DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Wednesday, 26th June, 2013

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER

HARVEST PLUS ZAMBIA LUNCHEON

Mr Speaker: Permission has been granted for Harvest Plus Zambia to host a luncheon for all hon. Members of Parliament in order to give them an opportunity to sample the palatability of Vitamin-A-rich orange maize, which was officially introduced in Zambia in October, last year, by the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock. The lunch will be on Thursday, 4th July, 2013, at the National Assembly Motel, at 1230 hours. Hon. Members are urged to attend this very nutritious luncheon, …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … which will be offered on a voluntary basis.

I thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

BOREHOLES FOR SCHOOLS IN KWACHA CONSTITUENCY

608 Mr Mpundu (Kwacha) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education when the Government would sink boreholes at all the schools in Kwacha Parliamentary Constituency where water supply was erratic.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, given the currently on-going projects, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has a budgetary constraint that is stopping it from embarking on the sinking of boreholes in the schools. However, that is not to say that it does not recognise the importance of providing clean drinking water to our schools. Therefore, we hope that the project will be considered in the 2014 Budget.

I thank you, Sir.

 CONSTRUCTION OF RURAL HEALTH CENTRES IN LIUWA CONSTITUENCY

609 Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa) asked the Minister of Health when the construction of the following rural health centres in Liuwa Parliamentary Constituency would be completed:

(a) Mulinga;

(b) Mushukula;

(c) Luoke East; and

(d) Namweti.

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Chikusu): Mr Speaker, the construction of Mulinga Health Post started in 2011 on a labour-based mode, like was the case with the projects at Mushukula and Luoke East, which entailed that all building materials would be purchased centrally by the Ministry of Health in Lusaka and, thereafter, transported to the site via the provincial and district structures. The districts were expected to select the contractors, through their tender committees and the targets for the project were a health post structure, a staff house and four ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines. The status of the project is that the health post is at ring beam level, the staff house is at garble level while the construction of the VIP latrine has not yet started.

Sir, the major challenges faced in the implementation of the project were the time it took to receive and, eventually, transport the building materials to the site. Furthermore, there is inadequacy of the right type of sand, the delivered type having been wrong. The district, in conjunction with the Provincial Health Office (PHO), is working out modalities for addressing the challenges and hastening the completion of the project. The district has, actually, costed all the materials missing and the bill of quantities is with the PHO for consideration. With this intervention, we envisage the project being completed before the end of this year.

Mr Speaker, the construction of Mushukula Health Post also started in 2011 and its target was the same as the one at Mulinga. The status of the project is also that the health post is being roofed and the staff house is at garble level while construction of the VIP latrine has not yet started. The major challenge in the implementation of the project is that it took long for us to receive the necessary materials and eventually transport them to the site. The materials were also inadequate and, sometimes, the wrong type.

Mr Speaker, modalities for addressing the challenges and hastening the completion of the project are being worked out, all the missing materials have been costed and a bill of quantities is with the PHO for consideration. With that intervention, we envisage the project to be completed before the end of the year.

Mr Speaker, the situation with regard to the construction of Luoke East Health Post is the same as that of the project at Mushukula.

Mr Speaker, Namweti Health Post is funded through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Construction of the health centre commenced in 2011 and the contractor is on site. The works are expected to be finished by the end of July, 2013.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that the main cause of the delay was the fact that it took long to obtain materials and deliver them to the site. It has taken two years to finish building these small clinics, yet I did not see any budget lines in 2013 for the completion of these projects. Could the hon. Minister re-assure me and the people of Liuwa that, indeed, money is available to complete the clinics in 2013, as he has promised.

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, we confirm that, in our Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) for this year, money is available and we shall complete the project.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Mr Speaker, why has the ministry found it prudent to procure materials for Mushukula Health Post from here, in Lusaka, since that is a small project?

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, we have stated that some of the materials were inadequate. That is being addressed. The suggestion of procuring materials from here is definitely something that we can follow up.

I thank you, Sir.

CHILILALILA AIRSTRIP

610. Mr Mushanga (Bwacha) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications:

(a) when the Government would renovate the airstrip at Chililalila in Bwacha Parliamentary Constituency;

(b) how much money was required for the renovations;  and

(c) whether the Government had any plans to construct an airport in Kabwe.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications (Col. Kaunda): Mr Speaker, the Government has no plans to renovate Chililalila Airstrip, as it is not amongst the ten aerodromes, namely, Mkushi, Serenje, Mpika, Chinsali, Luwingu, Mporokoso, Isoka, Nakonde, Chama and Chadiza earmarked for renovation. The airstrip might be considered in next year’s Budget.

Mr Speaker, a feasibility study and survey will first have to be carried out before any estimates can be provided.

Sir, the Government has no plans to construct an airport in Kabwe, but will ensure that the current one is upgraded to an acceptable standard because Kabwe is among the provincial capitals with no provincial airport. There is, however, an exercise to determine the airport’s boundaries so that title deeds are obtained and a fence is erected to avoid encroachment.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Deputy Minister for including Chadiza on the list of districts that will have airstrips because I will be able to fly from here to Chadiza.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, since the villagers have encroached on the aerodrome, are they going to be compensated if they are relocated from there?

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, currently, we have a plan to have the ten aerodromes renovated. For Chadiza, if there is encroachment, we will call upon the offices of the District Commissioner and the hon. Member of Parliament to assist us in negotiating with the affected people so that we resolve the problem.

I thank you, Sir.

LIVE BROADCAST OF THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD TOURISM ORGANISING CONFERENCE

611. Mr Kapyanga (Kabwe Central) asked the Minister of Information and Broadcasting:

(a) what steps the Government had taken to ensure that the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Conference is broadcast live by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation;

(b) whether the Government had received any requests from other countries that wished to broadcast the proceedings of the conference; and

(c) if so, which countries.

The Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting (Mr Kapeya): Mr Speaker, the Government has established a Sub-Committee on Information, Communication and Publicity, under the National Organising Committee (NOC), which the ministry is co-ordinating. The Sub-Committee has developed a framework to guide the publicity campaign and all media-related activities.

Sir, since this event is a joint effort between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the two Governments have agreed to simultaneously broadcast it on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). Therefore, the ZNBC will broadcast live the opening of the proceedings of the UNWTO Conference.

Mr Speaker, the Government has not yet received any requests from other countries wishing to broadcast the proceedings of the conference. However, the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) is ready to accredit any news organisation that will request permission to cover the proceedings from the Zambian side. The accreditation can be done online on the UNWTO website or on entry at the airport or border in Livingstone.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, how will the people of Kabwe District and, in particular, Kabwe Central Constituency, benefit from this conference?

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I have not understood the question from the hon. Member for Kabwe Central. I am not sure whether he means benefits from attending the conference or from its coverage.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kapyanga: Mr Speaker, what value will the conference add to the people of Kabwe, especially those in Kabwe Central Constituency?

Hon. Opposition Members: No value.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I now get the point. Since the Ministry of Tourism and Art is organising the conference, I think that it is the right ministry to direct that question to.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Opposition Members: No value.

Mr Mucheleka (Lubansenshi): Mr Speaker, I am aware that the ZNBC has serious financial inadequacies. Is there a specific budget line through which money will be channelled to the corporation to enable it to broadcast the proceedings of the conference?

Mr Kapeya: Mr Speaker, I am sure that the hon. Member is aware that we approved the budget for this conference.

I thank you, Sir.

KAPUTA DISTRICT HOSPITAL

612. Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Health:

(a) whether the health facility in Kaputa District had been recognised as a district hospital by the Government;

(b) if so, why Kaputa District Hospital was allocated medical supplies equivalent to that of a rural health centre; and

(c) when it would begin to receive medical supplies befitting a district hospital.

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health has a facility in Kaputa which is recognised by the Government as Kaputa District Hospital, whose infrastructure was upgraded recently to enable it to offer services befitting a first-level hospital.

Sir, Kaputa District Hospital receives medical supplies befitting a first-level hospital. In addition to medical supplies, it also receives a monthly grant of KR30,200.

Mr Speaker, as indicated in (b) above, the hospital is already receiving supplies befitting a district hospital since that is its status.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

COMMUNICATION TOWERS AND ROADS FOR SESHEKE

613. Mr Sianga (Sesheke) asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications:

(a) when the Government would facilitate the construction of communication towers in the following areas in Sesheke Parliamentary Constituency:

(i) Imusho Ward;

(ii) Mazaba;

(iii) Njoko;

(iv) Lumbe;

(v) Lwampungu Ward ; and

(vi) Nsoso; and

(b) whether the Government had any plans to construct a road from Sesheke Boma to Imusho and Lwampungu wards.

