DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Tuesday, 8th October, 2013

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to acquaint the House with the presence, in the Speaker’s Gallery, of the following hon. Members of the Committee on Finance from the Parliament of Ghana:

Hon. J. K Avedzi, MP, Chairperson and Leader of Delegation;

Hon. J. C. Yawumbe, MP, Deputy Ranking Member;

Hon. R. Acheampong, MP, Member;

Hon. K. A Kwarteng, MP, Member;

Mr R. A Sarkodi, Clerk to the Committee; and

Mr E. Fordjour, Ministry of Finance Liaison to Parliament.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I wish to receive our distinguished guests and warmly welcome them in our midst.

I thank you.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MINES IN KASEMPA

83. Mr Pande (Kasempa) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development:

(a) who owned Kasempa Mining and Natural Resources Foundation Limited;

(b) what the names of shareholders of Katoka Mine in Kasempa District were;

(c) whether the Lions Resources Company Limited owned any mine in Kasempa;

(d) if so, what the name of the mine was; and

(e) where exactly the mine was located.

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Musukwa): Mr Speaker, the following is the proposed answer from the hon. Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development …

Hon. Opposition Members interjected.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, I beg your pardon. The following is our emphatic answer to the question from the hon. Member.

Sir, Kasempa Community Mining and Natural Resources Foundation Limited is owned by five directors, namely:

(a) Benson Kasempa Mushita;

(b) Godfrey Kaloko;

(c) Henry Kashanto;

(d) Loveness Matanda; and

(e) Monica Mundambo.

Sir, Katoka Mine does not exist. However, there are illegal mining activities taking place within an area currently under a large-scale prospecting licence held by Lions Resources Limited. It is this that is referred to as Katoka Mine.

Mr Speaker, Lions Resources Limited does not own a mine, but holds a large prospecting licence in Kasempa District. So, the question of the name of the mine does not arise, and I would hasten to indicate that, to that effect, the directors of some of these mining operations are facing some litigation. However, it is safe to say that prospecting works are taking place in the north-eastern part of Kasempa.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, I am sure that the hon. Minister is aware that without the intervention of the senior chief, there would have been a riot over this mine in Kasempa. Kasempa Mining and Natural Resources Foundation, which is a community-based company, was given a licence to own Katoka Mine. However, the co-ordinates which were appearing on that particular licence are not the ones for Katoka Mine. So, when is the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development going to give Kasempa Mining and Natural Resources Foundation Limited the correct co-ordinates for Katoka Mine, for which it applied?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, I note that the royal foundation, which is operating under the Katoka Mine, is an initiative of His Royal Highness to ensure that the people of Kasempa have a stake in the mine. As a Government, we want to ensure the active participation of the local people in mining activities taking place in their localities. We have been working on this initiative to ensure that we give co-ordinates to match the type of terrain in the area.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has given us a list of shareholders for Kasempa Community Mining and Natural Resources Foundation, which is a local and indigenous company. However, I would like to find out who the directors or shareholders for Lions Resources Company Limited and Katoka Mine are.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, in principle, we have already spelt out who the directors for the company, the community and the royal establishment are. The shareholders of Lions Resources Company Limited are:

 Name of Shareholder Nationality

 Tarin and Daniel Dede Indonesia;

 Mestichelli Franco Joseph Australian

 Mcevoy Noel Australian

 Lee Siak Ku Australian

 Mulenga Bweupe Zambian

 Bruce Kalukago Nkenda Zambian

 Tung En-Yi  Chinese

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kazonga (Vubwi): Mr Speaker, if I got the hon. Deputy Minister right, in his response to part (b) of the question, he said that Katoka Mine does not exist and that there were just illegal mining activities taking place there. Could the hon. Minister reconcile the two statements.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, indeed, that is what I said. The company operating in the area in question is not supposed to be mining because it was only given a prospecting licence. Therefore, it is supposed to be prospecting before it can be given a mining licence. However, in the course of prospecting, it has started mining illegally. Therefore, the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development has sent technocrats and the police to ensure that this activity is stopped.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kakoma (Zambezi West): Mr Speaker, in the past few days, there has been confusion and near rioting in Kasempa over these mining activities. Can the hon. Minister shed light on what the source of that confusion is and how the Government intends to address the situation.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, indeed, the hon. Member of Parliament is right. There is a problem which has actually been highlighted even in our media. This problem basically involves some of the old directors of Lions Resources Company Limited. However, I would not like to delve into the details because it is a matter under litigation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mulusa (Solwezi Central): Mr Speaker, in answering part (c) of the question, the hon. Minister indicated that Lions Resources Company Limited owns a prospecting licence. May I know when this licence was issued and what minerals are being prospected for.

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, indeed, Lions Resources Company Limited owns a large-scale prospecting licence which is valid for seven years. The company has been prospecting for copper.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: When was the licence issued?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, I do not know the exact time when it was issued, but it is a licence that has a gestation period of seven years. What is known is that the company has had the licence for over two years and it had to relinquish 50 per cent of the land that it was initially given.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister say that there is illegal mining going on at Katoka Mine. What has the Government done to curb it so that it comes to an end?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, the Government has, with immediate effect, sent technocrats and the police to ensure that it brings this illegal mining to an end.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mwanza (Solwezi West): Mr Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister say that the Kasempa Mining and Natural Resources Foundation is owned by the local people and the directors that he named. In the hon. Minister’s view, has there been any abrogation of the Mines and Minerals Development Act? Why did this foundation not commence operations within ninety days?

Mr Musukwa: Mr Speaker, in principle, when we, as a ministry, issue a prospecting licence, we expect the holders to commence prospecting within the time stipulated by the law. However, you may wish to know that the royal establishment and the community, in this case, constituted a team in order for this organisation to have a face of the community rather than that of individuals. So, the ministry deliberately allowed this company to go about it this way to encourage Zambian participation in the exploitation of mineral resources.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

ISOKA DISTRICT AIRSTRIP

84. Mr Sichula (Nakonde) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications:

(a) when the Government would construct an airstrip in Isoka District; and

(b) whether the people living on the land earmarked for the airstrip would be relocated.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, construction of the Isoka Airstrip will commence after the tender process has been completed and immediately after the contractor has been chosen. It is estimated that the contractor will mobilise around January to February, 2014, to start the project. Once complete definition of the airstrip land is done, people who will fall within the defined land will have to be relocated for safety reasons. In addition, the selected district aerodromes earmarked for upgrading to bituminous standard are the following:

(a) Mkushi;

(b) Serenje;

(c) Mpika;

(d) Chinsali;

(e) Isoka;

(f) Luwingu;

(g) Mporokoso;

(h) Nakonde;

(i) Chadiza; and

(j) Chama.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, have the people to be relocated from the planned site where the airstrip will be constructed been given alternative land to move to as opposed to waiting to move them between January and February, next year? This is to ensure that the possibility of conflict arising is minimised.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, somebody needs to go to school. I said that when a site is identified, the people within that location will be moved. So, as of now, the area has not yet been identified.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, I am surprised by the list of proposed airstrips to be upgraded. Almost all of them are earmarked for construction on one side of this country. Are there no airstrips in other regions like the Southern, Western, North-Western and Central provinces that need upgrading?

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications (Mr Mukanga): Sir, if you noticed, the question did not relate to aerodromes, but I thought I should give such an answer because, earlier in the sitting, I had said I would come back to the House to give the names of the ten airstrips to be upgraded. Nonetheless, when it comes to aerodromes across the country, the Government has a plan. It will start with that set and move onto the next one.

Thank you very much, Sir.

THERMAL GENERATOR OPERATION COST

85. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development how much money was spent, per month, to run the thermal generators in the following districts:

(a) Mwinilunga;

(b) Kabompo;

(c) Zambezi;

(d) Chavuma; and

(e) Mufumbwe.

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Zulu): Mr Speaker, at the moment, we do not have any thermal generators in the country. However, we have diesel generators in the districts referred to in the question. Therefore, the ministry took it that Hon. Katuka meant diesel and not thermal generators. The cost of running these generators per month is as follows:

District Cost (K)

Mwinilunga 952,043

Kabompo 765,694

Zambezi 728,833

Chavuma 390,393

Mufumbwe 560,498

Total 3,397,460

Mr Speaker, of the costs incurred, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) charges 9 per cent to the customer through household tariffs while 91 per cent of the cost is a subsidy through the national tariff.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, according to the hon. Minister’s response, it is clear that Mwinilunga District has the highest expenditure in the region. May I know why this is so.

The Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Yaluma): Mr Speaker, the only answer we can give is that demand in Mwinilunga District is higher than it is in the other districts. Consequently, the cost of operating the generators is higher there than it is in other areas.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, instead of using diesel generators that cost so much money why can the Government not use solar energy?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, the concept of solar energy is a fairly new innovation. However, these generators have been running since the 1970s. When the concept of solar energy came into being, the initial cost of putting up a solar plant was quite expensive. Also, a solar plant cannot cater for the demand of the area currently. Nonetheless, at the moment, the Government is connecting the North-Western Province to the national grid. However, some isolated areas will still be considered for solar energy.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, two years ago, I had the privilege to visit Chief Kanongesha in Mwinilunga. He indicated that the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), under the Rupiah Banda Administration, had already begun clearing the wayleave for the national grid connectivity into Mwinilunga. Two years down the line, we are told that we have to continue using diesel generators. I want to know how far the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development has gone, specifically in Mwinilunga, in making sure that the grid extension takes place.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, when we look at the connection of the North-Western Province to the national grid, we are looking at a network which will span across the region. The contractor to carry out this project has already been appointed. It is a Swedish company.

Mr Speaker, as regards the servitude which was secured, ensuring that you secure servitude is one of those things you start with before you start thinking of running a line anywhere. This is because it takes a lot of time to negotiate with property owners. If you start with building, you may get stuck and not go anywhere. So, the first thing you do is ensure that you secure the route. That is what the MMD did and we are carrying on from there by implementing the project.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Imenda (Luena): Mr Speaker, I note that one of the places mentioned is Chavuma and the hon. Minister has stated that the use of generators dates back to many years ago. I am also aware that the Government is trying to establish local hydro-power stations. In view of the fact that Chavuma has a waterfall, are there any plans, under the national plan for hydro-power stations construction, to construct a hydro-power station at Chavuma Falls?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, indeed, a tender for a contractor to implement the establishment of a mini-hydro power station at Chavuma and Chanda was closed on 20th September, 2013.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, seeing that these diesel powered generators are very expensive to run and connection to the national electricity grid is long-term, there was a suggestion to put up solar plants throughout this region. Therefore, I would like to find out how far the ministry has gone as regards the installation of the solar plants.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, at the moment, the Government cannot consider solar plants except for very remote areas which cannot be connected to the national grid. However, I think that we are going to connect each point in the North-Western Province to the national grid.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has clarified that the MMD cleared the wayleave some three years back since the PF has been in the Government for two years. Therefore, what is the Government doing to develop the area because these trees will not wait for it before they can grow back? Before we know it, the Government will be telling us that it will be spending more money on clearing again.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, we must realise that there are a lot of options to consider when looking for the routes through which to take a line. Negotiations to take the lines through some routes take longer. However, suffice to say that we have already embarked on the construction. The contractor has been appointed. The trees have not grown and the wayleave is still active. We will use the same servitude to lay the line.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Habeenzu (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, Muchinga Province, which is newly-created, has already been connected to the national grid. Why has it taken long for the Government to connect Mwinilunga to the national grid as opposed to its continued use of generators?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, Muchinga has been connected to the national grid since 1980. The diesel generator was withdrawn from Chinsali in Muchinga a long time ago. There is a line which runs from Pensulo through Mpika into Muchinga. There is also a line to Mbala and a line from Kasama to Luwingu and Mporokoso. Those were the first areas to be connected to the grid. Therefore, Muchinga Province was not connected yesterday. It has been connected for a long time.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Mr Speaker, the figures that have been given for running those generators is 50 per cent of the actual cost because the machines do not run throughout the night. They operate until midnight. I would like the hon. Minister to tell us exactly what the quickest possible solution to this big problem will be, in view of the amount being spent.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I think that there is a notion I must correct. When the Government decided to bring in generators, it realised the huge amounts of money it would pay for operations. It was just a matter of trying to give a service to the people. It had done its homework and calculated how much it would be subsidising. So, it was not a matter of trying to reduce the cost of supplying electricity. The Government knew that the cost of running these generators would be exorbitant. However, it wanted to make sure that people had access to electricity in one way or the other. I have just mentioned the lasting solution. We, as a Government, are going ahead with the connection to the national grid. That is the fastest solution at this point.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr I. Banda (Lumezi): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned subsidies on the tariffs. I would like find out whether these subsidies have a life span.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, we all know that the residents of these areas, together, cannot foot the cost of running this equipment because, first and foremost, it is unjustifiable, if we are to go by the economic evaluation. However, because we wanted to supply electricity to the people, we had to look for ways of subsidising the cost. These subsidies have been achieved through the tariffs which you people are paying.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kaingu (Mwandi): Mr Speaker, I want the hon. Minister to confirm whether it is true that his Government moved power lines from Mufumbwe to Muchinga?

Laughter

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is caring and makes sure that it makes life easier for the people. Therefore, it is not true that power lines were removed from Mufumbwe and taken to Muchinga.

I thank you, Sir.

MAPANDE BASIC SCHOOL

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

(a) how many teachers were at Mapande Basic School in Solwezi East Parliamentary Constituency as of August, 2013;

 (b) what the staff establishment of the school was; and

(c) when the Government would construct permanent structures at the school.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr P. Ngoma): Mr Speaker, the school does not have any qualified teachers. It only has untrained teachers from within the community. The school used to have trained teachers who were evacuated and transferred to other schools when it got flooded. This was because the buildings were at risk of collapsing because they were made of temporary materials. This happened in 2010 and since then, the teachers from the community have been teaching at this school.

Mr Speaker, the school has an establishment of nine teachers.

Mr Speaker, the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) has confirmed that Mapande is one of the schools that the district is going to construct in 2014. The office is working with the local community to identify suitable higher ground where the school can be constructed. Three of the teachers who were originally from this school have been written to, informing them about being transferred back to Mapande when the construction of the school is completed. These teachers will take over from the teachers from within the community.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister aware that there is only one teacher who acts as Head Teacher and teaches all subjects and classes from Grade 1 to Grade 9? If he is aware, how does he expect these pupils to get quality education from such an environment?

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, the Government is fully aware of that and that is why, in my response earlier, I said that the teacher who is teaching at this school is not a qualified teacher. He is just there to assist in the running of the school.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kalila: Mr Speaker, if I got the hon. Minister correctly, he said that most of the teachers were transferred from this school as a result of the flooding that occurred in 2010. Is sending teachers away and not bringing them back after the floods have subsided the best way to administer education?

Mr P. Ngoma: Mr Speaker, this school gets flooded during a certain time of the year and the Government felt that it was best that it did not allow the teachers to just sit there doing nothing. The best thing the Government could do, at that time, was to send those teachers to various schools where they could continue teaching. I have also indicated that as soon as this school is reconstructed into a permanent structure on suitable land, these teachers will be sent back to the school.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that it was not good for the teachers at the school to have been doing nothing when the area was flooded. May I know what was done with the pupils at that school for the teachers to have had nothing to do.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, the situation at the school is unique in that Mapande Primary School, in Chief Chikola’s area, is on the banks of the Kafue River. In fact, it is more easily accessible from Chililabombwe than it is from Solwezi, as those who know the geography of the area will agree with me. In 2010, the decision arrived at was to temporarily close the school because of the nature of the flooding. Unfortunately, the ministry did not revisit that decision until now when it has been decided that the district infrastructure plan includes Mapande Primary School. Thus, the ministry intends to build permanent infrastructure consisting of a 1 x 3 classroom block at the school. Once that is done, we will recall the teachers, who were transferred to other schools, to take over the running of the school. I know that this has been a very painful time for the Mapande Community because, as the question suggests, if teachers were withdrawn from the school, why were the pupils not moved from the school as well? That was the mistake that was made. However, amends will be made by building this infrastructure and restoring the school. The major challenge is finding ground high enough on which to build the school. However, the DEBS and the community are busy scouting for a possible site, and I know that this school will be rescued.

I thank you, Sir.

Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, while the Government is still …

Hon. Government Members: Ms Speaker?

Mr Speaker: Order!

You have the Floor, hon. Member.

