, nonetheless, receive their share when the next disbursement is made by the Treasury.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, this is the third year that Kalabo Central has received the CDF in the last month of the last quarter. Out of the 150 constituencies, how is it that one appears to consistently receive the CDF late in three consecutive years? How possible is it, and what criterion does the Government apply in disbursing the CDF?

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the reasons for releasing the money late has already been stated. Therefore, if the hon. Member’s constituency speeds up the absorption of the CDF and submission of returns, it will receive the money faster. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that one of the reasons for the late disbursement of the CDF is the late submission of returns. Is that the real reason, considering that some of our constituencies submit their returns early, but are not funded on time? For last year, of the K1 billion allocated, we had only one project, which was the purchase of implements, and we submitted the returns. Could we understand whether the delays are really due to the late submission of returns or that the problem is with the Ministry of Finance.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have addressed that question. To repeat, the disbursement of the monies depended on the submission of returns. Therefore, if the hon. Member’s constituency also did that on time, he can come to my office so that I go through my records, …

Interruptions

Mrs Kabanshi: … then, he will be given the money.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Mrs Kabanshi: Maybe, his constituency was overlooked by the officers in the ministry.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Habeenzu (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, let me emphasise the issue of the absorption of the funds. Chikankata District ordered graders and the documents were submitted. However, we have not received the CDF to this day. Can the hon. Minister be specific on …

Mr Miyutu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to raise a point of order. Is the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing in order to insinuate that hon. Members of Parliament need to go and parade at her office so that records can be checked for the CDF to be released? Is she in order to say that?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, as you continue to answer the questions, clarify the position. Is there a need for a parade?

Laughter

Mr Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, I was almost concluding my question when the point of order was raised. I just want the hon. Minister to be specific as to when she will disburse the funds for Chikankata Constituency because the documents have already been submitted.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have already answered that question. I said that all the remaining constituencies will receive the CDF before 31st December, 2013.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: What about the issue raised in the point of order by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kalabo Central?

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the hon. Members of Parliament are representatives of their constituencies. Therefore, it is their responsibility to follow these issues up. That is what they do even on projects like road construction, and water supply and sanitation.

I thank you, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, Milenge District Council is one of the few in Luapula that have not received the CDF, although the returns were submitted on 20th May, this year. Can the hon. Minister tell me whether all those that have been given the CDF submitted their returns before 20th May, 2013. I will go to her office to verify this. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I think that the ministry should send auditors to most of the constituencies to make sure that the money was used for the projects that were submitted. After that is done, maybe, Milenge will be funded, and that will be before 31st December, 2013.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mucheleka (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, could the hon. Minister reconcile the facts of the situation in Luwingu District. I am aware that the local authority, Luwingu City Council, submitted the returns for both Lupososhi and Lubansenshi constituencies almost at the same time. However, the information I have is that the CDF for Lupososhi Constituency was released …

Hon. Opposition Member: Double standards.

Mr Mucheleka: …while the funds for Lubansenshi were not. Why did that happen?
      
Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, the question we are dealing with is on Mwembeshi Constituency.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Mrs Kabanshi: Therefore, I am not sure, and would not know, exactly, …

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mrs Kabanshi: … if the returns were actually submitted, as claimed by the hon. Member. If he wants me to be specific on that issue, he should pose that as a separate question.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, the issues of absorption and submission of returns seem to come up time and again. Could the seemingly frequently-changing guidelines be a contributing factor to the delay in the submission of returns and utilisation of funds? I ask this bearing in mind that we have to wait for the projects to be approved by the ministry before we can implement them.

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for bringing that issue up. I think that the guidelines we use were developed by this Parliament in 1996. However, we will start implementing the Decentralisation Policy, which will include the decentralisation of the administration of the CDF from the Central Government to the districts and lower levels. Therefore, even the laws and the handling of the CDF will change. We have to align the disbursement of the CDF with the implementation of the Decentralisation Policy.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwila (Chipili): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing be specific on whether the money has not been released because of the non-submission of returns or it is because the Ministry of Finance has just not released the money. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kabanshi: Mr Speaker, I have already answered that question. The money has not been released because we have not submitted the returns. If we had done that, we would have already been given the money. Therefore, we will be given the CDF after we submit the returns.

I thank you, Sir.

LUWINGU FARMERS TRAINING CENTRE

90. Mr Mucheleka asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock when the Government would officially open the Farmers Training Centre in Luwingu District.

The Vice-President (Dr Scott) (on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Sichinga)): Mr Speaker, the Farmers Training Centre (FTC) in Luwingu District is expected to be officially opened by November, 2014. So far, an executive dormitory with sixteen self-contained rooms has been constructed and roofed. Plumbing works have also been done, including the septic tank and the soak-away. Further, the contractor has already plastered the outside while the inside is 75 per cent complete. The remaining works include electrical wiring, painting and installation of a water tank. You are happy under the PF Government.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, contrary to the answer given by His Honour the Vice-President, the information I have is that, for almost a year, if not longer, there has not been any disbursement of funds to this project. Why is His Honour the Vice-President failing to disburse the funds to this project? His Government wants to show that it is pro-poor, yet it is failing to complete the construction of a simple FTC on time.

The Vice-President:  Mr Speaker, I am not sure that the information the questioner has given me is accurate. Therefore, I will research it and get back to him.

I thank you, Sir.

KAOMA BOREHOLES

91. Mr Antonio (Kaoma Central) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development when broken-down boreholes in Kaoma District, in general, and Lalafuta Ward, in particular, would be repaired.

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Zulu): Mr Speaker, the Government has budgeted for the rehabilitation of 1,000 boreholes in 2014. Kaoma District has been included on the list of beneficiaries of the exercise.

Sir, may I mention that this question was supposed to be directed to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, which is responsible for the exercise.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Antonio: Mr Speaker, how many of the 1,000 …

Mr Mucheleka: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, last week, no Thursday, there was a question raised by Hon. Mwansa Mbulakulima on the Constitution-making process. The hon. Minister of Justice informed this House that the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution was appointed under the Inquiries Act. Is the Government in order to conveniently change the law under which the committee operates, especially towards the end of the process, and renege on the issue of the simultaneous hand-over of the draft to the President and the public? If the committee was, indeed, appointed under the Inquiries Act, does it mean that the report will be given to the President and that the members of the public will have to wait? Is the hon. Minister in order to mislead this House that the committee was appointed under the Inquiries Act? 

I seek your serious ruling.

Mr Speaker: Order!

My ruling is short. You file a question and I will forward it to the Ministry of Justice.

May the hon. Member for Kaoma Central continue, please.

Mr Antonio: Mr Speaker, of the 1,000 boreholes that the Government is assuring us about in 2014, how many are meant for Kaoma?

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, the number of boreholes is supposed to be known by the hon. Member of Parliament. He is supposed to get in touch with the local authority in Kaoma and ...

Laughter

Mr Zulu: ... submit the names of those villages and communities. It should not come from me, but ... 

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, are you in a position to provide the information?

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, no.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Simple.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, does the Government have people who inspect the conditions of boreholes throughout the country?

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, I am sure that the Ministry of Local Government and Housing has people who go round checking the boreholes.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter 

CATTLE BREEDING CENTRES FOR THE NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE

92. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga) asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock whether the Government had any plans to establish more cattle breeding centres in the North-Western Province.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the Government plans to establish more breeding centres in the North-Western Province once the current two being established are fully operational and stocked with appropriate breeding stock for farmers to access.

Sir, the Government has established and stocked Kanyama Livestock Centre in Mwinilunga with 170 cattle. The Jiwundu Breeding Centre in Solwezi District is being established and civil works, such as perimeter fencing, staff housing and holding pens have, so far, been constructed. The centre is expected to be stocked with small ruminants and cattle by 2014. Furthermore, Senior Chiefs Kanongesha and Kapijimpanga have offered pieces of land on which breeding centres will be constructed. These and other identified areas will only be developed when the two breeding centres currently being established are fully operational.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, what plans does the Government have for this project, from the establishment to the time the benefits trickle down to the intended beneficiaries?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I think, that is implicit in the answer that I gave. Obviously, I do not have a timetable, here. Otherwise, I would have let the questioner have it. However, the 170 cattle at Kanyama Livestock Centre in Mwinilunga will start calving and multiply. We also know that there is another breeding centre. So, in the next year or three, we expect the centres to make an impact.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, what type of cattle does the Government breed in the North-Western Province?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the four-legged type. I mean, that is a new question.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, according to His Honour the Vice-President, Kanyama Breeding Centre has been stocked with 170 cattle. What was the cost of the 170 animals?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, if it was my farm that the question was about, I would have been able to answer with considerable precision. As it happens, it is not. It is about 1,500km from here and it will take me some time to get that information.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, His Honour the Vice-President’s answer implies that there are only two districts in which the stocking exercise is being done. What about the other districts? Are they being considered for inclusion?

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: Mr Speaker, I rarely rise on points of order. In his answer to the question that was raised in this House about what type of cattle is raised, is His Honour the Vice-President in order to say, “The four-legged type”?    

Laughter

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: We want to know whether it is the Boran or Angoni type, not how many legs they have. Is he in order?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: His Honour the Vice-President was certainly out of order.

May the hon. Member for Kasempa continue, please.

Interruptions

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, I was saying that the answer by the His Honour the Vice-President indicates that there are only …

Mr Miyanda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Miyanda: Mr Speaker, is His Honour the Vice-President in order to respond to my question by saying that Kanyama Breeding Centre is not his farm when I already know that fact? That was why I asked …

Interruptions

Mr Miyanda: ... what the cost of 170 cattle was. Is he in order to tell me that Kanyama is not his farm?

Laughter 

Mr Speaker: That information was redundant. It is obvious that the farm in question is not the personal property of His Honour the Vice-President. Perhaps, to ensure that we make progress in this matter, for subsequent questions, I urge His Honour the Vice-President to answer plainly.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, I was saying that the answer from His Honour the Vice-President indicates that there are only two districts that are being stocked with cattle. Is the Government considering spreading this to other districts in the province?

The Vice-President: The expansion of the programme is always being considered by the Government.

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, I would like His Honour the Vice-President to give me a serious answer …

Mr Speaker: Order!

You expect His Honour the Vice-President to give you a serious answer all the time. At least, that is what I expect, and I think that everyone does.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: So, I think that the qualification is unnecessary.

Continue.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, could His Honour the Vice-President tell me, seriously, what the future of the breeding centre in Ikeleng’i District, which is opposite the source of the Zambezi River, is. What has happened and what will happen in the future?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I presume, from what the questioner has said, that the breeding centre he is referring to is not Kanyama. Therefore, since the original question was about two specific breeding centres, I do not have the information, serious or otherwise, that he seeks.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Konga (Chavuma): Mr Speaker, following the breeding of animals in the centres, will the Government re-establish the cordon line between Zambia and Angola so that the animals that will be bred can be distributed to other farmers? 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, geographically, we have moved quite a distance from Mwinilunga and Solwezi to the Angolan Border. I am not au fait with the latest thinking on the cordon line, but I know that it is under constant scrutiny.

I thank you, Sir. 

__________{mospagebreak}

MOTIONS

MOTION OF THANKS 

(Debate resumed)

The Deputy Minister for the Copperbelt Province (Mr Mwenya): Mr Speaker, before the House adjourned, yesterday, I was elaborating on the number of activities that will be undertaken by the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) on the Copperbelt. I talked about three value chains and three clusters, namely, fish production, timber processing and dairy farming, which will be done in Ndola, Luanshya, Kitwe and Lufwanyama.

Mr Speaker, K10 million has been allocated for investment in the identified clusters in the province, and each will be entitled to K3.3 million. So far, we have received 352 applications for funding. We have about 132 applications in the fish farming industry, forty-nine for dairy farming and about 171 for timber processing. All the applications are currently being assessed.

Mr Speaker, as a province, we have had two dams, St Mary’s in Lufwanyama District, and Masaiti, rehabilitated so that farmers are assisted with irrigation. We also have about fifteen boreholes that have been drilled in the province, and three districts, Lufwanyama, Masaiti and Mpongwe, have benefited.

Mr Speaker, many activities …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Mwenya: ... are being undertaken on the Copperbelt. It was for this reason that I said that it is unfortunate that our colleagues on the left are failing to see the massive development taking place in the country. However, we cannot blame them or force them to see it. If they opt to pretend not to see it, then, that is their own business. As far as we are concerned, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is taking a lot of development to our respective areas. 

Mr Speaker, one of the hon. Members on your left said that he had paid a number of people to jump on minibuses to conduct research on people’s sentiments on the performance of the PF Government. That is very unfortunate because it is another way of compromising people. As far as we are concerned, there is no need to pay people to know what the PF Government is doing. All one needs to do is go on the streets to see for oneself what is on the ground. Moreover, our districts on the Copperbelt look even cleaner than we found them. 

I thank you, Sir. 

