Thursday, 15^th June, 2017

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

__________

 

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FAST TRACK TEACHERS EDUCATION PROGRAMME

 

The Minister of General Education (Dr Wanchinga): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity to address the House on how the Ministry of General Education is implementing the Fast Track Teacher Education Programme. Let me preface my statement by giving a brief background on why this particular subject is of great concern to the ministry and the country as a whole.

 

Sir, there are inadequate numbers of children who take up subjects like science, mathematics and other technical subjects in this country and pursue them to completion. There is also the challenge of the inadequate number of teachers in schools who teach these subjects. Further, we have inadequate infrastructure for the teaching of science, mathematics and other technical subjects in our schools.

 

Mr Speaker, we also have the usual challenge of phobia, particularly among female students who are not willing to take up mathematics. However, we have seen an increase in the number of girls in schools taking up technical subjects. The impact of inadequate numbers of children graduating from our secondary schools is that it will be very difficult for us to answer to a number of national objectives. Some of these objectives include diversifying our economy, value addition and moving from our dependence on copper mining to other sectors which require technological knowledge. This is the net effect.

 

Sir, therefore, when the Ministry of General Education recognised the need for us to accelerate the output of teachers from our teacher training colleges, it implemented the programme called the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme.

 

Mr Speaker, Zambia has about twelve teacher training colleges, which are inadequately producing the teachers our educational system desperately needs. Let me also give you a few statistics concerning our educational sector so that this statement can be put in the right context.

 

Sir, this country has about 1,003 teachers at primary and secondary school levels. We also have about 851 secondary schools and about 3,300 primary schools. Out of these schools, only about 1,054 secondary schools are able to have laboratory facilities. Out of that number, only about 357 have some kind of laboratory for the teaching of science and mathematics.

 

Mr Speaker, we also have what we call temporal structures for those schools which are unable to have full structures. We also have situations where some schools have put normal classrooms aside for the teaching of science.

 

Sir, the Ministry of General Education, through the National Science Centre, which is based in Kabulonga, also produces mobile laboratories which are distributed for the teaching of science in various schools. This is the background to the teaching of science and mathematics.

 

Mr Speaker, we are all aware that countries that have developed significantly are those that have invested heavily in the teaching of science and mathematics.

 

Indeed, the so- called tiger nations in the far East were able to rise to where they are now because of the heavy investment in science and technology. The fast track programme was aimed at ensuring that Zambia has adequate stock of young people who could take up technical skills training, such as engineers, technologists, nurses, doctors and civil engineers, which this country badly needs. This programme of producing teachers at a fast rate was launched in 2012.

 

Fast Track Teacher Education Programme (FTTEP)

 

Mr Speaker, the fast track training programme for teachers is a modular distance education programme which enables teachers to attend residential school during holidays. During normal teaching periods, teachers are supposed to be at their bases practicing skills in which they were trained. The programme is currently being implemented at the University of Zambia (UNZA), the Zambia Open University (ZAOU), the University of Lusaka (UNILUS) and DMI-St. Eugene University. In 2012, when this programme was rolled-out, we started with 600 teachers for science and mathematics who were admitted to UNZA. This was followed by an additional 250 teachers in 2014.

 

Sir, ZAOU was allocated an addition of 167 and seventy-nine teachers. In 2015, 2,000 teachers were allocated to various institutions to undertake training in science and mathematics and the breakdown is as follows:

 

DMI-St Euegene University

 

Courses                                      No. of Teachers

 

Primary Diploma                       400

 

Primary Degree                          400

 

Secondary Social Science          400

 

Secondary Science                    400

 

Secondary Mathematics            400

 

Mr Speaker, between 2015 to date, 165 teachers have graduated from ZAOU, sixty-six from UNILUS, 340 from UNZA and 400 teachers from DMI-St Eugene University. However, currently, we have 2,000 teachers who still remain sponsored by the Ministry of General Education. These are teachers who are upgrading their skills in various areas and focusing on science and mathematics education. We have an additional amount of 1,600 teachers who are also undertaking mathematics and science education at DMI-St. Eugene University. The fast track programme has not only helped to upgrade the qualifications and competences of teachers, but has also contributed greatly to improved teacher performance which in the long run, will impact learning outcomes in the country.

 

Mr Speaker, in addition to DMI-St. Eugene University programmes, which have enabled the teachers to acquire skills in the teaching of mathematics and science, the university also has a special programme for the training of teachers in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

 

Sir, you will recall that, in this House, a number of statements have been made concerning the importance of ICT and science education in anchoring our national programmes of diversification and value addition. These teachers will be expected to take up ICT education in various schools. As the House is aware, this is a subject which is now examinable in our school curriculum.

 

Mr Speaker, in addition to the direct training of teachers under the fast track programme, we also have an additional programme known as the Retraining Programme for Design and Technology Teachers. The House is aware that under the new programme, which was rolled out in 2014, we have a two-tier system which emphasises skills training and the academic line. To be able to implement this programme which is turning out to be very useful for the nation, we need to ensure that we have adequate skills for those people who will teach in areas of design and technology.

 

Sir, under this programme, we are working with the Technical Education,
Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) and following its curriculum. The implication of harmonising the secondary school and TEVET curriculum is that TEVET is an institution that assesses candidates at junior and secondary school levels. In the harmonisation of design and technology, some of the new subjects at secondary school level which have been harmonised under the TEVET system include bricklaying, carpentry, power electrical and metal fabrication. Thus, candidates who will take up these subjects will have life skills which they can use when they leave the formal educational system. We are hoping that these courses will really go a long way in providing skills in contributing towards the skill base of our children. These are the skills which our country badly needs.

 

Sir, the retaining process started in 2015 for this category of teachers with 128 teachers enrolling from the ten provinces. The approach which was used to train them intensively was done during the termly breaks. In September, 2015, the ministry also embarked on retraining of teachers of technology studies for primary schools. This programme was designed in such a way that the teachers who will take this programme will be able to teach at primary school level. The training will also be in such a way that when they go to teach at senior secondary, they would find it very easy. For example, if somebody is taking carpentry at junior secondary school level, the curriculum would be organised in such a way that when they go to teach at senior secondary school, the transition would be smooth in terms using the skills that they would have acquired at junior primary school level.

 

Mr Speaker, the programme invited one teacher from each district across the country and 110 teachers have, so far, been trained in this area. As I earlier mentioned, it is envisaged that, through this training, teachers will be equipped with the necessary skills that they can use for their survival. With such skills, the cost of doing business in the related fields such as bricklaying, carpentry, power electrical and metal fabrication would be reduced tremendously.

 

Sir, you may have heard of complaints about technicians with skills in carpentry and bricklaying who come from other countries to work in Zambia. These people come to work under contracts which are awarded to contractors from outside the country. This programme will ensure that we use our young people instead of having people from outside to come and work in our country.

 

Mr Speaker, however, I would like to share with the House and the nation at large that although this has been a very successful programme, it has not been free from challenges. For instance, the cost of running the programme is quite high and at this point, the Ministry of General Education owes quite a good sum of money to institutions which have been rolling out these programmes such as UNZA, DMI-St. Eugene University and UNILUS,

 

We still have a large number of teachers that still has to be trained to ensure that it is upgraded and is able to play a useful role in the teaching of science and mathematics in schools.

 

We also had a challenge where some students, for some reason, withdrew from the programme.

 

Mr Kambwili: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: However, going forward, we have evaluated this high cost of the fast training programme and are looking at new ways of handling it. For instance, we have suggested that the ministry only sponsors students who will study hard sciences which are mathematics and science under the fast track programme.

 

We have also said that it is high time we introduced some kind of cost-sharing in the implementation of this particular programme. This model of cost sharing is implemented in some countries. For instance, I recall it being implemented in Botswana where free scholarships are provided for those going in for hard sciences while those in other fields share the cost.

 

Mr Speaker, I wanted to share with the House and the nation at large what the Ministry of General Education is doing in answering to the call of providing skills to the nation and ensuring that we have a sound base in the teaching of science and mathematics upon which future professional training will be anchored.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement given by the hon. Minister.

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out the mode of information dissemination, especially to schools in far-flung areas like Kaputa. Even as the hon. Minister addressed the House and the nation, the people of Kaputa were unable to listen to the statement because of the challenge of the lack of network coverage. How does this information to attract teachers reach distant places like Kaputa? How will the teachers get this information? Is there anything that can be given to us, as hon. Members of Parliament, in order for us to help the ministry to get this information to our teachers and children in rural places?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, if our friends in his constituency do not have adequate information on this programme, we will engage the District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS) office. However, this is a programme which is well-known because in most remote corners that I have visited, I have found teachers who are or have been on this particular programme. For our colleagues who may come from constituencies where this information may not be well-known, they are free to come to the Ministry of General Education to get more information on the programme.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mbulakulima (Milenge): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister was spot-on when he said that technical subjects like mathematics and science need not only the training of teachers, but the putting up of infrastructure like laboratories. In Milenge, for instance, we do not have the mobile permanent or temporary laboratories that the hon. Minister mentioned.

 

Sir, I want to thank the hon. Minister for having found time to come to Milenge. He is among the few hon. Ministers who have managed to reach far-off places like Milenge.

 

Mr Speaker, in the absence of these laboratories, what fast track infrastructure programme does the ministry have in order for the poor people of Milenge to benefit from this good programme?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, indeed, I visited Milenge and, like the hon. Member of Parliament has said, I was able to see for myself that there are places like his constituency where some schools do not have adequate laboratory space.

 

Mr Speaker, the ministry has recognised this and has put in place a policy that every school which is being built have adequate space for laboratories. So, for instance, the 115 schools which are being constructed countrywide have adequate laboratory space, rooms for computers and for skills training. However, for old schools like those in Milenge, the solution for their problem is to put in place mobile laboratories. I would like to engage the hon. Member to visit the Ministry of General Education and, perhaps, together, we can work with the National Science Centre (NSC) in Kabulonga, which is responsible for producing mobile laboratories to see how we can assist Milenge.

 

Mr Speaker, I have also noticed that there are communities that are working together with the Parents Teachers’ Associations (PTA) and co-body structures in schools to build rooms which are being used as laboratories. So, the community can also mobilise. Of course, this depends upon the socio-economic well-being of the environment in which a school exists. However, it is certainly an option which has been pursued by a number of communities that have built laboratories on their own and the ministry has come in to provide the facilities inside. For now, the solution for Milenge is mobile laboratories.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, before I call upon the next hon. Member to pose a question, I have a clarification to make. Please, note that after you indicate your desire to ask a question, do not proceed to switch-off the microphone. When you do so, you are automatically deleted from the list or you delete yourself from the list. The adaptation is still work in progress.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwamba (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. Minister for the two-tier system kind of education which he is giving to our children and the nation. However, I find it very difficult to see it succeeding because I have not seen equipment and machinery in most schools which can be used to give skills to our pupils. How does he expect this programme to succeed?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I said that this is a new programme which was rolled out in 2014. We cannot pretend that every school would have the necessary facilities for effective teaching and provision of skills in technical subjects. However, I think this is at the back of our minds, as a ministry, and we will address this issue. Once again, I would like to ask hon. Members to engage their local DEBS so that they budget for their respective schools over which they have concerns in the area of infrastructure development for science education. As a ministry, we have a programme to provide infrastructure in schools. So, eventually, we will get where we want to as regard infrastructure for the teaching of science.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Daka (Msanzala): Mr Speaker, while we have started training new teachers, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what is happening to the backlog of teachers who were trained two years ago, but have not been placed in schools.

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the fast-track programme, which was the subject of my presentation, is not about new entrants in the teaching profession. However, it is about upgrading a teacher who is already in service because that is where the focus lies. However, we aware that there are some people who have trained at various institutions, but have not been absorbed in the teaching service. There have been a number of reasons for this and one of the commonest ones is that some of our young people go to colleges which they think are cheap and allow them to enrol without the five O’levels, which are a requirement. Some colleges will enrol students for diploma programmes while urging them to complete O’ levels. What we have noticed is that students complete their diploma programmes without completing the required five O’ levels. When they come out with distinctions in their diplomas and are looking for employment as teachers, the Ministry of General Education will not take them on.