Col. Kaunda: Mr Speaker, the indicated areas were not on the initial list of areas that were surveyed in 2012 for the erection of communication towers. Therefore, in order to facilitate programming for the provision of the towers and equipment, surveys will be conducted in the third quarter of 2013. The objective is to have countrywide coverage by 2015.

Sir, the Government has no immediate plans to construct a road from Sesheke Boma to Imusho and Lwampungu wards, since it was not budgeted for in 2013. However, it will be considered in the 2014 Budget.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, the questions about communication towers, particularly for rural constituencies like ours, keep coming up in this House. I would like to take advantage of this question to ask the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications to briefly give us the policy direction of his Government on this matter. I ask for that because we were told, earlier, that the project would be implemented through chiefdoms, but it now seems that it is being implemented everywhere else.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the Government will soon be rolling out about 169 towers across the country through the chiefdoms that were surveyed. The information that we currently have is based on a survey that was conducted. The procurement processes are on-going and the tenders will be closed on 5th July, 2013. We will only be able to start construction works following the closure and evaluation of the tenders. So, you will see a lot of construction works. However, there is a lot of work that has already been done.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mweetwa: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to raise this very important point of order bordering on serious national interest.

Sir, in today’s Daily Nation newspaper, there is a headline that says, "Scott Quizzed over Contracts”. The story, in summation, is that there is rampant abuse of office and acts of corruption at the Lusaka City Council (LCC), a council that is wholly controlled by the Patriotic Front (PF). In the story, there are various hair-raising allegations about which many people would like to have explanations from this PF Government.

Mr Speaker, one paragraph reads:

“Lusaka City councillors have formed companies which are now being used to award contracts by the council.”

Another paragraph says:

“According to documentation given to the Daily Nation, PF councillors have registered various construction companies and were awarding themselves contracts for the supply of various goods and services.”

Hon. Opposition Members: Sure?

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, another paragraph states that workers at the LCC told the newspaper that there were many irregularities at the council, bordering on abuse of office and corruption with respect to contracts being awarded to councillors. His Honour the Vice-President should explain that to the people of Zambia. Only yesterday, people were convicted on charges of corruption, a scourge that, when reported, generates national interest. Is the PF Government, which came to power on the orchestration of an impression of being capable of genuinely fighting corruption, in order to remain mute when there are such hair-raising allegations at the LCC, which is wholly controlled the Ruling Party?

Sir, the allegations are that some of the acts of corruption taking place are, actually, in committees of which His Honour, Dr Guy Scott, the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia and the PF, is a member.

Mr Mweetwa laid the paper on the Table.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order!

My ruling is that the hon. Member for Choma Central should file a question on that matter.

The hon. Member for Senanga may proceed.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, I think that the hon. Minister for the Western Province, Mr Mwaliteta, will bear witness to the serious suffering of the people of Imusho.

When your Committee on Agriculture travelled to Imusho, Sir, it had to go through Namibia. Does the hon. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications not think it urgent for the people of Imusho to have a road connecting Imusho to Sesheke?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the PF Government is committed to improving the livelihood of the people. When it comes to road transport, therefore, we will do everything we can to ensure that our people have the very best. We will send our engineers to see how best we can execute this task and provide the services that are required.

Mr Speaker, I thank you. {mospagebreak}

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi): Mr Speaker, communication towers are a concern in every constituency. Fortunately, the hon. Minister has given us the number of towers to be erected. Would it not be wise for him to avail the list of sites where the towers will be erected so that we can avoid some of the questions being asked?

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, the list was circulated last year. After the procurement process has been completed, all stakeholders will be availed a copy of the final list.

I thank you, Sir.

ELECTRICITY AND DAMS FOR DUNDUMWEZI CONSTITUENCY

614. Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi) asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development:

(a) when the Government would connect the following institutions in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency to the national electricity grid:

(i) Mubanga High School;

(ii) Jonathan Sim Chikanta High School;

(iii) Chilala Zonal Clinic; and

(iv) Chief Chikanta’s Palace;

(b) what the cost of connecting the institutions to the national grid would be;

(c) whether the Government had any plans to construct dams in the following areas of the Constituency:

(i) Mutwe Muntu in Bbilili Ward;

(ii) Jongolo on Kasukwe Ward;

(iii) Chikanta Resettlement Scheme; and

(iv) Nkandazovu in Omba Ward.

 The Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development (Mr Yaluma): Mr Speaker, according to the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP), the electrification of the mentioned public facilities in Dundumwezi Parliamentary Constituency is scheduled for 2013. However, this will not be done due to limited funds for the feasibility studies required to establish the actual scope and cost of setting up a new sub-station and associated distribution lines required for connecting the facilities to the national grid.

Mr Speaker, the cost of connecting these public facilities to the national grid will be known once feasibility studies for setting up the new sub-station and associated lines are carried out. The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) plans to carry out the feasibility studies for establishing the scope and cost of the project by December, 2013. The subsequent implementation of the project will be subject to the availability of funds.

Mr Speaker, the constituency already has eight dams distributed as follows:

 Ward     Number of Dams

Omba  3

Kasukwe 1

Naluja 1

Bbilili 2

Chikanta 1

Total 8

Mr Speaker, for that reason, the Government has no immediate plans to construct dams on the sites referred to in Dundumwezi Constituency. However, it will, through the Department of Water Affairs, inspect the sites in order to ascertain their feasibility and viability as potential dam sites.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mweetwa: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mweetwa: Mr Speaker, I thank you, once again, for giving me the opportunity to raise another point of order.  I consider this one to be an extremely important procedural point of order.

Mr Speaker, when Committees of Parliament conduct the Business of the House, they are referred to as miniature Parliaments, meaning that they are extensions of this House. Therefore, they are guided by some rules, regulations and standard practices.

Mr Speaker, I know too well that, when witnesses are called to appear before your Committees, the Committees’ observations and recommendations are not made known to them, but reported to the House and you, Sir. I am also aware that, regardless of their position, your Committees do not take the opportunity to side with witnesses.

Mr Speaker, yesterday, during the Main News on ZNBC Television, we saw members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) differ publicly in the presence of witnesses. When one member of your Committee suggested to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary that the ZNBC needed to improve its news content, there was an instant reaction from another member, who stated that only those members who chose to watch the DSTV reality show, Big Brother, rather than the ZNBC, could dispute the fact that the ZNBC had improved its content, a comment that I find derogatory and demeaning to your members. Another member of your Committee went ahead to side with the witnesses that had been summoned to appear before your Committee to clarify certain financial irregularities by stating that:

“We, the Public Accounts Committee, are with you. Continue what you are doing.”

Sir, siding with witnesses in that manner is, actually, construed by viewers to have been a result of the members’ pursuit of partisan interests.

Mr Speaker, are PAC and its members in order to conduct themselves in such a manner when they are representing you and this House?

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that, in light of the various factual allegations that you have made, it is necessary that I investigate this matter and, in due course, make an informed ruling. For that reason, my ruling is reserved.

Mr Sing’ombe: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister aware that the PF Government, through His Honour the Vice-President and the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, mocked His Royal Highness, Chief Chikanta, and the entire chiefdom by donating two fridges in an area where there was no electricity?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I am not aware of that.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister, in responding to the question at (c), said that there are three dams in Omba Ward. What are their names?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I do not know the names of these dams in Omba Ward. I only know that they are three. I have the information here.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has said there is no allocation of funds, this year, to electrify the mentioned institutions. Is he aware that, in 2010, the Government sent CD4 Count Machines, Full Blood Count Machines and Ultra-sound Machines to Chilala Referral Centre, where there is no power? If he is, what immediate measures is the Government putting in place to ensure that these expensive machines are utilised in Chilala?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I know that a need for electricity has been identified at that referral health centre. However, we can only do something about it if it is brought forward by the hon. Member of Parliament. We are going to look into it. However, there are many alternative sources of supply that could have been used. We could have been running that equipment using a generator or solar power. In the absence of that information, however, we could not know.

Sir, I have taken note of the hon. Member’s serious comment and I will look into it

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has said he has the answers given to him, which indicate that there are three dams in Omba Ward.

Ms Kalima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order, which is procedural.

Mr Speaker: It ought to be.

Laughter

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, hon. Members have risen on several points of order and, yesterday, Hon. Nkombo and many others, including I, did so. Today, there was a point of order and, in your ruling, you have urged us to raise questions.

Sir, is this House in order to keep quiet and not call for training of hon. Members on how to raise points of order? It is clear from your ruling that hon. Members do not understand how they are supposed to raise points of order.