Mr Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, while the Government is still waiting to include the building of this school on the infrastructure development plan, what immediate plan is it going to put in place to cushion the problem the school is faced with at the moment? The people in this area need good education.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister indicated that the DEBS has just confirmed that Mapande is included in the infrastructure development plan for 2014. He has also been encouraged to look at this case more urgently than before. Beyond that, we will be speculating. However, I hope that the community will be good enough to forgive our lapse because this situation has been lingering since 2010. It is time we put a stop to it for the sake of the future of the children.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mutelo (Lukulu West):  Mr Speaker, may I know if at all the pupils in examination classes at this school have been writing examinations or they are going to write examinations. If they are expected to write, what results are we expecting?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, that calls for a little research, but that is no excuse at all. Information reaching us is that Grade 7 examination classes have been utilising another school in the same area. So far, that other school has managed to contain the numbers. However, we do not rely on such a facility, particularly, in rural areas which are flooded most of the year, making mobility a bit awkward.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister made it clear that the establishment or required staff is nine. This means that for the school to require such an establishment, there may be a 1 x 3 pole and mud structure existing currently. In the meantime, there is only one untrained teacher who is teaching Grades 1 up to 9. Seriously, is the Government thinking of sending examination papers for Grade 7 and 9 to this school?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, seriously thinking, …

Laughter

Dr Phiri: … we are not sending examination papers to this school because it is not an examination centre. Pupils temporarily use another school as an examination centre. However, whether you are looking at it from outside or, particularly, within the Government this set up is just wrong. The sooner we find solutions to this, the better. 2014 is promising to give us a solution once and for all.

 I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Mazoka (Pemba): Mr Speaker, since these children are being taught by an untrained teacher, I would like to find out what the passing rate at this school is.

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, outside a little research, it is very difficult to establish, but one can guess what the passing rate is. Although this, as I said, is an isolated case, we have 518 and pole and mud grass thatched community schools all over the country. This is the major challenge that we are dealing with as a ministry.

I thank you, Sir.

SECONDARY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AT LWELA

87. Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a) what had caused the delay in the construction of a secondary school at Lwela in Senior Chief Milambo’s area in Milenge District; and

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

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that there is a secondary school at Lwela which was opened in 2005. This secondary school was upgraded from a basic school infrastructure, hence there has been no delay in constructing a secondary school at Lwela.

Sir, as the ministry embarks on the upgrading of strategically-located basic schools into secondary schools, in 2014, the Provincial Education Officer (PEO) for Luapula and DEBS for Milenge, in consultation with stakeholders, will decide which schools are to be prioritised in the upgrading into secondary schools in Milenge District.

Mr Speaker, as part of that consultation process, Hon. Mbulakulima is encouraged to liaise with the PEO’s Office and DEBS’ Office on the upgrading of Lwela Secondary.

Sir, in view of what I have said, it is not possible, at this point, to estimate the cost of upgrading Lwela Secondary School.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, seven to eight months ago, the hon. Minister told this House that the Government would embark on the construction of this school immediately after Milenge High School became operational. Therefore, this IS a follow-up question. Now that Milenge High School is operational, is the Government, again, somersaulting on what it promised or has it forgotten? Can I have a very accurate answer, hon. Minister.

Laughter

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, we are not somersaulting. In fact, Hon. Mbulakulima has already provided the answer to this House because, at the moment, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education prioritised the construction of Milenge Secondary School. That is where all the resources in that district went. Now that the construction of the school is complete, and from what I have said, in 2014, Hon. Mbulakulima should sieze the opportunity of upgrading selected basic schools. He should discuss with his DEBS and the PEO so that Lwela Secondary School is considered as part of that upgrading process. In fact, he is the only hon. Member of Parliament in Milenge. There are no other constituencies apart from Chembe.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Ema Minister aba!

Mr Mweetwa (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, in view of the perception by Hon. Mbulakulima that the ministry could actually be somersaulting, is it dragging its feet in undertaking this project because it is in a constituency which is held by the Opposition?

Hon. Government Members: Question!

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, this is pursuant to the pronouncements that the Government has been making during by-election campaigns and it is on record as having said that it would not take development where the Opposition wins. Is it operationalising those slogans it makes?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education and the PF Government will never isolate any constituency. It does not matter whether it is being held by the Opposition. In fact, if that was its approach, Hon. Mbulakulima should have said that the Government has failed to complete the construction of Milenge Secondary School. However, going by the fact that he has confirmed that the construction of Milenge Secondary School has been completed, that goes to justify that the PF Government does not segregate any hon. Member of Parliament in this House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mabumba: Therefore, like I said, and I want to repeat, Hon. Mbulakulima should seize the opportunity in 2014, in view of the investment programme that we are going to embark on of upgrading selected basic secondary schools, to lobby so that Lwela Secondary School can be upgraded.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister in a position to give us …

Mr Mweetwa: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, we come to this House to fully participate and debate. Is the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting in order to come here to sleep?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Well, the hon. Minister is very close to me and I have been scanning both left and right as I conduct business. At no moment did I find him in the state in which you are alleging. So, certainly, the point of order is not sustained.

May the hon. Member for Chadiza continue, please.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister going to give us the infrastructure development plan which will let us know how many secondary and primary schools will be built in particular districts?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, for 2014, we will provide an infrastructure development plan that will show the primary and secondary schools that are going to be upgraded.

I thank you, Sir.

__________{mospagebreak}

MOTION

MOTION OF THANKS

(Debate resumed)

Ms Namugala (Mafinga): Mr Speaker, as I was concluding my debate last week, I talked about tribalism and the fact that it is sad that we define ourselves by tribe even in this day and age.

Mr Speaker, what our country needs are not tribalists, but nationalists.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Ms Namugala: Our country requires men and women who will use their skills and their offices to deliver our people from poverty. Our country needs men and women in the Patriotic Front (PF), who are currently holding Government, who are going to live by their promises.

Ms Imenda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, when the hon. Member who is on the Floor was debating before we adjourned, she mentioned those who talk about tribalism. However, is she in order not to mention those who practise it?

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: The point of order is not sustained for the simple reason that she is at liberty to address the issue in the manner she sees fit. I am afraid you cannot put words into her mouth.

Continue, hon. Member for Mafinga.
 
Ms Namugala: Mr Speaker, those in power cannot continue to hide behind what their predecessors did or did not do.

I thank you, Sir.

The Minister of Defence (Mr Mwamba): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Motion on the Floor.

Mr Speaker, allow me to express my gratitude and appreciation on a well-focused and articulated President’s Speech on the opening of the …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba: … Third Session of the Eleventh National Assembly.

Sir, indeed, the speech brought out the developmental achievements of the PF Government in the first two years under the able leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba: Mr Speaker, my ministry has taken note of the policy pronouncements and fully supports the Government’s direction.

Mr Speaker, while His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia brought out a number of developmental issues affecting our people, allow me to comment on the following:

Agriculture

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President emphasised how important the agricultural sector is in ensuring national food security, mitigating poverty levels and job creation.

Sir, in this regard, my ministry, through the Zambia National Service (ZNS), increased the hectarage for the high-value crops such as soya beans and wheat. It also expanded poultry production and fish farming in some production units in the 2012/2013 Farming Season.

Sir, further, we have continued restocking and breeding heifers at Chisamba, Kamitonte and Sopelo ZNS camps. This effort will enhance beef production thereby contributing to national food security.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba:

Infrastructure Development

Mr Speaker, I wish to applaud the PF Government for having put in place deliberate programs of accelerating rural development in order to improve our people’s living standards, an issue which was well articulated by His Excellency the President. To support this programme, my ministry, through the ZNS, has been opening up feeder roads and rehabilitating roads in some rural areas. This has made these areas more accessible.

Mr Speaker, as I address this august House, the ZNS is doing commendable works in the Eastern Province which will be replicated in other parts of the country in a progressive manner.

Youth Skills

Mr Speaker, our party, the PF, through the able leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba: … recognises the critical role of vocational skills to national development.

Sir, in order to contribute to the realisation of this goal, the ZNS, in collaboration with other line ministries, is currently training 550 youths in various skills at ZNS Chiwoko, which is in Katete, and ZNS Kitwe.

Employment Creation

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, assured this august House that the PF Government would create jobs for unemployed youths, as outlined in the party manifesto. To this end, my ministry has employed 3,567 − I will repeat that − 3,567 people, since 2011 and ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwamba: … these include civilians and uniformed personnel. This is in addition to others who we have been employed in other Government departments.

Health

Mr Speaker, in line with the National Health Policy, my ministry has embarked on infrastructure development by constructing and upgrading health facilities in military cantonments which provide health services to both military personnel and the civilian population in the nearby areas.

Sir, further, my ministry has progressed with the process of operationalising the Northern Command Military Hospital in Ndola to cater for specialised health services for military personnel in the northern region.

Mr Speaker, in addition, the decentralisation of Medical Stores Limited is, indeed, a very important step towards improving the medical supply chain thereby enhancing the service delivery to both civilian and military health centres.

International Relations

Mr Speaker, in his address, His Excellency the President emphasised that the Government would continue to hold the fundamental principles of sovereign equality and mutual respect. Further, he indicated that our foreign policy would be aimed at repositioning our country so that it derives maximum benefits from international relations.

Sir, in this regard, our Defence Force will continue to participate in military exchange programmes with other countries within and outside the region.

Mr Speaker, Zambia recently hosted over thirty states from all over the world in the Africa Endeavour Exercise, which was sponsored by the American Government. The hosting of this exercise not only provided a knowledge base for our defence personnel in the field of information communication technology (ICT), but also strategically positioned Zambia on the world stage.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, in line with my ministry’s mandate of maintaining peace and security, I wish to take this opportunity to assure the nation at large that our gallant men and women in uniform, under the able leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, will continue to ensure that peace and security is maintained in the nation.

I thank you, Sir.

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear

Brig-Gen Dr Chituwo (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Motion on the Floor of this House.

Mr Speaker, like many of my colleagues, I would like to start by, first of all, adding my voice in conveying condolences to the family of the late Hon. Sakeni, Minister of Information and Broadcasting. I wish that we, living human beings, could learn from some of our departed friends. Loving one another must be exhibited and practiSed while we are still alive. Hon. Sakeni was a person who many of us related to, in spite of the fact that in the latter stage, we were in different vehicles. In other words, he was a leader.

Sir, secondly, I would like to salute my colleagues, particularly, the electorate in Chipata Central and Mkaika. As leaders, sometimes, we forget that we draw our strength and authority from our people. They are our employers. It is gratifying to note that in spite of the reported intimidation and violence, the electorate of Chipata and Mkaika chose leadership that they believed would represent them effectively in this House. I congratulate them.

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Brig-Gen Dr Chituwo: Sir, I would also like to convey my congratulations to Hon. Mphande of Mkushi North Constituency and my brother, Hon. Lombanya, of Solwezi East Constituency for convincing the electorate that they will be their servants. 

Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President was delivering this speech to the House, I was not around. I just read through it repeatedly. Indeed, I note that there are many good directives in the speech, but the problem is implementation. In the past, we have seen that there has been a distance between what His Excellency the President pronounces and implementation. What are the hon. Ministers doing about these pronouncements? They are letting His Excellency the President down. Let us work. I am not being arrogant, but pleading with them because our people are waiting for services. Indeed, there are various things that His Excellency the President touched on such as looking forward to next year’s 50th Anniversary. However, I will not go through this address in totality. There are various areas that are of more concern to me. 

Mr Speaker, on page 3, His Excellency the President spoke of achievements and challenges. He said that we must reflect on our achievements, as a nation, and challenges we are faced with. He also touched on the issue of equality and fairness. These are very good directives, but I see, with concern, journalists being harassed and, sometimes, being assaulted. What are we doing? Should we not let them do their job just as they let us do our job? We can later debate and see who is in the wrong and needs to be corrected. Surely, that can only strengthen our democracy.

Mr Speaker, many a time when I have interacted with my colleagues on your right, the answer I get is, “You were there. Why did you not do it?” For how long are we going to say that the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) did not do this and that and, therefore, we cannot do it? This should have been a platform for the PF Government to have begun from to prove to the people that it can do better or improve on what the MMD left behind. Excuses will not bring development to this country. Let us engage in issues that will bring development to our country. If the PF Government is unable to do certain things due to various constraints, let it say so.

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President was very clear with regard to the issue of economic growth. I am a bit disappointed that he did not come out the way I would have liked him to. He said that the economic growth, in terms of the gross domestic product (GDP), has been continuing to grow over the past seven years. This is one area which shows that if one builds on the bridge that was left by another person, then, he/she can cross the river with no difficulties.

Sir, His Excellency the President talked about the lending rates. Here is an institution that I strongly feel could have contributed to an accelerated economic growth if our lending rates were, in my view, reasonable. The 16.3 per cent lending rate that he mentioned becomes 20 per cent when our friends, the lending institutions, add on things such as handling charges and other user fees. One must have a very strong business plan to manage a business and scoop a profit to maintain repayments. All I am saying is that these lending rates are still too high. The Government can do better to bring them down. That way, many Zambians will participate in our economic development.

Mr Speaker, let me now move on to issues which are dear to me and these are education and health. I had a discussion with my colleague, the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education, Dr Phiri, on how much thought was put in the issue of policy shift from basic education to secondary education. In this speech, His Excellency the President talked about access and quality education. If the pupil/teacher contact time is two hours per day, how is it possible to have quality education? For example, you will find that these children have been shifted from this basic school to another where there are only three classroom blocks and they are about 500 or more. The time table will have been as follows:

Time Table
 
0730 hours to 0930 hours Class

1030 hours to 1230 hours Class

1400 hours to 1600 hours Class

1600 hours to 1730 hours Class

Mr Speaker, how do you have a two-hour pupil/teacher contact time? To think that quality education can be produced from a two-hour pupil/teacher contact time is surely a dream. What are we sowing? What investment are we making for the future generation? It is something that, perhaps, the hon. Minister will elaborate in his policy statement,. In some instances, it is almost a disaster. Hon. Minister, do something about it.

Mr Speaker, with regard to the millennium development goal (MDG) number two, whose target is primary education enrollment, I think we are almost there. However, it has clearly come to transpire that achieving this alone is not good enough because you cannot really build economic development on primary education only. Although there are still bottlenecks, we have seen the thrust on tertiary education and it is very good. Are we attending to teachers’ education in order to meet the needs at these various levels of education? Are we going to do this on our own, as a Government? Should we not be thinking of engaging more of the private sector so that it can help us to meet the required needs in education at tertiary level? If we do not do that, then, we will just have a number of youths that can hardly read and count.

Sir, let me talk about an area which is dear to me and that is the issue of health. I note that we currently have a human resource crisis in the health sector. However, I note that with decentralisation, the Government has gone full throttle in establishing districts and with them comes the establishment of district hospitals.

Mr Speaker, a fully-fledged district hospital needs approximately 105 health workers and, at least, five doctors to give quality health care. On page 11, His Excellency the President, indicated that, all in all, twenty-seven district hospitals will be completed shortly. The construction of twenty-seven hospitals translates to the need for 135 medical officers. There are still eighty-four new district hospitals to be built and we shall require 420 medical officers.

Sir, the point I am trying to make is this, whereas it is commendable to concentrate on infrastructure development, what are we doing in terms of human resource development? We are probably producing eighty medical officers per year from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and even  if we were to go to 100, we would still have a backlog in the new hospitals, but what about the old ones and the attrition that goes on?

Mr Speaker, if we do not get our act together, then the issue of quality health care will just be a pipedream.

Mr Nkombo: Tell them.

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Sir, it is gratifying to learn about the 650 health posts that will be built. It is just a pity that this has taken so long. When we were in the Government, as the MMD, we had actually started this discussion with the Indian Government. I hope the PF Government will accomplish this project. Here, again, there is the issue of the human resource crisis because we shall need 1,950 health workers. At the rate of production, we shall need thirty-two-and-half years to produce these health workers and fill in these positions. Even if we went to an optimistimum level of enrolling twenty per year, we shall still need twelve years and two months to produce them.

Mr Speaker, we want to hear from the hon. Minister the target he has and how he is going to do it. However, I would like to offer some solution or, at least, some partial solution. With the Higher Education Authority in place, the way to go would be to partner with the private sector in earnest, that it meets the required standards and assist the Ministry of Health in human resource development for the health sector. This is the only way, in my view, that we can try to meet the need of providing quality health in our country.

Sir, with regard to the Cancer Diseases Hospital, I note that the 220-bed capacity is commendable as it should be. I would like to urge my colleague, the hon. Minister of Health, to not gloss over the partnership with the Apollo Group of Hospital. That is an institution that has developed so much in issues of cancer-related management. However, in order to make this institution effective, I would like to propose that a Bill is brought to this House to establish the Cancer Diseases Institute along the same lines of the National Cancer for Scientific Research and many others. If that is done, we will not only have a treating Cancer Diseases Hospital, but an institute that will set standards in training and provision of health care. This is an urgent need because one can see the increase in the number of cancer cases in our country.