 

Secondly, Sir, I think there is no synchrony between the completion of these fast track courses and the time when recruitment are carried out. For instance, we are hoping that this year, somewhere around August or September, the Ministry of General Education will advertise for an additional 5,000 teachers. So, if somebody misses the boat by not applying, it becomes very difficult to come in between recruitments. I think those are some of the reasons some of the teachers who appear to have been trained but have not be absorbed. Maybe it is just that they missed the boat or there maybe something wrong with their qualifications. The ministry is looking for teachers to power our schools.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Speaker: As we continue adapting to the new Public Address System, please, note that when you are called upon to ask a question, having indicated that you want to speak, you do not need to do anything to the gadget. It will be operated by the Clerks-At-The-Table. Kindly, wait patiently then your microphone will come on.

 

Dr Kambwili rose to speak, but the microphone did not switch on.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Roan, I am told that along the way, your name came off the list. So, press your microphone once more and, then, you will be allowed to speak.

 

Dr Kambwili: Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. Minister and the Patriotic Front (PF) Government for this fast-track programme. This is one of the major achievements of the PF while in Government. However, I want to find out from the hon. Minister why it is that the salary of the teachers who graduate under this programme is not up-scaled. I have many teachers in my constituency who have complained that despite completing their studies and graduating, they are still being paid at the scale of diploma holders. Why is it taking so long to upgrade the teachers’ salaries and how far are we in putting these people on the appropriate salary scale?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, upgrading of teachers who have completed their degree and diploma programmes under the fast-track programme is being done at two levels. The first level is the gazetting of schools. In the past, close to 2,000 schools were not gazetted. When I became Minister of General Education, gazetting of these schools is one of the first things I tackled. The implication of this has been that we have been able to apply to the Treasury to allow us to create salary scales in which various teachers can now be slotted. That is being done. We now have to budget. For example, for 2018, we have received permission to budget for those various positions where these teachers who are not receiving what they are supposed to will be slotted and will be able to get their salaries.

 

Mr Speaker, the second level is that the Teaching Service Commission has been going round provinces dealing with various cases. As we are talking, the commission is in Lusaka Province. I know that a few weeks ago, it was camped in Chilanga. We hope that it will go to the Copperbelt and deal with all outstanding cases of upgrades, promotions and whatever adjustments required for various teachers who have acquired skills and those that have been transferred.

 

Sir, this is an on-going process and at some point, I am sure that the teachers in Roan Constituency will be attended to.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Speaker: Let me issue further guidance. In the event that you elect to withdraw from the list to debate for whatever reason, for instance, because your question is overtaken, switch off the microphone and you will delete yourself, and we will not call upon you.

 

Dr Chanda (Bwana Mkubwa): Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the Government for the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme. However, it is on the supply side and I am concerned about the demand side. The net enrollment rate for secondary schools in Zambia is very low. It is only 28 per cent, which means that every year, 66 per cent of our children cannot move to secondary schools and that applies to my constituency in which most of them only go up to Grades 7 or 9. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister how demand and supply are being matched. Also, when will these schools be upgraded so that the teachers can benefit from the Fast Track Education Programme?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, as a ministry, we are trying to match the challenges faced in the supply area with demand by building as many schools as possible. The House is aware, for instance, that we are in the process of upgrading 220 basic schools into full secondary schools. For a school to operate as a fully-fledged secondary school, it must have a laboratory. Therefore, the supply issue is being matched by the demand which will be created by the additional number of students who will go to the upgraded schools. We are also in the process of building 150 secondary schools which will require many science teachers. We are about to conclude our discussions with the World Bank for the construction of eighty-two secondary schools which will create additional demand for secondary school teachers well vested in mathematics and science. We have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a group of Turkish businessmen who will build about thirty schools countrywide and that will also contribute to the creation of demand for teachers well vested in the teaching of mathematics. Certainly, efforts are being made to ensure that opportunities are given to children and that the teaching of science, mathematics and other technical subjects becomes an integral part of everyday planning in the development of this country.

 

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of General Education has referred to the intensive nature of the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme. I am worried, especially for teachers or potential students with low comprehension rates in mathematics and science. Does the hon. Minister not think that this programme will affect the quality of teachers produced?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I would agree with the hon. Member if there were no quality assurance mechanisms in the process of producing teachers under the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme. These teachers go to universities were examinations are an integral part of the system. So, it means that those who fail have failed to measure up to the standards. Certainly, a person who passes will be as good a graduate or any other person not under the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme, but who undergoes the same programme. So, certainly there is no compromise on standards because examinations have the quality assurance mechanisms which allow those who cannot cope to fall out while those who are capable proceed to graduate.

 

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Kafwaya (Lunte): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the statement he brought to the House, which I must say was very enlightening. He mentioned that out of the 851 secondary schools, only 154 have laboratory facilities. I did a quick calculation and found that 82 per cent of the secondary schools do not have these facilities, thus, I agreed with him that the opportunities to learn mathematics and sciences are very limited. Problem solving is scientific, I think in all cases, because it involves option generation and assessment of those options before one settles for the best option. How has the lack of scientists affected decision management in the Ministry of General Education?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, let me make a point of correction on the number. I said that over 1,000 secondary schools had laboratories.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, yesterday when I stood to speak, Hon. Dr Kambwili said mwalaumfwa icaushi.

 

Laughter

 

Hon. PF Members: Meaning!

 

Dr Wanchinga: Meaning now you are going to hear typical aushi language.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, referring to the important question of whether the absence of the inadequate stock of scientists in the ministry could be a factor in the decision-making process within the ministry, I do not think so. We have a good number of people within the ministry who are well vest in science. I am a scientist by training. My Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree was in etymology.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Wanchinga: My masters and bachelor degrees were in science and my diploma in animal management is a science subject. So, we have a good …

 

Mr Ngulube: Ema doctor aya!

 

Dr Wanchinga: … collection of people with adequate skills in science and are able to make scientific decisions that relate to the teaching and development of science in this country.

 

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Ms Phiri (Kanyama): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the statement that has brought good news to everybody. When will the ministry construct schools in Kanyama so that the people in the area can benefit from the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme?

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, no matter how many times I assure the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanyama that something good will come to her constituency, she still drags me to Parliament.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, we are aware of the challenges that Kanyama Constituency faces in the area of education. Just before I came to Parliament this afternoon, I attended a meeting where the commitment to give Kanyama Constituency a secondary school was reaffirmed.

 

Sir, the current programme of building schools carries with it a good number of laboratories. The programme is very comprehensive and includes twenty to twenty-two staff houses, laboratories as well as a computer and skills room. Once the school is built, it will mean sending teachers, either under the fast-track programme or other such programmes, to that particular school. Kanyama, therefore, certainly stands to benefit from what I have been talking about.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, statistics show that we have 95 per cent enrollment at Grade 1. In the transition to secondary school, the rate dramatically drops to 28 per cent. This is a serious concern. The transitional rate to college stands at 5 per cent. Can the hon. Minister state how effective on target the Fast Track Teachers Education Programme is. Are we producing more primary school teachers because Grades 1 to 7 have the highest enrollment rate?

 

Also, are we producing enough infrastructure? I have asked this question because our brothers and sisters in places like Chama South still learn in grass-thatched structures. How effective are we in planning or targeting in this fast-track training programme?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Chama South has asked a composite question in which a he has raised a number of issues. The first component of his question concerns transitional rates. Indeed, we have challenges in that area, in that, we have a good number of children enrolling into Grade 1, but then falling off as they progress.

 

A number of reasons determine the transitional rates for our children. Some reasons, especially for the girl-child, include child marriage and inadequate school space in some cases. The ministry is addressing these issues by building more schools. Like I said in the statement, the idea is to reduce walking distance to less than 5 km for the children so that we can have them not falling out of the school system because of long distances.

 

Mr Speaker, there are instances where our children are learning in grass-thatched structures and the ministry is aware. Quite often, these kinds of situations arise in community schools. However, there are rare instances where primary schools have facilities which may not be in very good condition. These issues will be addressed by the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development in due course.  

 

The ministry is targeting these issues effectively. Last year, we recruited 5,000 teachers and hope to recruit another 5,000 in August, this year. So, we have recognised the gaps and are effectively targeting the areas in which we need to send our teachers. Whether all of them stay in these areas is another area of debate. My response is that we are on target. We have recognised the problems of transitional rates and infrastructure inadequacy in certain places, particularly rural areas. 

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Musonda (Kamfinsa): Mr Speaker, in coming up with institutions that the Ministry of General Education wants to work with, I notice that there is a bias towards working with private universities. I would like to find out why the ministry could not consider working with universities such as Mukuba or Nkrumah, which specifically train teachers in mathematics and science.

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of General Education has been working with private institutions not to ignore public universities. The fast-track programme is meant to supplement what is being produced in public institutions. I said that there are twelve teacher-training colleges countrywide, under the Ministry of General Education, and we know that Mukuba and Nkrumah universities have a very strong component of science and mathematics training. However, it is inadequate. This programme means to supplement what Mukuba and Nkrumah universities and the twelve agricultural colleges are doing.

 

Mr Speaker, we have about fifty-five institutions calling themselves “universities” even though some of them may be former chicken runs.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: However, we have about nineteen or twenty institutions that are credible and we feel that the ministry can work effectively with them to supplement what we are trying to achieve through public institutions.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that robust programme which has been developed for this nation. What is the Government doing to assist private sector institutions that are augmenting its efforts by building schools in terms of reciprocal provision of desks and other facilities?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether I really got the question correctly. I do not know whether the hon. Member can just nod. My understanding is that he is asking me to confirm whether there are some mechanisms through which we are able to show appreciation to those institutions that are supporting the education sector in the country. Is that what he is asking?

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, repeat your question.

 

Mr Kabanda: Mr Speaker, I was saying that the private sector is augmenting the Government’s efforts in the provision of school infrastructure. Therefore, as a reciprocal measure, is the Government in a position to provide desks to such schools?

 

Dr Wanchinga: Yes!

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Minister, you cannot respond while seated. You need to come on record. There is a Hansard being recorded.

 

Laughter

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I thought I would just engage in some quick consultation with my fellow hon. Member behind me. Some of the private sector institutions that are working with the Government in the education sector are doing this under corporate social responsibility. For instance, there is a group of Turkish businessmen, as I mentioned, who are planning to build thirty schools. So, eventually when they declare their taxes, they will state what they would have done and get some tax rebate for that. I think that is generally the arrangement.

 

However, there are also institutions that are not looking for any reciprocal arrangement with the Government. They just genuinely believe that they need to help the Government. We particularly get this spirit from the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the World Vision. For instance, the organisation is building a number of schools now because that is part of its mandate or why it is here? Such organisations do not look for a reciprocal arrangement, but expect the Government to provide a suitable working environment for them to be able to undertake their activities. The facilitation of a suitable working environment is, perhaps, what may be seen as the payback to those private sector institutions that are working with the Government in the education sector.

 

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Mr Speaker, where as we appreciate this programme, there was an announcement recently made by the Government that there were three colleges of science and mathematics that were supposed to have been constructed from 2012. I am sure that by now, they would have been contributing to the supply side of mathematics and science teachers. So, I was just wondering on the status of implementation of these three colleges of mathematics and science which were supposed to be in Katete in the Eastern Province, Nalolo in the Western Province and Kabompo in the North-Western Province.

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether these institutions were expected to be under the Ministry of General Education or Ministry of Higher Education. If it is under the Ministry of Higher Education, I think, we will wait for the hon. Minister of Higher Education to give a clarification on this matter.

 

Mr Jamba (Mwembeshi): Mr Speaker, when the hon. Minister was giving this statement, the people of Mwembeshi were just wondering what he was talking about because in Mwembeshi, there are no such secondary schools from which those fast track things he was talking about can be done. May I confirm with the hon. Minister that out of the secondary schools he talked about building under the World Bank, one is coming to Mwembeshi.