Mr Speaker, I need your serious ruling.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

This subject has been constantly and consistently addressed by me. In this regard, I have repeatedly issued a circular on points of order. I would have imagined that, since we are in our second year, this matter would have been fairly understood by all and sundry. Perhaps, I was overly optimistic that this would be so. I would also like to invite the leaders of political parties to assist me to orient new hon. Members of Parliament, like me, in understanding what a point of order is all about.

To sum it up, a point of order is a fairly comprehensible issue. It is supposed to be raised on occasional instances when there has been a breach of the rules of the House. We have what I may call, for ease of understanding, an internal constitution, the Standing Orders. I invite those of you who may not have a copy of the Standing Orders to request the Clerk of the National Assembly and they will be availed to you at no cost, including the Members’ Handbook, which also addresses the subject of points of order. If you still encounter difficulties in comprehending the subject, please, advise the Clerk of the National Assembly so that we can consider putting in place appropriate remedial measures. It is very important that we understand this subject.

Like I said yesterday, I will be extremely reluctant to allow sundry subjects to be raised via points of order because they are misplaced. I have repeatedly assured the House that we can process urgent questions with dispatch and I expect those concerns to come through that way. So, for those of you who may have elected to use points of order as opportunities to raise subjects that are not on the order of proceedings, I am afraid, the curtains have been closed.

The hon. Member for Kalomo Central may continue.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I was saying that the hon. Minister has been referring to a paper that claims that there are three dams in Omba Ward. The facts on the ground are that there is no dam in the area. You will remember that the hon. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock toured Nkandazovu and clearly stated, in this House, the problem that he found in the area. There was no water for both animals and people. He even appealed to the Government to make water available in that area. Now that the hon. Minister has heard that there is no dam in Omba Ward, is it not important for him to clarify the truth between what has been stated on the slip of paper, which is a lie, and what has been stated by the hon. Member of Parliament who asked the question and the hon. Deputy Minister?

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member for Kalomo Central, could you withdraw that allegation that the hon. Minister’s statement is a lie because yours is merely an allegation.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, perhaps, I can replace the word ‘lie’ with ‘incorrect information’.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I take note of the submission by the hon. Member of Parliament for Kalomo Central as well as the previous submissions. All I am saying is that, as far as I am concerned, and based on the information available to me, the data I have given is correct.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the projects mentioned in the question were supposed to be worked on in 2013, but will not because of inadequate funds. Therefore, is it useful to have a master plan for rural electrification?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, according to my understanding, a master plan is not set in concrete. It is always reviewed and amendments can be made to it. So, we revise the master plan for rural electrification as we go on.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamudulu (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has stated that the connection of power to these institutions is subject to availability of funds, which is understandable. However, considering that Mubanga High School and Jonathan Sim Chikanta High School are boarding schools, would the Government not want to consider this matter as urgent and see how it can expedite the connection of power to the schools?

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I do not think, in any way, we would go ahead and fast-track the electrification of these schools without putting in place the necessary infrastructure or backbone to connect to the national grid. Such projects are very costly and we have to plan for the funding for that. When the time is appropriate and there is justification to develop the backbone infrastructure in the area, we will do exactly that. We will conduct the feasibility studies by the end of this year. That will indicate how much it is going to cost as well as whether that justifies the connection of these institutions to the national grid at that cost.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kazonga (Vubwi): Mr Speaker, I keenly followed the response and supplementary questions regarding Nkandazovu, and the hon. Minister stated that there are three dams in the area. The hon. Member of Parliament who raised the question and hon. Members of Parliament who are familiar with the area insist that there are no dams there. Is it not appropriate for the Government to consider revisiting this issue by confirming the presence or absence of these three dams and, possibly, come back to the House at a later stage?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, firstly, can I make a correction here. I did not mention anything about dams in Nkandazovu, but in Omba Ward.

Interruptions

Mr Yaluma: Nkandazovu is in Omba?

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Let us have order here!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, you can only speak through the Speaker.

Mr Yaluma: Mr Speaker, I am being educated here by the right names. I will send some people to verify this matter.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

SOLAR ENERGY FOR KABOMPO WEST CONSTITUENCY

615. Mr Lufuma asked the Minister of Health when the Government would provide solar energy to the following rural health centres in Kabompo West Constituency:

(a) Mumbeji;

(b) Kabulamema;

(c) Ndungo;

(d) Chikenge;

(e) Chifuwe South;

(f) Litoya;

(g) Chikokwelo; and

(h) Kayombo.

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, it is the Government’s policy to provide some form of energy for all health facilities, including rural health centres in Kabompo West Parliamentary Constituency. As soon as funds are available, the above-mentioned rural health centres will be provided with solar power energy.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, I get some consolation when our colleagues across say that, as soon as funds are available, some project will be implemented. Now that subsidies on maize and fuel have been removed, and, therefore, money is plenty, how soon is the hon. Minister’s ‘soon’?

Laughter

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the funds that will be saved from the removal of subsidies will go towards the improvement of health services and other related issues that need to be resolved. I, therefore, think that the soon we are talking about is this year.

Thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, …

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I rise on a procedural point of order.

Historically, Sir, this House used to sit in the morning. That was a long time ago. Some hon. Members are looking at me with surprise. Later, the time was changed to the afternoons to allow hon. Ministers to attend to their busy schedules in the morning and be available in the House when questions are asked. We know that hon. Ministers can move from one ministry to another. As I speak, out of twenty hon. Ministers, only six are present in the House. Earlier, they were only four. Surely, would it not be in order that hon. Ministers are told the importance of their attendance of Parliamentary sessions so that they understand the questions, especially that Cabinet works collectively?

 I seek your ruling, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I have ruled on this subject before and my ruling has been that every hon. Member of Parliament is required, nay, expected to be present at every sitting. That is the general rule, without exception as to whether you are on the left or the right. I also received notification this morning which, unfortunately, I do not have a copy of before me, advising me about the absence of certain hon. Ministers, I emphasise, about the absence of certain hon. Ministers. I cannot recall, off-the-cuff, who those hon. Ministers are but, if there are any who are not on that list, yet absent from here, I would like to restate what I have said before: The business of Parliament does, of course, take precedence when those hon. Ministers are not engaged in any other official duties or commitments. I hope, in that regard, I will be assisted, as usual, by the Chief Whip.

 That is my ruling.

Hon. Member for Mazabuka Central, you may proceed.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Kabompo West was consoled by the fact that the hon. Minister indicated that the rural health centres in his constituency would be serviced as and when funds are available. Does the hon. Minister know that availability of funds is subject to the funds having been budgeted for? If he knows that, does the PF Government intend, sometime in the future, whether in next year’s annual Budget, the next three-year Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) or, indeed, the five-year national development plan for Zambia, to factor in the electrification of Mumbeji? It is not sufficient to just tell me that, ‘as and when funds are available,’ this or that project will be implemented because that might be in the next century. Does he have a plan to put these activities in the annual Budget, the MTEF or five-year national development plan?

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the answer is very straightforward. As soon as funds are available in the current Budget, we shall service this area.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Miyanda: Mr Speaker, while we are all saying, in this House, that we need to promote the use of solar energy, I would like to find out the lifespan of solar kits.

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, how long the solar panels last is beyond our determination. However, that is something on which the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development should be able to guide us.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Antonio (Kaoma Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister is aware that some drugs need to be refrigerated. Therefore, what is the position of the ministry on such drugs in areas where refrigeration facilities are not available?

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the ministry is aware of drugs that require refrigeration. It is, therefore, upon this basis that it has started ensuring that energy is made available at various health centres so that drugs which require refrigeration are refrigerated. Currently, the practice is that drugs that require refrigeration, such as vaccines, are specifically delivered in a cold chain system. As soon as a health centre has energy facilities, specific refrigeration is put in place.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, is there any plan that shows the prioritisation of the eight health centres in Kabompo West so that, once funds are available, that priority list is followed?

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the plans come from districts. By mentioning the health centres, we are indicating that there is a priority plan. We cannot just be mentioning things that are not planned for.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister has been very clear in assuring us that the health centres shall be electrified within this Budget. We have only three months before the current Budget cycle expires. Could he confirm whether, indeed, the health centres are on his budget, as stated.

Hon. UPND Member: If so, where?

Mr Muntanga: I need to know because I did not see them in the Yellow Book.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for that observation. The answer was meant to be that the projects would be factored ‘in the next Budget.’ We shall consider them then.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Muntanga: Now, which is the correct answer?

Mr Speaker: Next question.

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: There is no other supplementary question.
 