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting (Mr Kapeya): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Motion on the Floor of this House.

Mr Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my predecessor, the late Hon. Kennedy Sakeni, who passed away on 5th September, 2013. The late Hon. Sakeni was a gentleman who promoted a culture of peace and unity among the people he worked with, including me. When he was in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the late Hon. Sakeni tutored us to be humble leaders in serving mother Zambia. He, indeed, was a leader for all. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the new hon. Members of Parliament on their victories in the race to this House. I wish them well as we work together in making Zambia a better place for all. 

Mr Speaker, I join fellow hon. Members of this House in congratulating His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, on his inspiring, focused and visionary Speech to this House …

Mr Livune: Hollow!

Mr Kapeya: … when he officially opened the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly on 20th September, 2013. After twenty years of social and economic stagnation under the previous Government, …

Hon. MMD Members interjected.

Mr Kapeya: … Zambia is poised for better times ahead under the able and visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Michael Chilufya Sata, the man of action.

Mr Livune interjected.

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, the PF Government …

Mr Speaker: Just hold on for a second, hon. Minister. 

Hon. Member for Katombola, we will see you tomorrow.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune left the Assembly Chamber.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, the PF Government came into office on, among many others, the premises of taking power to the people. There can be no better way to do that than to empower people with information so that they make informed choices and decisions in their lives. For this reason, it is the PF Government’s policy to defend and promote freedom of the press and expression. This is evident in the landmark policy pronouncements and decisions we have taken since coming into office two years ago. To achieve this, the PF Government, through my ministry, is undertaking wide-ranging and far-reaching measures and interventions. The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) is now operational after plans for its institution were shelved for over a decade under the previous Government. As I speak, we have refurbished the offices housing the IBA at the Mass Media Complex and, more importantly, recruited staff, including the Director-General, of this important organisation. The Board of Directors will soon be put in place. The names of Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Board Members will also be presented to Parliament for ratification. 

Mr Speaker, we have embarked on the modernisation of the public media institutions, namely, the Times of Zambia, the ZNBC and the Zambia Daily Mail, in line with the current global media trends. This includes making the public media accessible on the social media platforms like Facebook for enhanced public access to information. 

Mr Speaker, as part of the on-going media reforms, this Government has de-controlled and de-politicised the media in order to enhance professionalism …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Kapeya: … and editorial independence. Hon. Members of this august House will recall that, when our friends in the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) were in office, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services then became the de facto newsroom for the public media. That is now a thing of the past. The ministry is now focused on its rightful role of policy formulation, media development and ensuring that people have access to information regardless of their status or station in life. 

Mr Speaker, the Government attaches great importance to the local-language newspapers, as an important vehicle for information dissemination to the general public. In this regard, it has revived the publication of Imbila, Tsopano, Intanda, Lukanga, Liseli and Ngoma under the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS). I launched the exercise in Choma two weeks ago. Furthermore, we have decided, as a matter of priority, that ZANIS will start broadcasting news and other developmental programmes on ZNBC Radio and Television. We have also set up ZANIS offices and staffed them in all the districts of this country. Our policy is to ensure that the activities in every district of Zambia are captured and broadcast to the whole country. With regard to ZNBC Radio 1 and Radio 2, Frequency Modulation (FM) transmitters have arrived and will soon be installed in twenty-five selected districts of Zambia.

Mr Speaker, we are also encouraging every community to establish a community radio station. I am also engaging hon. Members of Parliament on a regular basis to encourage them to spearhead the establishment of community radio stations in every district. Our vision, as a ministry, is to ensure that every part of this country is given equal access to information. Further, as a pilot project, we have allocated Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for ZANIS to broadcast its programmes on ZNBC Radio and Television. This programme is already running. 

Mr Speaker, the Government, through my ministry, is also working hard to implement the Provincial Television Project (PTP), as directed by His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata. The first phase of the project is earmarked for implementation in Choma in the Southern Province and Solwezi in the North-Western Province. The tender advertisements are currently running in both the print and electronic media. 

Mr Speaker, the projects mentioned above and other developments, including the massive infrastructure development taking place throughout the country, demonstrate the Government’s commitment, vision and mission to develop Zambia into a land of equal opportunities and prosperity for all Zambians.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Zulu): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech, which was delivered at the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly.

Sir, firstly, I would like to convey my condolences to the Sakeni family on their loss. I also want to welcome the new hon. Members of Parliament. You are welcome to the party. Please, do not be intimidated by anyone. When we came here, we were called junior hon. Members of Parliament because we were serving our first term in office. I do not think that there is anything like a junior hon. Member of Parliament because an hon. Member is an hon. Member of Parliament. There is nothing like a junior or senior Speaker or President.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah, question!

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, a champion is a champion. Catherine Phiri is a champion, period. She cannot be called a junior champion. 

Mr Speaker, the objective in the power sector is to increase generation and transmission capacity in order to enhance the security of supply to support socio-economic development in the country.

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. 

Sir, is the debater, who I know to be an Independent hon. Member of Parliament, in order to tell people who have won Parliamentary by-elections that they are welcome to the party when he does not belong to any party? To which party is he welcoming them since he is an Independent hon. Member? He has not declared that he has joined the PF and crossed the Floor.

I seek your serious ruling.

Mr Sianga: Is he in order to mislead us?

Mr Speaker: Well, the word ‘party’ has several meanings the extensions of which I do not want us to have a discourse on. However, I could simply state that these remarks were made in preface and, given the earnest nature of our business, I would urge him to continue.

Mr Zulu: Mr Speaker, the power outages currently being experienced are a consequence of old generation and transmission infrastructure. In addition, projects are being implemented to develop new inter-connectors for trade and enhancement of the security of supply, both at the national and regional levels.

Sir, the Government is working together with its parastatal, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) to establish, rehabilitate or/and expand generation or transmission of power in the following power projects:

Project    Capacity    Completion Date
            (Mw)
            
    Kariba North Bank    360    March, 2014
    Extension Project

    Itezhi-tezhi Hydro         120    2015
    Power Project

    Lunzua Hydro        15    2014
    Power Plant

Lusiwasi Upper Hydro        15    January, 2015
Power Plant

Chishimba Falls    April, 2015
Power Station

Geothermal Plant at    2016
Kapisya Hot Springs

Musonda Falls    2015
Power Station

    Mujila Hydro        1.4    2014
Power Station

Lusiwasi Lower        86    2015    
Hydro Power Plant

Kafue Gorge Lower        750    2015

Sir, we also have what we call independent power producers who are implementing the following power projects:

(a)    the 50mw Ndola Energy Heavy Fuel Oil Plant, which has since been completed and will be commissioned next month. This plant will cater for the Copperbelt Province;

(b)    the 300mw Maamba Coal-Fired Thermo Plant in the Southern Province; and

(c)    the 300mw EMCO Coal-Fired Thermo Power Station, which is also in the Southern Province.

Mr Speaker, in addition, we have the following transmission projects; 

Project    Completion date

    Kafue Town/Muzuma/Victoria Falls 220kv    2013
Power transmission Line and Muzuma Sub-station

Kariba North Bank Power Station/Kafue West Substation    2013
Power Transmission Line

Itezhi-tezhi/Mumbwa and Mumbwa/Lusaka West Transmission Line    2015

Pensulo/Kasama Power Transmission Line    2013

Pensulo/Lusiwasi/Msoro/Chipata West Power Transmission Line     2013

Kafue Gorge/Lusaka South/Lusaka West Transmission Line    2017    

330kv Muzuma/Kafue Town Transmission Line    2016

Kalumbila Mine Power Supply    2014

Connection of the North-Western Province    2015
Districts to the National Grid

132kv Leopards Hill/Luangwa Transmission Line    2014

Chipata/Lundazi/Chama 132kv Transmission Line    2015

Lusaka Transmission and Distribution

Mr Speaker, the objective of the last project is to reinforce and upgrade the power transmission and distribution infrastructure in the Lusaka area as a priority to increase the capacity and improve the reliability of the electricity network for consumers throughout the area.

Sir, we also have the following regional projects:

(a)    the Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia (ZIZABONA) Transmission Interconnector, which will be completed by 2014. This project will be a joint venture for the four countries; and

(b)    the Zambia/Tanzania/Kenya Interconnector. This is also a joint venture for the three countries

Mr Speaker, we also have the 1,600mw Batoka Gorge Hydro Power Project, which is a joint venture between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The two countries will get 800mw each. Further, we have the Rural Electrification Project (REP). This year, we had twenty-one projects, of which we have, so far, commissioned four. The rest will be commissioned in the next two to three months.

Interruptions

Mr Zulu: Sir, some hon. Members raised concerns that we are fond of commissioning projects. We have to do that because we have to inform the people what the Government is doing. We cannot finish a project and just move out. People have to know about the projects.  

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Zulu: Therefore, we will continue commissioning projects and telling people what we are doing. We will, therefore, commission a number of projects before the end of this year. 

Mr Speaker, on that note, I beg to end my contribution. 

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Mbulu): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor of this House. 

Mr Speaker, I wish to join His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, and the hon. Members of Parliament who have debated before me in paying glowing tribute to, and appreciation of, the contributions of our departed brother and colleague, Mr Kennedy Sakeni, who was the hon. Member of Parliament for Mansa Central Constituency as well as hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting, to the development of this nation. 

Mr Speaker, Hon. Sakeni lived and worked well with, amongst and for us. May his soul rest in eternal peace. My condolences also go to his family and the people of Zambia, whom he served with diligence, humility, love and passion.  

Sir, I would also like to seize this opportunity to congratulate the hon. Members of Parliament who have joined this House for the first time following the by-elections that were conducted in various constituencies of the country. I also congratulate Hon. Mtolo Phiri, who has returned to the House, ... 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbewe: Wakula, Mbulu. 

Mr Mbulu: ... and the only lady, Hon. Mphande. It is my fervent hope and desire that our colleagues will serve this country with diligence and passion. 

Mr Speaker, I stand before you to unreservedly stamp His Excellency the President’s Speech with my sincere affirmation. I stamp it in affirmation because it is as reflective of our development agenda as it is envisioned by it. 

Sir, in his Speech, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, quotes one very critical statement encapsulated in the PF Manifesto. He says: 

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

Mr Speaker, to me, this statement provides the bedrock for the socio-economic emancipation of our land and its people. It is, in my opinion, the fulcrum upon which the engine for the socio-economic development of our country revolves. So, it is highly regrettable that most, if not all, of our beloved hon. Members of Parliament have chosen to shoot down such an inspiring, soothing, forward-looking and reassuring Speech. 

Mrs Masebo: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulu: Some called it hollow while others audaciously, intransigently and very impudently likened it to the movement of particles in the elementary physics theory of the Brownian Motion. This is, indeed, sad on the part of the hon. Opposition Members, who do not seem to represent the desires, wishes, reactions and views of the people they are supposed to represent. 

Mr Speaker, we have met and interacted with fellow Zambians across the country, many of whom commend and positively reinforce the PF Government for what it has attained in its short time in office. They are also able to tick the list on our development agenda for our great nation and are convinced that we are on the right trajectory; that we are fulfilling the promises that we made to the people. As per the old dictum, therefore, where it is due, credit must be given. 

Mr Speaker, as a Government, we will not be swayed by misplaced innuendos, bitterness and explosions in the manner of debate by hon. Opposition Members of Parliament. We will remain undaunted and deliver to the people of Zambia in accordance with what we promised. Our desire to make Zambia a better place to live in will be pursued with unbreakable resolve. 

Mr Speaker, as I give my ministry’s contributions to the President’s Speech, allow me to thank Hon. Silver Masebo, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chongwe and Minister of Tourism and Art, for successfully co-hosting with Zimbabwe the 20th United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly (UNWTO-GA). 

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has been able to shame its critics. On the Floor of this House, there were statements like, “Nothing is happening in Livingstone,” but the conference was a success.  

Mr Speaker, on page 23 of the Speech, the President talks about the review of the labour law. I wish to reiterate that, in order to address our labour challenges, my Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, has embarked on a comprehensive labour law review programme. As you may be aware, our laws need to be reviewed to make them conform to the ever-changing labour practices. It is gratifying to note that this Government, through the ministry, is revising all the twelve pieces of labour legislation, among them, the Employment Act, Cap 268; the Employment Act (Special Provision), Cap 270; the Factories Act, Cap 13 (1993); and the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act, Cap 276, of the Laws of Zambia. 

Sir, I wish to clarify that, in reviewing the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act, Cap 276 of the Laws of Zambia, we want to move from the previous practice of giving a minimum wage across the board. Our focus, now, is to have sector-based minimum wages, whereby the economic sectors in the country will have to be classified. For instance, the agricultural sector will have to be treated separately from the mining and construction sectors, and the wages shall be determined as such.