Mr Speaker, related to this, is the factor of medicines. We continue to receive reports of shortages of medicines in our health institutions. This is something that we must respond to. If we cannot prevent diseases, our citizens will continue to go to hospitals to get remedy. If they do so, they must find the medicines available.

Sir, further, this House passed the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority Bill. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration barred thirty products from a named company from India. I hope we have taken this as an example to see that the good manufacturing practices upon which the Food and Drug Administration barred thirty products is not something that we should be glossing over, but that which the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority should also take up and ensure that we do not get sub standard medicines.

Mr Speaker, without health, I think even this House would be less productive. In this regard, I will urge, perhaps, that there should be a mandatory annual medical examination for all hon. Members of Parliament because we must lead by example. This is an exercise which is done in the military because they have to be fit. I think we have to be fit as well, but when you look around, I am not sure whether we are all as fit as we should be.

Hon. Opposition Members: Especially, the other side.

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Laughter

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Sir, although agriculture is remotely related to health, the issue of agriculture  and our colleagues, the hon. Ministers, went round to explain how good the removal of subsidies was, I want to state that food is the best medicine that one can take. There are stories of people in households having a meal once every other day. Surely, with the increase in price of mealie-meal and it, perhaps, reaching K90 per bag by March next, these families will now be having a meal once in three days. What household food security are we talking about? We should have staggered the removal of subsidies. Anyway, it is history, but it certainly has hurt our people.

Mr Speaker, there is a dire need to improve the irrigation system in the agricultural sector. His Excellency the President talked about bringing 17,000 hectares of land under irrigation. Is the small-holder farmer going to benefit from this? Why do we not balance out the benefit of the small-holder and commercial farmer in the area of irrigation? It is only after we do this that we can talk about sustainability. In this regard, we need to build more earth dams so that our people are able to look after their livestock as well as grow crops.

I thank you, Sir. {mospagebreak}

The Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection (Mr Kalaba): Mr Speaker, I am very grateful for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on 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 on Friday, 20th September, 2013.

Mr Speaker, before I contribute to the debate, I wish to take this opportunity to join other hon. Members of Parliament in registering my condolences to the Sakeni family on the passing of Hon. Kennedy Sakeni, Member of Parliament for Mansa Central. My relationship with Hon. Sakeni dates many years back and he was like an uncle to me. I knew him from my childhood. His contribution to this House was immense and we shall surely miss his valuable contribution. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Mr Speaker, allow me to also congratulate and welcome all the newly-elected hon. Members of Parliament, especially the new lady who has increased the number of the PF hon. Members of Parliament in the House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, the speech by His Excellency the President to this House was exceptional …

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Kalaba: … and dignifying, as it captured a number of achievements by the PF Government in the past two years.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Kalaba: Sir, these achievements have continued to border on the emancipation of our very vulnerable people on whose support this Government continues to exist.

Mr Speaker, sustainable management of our natural resources is important in promoting sustainable development. Poor management and utilisation of these resources will affect the growth of this country and future generations. In the same vein, unsustainable management of our environment will yield negative effects which will affect the country’s sustainable development, and the PF Government has recognised this. Since it came into office, it has been putting measures in place to ensure that all the country’s God-given natural resources are used and managed in a more effective and sustainable manner.

Sir, land has been one of the natural resources in this country which has raised a lot of debate. Some members of the public, including some hon. Members of this august House, have been complaining that land in this country has been discriminately allocated. Some hon. Members of this House, in particular, Hon. Namugala, have even gone further to say that land in this country is mostly allocated to foreigners, who eventually hold it for speculative purposes. Land in this country is allocated in line with the Lands Act of 1995, enacted by the MMD Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, this Act, under sub-section III of Section of 3 stipulates the conditions upon which a foreigner can hold land in this country. My ministry has been enforcing this Act to the letter. However, there has been very limited awareness among the members of the general public and, indeed, hon. Members of this House, with regard to land ownership in this country. The notion that anyone with a different colour of skin is a foreigner is being corrected.

Mr Speaker, the majority of the people who are purported to be foreigners and own land in this country are Zambians wearing a different colour of skin. They courageously fought and have continued to fight for this country. They have the same rights as any other Zambian and can own land in this country.

Mr Speaker, it is very unfortunate that some hon. Members of this House can insinuate and issue a blanket statement that most of the land in this country is owned by foreigners without having correct statistics. As a matter of fact, most of the land in this country is owned by Zambians who may be white, black or Asian. Most of the land, mainly around Lusaka, which is being sub-divided and sold, is owned by Zambians and not foreigners.

Sir, however, the PF Government has noticed the many pitfalls in the Lands Act of 1995 and my ministry will soon embark on its amendment. Further, in line with the presidential directive, my ministry, in collaboration with the Zambia Law Development Commission, has made huge progress on the development of legislation that will govern the administration of customary land in this country. Soon, this matter will be concluded.

Sir, this legislation will ensure that the interest of the poor Zambians, who reside on and depend on customary land for a living, are protected from both the elite be they Zambian or not. This legislation will also ensure that women who are discriminated against by a number of customary laws have equal access to land. This legislation will, therefore, promote fair land distribution to men and women and other vulnerable groups in the country. The Bill will soon be tabled before this House.

Mr Speaker, in addition to the legislation that will enhance security of tenure for land in customary areas, my Government is also developing a new land management and information system called the Zambia Integrated Land Management and Information System (ZILMIS). As most of you may be aware, this system was launched in July, this year. However, my ministry is still working with the consultant to fine-tune the new system to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of our people.

Mr Speaker, once in full operation, ZILMIS will provide various statistical data, including gender, which will help in planning and decision-making in land administration. This new system will replace the MMD’s developed Land Information Management System (LIMS), which has been unable to segregate data, hence affecting our planning and decision-making. The MMD’s LIMS was full of lacunas, thus, paving way for its cadres to invade other people’s land.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, Zambia, being a party to the Kampala Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons, needs to ensure that the poor and vulnerable groups in the country are protected. As such, the Government has developed guidelines and a policy to operationalise this convention to ensure the protection of people from any form of eviction and that, where evicted, adequate compensation is paid.

Sir, this does not entail that people should illegally invade land which is not theirs. My Government will continue to exercise zero tolerance to any form of illegal occupation of any land by anyone, whether from the PF or the Opposition. As such, my ministry will continue to work closely with the ministries of Home Affairs and Local Government and Housing to curb any form of illegal occupation of land in this country. In this regard, the Government will not allow any form of lawlessness in land allocation and will continue to deal firmly, and decisively so, with any persons found wanting, regardless of political affiliation.

Mr Speaker, climate induced hazards such as drought, floods, shortened rainy seasons and temperature increases have highlighted the need to protect our environment if mankind is to survive. The PF Government and, indeed, His Excellency the President is cognisant of the need to protect our environment and promote programmes and activities that will contribute to addressing environmental issues such as climate change. As such, my ministry will ensure that the national policy on climate change is finalised so as to achieve climate resilient national development. We need a green country and His Excellency the President has demonstrated this by ensuring that the surroundings of State House and part of Independence Avenue are green. It is so gratifying to see children of some of the hon. Members of this House, especially on your left, flocking to the area around State House to take wedding photos because they have been attracted by the improved environment as a result of our effort, as a Government. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, Zambia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. The rate is between 250,000 and 300,000 hectares per year. This rate is very alarming. If we allow it to continue, the country will soon have no forest to talk about. His Excellency the President is concerned about this high rate of deforestation in the country and he raised this concern during the just ended United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Conference.  
 
Mr Speaker, the Government has not been sitting idly on this issue. To support His Excellency the President’s concern on deforestation, the Government, through my ministry, has initiated a programme aimed at identifying the key drivers of deforestation. This is to enable the ministry to develop a strategy to reduce deforestation through a programme of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in collaboration with its co-operating partners. As a Government, we recognise that in order to address deforestation, we need to look at the various aspects of our development pattern and the livelihood of the people. This calls for us to address issues in agriculture, energy and forestry in an integrated manner.

Sir, as most of the hon. Members of this House may be aware, my ministry has also embarked on an enhanced National Tree Planting Programme (NTPP). This programme is aimed at countering the deforestation rate in the country by engaging communities in tree planting. So far, my ministry has established eleven large-scale forest nurseries throughout the country. Each nursery will have a capacity to raise 1.5 million tree seedlings in line with His Excellency the President’s directive. Currently, my ministry has more than six million tree seedlings growing while more seedlings are in germination boxes and beds in readiness for planting in 2013/2014 planting season.

Mr Speaker, the NTPP is also aimed at addressing the timber deficit the country might face in the next few years due to demand outstripping supply. There is a pending timber crisis in both exotic plantation and indigenous forests because of the neglect of this sector by the MMD Government. Stocks in the plantations have been declining, over the years, due to non-expansion of the plantations. In addition, there has been unsustainable extraction of indigenous trees in the country and demand for timber and poles has been increasing without corresponding growth on the supply side.

Mr Speaker, in 2011, the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO) engaged a consultant to carry out a forest inventory in the ZAFFICO plantation in order to establish the quality and quantity of the standing volume and productivity of the existing plantation stocks. The findings revealed that there has been a decline in yield from plantation stocks. There had been a steady increase over harvesting for round wood in the last decade which range from 30 per cent to 50 per cent above the actual supply. The annual allowable cut dropped from 501, 000 cubic m per annum in 2002 to 391, 000 cubic metre in 2007 and 228, 000 cubic meter in 2011. There was a decline of standing stock from 11.5 million cubic metre in 2007 to 7.7 million cubic metre in 2011. The demand for round wood timber had continued to grow and the number of customers continued to increase despite the low stocks in the plantations.

Sir, during the 2009/ 2010 Season, there were 310 customers and 457 000 cubic metre of round wood was harvested. During the 2010/ 2011 Season, there were 398 customers and 430, 00 cubic metre of round wood was harvested. During the 2011/2012 Season, there were 460 customers and 510 cubic metres of round wood was harvested. We are at this point due to the historic remnants of yester years when the country went to sleep and neglected the replanting of trees for a period of twenty years. If this trend is allowed to continue, there stands to be a looming shortage of timber in a few years to come. My ministry is also working with various communities across the country to promote sustainable use of forests.

Mr Speaker, it is, therefore, important for everyone to contribute to proper management of the natural resources. We have to ensure sustainable development so that the future generations can also benefit from these resources. In addition, good management of natural resources is key to poverty reduction as most of the poor in this country depend on land or reside near forests which act as a source of food, medicine, building materials, fuel and income. The forests are also a source of non-timber forest products such as wild honey, mushrooms, caterpillars, which also offer sources of income and opportunities for poverty alleviation in both urban and rural areas.

Mr Speaker, in order to enhance forest management and planning, my ministry is currently conducting a forest inventory across the country. This inventory aims at providing latest information on forest stocking and forest livelihood. The programme is being conducted with the help of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN). So far, assessments of the forest stock have been completed in the North-Western, Muchinga and Northern provinces. In addition to the various afforestation programmes my ministry is implementing, the Government is also in the process of finalising the National Forestry Policy which will enhance the operations of various players in the forestry sector.

Mr Speaker, the other area in which the PF Government is making progress is the commercialisation of the devil’s claw.

Hon. Opposition Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kalaba: Sir, the devil’s claw is one of the important wild herb plant species which was neglected by the previous governments. Due to this neglect, people from neighboring countries have been coming to harvest this plant for exportation. As a result, Zambia has been losing out on export revenue. The devil’s claw is a wild herb plant which is native to Southern Africa. In Zambia, this plant is commonly found in the Western and Southern provinces. This plant has numerous medicinal usages. Historically, the plant has been used to treat pain, liver and kidney problems, fever and malaria. It has also been used in ointments applied to skin to heal sores, boils and other skin problems. Today, the devil’s claw is used to fight inflammation or relieve pain in arthritis, headache and low-back pain. In the early 1900s, the devil’s claw was introduced in Europe and used to restore appetite, relieve heartburn and reduce pain and inflammation.

Mr Speaker, looking at the numerous medicinal values of the plant, it is important that it is protected through commercialisation. As such, my ministry is currently developing measures that will ensure that this important plant is commercialised and subsequently contributes significantly to the revenue of this country.

Sir, as I conclude, I wish to quote from one of the greatest persons of our time, Mr Nelson Mandela, who once said, “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings”. To reduce poverty in this country through sustainable utilisation of our natural resources is our goal as the PF Government.

Hon Livune: Question!

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, I, therefore, urge hon. Members of this august House and the general public to take keen interest in sustainable management of our natural resources.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

The Deputy Minister for the Northern Province (Mr Chisala): Mr Speaker, let me pay tribute to you for according me the opportunity to debate the President’s Speech delivered to this House by His Excellency, Mr Micheal Sata, the President of the Republic of Zambia. From the outset, allow me to register my condolences to the family of the late Hon. Sakeni. The late Hon. Kennedy Mumba Sakeni, who was born in Chief Mwansakombe’s area in Samfya District, can be described as a father, a parent, an employer, a bread winner, consultant and, above all, a national leader. The PF and all the Zambians shall remember Hon. Kennedy Mumba Sakeni for many things.

Mr Speaker, we shall remember him, firstly, because when he was alive, he did great things. His company known as Genesis was the largest employer in the manganese mining industry in Luapula Province. Secondly, we shall remember Kenny because he was dedicated to duty. Furthermore, when he served as Deputy Provincial Intelligence Officer, hon. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and hon. Provincial Minister for Luapula Province, he helped the people of Chifunabuli, whom he represented diligently in this august House.

Thirdly, Mr Speaker, Kenny shall be remembered for steering the PF to prosperity and victory in 2011. When he served as Provincial Chairperson, he dished out a little to make the party tick in Luapula Province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, Kenny shall be remembered in this country …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chisala: … because he was the first hon. Minister of Home Affairs in this country under the PF Government. Kenny shall also be remembered …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chisala: … because he served as one of the most effective hon. Ministers of Information and Broadcasting …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Chisala: Sir, I hope that his successor will take it up from where he left and ensure that all becomes a reality. I know that the man who has taken over from the late Kennedy is pragmatic and, being an action-oriented man, things will move.

Mr Speaker, the President’s Speech that was delivered to this august House by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia has been described in a number of ways. Some called it hollow.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, others said it had nothing to offer to the Zambian people. However, while we understand the fact that Zambians, who represent the majority, have the right to debate in their own fashion, we must also understand that the speech that was delivered to this august House by His Excellency the President was motivating.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Chisala: It was motivating, inspiring and, above all, flamboyant.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Flamboyant?

Laughter

Mr Chisala: Sir, in my opinion, I believe that whenever hon. Members intend to debate any speech, they first need to analyse it before they can stand on the Floor. However, I concluded that most hon. Members of Parliament did not read the speech. It is for this reason that they described it in the negative and not the positive.

Mr Muntanga: It was flamboyant!

Mr Chisala: Yes, it was flamboyant.

Laughter

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, the issue of job creation that His Excellency the President talked about is real.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, it is real in the sense that in the aftermath of creating the thirty districts by this Government, which was the first thing the PF did when it came into power, realising that there is a lot of unemployment in this country, the PF is going to …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HIV/AIDS DELEGATION FROM BOTSWANA

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, before we continue with our debate, I have an announcement to make.

Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that we have, in the Speaker’s Gallery, Members of the Portfolio Committee on Health and human immuno-deficiency virus/ acquired immuno-deficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) from the Parliament of the Republic of Botswana.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: The delegation is in Zambia to interact with its counterparts serving on the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services, other governmental non-State actors in the health sector as well as those dealing with issues of HIV/AIDS. The composition of the delegation is as follows:

Hon. G. S. Mangole, MP and Leader of the Delegation;
Hon. G. R. Nshimwe, MP;
Hon. P. Khwae, MP;
Hon. B. Ntuane, MP; and
Ms O. N. Kgosintwa, Secretary to the Delegation.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Dumela!

Mr Speaker: On behalf of the National Assembly of Zambia, I wish to receive our distinguished guests and warmly welcome them in our presence.

Thank you.

_________

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was saying that when this Government was formed, the first task His Excellency the President performed was the creation of thirty districts. This was with the view to beat unemployment in this country. In these districts, a minimum number of fifty-three people, to begin with, are to be employed.

Mr Speaker, when you take fifty-three and multiply it by thirty districts, you will have a minimum of 1,590 people to be employed. This means that if we create more districts by 2016, we would have created more than 6,000 jobs.

Mr Speaker, in the mining sector, recruitment at Kalumbila and New Bwana Mkubwa mines is underway. Once this exercise is concluded, we are likely to have above 7000 employees.

Mr Speaker, under the rural roads development programme of the Road Development Agency (RDA), a project under the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project, the PF Government is likely to employ 24,000 Zambians. Of that number, the majority to be employed are the youth.