ARRESTED FOREIGNERS

616. Mr Matafwali (Bangweulu) asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

(a) how many foreign nationals were arrested for the following offences, from January, 2011, to March, 2013, year by year:

 (i) human trafficking;

 (ii) drug trafficking;

(iii) ritual killings; and

(iv) armed robbery; and

(b) from which countries the foreigners arrested, if any, were.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Chilangwa): Mr Speaker, the following are the numbers of foreigners arrested for the mentioned offences, year by year:

 Year Human  Drug Trafficking Armed Robbery Ritual Murder
  Trafficking

2011 160 111 3 ---

2012  39 107 7 ---

2013 233  35 --- ---

 Total 432 253 10 ---

Mr Speaker, no foreigners were arrested for ritual murders during the specified period.

Mr Speaker, most of the offenders arrested were from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Pakistan, India, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Matafwali: Mr Speaker, what measures is the Government putting in place to eliminate these vices?

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, the PF Government is determined to eradicate all these vices and has come up with measures to address them, including the retraining of our law enforcement officers. As you know, some of the offences are new to our country and very complicated, for example, human and drug trafficking. Further, we are equipping and re-arming our officers so that they are able to deal with issues like armed robbery. I can inform the House and the hon. Member that the measures we have put in place are paying dividends. You have noticed, from recent press reports, that the Mailoni Brothers, who had been terrorising our people in Mkushi, have been dealt with. That is because we are working round the clock to ensure that Zambians are safe and secure.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Namugala (Mafinga): Mr Speaker, if I heard the hon. Minister correctly, he said that 233 foreign nationals were arrested for human trafficking. What is the dominant nationality involved in human trafficking and the gender that is the most trafficked?

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, the dominant nationality involved in human trafficking is Ethiopian and females are the most trafficked.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kalila: Mr Speaker, I have never been convinced of the ability of our police force to deal with sophisticated crime and have spoken about that on the Floor of this House before. It took our gallant men and women in the Defence Force to bring the Mailoni Brothers to book.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has told us that there have been no arrests relating to ritual killings in the last three years. However, I am sure that hon. Members recall that it has been more than a year since we had the brutal and horrifying killing of one Ruth Mbandu, which shocked the nation, yet there has been silence over the matter.

Interruptions

Dr Kalila: Mr Speaker, I need protection.

Mr Speaker: Order!

You are on the Floor.

Dr Kalila: Mr Speaker, crime, whether committed by foreigners or Zambians, is still an affront to society and we deserve to be protected. The nation needs to know how far the police investigations into the murder of Ruth Mbandu have gone. Can the hon. Minister shed light on that issue.

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, it is not my fault or problem that some hon. Members do not believe that the police is dealing with the issues that have been raised.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, the Mailoni Brothers were killed by a combined team of police and military personnel. Going back to the question asked by Hon. Matafwali, the information sought was on how many foreign nationals were arrested while the one by Hon. Dr Kalila is about ritual killings by Zambians. Therefore, the one from Hon. Dr Kalila is a new question.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, since the hon. Minister has said that the Government is doing something to ensure that the Zambia Police Force is effective and understands human trafficking, how many officers have been trained to handle human trafficking offences?

Mr Chilangwa: Mr Speaker, I am not an encyclopaedia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

Mr Chilangwa: That is a new question and the hon. Member would do well to put it in writing.

I thank you, Sir.

VETERINARY SERVICES FOR NCHELENGE DISTRICT

617. Mr Mpundu asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock when the Government would provide veterinary services in Nchelenge District.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Kazabu): Mr Speaker, veterinary services are provided in Nchelenge District, through the District Livestock Office and three veterinary camps. The services provided include disease monitoring, surveillance and control, through vaccinations against diseases like rabies and black leg.

Mr Speaker, the three veterinary camps in the district, namely, Mulundu, Central Nchelenge and South Nchelenge, are manned by one Veterinary Assistant each. A District Veterinary Officer and a Veterinary Assistant will be employed in July, 2013.

I thank you, Sir.

LIBONDA HIGH SCHOOL

618. Dr Musokotwane asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a) when the construction of Libonda High School in Liuwa Parliamentary Constituency would be completed; and

(b) what had  caused the delay in completing the construction of the school.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the construction of Libonda High School started in 2012 at a contract sum of KR36 million. As at December, 2012, KR14.9 million had been released.

Sir, some of the challenges that we have encountered in the construction of the school have to do with the transportation of building materials, delayed payments and inadequate land.

Mr Speaker, as regards transportation, most of the materials are transported through waterways and, as we are aware, part of the area gets flooded for a quarter of the year. So, obviously, that affects the construction pace. When it is flooded, heavy materials like cement are not transported in the quantities required. In terms of land, the area where Libonda High School is being constructed is not adequate and that has caused the ministry to review the plans for the school so that double-storey buildings are constructed. Further, the delayed payments have also contributed to the delayed completion of the school. We have about eighty-three secondary schools under construction, which are insufficiently funded.

Mr Speaker, because of all the factors that I have mentioned, that school will be delayed for not less than a year.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, actually, the contractors have abandoned the site. Can the hon. Minister confirm that the Government has no intention of completing the school because the explanation that he has given is not satisfactory. Everyone in the Western Province knows that the time for moving heavy material is, actually, when it is flooded because it is then easy to do so, and all the contractors in the province prefer to move heavy materials like cement and stones during the flooded season. The waterways are, actually, open throughout the year and the school is right on the banks of the Zambezi River. Regarding the issue of inadequate land, as far as I know, the school was already planned to have double-storey structures. So, can the hon. Minister openly state that the Government has no interest in completing the school because the reasons that he has advanced are not valid.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, I do not agree with what Hon. Dr Musokotwane is saying. We are committed to the completion of this project. However, as he is aware, we are constructing Kalabo Trades Institute and, if he were to interview the contractor, he would be told that transporting heavy materials through the waterways has affected the pace at which the institution is being constructed.

Sir, in short, we are committed, but limited by the factors that I mentioned above.

 As regards land size, Sir, the initial plans were not for two-storey buildings. However, after the realisation that the land was not adequate, the ministry decided to review them. So, those are the factors that have affected the construction. We, as a Government, are committed to completing that secondary school.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, I believe that the hon. Minister said that the Government is committed to completing the project. However, I want him to clarify his statement that this project would be delayed for not less than a year. When something delays for not less than a year, it might be for ten years or more. He is talking about “delay for not less than,” and this is the minimum delay. What is the maximum delay?

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: This statement is open-ended, and I am inclined to believe the hon. Member of Parliament for Liuwa when he says that the Government is not interested in completing the project.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, everything being equal, the construction of that school is expected to be completed in 2014.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I am sure, that is a precise response.

Mr Muntanga: Yes. That is better.

DISMISSALS AT KONKOLA COPPER MINES

619. Mr Chishimba (Kamfinsa) asked the Minister of Labour and Social Security:

(a) what led to the dismissal of eleven senior managers at Konkola Copper Mines in Chingola in March, 2013;

(b) whether the dismissal of the managers was in accordance with the Zambian labour laws; and

(c) whether the replacement of the dismissed managers by expatriates was done in accordance with the Zambian labour laws on recruitment of expatriates.

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security (Mr Mbulu):  Mr Speaker, this case is in the courts of law. Therefore, the ministry is constrained to comment on it, as doing so would be prejudicial to the court process.

I thank you, Sir.

PRISON WARDERS

620. Mr Bwalya asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

(a) how many prison warders were recruited countrywide from 2010 to 2012, year by year; and

(b) how many prisons, countrywide, had capacity building programmes conducted for officers during the period at (a).

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mrs Mwamba): Mr Speaker, 878 prison warders and officers were recruited countrywide between 2010 and 2012. In 2010, 278 officers were recruited while 600 were recruited in 2012, of which twenty were cadets and 580 were prison warders. There was no recruitment in 2011.

Sir, during the period in question, the number of prisons countrywide that had capacity building programmes for their staff were twenty-three in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and seventeen in 2012.

Mr Speaker, most of the prisons conducted capacity building programmes for their staff in the following fields:

(a) Environmental Health;

(b) Marketing and Economics;

(c) IT and Library Studies;

(d) Purchasing and Supply;

(e) Agriculture;

(f) Electrical and Civil Engineering;

(g) Veterinary and General Medicine;

(h) Agricultural Business Management;

(i) Law;

(j) Pharmacology;

(k) Automotive Mechanics;

(l) Nursing;

(m) Agricultural Sciences; and

(n) Entrepreneurship.

I thank you, Sir.