 

Dr Wanchinga: Mr Speaker, the programme for the schools we are supposed to build under the auspices of the World Bank is yet to be finalised. So, we are waiting for the protocols to be finalised and we will see whether Mwembeshi will be able to get one of the schools. However, let me just mention that at the last meeting we had with the colleagues form the World Bank, about a week ago, there was an agreement that we should follow a certain gradient. This gradient was to follow a multiplicity of factors such as extreme poverty and areas in which the World Bank is already intervening. The idea is the need to have impact in the areas where we are working. Therefore, there is a new mapping for the distribution of the schools to be built under the World Bank and hopefully, maybe, Mwembeshi could fall within that map. However, if it does not, we still have other opportunities to put a school in Mwembeshi. Nonetheless, we have noted the concern of the people of Mwembeshi.

 

I thank you very much, Sir.

 

_____________

 

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

DEGAZETTING OF ITIMPI FOREST TO PAVE WAY FOR MUKUBA UNIVERSITY EXPANSION

 

252. Mr Mwila (Chimwemwe) asked the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources:

 

(a)whether the Government had any plans to degazette part of the Itimpi Forest between Mukuba University and Kitwe/Chingola road, to pave way for the expansion of Mukuba University;

 

(b)if so, when the plans would be implemented; and

 

(c)if there were no such plans, why.

 

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, the Government has no plans of degazetting or excising part of Ichimpe, which is in Itimpi Forest, between Mukuba University and Kitwe/Chingola Road to pave way for the expansion of Mukuba University.

 

Mr Speaker, since the Government has no plan of degazetting or excising any part of Itimpi Forest to pave way for the expansion of Mukuba University, there is no time frame within which the process of degazetting or excising any part of the forest will be implemented.

 

Sir, the Government has no plans of degazetting part of Itimpi Forest, as it is currently a commercial plantation serving as a production area. 

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwila: Mr Speaker, I am surprised at the answer by the hon. Minister because the expansion programme for Mukuba University started in 2008 and there is a master plan which was done. The contractor moved on site in the same year. Phase I of the expansion has been done and Phase II started in 2013. The contractor is just doing final touches. Phase III is the building of lecture rooms for the university. Phase III buildings are located in the Itimpi Forest. If there are no plans of degazetting Itimpi Forest, is the hon. Minister saying that Phase III of the expansion programme of the university should be abandoned? If so, what will we do with the contractor and the university in general?

 

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, the Government discourages degazation of protected forests in the country. In one breath, we are speaking of planting trees and in another, we are saying that we should degazette forests. That does not make sense. Also, there are people whose lives depend on this forest and live near it. So, it is very difficult for us to degazette it.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

MODERN BUS STATION CONSTRUCTION IN KATETE

 

253. Mr P. Phiri ((Mkaika) asked the Minister of Local Government:

 

1. whether the Government had any plans to construct a modern bus station in Katete;

 

1. if so, when construction works would commence;

 

1. what the estimated cost of the project was;

 

1. what the estimated time frame for the completion of the project was; and

 

1. if there were no such plans, why?

 

The Minister of Local Government (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government, with the help of the German Development Corporation, plans to construct a modern bus station and three market shelters in Katete District, under the Strengthening of Local Governance System in Zambia Project.

 

Sir, the construction of a modern bus station and three market shelters will commence by January, 2018. The estimated cost of the project is K15 million.

 

Sir, the project is estimated to be completed within a time frame of twelve months from the date of commencement.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

RICE VALUE CHAIN PROMOTION IN KAPUTA DISTRICT

 

254.  Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry:

 

1. what plans the Government had for the promotion of the rice value chain in Kaputa District;

 

1. how much money had been earmarked for the exercise; and

 

1. how the money at (b) could be accessed.

 

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mrs Mwanakatwe): Mr Speaker, the Government is working on promoting the rice value chain through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC). In 2016, the CEEC invited applicants from targeted citizens in thirty districts of the country to apply for the CEEC business loans, under the District Value Chain Development Programme. Kaputa was amongst the thirty targeted districts and for applications from there were invited for projects in the rice and fish value chains. The applications received from Kaputa District were 764 received from Kaputa District, out of which 405 were for rice projects and 359 were for fish projects. The Government, through the CEEC, will continue to implement the District Value Chain Development Programme as part of the industrialisation and job creation strategy. So far, 1,649 value chain projects have been implemented in forty-two districts of the country by the CEEC, through the provision of business loans and business development services to targeted citizens.

 

Sir, the commission has budgeted K3.3 million to support the rice and fish value chains in Kaputa District. The exact amount of money to be allocated to the rice value chain will depend on the number of viable projects which will be approved.

 

Mr Speaker, the money at the commission is accessed through application by interested parties. The applicant has to have a viable project when applying. So far we have had, applicants, including from Kaputa District.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, at the moment, one of the biggest challenges faced by the people growing rice in Chimbamilonga, Chienge and Kaputa is how to add value to their harvested rice. How can people from these districts access funds available from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to enable them acquire bigger rice milling plants or polishing machines?

 

Mrs Mwanakatwe: Mr Speaker, our intention is to ensure that Kaputa and other places where rice is produced have small solar mills for rice and large processing plants for value addition to the rice. I encourage people in these areas to form co-operatives and partner with the CEEC. That is what we did in Mumbwa in order to put up the cotton ginnery. Partnering with co-operatives will help us put up a much larger rice mill in those areas. I encourage them to form a co-operative so that they can make money out of a having a larger processing plant for their rice.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Simfukwe (Mbala): Mr Speaker, experts say that cheaper rice comes from Asian countries such as India and Thailand and, therefore, our rice is not very profitable. What is my sister-in-law, the hardworking hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, doing to protect Zambian rice from the cheap rice that comes from Asia? Will she introduce tariffs or other measures to promote our rice and make it competitive?

 

Mrs Mwanakatwe: Thank you mulamu for that …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, …

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: … I had given it a blind eye but, please, let us not perpetuate these addresses.

 

Laughter

 

Mrs Mwanakatwe: Mr Speaker, I know that the hon. Minister of Agriculture is actually tackling just that to ensure that the produce of agriculture is traded properly by those of us in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. For instance, if it is poor rice being produced, I will not be able to trade it. So, both the hon. Minister of Agriculture and I are making sure that what is produced locally is of good quality. If you look at the rice branded wild rice, which is being produced in Chipata by Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO), it is an excellent product that is going into the export market.

 

Mr Mwale: Hear, hear!

 

Mrs Mwanakatwe: I am sure that we can work together to ensure that the rice produced has facilities such as bulking centres and machinery that can allow it to be properly polished and processed in order for it to compete favourably.

 

CONSTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURE STORAGE SHEDS IN MILENGE DISTRICT

 

255. Mr Mbulakulima (Milenge) asked the Minister of Agriculture:

 

1. when the plans to construct agriculture storage sheds in Milenge District would be implemented; and

 

1. what had caused the delay in constructing the storage sheds.

 

The Minister of Agriculture (Ms Siliya): Mr Speaker, there are currently plans to construct storage facilities with a capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes in the district. The plans will be implemented as soon as the approval process is completed.

 

Sir, the delay in implementation is owed to the due diligence before the signing of contracts for the construction of the storage facilities.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, the last time I asked this question, the answer was very categorical that come 2017, the storage facilities will be up and running. Do I take it that before the end of this year, with the ministry’s enhanced programme, this infrastructure will be up and running?

 

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, as the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Government in general, we will remain committed to ensuring that we provide the adequate storage facilities in the country not just through the Government, but also the private sector. We have already initiated the processes and are working very hard to ensure that the finances for these storage facilities are made available as soon as possible.

 

Thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, we are now enjoying the revised Standing Orders that enable one can ask two questions. So, hon. Minister you will not escape.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mbulakulima: Sir, the input by the private sector is appreciated. However, just as in the road sector will definitely go to where there are economic roads, but not the typical rural area, it is equally the same in the agriculture sector. Would the Government take it upon itself to help the poor people of Milenge by building the infrastructure they need.

 

Ms Siliya: Mr Speaker, from the outset, let me just be clear that by referring to the role the private sector plays in enhancing storage capacity in Zambia does not at all take away from the Government’s role. It is through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) that processes were initiated to ensure that we upgrade some of the current slabs being used for storage into sheds to provide for more storage capacity. This is why we are saying that there are already plans in place to construct a 5,000 metric tonnes storage capacity for Milenge. However, at the moment, this process of procuring this storage facility has not been completed. Therefore, we are talking to Ministry of Finance to ensure that the resources are made available.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

ELECTRIFICATION OF SCHOOLS IN MULOBEZI DISTRICT UNDER REP

 

256. Mr Mandumbwa (Mulobezi) asked the Minister of Energy:

 

1. whether the Government had any plans to electrify the following schools in Mulobezi District under the Rural Electrification Programme:

 

1. Kabanga Primary;
2. Mulauli Primary;
3. Kamanga Basic;
4. Bwina Secondary; an
5. Nawinda Secondary;

 

1. if so, when the plans would be implemented; and

 

1. if there were no such plans, why.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube: No maiden speech!

 

Laughter

 

The Minister of Energy (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, according to the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), Kabanga Primary, Mulauli Primary and Kamanga Basic school are supposed to be electrified in 2027. However, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) will carry out a feasibility study on the three schools in 2018 to establish the scope of works that are required as well as the associated cost.

 

According to REMP, Bwina Secondary School is also supposed to be electrified in 2027 but again, we are saying that the feasibility will be undertaken in 2018 so that we establish the scope and cost relevant to that project.

 

Sir, with regard to Nawinda Secondary School, the school is earmarked for electrification in 2030. However, the feasibility study will be undertaken in 2018.

 

Mr Speaker, from what I have said, plans are there, but they are dependent on the availability of funds. However, the only consolation to my colleague is that Mulobezi is a new district. Although some of these programmes were identified at the time REMP was being conceptualised, I foresee a situation where some projects will be undertaken earlier than the stated time. Otherwise, the project is supposed to be implemented in 2027.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, Hon. Mandumbwa is asking for the electrification of the mentioned schools in his area because he even bought computers for them. How will the children use these computers without electricity?

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, we understand the challenges and pressure on our hon. Members of Parliament, but as I have already stated, at the time REMP was conceptualised, it also took into account the priority areas where electricity was supposed to be taken. So, when we mention 2027 or 2030, it is not just for the sake of it. REMP was done by an independent consultant from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at that time. However, we are saying that certain things or circumstances have changed, over the years, for instance, Mulobezi has become a new district. So, that in itself could become a factor that could lead to some the programmes and projects being undertaken earlier than 2027.

 

Mr Speaker, my colleagues and I will look into this, but like I said, we will scope the works to establishment how much money is required to complete the project by 2018, which is just next year. However, as an immediate measure, I could ask my colleagues at REA if they have solar home systems which can be given to the hon. Member so that his children can start using computers, if they have any.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ng’onga: eh ma answer aya!

 

Mr Zimba (Chasefu): Mr Speaker, could the hon. Minister avail the master plan that he talked about to us so that the people of Chasefu can know when their schools will be electrified?

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, I will very happily to do that. In fact, in recognition of the fact that we have new hon. Members of Parliament, we will photocopy and circulate the document.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr C. Zulu (Luangeni): Mr Speaker, there is a target to electrify, at least, 51 per cent of the country by 2030. This requires, at least, US$50 million per year. Looking at the funding to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), does the Government think it will achieve connection to rural areas by 2030? Further, what is the Ministry of Finance doing to help?

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, it is very possible because we still have thirteen years remaining. I had an informal discussion with the hon. Minister of Finance, although I cannot go into details, in which we were trying to figure out how we can quickly rethink our electrification strategy, especially for the rural areas. We realise that we will not be able to reach 51 per cent at the pace we are moving. We are supposed to take on about twenty-five projects annually, but we are implementing less than that.