Sir, in the teaching fraternity, the PF Government had, by last week, concluded the task of employing 4,500 teachers. In my view, this is more than a positive achievement.

Mr Speaker, under infrastructure development, the Government has embarked on a project called Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project. Last week, some hon. Members of Parliament had hurdles understanding what this project is all about. I would like to define it for them.

Sir, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project is a programme initiated by the PF Government. In the twenty-seven years that the United National Independence Party (UNIP) ruled this country, together with the twenty years that the MMD ruled the country, the two governments only managed to upgrade 9,000 km of the road network to bituminous standard. It is because of that that the PF, as a responsible and caring Government, decided to upgrade the road network. So, it is our desire to ensure that 8,000 km of the road network in the country is tarred between 2012 and 2016. That is what the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project entails.

Mr Speaker, Zambia has a core road network of 40,445 km. Each province has three roads which are currently being upgraded to bituminous standard by the PF Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Chisala: Sir, that development in the road sector is regardless of whether a particular province is full of opposition hon. Members of Parliament. The Government is committed to taking development to all parts of the country and that is what it is doing. As a Government, we are upgrading the roads to asphalt concrete and a total of 8,201 km has, so far, been worked on. In the next five to eight years, this able Government intends to spend K31.42 billion on resurfacing and upgrading the road network in this country to bituminous standard.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, Livune!

Mr Chisala: Sir, from the time the PF Government initiated this important project, the following are the roads on which works have been embarked on:

(a) Lusaka/Ibex/Chirundu/Chiawa Road in Lusaka Province;

(b) Chama/Matumbo Road in Muchinga Province;

(c) Luangwa Bridge/Feira, in Lusaka Province …

Mr Kakoma: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kakoma: Mr Speaker, I thank you for granting me this point of order. You know that I rarely rise on points of order. We, in the Back Benches, have been raising a lot of issues on Luapula and the Northern provinces. We are, therefore, expecting the hon. Provincial Ministers to respond to those complaints. Is that hon. Provincial Minister in order to spend a lot of his time wandering about the whole country in his debate without addressing the issues of the Northern Province where he is an hon. Provincial Minister?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that I have previously indicated that, as the debate progresses, the colleagues on the right should take note of the issues that are being raised by their counterparts on my left. The reason for that guidance is to give some structure to the debate. I would go further and state that, for those of you on the right who are yet to debate, please, ensure that you are prepared. This is an opportunity for you to respond to the criticisms and also clarify issues that may have been misrepresented or where there was misapprehension. This is your opportunity and I think that you should seize it. Beyond the precincts of this Chamber, there is an audience. In fact, our masters are listening. So, please, bear that in mind.

Hon. Member, you may continue.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I would like to state that in taking development to all corners of this country, the PF has left no stone unturned.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Sir, the PF Government has extended a hand to the people on the Copperbelt.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, the Kitwe/Chingola Dual Carriageway is under construction …

Hon. Opposition Members: Talk about the Northern Province.

Mr Speaker: Order, on my left!

Mr Chisala: Sir, the Mansa/Luwingu Road is also under construction. Furthermore, there is a project called the L 400 which is concerned with the upgrading of roads to bituminous standard in Lusaka Province.

Hon. Opposition Members: The Northern Province!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I am a national leader and, so, I should not restrict myself only to one province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I want to state that in the Northern Province of this country, there is a project …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order! Order!

Let us have some order.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, thank you. In the Northern Province of Zambia, …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, just hold on.

It is not possible for the colleagues on the left to directly engage the hon. Minister in the fashion you are attempting to. It is simply not permitted. I have already issued a ruling and I am sure the hon. Minister will heed my advice. I am more concerned about those who are coming after him. Let us have a focused debate. There was a focused debate from the hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. Take a cue from that

Continue, hon. Minister.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, the PF Government has done more than the previous regime. I want to indicate that, in terms of the road network in the Northern Province of Zambia, the PF Government has extended a hand to the people of Mbala and Nakonde.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: The road is being, eeh, eeh …

Laughter{mospagebreak}

Mr Chisala: … built to bituminous standard between Mbala and Nakonde, whose total distance is 171 km. When our friends in the MMD in leadership they did not formalise the contract with a Chinese company …

Mr Simfukwe: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Simfukwe: Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. It is my first point of order in this House.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Simfukwe: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has referred to the Mbala/Nakonde Road. This road is the lifeblood for us in Mbala. Unfortunately, the road has not seen any meaningful development in the last two years. Works on it have not exceeded 20 km while other roads have progressed in terms of rehabilitation. Therefore, is the hon. Minister in order to mislead the nation that the works on the Mbala/Nakonde Road have progressed when nothing is happening? Even Mbala District itself has not seen any developmental activity in the last two years. I need your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker:  My short ruling is that as the hon. Minister continues with his debate, he should take into account that observation.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, those are the disadvantages of not visiting constituencies …

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: … because the person who has just stood on a point of order has not been to the constituency from the time he lost …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order!

Hon. Minister, sit down.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order!

The hon. Minister is not in order.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: You are not permitted to debate each other. There are complications that arise by doing so. I referred to one complication not long ago. There is a reason for this. I do not want to address the legalities, but do not debate one another. Just take into account his concerns. If there is a way in which you can respond to them, do so on a factual basis.

You may continue.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I want to state that the Mbala/Nakonde Road is being rehabilitated. Three camps have been created to work on this road and I want to thank Hon. Yaluma for these works. When he was the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications, he negotiated with the contractors for this road to be surveyed up to Nakonde. So far, a lot of progress has been made on that road.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, apart from that, there is another road which the Government has embarked on. As I am talking, Rankin Engineering Company is on the ground surveying the road from Luwingu, Nsombo, Chaba to Chilubi. These are the things the MMD Government lamentably failed to do. This company is going to build an embankment linking Chilubi Island to the mainland. These are the things that did not happen in the past.

Mr Speaker, when I was in the Back Bench between 2006 and 2011, I used to plead with the ladies and gentlemen in the Government then. Alas, each time I talked to them, they lent me deaf ear. However, the PF has shown that it is a responsible Government. It has decided to offer the general public in Chilubi Island and Chilubi mainland, including Luwingu, an embankment. Therefore, the transportation of cash crops and fish will become much easier. This is a commendable job by the PF Government.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, rehabilitation of the Mongu/Kalabo Road is underway.

Interruptions

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, further, the Bottom Road is under construction. All these are positive achievements of the PF Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, people in this country should learn to pay tribute whenever an achievement is made. It is not just a question of coming here and bringing unnecessary arguments. That does not augur well.

Mr Speaker, this Government has embarked a programme to construct 247 houses for teachers which have been distributed as follows …

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you most sincerely for this opportunity to raise this point of order. It is very clear, from where I am seated, that the hon. Deputy Minister for the Northern Province is not ready to debate the President’s Speech because he did not read it.

Laughter

Brig-Gen Dr Chituwo: Is he in order to continue debating from a common sense point of view? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: I think I have already ruled on this subject. I have provided guidance, especially for those who will debate after the hon. Deputy Minister.

Continue, hon. Debate Minister.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, I was saying that this Government is in the process of constructing 247 houses for teachers under the 2012 programme and the distribution is as follows.

Hon. Opposition Members: Where?

Mr Chisala: We have embarked on a programme of constructing thirty-one houses for teachers …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order, on the left!

Mr Chisala: The Government has embarked on a programme of constructing thirty-three houses in the North-Western Province. It is also going to construct twenty-three houses for teachers in the Northern Province, eighteen in the Eastern Province, sixteen in Muchinga Province, twenty-six in Luapula Province, forty-four in the Central Province and twenty-one on the Copperbelt Province. This is a commendable job and people should learn to salute the Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, lastly, I want to advise my colleagues in the Opposition on the importance of desisting from inciting the public workers. Money has been flying around at the University of Zambia (UNZA) in the past two months. It is being given to students. We should avoid doing that because once that is done, you will incite the students …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, sit down. There is a Motion before us and it is very specific. This is not an opportunity to bring in issues outside that Motion. I presume you have concluded your remarks.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala indicated dissent.

Mr Speaker: Please, continue.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, we only have one Zambia. If we have to develop, we need harmony and unity in this country. So, people should avoid confrontational politics because once the Opposition continues trying to hit us, we will hit back. We are not just going to sit back and watch as the situation worsens. I am requesting my colleagues here …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Order! He is still on the Floor.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, as hon. Provincial Ministers, we must be on the look out and ensure that we flush out people who are bringing confusion in this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, we cannot just sit idly and keep watching the situation worsen. We need harmony in this country and, therefore, cannot allow confusion.

Mr Speaker, lastly, I want to salute you for having accorded me this opportunity to debate this Motion.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Chitotela): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate that was presented to this august House by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata.

Mr Speaker, from the outset, I would like to join the women and men of valour that have paid glowing tribute to the late Hon. Mumba Kennedy Sakeni, the PF Luapula Province Chairperson, Minister of  Information and Broadcasting and Member of Parliament for Mansa Central Constituency.

Mr Speaker, before I delve into the issues to do with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, I would like to take this opportunity to respond to some queries that were raised by our colleagues from the opposing side. The first debater raised the issue that His Excellency the President’s Speech, from the first to the last letter, did not mention the word ‘democracy’. I find that to be mischievous and bent on misleading the Zambian people.

Sir, I quote the President’s Speech on page 2, paragraph 3:

“Thirdly, this session sets the stage for the commemoration of Zambia’s 50th Independence Anniversary, the golden jubilee in October, next year. The theme of the celebration is, “Commemorating God’s favour of Zambia’s fifty years of independence for continued peace, unity, democracy, patriotism and prosperity.”

Mr Speaker, one professor stood and said that His Excellency the President’s Speech did not mention the word democracy at all. Again, I go to the last paragraph of page 4:

“Let me take this opportunity to congratulate all the new hon. Members of Parliament who have since joined the House. I also thank the electorate who participated in the by-elections. I, however, regret to note that some by-elections were characterised by violence. I wish to emphasise the need for self-restraint and tolerance before, during and after elections so as to enable our democracy to flourish.”

Mr Speaker, in light of the foregoing, I found the statement by our colleagues to be mischievous and misleading.

 Mr Speaker, we have heard people on your left debating …

Hon. Opposition Members: Where you are!

Mr Chitotela: … that the PF Government …

Hon. Opposition Members: Where you are!

Dr Kazonga: The right place!

Mr Chitotela: We have heard our colleagues from the Opposition debating that the PF Government has not distributed development evenly. Mr Speaker, when this Government was elected, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education embarked on the construction of secondary schools …

Hon. Opposition Members: Where? Where? 

Mr Chitotela: … and I have a list with me. I will read out the name of every province, the name of the school and the site.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

I am able to very easily identify those of you who are interjecting. I will soon be inviting you to leave. You are clearly identifiable. We cannot proceed in this manner. Give your fellow hon. Member an opportunity to discharge his function in silence. We cannot have a running commentary of this sort.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I thank you so much for protecting me. I will begin with Central Province. I do not think that His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Sata, hails from there. There will be construction of Makululu Day Secondary School in Kabwe, Muchinda Boarding Secondary School in Serenje and Mkushi South Boarding Secondary School in Mkushi.

Mr Speaker, on the Copperbelt, there will be more construction and this contract has been signed. It is either the contractor is on site or mobilising.

Mr Livune: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, I am seated hear quietly listening to the debate by this hon. Minister.

Laughter

Mr Livune: Is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to speak like he is from the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education when he is from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security? We expect to hear more of labour-related issues from him.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

He made his preface very clear, if you followed him. He said that he would respond to some general issues and then proceed, thereafter, to focus on his portfolio. Give him time to debate. You had the freedom to debate earlier on. Give him an opportunity. He will come down to labour issues. He has his time and he knows how he will manage it. If it runs out on the general issues, that will be unfortunate. Of course, we encourage hon. Ministers to respond of that the portfolio issues in order to enrich their debate. However, he is mindful, I suppose.

Hon. Deputy Minister, you may continue.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I thank you once more for your protection because I heard my colleagues screaming that we shall rise so that we confuse you, but …

Mr Speaker: Just proceed, hon. Deputy Minister.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I had started to talk about schools to be constructed on the Copperbelt Province. There will be construction of Chati South Boarding Secondary School in Kalulushi, Lumpuma Boarding Secondary School in Lufwanyama, Mulundu Day Secondary School in Mufulira and Luansobe Boarding Secondary School in Masaiti.

Mr Speaker, in the Eastern Province, we are talking about construction of Chasefu Boarding Secondary School in Lundazi, Sinda Day Secondary School in Sinda and Vubwi Boarding Secondary School in Vubwi. I do not think that His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Sata, hails from Vubwi.

Laughter

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, in the North-Western Province, we are talking of Liyovu Boarding Secondary School in Zambezi, Ikeleng’i Boarding Secondary School in Ikeleng’i and Mako Boarding Secondary School in Kasempa.

Mr Speaker, in Lusaka Province, there will be construction of Margaret Mwachiyeye Boarding Secondary School in Chongwe, Chikupi Day Secondary School in Kafue and Lusaka West Boarding Secondary School in Chilanga.

Mr Speaker, in the Southern Province, we are talking about the construction of Ndondi Boarding Secondary School in Pemba, Kaumba Boarding Secondary School in Monze and Shungu Namutitima Day Secondary School in Livingstone.

Mr Speaker, in the Western Province, we will have construction of the Mitete Boarding Secondary School in Mitete, Nalolo Boarding Secondary School in Senanga and Limulunga Day Secondary School in Mongu.

Mr Speaker, this is a clear indication that, for the first time in the history of Zambia, the PF Government has distributed development evenly and equally.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear

Mr Chitotela: I now revert to my portfolio function in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, we have heard people that have questioned the PF’s creation of employment.

Ms Imenda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to mention that on the new list, Limulunga Day Secondary School is earmarked for construction when it already exists and has some students learning there with some passing and others failing? Can he clarify that.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: All I can say is that, hon. Deputy Minister, take note of that.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: I cannot resolve that factual context.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: It is not possible. I cannot.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I now turn to employment that has been created under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security that His Excellency the President has mandated us to oversee.

Mr Speaker, I will begin by quoting the Labour Force Survey that was conducted in 2012 by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Mr Speaker, at the inception of the PF Government, we found statistics that indicated that the total workforce in Zambia in the formal sector was 511,000 while the informal sector workforce was 2.7 million. The Labour Force Survey that was conducted, last year, says that, in 2012, Zambia’s population was at 14,375,601. Of this, males were 5,793,367 while females were 7,982,234. Of the total population, 60 per cent resided in the rural areas and 39.9 per cent resided in urban areas. A total of 3,594,000 were youth, aged between fifteen and thirty-five years, representing 25 per cent of the total population. The total working age population, that is, the population aged between fifteen and older was 7,900,000 of which 4,038,087 were male and 3,723,172 were female. The total labour force or the economically-active population was 5,966,199, and 2,900,000 of this were male while 3,000,000 were female. The male labour force participation rate was recorded at 75.5 per cent while the female participation rate was at 76.3 per cent. The rural participation rate was at 73.3 per cent while the urban participation rate was at 71.5 per cent. In 2012, the employed population was 5,499,000 out of the total labour force of 5,969,199 of which 49.1 per cent were male and 50.9 per cent were female. Out of the employed population, 847,420 as at December 30th, 2012 were in the formal sector.

Mr Speaker, if we subtract 511,000 out of this number, it will show that from the time we took over office to 2012, December, the PF Government has created 316,000 jobs in the formal sector.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, these are facts. One day, at the international trade fair in Ndola, I found people who were employed during the PF Government and they said that I should not worry. Maybe what I should do …

Laughter

Mr Chitotela: … for our colleagues who are disputing this fact is advise them to buy a big microscope from China and put it to their faces …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Chitotela: … and they should also buy big loud speakers and then ask who has found jobs during the reign of the PF Government. We shall raise our hands. Maybe, they will see us then.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, unfortunately, if they choose not to see, they will not. I was taken aback by some economists who debated that figures can be found at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for those who are paying Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). The PF Government has said that anybody that is drawing a monthly salary which is less than K2,200 in the current currency is living under abject poverty and is not supposed to pay tax. The Government is supposed to provide for him. Are those people who are drawing a salary which is in the threshold not required to pay tax not employed?

Hon. Government Members: They are!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, we begin to ask questions when people who are supposed to provide guidance are busy politicking on factors that every Zambian is able to see.

Mr Speaker, in the informal sector, we have created 4 million jobs.

Hon. Opposition Member: Aah!