__________

MOTIONS

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES

Mr Pande (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Information and Broadcasting Services, for the Second Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 10th June, 2013.

Mr Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

Mr Mumba (Mambilima): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order No. 157 (1) and your Committee’s programme of work, your Committee considered the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Digital Switch-Over.

Sir, as you may already be aware, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has set 2015 as the global deadline for digital migration from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting. To ensure a smooth transition, the SADC Region set 31st December, 2013, as its deadline for the switch-over in order to ensure that all related challenges are overcome before the global deadline.

Mr Speaker, during the First Session of the Eleventh National Assembly, your Committee toured selected media houses to familiarise itself with their operations. It was during those tours that stakeholders raised concerns regarding the Digital Migration Programme. They submitted that, in the SADC Region, some member States, such as South Africa and Tanzania, had already started test transmissions and were more than halfway through with the implementation stage of the switch-over. However, in Zambia, it appeared that nothing much had been done to meet the 2013 SADC switch-over deadline.

Mr Speaker, premised on the above, your Committee interacted with several stakeholders, who tendered both written and oral submissions before it. To further appreciate the progress that had been made by SADC member States, your Committee undertook a study tour to Windhoek, Namibia, from 21st to 27th April, 2013. The tour provided an opportunity for your Committee to benchmark Zambia’s preparedness in meeting the regional deadline.

Sir, considering that hon. Members have read the report, I will only highlight a few salient issues that emanated from your Committee’s interaction with the stakeholders, as well as its findings during the foreign tour.

Mr Speaker, during its deliberations, almost all the stakeholders submitted that Zambia was not going to meet the regional deadline because of the pace at which key issues were being addressed in the nation. The process of formulating a policy before floating the tender was ignored and the absence of a Digital Terrestrial Television Policy could result in the violation of various sections of media, competition and economic empowerment laws, namely, the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act, the Information and Communication Technology Act, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Act, the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act and the Consumer Protection and Competition Act.

In that regard, Sir, your Committee recommends that the Government formulates a policy and revises pieces of legislation that will guide the Digital Terrestrial Television Implementation Programme. The process of policy formulation, though a function of the Government, should be in consultation with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that all positive views are taken on board.

Mr Speaker, your Committee also observes, with concern, that one of the critical components for the migration, the Set-top Box (STB), is not yet available in Zambia. As you may already know, most Zambians may not afford to purchase digital television sets because they are very expensive. In order to carry all Zambians on board, there is a need for them to purchase STBs, which will convert the digital signal to analogue signal. The boxes will be installed in analogue television sets. That means that every analogue television set will require an STB in order to access the television signal.

Sir, your Committee is saddened that, despite the importance of STBs in the Digital Terrestrial Television Implementation Programme, the Government has, to date, not identified the supplier and distributor of this important gadget. It further notes that the cost of STBs is likely to deter average citizens, especially those in rural communities, from purchasing the device because most of them would not afford it. As a result, there is a looming danger of people being robbed of access to television services. Your Committee believes that denying citizens access to information is a recipe for further poverty and marginalisation. The device should, therefore, be reasonably priced. In view of the foregoing, your Committee implores the Government to quickly identify the supplier of STBs.

Sir, your Committee also strongly recommends that the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) be the distributor of STBs to protect consumers from buying counterfeit products. It further recommends that the Government waives duty on STBs to make them affordable to every citizen. The Government should also ensure that proper monitoring mechanisms are in place so that the country is not turned into a dumping site for cheap analogue television sets and STBs.

Mr Speaker, your Committee also observes that the resolution for countries to move to digital broadcasting was made in 2006. Six years down the line, nothing much has been done. Regrettably, during deliberations, almost all stakeholders submitted that inadequate funding has also contributed to the slow pace at which the programme is being implemented. Therefore, your Committee recommends that the Government allocates and disburses adequate resources to the programme on time if the country is to attain the 2015 ITU and 2013 SADC deadlines.

Sir, your Committee has concerns on the proposal that the ZNBC should be the sole carrier of carriers for fear of censorship and sabotage. For example, if a programme being aired by a private broadcaster were perceived to be against Government policies, the Government could interfere with the programme and claim that the interruption was caused by a technical fault. Your Committee further notes that the decision to have the ZNBC as a single distributor was made without extensive consultations with all stakeholders. As you may be aware, most of the Government infrastructure is in a deplorable state. As a result, your Committee wonders how the Government is going to maintain its infrastructure this time around. While your Committee supports the idea that the ZNBC should be the carrier of carriers, it also recommends that a provision to also have an independent distributor be put in place in order to allay the fears of censorship and sabotage.

Sir, your Committee believes that the programme can be properly implemented under a well-defined organisational structure, which is missing in the Zambian case. The Zambian model has a taskforce comprising members who are mostly departmental heads in busy organisations and Government departments, such that they have very little time to dedicate to the demanding calls of the project. There is no active stratum below the taskforce to co-ordinate all necessary activities.

Sir, your Committee further notes that, in Namibia, a specific Ministry of Information and Communications Technology has been mandated to supervise the ICT sector in the country. On the contrary, in Zambia, the ICT sector falls under the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications, which has the too-broad mandate of overseeing the very critical sector in the country in addition to other equally critical sectors in its ambit. In fact, one could even say that it is seemingly overloaded. As a result, the supervision of the digital terrestrial television programme has been poor. Hence, the slow pace at which it is being implemented. 

Sir, in view of the foregoing, your Committee strongly recommends that the Department of Communications in the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications be transferred to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in order for the terrestrial television sector to be more effective and receive the attention it deserves. The ministry will further lay the foundation for the accelerated use and development of information and communication technology in the country and co-ordinate information management with the Government.

Mr Speaker, may I conclude by taking this opportunity, on behalf of the members of your Committee, to thank you, for the guidance provided to your Committee during the session. May I also thank all the stakeholders who appeared before your Committee and, lastly, but not the least, the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the unwavering support they continued to render to your Committee.

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

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

Mr Mumba: Now, Mr Speaker.

Sir, thank you for affording me the opportunity to second this important Motion to adopt the Report of the Committee on Information and Broadcasting Services, which is on the Floor of the House.

Sir, allow me to also thank the mover of the Motion and Chairperson of your Committee, Hon. Kabinga J. Pande, MP, for the able manner in which he presided over your Committee’s deliberations and the way he has highlighted the pertinent issues raised in your Committee’s report.

Sir, in seconding your Committee’s report, I would like to state, from the outset, that I will only comment on the issues that I feel deserve the Government’s urgent attention.

Sir, your Committee is concerned about the scanty nature of the information regarding the migration from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting.

Sir, a research conducted by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) revealed that very few people know what migration from analogue to digital broadcasting entails. This is so because the Government or the institution charged with the responsibility of sensitising the people on the pending migration have not done enough. It is your Committee’s considered view that people need to know when the migration will commence, how it is going to affect them and the advantages of switching to digital broadcasting. Further, people need to have adequate information on the STB, its function as well as where to purchase it from. In the absence of adequate information, …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.
                                                       
[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Mumba: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that, in the absence of adequate information relating to digital terrestrial television broadcasting, your Committee believes that it would be unfair for the country to switch to digital broadcasting when people barely know what is involved. In view of the foregoing, your Committee implores the Government to embark on a vigorous sensitisation campaign to ensure that all stakeholders receive adequate information on the pending migration. The Government should also publish information about the programme in all major local languages. Further, community radio stations should be involved in disseminating information to all parts of the country.

Mr Speaker, despite the country drawing closer to the regional as well as international implementation deadlines, the Government has not put in place a master plan or one-stop user-friendly centre where technical challenges or regulatory and teething problems for both broadcasters and individuals can be addressed. In view of the foregoing, your Committee recommends that the Government puts in place a communications centre where all information regarding migration challenges will be addressed.

Mr Speaker, as the House is already aware, in 2006, the ITU held a Regional Radio Communication Conference (RRCC) 06, at which it was agreed that all countries should migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015. Regrettably, your Committee observes, with concern, that, currently, none of our training institutions have produced students with the skills in digital broadcasting, despite the announcement having been made in 2006. Worse still, training institutions are still in the process of reviewing their curricular in broadcasting with a view to training a cadre of students who will be equal to the challenge of digital broadcasting. It is also saddening to note that, despite being behind schedule in training digital broadcasters, there is a lack of adequate funding to help training institutions acquire suitable training equipment.