Mr Speaker, we are equally reviewing the National Pension Scheme Act 40 of 1996, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 36 of 2010, the Pension Scheme Regulation Act 28 of 1996, the Employment of Young Persons and Children’s Act, Cap 274 of the Laws of Zambia, the Workers’ Compensation Act 10 of 1999 and the Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management Act 11 of 1997. 

Mr Speaker, in order to afford our people further protection in labour matters, we have also started reviewing the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions that Zambia has ratified, but not domesticated, as well as those that have not been ratified. 

Mr Speaker, these conventions include Convention 100, which is about equal pay for work of equal value. This convention has not yet been ratified, but we are looking at how best it can be ratified and domesticated to suit our local conditions. We are equally looking at Convention 158, which is about the protection of workers against unfair dismissals. The Employment Act, in its current form, allows either party to terminate a contract, but the weaker party is always the employee because an employer can choose to indiscriminately discharge any employee whom they feel might not relate well with them. Therefore, this convention will also receive serious attention. The other piece of legislation that we are reviewing is Convention No. 183, which is on maternity protection. You may note, with sadness, that Zambia has not ratified this very critical convention, which protects our mothers against abuse during the time that they are on maternity leave from discrimination in places of work. As a Government under the PF leadership, we are determined to ensure that these pieces of legislation and conventions are given adequate and due attention.

Mr Speaker, let me look at the issue of productivity in the country, although I know that my fellow hon. Deputy Minister ably addressed the issue. I listened to him, courtesy of Parliament Radio. 

Sir, this country can only develop if we take the issue of productivity seriously. In our ministry, we have a Productivity Department, but we will go a mile beyond that and establish a National Productivity Centre, which will be responsible for measuring productivity in both the parastatal and private sectors. It will also be responsible for analysing the skills levels in the country to make them compatible with the dictates of the market. Evidently, the centre will be important.

Mr Speaker, allow me to talk about the job portal, which is an innovation of the PF Government. The job portal works in such a way that we will establish a website on which job seekers can post their skills, levels of education, experience and such facts required in a job situation. Similarly, the job providers will post the requirements of the jobs that they are offering. So, employers and job-seekers will be able to interface electronically and, in the process, some will get jobs. 

Sir, apart from the job portal that we have put in place, as instructed by His Excellency the President, my ministry has also embarked on a project to revamp all labour exchanges in our country, starting with all those in provincial headquarters and, later, moving to all the districts. We will remain determined to make Zambia a better place to live in.

Mr Speaker, allow me to respond to some of the concerns raised by hon. Members of the Opposition. First of all, there was a concern that the jobs that we are creating are not sustainable and that most of the people will be fired after the contracts of employment have been terminated. The bottom line is that what determines the nature and longevity of one’s job is the contract that an individual enters into with the employer. Therefore, it must be appreciated that a job is a job despite the length or tenure of its contract. It should also be appreciated that, in whichever country that has developed in the world, infrastructure had to be built and, where infrastructure has to be built, people have to be employed. In Zambia, as long as we build roads, bridges, schools and hospitals, people will be required to work. The determinant factor of the tenure will be the contract entered into. 

Mr Speaker, let me express my concern over the changing of goalposts in the manner we debate here. Only last year, we had a very intelligent debate by Hon. Dr Musokotwane. One thing I learnt from it was that there is no finishing line in politics. In leadership, there is no finishing line either, meaning that there must be guarantees for continuity all the way through. Otherwise, leadership is always in perpetual succession. Amazingly, this year, my neighbour here, a well-respected professor, has given another twist to the idea. My professor says, “Your President is a rider.” Wherever you find rational and normal leadership, a leader will be a rider. There must be continuity. That is why Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” There must be someone to start the foundation, then, we all continue from there, period. You cannot abandon the good works that other people started, even the bad works, like the roads that were left by the MMD Government. We had to finish them because it was a challenge that we had to surmount. Apart from that, …

Mr Mtolo: Drink some water now.

Mr Mbulu: I do not need any for now. 

Mr Speaker, apart from that inconsistency, I have some lessons to pick from my professor’s contribution. Perhaps, it explains why the MMD killed the industries. It was because, for them, all the good works of Dr Kenneth Kaunda were to be abandoned for fear of being referred to as riders. That is highly regrettable. I now understand why Zambia Airways was closed.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulu: I also understand why Dunlop and Mansa Batteries were closed. 

Mr Speaker, as I end my debate, I wish to urge all Zambians to be patriotic and live above partisan politics. This country has to change and move to another level of development because it belongs to all of us. What brings us together is Zambia, nothing else. If you become polarised, it will take another four generations for Zambia to change.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

The Deputy Minister for Muchinga Province (Col. Chanda): Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for giving me this rare opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Speech that was delivered by one of the most distinguished sons of Africa, namely, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, our President.

Mr Speaker, in the first instance, it is with a great sense of loss and grief that I convey my sincere condolences to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, the PF Government and the Sakeni family on the untimely demise of the late Hon. Kennedy Mumba Sakeni, Member of Parliament for Mansa Central, whom we put to rest recently. We, in Muchinga Province and Kanyama Constituency, will definitely miss his charm and charisma. 

Mr Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to welcome the new hon. Members of Parliament who have joined this august House. However, I am amazed at the logic, level of excitement and self-aggrandisement of the hon. Members on your left. The only party that gained from the recently-held by-elections was the PF. I have heard chants of 9-1. Where does that 9-1 come from?

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Politics is a game of numbers. Come 2011, we shall teach these people a lesson.

Hon Opposition Members: 2011?

Col. Chanda: I beg your pardon, Mr Speaker. Come 2016, the PF Government will teach those men and women on your left a lesson that will consign them to being in the Opposition in perpetuity.

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Sir, the Speech delivered by His Excellency the President in this House outlined, in very clear terms, the development agenda of the PF Government, which it shared with the people of Zambia in 2011. It clearly gave us the insight of where we are coming from and where we are going. In short, it availed us the roadmap and the compass to navigate our developmental path.

Mr Speaker, it is sad, however, that some hon. Members on your left chose to personalise the good intentions of the President and opted to describe it in the unbefitting manner that they did. Clearly, some of the hon. Members on your left were a circus and, definitely, played to the gallery of their masters.

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Col. Chanda: They exhibited a terrible sense of self-denial, which could only be traced to the painful and agonising defeat inflicted on them by the PF in the 2011 General Elections. They are so suffocated by the reeling bashing they suffered at the hands of the giant PF and, unfortunately, have now resorted to venting their anger on anybody, including the President, thereby, losing the golden opportunity to address issues relevant to the betterment of our country and our people.

At this juncture, Sir, allow me to recognise the maturity with which Hon. Catherine Namugala and Hon. Brig-Gen. Dr Brian Chituwo debated.

Mr M. H. Malama: Ebamano fye, abo!

Col. Chanda: The duo, Mr Speaker, …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, ...

Col. Chanda: The duo, …

Mr Speaker: Order, Hon. Minster! The Speaker is speaking.

Hon. Opposition Members: Sit down.

Mr Speaker: Please, refrain from debating your colleagues. You can address the issues that matter to you without making reference to specific individuals. You can isolate the issues and end at acknowledging whatever you would like to acknowledge about the contributions. That is the practice. 

You may continue, please.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, I am grateful to you for your wise counsel.

Sir, my party, the PF, has, in the recent past, experienced a lot of internal fighting, …

Interruptions 

Dr Kalila: Talk about Muchinga or Kanyama.

Col. Chanda: … which is not healthy for our young democracy. It is, definitely, not healthy for a young party like the PF …

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister for Muchinga Province in order not to talk about his province, which needs a lot of development, since it is a new province and, instead, talk about the intra-party quarrels that we are tired of reading about in the newspapers? Is he in order not to talk about his actual responsibility given to him by the Government?

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that the hon. Minister is entitled to address general issues but, ultimately, I expect him to equally address the mandate that he has been charged with, namely, looking after a particular province. If, in discussing democracy, he wants to go further and discuss intra-party democracy, I think that I should be very slow to injunct him. He could be developing a larger theme around democracy.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Therefore, it might be premature for us to stop him now.

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Col. Chanda: Sir, thank you for that guidance.

The recent happenings in our party, obviously, are not healthy for the country and the party. That is a fact that we have come to terms with, as its members. However, I would like to commend His Excellency the President for taking the steps that he has taken to curtail the wrangles. I hope that we shall all take heed.

Mr Speaker, let me also caution the hon. Members who have involved themselves in this unfortunate saga that they should not take the kindness of His Excellency the President for granted. The level of tolerance that has been exhibited by His Excellency is unparalleled in this part of the world and beyond it. In other countries, those who have fomented trouble in this party would have made very good breakfast or dinner for the crocodiles in the Zambezi River.

Interruptions

Hon. Opposition Members: Oh!

Col. Chanda: This level of tolerance can only be attributable to a leader who has the heart, wisdom and experience of running the affairs of the State.

Sir, the two years that the PF has been in the Government have been …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left!

Mr Mucheleka: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you may continue, please.

Mr Mucheleka remained standing.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Lubansenshi, I have not given you the Floor yet.

Col. Chanda: Sir, the two years in which the PF has been in the Government have been a marvel to watch and an embodiment of a committed leadership …

Mr Mucheleka: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr M. H. Malama: Ba Mucheleka, ninshi?

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, I need your very serious ruling. Is the hon. Minister in order not to address the development challenges in Muchinga Province and the issues of flooding in Kanyama and, instead, bring to this House issues that border on threats to our national security? He is talking about tyranny and how we can be breakfast for crocodiles.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Well, I think that I have ruled on this subject. You have taken the figure of speech totally out of context. He was not issuing any threats to anybody. 

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Col. Chanda: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: The two years that the PF has been in the Government have been a marvel. We are the envy of the hon. Members on your left, no doubt.

Hon. Opposition Members: No.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, the achievements that we have recorded in a very short period, especially in Muchinga Province and Chinsali District, in particular, will go in the annals of Zambian history, and can only be attributable to the PF.

I have heard some hon. Members on your left, Sir, question the wisdom of delivering that amount of development in that province on the Floor of this House. They have forgotten that, in the forty-nine years of Zambia’s Independence, that area was consigned to the dustbins in terms of development for reasons best known to the previous leaders, including the immediate past Government, …

Hon. MMD Members: Aah!

Mr Mwila: Ule landa ati ba MMD!

Col. Chanda: I am talking about the Movement for MMD and United National Independence Party (UNIP) Governments. Chinsali, in particular, is like a war zone.

Mr Mwila: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: If you go to Chinsali, today, you will be lucky to find a bed space where to spend a night. Are you sure that this is the type of treatment to give to an area where the freedom and Independence that we enjoy hailed from?

Hon. Opposition Member: Aah!

Mr Mwila: Yes.

Col. Chanda: Our First Republican President hails from there. Are you sure that is the way in which you should treat the people? What crime have the people of Chinsali and Muchinga Province committed?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: It had to take the wisdom of a leader like Michael Chilufya Sata to do what is being done.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: This is not based on tribe, but purely on the need to balance that which we missed out …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, address the Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hammer, hammer!

Col. Chanda: Sir, Muchinga Province and, in particular, Chinsali District, were far behind other provinces and towns in terms of development. Therefore, to balance the equation, we had to deliberately take development to that part of the country. By the way, Muchinga Province is part of Zambia. So, what is your problem?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, this is an issue I would like to put on record because there have been insinuations in this House …

Mr Mutelo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Col. Chanda: There have been insinuations in this House …

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I am following the debate of the hon. Minister for Muchinga Province, who is on the Floor. He has rightly said that the First Republican President, Dr Kaunda, comes from Muchinga Province. However, he has also said that UNIP and the MMD had no wisdom to develop that province. Is he in order to say that the First President had no wisdom to develop the place where he comes from?

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is simple. The hon. Deputy Minister will address that issue as he continues with the debate.

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, I am amazed at the frequency of points of order because I am now debating Muchinga Province. You told me to debate Muchinga …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, please, sit down. 

I am getting anxious about your state of temperament. As a leader, you need to maintain a certain degree of calmness. There is no need to be emotional about this issue. Just make a rational, unemotional presentation. Points of order fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Speaker. I do not share that jurisdiction with anyone. Whether you have reservations about how these points of order are managed or not, I am afraid, it is my exclusive jurisdiction.

You may continue.

Mr Lufuma: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, a lot has been said about development in various parts of the provinces and, obviously, Muchinga is not an island. There are some developments taking place there. As the hon. Minister for the province, …

Prof. Lungwangwa: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, thank you very much for affording me this opportunity to raise a point of order. 

Sir, is the hon. Deputy Minister for Muchinga Province in order to mislead the nation that the Independence of this country hailed from Chinsali when, in fact, the records are clear? Our political history is also clear and states that the nationalist struggle was all-encompassing of the various provinces of our country. Is he in order to make such a statement, which is very misleading, on the Floor of this House?