Mr Chitolela: These are statistics which everybody can see.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, you are supposed to address my Chair.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, much obliged. The Labour Force Survey that was conducted by the CSO indicates that, in the informal sector, employment was at 4,652,253 out of which 2,099,186 were male and 2,553,067 were female. This is the number of women in the informal sector.

Mr Speaker, I would also want to talk about social security in Zambia today. The PF Government has embarked on the revision of the Pensions Act in Zambia so that the women and men of valour that have served this country may be helped not to go into destitution or become a laughing stock after retiring. That is why there is a serious proposal that is coming from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security that we review and begin to look at a possible way to take care of people that have served this country and stop people from going into poverty after retirement. We are proposing to scrap the policy of giving a lump sum …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chitotela: … so that men and women could be entitled to a monthly pension …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Chitotela: … at the rate of 60 per cent of the incumbent of the office.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, that is the proposal and this has worked well for the men and women that are in the Judiciary and the chiefs of the Defence and Security wings in the Government.

Mr Speaker, we did a research on Zambia Airways former employees and discovered that 90 per cent of those people that lost employment during the reign of Zambia Airways and did not have an opportunity to be re-employed all died. They died because of depression and internal shock and emotions that came because of difficulties in getting finance. We also discovered that the men and women that served Zambia Airways and managed to find employment after …

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

Mr Speaker: Order!

A point of order is raised.

Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise a point of order. I happen to have been a Chief of the Defence Force, a Commander of the Zambia Air Force. It is not true that I get 60 per cent of the incumbent’s salary, as the hon. Minister is purporting. Is he in order to misinform the nation by saying that we are getting 60 per cent when it is not true?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, as you continue, please, bear in mind that point of order.

Interruptions

You may continue.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, to avoid doubt, let me repeat that I said that we are proposing that 60 per cent of the incumbent’s monthly be paid as a monthly salary to people  …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: … who retire. It is a proposal that the PF Government has come up with because it values the services that the men and women have rendered to this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I was talking about the men that served the Zambia Airways and did not find employment afterwards. I called my staff in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and told them that the problem with civil servants in Zambia, today, is that when they are working, they think that they will not retire. Therefore, they are tempted to think that this proposal is not for them, but those who have retired. However, it is better to be foretold and forewarned. It is better to learn from the mistakes made by people who have retired. We should put mechanisms in place that will protect us when we retire. We should put in better laws and leave this country better than we found it.

Mr Speaker, when someone is working, they may think that things are rosy. However, when they retire and are given a lump sum, after some time, they realise that it is not there. We all have had money before. The research we did shows that it is not easy for the majority of Zambians to make budgets when they have money.

The tendency is that people begin making budgets after they are left with a quarter of their retirement package and slip into poverty. Thereafter, stress comes in.

Mr Speaker, there has been a cry that I want to clarify. When the Government has talked about the retirement age, people have said that the life expectancy in Zambia has reduced. However, we have forgotten to look at what has caused that. Firstly, it is the bad working conditions and secondly, it is because of poor health care in Zambia. What we must be doing as people that are responsible and who must leave this country better for our great grand children to come, is sitting down and putting our heads together to see how we can better the conditions of service and how we can better the medical facilities so that we improve on the life expectancy.

Sir, I want to also send a strong request to the public workers and all the workers in Zambia that the salary increments that they have been demanding must be co-related with productivity. For us to be sustained and to sustain our economy, we must promote equal pay for equal work. We must not expect to get more than what we are putting in. In fact, as Ministry of Labour and Social Security, we are proposing that even the salary increment must be performance-based. We can consider giving the inflation rate across all workers and then begin doing performance-based increments to see how the workers are performing so that we can improve our economy and take Zambia to the next level.

Mr Speaker, after we have gone, people should be able to say that they elected a responsible Government under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata. They should say that he had his hon. Ministers were able to take bold decisions for the betterment of our country, our future and our children.

Sir, this is my appeal and it is a non-partisan issue. People have spoken, but we must be able to say, “After my life in Parliament, what will I be remembered for? Will I be remembered as a controversial person that blocked the progress of the country? Will I be remembered as a person who participated and contributed to the growth of this country?”

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chitotela: Sir, those are the questions each of us must be able to answer. We must be able to speak to our conscience. What are the people who elected us and sent us from Pambashe, Mitete, Limulunga, Kalabo, Kaoma, Kasempa, Vubwi and so on and so forth looking for from us? Are they looking for us to come and politic here or for solutions that should better the living standards of the poor Zambians on the streets? Are we looking at those children languishing on the street?

Hon. PF Members: Hammer them!

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, my appeal, therefore, is that we must not politic when the Government comes up with a good idea, I want to thank Hon. Namulambe for saying that when the PF Government says “Link Zambia 8,000,” as Opposition, they should provide an alternative and say, “no, for us it is not Link Zambia 8,000, we shall be flying you from point A to point B.” That is an alternative.

Mr Speaker, with these many words, I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Posheniko, Minister!

The Minister for Southern Province (Mr Munkombwe): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to join my honourable friends who have paid glowing tribute to the late Hon. Sakeni, a cool man whose contribution will be greatly missed in this honourable House and the country at large.

Sir, I want to take advantage of the general comments which many people made in relation to the President’s Speech. Some insinuations were made to the effect that the PF was losing ground. This assertion was arrived at after a comparison in performance of the PF in the recent by-elections, which it lost, and in the past when there were five Parliamentary by-elections of which it lost none.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: In fact, Mr Speaker, it grabbed one from the MMD. The MMD lost two and the United Party for National Development (UPND) gained two.

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: So, we, as the PF, did not lose any. At least, we got one.

Mr Speaker, in the last local government elections, there were thirteen local government ward elections. The PF scored eleven and the records are there. The MMD got two and the UPND got zero.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, it was wrong to generalise. I want to strike a few points which were made by the gallant lady, Hon. Namugala. She said that the PF should not base its initiative on what was left by the MMD. It should carry on and move on and not capitalise on the mistakes which other people committed. She said the mandate of the PF was to improve on whatever the MMD did not achieve.

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, there is a theory that, every five years, a country in a democracy, evaluates the Opposition’s performance and re-evaluates the Government’s failure and its performance.

Sir, when given a mandate, one should not shy away from doing his/her job.

Mr Mwaliteta crossed the Floor.

Hon. Members: Order! Order!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, when I sit here, I do not heckle anybody. It is as a result of my Parliamentary training of over twenty-six years. I make my contribution in a democratic manner that is acceptable anywhere in the Commonwealth parliaments. Heckling and shouting, “Hear, hear!” is not part of Parliamentary democracy. People should be taught to listen, evaluate and come up with facts. One fact that I have come up with is that the PF is growing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Munkombwe: You can drown yourselves in, “Question! Question!”, empty questions, but that is alright because the PF is growing and I will prove it.

Mr Speaker, everybody has some form of idea about the Government. There is not one person who does not have an ambition. Even stupid ambition is ambition.

Laughter{mospagebreak}

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, there is not one person who does not have an ambition. The best way is to size up your colleague and see …

Ms Imenda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Imenda: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister who is debating on the Floor says that he has so many years of experience in this House. However, is he in order to use unparliamentary language? To date, he does not know which words are unparliamentary. Is he in order to use that word which I cannot even pronounce?

Hon. Members: Which one?

Ms Imenda: He used the word “stupid.”

Mr Speaker: I invite the hon. Member to recast the statement.

Please, continue.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, I apologise. I said that in the heat of the moment. I withdraw that word.

Mr Speaker, the art of politics is such that you have a vision of where you want to get. If it takes you sometime to get there and you still feel like getting there, then, continue. If you think you can resurrect a political party like the African National Congress (ANC) or the United National Independence Party (UNIP), then, continue on that course.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Member: Question!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, in the world over, the reversing of political parties into power is almost impossible. I would like to know where this has happened.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ghana.

Mr Munkombwe: Do not talk about Ghana. There is no party system in some countries, but we have one here.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, there is no party system in Uganda …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, please, address the Chair.

You may continue.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, another area I would like to touch on is the debate of one of the great men ...

Mr Mweetwa: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker:  A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me an opportunity to raise this point of order on the hon. Member, who is on the Floor, my grandfather …

Laughter

Mr Mweetwa: … and also a resident of Choma Central Constituency where I am hon. Member of Parliament.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Members of Parliament from the Southern Province, who stood to debate the President’s Speech, made reference to various challenges our province is faced with and we are looking up to the hon. Minister to give us some direction on what his Government is doing to address these challenges.

Mr Speaker, therefore, is he in order to consign us to being students of political history …

Laughter

Mr Mweetwa: … instead of addressing the many issues that the hon. Members of Parliament for the Southern Province, where he is hon. Minister, raised so that we could, perhaps, believe that his Government is going to do something in our province? Is he in order, Sir?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I have already ruled on this subject. I indicated what ought to be done by the colleagues on the right. I earnestly hope that sooner than later, the hon. Minister will begin addressing issues that fall within his remit, as hon. Minister for the Southern Province.

For those that are yet to debate and are indicating to the Clerks at the Table, please, be ready. My earnest appeal to the Chief Whip is to assist me in this regard.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

I have not finished. We need a structured and rich debate.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: His Excellency the President has deposited a speech with us. He reflected on those subjects contained in the speech and as a special hon. Member of Parliament, he expects us to deeply reflect on these issues. This is a point of policy direction and it must be manifested in the debate. I hope I will not have to make another ruling on this subject matter.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, among the hon. Members that were making political comments to discredit the PF are some hon. Members from the Southern Province and I am responding to that sect.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, among the hon. Members from the Southern Province are some who are saying that the PF is finished, but I am telling them that the PF growing.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, as regards developments regarding the Southern Province, …

Mr Mbewe rose on point of order.

Hon. Government Members: Ikala, iwe.

Mr Munkombwe: … for the first time in many years, and I have served in all the governments, the Bottom Road is practically being worked on.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. MMD Members: It was the MMD that started the works.

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: The works that were left by the MMD have now been extended to near Chief Munyumbwe’s palace. That is the PF attending to the road network.

Sir, for the first time, from Mapangazya right up to …

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: The PF Government has signed the contract to work on these roads.

Interruptions

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, for the first time, the contract has been signed for road works from Monze to Niko Road. You can see what has happened in Livingstone.

Mr Speaker, the weakness of some politicians is that they close their eyes when good things are done.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, look at Livingstone. Simatobolo has been upgraded to bituminous standard. The internal roads in Livingstone have all been worked on. Who is the hon. Member of Parliament for Livingstone at this particular time?

Mr Livune: Sikwela.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: It is Hon. Evans. Who is the hon. Minister for the Southern Province at this point when development is taking place? It is Hon. Daniel C. Munkombwe.

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Provincial Minister for the Southern Province who, in 2011, danced very much at Mr Rupiah Banda’s Birthday party, …

Laughter

Mr Mwale: … in order to come here and tell us that the PF started works on the Bottom Road and is tarring it when he stood here, as hon. Provincial Minister for the Southern Province, in 2011, and told this House that the MMD Government had started the works on the Bottom Road and that it had made history?

Laughter

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, is he in order? He danced at the birthday party, forgot about it and, today, he is dancing again. The works on the Bottom Road started under the MMD, but today he is saying that they started under the PF. Is the old man in order …

Laughter

Mr Mwale: … to treat this House in such a manner? I need your serious ruling, Mr Speaker.

Laughter

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Just as a point of remainder, we address ourselves in this House as Honourable, not old man, young man, aunt, uncle …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … and other epithets. Those are not acceptable.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Even if you enjoy an affable relationship, they are not acceptable. Coming back to the point of order, please, take that into account.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, when you look at the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Airport, you will notice that even the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is being dwarfed.

Prof. Luo: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, as you know, I have never risen on a point of order.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Bufi!

Prof. Luo: Mr Speaker, I am compelled to raise this point of order. Is Hon. Mwale in order to come to this House with a bald head when there are wigs being sold in the shops?

Laughter

Prof. Luo: Sir, I need your serious ruling.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order! My ruling is that if you had not raised a point of order on a point of order, I was going to indicate my position.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Since it is technically incompetent, I will not give a ruling.

The hon. Minister may continue.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, we, in the Southern Province, appreciate the creation of the three new districts. In fact, we want another district. The advantage of districts is that you can manage a few schools and roads in a particular district. You can look after a few hospitals or clinics in a particular district. Therefore, we are grateful to His Excellency the President for having given us three new districts in the Southern Province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, I do not want to refer to the issue of dancing for somebody. If that somebody betrays me when I am useful somewhere, I will go. If anybody writes …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order! He is still on the Floor.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, I am making this remark generally. If those that are presidents of political parties continue to isolate influential individuals, they will go somewhere else and be useful there.

Mr Speaker, in my new capacity as hon. Deputy Minister for the Southern Province, I recently toured four districts in the Southern Province, namely Siavonga, Chikankata, Mazabuka and Monze. I started from Siavonga. I want to co-operate with the team that comes from the Southern Province. I have no problem with anyone of them. I will move in one car with anyone of those people to assist our people for as long as they do not speak their politics in my presence.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, I will also not speak my politics in their presence. So, we meet as relatives. That is all. The people want development such as water and dip tanks for their cattle. That is the condition.

Mr Livune interjected.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you are still on the Floor.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, I want to remind all of us here that we are leaders. Let me take the majority of the words by Hon. Namugala. Her debate was mature. I am not saying that anybody else is not mature.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, we want to move in a direction that does not obstruct development. I am an old scholar of politics. Regardless of what the hon. Members from the Southern Province are saying, a lot has been done in the Southern Province and, I think, in private they say, “Cilabeleka eci cintu.”

Laughter

Mr Speaker: What does that mean?

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, this means that, “this man is working.”

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, with sixty-one years experience in politics, I want to state that if you want to be recognised in politics, you must create a situation and people will talk about you. The hon. Members of Parliament from the Southern Province are very friendly.  Hon. Mweetwa, Hon. Muntanga, …

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Minister!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: As much as you may have very kind words for your colleagues on my left, well, it matters not. The rules do not permit. We are not permitted to debate ourselves, whether positively or negatively.

Mr Livune: Balabeleka!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, I want to appreciate His Excellency the President’s zeal for development. I think that man needs supporters, but let us not derail him notuli okuno swebo.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: That means those of us who are on the right side. Let us allow him to be focused.

Hon. Opposition Members: Tell them!

Mr Munkombwe: Sir, even you, in the Opposition, can derail him.

Mr Speaker, we have a focused President who is willing to work for everybody. He is prepared to distribute the development of this country to every area. The issue of sub-dividing and segregating ourselves into various camps is very dangerous. I am prepared to offer …

Mr Hamudulu: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity you have given me to raise this compelling point of order. When the debate was making its rounds on this side of the House, we raised a number of issues pertaining to the Southern Province. These are problems that we thought this Government was listening to and would address. Is the hon. Deputy Minister for the Southern Province in order to ignore the many issues that we raised on the Floor of this House and spend time talking about other issues which have nothing to do with us in the Southern Province? I need your serious ruling, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker:  I have ruled on this subject. It is not efficient to repeat myself.

Continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Munkombwe: Hon. Members, I have travelled from Shagwamu in Chirundu District to Chipepo, Sinazongwe, Mweemba and Kafwebila and there is no area that I know that does not need a dip tank or borehole. Part of the components of the speech was on the drilling of boreholes. The Government has a programme …

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: … of drilling over 200 boreholes and building dams in the Southern Province.

Hon. Members: Yes.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, the implementation of drilling these boreholes was indicated in the President’s Speech and His Excellency the President. However, when you allow yourselves to run wild and condemn others, do not expect us to be quiet.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Nka ndyonko ako.

Mr Speaker, I want to state that all of us, regardless of the party we belong to, are for all Zambians.

Hon. Opposite Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Nolituba, mudala.

Mr Munkombwe: Nolituba mba nyoko.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, that means that no matter how old or shabbily dressed your mother is, she is still your mother.

Hon. Opposition Members: Mother.

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, they want to provoke me so that I can use these deep words.

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, let us be united in assisting a particular President at that particular time.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: Mr Speaker, the PF’s contract comes to an end in 2016. If it is found relevant at the end of tenure of this contract, it will still go ahead.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Munkombwe: If you are irrelevant, you will continue to be irrelevant until …

Laughter

Mr Munkombwe: … 2021.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Hon. UPND Member: Spoiler.

The Deputy Minister for the Eastern Province (Mr Sichone): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this precious time to contribute to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to this House.

Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mutelo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much and I did not intend to interrupt the hon. Deputy Minister who is on the Floor.