 

Sir, our advantage is that we have thirteen years remaining. Within the next few months, once consultations and approvals are completed, I will come to Parliament to announce the new electrification strategy for rural areas. I am sure most of my colleagues will be very pleased.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Mr Speaker, Hon. Zulu indicated that the Government needs US$50 million per year in order to ensure that the strategy is implemented. At what percentage is the strategic plan?

 

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the electrification of rural areas is at 4 per cent. You can see that we have a mammoth task ahead of us, but I believe thirteen years is enough time for us to reach 51 per cent. We are engaging our colleagues in the Ministry of Finance to see how we can package our electrification strategy, beginning in 2018. Like I said, once I come back to the House with a statement, most hon. Members of Parliament will realise that our focus is to try to fast-track electrification to ensure that we achieve 51 per cent by 2030.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

___________

 

MOTIONS

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM

 

Mr C. Zulu (Luangeni): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do adopt the report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism for the First Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 13^th June, 2017.

 

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

 

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

Mr C. Zulu: Mr Speaker, in line with its terms of reference, as set out in the Standing Orders, your Committee undertook a study on the contribution of the tourism sector to socio-economic development.

 

Sir, your Committee’s findings are highlighted in your its report. It is my sincere hope that hon. Members of Parliament have taken time to read the report. I will, therefore, only highlight some of the salient issues arising from the study.

 

Mr Speaker, as I begin my speech, let me point out that your Committee was motivated to probe the tourism sector because the Government has, several times over the years, made pronouncements that the sector is an essential element in diversifying the country’s economy away from dependence on copper. The Government has matched these pronouncements with various key institutional and policy reforms that have been put in place in its endeavour to develop the untapped potential of the tourism sector and increase contributions to the nation’s revenue.

 

Sir, a number of the country’s policy documents, including the Vision 2030, the Sixth National Development Plan and, most recently, the 2015 National Tourism Policy, all highlight the central role that the tourism sector is expected to play in Zambia’s economy.

 

Mr Speaker, in spite of the recognition of the pivotal role tourism can play in the development of the country, the sector’s contribution to the country’s socio-economic development continues to be minimal with a lot of its potential still largely untapped.

 

Sir, your Committee was informed that despite the potential that Zambia’s tourism has, the contribution of the sector to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has been averaging about 2 per cent over the past four years.

 

Mr Speaker, tourism is generally recognised as one of the largest industries in the world and one of the most significant sources of employment and economic growth. The tourism industry encompasses a diversity of businesses because tourism comes with hotels, restaurants, transport businesses, tour companies, curio shops, museums, art galleries and much more. Thus, the sector is a good spring board for employment creation as all these different businesses create many different levels of employment for people in the community. Tourism allows local people an opportunity for economic advancement because of the many backward and forward linkages that the sector has.

 

Sir, it goes without saying that Zambia is a beautiful country blessed with abundant natural resources and wildlife, warm and friendly people and a rich cultural heritage spread across the ten provinces of the country. All these characteristics make the case for the development of a thriving tourism sector.

 

Mr Speaker, your Committee was informed that one of the reasons tourism continues to lag behind is the limited tourism product range that the country has to offer. Tourism packages have continued to focus on the same products such as the national parks and the Victoria Falls.

 

Sir, while it goes without saying that these attractions are of central importance to Zambia’s tourism, there is a need for diversification of the tourism products to encompass other attractions such as arts and culture, Zambia’s rich history that is found in the country’s museums and the opportunities that lie in untapped areas such as the much-talked about Northern Circuit. However, in order for the tourism products to be diversified, there is a need to change the way certain things are done. I will further elaborate my point by focusing on two points, which are, marketing and investment in infrastructure.

 

Sir, marketing is an essential element in attracting tourists. The major outcry from stakeholders was that the country is not adequately marketed. This was mainly attributed to the poor budgetary allocation to the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) for marketing. Your Committee was informed that the amount allocated does not match the country’s aspirations for the tourism sector. Apart from the inadequate budget, the Government marketing strategies are not developed in collaboration with the private sector. As a result, they are not properly targeted to meet the needs of tourists.

 

Mr Speaker, with regard to investment in infrastructure, I wish to state that one of the reasons tourists and investors continue to venture into the traditional tourist areas in the country, such as Livingstone, is the poor accessibility and undeveloped facilities in other potential and untapped tourist sites. It is your Committee’s recommendation that the Government invests in infrastructure such as roads in order to improve access to areas that are currently undeveloped. The Government should ensure that there is a consistent supply of electricity, clean water, reliable communication and other necessary infrastructure in areas where there is potential for tourism investment.

 

Sir, one of the biggest concerns raised by stakeholders is the perception of Zambia as an expensive tourist destination when compared to other countries in the region. One of the reasons advanced for this state of affairs is the amount of taxes that have to be paid by operators in the tourism sector. Presentations made by the different stakeholders to your Committee painted a very negative picture of the tax structure in the tourism industry. Your Committee recommends that the Government carries out a comprehensive study and review of the various licensing fees and taxes in the sector to determine the actual effects of the tax regime on the sector. Your Committee wishes to advise that this should include a comparative study with other countries in the region.

 

Mr Speaker, another issue that was highlighted during your Committee’s deliberations is how the absence of the national airline is negatively affecting the tourism sector. Your Committee was informed that airline connectivity plays a major role in influencing the choice of a tourist destination. Zambia does not have direct flights connecting her to the countries where most of the tourists hail from. This makes travelling to the country expensive and inconvenient. Most stakeholders proposed that one way of addressing this issue is having a national airline, as this will translate into making Zambia more accessible and attractive to international tourists. Let me state that your Committee concurs with this proposal.

 

Sir, a national airline is a strategic undertaking which should be looked at as a flag carrier that will have multiplier effects on all sectors of the economy, not only tourism. A national airline does not have to be wholly State-owned. I, therefore, urge the Government to explore various models of setting up and managing such an undertaking.

 

Mr Speaker, your Committee received very enthusiastic submissions throughout its deliberations at Parliament buildings and during local tours. It is evident from these submissions that all the stakeholders, whether from the Government or private sector, are in agreement with regards to the strategic role of the tourism sector in the development of the country. It is also evident that everyone is hopeful that if correct strategies are put in place, the tourism sector will begin to yield positive economic results for the nation. All the stakeholders are in agreement that there is a need to find more sustainable and innovative ways of developing Zambia’s untapped tourism potential so that it can begin to contribute more positively to the country’s socio-economic development.

 

Sir, in spite of this agreement, what is also evident is that the Government and the private sector are not co-ordinated in their efforts to achieve the same end. The private sector continues to lament the inadequate consultation by the Government whenever new laws and policies that affect the tourism sector are developed. As a result, most pieces of legislation and policies do not reflect the needs of the tourism industry, which is driven by the private sector. It is your Committee’s sincere hope that this communication gap will be bridged as a matter of urgency for the benefit of the entire nation.

 

Sir, allow me at this point to divert my attention to an issue that is of grave concern to your Committee. While acknowledging that the Executive gave responses to all the issues raised in the Action-Taken Report on your Committee’s report for the previous session, some of these responses appeared to have been given without much thought, but just to dispense with the matters. This is very disheartening. An Action-Taken Report should, as the title suggests, be a report reflecting actions carried out by the Executive. Your Committee, therefore, urges the Executive to put serious efforts into addressing the recommendations adopted by this House.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to stress that tourism can be a major contributor to the country’s socio-economic development. It remains incumbent upon the Government, in collaboration with the private sector, to ensure that all issues that are of concern in the industry are given serious attention and that appropriate action is taken.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, your Committee wishes to express its gratitude to you for the guidance rendered during the session. Your Committee is also indebted to the stakeholders who appeared before it for their co-operation and input into the deliberations.

 

Sir, lastly, I also extend your Committee’s appreciation to the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the services rendered to the Committee during the session.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

 

Mr Jamba: Now, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to start by thanking the Chairperson of your Committee for having ably moved the Motion. Allow me to also thank him for the leadership and guidance that he provided to your Committee throughout its deliberations.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to echo the sentiments of the Chairperson who stated that tourism is an important sector and, if harnessed, can begin to contribute significantly to the country’s socio-economic development. It is, therefore, your Committee’s sincere hope that the recommendations that it has made will receive the Executive’s serious attention and action.

 

Sir, an issue that came to your Committee’s attention during deliberations with stakeholders is the recognition of the importance of the wildlife sector to Zambia’s tourism industry. However, in spite of this recognition, there seems to be inadequate support from the Executive to the management of wildlife.

 

Your Committee learnt that the dissolution of the Zambia Wild Life Authority (ZAWA) and the transfer of its functions to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), under the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, were supposed to improve the status of the country’s wildlife sector. However, what your Committee found on the ground paints a very gloomy picture for the future of Zambia’s animal population.

 

Your Committee learnt that the DNPW is ill equipped to protect the country’s wildlife resources. The department is grossly understaffed; does not have adequate transport and is using an inadequate number of almost obsolete fire arms. In addition, there is a lack of infrastructure such as housing and office space for officers.

 

Sir, it is unimaginable to think that the last time uniforms were purchased for wildlife officers was in 2012. Can you just imagine how these uniforms look? These are only some of the problems that the department is facing. In light of this, your Committee urges the Government to strengthen the protection of wildlife through increased budgetary allocation to the DNPW.

 

Mr Speaker, as I have already pointed out, tourism is an important ingredient in the contribution to national development. Therefore, it is important that those charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the tourism sector begins to yield positive results do so with utmost urgency.

 

Your Committee observes that one of the biggest problems being faced by the sector is the lack of co-ordinated planning of activities amongst different bodies, both Government and private sector driven. There appears to be little or no stakeholder consultation in the formulation of policies and programmes for the sector. As things stand, there is a planning vacuum which has resulted in the implementation of activities that do not add value to the sector.

 

Mr Speaker, you can imagine that there was no consultation in Livingstone with regard to prices of goods and services in Zambia, as compared to Zimbabwe. Can you imagine going into a hotel to buy coca cola at K15, yet in just a nearby Kantemba the same is K8.

 

Mr Speaker: That is the problem when you depart from the speech.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Speaker: What is Kantemba?

 

Mr Jamba: Mr Speaker, it is just a small business house, a kiosk or a make-shift store.

 

Sir, in this regard, your Committee recommends that in order to give the sector some clear direction, there is an urgent need to formulate a national tourism master plan to guide the development of tourism in Zambia. The tourism master plan should be derived from a consultative process between the Government and private sector operators.

 

Mr Speaker, your Committee has no doubt that the Government is committed to national development and will, therefore, address the concerns that have been highlighted in its report.

 

Sir, allow me, on behalf of your Committee, to end by expressing my gratitude to you for the guidance rendered during the session. Your Committee is also grateful to the witnesses who appeared before it for their co-operation and input into the deliberations. I also extend your Committee’s appreciation to the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the services rendered to it during the session.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to second.

 

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, I thank you sincerely for according me and the people of Kaputa an opportunity to add a voice to the debate on this wonderful report which has been moved and seconded by your Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism. This Committee was entrusted to study the contribution of the tourism sector to socio-economic development.

 

Mr Speaker, as we all know, successive Governments have all indicated the need to have the tourism sector as one of the key economic players so that it contributes not only to the economy, but also to the improvement of our national gross domestic product (GDP).

 

Mr Speaker, I looked through this report and can state that it is very well-written. I agree with a lot of issues that have been raised by your Committee pertaining to the contribution of the tourism sector to socio-economic development.

 

Mr Speaker, the vision for Zambia to be among the top five best tourist destinations in Sub Saharan Africa is very well-spelt out. Statistics have also been given to either support or give our current status in as far as the industry is concerned. For example, the report has indicated the number of arrivals which definitely has not been improving and is at a very low rate. It also looked at the percentage of the sector’s contribution to the GDP, which is also very dismal.

 

Mr Speaker, this is a sector where the word potential has become a cliché. Year in and year out, the tourism sector only speaks of the potential of this country. We must move away from this cliché in the Patriotic Front (PF) Government reign with all the policies in place to start actualising these issues that we all know will move our country forward.