Sir, I need your serious ruling.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that, as the hon. Deputy Minister for Muchinga Province continues with his debate, he will take that into account.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, in the field of education, the people of Muchinga would like to thank His Excellency the President for giving them two universities.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Sir, as I stand here, Robert Makasa …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was outlining the various developmental projects being implemented by this Government, such as the re-aligning of Muchinga Province with the rest of the country. The two universities in the province are very dear to our hearts. Robert Makasa and Paul Mushindo universities at Lubwa Mission will raise the profile of the province.

Ms Imenda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister for Muchinga Province, who is also the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanyama Constituency, is telling us how Chinsali and Muchinga Province were neglected. Is he in order to talk like that when he knows that there was no Muchinga Province then? The province was an area of the Northern Province. Further, is he in order not to give us facts on what he has used to measure the poverty he is talking about?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I am getting concerned at the spate of these points of order. They seem to be intended at debating the Motion with the hon. Minister. At the rate we are going, there will be no end to the contest with this particular hon. Minister if I do not arrest this situation.

Col. Chanda rose.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, I am not through with my ruling. I just made reference to you.

Col. Chanda resumed his seat.

Mr Speaker: Points of order are not meant to debate. I am aware that there is a need for hon. Members to be factually correct. However, we should not use that platform to debate with the hon. Minister. I do not think that it is the right way to go.

Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, we, in Muchinga Province, are very delighted by the wisdom and gesture that has been extended to the people of Muchinga, in general, and Chinsali, in particular. The two universities at Lubwa Mission will, no doubt, add value to the living and education standards of the people of the province and beyond.

Sir, this is a Government programme that we have embraced and taken in our stride. We can only thank the PF Government for that very kind gesture.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, there are various road infrastructure developments that are taking place. Due to time, however, I will only mention a few. The Chama/Matumbo Road is one that stands out in the province. It is a road that can be called a work of art. Its quality and pace of construction will be admired by many. That road is dear to us in the province because it will shorten the time of travelling from Chama, our new district, to the provincial capital. Instead of coming through Lusaka when travelling from Chinsali to Chama, which takes about twenty-four hours, we will now hardly take three hours. This is a very welcome and cherished programme.

Mr Speaker, another road is the Isoka/Mafinga/Muyombe. The contractor is doing a marvellous job. Once completed, the road will help to link the rural parts of the province to the rest of the country.

Mr Speaker, before I end my debate on Muchinga Province, I would like to reiterate what I said at the beginning. The fact that the Cha cha cha Movement was initiated in Chinsali cannot be wished away. I am not saying that the rest of the country did not participate. However, it was initiated in Chinsali and, then, spread to the rest of the country. Somebody had to ignite that fire and that was done in Chinsali. That is a fact we must all accept.

Mr Mwaliteta: You are right.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, I was a very active participant in politics then. I think that some people here were very young then. That is why they are not able to attest to the facts I am bringing out. The PF recognises that fact, which is one of the reasons we have decided to reward the people of Chinsali by taking development to their part of the country.

Mr Speaker, I am the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanyama and I am very excited about what has taken place there in the last two years. The previous administration was disastrous. The people of Kanyama only came to the limelight when it was time for elections. Otherwise, they were consigned to destitution of the worst kind in the midst of plenty. One project that stands out in my mind is the construction of a drainage system for the constituency.

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister for Muchinga in order to start debating his constituency, instead of Government programmes? This is not the time to talk about such things.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that the Motion before us is a debate on the President’s Address. I have said it before that there are a number of themes that His Excellency the President highlighted. If you find it imperative to align the themes with issues of your constituencies, please, do not lose focus of the Motion. This is a special Motion and, I think, I indicated that when one hon. Member was debating and almost started presenting a petition on the needs of his particular constituency. That is not the idea. There is a Motion that we should debate. For those who will debate after the hon. Minister, please, discuss the Motion. The President left a very detailed discourse on a number of issues. Pick one or two themes and debate the relevant policies.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, at this stage, it will suffice for me to say that I am grateful to the PF Government. Kanyama is part of Zambia and entitled to development. The President talked about development and I am talking about development in Kanyama, which has suffered the agony of not having a meaningful drainage system. However, this Government has now addressed that issue by providing the necessary resources. I am grateful for that.

Mr Speaker, we have a road network that is developing to the satisfaction of the people in Kanyama. As an hon. Minister, I should be able to thank the Government for looking after the people of Kanyama.

Mr Mwaliteta: Yes.

Col. Chanda: Mr Speaker, I commend the Speech of His Excellency the President of Zambia on behalf of the people of Muchinga Province.

I thank you, Sir.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr M. H. Malama): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Speech delivered by His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the President of the Republic of Zambia, during the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly.

Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to pass my sincere condolences to the President, the Sakeni family and the PF on the loss of Mr Kennedy Sakeni, hon. Member of Parliament for Mansa Central and Minister of Information and Broadcasting. He was honourable, humble and sober-minded when dealing with issues. A great man, indeed. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Mr Speaker, secondly, I would like to welcome and congratulate the newly-elected hon. Members of the House. I wish to encourage them to participate effectively in the deliberations of this House. Let me also thank those hon. Members of Parliament who have taken the Floor to support the President’s Speech. At the same time, I thank those who have provided constructive alternative suggestions. Providing checks and balances is healthy for national development. This idea was emphasised by His Excellency the President when he officially opened this session. 

Sir, I am confident that, in his Address to this august House, His Excellency the President provided the necessary policy guidance to all ministries, provinces and other spending agencies of the Government for 2014.

Mr Speaker, for the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, the policy directive is very clear and centres on the development of transport infrastructure, such as road, water, rail and air transport, as key drivers for economic growth, and wealth and job creation. Accordingly, the ministry will ensure that the policy directive is implemented in 2014. 

Sir, the current infrastructure development projects being implemented by the PF Government are not accidental, but carefully thought-out and anchored on the visionary leadership of our President and his Cabinet. It is a long-term plan to construct various infrastructures in a planned and phased manner.

Sir, this Government plans to implement the Link Zambia 8,000 Project in three phases. I will not belabour this point because my colleagues this side have assisted me in pointing out what our ministry is doing. Later, I will list the projects that this hardworking Government is implementing. I will talk about something that is actually visible. Phase I is already being implemented and 1,500km of roads will be constructed. In 2014, we will commence the implementation of Phase II, in which over 2,700km of roads will be constructed. Further, the Government has ensured that there is transparency in the way it is implementing this huge road project by publicising it in the daily newspapers.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: This information is free for all to refer to. Hon. Members of Parliament who want to check the various road projects being implemented by this Government under the Link Zambia 8,000 Project should look for the Zambia Daily Mail Newspaper of 30th September, 2013. Mr Speaker, we do not need to hide what we are doing. This is the reason the Zambian people voted for us. They had hope that their suffering would come to an end with the PF in power and that is what we are trying to do.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I am aware that some hon. Members of Parliament continue to argue that we are just completing old projects, such as schools and hospitals, that were started by the previous Government. I am sure that they will even argue that we have also continued to implement the Formula 1 Project in the construction of roads. However, as a caring Government, we cannot abandon some of the projects that are supposed to benefit the people of Zambia. Besides, some of the projects that we took over were just on paper and it is only now that they are being implemented. Therefore, it is not healthy that, whenever we talk about any project, someone on your left stands up and says that it is an MMD project. To that effect, you have guided the House on the need for continuity. There are many projects that I will read out, if time permits me, so that our colleagues can be convinced that we are a working Government.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has various projects that it is implementing in a systematic manner, unlike some road projects, such as the Formula 1 Project, which was hurriedly undertaken in disregard of specifications. Our Government will soon have to rehabilitate some of the roads built under that project.

An hon. Interjected.

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I know what I am talking about and will restrict myself to my ministry because I do not want to mislead the nation. What we are talking about is correct. There is an audit that was done, covering 2009 to 2011. We do not need to argue. The only problem is that, sometimes, we neglect to read some audits. For our colleagues on the left to see that the Formula 1 Project was, actually, meant to woo people to vote for the MMD during the 2011 General Elections, let them read the audit report I referred to.

Mr Speaker, some of the notable road projects being implemented by the PF Government are the Chiawa/Chirundu and Chama/Matumbo/Chadiza roads. At this point, allow me to read so that I give accurate information. Further, I beg you to allow me to lay this document on the Table at the end of my debate so that those who cannot trace the newspaper I referred to can come and check the projects. However, the projects are being implemented in phases. So, we ask for patience from Zambians because we have a lot to do for them. 

Mr Speaker, let me now read out some of the new projects that this Government is implementing:

(a)    upgrading of the 139km Chipata/Vubwi/Chadiza Road, for which the contractor is already on site; 

(b)    upgrading of the 150km Chipata/Chadiza/Katete; …

Mr Mbewe: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, I rarely rise on points of order. 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Should we check the record?

Laughter

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, our colleagues feel very good to talk about what they are doing in Chadiza. However, the truth of the matter is that the contractor has been on site for the past seven months ... 

Hon. Opposition Members: Seven months?

Laughter

Mr Mbewe: ... without working on even 1mm of the road. He is just growing cabbage. Is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to mislead the people of Chadiza and this House that works on the Chadiza/Chipata Road are on-going? 

Laughter

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that, as the hon. Minister continues debating, he will address that issue.

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, that is, actually, a good way of giving me more information. 

Sir, I was there some three weeks ago and I want to affirm that the works have commenced. The hon. Members of Parliament from that area need to know that …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, we have only been in the Government for two years, yet I am reading out a list of projects that we are implementing. The MMD was in power for twenty years, but worked on less than 1,500km of roads during that period. So, its members should just support this Government because it is on the right track. 

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

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, yes, there has been some delay on that project and we are aware of that. However, we wish to inform the nation, through this House, that the delay was because it took long to complete the road designs. That is why, for most other road projects, we have already procured the designs. We do not want the contractor to move on site before we provide the designs. There is no difference between the construction of a road and that of a house. In both cases, you need a plan. Most of the projects are being delayed because, when we started them, we did not engage consultants. The implementation of the projects in Phase II will be speeded up because the designs are already being done. So, we can assure you that we will work on the Vubwi/Chipata Road, period.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: Ema Ministers aba!

Mr M. H. Malama: 

(c)    upgrading of 91km of the Luangwa Bridge/Feira Road to bituminous standard;

(d)     upgrading of the Kitwe/Chingola Dual-Carriage Way. This project is under consideration; ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: These are new capital projects and I think that, after five years, the Zambian people, from whom we begged votes, will be able to judge us fairly. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: Mwimba Malama!

Mr M. H. Malama: They will not judge us by what we are saying, but what we are doing.

(e)    upgrading of 43.8km of the Leopards Hill Road; ... 

Sir, all the projects that I have talked about are not in Muchinga Province. I want to prove a point to those who say that we are concentrating on one province. In fact, as leaders of this nation, we have to see where development is needed. For example, we cannot compare Lusaka with Kalabo. We know that Kalabo needs a lot of attention because it has some complications. Therefore, as a responsible Government, we will move quickly and attend to the people of Kalabo.

Mr Chishimba: Tell them!

Mr M. H. Malama: If those people …

Mr Miyutu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr M. H. Malama: That was just an example I was giving. Mr Speaker, we will not count projects in each province and ask how many are being implemented in the Southern Province. We will, instead, look at the needs of each area.

Mr L. J. Ngoma: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise this very important point of order. 

Sir, you guided the hon. Minister of Health …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aha!

Mr L. J. Ngoma: … to issue a ministerial statement on the  point of order raised by the hon. Member of Parliament for Chipata Central, Hon. Mtolo, concerning the nurses’ strike at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). The turn of events is now very serious and negative issues have since arisen as a consequence to the strike. As we debate, it has been reported …

Hon. Government Members: Where?

Mr L. J. Ngoma: … in one of the daily tabloids that the Children’s Ward at the UTH has been closed.

Hon. Opposition Members: Sure? Mawe!

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, that poses very frightening questions for children in Zambia who require specialised treatment at the UTH, …

Mr L. J. Ngoma: … which is the referral centre of last resort in the country. 

Mr Speaker, allow me to quote from the Daily Nation …

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Mr L. J. Ngoma: … of today, 9th October, 2013, under the headline, “Strike Closes UTH Children’s Wards”:

“Zambia’s highest referral hospital, the University Teaching Hospital, yesterday shut down the Children’s Wards due to the strike by nurses, midwives and pharmacists … The decision to close the wards was reached after a two-hour meeting that considered the strike-induced staff shortage.” 

Hon. Government Members: Ah!

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister of Health in order to take his time and almost be casual in responding to your guidance over this issue of strategic national importance? Is he in order to treat this matter in a casual manner? 

I lay this tabloid on the Table.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr L. J. Ngoma laid the newspaper on the Table.

Mr Speaker: Order!