Sir, in this House, there was a topic on Ngoshe Mukote.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: Get serious, iwe.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, on page 3 of today’s Times of Zambia newspaper, there is an article with a heading, “Bemba Council Accuses Luo of trying to Erode Cultural Rites” and it reads as follows:

“ … the Bemba Traditional Council has accused Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister, Prof. Nkandu Luo, of attempting to divert the Bemba Chieftaincy from its rightful lineage. The traditional ruler said, Professor Luo had engaged the tactic of character assassination and had a know-it-all mentality, adding that this, coupled with other evidence tabulated in the letter, dismissed Ngoshe Mukote’s descendants as heirs to Paramount Chieftainship as claimed by Prof. Luo in Parliament.”

This is what has prompted me to raise this point of order.

Hon. Members: What is the point of order?

Mr Speaker: Just wait for him to finish.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, is it in order to state that this issue was brought to Parliament and that the public and nation was misled? Was Prof. Luo in order to mislead the nation and the House? I will lay this paper on the Table.

I seek your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Mutelo laid the paper on the Table.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is short. If the objective of the point of order is to hold the hon. Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to account, the best option is to file a question. On the basis of that question, the hon. Member will be able to hear what the position of the hon. Minister is. It would be highly inappropriate for me to make a ruling on the basis of this material that you have deposited here.

Continue, Hon. Sichone.

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, allow me to join the many hon. Members who have extended their condolences to the Sakeni family. This loss will live with us for many years. The late Hon. Sakeni was such a great man, politician and leader.

Sir, His Excellency the President, in his address to this House, highlighted a lot of developmental issues. It is as a result of that, that I will first start by describing the speech itself. It can be described as the only document, so far, that has provided hope to the Zambian people and those in the Eastern Province in particular.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President was addressing this House, he extended his passion and portrayed his commitment towards development.

Mr Sampa: I agree with you.

Mr Sichone: Sir, he just showed this love regardless of the political situation or status of this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, having said that, the Eastern Province is actually an agricultural province and there is also great potential in terms of tourism. When we talk about agriculture, in the Eastern Province, for quite a long time, our farmers have embarked on growing cash crops such as cotton, tobacco and a bit of maize.

Sir, you may need to know that, some time back in 2011, a calamity befell the cotton growers when the global cotton prices dropped. As a result of that, the economic position of the people of the Eastern Province was somehow destabilised.  However, you will note that His Excellency the President, in his speech, emphasised on the diversification of crops.

Mr Speaker, crop diversification will save the lives of the people of the Eastern Province. Cotton growers in the province will have an opportunity to grow soya beans, groundnuts and sunflower on a commercial scale. 

Mr Speaker, I want to move on to tourism. Mfuwe, a famous tourist destination found in the Eastern Province, has so much potential. The economic activities that are taking place are so great that the extent is not realised by the rest of the country. His Excellency the President, in his speech, reiterated the commitment of this Government to embark on the development of tourism in the Eastern Province. 

Mr Speaker, I would also like to talk about the road infrastructure in the Eastern Province. The province has been receiving a lot of infrastructure development regardless of the fact that the majority of its representation is from the Opposition. 

Mr Mwaliteta: Yes!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, all the feeder roads in Lundazi are being rehabilitated. This rehabilitation and maintenance programme will go beyond 2014. As I speak, feeder roads in Katete are being rehabilitated.

Mr Speaker, the Government will continue to maintain these roads. In all these works, Chipata has not been exempted. There is a lot of activity going on in terms of feeder roads. So far, more than 900 km have been worked on by our contractors. These feeder roads are a serious conduit to agricultural development because there is no way we can talk about it without access to markets. People can only access the markets with good feeder roads.

Mr Speaker, besides the many feeder roads that the Government is working on, hon. Members may wish to know that the Eastern Province has not been left out in benefiting from the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project.

Mr Mwaliteta: Yes!

Mr Sichone: Sir, for the first time in the Eastern Province, Vubwi, Tafela Nsoni and Zozwe areas will be connected to the rest of the country via a bituminous road.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, in the history of this country, Chadiza has never had a good road linking it to the rest of the province. As I speak, a contractor is on site and the project has taken off. Chadiza is going to be linked to the rest of the country, ...

Mr Mwaliteta: Regardless of political affiliation.

Mr Sichone: … regardless of the political affiliation of the representatives who the people of Chadiza elect to this august House.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Sir, you may also wish to know that the Government has embarked on the rehabilitation of the Great East Road from Luangwa Bridge to Mwami Border. This is a part of the Great East Road that has been narrow and dilapidated for some time. Thanks to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia and the PF Government, the people of the Eastern Province will have an opportunity to have a wider and well-rehabilitated road.

Mr Speaker, the contractor …

Mr Mwale: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister for the Eastern Province in order to mislead this House by saying that it is thanks to His Excellency the President of this country that the road will be widened when we know that the agreement between the Zambian Government and the European Union (EU) to fund the project was done in 2010? This was before this Government came into power. 

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: Is he in order to thank this Government when the agreement was done in 2010? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Sichone: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Order!

I have not ruled.

Mr Sichone: Oh.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

As the hon. Minister of Eastern Province continues with his debate, he should take that point of order into account.

You may proceed.

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, the former Government thrived on wishes. It wished that the Great East Road would be rehabilitated. However, it failed to have the road rehabilitated for the benefit of the people of the province because it did not have the capacity.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, the PF, led by a man of action, is a Government of action.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Sir, a contract has already been signed for the contractor to start works from Luangwa Bridge to Sinda. This road is actually in four lots.

Sir, another contract has been signed for a contractor to start works from Mwami via Chipata, to Katete. The procurement processes for the other roads are underway. Our people will not survive on wishes because wishes have never delivered any change or transformation in the lives of people in any town or country. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, I would like to mention that there were two projects which our colleagues started, but they were barely crawling in terms of construction. These are the famous Lundazi/Chipata and the Chipata/Mfuwe roads. The good news is that with the coming of a Government of action, the contractor who was not funded when the project commenced in 2011 saw a serious change. Therefore, the construction of this road has accelerated and, at the moment, a comfortable drive on the Chipata/ Lundazi Road is only one hour twenty minutes. This is courtesy of the input of the PF Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwaliteta: I have seen it!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, I would also like to mention that there is one other project of great interest, the road between Katete and Chief Msoro’s Chiefdom. Since time immemorial, the chiefdom, which has thousands of people living in it, has not been connected to the rest of the country. Chief Msoro’s area will now be connected to the rest of the country by a bituminous road.

Mr Mwaliteta: You see!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, a contract has already been signed and the contractor is mobilising.

Mr Speaker, let me also mention something of great importance as regards education. His Excellency the President, in his speech, singled out Chipata Trades Training Institute as having been earmarked for expansion in 2014. This is regardless of the fact that Chipata is being represented by an Opposition hon. Member of Parliament. The institute, once expanded, will not only create an opportunity for many more children, but also bring a facelift to Chipata as a district.

Mr Speaker, under the Ministry of Health, the Eastern Province has been a beneficiary of the many great works of the PF Government. We have Chadiza District, which was singled out in the President’s Speech …

Mr Mbewe:  On a point of order!

Mr Speaker:  A point of order is raised.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister should be sincere in whatever he says. He is representing the people of Zambia. Is he in order to mislead the House and the people of Zambia that the PF Government constructed Chadiza Hospital when, in fact, at the time it came into power, all it did was commission the hospital which had already been constructed?

Hon Government Members: Question!{mospagebreak}

Mr Speaker: Order!

Without going into the evidential issues, please, bear in mind the principle of continuity of the Government. That is not to take away the need to be ever factual. However, I do not think that we should devote so much energy to dissecting who began where and continued from where. I do not think it is a very productive inquisition. I still take the point that the presentation should be factual, but bear in mind that the Government has a permanent character. It is only different political parties and individuals that take reign of this machinery. I do not think we should dwell on who ran with the baton from one point to whichever point. I do not think even the constituents would really be over exercised on those aspects.

Hon. Minister, you may continue.

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, in the Eastern Province, Chadiza District Hospital was still under construction when the PF Government came into office. However, it allocated funds and completed the construction. The Government is privileged to have commissioned and opened the hospital record time.

Hon Government Members: Imagine!

Mr Sichone: Sir, besides that, there is the Lundazi District Hospital whose construction has  now been completed and, awaiting, official opening. This hospital will better the lives of people in Lundazi. I wish, also, to indicate that the Government has another project in Nyimba where it is building a district hospital. You may also wish to know that out of the 650 rural health posts that this Government has earmarked for construction soon, Lundazi has been allocated nine and Vubwi and Tafelansoni have been given six.

Dr Kazonga: Zozwe?

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, that includes Zozwe. Mambwe has been allocated six, Petauke Eight, Chadiza Five, Katete eleven and Chipata six health posts. Regardless of the political affiliation of the individuals who represent these particular areas, they have been allocated health posts.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, I would also want to single out one issue that came out in the great Speech of His Excellency the President under agriculture on the re-capitalisation of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ). As a province, we have, so far, received over 80 per cent of the required basal dressing fertiliser that we need for this coming season. This gesture has not only been timely, but also created employment opportunities for many people. Under the NCZ, every district has four workers who are handling the delivery and storage of these inputs. When we talk about domestic employment, there are hundreds that have been employed as a result of this gesture.

Mr Speaker, the Government has embarked on the rehabilitation and construction of water dams. One of the dams under construction is Muduwi Dam in Chipata. The construction has since commenced and it is hoped that it will be completed by 2014. This will provide water for more than five thousand animals in Chipata and over 100 hectares will come under irrigation as a result. These achievements were reflected in the President’s Speech.

Mr Speaker, under rural development, His Excellency the President talked about connecting the various districts and areas to the national grid. You may wish to know that Luangeni, Kasenengwa and Chipangali …

Mr Mweetwa:  On a point order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: I have been compelled to raise this point of order because it is bordering on national interest. Going by the way the hon. Member on the Floor is debating, except for the frailties in his speech, and looking at the debate by Hon. Kalaba, the Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection is His Excellency the President in order …

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Mweetwa: … not to appoint more young people so that we can have focused and quality debate here? I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Hon Opposition Members: Hear, Hear!

Hon. Government Members:  Question!

Mr Speaker: Well, my ruling is short. Appointments are made at the President’s prerogative. I cannot rule on it.

Continue, Hon. Sichone.

 Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, I was saying that you may wish to know that, in the Eastern Province, I would like to mention Luageni, Kasenengwa, Chipangali and Mkaika constituencies as ones that were connected to the national grid. Courtesy of the goodwill of the Government of the Republic of Zambia, under the great leadership of His Excellency the President, there is electricity running through the typical villages in these constituencies. I would also want to bring to your attention that, out of the thirty districts that have been created, two of these are in the Eastern province. These are Sinda, which is between Petauke and Katete, and the other one is Vubwi, which constitutes Zozwe and Tafelansoni.

Dr Kazonga Laughed

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, these two districts, Sinda and Vubwi, have since been operationalised. We have active offices and departments and service delivery has improved greatly because of the gesture by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia.

Finally, Mr Speaker, I wish to talk about the fight against corruption. His Excellency the President reiterated the importance of the fight against corruption. We have seen many people in the Public Service being fired for being involved in corruption. We have taken up the mantle to ensure that this is zero rated.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours to 1830 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was saying that 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. Deputy Minister for the Eastern Province, who was talking about corruption, in order not to mention that due to escalating corruption cases in the PF, he had to personally arrest five policemen for stealing in the Eastern Province? Is he in order not to mention that gallant action he took against corruption?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

As I have ruled before, the discretion is on the debater to determine the content of the address.

You may continue, hon. Minister.

Mr Sichone: Mr Speaker, before the point of order was raised, I was saying that the PF Party, which is in the Government, is very young and the lesson that I am drawing is that if you have been in existence, as a political party, and younger parties come to take over the government, …

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Sichone: … then, you may never have an opportunity to form the Government.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sichone: Sir, with these few words, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Question!

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mwale: One Zambia!

Col. Kaunda: One Nation!

Laughter

Col. Kaunda: … thank you for allowing me to debate the Motion of Thanks.

However, Sir, before I go any further, I would like to join my colleagues in paying tribute to the late Hon. Kennedy Sakeni, Member of Parliament for Mansa Central, may his soul rest in peace. I think a lot has been said on how good he was. So, I will not labour on that one.

Mr Speaker, thanks to your office, I was able to follow part of the debate even though I was not here. I was surprised to hear how the speech was described by some of our colleagues on your left. As a young officer, I was taught that there is never a very good or bad soldier. So, if you wrote a report about a soldier and said he was very bad or extremely good, your commanding officer would know that you were a very bad young officer. So, we will question the ability of our colleagues to judge because they condemned the speech in totality.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Question!

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, may I now talk about transport and communication as referred to in the speech. As I debate in support of the President’s Speech, in respect to the transport and communication sectors, first of all, I wish to emphasise that transport infrastructure and service delivery in Zambia has, from time immemorial, been a service rarely in demand on its own characteristics. Demand for public transport, road freight facilities or airline services, is usually derived or a resultant of some other economic activities. A company producing clothes or food sees transport as a means of moving its products from a factory or warehouse to a retail store. As the demand for products increases, so does the demand for transport facilities.

Sir, communications, infrastructure and service delivery has one main function and this is to timely and readily inform all citizens of their rational decision-making on actions in the national and global economics.

Mr Speaker, together, efficient transport and communication infrastructure and services are the essential facilitators of economic growth and social development as they serve as the platform for information sharing, exchange of goods and services, backward and forward linkages amongst economic sectors and most importantly accessibility to social and economic amenities in support of the sustained livelihood of our people.

Mr Speaker, in the President’s inspiring Speech, he said that growth of the GDP was mainly driven by, among other things, transport, communications, construction, agriculture, trade and manufacturing.

Mr Speaker, these highlighted sectors of agriculture, trade and manufacturing thrive on the availability and support of the transport, communications and construction sectors. It is these sectors which ensure efficiency in delivery times, reduction in input costs, reduction in processing times and increases in productivity and price stability as indicated by the recorded 7.1 per cent single digit inflation rate.

Mr Speaker, our intentions to sustain this economic thrust include projects such as the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project, which is transforming the country from landlocked to landlinked status. This will ensure market access and more efficient movement of goods and people. The installation of information and communication technology masts in all chiefdoms, construction of infrastructure in all economic sectors, including health, education, agriculture and mining, will ensure availability of the prerequisite of an enabling environment to foster competitive production and trade that is beneficial, in the first instance ,to our citizens.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Col. Kaunda: Sir, His Excellency the President mentioned the fact that the Government is reviewing the Education Policy. That policy will realign the education system to ensure that academic and vocational training are harmonised from early childhood to tertiary education levels.

Mr Speaker, this is strategically being done to ensure that we develop a Zambian youth of skilled technicians, artisans, builders, engineers and others who will run and manage their own construction businesses with the support of the Government’s incentives. This will be done in line with the existing laws and provisions such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and regulations …

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr M. H. Malama: A point of jealousy.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister, who is doing well by reading the speech and, therefore, leading by example, in order to read it so fast and almost sound like he is imitating the First Republican President …

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: … instead of reading slowly for us to understand? Is he in order to imitate the First Republican President?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that I would not be so much concerned about the imitation because it could be a matter beyond his control.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: However, certainly, I would urge him to certainly slow down the rate at which he is delivering his contribution so that he is more audible to all and sundry.

You may continue, hon. Deputy Minister.

Laughter

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the advice. I will read as slowly as I can.

Sir, the concept is simple. Each sector will be reviewed and consulted so as to ascertain its capacity-constrained areas.

Mr Muntanga: Yes!

Laughter

Col. Kaunda: The required training skills and equipment shall be identified and these lacking areas shall be filled with support from the civil society and our vibrant private sector. For sustainability, we shall ensure that youths, women and children have the necessary education, skills and equipment to own small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or even big ones so that they reap the economic benefits in all these sectors and have more money in their pockets.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Question!

Mr M. H. Malama: Hear, hear!

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, as a Government, we shall endeavour to improve accessibility to schools and health posts, especially in the rural areas. We shall provide the necessary media for information accessibility and dissemination so that we have broadly informed and educated citizens.

Mr Speaker, my ministry will ensure that feeder roads and markets are accessible. For farming blocks, there will be routine maintenance of access roads within, to and from farming blocks.

Sir, the Government places emphasis on the extension programme of mobile communication services to cover all chiefdoms and other previously unserviced rural areas. Since Independence, some district schools and health posts have been getting flooded and inaccessible due to our rainfall patterns. We shall work to reduce, if not eliminate, this occurrence. We shall make full use of our dredging equipment to open up clogged canals and channel water to areas where it will be better utilised for irrigation, transportation and other livelihood support projects.