 

Mr Speaker, it is important that we highlight the potential that we have. The Victoria Falls, commonly known as the Mosi-O-Tunya – the Smoke that Thunders – which lies in the southern part of the country is not the only attraction we have. We have several other waterfalls which are much more magnificent. I have seen some which might not even compare with the Victoria Falls and the one that comes to mind is the Lumangwe Falls in Mporokoso.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ng’onga: The Victoria Falls has been promoted and written about in books, but this water falls in Mporokoso is comparable to or even beyond what the Victoria Falls can offer. We also have the Kundabwika Falls on the Kalungwishi River downstream the Lumangwe, the Kalambo Falls in Mbala, the magnificent Ntumbachushi in Kawambwa and the Musonda Falls, to mention, but a few.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ng’onga: All these are attractions which, if packaged together, would definitely not only increase awareness, but also add to the products that we can market to the outside. There are also other areas that we might showcase to people. For those who have been to the Kariba Dam, and I suppose all hon. Members have been there, the Itezhi-tezhi Power Generation Plant, the Kafue Power Plant, which was built during the First Republic lead by His Excellency, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, you will agree with me that these are marvelous plants that could be used to package our tourism.

 

Sir, we also have been blessed with a variety of wild life, including what is called the big five, which we can find in our national parks. So, this country has a number of things which can be packaged in order to improve the tourism product. We also have big lakes like Mweru-Wa-Ntipa, Mweru-Wa-Muchanga in Luapula Province, Lake Bangweulu and Lake Tanganyika that can also be showcased. We have rivers like the Zambezi, especially its source, which is a marvelous place to visit. God has even given us plains and dambos …

 

Mr Bwalya: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ng’onga: … and such that come to my mind are the great Zambezi Plains in the western part of the country.

 

Mr Mubukwanu: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ng’onga: The Lochnivar Swamps with a number of bird sanctuaries all add to the potential of tourism in our country.

 

Mr Speaker, there are many things that one can continue to brag about. However, if we can only talk about these things, but they are not converted into attractions that can bring about resources, then, these natural blessings will count for nothing.

 

Mr Speaker, it is, therefore, my desire and wish to support the recommendations that your Committee put together and how this nation can tackle several challenges in the tourism sector. In fact, when I looked through the report, the number of challenges is probably much more than the advantages your Committee highlighted, but this should not discourage us, as a country. We know that we are focused and that we can improve the tourism sector.

 

Sir, let me just comment on the notion that tourists are only those who come from outside our country or differently skinned people. If we could develop and put our effort to ensure that local tourism is promoted, this scenario would change. All these products I talked about are in different parts of the country, but it is possible that there are Zambians living in the southern part of the country who do not know what the northern part offers. There are also people who are living in the eastern part of the country who do not know what the north-western part of the country has to offer as tourist’s attractions. So, this information must be put together so that our people can visit these places, especially now that our economy is becoming better with the middle class’ income improving.

 

Sir, we can now see that local people are able to plan for their holidays and also take their families out. One example that one can give while talking about these tourist attractions is the people on the Copperbelt visiting the great white sand beaches of Samfya, which God has given to this country. It is easy for people from the Copperbelt to visit Samfya, especially with the Pedicle Road now opening. People from the Copperbelt can go to Samfya in the morning and return in the evening. So, local people can benefit from these natural tourist attractions and also spend some of their income on developing the tourism sector.

 

Mr Speaker, among the challenges that have been mentioned is the lack of infrastructure and accommodation in most tourist centres. When I say lack of infrastructure, I am looking at things like roads, airports and railway lines. If I limit myself to the road network, a number of roads that lead either to national parks or to areas where people can marvel at these natural endowments bestowed by God are very dilapidated or none existent. I talked about the Lumangwe Water Falls which compares or can beat the wonder of the Victoria Falls; but driving on the road that leads to the falls is a challenge. We are grateful to the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, which has plans to improve the road infrastructure. I know for sure that the people of the Copperbelt, Mansa or Kasama can easily get to and fro the Lumangwe Falls in a day.

 

Sir, away from infrastructure inadqaucies is telecommunication. When one gets to most of these tourist attractions, there is no telecommunication network. One cannot call home or the said tourists’ centres to make a reservation for lodging. So, these are the challenges that we have. The report brought out these challenges clearly and we would wish to encourage the Government and those entrusted with this responsibility of improving tourism to ensure that better road networks and airports are constructed to ensure that those who have limited time are able to fly into these tourists’ destinations and back. We also wish to encourage marketing of these tourism products for it has not been adequately done. When one is privileged to travel to another country, you find that all of us, as Zambians, have not done well in the promotion of what our country has to offer the outside world.

 

Mr Speaker, there are countries in this world whose income comes purely from tourism. They have no minerals and do not engage in agriculture because they are in a desert or surrounded by water, but the number of tourists makes their economy boom. They are able to fight unemployment, they raise revenue and develop their countries. So, Zambia is able to take advantage of these natural endowments in order to develop the tourism sector and grow the economy.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to indicate that we need the Government to not only sensitise the communities, but also provide financing in the tourism sector so that it can contribute positively to the national Treasury.

 

Sir, allow me to make a comment on wildlife and the challenges that the seconder bemoaned. Wildlife is extremely important not only to this generation of leaders, but also to the children to whom these resources will be left. The number of workers in the wildlife sector is still low. We urge the Government to do something about this issue.

 

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Speaker: Let me advise those who want to debate after the hon. Member for Kaputa that as we proceed for our break, please, do not switch off your microphones. Leave them on. Otherwise, you will delete yourself from the list.

 

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

 

ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

 

Mr Speaker: Before we continue with our business, I have an announcement to make, which would have been made earlier in the afternoon. In the absence of Her Honour the Vice-President, who is attending to other Government Business, the Chief Whip, Hon. Richard Musukwa, MP, has been appointed as Acting Leader of Government Business in the House from today, Thursday, 15^th June, 2017, until further notice.

 

I thank you.

 

__________

 

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, I rise to support your Committee’s report, which was well-written and well-researched. A number of issues have been raised in this particular report. It is also important to state that tourism is a very key sector in our economy and that certain sovereign States depend on it to run their economies. Zambia can actually benefit a lot from this particular sector.

 

Sir, I will raise a few issues regarding the creation of an airline. I will, then, move on to talk about the issue of Zambia being an expensive destination, but also the role that we, as the locals, can play in ensuring that the tourism sector develops and begins to contribute effectively to the growth of the Zambian economy.

 

Mr Speaker, it is a good thing to have an airline in the sense that it adds pride to the country and brings a lot of attraction. However, my take on the issue is that first and foremost, it is an expensive venture. I would suggest that we approach this very cautiously because the airlines in the region are not performing very well. The hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts needs to carry out a study and ensure that we are not caught up. I know of airlines that have not been performing very well and are not able to fly to certain destinations not because they do not have enough airplanes, but it has become very expensive to run and venture into those destinations. I would propose that we form a regional airline so that we can pull resources together and manage it as a collective entity. That way, we can lock up the market. I know it is not about the management of some airlines, but the ability of certain countries to run them. It was very costly for British Airways to fly to Zambia and even though at first it seemed like a joke, it eventually stopped. So, as a Government, before we proceed to create an airline which sounds good, we need to move cautiously and, first and foremost, ensure that the airway infrastructure is not only of international standard, but also well looked after.

 

Sir, as a country, we are doing a commendable job of expanding the Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International airports. That is the right way to go. When we are sure that we have done what is required internationally in as far as maintaining our international airports, then, we can begin looking at the prospect of having a national airline. Usually, the greatest enemy of good is not wrong, but right. Most of the time we think when something is good, it is right and when it is right, there is a temptation to think that it is good. So, my advice is that let us be cautious and do everything possible to ensure that we do not get trapped like other countries.

 

Mr Speaker, the other aspect I want to talk about is the issue of Zambia being an expensive destination. In Zambia, the hotel rates are very expensive. The question one would ask is: What is wrong with our cost structure? A tourist who comes to view the Victoria Falls on the Zambian side would rather sleep in Zimbabwe and not in one of our hotels within Livingstone and only come through the following morning. There is a perception that the Zambian hotels are very expensive. So, the Ministry of Tourism and Arts needs to investigate and find out the cost structure of the hotel services in Zambia in order for us to remain competitive and afloat, and enable the tourism sector to contribute positively to the gross domestic product (GDP) of this country.

 

Mr Speaker, the other aspect which is related to the cost structure is also the fact that there are very few Zambians who have the opportunity to venture into tourism. Most of the waterfront land, where tourism flourishes, is offered to foreigners and the Zambian people cannot access it. Therefore, those who have hotels and lodges near the waterfront in the Republic of Zambia are foreigners and that is an issue that we need to address and look at seriously so that we can encourage the local Zambians to venture into tourism and be able to bring about development and, indeed, create jobs for our people.

 

My colleague, the hon. Member of Parliament for Kaputa, mentioned new areas of tourism. I would like to take part of his debate as mine. The new areas of tourism are so green that may need to be given priority for the development of yet another circuit. The talk about the potential of the Northern Circuit has gone on for far too long. It is almost like a second national anthem. Let us move away from talk. Let us become practical and effectively sell the Northern Circuit in totality. Of course, we will need funding.

 

Mr Speaker, it is one thing to talk about the potential of the Northern Circuit or Greenfields, yet another to develop them. Therefore, this House must look at the Northern Circuit and allocate sufficient funding in the Budget so that we can see the emergence of new tourism centres.

 

We do agree that Livingstone, which has been there for a long time, is the tourist capital of this country. However, slowly the city is getting fatigued. The infrastructure is getting dilapidated and worse still, the provincial headquarters has moved to Choma. Only Gods know what will become of most of the infrastructure in the town. If we do not put our heads together and look at what we can do in order to continue having Livingstone as a tourist capital, we will end up with a sorry site. We will not be able to get this particular town on its feet.

 

Mr Speaker, there is the issue of air fares. It is very expensive for an ordinary Zambian to fly to Lumangwe to view the beautiful waterfalls. For the people of Lupososhi Constituency and I, the air fares are too high to afford. I may try to go by road, but the question is: Which road will I use to get to Lumangwe? We need to look at all these factors. Developing tourism is an expensive venture and we need to agree, as a country, to spend money in order for us to diversify our economy, which is copper dependent. 

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Bwalya: Otherwise, we risk being buried into rhetoric without action.

 

Mr Speaker, an issue was raised regarding local tourism. If we ask the people of Lupososhi how many have had an opportunity to see the Victoria Falls in Livingstone, the answer would be none. If we have to develop tourism and enable it to contribute effectively and efficiently to the revenue of this country, we need to enable our locals to visit places by lowering the cost of tourism sites, accommodation and transport.

 

Mr Speaker, we also need to look at the area of taxation. Have we offered enough incentives in this sector to facilitate development? If this has not been done yet, we need to engage various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, to help us package tourism in such a way that we can offer incentives for those who want to invest, especially in the Greenfield areas. Incentives will enhance development in this sector. 

 

Mr Speaker, it is disheartening that the Victoria Falls is being advertised as being on the Zimbabwean and not the Zambian side. On the Cable News Network (CNN) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) what will be talked about more is Zimbabwe and not Zambia. Perhaps, we should attach tourism attachés in various missions to help in the marketing of tourism sites in Zambia. This is food for thought because in as much as we may commercialise and press attachés, we need specialised people in the field to carry the Zambian flag high and sell the products in our tourism sector to attract tourists.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Miti (Feira): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate the Motion on the Floor. I will take the debates of the hon. Member for Kaputa and the hon. Member for Lupososhi as my own because they have debated very well. In supporting this Motion, I will be brief.

 

Sir, it is very disheartening to note that in the last four years, the tourism sector has only contributed an average of 2 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP). If this trend continues, we will not go anywhere.

 

His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, in his address to this House and the nation at large, on 30^th September, 2016, said that all sectors need to work in an integrated manner for positive development. Now, if the tourism sector works in a silo, it will not go anywhere. It needs to be supported by other ministries. For example, if we want more tourists to come and view the wild animals, which are depleting at a rapid rate, we need to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development. 