My short ruling is that the statement will be delivered tomorrow.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: 

(f)    upgrading of the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport/Kasisi/Great East Road Road to bituminous standard;  

(g)    upgrading to bituminous standard and alignment of approximately 94km of the Samfya/Chinsali Road;

(h)    upgrading and alignment of about 118km of the Mpika/Nabwalya/Mambwe Road to bituminous standard; ... 

Sir, the point, here, and I want to explain it properly so that some people may understand what we meant when we said that there would be more money in people’s pockets, is that we need to attend to some of these projects. When we said that there would be more money in people’s pockets, we meant that people needed to save money when procuring things. 

Hon. Opposition Member: Ah!

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, for example, when somebody is moving from Nakonde to Chipata, today, he has to come to Lusaka. When he is in Lusaka, he, definitely, has to sleep somewhere, and that costs money. The following morning, he will start another journey to go to Chipata. It will be even worse if he decides to go to Lundazi because he will spend two nights on his way. However, what this responsible Government is doing is making short connections. We are working on these roads so that, instead of spending two days on the way to Lundazi, it takes only hours. That is what we are doing across this country. There are connections from Mumbwa to Kasempa and Kaoma to Kasempa. All these things that I am talking about are here for those who doubt to see. However, these are capital projects that we cannot conceive today and start implementing tomorrow because there is a process.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I will give another example.

Mr Lufuma: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, I am getting worried. Is the hon. Deputy Minister, who is a junior hon. Minister, in order to shout at us, hon. Members, in the manner he is doing while debating? 

I need your serious response.

Mr Speaker: Order!

My ruling is that, firstly, I would like to remind hon. Members that, earlier, I indicated that the appropriate designation, according to the current Constitution, is hon. Deputy Minister, not junior hon. Minister.

Hon. Government Members: Yes.

Mr Speaker: Order!

It was on a Friday that I said this and, maybe, many of you may not have been present. However, I would like to remind you that that is the appropriate way to address hon. Deputy Ministers. Secondly, I think that your substantive point is well taken note of. Hon. Minister, I know that you may be debating a subject about which you are very passionate.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

I know that it has also excited a lot of feeling in the course of our business. However, like I mentioned earlier, when the hon. Minister for Muchinga Province was debating, let us watch our temperament as we debate. We all serve one master, the people of Zambia. Therefore, let us keep an atmosphere that is conducive to the free exchange of ideas. There is no need to have a charged atmosphere. I do feel that, occasionally, the atmosphere gets heated. I suppose it is the nature of the vocation that you are in. However, let us try to manage our emotions. Yes, there is passion. However, at the same time, there is a genuine concern that you seem to be talking at your colleagues, instead of talking to them, as you debate. 

You may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much. I will change my position and face you because that is the only way I can …

Laughter

Mr Speaker, let me continue with the list of projects. 

(i)    consultancy services for technical study, detailed engineering design and tender preparation for the upgrading of 63km of the Pemba/Mapanza Road;

(j)    consultancy services for the techno-economic study and detailed engineering designs for the Lufwanyama/Kankolonko Road;

(k)    Mpongwe/Machiya Road;

(l)    Kasempa/Kaoma Road;

(m)    Manyinga/Mwinilunga/Jimbe Road;

(n)    Solwezi/Kipushi Road;

(o)    Mumbwa/Kasempa Road;

(p)    Luangwa Bridge/Mwami Border Road; and

(q)    Ngwerere/Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Road.

Sir, the list is endless.

Hon. Government Members: Yes.

Mr M. H. Malama: Sir, that list is only on roads. However, my ministry is responsible for other infrastructure in this nation as well. I have not even touched another list that shows how we are considering our ability to host the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). Our fellow African countries are even thinking of hosting the World Cup while the Republic of South Africa has already done so. We are not sitting idly, but moving in that direction, too, and are not piling up these projects in one area. For example, we have just contracted Wang Kong to build a stadium in Mongu and tendering for the Livingstone Stadium is in progress. So, you can see that the projects are all over the country.

Sir, we have also started awarding contracts for the development of the new districts because we know that it is practically impossible to create jobs in any nation without infrastructure. So, we need to exalt His Excellency the President for creating more districts.

Interruptions

Mr M. H. Malama: I will tell you the benefits of creating more districts. Chirundu District, which was recently created, will attract investment if we take the entire required infrastructure there. We will see big shops, such as Shoprite, and other private companies taken there.  

Sir, Chirundu is not the only district that the President has created because it is the responsibility of this Government to develop this nation by putting up proper infrastructure. We do not want Zambians to envy the buildings in South Africa and other countries because we are also capable of having such buildings in Zambia. We have qualified engineers who can do the job.  

Mr Speaker, we are implementing many projects, even though the Opposition wants to oppose everything because its hon. Members think that being in the Opposition is about opposing everything. I would like to advise them to give credit where it is due.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: It is healthy, good and, in fact, Christian, to praise a friend who is doing well. 

Sir, whatever is going on in the party will not derail us from effectively implementing projects because that is what people put us in power to do. We will not focus on anything else.

Mr Speaker, looking at the jealous time, I wish to conclude by thanking you for giving me the opportunity to debate, and to urge the Opposition to be free to come and knock on our doors because we are their leaders. They can come at any time. My door is open because I know that I need to build roads even in their areas.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions 

The Deputy Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mrs Kawandami): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the President’s Speech.

Sir, to begin with, I want to convey my condolences to this august House and the Sakeni family for the loss of the great man, a man who built bridges wherever he went. Mr Sakeni was a friend to all of us and, as a family, we all treasured him. May his soul rest in peace as the Lord God Almighty gives comfort and guidance to his family.

Mr Speaker, in reflecting on the President’s Speech to this House when he officially opened the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly in September, this year, one cannot help noticing that the two years of the PF’s being in power has been characterised by hard work to alleviate the poverty and suffering of our people.

Sir, as the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, we have taken cognisance of a number of developments that the PF has spearheaded to address the many social and economic challenges facing our people.

Mr Speaker, there are many schools being built in rural areas. In his Speech, the President stated that thirty-two new secondary schools had been completed. This has made education more accessible to our people in rural areas. More schools are being built and, with more access to education, people in rural areas and chiefdoms will receive good education and contribute to national development. With more access to education, the girl child in the village is provided with opportunities to progress in life, rather than go into early marriages, which is detrimental to her health and robs her of her childhood. In line with the increasing access to education, chiefs are also being sensitised to come on board to help fight the scourge of early marriages.

Mr Speaker, more health infrastructure, including rural health posts, is being constructed and upgraded across the country. This is making life much easier for the people in rural areas because they will have access to medical and health services nearer to their chiefdoms. Access to medical services will also lower maternal mortality rates and the number of people dying from preventable and treatable diseases.

Sir, on agriculture, more extension services are being provided to farmers in the rural areas and chiefdoms. There are serious livestock re-stocking programmes for rural farmers. We have heard of cattle artificial insemination facilities in rural areas, which will raise the population of cattle, which will later be distributed to other chiefdoms.

Mr Speaker, there are also various disease control programmes being implemented through the provision of services, including, but not limited to, vaccinations, dip-tanks and spraying. These efforts are helping to provide our rural people with a source of income.

Sir, we heard that there is the Revised National Decentralisation Policy, which was launched on 16th July, 2013. With decentralisation comes the inclusion of people in the running of the affairs of the country. The chiefs and their people can now influence the direction of their own development.

Mr Speaker, the creation of thirty new districts means that development can now be taken closer to the people in rural areas. Overall, tremendous progress has been made by the PF Government in the administration of chiefdoms, including, but not limited to:

(a)    the creation of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, which has focused on ensuring that all the affairs of the chiefs in the country are taken care of;

(b)    harmonisation and improvement of the conditions of service and living conditions of the chiefs. The chiefs have better conditions and allowances, which means that they are healthier and have gained more respect. They also walk with pride as they can afford to look after themselves; 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kawandami: 

(c)     the chiefs’ retainers have also been awarded better conditions and are also working harder to make sure that the chiefdoms and their people are sensitised on various matters;

(d)    the roads to the palaces are being worked on;

(e)    efforts are underway to provide institutional houses and electrify all chiefs’ palaces;

(f)    efforts to provide mobile networks to all palaces are being made. In that regard, the mobile network providers have done their ground work in all chiefdoms. Access to mobile telephony in the chiefdoms will make communication much easier; and

(g)    the Government is involving chiefs in developing their chiefdoms and fighting poverty, not using them as political tools that will be abandoned when Governments are formed, as has been the case in the past. The creation of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs has given chiefs an avenue for communicating their challenges, which are now being turned into opportunities.

Mr Speaker, the Zambian economy is on track. When we talk about development, we are referring to the electrification of districts and connecting them to the National Electricity Grid. As stated earlier, the North-Western Province and Lukulu, in the Western Province, will also benefit very soon. 
 
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, the Government is delivering development in accordance with the PF Manifesto, which is all about planning and apportioning resources across the country. There is no part of this country that will not be touched by the wind of development.

Sir, the people of Zambia, our people, understand this action-oriented Government. They know where we are going and appreciate the development that is taking place as the Government is focused and will forge ahead with the development promised in our manifesto, with or without the naysayers,. 

Mr Speaker, patriotism is to render service to your country irrespective of who is in the Government. We are on track and our target is to accomplish everything within five years because that is the mandate we have been given by the people of Zambia. Even the Link Zambia 8,000 Project will be achieved by 2016. Actually, we have aligned national development programmes to our manifesto, which runs from 2011 to 2016. 

Mr Speaker, the Zambian Government is on track as per the accolades received locally and from abroad, yet all we keep hearing from the Opposition are negative statements. 

Sir, our chiefs countrywide, including those who are in constituencies represented by the Opposition, are commending the Government for bringing them on board as part of the governance structure. 

Interruptions

Prof. Luo: Ichongo.

Mrs Kawandami: This able Government of His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, created the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs which, in the last two years, has concentrated primarily on activities focused on rural development through economic development in the various chiefdoms, which is contributing to a reduction of rural poverty. 

Sir, the ministry has been promoting, at least, three industries in each chiefdom based on locally-available resources. This approach is aimed at job creation, poverty reduction and rural development. 

Mr Speaker, we have seen how happy the chiefs are when we visit them.

Mr Mucheleka: Aah!

Mrs Kawandami: The chiefs countrywide are very happy.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kawandami: The chiefs are very proud of the Government because it has raised their status in society. However, they welcome all. There is no segregation based on who comes from which side because …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mrs Kawandami: … the Government of the Republic of Zambia, under the leadership of Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, has created a very conducive atmosphere for them to operate in. 

Mr Mucheleka interjected.

Laughter

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, the chiefs appreciate the developments in their chiefdoms and are begging for more because they know that this Government will deliver to them what they ask of it, and it will deliver development to all the rural areas.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kawandami: This Government wants all the rural areas to be uplifted so that we can reverse the migration of young people from the rural areas to urban areas. Through the creation of industries championed by the able Government of Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, we will see more people go back to rural areas.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Kawandami: Mr Speaker, the Ndola/Mufulira Road, which has been in a dilapidated state for over twenty years, is being worked on. There was a time when traffic on that road was even halted and people started going through Kitwe to get to Mufulira. However, this Government will live up to its promise and rehabilitate it so that it is put to good use. There are investments that are forthcoming along that road, where a big mine is expected to open. The copper mine will give employment to more than 7,000 people in that area. That level of investment and job creation will be the first of its kind because the people who live along that road have been impoverished for a long time. In the last two years, the Government has identified land to be demarcated and given to the people there so that they can sustain themselves and their families. 

Mr Speaker, the hardworking Government of His Excellency, President Michael Chilufya Sata, will deliver to the expectations of the people of this country. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

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

The Deputy Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Ms Kazunga): Mr Speaker, may I begin my debate by expressing my appreciation to you for allowing me to contribute to the Motion of Thanks. I also wish to express my condolences to the Sakeni family on the passing away of the late Hon. Kennedy Sakeni on 5th September, 2013. May his soul rest in peace. I also wish to join other hon. Members who spoke before me in congratulating the four new hon. Members of Parliament. I congratulate and welcome the two United Party for National Development (UPND) hon. Members. To Hon. Mtolo, who retained his seat, I say, “Congratulations.”

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, to the hon. Member for Mkaika, I say, “Congratulations” because it is not easy to win an election.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, I also congratulate Hon. Ingrid Mphande. She made us proud, as women in Parliament, because we need our number to increase.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Kazunga: Sir, I thank the PF for considering the importance of women in Parliament. That is why, amongst all the political parties that contested the recent by-elections, the PF is the only one that fielded a woman. I encourage the party to continue raising the number of female hon. Members of Parliament.

Sir, let me echo the sentiments of other hon. Members of Parliament who have spoken before me by stating that the President’s Speech was very inspiring and has really provided the direction that is required to steer this country forward. To support my statement, the President’s Speech urged all of us to seriously reflect on the achievements and challenges that lie ahead to improve the welfare of the majority of our people, which is our first call of duty.