Mr Speaker, in employment, to demonstrate the PF Government’s consistency in policy and development agenda, in the foreword of the 2011/2016 PF Manifesto, our President, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, assents the recognition and promises the following:

“Unemployment figures amongst the youths have continued to rise. This is irrespective of the levels of academic qualifications obtained as employment opportunities are non-existent. Those who attain admission to institutions of higher learning are subjected to prohibitive tuition fees leading to constant withdrawals from their programmes in colleges and universities. The PF Government shall seek redress and remedy the foregoing failures using locally- driven social and economic initiatives through the empowerment of Zambians while recognising the important role that the donor community plays in implementing these initiatives.”

Mr Speaker, this is preserved in the President’s Address under employment creation. We cannot ignore that formal employment jobs of working from 0800 hours to 1700 hours are very few compared to their demand in Zambia. The informal sector employs the majority of our youth, but their produce or value is substandard in comparison to foreign competitive products. Sub contract jobs and piece-works are increasingly becoming the main employment opportunities for most of our youth in Zambia. Despite getting sub-contract jobs and piece work, Zambian youth are exploited with very low pay and poor working conditions from main subcontractors. Zambian youth lack knowledge and skill to operate in the various economic fields as subcontractors without the umbrella of a foreigner supervising them.

Sir, the Zambian youth do not have the required equipment to directly compete for sub contract jobs without relying on the foreigners and the relatively established and well-equipped Zambian contractors, who themselves now exploit the vulnerable Zambian youth. The services of the youth are required not only by the middle-class economic bracket, but also by the subcontractors. The only challenge is transforming them into suitably trained and equipped resources. However, rest assured that the Government has begun to reverse this situation by making prudent use of available structures and institutions such as the many vocational training institutions. The PF Government encourages apprenticeship programmes for skills transfers which can be complemented by:

(a) ZNS various technical skills and training;

(b) mines and manufacturing industries’ technical and maintenance units;

(c) safari/tour service providers in the many national game management areas;

(d) public transport service provisions;

(e) construction equipment operation industry;

(f) construction materials supply industry;

(g) road maintenance camps; and

(h) railway maintenance camps, among other potential areas.

Sir, the Government’s approach on this matter shall be centred on equipment-backed loans or lease agreements. The main components of this initiative will be to give due diligence to the following:

(a) for each of the economic sectors, transport, mining, manufacturing and agriculture, among others, identify the subcontracting and piece work jobs they offer;

(b) from the respective economic sectors, get specialised advice on the minimum skills required and equipment required for one to adequately qualify to undertake a job, subcontract or piece work;

(c) identify potential financiers and suppliers of required equipment who should also provide required training to operate equipment for efficient job undertaking to satisfy the subcontract terms;

(d) the financier or supplier of the equipment gets his money back from youth co-operatives who have guaranteed jobs from the respective economic sector companies, industries;

(e) the financier or supplier owns the equipment up until the respective youth co-operatives pays back or remits the agreed cost of equipment and training; and

(f) the incentive for the youth co-operatives is that after repayment to the financier or supplier of equipment, they get to own the equipment and now become 100 per cent self-employed and even have the capacity to train and employ others.

Mr Speaker, this is not a pipe dream. We already have some results and points we are pursuing in this project such as the Higer Public Bus Service Scheme under the Development Bank of Zambia. This project involves empowering public service vehicle drivers with ownership of these buses. Under this programme, we have 1,000 buses coming and the ownership will be purely by the drivers. We do not want those who already have buses to be part of this. We have another programme with a named bank. Another 1,000 buses will be coming bringing the total to 2,000 buses which will be all over the country. These buses will be availed to all parties and communities as long as they qualify for this programme.

Sir, the Safari Guides Empowerment Project being piloted in the South Luangwa Management Area is another such project. This programme entails that the Government and Investrust Bank buy tour Land Rovers and Land Cruisers to give the safari guides who will work hand-in-hand with the owners of lodges so that they too can own these vehicles.

Mr Speaker, we are engaging the mining houses to structure an empowerment programme for the locals to undertake subcontracts whilst being equipped with recommended equipment. We shall also check the status of the Youth Capacity Building Programme with the ZNS, with a view to graduating equipped youth for various skills.

Mr Speaker, we shall further review the status of the small-scale contractor training programmes at the National Council for Construction (NCC) and find out their area of limitation after training.

Mr Speaker, the National Roads Funds Agency (NRFA), the RDA and Ministry of Local Government and Housing all budget for road maintenance camps, relative to what I have stated above. In the road construction sector, the Government is operationalising the Construction Finance Initiative (CFI). This is a deliberate empowerment programme for equipment-backed loans. One agreement has already been signed to this effect between the RDA and Savender.

Mr Speaker, the Government will also look at the rapid assessment of the small-scale stone crushers (vending women) and others who can be considered for empowerment through a structured institutional framework to support road camps. This is organising these stone crushers into co-operatives and equipping them with micro crushers which can help them produce appropriate sizes of stones for various constructions, thus, supplying our construction industries.

Mr Speaker, in transport specific-issues, colour coding will now strictly be applied within a month’s period after a comprehensive sensitisation exercise by the Government and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA). This will reduce painting costs for our operators while giving distinct recognition of the operational boundaries or regions for public transport operators.

Mr Speaker, Zambia will be the first landlocked country to host the Intermodal Africa Exhibition and Conference which will be the thirteenth of its kind and is to be held in 2015. This is a two-day conference featuring thirty-five world class business leaders who analyse latest global transportation and logistic issues. This conference is attended by a gathering of 500 of the world’s leading shipping lines, shippers, cargo owners, freight forwarders, logistics companies, ports, terminal operating companies, rail operators, sea port equipment and services suppliers. There will be a parallel exhibition of 100 international companies and sponsors showcasing port and transport related state-of-the- art products and services. This two-day international exhibition and conference will generate US$500,000 in income for Zambia. This will be derived from event participants during their, on average, four-day stay in Lusaka.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, allow me to inform this august House that currently the Government is engaging a consultant for the development of the Zambia National Transport Infrastructure Master Plan. This strategic transport plan will guide infrastructure development for both the transport sector and other economic sectors. It will give market confidence that transport is not only a derived demand, but can also be a supplied demand for spatial development planning. The National Transport Master Plan will be an infrastructure development guide for thirty years.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, thank you so much for according me this opportunity to contribute to this very important debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Speech. This Motion was ably moved by my dear colleague, the hon. Member of Parliament for Bwacha.

Mr Speaker, I would like to start from page 1 by joining His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, and, indeed, other hon. Members of this august House who have paid tribute to the late Hon. Kennedy Sakeni. I would like to take most of the words that have been spoken before as mine. In addition, I must say that, personally, I lost an elder brother who made my settling down, when we moved from the Back Bench to here, possible. I will remember him for his usual smiling face. Every time he saw that we were straying away from our focus on business, he only turned back and said, “Ba yama”, which was his famous way of referring to all of his colleagues regardless of their age.

Mr Speaker: Meaning what?

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, this means ‘my uncle’. That was his way of showing his respect for all of us. May his soul, indeed, rest in peace. He is gone, but for us it is a luta continua with the shared vision we had to move this country forward. We can only remember him by ensuring that that which he stood for is achieved.

Mr Speaker, I will move to page 4 and join His Excellency the President in congratulating all the new hon. Members of Parliament who joined this august House on that particular day he delivered his speech. I will pass my congratulations starting with the lady, Hon. Ingrid Mpande. I would like to echo what she said in her maiden speech that, indeed, this House should be a shining example. It should be a beacon of the best leadership in the country.

Mr Speaker, therefore, hon. Members should be elected to this House through legitimate and respectable means. In short, I am saying that never should we allow hon. Members elected fraudulently to be part of this dignified august House. I also wish to congratulate other colleagues on the other side on retaining their seats for their particular political parties.

Mr Speaker, in welcoming the new hon. Members of Parliament, His Excellency the Head of State took note of some violent activities which have characterised some by-elections. Coming from the ministry which has got the portfolio function of ensuring that there is always order, peace and tranquility as we conduct these elections, we have taken note of these concerns by the Head of State.

Mr Speaker, under the leadership of our Minister, Hon. Edgar Lungu, we have started putting measures in place to avoid the recurrence of these violent activities which are associated with by-elections and other elections. In so doing, we shall continue appealing to our dear colleagues, starting from our own organisation, the PF, and other political parties, to ensure that we put our heads together. We do not need finger pointing and blame apportioning in dealing with these violent activities. As a ministry, we are going to ensure that our men and women in uniform, who are the police in this case, administer the Public Order Act without ‘fair’ or favour.

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: On this score, I would like to thank them for the manner in which they have discharged their duties. We have had some elections managed properly. Others, of course, have had some episodes of violence. Going forward, however, we have urged our men and women in uniform to ensure that they make judgments based on what is obtaining on the ground.

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 rise on serious point of order and thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to do so. Is the hon. Deputy Minister, who is debating very well, in order to put fear in our hearts by stating that the police are going to operate without being fair and with favour? I need your serious ruling, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Well, since you want a ruling, I can only presume that it was a slip of the tongue and that the hon. Deputy Minister actually meant to say ‘without fear or favour’. I will, however, leave it to him to confirm.

Continue, hon. Deputy Minister.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, in order to clear the mind of my elder brother, Rev. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha …

Mr Speaker: No, he is the hon. Member for Keembe.

Mr Kampyongo: Yes, the hon. Member for Keembe, I meant to say without fear or favour. Without fear in the sense that we are not to going to put any undue pressure on our officers in the way they operate. Without favour means that they should make sure that they treat each and everyone in the same way. That is what I meant to say.

Mr Speaker, I also want to tie the rule of law to this matter. The hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection indicated, here, that we have had situations in which our citizens, who have legitimately acquired portions of land with title deeds, are victimised by other citizens.

Mr Speaker, I would like to assure you, the House and, indeed, the entire nation that in collaboration with our colleagues in the ministries of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and Local Government and Housing, the Ministry of Home Affairs has tasked me to oversee the task force which is going to make sure that we go out there not only in Lusaka, but also other areas of the country where these activities are taking place. Our role is to protect citizens and their property and we are going to make sure that we do that. In so doing, we are not going to be selective. We used to have a situation where we had what people called Majimbos. This was a group which affiliated itself to the Ruling Party, then, and it …

Hon. Opposition Members: What does Majimbos mean?

Mr Speaker: He is just explaining. Hear him out.

Mr Kampyongo: This is a group which started the activities which we have seen happening recently. This is the group that was going around and being commandeered by one veteran cadre, who I would not want to mention although everybody knows him. This group, …

Mr Bwalya: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise this very serious point of order which I have been compelled to do. The hon. Ministers are now responding to the various issues that we, especially the hon. Members on your left, raised. Are the MMD hon. Members of Parliament, in particular, in order to be out of the House at A time when they seriously need to listen to the responses from the hon. Ministers? I need your serious ruling.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: I have ruled before that it is of paramount importance that whenever we are transacting business, we are all present in the Chamber. Even where I stand, I can see the gaps. I can also recall, not long ago, in fact, this afternoon, how that area, which is a subject of the point of order, was occupied. I have a good memory and think that this trend should be arrested. I hope that the Whips, both on the left and the right will come to my aid. It is not honourable to attend just part of the business and elect, without reasonable cause, to walk away from the rest. Without saying much more I do not think that we are being fair to the constituents and also the tax payer,.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I was just assuring the hon. Members of the public that they should know that they have a Government in place and it will do everything possible to protect them and their property. My warning to those who want to continue ignoring the law is that they will be the ones to regret. I am also warning that those who have already started putting up structures on land that does not legally belong to them will be the ones to lose. Therefore, the best thing they can do for now is to listen to what we are saying.

Interruptions

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I forgot to thank His Excellency the President for the manner in which he delivered his speech. On a lighter note, on that special day, we saw that there were a lot of people who came to see His Excellency the President deliver the speech of hope. Interestingly, we saw a number of people who wanted to look like me and Hon. Dr Phiri who, naturally, have bald heads. Unfortunately, we saw people coming here looking like recruits …

Laughter

Mr Kampyongo: … all in the hope of trying to draw attention and derail His Excellency the President from discharging his function.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: However, he was up to the task.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, he delivered his speech and properly so. I will some of those hon. Members to be on the line of those we shall be recruiting very soon.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, on page 35 of his speech, His Excellency the President made the following very clear:

“The Government is fully committed to upholding the rule of law, including the separation of powers among the three arms of Government. In this regard, I want to assure the Zambian people that our Government has no intentions, whatsoever, to turn this country into a one party State.”

Mr Speaker, he went on to say:

“With regard to the Constitution-making process, the Government remains committed to delivering a people-driven Constitution. The consultative process has been completed and the Final Draft Constitution is expected by the end of this year. Thereafter, the Government  …

Mr Hamudulu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Hamudulu: Mr Speaker, my apologies to the hon. Deputy Minister who was debating so well until he caught my ear on one issue. Is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to insinuate, in this House, that bald heads can actually make His Excellency the President deliver his speech in a better manner than he did the previous year when the nation has got people who naturally have bald heads like his in the Cabinet? I need your serious ruling.

Mr Mpundu: What is the point of order?

Mr Speaker: Quite frankly, I am at a loss as to what inspires His Excellency the President in the delivery of his speech. Whether the presence of individuals with those particular hair styles or a lack of them facilitated a positive delivery, I think, as he said, is a matter of jest. That is my ruling.

Hon. Deputy Minister, you may continue.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I was just ending my quote in which the President indicated that: 
 “… the Government, in collaboration with other stakeholders, will guide the process accordingly.”

 Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President was making these pronouncements on the day we received hon. Members who had joined this House from the left side of the House. He means well. For us who know him as a seasoned politician, as this country stands, we are very comfortable that we are under tested leadership. He means well and will make sure that this is sustained.

Mr Speaker, like I said earlier on, we, as a ministry tasked with the portfolio function of ensuring that democracy flourishes, shall continue to engage our colleagues on your left hand side so that we can also let them have the platform to share with the public what they intend to do for them. We shall remain focused on delivering so that the Zambian people are not derailed.

Mr Speaker, coming to the Constitution, His Excellency the President was very clear. He did not say that the Government is going to do A, B or C on the Constitution. He said, in consultation with other stakeholders, a road map would be provided to ensure that this process is done. He further went on to appeal to the nation to not behave as though there is no Constitution in place. We are all here, like he said, because of the current Constitution and the laws that we are enforcing are those that are already in existence. There is no need for people to panick and behave like we have no Constitution in place.

Mr Speaker, this brings me to the question, which I need to respond, to of hon. Members of Parliament questioning His Excellency the President’s support and defense of the current Constitution.

Mr Speaker, we all know that before any Head of State assumes the instruments of power, the first thing he does is swear, under oath, and declare to protect the constitution of a given country. Therefore, all that His Excellency the President said is that he shall make sure that all the rules, as they exist, are followed. That is what he meant. I was so shocked to hear some hon. Members of Parliament, here, questioning that. It was really shocking.

Mr Speaker, I will now go to the issues of corruption. I want to say to this House that for the first time in the history of this country, Members of the Executive arm of the Government have been subjected to investigations. This is what it means to call others to virtues that you believe in. We believe that this is not a fight that we can fight by rhetoric. This is a fight which requires pragmatic steps to be taken and those of us who are in the Executive are very cognisant of the laws that are prescribed in order to fight corruption. We are not like those people who were with us on the podium a few years ago when we were condemning corruption of certain leaders.

Mr Speaker, I have never heard of any presidential candidate going to the people appealing to be elected by them so that he can loot or steal their resources. People go to appeal to the electorate to be elected so that, once elected, they share resources equitably for the benefit of everyone. Those who, by mistake, want to assume power and think that they can loot from the people need to look somewhere else. We have seen people somersaulting. The other day, we were speaking the same language, but now, they are saying that it is okay for someone who was in charge of resources to steal and we can forgive him. We do not mean to victimise anyone. What we stand for is to ensure that the rules that we have set for ourselves are adhered to.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, on page 36, His Excellency the President touched on foreign policy and he indicated that:

 “Our foreign policy is aimed at repositioning our country so that it derives maximum benefits from international relations. To this effect, the Government will continue to maintain friendly diplomatic and trade relations with other countries. Priority will be given to economic diplomacy as a means of promoting the revitalisation of the Zambian economy.”

Mr Speaker, indeed, this is the way it should be. I am saying this in the wake of the aftermath of the crisis we had on the Copperbelt where we had the challenge of our truck drivers failing to cross to a neighbouring country. That was a crisis which not only affected both countries economically, but also posed a security challenge to both countries. We shall ensure that we engage our colleagues by using diplomatic channels to find solutions to avoid occurrences such as what happened in Kasumbalesa last week. I am really grateful to the men and women in uniform who were up to the task in helping the Government to resolve that impasse.