 

The Ministry of Agriculture can empower people to get busy in agricultural activities so that they lessen poaching activities. Poaching is done mostly by people in rural areas, not for consumption, but for commercial purposes. To reduce poaching and, thereby increase the animal species, the Ministry of Gender can empower women.

 

For example, if the people in Feira were empowered, they would reduce on poaching activities. Once women contribute to the welfare of their households, their husbands would not even think of going to poach wildlife. Further, if the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development empowered the youths, poaching activities would also go down. As a result, we would see tourism flourish in Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, this is an issue on which our President encouraged us to work in an integrated manner. In his address to this House on 17^th March, 2017, he urged Zambians to change their attitude towards positive development. It is change of attitude that will necessitate positive growth in the tourism sector. If we do not change our attitudes, especially for those that are entrusted or charged with the responsibility to improve this sector, then, we will not go anywhere.

 

Sir, those in the Ministry of Tourism and Arts should not stick to the same old strategies of promoting tourism. The report is very categorical that one reason tourism in Zambia is not flourishing is because of poor marketing strategies. Indeed, I concur with the report that there has not been much marketing of tourism in Zambia. If there has been any marketing, it has been substandard. The report highlights the fact that there has not been a strategic marketing plan. All players in this sector are not coordinated. That is worrisome.

 

Mr Speaker, another area of great importance that has made it difficult for the tourism sector to flourish is the lack of proper infrastructure. Previous speakers have already stated that the standards of hotels, lodges and guesthouses in this country leave much to be desired. If your Committee was to take a tour around Lusaka to check on some of the mushrooming guesthouses, it would be very alarmed by the low standards which are obtaining there. Such cannot attract tourists. We need to have a deliberate policy to check on these mushrooming guesthouses so that they conform to international standards, of course, with a Zambian touch. We need to attract tourists so that this sector can contribute positively to our GDP.

 

Mr Speaker, another area where I feel we have, maybe, turned a blind eye to is the taxi business. The taxi drivers play a cardinal role in the tourism sector. In my opinion, taxi drivers act as a front desk in the tourism industry. Therefore, we need to build capacity in them. They are the first people of contact at entry points with tourists. We need to build capacity in them and make them see that they are partners in the tourism industry. If that happens, they will not, for example, resist registering their private taxis. They must see a link between themselves and the rest of the industry. All players in the industry should, therefore, work hand in hand.

 

Sir, in other countries, we have seen that some taxi drivers have a lot of knowledge about tourist attractions in their country. Some of them even have business cards and lure tourists to go back to their countries. They are able to highlight the areas where tourists can go, such as the best guesthouses, lodges and hotels. So, taxi drivers are very important players. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and Arts should take it upon itself to integrate them in the industry. When we build capacity in them, we will see that they will contribute immensely to this industry.

 

Mr Speaker, what is of most importance is to identify the building blocks we need to use to improve the tourism sector for it to contribute positively to our GDP. In the last Session, I remember the Member of Parliament for Munali, Hon. Nkandu Luo, talked a little about systems thinking. She did not elaborate, but that is very cardinal in this industry as well. Systems thinking is about each player appreciating the roles or duties that others are doing. It comes down to attitude change.

 

Therefore, I would urge every Zambian out there to be a marketer of our tourist attractions. We know them and where they are. The previous speakers have mentioned these tourist attractions and where they are. At least, each should have basic knowledge of our tourist attractions. Just easily as we know how to sing our National Anthem, every Zambian can have some basic knowledge of where these tourist attractions are found. So, attitude change is very cardinal.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to debate on this Motion. I am aware that the previous speakers have actually adequately ventilated this issue and your Committee had also taken time to interview experts who had submitted before it. Its recommendations that have been brought to this House are quite sufficient, save for the fact that we need to actualise some of the recommendations that your Committee has brought to the fore.

 

Mr Speaker, as we have previously indicated, land is our ancestral heritage and as you are aware, land is inelastic. What is lacking is prudent management of our land. The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Kapata, has actually acted on some matters by suspending some of the institutions that have been found wanting in this regard.

 

Mr Speaker, there has been massive infrastructure development witnessed in this country in the last seven years or so. However, most of it is concentrated in one area. Look at the Lusaka Central Business District (CBD), for instance. The area around the CBD is very congested and one wonders whether this country has run out of land. There is more than enough land in Lusaka West and Lusaka South. So, why should development be concentrated around the CBD? I think that the planners of our towns must live to the expectations of the people by ensuring that planning is in tandem with the population. Shopping malls in South Africa are spread widely, unlike in our country where malls are concentrated in one area. I think this is not sending good signals to people in this country. 

 

Sir, the environment has equally been a concern because the policing by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) leaves much to be desired. I think that the agency too needs to be active in this area because the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act is not being utilised to its fullest. The Forestry Department as well has also gone to sleep because there is a lack of policing of our forests. There has been a reduction in the amount of mukula trees being exploited. Our flora and fauna are basically for us and the future generation to come and if no tangible measures are taken to protect them, we may find that most of our land could become deserts.

 

Mr Speaker, while we need partners in the development of our country, we need to exercise restraint in the manner we are managing our resources.

 

Sir, on the issue of expensive hotels and lodges, I think that the hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts should harmonise the charges that hotels and lodges are charged. The Central Government asks for its share of revenue from hotels and lodges through tourism licences such as the tourism levy and the local authorities also ask for their own share of revenue through hotel licences. I think there must be a one-stop-shop where only one licence should be issued to operators so that we can reduce the cost of doing business and, in turn, the cost of accommodation in our lodges in order to attract tourists. 

 

Sir, these are the issues I wanted to debate in support of this Motion.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Report of the Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism, which is on the Floor of this House. I also join the hon. Members who spoke before me in thanking the Chairperson and the hon. Members of your Committee for this educative and progressive report. Further, I thank the hon. Members for bringing out various issues which will help my ministry improve its service delivery, particularly in relation to equitable land allocation.

 

Sir, my ministry understands the various challenges women face in accessing land in this country. His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, is also concerned that women have continued to face difficulties in accessing land. As hon. Members of the august House may be aware, on 8^th March, 2017, His Excellency the President directed my office to ensure that there is equal access to land by both men and women. He directed that 50 per cent of land should be allocated to women each time local authorities and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has land. In order to ensure that this directive is implemented, in line with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development, my ministry has since written to all local authorities across the country to ensure that there is 50/50 allocation of land. As a woman, I am determined to ensure that this is achieved. In addition, my ministry is working on finalising the land policy and reviewing various related legislation by the end of this year. The policy and the legislation will also ensure gender parity in land allocation.

 

Sir, as I conclude, I once again, thank all the hon. Members of this august House for their valuable contribution.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Tourism and Arts (Mr C. R. Banda): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to add a few words to the report that has been presented to the House.

 

Sir, first of all, let me say that the report is very positive. It is positive in the sense that all the things that have been outlined are helping to push an already opened door. The first thing we must recognise is the pronouncement which His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, made in this House and repeated at different fora. He said that it must not be business as usual in tourism and that we should change how we run the sector. Tourism has been listed as an economic sector and that is why there has to be a change of attitude and perception.

 

Mr Speaker, a lot of issues have come out from the report and the debates in the House. I think the House has agreed that we need to do more in order to reposition the tourism sector in Zambia. We shall be able to see the benefits of this sector only after we reposition it. Let us always remember that even in personal business, if you want to get more returns, you have to invest. You will never get returns where you have not invested unless you steal. People here have said that there is very little that has been done to put tourism where it is supposed to be. The first call to change I will make will be in this House. I am going to ask for a budget allocation that is going to make sense. I am also going to seek the support of this House to ensure that our ministry is properly positioned and financed if we are to do the much talked about marketing.

 

Mr Speaker, marketing is not only about taking tourism attachés abroad without money because, then, how do they market? We need to finance this exercise if it is to succeed. So, what we shall need most is the support of this House when we bring the budgetary proposals for the allocation to this ministry. I will be very sad, at that point, if we shall be opposed because, then, we shall shoot ourselves in the feet.

 

Mr Speaker, having been transformed into an economic sector, the tourism sector has a lot to do to live up to this challenge. It is with this in mind that I wish to concur with your Committee’s observations and recommendations on various issues that are affecting the tourism sector. I, therefore, wish to highlight some of the issues in addition to what has been presented.

 

However, before that, there was a call from my dear brother, a previous debater, who talked about the need for us to work in collaboration with other ministries. Yes, it is true we cannot work on our own. We need the support of everybody.

 

Other hon. Members have talked about the high cost of tourism in Zambia, yes it is true. There is a lot being done and for the information of this House, Mr Speaker, tomorrow, there is an Indaba among the hon. Minister of Finance, hon. Minister of Commerce, …

 

Mr Speaker: What do you mean by “Indaba”?

 

Mr C. R. Banda: A meeting, Mr Speaker. We will also invite stakeholders, who include hoteliers, tour operators and other interested parties. The meeting will be held for two days at the Government Complex. Our aim is to look at what is obtaining on the ground and ascertain whether it is true that it is expensive to manage tourism in Zambia and if so, establish what the problems are.

 

Sir, regarding the issue on taxes, it is not me that can talk about and reduce tax, but we have to do this together with the Chief Tax Collector, the hon. Minister of Finance. That is the reason the hon. Minister of Finance and hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, my ministry and our technocrats will be in that meeting. At the end of it, our aim is to come up with what will be workable to make tourism sustainable.

 

Regarding tourism products, Mr Speaker, in addition to the tourism products that have been identified in the report, and in the spirit of diversifying tourism products, the ministry has identified other products that include agro tourism, mining tourism, historical tourism, avi-tourism and all these are assigned to the provinces that have comparative advantage. For example, the Eastern Province will embark on promoting agro tourism while the Copperbelt will concentrate on mining tourism. The Copperbelt also has a bird sanctuary which, if well developed, can encourage avi-tourism or bird watching.

 

Mr Speaker, regarding the challenges faced by the tourism sector, I wish to comment on some of the following issues.

 

Mr Speaker, firstly is the issue of marketing. I will go a little further than what I have already said. A lot has been done to market Zambia and this is an on-going activity that needs financial support to heighten Zambia’s visibility on the world map. Efforts like the Zambia Tourism Expo (ZATEX), the Livingstone International Cultural Festival, attendance at international fora like the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) and Fitur in Spain and Germany, respectively, and undertaking road shows are aimed at improving Zambia’s visibility.

 

As it is, Sir, I want to agree with those who are saying that we have not been visible. This is very true, but every effort is being made to change this. At the moment, I want to inform hon. Members in this House that with courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce in Spain, we have fourteen days free advertising and marketing Zambia starting from 30^th May, 2017. The advertisements will run for fourteen days in seventy European cities targeting a population of 550 million people. If we were to pay, we were supposed to have paid up to about 3 million Euros, but because we did plead with our colleagues to understand us, we are not paying. They understood our plea and gave us free advertising through one large advertising firm in Spain.

 

Secondly, Mr Speaker, there is an issue which has been raised of unco-ordinated tourism planning. The 7^th National Development Plan has addressed the issue of co-ordinated planning for greater results. What is key is the implementation. There may be need to have co-ordination meetings, just like we are having one tomorrow, that will endeavour to make this process a reality.

 

Mr Speaker, regarding the issue on increasing competition and failure to tap into new markets, I wish to state that Zambia needs to, indeed, tap into the yearning Chinese market. However, let me also announce that our colleagues in the Chinese region did hear our plea before them to be our partners in working with their tour operators. They made us the guest of honour at an international festival which was held last Saturday. I spoke as Guest of Honour representing 194 countries, Mr Speaker, urging the world to come and see Zambia and what we offer as our heritage.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr C. R. Banda: However, we need to ensure that we meet basic Chinese needs such as sandals, tea facilities in rooms and affordable and easily accessible telecommunication facilities, including the internet. They are very particular about this. They do not go to places that do not offer these facilities.That is why we need to improve our infrastructure to suit the markets that we are targeting. These may seem trivial, but are a very important aspect of Chinese tourists if we are to attract them in numbers.