Mr Speaker, the President emphasised that education, skills development and science and technology are key to improving the productivity of our people, and that the Government would embark on a vigorous exercise to harmonise the quality of academic and vocational training from early childhood to tertiary education levels. Furthermore, it is the intention of the PF Government to escalate the construction of new secondary schools to meet the growing demand for post-primary education. In that regard, the Government has completed the construction of thirty-two new secondary schools out of the planned eighty-four. That has been done within two years of the PF Government’s being in power. This is a wonder because other Governments that were there previously did not achieve that feat.

Mr Speaker, the President stated that the Government would diversify the agricultural sector and ensure that the growing of wheat, barley, soya beans and rice, and pastoral farming are promoted based on their comparative advantage. 

Mr Speaker, under labour and social security, the President indicated that the Government had commenced a comprehensive labour law review programme to update the laws in light of the changes in the work place. This is aimed at addressing bad labour practices, such as casualisation and unfavourable conditions of service. Once reviewed, the labour laws will facilitate the improvement of conditions of service in all sectors of the economy and protect the rights of both employers and employees. The President also indicated that the Government attached great importance to employment creation as a topmost strategy for ensuring social stability and multi-sectoral economic growth. He further informed this august House that the Government was implementing the National Industrialisation and Job Creation Strategy, which entails the co-ordinated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries. 

Sir, His Excellency the President gave policy directives to his Government to integrate youths in national development by providing skills training and various youth empowerment programmes. These initiatives by the Government to create employment include the construction of eight Youth Vocational Training Centres (YVTC) across the country. The Government intends to establish, at least, one YVTC in each district in line with the PF Manifesto. The Government has also provided K19.14 million in the 2013 Budget to support youth enterprise development and these funds have supported over 700 youth-led enterprises countrywide, which created about 2,300 employment opportunities for the youths in the country. 

Mr Speaker, in the area of social protection, the President spoke about the developments that had been achieved in formulating the National Social Protection Policy. This is one good policy that will reduce the suffering of the poor and marginalised people in society in line with the PF Manifesto promise of a pro-poor Government.

Mr Speaker, in winding up my contribution to this Motion, may I state that His Excellency the President, under labour and social security, pointed out that the Government had continued to fulfil the promises of more money in people’s pockets. In that regard, it had just honoured its pledge to increase the salaries for Public Service workers, making their conditions of service competitive, both locally and regionally. This is a welcome move that will motivate civil servants and enable them to plan for their future.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister for the Western Province. 

Hon. Muntanga: Makwenyani.

The Deputy Minister for Western Province (Ms Limata): Makwenyani.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: What does that mean, hon. Minister?

Laughter

Ms Limata: It means, ‘My son-in-law.’

Mr Speaker, let me start by joining the many hon. Members of Parliament who conveyed their condolences to the family of the late Hon. Sakeni. May his soul rest in peace.

Mr Speaker, let me also welcome all the new hon. Members of Parliament who have joined us in this House, especially my fellow woman, Hon. Mphande. 

Sir, let me now talk about the President’s Speech and begin by saying that the people of the Western Province are very happy …

Hon. Opposition Members: What?

Ms Limata: … with the development that they are seeing from the time the PF Government came into power.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, for the first time in the history of this country, nine new districts have been created in the Western Province.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: The new districts are Nkeyema, Sikongo, Luampa, Mitete, Nalolo, Sioma, Mwandi, Mulobezi, …

Dr Kaingu: On a point of order, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Dr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, regarding the good intentions of this Government, is the hon.  Minister for the Western Province in order to talk about Mwandi being a district when there is not even a stone that has been laid where a district hospital should be built? Is she in order to mention Mwandi District when there is no development there?

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Speaker: She is in order.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Government Members: Walk out.

Ms Limata: … and Limulunga.

Sir, the Government has started employing the 990 Government officials, senior district officers and civil servants in all the new districts of the Western Province.

Mr Zimba: Oh, that is a jackpot.

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, we will build boarding schools, hospitals and staff houses for senior officers in the departments of education, health and many others in the new districts.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Concerning education, construction works for the high schools at Lukulu, Mayukwayukwa, Nakaanya, Nalwei, Nangweshi and Mwandi, where Hon. Dr Kaingu comes from, …

Hon. Governments Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: … are on-going and expected to be completed soon.

Sir, I am happy to report that works on the Mongu/Kalabo and Sesheke/Senanga roads are progressing well as follows:

(a)    a bridge will be constructed at Sioma to link Senanga and Sesheke;

(b)    the construction of the Kalabo/Sikongo Road is at an advanced stage;

(c)    under the Link Zambia 8,000 Project, the Government intends to construct the Lukulu/Katunda/Watopa, Kalabo/Kalongola/Sitoti, Kasempa/Kaoma and Luampa/Machile/Sesheke roads;

(d)    under the 2013 Work Plan for the Rural Roads Unit (RRU), the province is currently working on  the following gravel roads:

(i)    Sesheke/Mazaba Road;

(ii)    Sichili/Nawinda Road (where Hon. Dr Kaingu comes from);

(iii)    Kalabo/Mapungu (Culverts);

(iv)    Namushakende/Nalikwanda Road; and

(v)    Limulungu/Ushaa Road (where my sister, the hon. Member of Parliament for Luena, comes from); and

(e)    under the Pave Zambia 2,000, the Mongu township roads are currently being worked on.

Mr Speaker, Shang’ombo and Lukulu districts, which have been powered by diesel-generated electricity since Independence, will soon be connected to the National Electricity Grid under REP.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Sir, Nkeyema, Luampa, Kaoma, Nangula, Sikongo and Kalabo districts as well as Litoya in Mongu District, will be connected to the national grid and works are at an advanced stage.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, in the health sector, the construction of Mongu District Hospital is almost complete; a school of midwifery has been opened at Lewanika School of Nursing; the construction of a nursing school in Senanga, where Hon. Mufalali comes from, is progressing; ... 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: ... the construction of Lukulu District Hospital is at the planning stage while the new Shang’ombo District Hospital is now operational and providing quality healthcare to our people in Sinjembele Constituency.

Mr Speaker, the Government has also sunk boreholes in all the new districts in the Western Province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, I wish to report that the National Savings and Credit Bank (NSCB), commonly called NATSAVE, has since opened a branch in Kalabo District.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Civil servants and the general populace do not need to travel to Mongu for their salaries and deposits. However, I appeal for a bank to open a branch in Shang’ombo District.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, before I go further, I want to appeal to all hon. Members of Parliament from the Western Province to come to my office so that we work together to bring development to the province. My door is open. When I was in the North-Western Province, I worked with the hon. Members of Parliament from that province. So, in order to take development to the Western Province, …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members on the left, do not engage her. She is debating.

Hon. Government Member: Send them out.

Ms Limata: My door is open and I request all of you, my brothers and sisters who come from the Western Province, to meet me so that we can share ideas.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: I also want to advise those who want to come back to Parliament to find time to visit their constituencies. Some of you are just noise makers.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, kindly pause for a moment and sit down. 

Please, do not debate your colleagues. Whether they are attending to their constituencies’ needs or not is a matter for the electorate to judge and they will respond accordingly. However, more importantly, please, focus on the Motion on the Floor. You started your debate very well.

Please, continue.

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, in his Speech, the President stated that the agricultural sector is the key to ensuring that there is national food and nutritional security. Most of the districts in the Western Province have received fertiliser and …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: … no one can complain. I just came back from my tour of the province and, everywhere I went, people had received fertiliser. Sixteen districts have received the commodity, with only two not having received it yet. I am a woman of action.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Limata: Mr Speaker, I thank you.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr N. Banda): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to debate again. I am happy to stand before this august House and support the Speech by His Excellency the President during the official opening of this House. 

Mr Speaker, from the outset of my debate, I wish to join fellow hon. Members of Parliament and the nation in mourning the death of our beloved colleague, Hon. Sakeni. I wish to express my condolences to his family and thank everyone who ensured that he was put to rest in peace. 

Mr Speaker, in his Speech, His Excellency the President clearly outlined key challenges facing the nation and continuously reminded this House that: 

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

Mr Speaker, this quotation is from the PF Manifesto, and it is cheering and challenging for me to note that the President has reiterated this statement in every Official Opening of this august House.  

Mr Speaker, I will restrict myself to issues relating to local government and housing. 

Sir, I would like to draw the House’s attention to the point at which His Excellency the President repeats his pledge to review policies in order to develop new ideas in the core programmes of the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to address challenges in the delivery of social services. 

Mr Speaker, local government is key in the service delivery system as it is closer to the people we represent in this House. The PF Government is committed to restoring the pride of local authorities so that they become more enabled to handle a series of challenges, such as providing affordable housing. We are eager to strengthen our local councils’ revenue base as affirmed by His Excellency the President. This will promote the effective delivery of essential services. 

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing recognises the critical role that local government plays as an engine for the delivery of services and development of infrastructure in the community. The ministry is fully committed to establishing a system of local government that promotes improved delivery of essential infrastructure development and service delivery through local government. This approach will enhance the integrated urban development agenda for all Zambians. The advantage is that, in infrastructure development, there is job creation. In this regard, His Excellency the President, in his Address, affirmed his Government’s commitment to implementing the Decentralisation Policy and devolving power from the centre to local authorities, including the traditional authorities. The Government has lived up to this commitment with the Cabinet’s recent approval of the Revised National Decentralisation Policy, which was launched on 16th July, 2013. 

Mr Speaker, the Local Government Act and its implementing regulations currently do not provide a complete well-structured legal and regulatory framework for managing local government finances. As such, this Act will be reviewed to make it conform to the Public Finance Act to eliminate the outdated, duplicate or contradictory clauses. In this regard, the ministry is developing the Local Authorities Finance Act in order to strengthen the financial system of the local authorities. The Local Government Act and its implementing regulations will further be revised and updated to be consistent with the Government’s policy on expenditure assignments, local government revenues and inter-governmental fiscal transfers, as stated in the Revised National Decentralisation Policy. 

Mr Speaker, I am aware that most hon. Members of Parliament would like me to talk about many pertinent issues, such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), but I will leave that to the other three hon. Members who will also be speaking on local government. Hon. Members, therefore, can expect much more information from my colleagues. 

Mr Muntanga: Four will speak?

Mr N. Banda: Mr Speaker, for many years, there has been a gradual decline in the role that local government revenue plays in the system of local government finance in Zambia because the Central Government regulates some of the revenue resource bases. As such, the Government is making efforts to broaden the revenue base at the local authority level. 

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing is working on the challenges it faces in the preparation of valuation rolls due to the fact that most of the properties are not captured in the database of councils, surveyed and titled. The current provision of the Rating Act only allows property that is on title to be included in the valuation rolls. You may recall that His Excellency the President talked a lot about broadening our revenue base. In most cases, this requires the extension of our township boundaries, having comprehensive databases on the portions of land that have been converted into State land and on individual developers in each ratable district. We are making efforts to go in that direction and broaden the revenue base of our local authorities. 

Mr Speaker, in order to prepare our local authorities for devolution, the Government, through the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), has recruited and posted qualified personnel to all our local authorities. This process is on-going and has, since February, this year, created 1,115 jobs in our ministry. In a country as large and sparsely populated as ours, citizens’ participation and effective delivery of services in many areas still remain a challenge. As a remedy to some of the challenges, the Government has created thirty new districts to reach out to many people in far-flung areas. This also assists communities that are remote from points of decision-making to participate in shaping the nation’s destiny, and the President reminded us of that. Eighteen of the thirty districts are already operational, as stated in His Excellency the President’s Speech.

Mr Speaker, if you look at the Speeches delivered from 2011, there has been consistency in this Government’s policies and programmes. Each time His Excellency the President has come to open Parliament, he has been consistent. In his 2011 Speech, from page 22 to 26, the 2012 Speech, from page 35 to 38, and the 2013 Speech, from page 18 to 20, he speaks about the need to implement the Decentralisation Policy, which was launched on 16th July, 2013. In the recent Speech, he directed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to review the Acts relevant to financial regulations and align them with the Decentralisation Policy. The Decentralisation Policy is currently being implemented and will contribute to job creation. The ministry was also directed to explore various partnerships and investments to cushion the current housing deficit. 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency’s Speech committed this Government to capitalising the Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS), and we look forward to that being done by the Ministry of Finance in 2014. This will be done to empower many Zambians with home ownership. 

Sir, at this point, I wish to leave room for colleagues from the ministry to debate.  

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

The Minister of Justice (Mr Kabimba, SC.):  Mr Speaker, I thank you for affording me the opportunity to contribute to His Excellency the President’s Speech to this august House on 20th September, 2013.

Let me begin by joining my colleagues who have conveyed their condolences to the family of the late Hon. Kennedy Sakeni, our former Minister of Information and Broadcasting. We will all, without doubt, greatly miss him in this House. His contribution to the debate and friendships across political lines is something that is memorable to all of us. Let me also congratulate all the new hon. Members of Parliament, in particular, my dear sister, Hon. Ingrid Mphande, on their election victories. 