Mr Speaker, I would not be doing justice by not taking this opportunity to thank the Government for successfully hosting the UNWTO General Conference because the success of that event could not have been possible without the component of security. Our men and women in uniform really showed that they are capable of providing security for an event of that magnitude. Starting with the Department of Immigration, the men and women performed the task. They made sure that all the delegates who came for the conference were helped and they facilitated their entry into this country. Let me also thank our Inspector-General of Police and the whole command in the Southern Province under capable ladies of substance. They made sure that they provided the much-needed security for that important conference. The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) also made sure that it screened everyone who came into the country so that we did not allow bad elements to take advantage of that conference to filter into our country.

Mr Speaker, lastly, I want to say that His Excellency the President still remains focused on the ball in ensuring that his Government delivers to the people of Zambia that which it promised them during the 2011 General Elections. We, his lieutenants, will make sure that we support him fully ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: …with total loyalty and ensure that he delivers without being distracted.

Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity.

Hon. Government Members: Walasa!{mospagebreak}

Mr Kapyanga (Kabwe Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Motion that is on the Floor.

Mr Speaker, I am very delighted with the speech that was delivered by His Excellency. Before I proceed, I would like to acknowledge what His Excellency the President stated in his speech. He commended your good conduct, Mr Speaker, that of the Deputy Speaker, the Chairperson of Committees of the Whole House, and the Clerk of the National Assembly on the good services that the National Assembly delivered in running the Business of the House.

Mr Speaker, it is important that I speak about what His Excellency the President stated, in what I call an ambitious, inspiring, wonderful and hope-giving speech.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I know for sure that most of the people have said a lot. However, it would be really naïve of me not to pass my sincere …

Hon. Opposition Members: That is right!

Mr Kapyanga: … heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Hon. Kennedy Mumba Sakeni. I join others who have done the same thing.

Mr Speaker, I am speaking on behalf of a constituency that I can call the most volatile, in the sense that it is one which has been able to stand the test of time in the history of politics in this country. That is where UNIP was born.

Hon. Government Members: Yes!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, that is where this county was born.

Hon. Government Members: Yes, it is true!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, it is important that, as the hon. Member of Parliament for Kabwe Central, I echo the important speech that was delivered by His Excellency. That speech gave confidence to the people of this country because His Excellency the President really had to confirm that the PF Government has not departed from the initial vision of promoting and protecting the people of this country.

Sir, this country was ravaged for twenty years under the MMD. For somebody to say that the PF Government has not done anything is not fair. Why do I say so? In the twenty years that the MMD Government ruled this country, it worked on an average of 2,000 km bituminous roads while the PF has done an average of 1,600 km, and yet it has only been in the Government for two years. What a comparison.

Mr Speaker, it is amazing to hear hon. Members on your left say that the speech was empty. This confirms that people were listening and have been following the tremendous developments that the PF has done.

Sir, I would be naïve if I did not congratulate the four hon. Members who came to this House through by-elections. However, I salute the only lady, Ms Ingrid Mpande, for standing on the most promising ticket and making it to this House on a seat of the most promising party and Government. Madam, congratulations.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, as regards socio-economic affairs, on page 5, paragraph 3, of the speech, His Excellency the President said:

“The Government’s initiative of borrowing through the Eurobond resulted in increasing the fiscal space for national development. This has enabled the country to undertake projects such as the recapitalisation of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia.”

Sir, the NCZ has resuscitated people’s lives in Kafue. I say so because a lot of business activities have been resuscitated. More jobs have been created and this entails that we are sailing on the right boat, which is the PF Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, the resuscitation of the NCZ, through the Eurobond has seen a lot of supportive businesses that have been cultivated in Kafue District and has improved the living standards of the people there.

Sir, it is important for me to come back to what you guided us on. I will confine my debate to my area, Kabwe Central, concerning education and skills development. Reviewing of the education policy and the consultations that the Government has been carrying out with stakeholders indicates how the PF Government attaches great importance to education and skills development. This is on page 6 of the speech.

Mr Speaker, the reconciliation of the vocational training with the academic shows how critical skills development is to our national development. In this regard, Kabwe already has sixty youths who are undergoing vocational training at Kabwe Trades Training Institute. In addition, Kabwe Central has two newly-built schools. There is a school behind Mulungushi Textiles which is under construction. There is a school in Lwansanse Ward, which is also under construction. The building of students’ hostels at Nkrumah University has progressed. What more do you want?

Mr Mulenga: Finshi mufwaya?

Mr Kapyanga: Sir, the directive by His Excellency the President to the Ministry of Health to ensure that health services are discharged with the necessary efficiency and effectiveness shows how committed the Government is to the provision of good health service for its citizens. This is key and a pre-condition for development.

Mr Speaker, there is a Trauma Centre that has been established at Kabwe General Hospital, which will cater for all victims of fatal accidents which occur between Kapiri and Lusaka. In addition, an Intensive Care Clinic has already been established at Kabwe General Hospital. There are laundry machines that have been received by Kabwe General Hospital. Mahatma Gandhi Clinic is being upgraded while Kasanda Clinic is undergoing rehabilitation and the construction of Lwansanse Clinic is ongoing. These are clinics which were not in existence before and they are not among the 650 health posts. What more do you want?

Mr Mulenga: Finshi mulefwaya?

Prof. Luo: Muleipusha Muntanga!

Hon. Government Members: In two years!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, regarding agriculture development, the agricultural sector is key to ensuring national food and nutritional security, mitigated high levels of poverty …

Mr Mutelo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I am sorry for disrupting the hon. Member’s flow of thought.

Sir, the nurses from one town to the other in this country are striking. Pharmacies have been closed and clinics are running out of drugs. Is the Government in order to remain quiet when nurses are striking and patients are not being attended to? Is the Government in order not to attend to the nurses? I seek your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

During my absence, I was informed that this issue was raised in the form of a similar point of order. I am briefed that there is a pending statement from the relevant or line ministry. So, I think it is redundant, at this stage, to go back to an issue on which we are awaiting a ministerial statement to be issued.

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

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, yesterday, I was amongst the people who witnessed the handing over of two life-saving ambulances at Kabwe General Hospital …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: … worth almost K240,000.

Mr Speaker, in relation to agriculture development, the agricultural sector is key to ensuring national food and nutritional security, mitigation of high levels of poverty and also creating jobs. This Government is progressing although some may choose not see it.

Hon. Government Members: In two years.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, there is the rehabilitation of Natuseko Silos to help in the safe-keeping of our maize grain which has also seen the creation of some of the jobs for people who are living within the periphery of the silos. There is also the construction of a storage shed.

Mr Speaker, in relation to labour and social security, let me reaffirm what Hon. Chitotela, the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security, stated. I thank him for that debate because it was a good contribution. This Government is serious and this is evident by the route it has taken of trying to comprehensively review the labour laws.

Mr Livune: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, this Government has initiated strategies that will create jobs and the people of Kabwe Central need an accelerated response in the issue of job creation. Why do I say so?

Interruptions

Mr Kapyanga: Sir, yes, we are not here to debate for the sake of debating. We are here to put facts across.

Mr Speaker, Kabwe, as at now, is facing a lot of challenges as regards the issue of job creation.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I will not mince my words because the issue of Mulungushi Textiles, which our Government has on the top card, must be accelerated in order to create more jobs for the people of Kabwe.

Mr Speaker, on social protection, the PF Government, being a pro-poor Government, …

Mr Livune: Question!

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapyanga: … has aimed at developing a protection policy which shall surely guide its implementation.

Mr Speaker, I was part of the team which went to Monze in the company of some hon. Members. May I be allowed to name those people …

Hon. Opposition Members: No!

Laughter

Mr Kapyanga: Yes, I will state those people.

Laughter

Mr Kapyanga: There was Hon. Mtolo, Hon. Dr Musokotwane and Hon. Hamudulu. These people can stand here and agree that the Social Cash Transfer is doing a lot in uplifting the standards of living for the people in the rural areas.

Mr Speaker, the only thing talked about is the issue of additional funds in order to meet the challenges that the people are facing under this process.

Sir, the extension of the mobile communication system …

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I apologise to the hon. Member on the Floor, who is debating extremely well. Is he in order not to compare the way the Social Cash Transfer is being implemented now and the way it was being implemented when people where moving with suitcases full of money and those who benefitted more were those who danced the most to political songs?

Laughter

Mr Kampyongo: Is he in order, Sir?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

I made a ruling on that subject earlier. I mentioned that each person who is debating is at liberty to determine the content of his or her debate. It should not be subjected to direction. You do not have the liberty, unfortunately, to spice another’s debate. You can only watch and marvel, as you are doing, without adding anything.

The hon. Member may continue.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, I also want to talk about mining. Mining has continued to contribute to the development of this country. This is one of the areas where a lot of jobs are being created. Among other mines in this country, we have the Kalumbila and Lumwana mines. There are a lot of mining activities taking place in this country. Very soon, in Kabwe, Zinc mining will commence and it means that more jobs will be created.

Hon. Government Members: More money!

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, the issue of infrastructure development by the PF Government is like hydrogen on the periodic table. Infrastructure development is on the top list. It plays a key role. In the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Project, Lusaka will have 400 road projects and Kabwe will have thirty-four. Some urban and township roads will also be worked on during this time. We also have the Pave Zambia 2,000 km Road Project.

Mr Speaker, I also want to talk about the media which is very important. This area should be critically looked at because it has the potential of destroying or developing this country. The reforms should be taken in such a manner that they do not contradict or dilute the much-needed freedom. Therefore, there is a need for our Government to engage all stakeholders.

Sir, let me talk about the constitution-making process. His Excellency the President’s commitment to delivering the people’s constitution is enough evidence of how democratic the PF Government is.

Sir, in conclusion, I would like to salute His Excellency the President of the Republic of the Great Zambia and his Government for maintaining peace and order. I also thank the PF Government for keeping alive the hope of a better Zambia.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Livune: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Mwenya): Mr Speaker, thank you for according me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion on the Floor. First and foremost, may I join those who spoke before to also send my heartfelt condolences to the Sakeni family, the constituents that he represented and, indeed, the nation at large on the demise of a great leader, Hon. Sakeni. He was a comrade and, indeed, we shall miss him.

Mr Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to congratulate the new hon. Members who have joined us and, more especially, Hon. Ingrid MPande, …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: … on her resounding victory.

Mr Speaker, the speech delivered by His Excellency the President, Mr Micheal Chilufya Sata, on the Floor of this House carried a very important message for the whole nation. Those who really wanted to grasp what he presented on the Floor of the House benefitted a lot and I am one of those who really appreciated the speech. However, for those who did not want to appreciate it, it is their own business and they can remain without appreciating it.

Mr Speaker, as the hon. Provincial Minister for the Copperbelt, I am happy to mention that I walk with pride on the Copperbelt, following the massive development that is taking place there.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: Mr Speaker, this development is unprecedented.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: Mr Speaker, I am a second-termer in Parliament and I know what I am talking about. If you went to the Copperbelt, you would find that the road network from Ndola to Chililabombwe is being rehabilitated. The Kitwe/Chingola Road is actually being reconstructed into a dual carriageway.

Hon. Government Member: Yes.

Mr Mwenya: I remember that, in my last term, the rehabilitation of this road was talked about from 2006 to 2011. Our colleagues, who were sitting on this side, on a daily basis, were just making promises about turning it into a dual carriage way.

Mr Speaker, I am glad to say that the construction of this road is currently underway. When we say that works are being done, we are saying that the contractors are on the ground and it is not on paper as it used to be.

Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the projects that are being undertaken on the Copperbelt. The upgrading of the Kitwe/Chingola Road, at a cost of K290 million, is already underway and, so far, we can say that 10 per cent of the works have already been done. The rehabilitation of the Ndola/ Kitwe Road at a cost of K556 million is underway, and, so far, 40 per cent of the works have been done. The rehabilitation of the Kalulushi/Sabina Road, at a cost of K80 million, is underway and, so far, 70 per cent of the works have been done.

Further, Mr Speaker, the upgrading of 14 km of Fatima/Indeni Road has been completed. The construction of Kalulushi/Lufwanyama Road is underway and, so far, 99 per cent of the works have been done. The upgrading of 12 km of urban roads in Chililabombwe has also been done. In Ndola, about 20.9 Km and in Kitwe about 50.2 km urban roads have been constructed. Chingola, of course, has not been left out. The contractor is on the ground. The works are being done and about 13.9 km are being worked on.
   
Mr Speaker, it is not only township roads that are being attended to, but also the PF Government has gone further into the peri-urban areas to rehabilitate 11 km of the Fipuya and Kakolo roads by heavily grading and spot gravelling them. Curveting and re-gravelling of 27 km of Wutikili Road has also been completed. Therefore, a number of roads have been worked on.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has embarked on a Free Education Policy from Grades 1 to 12. The education sector has embarked on an expansion programme to put in place proper infrastructure for primary and secondary schools.

Mr Speaker, in this regard, the Government released K3.6 million to be used for the construction of primary schools. I am happy to mention that, on the Copperbelt, we have already identified about thirteen areas where these schools will be constructed. The schools to be constructed are, namely Chati South, Lumpuma, Konkola North, Kalunkunya, Lwansobe, Mikata and Musenga boarding schools. Under construction will also be Mikonfwa, Twapia, Riverside, Mutundu Central, Mulundu and Bupe Day secondary schools. All these are being constructed in various districts. Therefore, each district will benefit.

Sir, you can see that the PF Government is action-oriented. Indeed, what His Excellency the President presented in 2011, in his first speech on the Floor of this House, where he gave the vision on how this country would be governed and on how we intended to develop this country can be seen in this year’s speech. We are able to tell that His Excellency the President is consistent and only wants to see to it that the country is developed.

Mr Speaker, Copperbelt Province has benefited greatly. We have Mukuba University which is under expansion. Presently, 70 per cent of the works in Phase I have been done. We have an allocation of K55 million in the 2013 Budget for Phase II. You will agree with me that His Excellency the President is committed to ensuring that each province in the country has a university.

Mr Speaker, in order to improve delivery of health services, the Government made available a total of K6 million for the construction, extension and rehabilitation of health facilities on the Copperbelt. Some of the works that have already been done are the completion of office blocks in Mufulira, Chililabombwe and, in Lufwanyama, there is the completion of two staff houses at Lufwanyama District Health Office, completion of Matipa Health Post and the extension of the maternity wing at Chawama. From the 650 health posts that will be constructed across the country, Copperbelt Province has an allocation of eighty-eight.

Mr Speaker, as regards agriculture, the following are the major highlights of works undertaken in the province: construction of four camp houses one in each of the following districts: Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kalulushi and Lufwanyama; rehabilitation of camp houses in Masaiti and Mpongwe and rehabilitation of chalets, water spill-way and research laboratory at Mwekera Fisheries at a cost of K790, 000. I would want to mention here that, in the 2012/2013 marketing season 1, 424, 838 by 50kgsbags of maize were bought by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). You can see that the PF Government is encouraging the peasant farmer to produce more food on the Copperbelt.

Mr Mwaliteta: I agree.

Mr Mwenya: Mr Speaker, under the Copperbelt Support Programme, a total of K272, 842 was allocated to the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities for various economic activities such as agriculture.

Mr Speaker, one of the major challenges Copperbelt Province and the nation as a whole face is the high levels of youth unemployment and under employment. In order to address this situation, the Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sport, has created the Youth Development Fund aimed at empowering the youth with finances and capacity building through the revolving fund and grant support. On the Copperbelt, a total of 1,141,000 and 2,257,000 has been allocated for the Youth Development Fund for 2012 and 2013, respectively. In 2012, a total of thirty-four projects and groups were funded broken down as follows:

Area  No. of Projects Funded

Ndola 10
Kitwe 06
Luanshya 12
Mufulira 03
Lufwanya 01
Mpongwe 01
Chililabombwe 01

Mr Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to urge the youths out there that this money is there for them to access. This is another way of empowering them and thereby making them self-reliant. They should not only depend on job creation. The acquisition of these funds is another way of empowering oneself.

Mr Speaker, the Copperbelt Province is the smallest province in Zambia. It has a total hectarage of 486,000. The Government has given the Forestry Department a total of K485,000 for the National Tree Planting Programme. A nursery has been established at Chichele Plantation covering an area of three hectares. A support nursery has also been established at Ndola District Office. The Tree Planting Programme has also provided employment to 452 casual workers in the local communities and encouraged growth in other forestry activities such as bee-keeping. Rehabilitating the bee-keeping factory in Mwekera has also been done to enhance its operations so that the farmers are capacitated with income at community level.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has prevailed over the Citizens’ Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to devise a better approach to the economic empowerment effort. In order to realise maximum impact, the commission has adopted the cluster and value chain development approach. Three value chains and three clusters, namely fish production, timber processing …

Mr Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

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The House adjourned at 1955 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 9th October, 2013.

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