Mr Speaker, your Committee was further taken aback at the lack of capacity of trainers in digital broadcasting in colleges and universities and is aware that digital broadcasting is a relatively new phenomenon, and that most trainers were trained on analogue equipment. As a result, the absence of qualified trainers in digital broadcasting has also contributed to the delay in the commencement of digital media training in our colleges and universities. Further, digital broadcasting is an expensive undertaking that requires a complete overhaul of broadcasting equipment for both television and radio systems. Therefore, institutions mandated by the Government to train journalists need to have modern equipment to graduate students with the skills necessary for digital broadcasting. In view of the foregoing, your Committee recommends that training institutions be compelled to revise their curricular in order to respond to the changes in the broadcasting environment. The Government should further disburse funds on time and construct laboratories that can be used by students during their training. Adequate funding will enable training institutions to purchase training equipment, and facilitate human resource development in the field of digital broadcasting.

Sir, allow me, as I conclude, to briefly comment on electronic waste management, which has been appearing in the Action-Taken Report for some time now. Your Committee observes that there will be an increase in electronic waste, which will result from the replacement of old analogue broadcasting equipment with digital ones. Currently, as you may be aware, the broadcasting equipment being used is analogue and will, obviously, become obsolete when the switch-over is done

Mr Speaker, as a scientist, I am aware that most electronic devices contain materials that are hazardous to human beings and the environment. In this regard, if the use of proper disposal methods is not employed, the toxic components may pose a danger to both human beings and the environment. In view of the foregoing, your Committee recommends that the Government puts in place mechanisms for managing e-waste in order to protect the environment as well as the people. Drawing lessons from Namibia, which has created an enabling environment for companies that are in electronic waste management, through tax wavers, the Government should also incentivise companies that would like to deal in e-waste management, through tax incentives.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I am grateful to you, Hon. Mr Speaker, for the guidance rendered during the session. Your Committee is also grateful to the witnesses who tendered both written and oral submissions before it. I further wish to extend your Committee’s appreciation to the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the invaluable support they rendered to your Committee during the session. Lastly, but not the least, my sincere gratitude goes to the Zambian High Commissioner to Namibia, Her Excellency Mrs Wendy Sinkala, and her staff as well as the Parliament of Namibia for the excellent hospitality rendered to members of your Committee during their stay in Namibia. With these few remarks, I beg to second.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Prof Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for affording me this opportunity to make some comments on your report, which is very important for our development, as a nation, and which I totally support.

Sir, your report challenges Zambia to speed up the digital terrestrial migration process. Allow me to give a little history.

Sir, the effort towards digital migration started in 2010 when, in August, a taskforce to spearhead the project was put in place and tasked to do a number of activities. Principal among the various activities was the development of a national policy on digital migration as well as sensitisation of the public on what the project entailed. The taskforce has now been sitting for more than two years yet, as we are told by your report, no national policy on digital migration has, so far, been developed. That is extremely unfortunate and taking the country backwards.

Mr Speaker, the question that should be exercising our minds is: What, exactly, is digital terrestrial television migration and what are the advantages of going in that direction, as far as our country is concerned? We live in a global village and in an information age. As your report indicates, at the global level, a decision has already been made that the world has to go digital in information transmission. That means that the digital terrestrial television migration, to a large extent, has been viewed to have several advantages for the world. One of them will be the affordability and universal access to information across all social levels of citizens in a country.

Sir, digital terrestrial television transmission will enable countries to engage more efficient and effective technology, which will reach more people, both in the urban and rural areas. For example, with digital broadcasting, we should be able to use what is called Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology, which can cover long distances, as opposed to the short distances that we are currently using. That means more people will have the opportunity to access information.

Mr Speaker, digital migration entails more channels on a tower. For example, a tower in the Eastern Province could carry forty channels, which means that those who would like to invest in the information industry need not invest in infrastructure, like is happening currently, whereby a private company that wants to establish a television station has to set up a tower. A few towers would be able to meet the needs of investors because channels would be available. The challenge, therefore, in digital television transmission would, eventually, be of content in terms of how to develop it for use on the transmission network. Consequently, there would be more employment opportunities in the country. For instance, if a digital transmission tower was set up in the North-Western Province, it would be possible to have all the different dialects transmitted on different channels, which would mean that our efforts of enabling more people to access information affordably would be made much easier, with the added advantage of the broader education for our people.

Sir, Tanzania has already migrated digitally. One of the challenges for us would be putting in place a policy framework that would address, for instance, the teething question of signal carriers. Are we going to go for a public signal carrier, such as the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL)? If so, how would that impact the cost of transmission?

The experience we had with ZAMTEL, as the signal carrier for mobile telephony, was that access to information became expensive since it was a monopoly and charged fees according to its whim. That is the challenge we have at the policy level. Are we going to have a two-carrier mode, a private signal carrier and a public one? If we are going to have both modes, will the private signal carrier be listed on the stock exchange so that more people can invest in it? These are policy issues that have to be addressed because they have not, so far. 

Mr Speaker, it is very important in a liberalised economy like ours that we think in terms of the two modes of signal carriers, private and public. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, with a public signal carrier, it is very important to begin to raise the questions of what role the ZNBC will play. Will it remain the way it is, currently, or should we dissect it? For instance, can the ZNBC be split into two. One aspect can be technical and act as a public signal carrier while the production side can look at the content to be transmitted. These are very serious policy issues that have to be addressed.

Mr Speaker, the other aspect is that of what will happen to our country when our neighbours have migrated digitally. Clearly, we may have a situation in which Zambia, being an analogue transmitting country, disturbs its neighbours’ transmission systems. What, then, will be the reaction of the ITU? We may end up being closed off because we are not complying with international requirements. 

Mr Speaker, these are very serious issues that your report has raised, and it is very important that the Executive pays very serious attention to speeding up the process so that, as soon as possible, we are able to put in place a policy and sensitise our citizens so that we have digital-readiness, as a nation. So far, we are not, which is not good for the development of our country.

Mr Speaker, with these few comments, I support the report.

I thank you, Sir

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo (Lukulu West): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to deliver my maiden speech at a time when hon. Members are debating the Report of the Committee on Information and Broadcasting Services. 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: My second maiden speech. 

Laughter

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I stand here duly elected, just as before.  
 
Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: The realms of power opted to test me and I am glad I passed the test. 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: We are products of politics and servants of those who put us here, the poor. The poor have built kingdoms and created wealth, positions and jobs, yet they remain poor.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: The poor entrust power to people like us yet, sooner, rather than later, they are forgotten. If we continue ignoring the poor, they will wake up and revolt one day.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, we have to decide whether to protect the interests of the poor or to forget about them. If we forget about the people who put us in these offices, they will remember their usual way of removing us from office. For instance, in this country, the colonialists mistreated the poor, and they did not last. The United National Independence Party (UNIP) came in and was trusted by the poor. However, UNIP also mistreated the poor and was removed from office. Similarly, the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) came into power and mistreated the poor. It, too, was removed from power by the people it mistreated. Now, the poor have entrusted the Patriotic Front (PF) with power, and it is up to it to look after the people. If it does not do so well, it too will go like its predecessors.

Mr Speaker, I came here to represent the poor. I came to this House to inform the nation that the Katunda-Lukulu Road is not tarred and that there are no clinics and proper schools in Lukulu West.

Sir, I would like to thank His Excellency the Republican President, His Honour the Vice-President and hon. Ministers and their Deputies for travelling to Lukulu West and seeing for themselves how the area has lagged behind in terms of development. They went and made more promises to the people there. When you promise a hungry person food, and you fail to honour your promise, that person will die of hunger. It is better not to promise than to do so, but not honour your promises. If we continue making these empty promises to the people, they will lose all hope in us.

Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to thank all those who saw it fit to pray and wish me well so that I could come back to this House. Had it not been for those poor people, whose cause I am here to promote, I would not be in this House. The Almighty God, in His infinitive wisdom and providential goodness, has appointed the offices of rulers and Parliamentarians for the welfare of society and a just, not unjust, government of the people. In Zambia, today, people pray without a peace of mind. On one hand, they pray to God Almighty while, on the other, they see cadres attacking congregants with pangas and do nothing. That is not just. My God, I beseech Thee to behold with Thy abundant favour, I, Thy servant, whom Thou hast been pleased to call back to the performance of such important trusts in this land, Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: Let Thy blessings, oh God, descend upon me, here in Parliament seated, and grant that I may, as in Thy presence, treat and consider all matters that shall come under my deliberation in so just and faithful a manner as to promote Thy honour and glory and advance the good of those whose interest Thou has committed to my charge.

Mr Speaker, God has committed something to my charge. That is why we are all here. We are charged with the responsibility to improve the well-being of the poor. If we do not do that which has been entrusted unto us, God will not tolerate us and we will all go the same way our colleagues left.