Sir, I would be failing in my duty if I did not take this opportunity to commend those of our colleagues from your left who have been appointed to various Government positions ...

Hon Opposition Members: Question!

Hon Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: ... in the interest and service of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Their contribution has been exceptional and goes to confirm that His Excellency the President is committed to running an all-inclusive Government in order to promote unity in the country. I encourage the hon. Members to continue with the good work. 

Sir, His Excellency the President delivered a Speech to this House that was an excellent piece of work and a hallmark of statesmanship. I have listened very carefully to the debates from my colleagues on your left who have tried very hard to dilute the Speech in an attempt to play to the public gallery on Parliament Radio, but all in vain. Even those who specialise in tearing documents have not succeeded, this time around, …

Laughter

Mr Kabimba, SC.: … because that document is worthy of a place in their libraries. I wish to commend them for that change of heart and character.

 Sir, His Excellency the President, in His Speech to this House, outlined the successes of the PF Government in the last year. These successes are in the areas of road infrastructure development, health care services, new universities and colleges in all the provinces, employment creation and the revival of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ). These successes are unprecedented in the history of our country. I was, therefore, surprised to hear people in this House ask, during a debate on the Link Zambia 8,000 Project, “What are you linking?” 

Col. Kaunda: Imagine.

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Surely, such a question should not be taken seriously, other than for purposes of thickening the Hansard. Others belaboured the point on the format of the Speech, not its substance, which was outstanding by any standard. What was clear to everybody, however, was that our colleagues did not wish to give credit to the PF Government for its development achievements, so far. They are refusing to acknowledge the fact that Zambia is on the move after twenty years in coma. Our people know who on your left were in-charge of the intensive care unit. 

Hon. Government Members:  Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: It will take a long time for them to forget. They know the doctors and nurses on your left, Mr Speaker, who were in charge of this country when it was in coma.

Laughter 

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, no country can attain any meaningful development without promoting good governance and the rule of law. Justice is collateral to the process of social and economic development for any country. Consequently, the PF Government is strongly committed to these principles. His Excellency the President, in his Address to the House, highlighted these issues. We, therefore, remain unwavering in ensuring that access to justice by the majority of our people becomes the norm, rather than the exception, as it was in the past.

Sir, the establishment of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) as an autonomous body under an Act of Parliament should send a clear message to all that the fight against corruption will be more intensified than ever before. However, it is important to realise that the fight against corruption is a national crusade, not a project for His Excellency the President alone. We should all join hands across our political divide to fight this scourge because its ramifications affect all Zambians across our differences, real or perceived.

Mr Speaker, it is most heartening that His Excellency the President has assured the nation that the PF Government has no intention whatsoever of turning Zambia into a one-party State. Fears, apprehensions and anxieties about a one-party State have been circulating in our country, more so from our colleagues on your left. They have been going round saying that the nullification of election results by the Supreme Court, which is an independent judicial arm of the Government, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: … was meant to turn this country into a one-party State. 

Our objective, Mr Speaker, is to deliver on our campaign promises to the people of Zambia and continue mobilising more citizens to believe in the PF. So, we are just better organisers, not that we want to introduce a one-party State. The results of the last Parliamentary and local government by-elections show clearly that the Zambian people …

Mr Mulusa: On a point of order.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mulusa: Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to rise on a point of order. 

Sir, a few weeks ago, the hon. Minister of Justice was on Muvi Television and, when he was asked a question on whether the PF would keep creating by-elections until it consumed all the 150 seats, he arrogantly confirmed that that was the PF’s policy.

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mulusa: Sir, is he in order to come here, state the opposite and, therefore, insult our intelligence and the intelligence of the Zambians who watched him on television? 

Mr Speaker, I seek your serious ruling on this one.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My ruling is simple. As he continues debating, he will address that point of order.

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, I stand here to react to the President’s Speech and outline Government policies. My perceived arrogance is not part of PF policy.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulusa: Then you are not a member of the PF.

Laughter

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Sir, before the point of order was raised, I was saying that the results of the last Parliamentary and local government by-elections show clearly that the Zambian people have continued to repose their confidence in the PF, …

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: … not any other political party.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: That is what the results show.

Mr Mulusa: Not in Mkaika.

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, we are pleased, as the PF Government, to see that we have started making political inroads in areas that were hitherto dominated by the Opposition. We are very happy on this side. This should serve as a wake-up call to my colleagues on your left, irrespective of the number of points of order they raise, who believe that a party’s political strength should be predicated on the balkanisation of this country. Zambians want to live in unity across the ethnic and religious divides.

Sir, the delivery of a people-driven Constitution remains one of our commitments to the Zambian people, as it was one of our campaign promises in 2011. Let me take this opportunity to commend members of the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution, who have superintended on this process to capture all the views from a cross-section of our country. We have no doubt that the final draft will reflect the cultural values, norms, past experiences and future aspirations of the Zambian people.

Sir, the committee had intended to submit the final draft Constitution to various stakeholders and the people of Zambia at large to give them the opportunity to review it. Thereafter, it would consider the comments with a view to incorporating them in the final draft. However, it is the view of the Government that stakeholders and members of the public were given enough time to discuss the contents of the first draft Constitution through the informal and formal consultative processes that lasted eleven months. During the informal consultative process, the public …

Mr Mwale: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, are the hon. Members on your right in order to watch their hon. Minister of Justice articulate PF policies and explain everything that the PF is doing in an able manner without shouting a single, “Hear, hear!”?

Laughter

Mr Mwale: Are they showing us that they are divided? 

I need your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that what you are urging the hon. Members to do they are supposed to do of their own volition.

Hon. Government Members: Yes.

Mr Speaker: You can continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Sikazwe: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, thank you.

 Sir, before the point of order was raised, I was saying that it is the view of the Government that stakeholders and members of the public were given enough time to discuss the contents of the first draft Constitution through the informal and formal consultative process, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Kabimba, SC.: … which lasted eleven months.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Muntanga: We know who.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Sir, during the informal consultative process, members of the public reviewed the contents of the first draft Constitution individually or in groups and made written comments, which were deposited in comment boxes that had been placed in all National Assembly Constituency Offices countrywide. The period for the informal consultative process ran from the 1st May, 2012 to 17th September, 2013.

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Therefore, in arriving at the final Draft Constitution, the Technical Committee consulted extensively, having interacted with about 10,000 delegates drawn from different walks of life and received 3,167 recommendations. Ultimately, it came up with a layman’s final draft Constitution, which will be made public in the shortest possible time. As a Government, we believe that enough consultations have been made on the Constitution-making process. Therefore, it is time to bring finality to this process.

I wish, therefore, to assure the nation, once again, through this House, Mr Speaker, that the PF Government has no interest in circumventing the wishes and aspirations of the people of Zambia.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was assuring the House and, through it, the nation at large, that the PF Government has no interest or intentions, whatsoever, to circumvent the wishes and aspirations of the Zambian people over the Constitutional-making process. Our intention is to go into the history books of this country as the Government that facilitated the making of the best Constitution for this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, as a Government, we would like this record to exist side by side with those of other Governments that preceded us, but failed to give our people a Constitution that could stand the test of time.

Sir, I would also like to state that, in the last two Speeches to this House, His Excellency the President called for unity in this House. 

Mr Mwaliteta: Hear, hear!

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Mr Speaker, the development projects of the PF can only succeed if all of us unite in serving the Zambian people.

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

Mr Kabimba, SC.: Sir, development does not carry any party card because the voiceless, whom we represent in this House, are the ultimate beneficiaries of that development. As a developing country, Zambia has, for a long time, lost the opportunity to move at the same pace as other countries in this world in terms of development. We, in the PF, are committed to ensuring that our people, this time around, see development. This development must cut across all the districts and provinces, including the districts that have not yet been created, such as Zozwe. We believe that they all need to be developed.

Sir, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mrs Mwamba): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor of the House. I wish to begin by expressing my heartfelt and deep condolences to the Sakeni family on the loss of their dear one, and to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, on the loss of a gallant and patriotic warrior, Hon. Kennedy Mumba Sakeni, whose contribution to the PF, especially in his home province of Luapula, speaks for itself. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Sir, I also wish to welcome the recently-elected hon. Members of Parliament to this House. More so, I welcome the hon. Member for Mkushi North, to whom I pay glowing tribute for having won the seat against all odds because it was not easy for her, as a woman. I commend her for increasing the number of women in this House.

Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech on the occasion of the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly was not only inspiring, but also a true reflection of the President’s vision for this country and the actual progress made in all developmental projects, both inherited and initiated by the PF Government. That is why I get surprised when I hear senior hon. Members of the House who held senior positions in the previous administration say that some project was an initiative of the MMD Administration.

Power went off for some time.

Hon. Government Members: Jealous.

Mr Speaker: You may continue, hon. Deputy Minister. It was a shift transition.

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, the current administration has its own vision for this country, but it also has the responsibility to complete the developmental projects left by the previous administration because it is now in charge. It has a duty to complete all projects countrywide for the benefit of our people. For example, the Ministry of Home Affairs has had challenges in dealing with the congestion in our prisons. In an effort to de-congest the existing prison infrastructure, which was built in the Colonial Era for a much smaller population, the proactive PF Government has completed the construction of the Mwembeshi Maximum Prison, which was left incomplete by the UNIP Government. It has also completed other State prisons left by the MMD Government across the country. This is how it should be, and it has helped greatly to de-congest the prisons in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, the President re-affirmed his commitment to the creation of employment for the youth of this country. We have seen the creation of more than 300,000 jobs across the nation, of which the youth have had their fair share.

Power went off for some time.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, the unprecedented levels of construction seen in Zambia, today, such as like the Link Zambia 8,000, Pave Zambia 2,000, Link Lusaka 400, and general infrastructure developments going on in the country have contributed to employment creation. Further, this year alone, 5,000 teachers will be recruited by the Government. The creation of new districts has also contributed to the creation of employment …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, on the left!

Mrs Mwamba: Sir, all Government departments in the new districts have been given their establishments and this has also contributed to the creation of employment. In the last twelve months alone, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs have enlisted and trained officers, who have since joined the rank and file in their respective ministries. In the last twelve months, the Ministry of Home Affairs has trained and employed 2,638 officers broken down as follows.

Date    No. of Graduates     Institution    

27th April, 2013    599 constables     Lilayi Police Training College

28th April, 2013    449 constables     Geoffrey Mukuma Training School, popularly known as Sondela

 2nd April, 2013    452 constables     Kamfinsa School of Public Order Maintenance

6th November, 2012    184 constables     Lilayi Police Training College
    (Immigration 
    Department) 

28th June, 2013    628 constables     Kabwe Prisons Service 

10th October, 2013    326 artisan     Kamfinsa School of Public Order
    Constables    Maintenance
    (Pending 
    graduation)

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

There are too many conversations running. I know that it has been a long day, but the hon. Deputy Minister is debating and addressing you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, the recruitment and training programme is an on-going one. Please, note that 2,638 youths have been employed by one Government ministry in less than two years. However, our colleagues on your left have been singing that we have not created any jobs because they have been schooled to sing that way even when they know that what they are disputing are the realities on the ground. They have been taught to say black even when they see white.

Laughter

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, all these programmes started within ninety days of our coming into office, as promised. Even the much-talked about Constitution-making process was commenced within ninety days. All the pledges we made have been fulfilled.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question! 

Mrs Mwamba: The Constitution-making process has been all-inclusive ...

Hon. Opposition Member: Question!

Mrs Mwamba: ... and the diversity of stakeholders shows that, this time around, the Zambian people are coming up with a home-grown Constitution that reflects their collective aspirations and will. In spite of the task that we have given ourselves to produce a new Constitution, we still have a legal order in that the current Constitution still subsists and all of us are still subject to it. The governance of this country is premised on this legal order.

Mr Speaker, the President and his PF Government are committed to governing this country on the premise of the rule of law and protecting the rights of all citizens, whether civil or political. I know that there is a thin line between human rights and the rule of law. Being governors of a country with diverse cultural, political, religious and social backgrounds is not exactly easy. Whilst fundamental freedoms must be protected, they may not always be absolute, especially when the enjoyment of such rights infringes on other people’s rights. A responsible government does not, therefore, allow such liberties without caution and protection for others.

Mr Speaker, finally, in applying the Public Order Act, the PF Government is committed to ensuring that political rights are enjoyed by all citizens, political parties and civil groupings. The Act, as we have demonstrated, will not be applied selectively. Public order will be maintained by the police under the able leadership of the Inspector-General of Police and her command. We will continue to apply it in its current form until after amendments have been brought to this House. We will not bend the law to suit some quarters of society. We will not re-invent the wheel. As a matter of fact, this law is colour-blind. All are subject to it.

I thank you, Sir.

The Minister of Tourism and Art (Mrs Masebo): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the very important Motion on the Floor of the House, which is the President’s Speech.