 

With regards to length of stay, Sir, I wish to say that in addition to diversifying the tourism product and improve tourism infrastructure, there is also a need to offer tour packages that will make tourists naturally visit different places in the country. This means that we need to develop different areas of this country unlike the traditional tourism that we have inherited up to this time. Each time we talk tourism, we are talking about Livingstone. That has to change.

 

Mr Speaker, inadequate skills training in tourism and hospitality industry was another issue raised. This challenge, among others, is being addressed through the Tourism Development Fund, which has a component of training that addresses the demand for well-trained personnel.

 

Sir, there was an issue of inadequate air transport. This is a vexing problem that is hindering progress in the tourism sector. Therefore, I support the need to improve airline connectivity, both locally and internationally, to make Zambia a tourism destination.

 

On domestic tourism, Mr Speaker, the ministry is coming up with proposals to promote domestic tourism beginning with the Civil Service holiday package initiative as a pilot. For instance, in the Ministry of Education, we have a lot of tourists in schools, colleges and universities. If we make it a policy, we can start from there.

 

Mr Speaker, these are some of the efforts aimed at taking the sector to take its rightful place in the economy.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to concur with your Committee’s observations and recommendations about Kabwata and Maramba Cultural centres. It is, indeed, true that arts and culture play an important role in promoting tourism in Zambia and that there is a need to promote cultural tourism that is offered by Kabwata and Maramba Cultural villages.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr C. R. Banda: On diversifying on tourism, Mr Speaker, I wish to bring to the attention of this august House that apart from Kabwata Maramba and Masala Cultural villages, the Government, through my ministry, is constructing five more cultural villages, namely Kifubwa Cultural Village in Solwezi; Kapata Cultural Village in Chipata; Chinsali Cultural Village in Chinsali; Mansa Cultural Village in Mansa; and Broken Hill Cultural Village in Kabwe.

 

Mr Speaker, once completed, these cultural villages will not only offer space for training, development, production and marketing, but will also offer house living-in museums where tourists can experience true Zambian culture in terms of life, traditional dances and food.

 

Sir, as I conclude, culture is one of the fundamental dimensions of development. Cultural development constitutes one of the essential elements of general development and the improvement of the quality of life. Culture is, therefore, defined as:

 

“The whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise society or a social group.”

 

Mr Speaker, it is these values and principles which should help us inculcate that sense of patriotism and national unity, a sense of belonging and national pride. It is the lack of patriotism, a sense of belonging and national pride that has led some of us not to clearly understand our national emblems, as observed by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, when he came to this House for the second time this year. These national emblems define who we are. We are identified by these features when we go outside the country.

 

Sir, it is sad how we, as Zambians, fail to interpret the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of this beautiful country. One would ask: How are we going to market our country to the outside world if we do not understand own heritage? The responsibility to market Zambia should not be left to the Ministry of Tourism and Arts alone. It should be the responsibility of every patriotic Zambian to market the country if we are to earn meaningfully from our tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

 

Mr Speaker, as I said, the report is very positive and progressive. I receive all the comments that have come with both hands because they will be the spring board on which the Government will reach its intended heights, as it tries to promote and develop the tourism sector.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr C. R. Zulu: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Hon. Ngon’ga, Hon. Bwalya, Hon. Miti, Hon. Kabanda and the two hon. Ministers who contributed to the debate on the Motion for their progressive presentations. I would also like to thank all the hon. Members for listening attentively.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS, GOVERNANCE, HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER MATTERS AND CHILD AFFAIRS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate in support of the Motion on the Floor of the House.

 

Sir, I have gone through the speech delivered by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia and the report of the Committee charged with the responsibility to review the President’s Address. The previous debaters have adequately debated all six values and principles contained in the report. Therefore, I will take a slightly different approach to my debate so that I can avoid repeating what has been adequately covered.

 

Mr Speaker, I have observed from the President’s Speech and the Committee’s report the disconnect between values and principles. I have also observed that these values and principles have been discussed in isolation of one another. This is denying many of us an opportunity to see the bigger picture.

 

Sir, I have chosen this as the foundation for my debate so that I can provide the interconnection among the various values so that people can see their implication on the national development of this country. In order to do this, I would like to single out value number one, which is on ethics and morality. I will debate it in relation to its implication on sustainable development, which is also a principle covered under principle No. 6. I will set some context by taking the House to my constituency so that we can see the value of the President’s Address and adduce the challenges imposed by the speech.

 

Sir, you may recall that I referred to the issue of morality in maiden speech. This is an issue which has deprived the people of Chifunabuli of their main livelihood.

 

Mr Speaker, I indicated my concern to this House over the manner in which we have failed to work using the multi-sectoral approach. I gave an example of the fish industry and how it has suffered a terrible blow because of moral issues.

 

Mr Speaker, suffice to indicate here that I am at pains trying to resolve the challenge which was imposed by the His Excellency President to help create 100,000 jobs. I had difficulties in trying to deliver my campaign promises to the people. I must indicate to this House that I had undertaken to be factual in the way I campaigned during the previous elections. I had settled on issues of immorality, which some sectors of the society did not receive very well. This is the issue I want to address in the context of national development. I also want to talk about how my constituency can actually deal with issues of morality and ethics so that it can contribute positively to the economic development of this nation. The issue at hand here is the initiative used by the Ministry of Health.

 

Sir, in Chifunabuli Constituency, we had a very serious problem of the prevalence of malaria. In order to help the people there overcome this problem, the Ministry of Health took an initiative to distribute mosquito nets. It did this without involving the other sectors, but later on this backfired. The people of Chifunabuli saw this as an opportunity to make money. They converted the mosquito nets into fishing nets. This is a double-edged sword and the implications are very obvious. It is a moral issue which simply goes to show that indeed, to some extent, we have lost our moral bearing. I agree with His Excellency the President when he says that there is moral decay in this country. In fact, that was an understatement. It should have been growth moral decay.

 

Sir, here is a person who wants the people of Chifunabuli to continuously suffer the malaria disease and other avoidable diseases. Essentially, what these unethical people have done is to contribute to the many deaths that we have been recording as a result of malaria attacks. On the other edge of the sword, these people have been greedy to the extent that they have been fishing not just the table fish, but eggs and fingerlings. Where I come from, we call fingerlings, “Ubwana.” People would say, “Go and buy ubwana.” Using a mosquito net is a non-selective method of fishing. So, everything that is dragged is actually swept away from the fishery bodies.

 

Sir, this brings me to another concern that I raised in my maiden speech. As a result of this unethical behaviour, the fisheries bodies have depleted. That was the main source of livelihood for the people of Chifunabuli. Fishermen, traders and transporters benefited from it, but all these jobs have been lost now. The moral questions which are at hand now are: “How is Chifunabuli contributing towards the building of national and international reserves of the country? How is Chifunabuli contributing towards the gross domestic product (GDP) of this country?” Probably one would argue that it is through various crops that we produce. However, they are also underfinanced.

 

Mr Speaker, the irony of it is that, through our unethical behaviour, we have denied ourselves a source of livelihood, yet we are expecting the Government to deliver development. These are some of the serious issues and this is the reason the address by His Excellency the President was very important. This is the reason I could not abscond from such an important event because now, we are being challenged to understand what is happening where we are coming from in our respective constituencies. What His Excellency the President highlighted in his address was a tip of the iceberg. The devil is in the detail. The people who have the details are ourselves because we are close to the people and the environment in our respective constituencies. Moral and ethical issues apply to human beings as well as the environment.

 

Sir, if you look at the national development agenda for Zambia, there are three things which we want to achieve. We want to achieve environmental, economic and social development. Clearly, you can see that all these developmental aspects will be affected. So, what do we need to do now? When His Excellency the President addressed Parliament in his Official Opening Speech, he encouraged us to deploy a multi-sectoral approach. The issue I have just highlighted involves many stakeholders. It involves the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Ministry of Home Affairs to help enforce the law which already exists. However, we are not seeing initiatives to actually work in a multi-sectoral way at the grass root level, especially at district level.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mecha: These initiatives are lacking. It is high time we actually encouraged the respective ministries to get on the ground and try to integrate some of these factors that we are talking about. Without that, we will not go anywhere.

 

Sir, secondly, His Excellency the President challenged us to help one another change the mindset, which is very important. Imagine what the people of Chifunabuli would have avoided by behaving correctly. We have lost money and a source of livelihood there. Now, it is up to the respective ministries of the Government to find money to correct the situation. The cost of correcting the situation is very high. We should have actually avoided such a situation. In view of this, I would want to recommend that behaviour change becomes part and parcel of every sectoral report that comes into circulation in this country.

 

Mr Speaker, to that effect, I would like to wedge war against or to introduce a campaign in my constituency against immoral behaviour so that we can contribute positively to the development of this country. I also want to ask the Government to bring in form of development that which we dearly deserve, as a people of Chifunabuli.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1810 hours until 1830 hours.

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr Mecha: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was just about to conclude my debate with a third recommendation.

 

Mr Speaker, reading through the report of your Committee, it is very clear that most of the recommendations it has given on morality and ethics relate to public servants. I would like to advise that we go beyond this because ethical issues are more on the ground where natural resources are being exploited, especially in fishery bodies. I, therefore, would like to recommend that all the fishermen who exploit those fisheries get registered and be subjected to a code of ethics. There must be sanity in the way we exploit natural resources. This is the only basis on which we will execute sustainable development in the country.

 

Mr Speaker, with these few remarks, I would like to support the Motion.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Chanda (Bwana Mkubwa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion concerning His Excellency the President’s Speech to Parliament three months ago when he talked about the application of national values and various principles on which we stand. I will support this Motion because His Excellency the President came to address very important issues. It is regrettable though that some of our colleagues chose to boycott the important speech.

 

Mr Speaker, I will talk about three main issues. His Excellency the President highlighted three key issues that I have dissected in the speech. Firstly, I will talk about the cultural values and who we are, as a people. His Excellency the President challenged us to have an identity. He asked who we are, as a people. Secondly, I will talk about the management of natural resources and land. His Excellency the President spent a lot of time talking about this. Thirdly, I will also talk about the ownership economy which he put very simply as, “Make Zambian and buy Zambian.”

 

Mr Speaker, when people hear about the ‘code of ethics’ and all those complex things, it sounds very far-fetched. However, we need to realise that before slavery, colonialism and imperialism, we were still a people. We have a history. I think that the most important thing that any country should do is understand its history. You have to look into your history and understand who you are and, then, you will understand what values hold society together. We have not just fallen from some planet today. We have been around for thousands of years.

 

Mr Speaker, so, when we look among us, we find that the people of Southern Africa, and Zambia in particular, are all Bantu speaking people. We have what binds us together and this is Ubuntu which simply means humanity − I am because you are. So, if we all believe in humanity, then, we believe in the values that hold this humanity together. Therefore, for our people to embrace what we are calling the code of ethics and all these principles that we are talking about, they need to understand from their perspective as Africans and Bantus. It is nothing strange.

 

In the 21^st Century, it has become very fashionable for people to bring copy and paste solutions. When people hear the word ‘ethics’, they automatically assume that it is copied from America or somewhere in Europe. We have always had ethics because we are a people. We know who we are. The language may be different, but the values that we embrace are eternal. They are the same.

 

Mr Speaker, all these national values that His Excellency the President talked about should inform all our national programmes and policies. If not, it will be very difficult for Zambians to own these programmes.

 

Mr Speaker, I can give an example of Rwanda. I have had the privilege of living and working in Rwanda for a number of years as a chief of party and was there a few weeks ago with our Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services. I think that there is one thing that we learn from Rwanda, with whom we have very good bilateral relations. We are told, in fact, that His Excellency the President of Rwanda, Mr Kagame, will be here on Monday.