Mr Speaker, Lukulu Hospital has no laundry machine. Hospital staff wash the linen manually. Is that normal? When the PF Government officials went to Lukulu, they were healthy, but they all came back sick. Some of them developed coughs because of too much dust in my constituency.

Sir, why should the Government spend K7.7 billion on one by-election when that money can go towards constructing a road? The road engineers have told us that K1 billion can tar a 1km stretch of road. The K7.7 billion that was spent on the by-election could have been used to construct 7.7km of the Katunda-Lukulu Road, instead of subjecting me to a by-election, which resulted from an election petition. The Government should have used that money to fulfil its campaign promises to the people of Lukulu. Why should you go to the Western Province and announce that you will build a stadium and, a few days later, go to launch the project just to turn around after launching the project, and say that the project will be subjected to tender and that those interested in the project should bid for it? You were doing that just to silence the people on the Barotseland Agreement by paying lip service to their development needs. I tell you that freedom is coming tomorrow. The more the people are pressured, the more they get conscientised and, the more they are cheated, the more they become wise. Sooner than later, they will react.

An hon. Government Member rose.

Hon. Opposition Members: Sit down.

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, we are here to represent the poor. There is poverty in Lukulu West, and those who have been there can attest to that. They saw the challenges that the people are faced with. One of the challenges concerns water transport. Why can the Government not clear the canals to ease the transport challenges for the local people? Those who travelled to Lukulu prior to the by-election used water transport and saw the difficulties.

Sir, now that the Government has removed subsidies on maize and fuel, the people of Lukulu West will have to wait for a long time before things can improve. They used to get their Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) pack at KR280, but they will now do so at KR400. Let us continue mistreating the poor so that they will also mistreat us by removing us from power.

Mr Speaker, may I thank the United Party for National Development (UPND) President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: … who thought it wise to accompany me on campaigns during the by-election. We moved in ox-carts together, day and night.

May I also thank Hon. Charles Kakoma, …

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: … who was with me until the end of the campaigns.

To Hon. Mufalali Likando, I say luitumezi, meaning, ‘Thank you very much’. To Hon. Bo Belemu, twasakwililako, meaning, ‘Thank you very much’. I also thank all those who prayed and wished me victory. I am thankful for this charge given to us by God.

Sir, I also thank my wife, all my brothers and sisters, other family members and people of Lukulu West, who voted for me despite being given free chitenge materials by other parties. They need roads, not the relief maize that they were given during the by-election.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: We need clinics in my constituency. The money used to buy chitenges for the Lukulu West By-election should have been used to deliver social services. Maybe, the people in other constituencies may have been deceived, but not those in Lukulu West.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: They need social services. They do not need to wait for an election to have a K20 or K50. What they need are roads, clinics, schools and communication towers. Those who went to Mitete during the by-election, including hon. Ministers, could not communicate with their family members by telephone. They were cut off for the number of days they were there. Why would we want our nation to be like that when we have the money for by-elections?

Mr Speaker, as hon. Members of Parliament, we are an arm of the Government.

Hon. UPND Member: Yes.

Mr Mutelo: It does not matter whether we sit on your right or left. The fact is that we are part of the Government. If we all have a heart for the people, we will deliver. If we just continue politicking, posterity will judge us harshly.

Mr Speaker, the Katunda/Lukulu Road is yet to be rehabilitated. We drive on a dusty road, yet we have a new district. The District Commissioner (DC) for Mitete lives under a tree ...

Laughter

Mr Mutelo: … because he has no house or office.

Sir, His Excellence the President said that he would immediately send police officers there but, to this day, he has not done so. We are here not as bad eggs, but to keep checks and balances on the Executive in order to move this nation to our desired destination.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: We are all here as leaders. This is the Eleventh National Assembly of Zambia. There were other people here before us. If they did things wrong, it is high time we did them right. We should not continue politicising every issue.

Mr Speaker, they who rise by the sword fall by the sword. They who rise through malice, maliciously they will fall.

Laughter

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: May I congratulate those who have come back to the House, including my son, Hon. Munkombwe.

Laughter

Mr Mutelo: We are sitting here together, but it should be for the good of the poor.

Hon. UPND Members: Not the belly.

Laughter

Mr Mutelo: It is does not matter whether this timely advice is taken into consideration or not. I have been resurrected from the MMD to the UPND.

Hon UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, I moved from one ‘D’ to another, but I am still on the same side of the House. However, things are moving anti-clockwise in this House. They who are on the right will soon be here and we will be that side.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, I hear murmuring from your right because hon. Members want to go home. I am struggling because my spectacles are missing, but I will speak …

Mr Kakoma handed him his spectacles.

Mr Nkombo: I wanted to simply make a comment or two on the report that was delivered by the Chairperson of the Committee on Information and Broadcasting and seconded by the hon. Member of Parliament for Mambilima.

As a starting point, I would like to indicate that I am in full support of the report and want to invite the House to just one segment, Page 3, under the submissions by stakeholders which, to me, has raised serious concerns. I would like to quote from this report something that I think is important. After that, I will ask the hon. Minister to, maybe, make information available to this House as to why the issue of tender processes has fallen into a business-as-usual kind of mode in the PF Government.

Sir, your report states that:

“Your Committee was informed that, rather than chase the SADC Deadline, Zambia needed to, first of all, deal with the policy issues and a road map, which had been skipped, as demonstrated through the issuance of a premature and defective Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Tender, which was floated by the Ministry of Broadcasting and Information Services (MIBS) through the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) in September, 2012.”

Mr Speaker, in September, 2012, the PF Members on your right clocked a year in office. However, for lack of a better word, they have been nothing more than preachers or demagogues on the fight against the flouting of tender processes. It has, over and over again, preached and, in some instances, taken some people to court as a result of their breaching tender processes. I wonder why it has fallen into the same trap, so much so that, even up to the time this report was being finalised, there was no hope that we would meet the June, 2015, deadline of being able to run alongside the whole world in ushering in the digital age.

Mr Speaker, the report further indicates that the stakeholders lamented that bidding for the tender was deferred twice, cancelled once and refloated without any amendments, despite numerous technical concerns raised by the bidders regarding the project not being adequately resolved. That gives the impression that we have obnoxious and stubborn people, who can refloat a tender without changing a word after concerns from the stakeholders.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, I do not think that referring to your colleagues, hon. Members of Parliament, as obnoxious is appropriate. Could you, please, withdraw that.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, with pleasure, I withdraw the word obnoxious and stick to the word stubborn. The stubbornness I refer to is that there are concerns from stakeholders. The tender was floated once, but found to be defective and cancelled twice, but presented to the public in newspaper and television advertisements in its original form. That is not a sign of progress because, until this moment, this matter has not been resolved. So, how can we achieve this migration?

Mr Speaker, we have been told by our colleagues that, when they went to our sister country, Tanzania, they found tangible progress there while here, at home, we are still grappling with the tender processes.

Your report, Sir, actually, indicates that there is a need for the project to first have a policy framework. Hon. Professor Lungwangwa indicated that a taskforce was supposed to draft that policy. I believe it was already a work in progress in 2010 when the MMD was in power, but it is now two years later. The taskforce has not moved. Where are we heading to? When there was a meeting convened, according to this report, here, in Lusaka, probably, at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, not far from here, it was agreed that a test broadcast would be done the following year. Am I right?

Professor Lungwangwa indicated assent.

Mr Nkombo: You are still grappling with tender procedures, yet you hosted a meeting at which it was decided that a test broadcast be run. So, assuming the SADC countries come to Zambia, where it all started, to do a test broadcast, what shall the hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting tell his colleagues? That we have been grappling with tender processes? That is what your report says; that we are lagging behind.

Mr Speaker, my purpose for standing is to simply urge my colleague, my brother-in-law and hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting, to take serious note of these concerns because they are apolitical. They are there to build and make this country move in tandem with the rest of the region as well as the globe. Anybody who will stand and say, ‘That is him talking again,” is taking this country backwards because we are here to push you to move in the right direction. There is simply no way you can get to your destination, assuming it is Kitwe,  yet you are in Kafue heading towards Mazabuka and, when asked where you are going, you say that you are going to Kitwe. That is the way I see the direction of the digital migration project, according to this report. We have not moved.

Mr Kapeya laughed.

Mr Nkombo: I see laughter, which signals that there is perceived absurdity in what I am saying. However, the time to reckon will come and, when the day for switching over comes, we will still be in the analogue mode while the rest of the world will be in digital mode. Then, you wonder what would have happened when they would have switched us off. The ITU will have to come in and ask why you have been dragging your feet.

Mr Kapeya indicated dissent.