Mr Speaker, I am sorry, I was told by the Chief Whip that you had slated my debate for tomorrow. So, I did not prepare to debate today, but I will debate. 

Mr Speaker, from the outset, allow me to join His Excellency the President and all the hon. Members who have spoken before me in conveying our deepest sympathies to Hon. Sakeni’s wife, family, children, and, indeed, the whole country. The late hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting contributed a lot to this country and his death has left a big gap. He will be missed by all of us. May his soul rest in peace.

Mr Speaker, allow me to also join those who have spoken before me in congratulating all the new hon. Members of Parliament who were elected in the recent by-elections. In the same vein, I want to thank His Excellency the President and the PF for adopting a female candidate, as we need more women to participate in our political dispensation. You have seen that organisations that have more women record more progress than those where there are gender inequalities. We need more women if we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on gender equality.

Mr Speaker, related to the by-elections, His Excellency the President condemned the violence that is becoming a common feature of our elections, especially in the recent ones. I am happy to note, also, that a number of our colleagues, both on the right and the left, condemned this violence. I would like to join those who have condemned the violence that seems to be taking centre stage in our country. The point is that violence can never have any space in a democratic country. Therefore, I urge all of us here as well as the people outside this House to unite, as a country, and condemn violence.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: From my over twenty years of experience in politics, I have learnt that violence shifts. If, today, you encourage people to insult or beat your colleague, tomorrow, it will be you to be insulted and beaten.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: That was also our experience.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, that is my experience. Therefore, having been a politician for many years, I think that we have gone through this trail and we have seen where it leads. It would be better for those who have not experienced it to learn from me and those who have spoken before me by heeding what we have been saying on issues of violence.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I want to spend some time on issues of governance, which His Excellency the President touched on. First of all, I would like to talk about the issue of the Constitution-making process, which the hon. Minister of Justice addressed. I have heard many people say, among other things, that we are slow, not committed and that there is no roadmap. I think that, having been part of the process, …

Mr Muntanga: In the MMD!

Mrs Masebo: Yes, I have been in this Parliament for a long time. This is my fourth or fifth term.

Hon. Government Members: Yes.

Mrs Masebo: Therefore, I have been part of the processes and I can tell you that the style that His Excellency the President has adopted, and his guidance to his party and hon. Ministers not to make too many comments on the Constitution-making process has helped because people have been able to debate and participate without any influence from those in leadership. That is because that is partly what spoiled the Constitution-making process in the past, whereby the President or his senior hon. Ministers stood and said that they did not want the 50 Per Cent plus One Clause or commented on other issues. That unduly influenced the process. Therefore, it is good that we have all been quiet even though we have an opinion. As the hon. Member of Parliament for Chongwe, I contributed, just like, I am sure, the hon. Member for Kalomo Central went and contributed to that process in Kalomo District. However, time will come when the Constitution will be brought to the Floor of this House and we will be able to voice our opinions. Therefore, I think that the manner in which the PF Government has dealt with the process, so far, is good. I also think that we should commend people when commendations are deserved.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, let me say that the debates by the hon. Members of Parliament for Kalomo Central, Mazabuka Central and most of the UPND and MMD hon. Members of Parliament were hollow, empty, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: … inconsistent, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: … not focused, …

Interruptions

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I am seated here quietly trying to listen to the hon. Minister of Tourism and Art, who is struggling to debate because she did not prepare to do so today. Is she in order to talk about my very strong debate on agriculture in that way when she could not challenge what I stated on the Floor of this House? She has now picked on my debate and called it hollow when she cannot address any of the issues I raised on agriculture.

Mr Speaker: Order!

The problem, here, if at all there is one, is simple. The expressions she has used have actually been employed to describe the Speech of the President.

Mrs Masebo: Yes.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

I am making a ruling. I have followed her debate. In the first instance, she gave an example of the hon. Member for Kalomo Central but, later, she made a generic statement referring to two political parties, and that is not debating individuals. She was making comments on the contributions that were made.

Hon. Government Members: Yes.

Mr Speaker: Order!

I have not curtailed anybody who has described the Speech using the same adjectives. Therefore, how do we apply a different standard now?

Hon. Government Members: Ee?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for your ruling. I deliberately made those statements. I want to underscore my statement by reading this article on the President’s Speech:

“Kasenengwa MMD Member of Parliament, Victoria Kalima, has charged that the President’s Speech was hollow, …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, please, sit down. Perhaps, you did not understand my ruling. 

We are not allowed to debate fellow hon. Members in their individual capacities. Do not single out individuals. I have deprecated that practice. So, do not identify individual hon. Members in your debate. What I said, in a generalised manner, is that you can indicate the character of the debate in response to the issues. However, it is not appropriate or in order for you to single out individual hon. Members of Parliament and target them for debate. That is not what I permitted.

Please, continue.

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your guidance. We continue learning even if we are old politicians in this House. 

Sir, in debating the President’s Speech and trying to respond, as a Cabinet Minister, to some of the concerns raised by our colleagues on your left, I was trying to use the words that, I felt, we should not encourage ourselves to use when debating important national issues. I would like to retract the earlier statement, which characterised my hon. Colleagues’ debates using the same words they used to describe the President’s Speech, such as ‘hollow,’ ‘substandard’ and ‘empty’. I take note of your guidance.

Mr Speaker, I want to state, from the outset, that His Excellency the President’s Speech was excellent. In fact, it was an improvement on the Speech for 2011. This time around, His Excellency the President articulated the broad policy of his Government for all the sectors. However, as usual, you cannot expect His Excellency the President to go into details. For example, on local government, this year, he directed the hon. Minister to finalise the Act on urban planning in order to resolve the problems of human settlements. He said that we would entrench the Decentralisation Policy and recapitalise the National Housing Authority (NHA). That is enough. You do not expect him to start explaining how he would recapitalise it. It is for us, as hon. Ministers, to articulate the details specific to our individual ministries. 

Mr Mbulakulima interjected.

Mrs Masebo: So, I thought that it was important that, as we describe ourselves, we do it to help ourselves.

Mr Mbulakulima interjected.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Chembe, we are having difficulties conducting our business with your transmission there.

Laughter 

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President articulated the policy of job creation as one of our major areas …

Ms Lubezhi: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Lubezhi: Mr Speaker, is Hon. Mwaliteta in order to sit in the manner …

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Member: Of hugging.

Ms Lubezhi: … he is seated, hugging an hon. Member who is trying to concentrate on the debate on the Floor?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Laughter 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President was very specific in articulating his vision for Zambia. He stated that the PF Government would continue to put more money in agriculture, education, health and local government. These are the four key sectors that will help to develop this country. The key sectors that he said would drive job creation were tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and construction because he realised their importance in job creation, enhancing rural development and poverty reduction. I would like to say that the tourism industry can spur economic growth and create the employment opportunities that we talk about. 

Mr Speaker, to that effect, my ministry has already started harnessing the tourism potential that this country has. It was very strategic for His Excellency to have brought the creative industry under tourism because he fully appreciated its importance. If you looked at what we are doing, you would see that it is not the result of guesswork, but things that he had envisioned in the PF Manifesto that the PF Secretary-General keeps talking about.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: All we are doing, today, is implementing that vision. There is nothing that we are doing outside the manifesto. Obviously, as we implement the manifesto, there are certain policies that will be similar to what the MMD tried to do. The only difference will be that our colleagues did things badly. For example, the Formula 1 Project was a bad way of working on roads. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: I am sure that any future Government will not divert from infrastructure development, for example. Infrastructure is necessary to develop tourism because we need the roads to improve domestic tourism. We also need airports like Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International, which was given to us and enabled us to successfully co-host the UNWTO-GA with Zimbabwe. Planes were able to land on a good airport. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, the President made it clear that, although tourism was one of the key pillars to creating employment, there was a need to continue investing in energy, transport and communication, and other sectors. 

Sir, the challenge that we face, which our colleagues on the left should consider, is whether we are walking the talk. Are we doing what we are supposed to be doing? Further, are we putting money where we said we would?

Hon. Government Member: Tell them.

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, apart from the first Budget that the PF took over from the MMD because it was late for the new Government to prepare its own, from last year’s Budget and the one the great hon. Minister of Finance will present to this House this Friday, you will see how we have progressed. We are allocating funds where they are needed, not for political gain, whereby we should start doing things at an eleventh hour. You have noticed that President Sata hit the road.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: He has tried to bring development and keep the promise that was made to the Zambian people. I hope I will be allowed by my hon. Colleagues on your left to make this statement. I am saying so because I do not want somebody to raise a point of order and tell me that I am speaking as a Member of Parliament. I have been a Member of Parliament for Chongwe for three terms and the development that is taking place in that constituency is what I have fought for for fifteen years, ...

Mr Mwale: Iyee!

Mrs Masebo: … but nothing was done. I superintended over strategic ministries under the MMD Government, but I could not get the services delivered to the people of Chongwe. Some of the projects appeared in the Yellow Book, but could not be implemented. In the last elections, the President went to Chongwe and asked the people to vote for me so that I could develop the area with him. He promised to tar the road that they had been crying for and build the university that they wanted.  That is, exactly, what has happened.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, when people say that the PF Government is not doing anything, they are being unfair. Let me also advise my hon. Colleagues on your right not to think that we are not working. The people of Zambia are not sleepy. They have become very clever and learned how to judge their Government. If the MMD had done its work in 2011, even with those projects that it did in a hurry, such as the Formula 1 roads, the people of Zambia would still have voted for them. However, the people were clever and did not vote for it. They voted for the PF because they had confidence that it would develop this country. That is what the PF is doing now.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Sir, the advice that I would like to give my colleagues is that Zambians are intelligent. They gave us almost 100 per cent of their vote and we must not take them for granted, but continue on the path that His Excellency the President has put us. As hon. Ministers, hon. Members of Parliament and the party, we must help the President to achieve the dream that he promised the people of Zambia. 

Interruptions

Mr L. J. Ngoma: On point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: You are still on the Floor, hon. Minister.

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, let me just shed some light on the potential in the tourism industry.

Mr L. J. Ngoma: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr L. J. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, as you know, I rarely stand on points of order. 

Sir, is the hon. Minister of Tourism and Art, who is debating, in order to mislead this House and the nation at large through her statement that the Zambian people gave the PF almost 100 per cent of the vote when the truth of the matter is that the PF got into the Government by a 42 per cent minority vote? 

I seek your serious ruling, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! 

Hon. Minister, continue with that caveat in mind. 

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, indeed, it would have been almost 100 per cent were it not for the riggings and bribes, hence, the nullifications that you keep hearing about in courts today.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I would like to come to the issue of the potential for job creation in the tourism industry. We have the Victoria Falls, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World which, as a country, we have failed to capitalise on in the past decades. The PF Government now wants to capitalise on it by taking more investments to the area.

Mr Speaker, I want to say that we intend to increase the number of bed spaces there …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

 Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, we want to maximise the benefits of the new airport and the fruits of successfully co-hosting the UNWTO-GA. As you will all agree, Zambia is now high on the map in terms of visibility worldwide.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo: However, we, obviously, have to …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Your time is up, hon. Minister. Any further debate from the right?

Interruptions

The Deputy Minister for the North-Western Province (Mr Mubukwanu): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Mubukwanu: … debate the Motion on the Floor. Firstly, I would like to join my colleagues who have conveyed their condolences to the Sakeni family on the untimely death of the hon. Member of Parliament for Mansa Central and former Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: May his soul rest in eternal peace. I also want to congratulate the new hon. Members of Parliament, and Hon. Silvia Masebo, on her hard work and successful hosting of the UNWTO-GA.

Sir, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Sata’s, Address to this august House on the occasion of the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly was premised on the PF’s vision, as contained in the party’s manifesto, which reads:

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

Hon. Government Member: You are very intelligent.

Mr Mubukwanu: The President re-affirmed the Government’s determination to create a better Zambia for all in line with the PF Manifesto.

Mr Speaker, the attainment of this vision of a better Zambia is not only the Government’s responsibility, but calls for the active involvement of all stakeholders, such as the Opposition, co-operating partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and Zambians in general.

Sir, the President clearly outlined a development framework, which we need to faithfully follow if we are to make Zambia a better place for all of us.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: The key areas of focus in the President’s Address include the need to foster a unity of purpose.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, we need to achieve a higher and sustainable economic growth in order to alleviate poverty through rural development and job creation. This we shall attain through the guidance of the Vision 2030 and Revised Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP), with special focus on the key areas of agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism, and science and technology.

Mr Speaker, with that said, allow me to acknowledge the contributions by the hon. Members of Parliament from the North-Western Province who debated this Motion, and respond to their concerns. 

Sir, most debaters from the North-Western Province bemoaned …

Mr Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)
                                                                         
ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Chief Whip and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Mukanga): Sir, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

__________

The House adjourned at 1916 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 10th October, 2013.