 

Mr Speaker, what they have done in Rwanda is to embrace most of their cultural values and packaged them into national programmes. I can give an example of the programme called Umuganda, which means voluntary community service. This has always happened in their villages for thousands of years that if you are in a village, you have a responsibility to take care it. So, there is nothing strange there. They just package that programme at a village level and bring it at the national level. This has served the Government billions of dollars, over the years, because it has not had to engage consultants and contractors to keep the country clean.

 

Sir, people who have been to Rwanda agree that one of the things that will strike you is how clean that country is. In fact, it has been rated the cleanest country in Africa and amongst the cleanest in the world. This is all because of using traditional approaches. So, we should learn from that. In Zambia, to the contrary, we have launched various campaigns over so many years such as the “Keep Zambia Clean Campaign.”

 

Mr Speaker, you can launch campaigns, but if they are not owned by society, they will not go anywhere. People have to own a programme for it to succeed. Rwanda has had other very successful programmes. Another one of them is the Social Health Insurance which, again, is premised on the cultural values of that society. So, we should learn is to ask: What values do we have, as a people, and how are they feeding into all these national programmes?

 

Mr Speaker, another example that I would like to give is that Zambia is a very young population. I think that 82 per cent of Zambians are below the age of thirty-five. So, we are dealing with a very young population, yet the voting age is eighteen years. If you put voting age at eighteen in a population which is almost totally young, you disenfranchise a lot of people.

 

Mr Speaker, I can give an example of a country in Europe called Austria. Austria has had to lower the voting age of its people to sixteen years old, yet the life span in Austria is eighty-six years old. All they have done is to take care of the young people. When someone is thirteen years old, they start taking them in what they call democratic class and teach them national values, good governance principles, bring them to Parliament and other Government institutions. Those young people in Austria, at a very tender age, are able to appreciate how their country works. This is unlike the situation we have here where many people become very unruly. We have seen unruly people even in this august House. Those are missed opportunities. If certain values were not inculcated in those people when they were young, it is very difficult to expect that they will behave better when they are older, whether you call them national leaders.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Chanda: Mr Speaker, the second issue that I want to talk about is the management of natural resources and land. I think His Excellency the President belaboured this point and many speakers before me have equally done so. The main issue is that we have Zambians who are actually aiding foreigners to posses their natural resources, such as Mukula trees, wildlife and land.

 

Mr Speaker, this week I have spent time listening to a very famous song sung by one of the traditional freedom fighters, the late Mr Mpundu Mutale. The song is called Ubuntungwa, which means freedom. What our freedom fighter, Mr Mpundu Mutale, sang is that if you are Zambian and you sell your country to foreigners, you will have many of your people killed, yet this scenario is repeating itself. We are seeing many Zambians selling land carelessly to foreigners. This is very true in my constituency. If you come to Ndola, in Bwana Mkubwa Constituency, we have Somalis. By saying that, I do not mean to sound xenophobic; Zambia is a very welcoming country. Every foreigner is here because we have welcomed and accommodated them, yet they do not have the rights of citizens.

 

Mr Speaker, what is happening in Bwana Mkubwa Constituency is that these foreigners, Somalis, are buying huge pieces of land. They are calling them garages. Where you buy a huge tract of land and put up a wall fence around it while there is nothing inside it. These foreigners are paying money to some corrupt local government and council officers who are selling the country. His Excellency the President warned us about having a landless future. In future, our children will have no land and when you have no land, then, you have no country because a country is about land and the people. What is happening in Ndola is very worrying. I agree with His Excellency the President when he called on the hon. Minster of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection to bring the revised Land Act and Policy to Cabinet and Parliament. We need a very strong Act on land management. I think that Act should state very clearly that ownership of land is for Zambians and not foreigners.

 

Sir, I have lived and worked in many countries. You cannot buy even a centimetre of land. If I went to Mogadishu today, in Somalia, I cannot be allowed to buy even a centimetre of land. Now, why is it that Zambians are carelessly selling their land to foreigners at a giveaway price? These foreigners are getting empowered at the expense of Zambians. I am appealing to the hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection to bring that Act, in line with what His Excellency the President said, so that it can have teeth. I think partly the Act should have teeth enough to bite by repossessing land that has been sold to foreigners carelessly.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Chanda: Let us repossess it because it belongs to Zambians. We are not being cruel by repossessing that land for we are just taking back what is ours.

 

Mr Speaker, historically, countries have gone to war over two main issues, which are land and trade. We have land here in Zambia, but we are giving it away to people. Even if we do not act today, I can assure you, at the expense of sounding like a prophet, that if we do not act by taking back land today, the future generations of Zambians will act. The young people in twenty or thirty year’s time will come to grab back that land. The only issue is that, at the moment, we can grab that land back legally by using the law. In future, those young people will grab it back by force.

 

Sir, I was in South Africa. There are missed opportunities there. In 1994 when the rainbow nation came into being, 90 per cent of the land in South Africa was owned by the perpetrators of apartheid and that is still the case today. So, the generation that led the country in 1994, such as Nelson Mandela and others, is long gone, but young black South Africans are there. We have seen a lot of radicalism in South Africa. The young people are going to move towards a very aggressive land policy. They will grab that land. The difference is that in 1994, the grabbing of land could have been done legally but, in future, it will be done by force. We have seen the same issue of land in Zimbabwe and Cuba. Where land is concerned, it is an issue that we should not play with. I am urging the hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection to bring this Act so that we can get back what is ours.

 

Mr Speaker, it is very sad that in Zambia today, a foreigner can have the audacity to break down Zambians’ properties. Some Zambians get land for which they are given titles by the council and build houses, then, some Somali, who also has title for the same land, breaks down a citizen’s house with the police on his side. That is a shame, if I may use that word. We cannot have the police, who are supposed to protect citizens, being hired by a Somali, who is a foreigner from a war-torn country. In other countries, these foreigners could be deported in one second. So, let us know who we are. These are part of the values that His Excellency the President talked about. Let us not sell our country for a song. Zambia is expensive. It was fought for with the price of blood. People lost their lives over Zambia. So, we cannot give it away cheaply.

 

Mr Speaker, lastly, I want to talk about patriotism in terms of Zambians preferring foreign goods to locally manufactured ones. His Excellency the President challenged us to be proud of our goods. We should be proud to make and buy Zambian goods. In the same vein, His Excellency the President urged local manufacturers to improve their quality so that we are proud of what we are buying. In the United States of America (USA), since the change of Government in January, 2017, we have heard the maxim “buy American, make America great again.” Every country looks at its interests first.

 

Mr Speaker, when I was debating the Budget Speech presented by the hon. Minister of Finance, I said that Zambia is not a dumping ground for any country. When you go to our shopping malls today and enter a shop, it is very painful to note that everything is made in India, China and South Africa. How do we give away the farming, banking and retail sectors to South Africa? We are not like another province of South Africa, such as Gauteng. We are Zambia − a sovereign State.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Chanda: So, we are supposed to assert our sovereignty.

 

Mr Speaker, I am a medical doctor by profession. However, I would love people to know that when I was in Ndola completing my Grade 12, in the United Nation Independence Party (UNIP) Government under President Kenneth Kaunda, we had a very thriving industry there. We manufactured most of the things there. Before I got my Grade 12 results, I started working at Colgate Palmolive in the tube line section making Colgate tubes. I know how to make a Colgate tube and how to colour it. What gives me a lot of pride is that when I worked in night shift whenever we made these Colgate tubes, we would label them, ‘made in Zambia’. That has long disappeared and we are so proud. Even salaula now is made in China or Hong Kong. So, national value should dictate that we should be proud of who we are. We have a lot of local products like chitenges from which we can make shirts.

                                                                                                                                    

Mr Speaker, with your permission, it is high time we allowed African wear like Zambian wear in the House. Probably, when national leaders wear local attire it will inspire the people out there to wear the same.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Dr Chanda: When you go to West Africa, our friends go to their senates or Parliament wearing their gowns or traditional wear. I have a lot of those gowns. We need to go towards the policy of ‘Africanness’ or ‘Zambianness’ otherwise, we will always be a province of some other country.

 

Mr Speaker, with those few words I thank you so much.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Ngulube: Ema Doctors aba.

 

Mr Sampa (Kasama Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Address by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on the 17^th March, 2017, on national values and principles.

 

Mr Speaker, the address by His Excellency the President was none segregative. It was quite a challenging address to both us, as Parliamentarians, and the nation at large. His address touched on quiet a number of pertinent issues that would not make me, as Member of Parliament for Kasama Central, miss out on the address.

 

Mr Speaker, patriotism is one aspect that our country is also losing and it would only be retained by virtue of us, as leaders, taking the leading role. Many a time, our Government has spoken on so many important issues. However, they are challenged not because they have voiced out, but others feel it is politics as usual.

 

Sir, before we became Independent, there were so many tribes that ran away from war torn countries and ended up settling in Zambia. Could this be what has made us enjoy the peace, love and co-existence we enjoy because we know that most of the tribes that are in Zambia came from places which were war-torn? His Excellency the President’s Speech did not segregate any tribe at all. He spoke about co-existence and the need to respect the morals and values of our culture.

 

Mr Speaker, child sexual abuse has become a national phenomenon today which never happened in the past. Our children are going through this terrible act, yet we, as leaders, are supposed to be in the fore-front speaking against such acts for their sake. So many families are breaking up. The country has never recorded such a significant number of marriages breaking up than today. Our forefathers and parents were married and lived for long years, but it is unheard of today. One wonders why these things are happening. I think these are some of the issues that our great leader and President raised for the sake of reminding us about our morals and values for the sake of this country moving in a progressive manner.

 

Sir, our President raised the issue of alcohol abuse and it is for a fact that we need to stem up the regulatory bodies so that they can monitor the shops that sell alcohol to minors before they even become adults. As leaders, we have been challenged by His Excellency the President to look at most of these issues because we work closely with the communities. There were certain principles in the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era such as the Humanism Ideology. It brought about togetherness in our country because during humanism week, we would come together to help out a certain family or old aged home that needed help. However, these principles are long gone, but if they were brought back today, they would add value to our co-existence as Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, certain things for sure were probably not done in good faith, but as a nation, we can revert to those that brought up values for the sake of getting back our former pride. I feel the humanism concept should be reintroduced because it added a lot of value to our country. I remember when I was young and in primary school, we would be given tasks to either work at the neighbour’s house or a clinic during the humanism week. We would even do other chores that some of these children in this generation cannot do. Those are some of the values that made us, as leaders, know that we needed to be part and connected to the community in which we belonged. By virtue of doing that, we also learnt how to respect elders and any other person we would meet along the way, but that is not happening anymore. So, I would propose that we revert to community work like the previous speaker said when he cited an example of Rwanda.

 

Sir, at so many fora, we have discussed the “One Zambia, One Nation” motto. However, as leaders, we are not implementing it. It is even recognised here in Parliament, which is part of the three arms of the Government. When the Executive came to address us, certain people shunned the occasion. I will not go into details because others have already talked about it. However, that is a challenge to all of us because His Excellency the President did not address this august House, as Patriotic Front (PF) leader, but as the leader of the nation which we must all respect and recognise.

 

Mr Speaker, Zambia has a civilised culture because we have never had serious conflicts despite having seventy-two tribes. We always sit down to talk when we need to discuss pertinent issues. Our President is trying to remind us, as leaders and as a nation, to get back to the drawing board in case we miss out something. The future of this country and the pace at which we will drive it depends on us.

 

Sir, Zambia is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) but are we, as leaders, advocating for our children’s rights on a daily basis? The moral decay of our leaders out there has deteriorated aggressively.

 

Mr Speaker, I long for the day the girl-child will apply for a job and be employed on merit and not because someone wants her to lift up her skirt. We need to change this attitude, as a nation. The reality is that this has been happening and it continues to happen. Principles, values and ethics must be respected.

 

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I wish to support the address by His Excellency.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The Chief Whip and Acting Leader of Government Business (Mr Musukwa): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

 

Question put and agreed to.

_____

 

The House adjourned at 1901 hours until 0900 hours on Friday, 16^th June, 2017.