Mr Nkombo: I see that the hon. Minister is paying attention while his Deputy is shaking his head.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, concentrate on what you need to say. I do not think that you should engage in these non-verbal communications from the other side. It is unnecessary.

Mr Nkombo: Well taken, Sir.

Sir, let me emphasise why we are not moving forward. It is indicated in your report that, when the stakeholders were making their submissions, the tender was still under consideration by the courts of law. So, if the tendering process is still the subject of litigation, we are spelling doom for ourselves. I am saying that, if the PF Government and its operatives, who deal with the ZPPA did the right thing, there would have been no court processes. We, probably, would have been close to where our colleagues are and been very proud Zambians.

Mr Speaker, according to the Committee’s report, the ZNBC is preferred to assist with the distribution of this apparatus called ... What? Ciitwa buti, eeci? They are called STBs.

Mr Speaker, I urge the hon. Minister to also think a little away from the Committee’s recommendation because the ZNBC is not represented countrywide. That is my feeling, Mr Chairperson of the Committee. Rather, we must use organisations that are well-distributed on the ground. I note the fears of counterfeit products. However, counterfeit products are everywhere and the fear of them should be with us in a vulnerable economy like ours. However, we must consider making the local authorities, which are closer to the people, agents for distribution of the STBs, just as we have argued before that the people who deal with environmental impact assessments should be appended to the local authorities because they have a much closer contact with the people.  The ZNBC is only on Alick Nkhata Road in Lusaka, John Hunt Way in Livingstone and Parklands in Kitwe. I do not know where else, but it is, certainly, not in Mazabuka. The Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) may be a better way to go but, for now, it continues to squat, sorry to use that word, in the District Administration offices. I think that the councils will be the most appropriate agents to distribute STBs if we have to cover the whole country.

Mr Speaker, finally, information is power. Therefore, I plead with the hon. Minister that the STBs should be sold at a subsidised price. I know that you do not like the word ‘subsidy.’ However, I think that you should subsidise the price or give them out to the people and provide an arrangement for the people to pay in small amounts, like is the case with the Television Levy, over a period of time.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting (Mr Sakeni): Mr Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to the Chairperson of your Committee and the seconder of the Motion, hon. Member for Mambilima, Mr Mumba. I also wish to appreciate the contributions from Hon. Professor Lungwangwa and Hon. Nkombo. I wish to assure Hon. Nkombo that this matter has never gone before the courts of law, and I can assure you that the preferred contractor will be announced to the people of Zambia within the next few days. I emphasise that this will happen within the next few days.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as you are aware, is the lead ministry in the implementation of the DTT Programme and collaborates with the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications, through the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA).

Mr Speaker, a number of speakers, including the Chairperson, talked about the lack of a policy and regulatory framework to guide the implementation of this programme. I wish to update the House that my ministry has already prepared a Draft Digital Migration Policy, which has been circulated to all stakeholders for their comments. The ministry is now making arrangements to host a stakeholders’ consultative meeting to finalise the draft policy document.

Mr Speaker, the taskforce is composed of key stakeholders from the public and private sectors. We ensured that there was adequate representation of stakeholders like broadcasters from the ZNBC and Muvi Television, as well as those from the telecommunication sector, namely, Airtel and ZAMTEL. ZICTA is also part of the taskforce.

Sir, we have noted the comments from various contributors that we should include the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) because the latter will need to look at the type of equipment we are going to roll out for us to achieve our target. That point is welcome.

Mr Speaker, the Cabinet has mandated the Ministry of Finance to ensure that adequate funds are made available for the implementation of the project. You are already aware that this House approved funds amounting to over KR20 million for this project.

Mr Speaker, I appreciate the valuable comments from various contributors on the supply of the STBs. We will take them into account. In the meantime, we can use the ZNBC. However, that will not be the end. As far as we are aware, the ZNBC has facilities countrywide, more than any other stakeholder involved in this programme. Others are just confined to, maybe, one section of a city or a small district somewhere, in Chipata, for example. We will continue discussing as we roll out this programme so that the gaps we will be noticing are filled and, then, the country will move forward like any other.

Mr Speaker, I think that the issue of training technicians in digital telecommunication is important. That is why we are trying to involve the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and other institutions so that they help us to manage this project and make sure that our technically competent people are trained in the new digital technology.

Mr Speaker, ZEMA is involved in this issue e-waste.

Sir, most of the speakers did not talk about the Access to Information Bill because of the nature of the digital migration project. I wish to inform this august House that the Bill will come to this House, possibly, during this sitting. We are on course and there is no need for anybody to worry about us dragging our feet.

In short, I thank all the contributors. Their points of view will be taken into account. I also wish to inform the House that the ministry and the taskforce have visited a number of countries, such as Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa and some European ones, where this programme has already been implemented and learnt a few things from our colleagues. However, we noticed that the issue of the policy framework is still a vexing problem that has not been conclusively resolved in all the countries we visited. This is a new project.

Sir, Hon. Professor Lungwangwa said that Zambia started this project in 2010. Therefore, you cannot blame the PF Government for the delay. We have tried to do the best …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sakeni: … in the midst of numerous problems. We invited tenders from the public, instead of single-sourcing a contractor because there are problems in single-sourcing. It creates a loophole for people to siphon funds.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I support the report.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, I thank the House for its overwhelming support for the report. I, particularly, thank Hon. Professor Lungwangwa, who brought out a number of issues and almost defined digital migration, which I challenge the Government to do. I would also like to comment on the issue that Hon. Nkombo raised, which is that the ZNBC is only in Lusaka.

Sir, your Committee was looking at the professional perspective of the ZNBC being able to know the required or prescribed STBs. Actually, I would prefer to call the STBs decoders in order to make our people understand because they perform the same functions as a decoder. Therefore, the ZNBC can have the power to appoint distributors in various parts of the country, but it should know what it would be distributing, rather than leave it to people who may not understand the STBs from the technical point of view.

Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for what he has addressed, particularly, on the Draft Digital Policy, which he says is in circulation. I ask the hon. Minister is to extend a copy to your Committee.

Sir, on behalf of the Committee, I am also glad to hear that the taskforce has now been reconstituted to include many stakeholders. The stakeholders that the hon. Minister mentioned were not in the initial taskforce.

Sir, I am also glad that the hon. Minister has touched the issue of training and promised that it will be considered. That is important. However, I would like to emphasise that the he should also consider the issue of sensitising Zambians on the digital migration project because I know that many of our citizens, to date, do not understand what it is all about. So, it will be important that sensitisation campaigns are put in place. Like we saw in Namibia, there are discussion fora that were arranged by the ministry on this issue.

With those commendations, I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Question put and agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications and Chief Whip (Mr Mukanga): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

__________

The House adjourned at 1738 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 27th June, 2013.

WRITTEN REPLIES TO QUESTIONS

NCHELENGE MAGISTRATE’S COURT

606. Mr Mpundu (Nchelenge) asked the Minister of Justice when the Government would undertake the following at the Magistrates’ Court in Nchelenge District:

(a) construct a holding cell;

(b) sink a borehole and installing up a water tank

(c) provide a vehicle; and

(d) provide a standby generator for power supply.

The Minister of Justice (Mr Kabimba): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that:

(a) due to budgetary constraints, the construction of a holding cell at Nchelenge Magistrate’s Court will only be considered in the 2014;

(b) the water and sanitation system for courts that are located at the District Administration Centres is provided by the local public water utility companies. In light of that, the Judiciary intends to work closely with the relevant company to ensure that the Magistrate’s Court in Nchelenge is provided with water;

(c) the Judiciary continues to make efforts to operate as effectively as possible, despite the various resource constraints it faces. Therefore, it intends to make provisions for purchase of vehicles for various stations countrywide in the 2014 Budget; and

(d) the Judiciary uses electricity supply from the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO). Due to resource constraints, the Judiciary is unable to provide standby generators at the present time.

I thank you, Sir.

CONSTRUCTION OF STADIUM IN NCHELENGE

607. Mr Mpundu asked the Minister of Youth and Sport when the Government would construct a football stadium in Nchelenge District.

The Minister of Youth and Sport (Mr Kambwili): Mr Speaker, currently, the Government has no plans to construct a football stadium in Nchelenge District. Currently, the Government has completed the construction of Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and another modern stadium is under construction in Lusaka. Furthermore, the Government is about to construct ultra-modern stadia in Livingstone and Mongu. However, it is the Government’s desire to construct as many stadia as possible for sports development in the country. It should be noted that the construction of the stadia would be done gradually, taking into consideration other national pressing issues and cost implications.

I thank you, Sir.