DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Wednesday, 13thMarch, 2013

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

_____________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

MEALIE-MEAL SMUGGLING

508. Mr Bwalya (Lupososhi) asked the Minister of Home Affairs what measures the Government would take to prevent the smuggling of mealie-meal into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, before I respond to this very important question from the hon. Member for Lupososhi Constituency, I would like to seize this opportunity to congratulate my dear colleague who is sitting next to me, Hon. Namulambe, for emerging victorious in the Mpongwe Constituency By-election and his …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: … subsequent appointment as hon. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kampyongo: I further wish to congratulate my courageous dear colleagues, Hon. Njeulu, and Hon. Miyutu, who are very passionate about serving the people of Zambia, on their appointments to also serve as hon. Deputy Ministers.

Mr Speaker, back to the question, the Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, in order to prevent the smuggling of mealie-meal to the DRC, has put the following measures in place:

(a) through the Zambia Police Force, the Government has embarked on an operational order which is being used to conduct joint security operations with other security wings aimed at curbing the smuggling of mealie-meal and other essential commodities into the DRC;

(b) the Government has also increased the presence of both the police and immigration officers at the Kasumbalesa Border Post and other border points;

(c) the Zambia Police Force has, in-conjunction with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), introduced joint security roadblocks tailored to counter the smuggling of mealie-meal into the DRC; and

(d) furthermore, foot and motorised patrols have been intensified along the Kasumbalesa Border Post.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, I would like to know what happens to the truckers and businessmen whose mealie-meal is impounded as reported in both the print and electronic media.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, what happens when trucks are impounded is that we institute investigations to ascertain the source of the mealie-meal and whether it was intended for smuggling because we have to make a distinction between smuggling and exporting. Depending on the outcome of our investigations, further action may later commence in the courts of law.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, the word ‘smuggler’ had gone out of our vocabulary at a certain point.

Mr Kunda: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Kunda: Mr Speaker, this is the first point of order that I am raising …

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kunda: … and it is very important to this nation. We have set rules which we are supposed to follow as a country. I do not know why we should go against the rules that we have set for ourselves. Are His Honour the Vice-President and the hon. Minister of Youth and Sport in order to promote lawlessness in this nation by encouraging former members of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) such as Major Kachingwe to …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Mr Kunda: … organise the MMD members when, in fact, the courts of this country have clearly stated that he is no longer a member of the MMD because he was expelled from the party?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: I have difficulties in making a ruling on this point of order because it is not clear. I suggest that the hon. Member, perhaps, considers filing in an urgent question after careful reflection which we will duly pass on to His Honour the Vice-President. I do not think that in the present form of the issue at hand, I am inclined to take any further action.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, I was just saying that the word ‘smuggler’ had not been in our vocabulary during the twenty years of the MMD’s rule. Sadly, it has now come back on the scene. I would like to find out from the hon. Deputy Minister why the smuggling of mealie-meal has become rampant in the last two years.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, it seems my dear brother has got challenges in understanding the term ‘smuggling’, which has never ceased to exist.

Laughter

Mr Kampyongo: Smuggling is simply the illegal movement of goods between countries or unofficial trade. I, therefore, do not know how I can answer his question. I can only refer the hon. Member to the dictionary.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbulakulima (Chembe): Mr Speaker, smuggling is a vice which has been around for a very long time and should not be encouraged. In his response, the hon. Deputy Minister did not talk about any collaboration between his ministry and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry in trying to curb the vice.

 In-conjunction with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, what effort is the Ministry of Home Affairs making to regularise the trade between Zambia and the DRC so that we turn this vice into opportunities for Zambia?

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, in my response, I indicated that the police and the Immigration Department are working in-conjunction with the ZRA to regularise all forms of trade between Zambia and the DRC. 

The role of the Ministry of Home Affairs is to ensure that illegal trade is controlled along the border lines. Whatever happens in the form of normal trade is within the mandate of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry.

I thank you, Sir. 
   
  Mr Mumba (Mambilima): Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister talked mostly about one border point, which is Kasumbalesa. I would like to find out from the hon. Deputy Minister what his ministry is doing concerning the smuggling between Mambilima and Chienge, where the border is very porous.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, we are also concerned about other borders. I just came back from Lunchinda Border in Chienge District where we have also put similar operations in place. We are working in conjunction with other security wings that side, including those in the defence forces, so that the border can be manned 24 hours every day. We are aware of what is obtaining in other border areas as well. Hon. Member, it is not only the border you mentioned that we are worried about. There are also other border areas on the Copperbelt which are of concern to us.

You must understand that the border line we share with the DRC is a challenge to manage, but we are trying our best to do as much as we can to cut down on any smuggling activities.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

TASKFORCE ON CORRUPTION

509. Mr Bwalya asked the Minister of Justice:

(a) how much property was recovered by the disbanded Task Force on    
Corruption;
 (b) how many of the recovered properties were in foreign countries;

(c) how many of the recovered properties had been disposed of and how much money was realised from their disposal; and

 (d) what the total value of the remaining properties was.

The Deputy Minister of Justice (Dr Simbyakula): Mr Speaker, the disbanded Task Force on Corruption recovered twenty-one properties (real estate); four going concerns (companies); twenty-one motor vehicles; thirty-three various pieces of plant equipment; one light aircraft namely, Aero Commander 56; and one water vessel valued at US$185,000.

Mr Speaker, two properties were recovered in foreign countries. So far, K72.7 billion worth of real estate has been disposed of. The movable assets which have been disposed off are worth K1.6 billion.

Mr Speaker, no value has been attached to the properties which are being contested for before the courts of law.

I thank you, Sir. {mospagebreak}

UNDER-FIVE AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES

510. Dr Kazonga (Vubwi) asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health:

(a) what the under-five and infant mortality rates in the country were as of September, 2012; and

(b) what measures the Government had taken to attain the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No. 4, on the reduction of child mortality.
The Deputy Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Ms Kazunga): Mr Speaker, under-five and infant mortality rates are estimated every five years through the Demographic and Health Survey, which for Zambia, was last undertaken in 2007. The results were as follows: under-five mortality rate -119 deaths per 1,000 live births and infant mortality rate - 70 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The House may wish to also note that the Health Management Information System (HMIS) collects, regularly, case fatality rates per disease. The under-five and infant mortality rates are population-based indicators. A demographic and health survey has been planned for in 2013.

Mr Speaker, the following are the essential initiatives which the Government has put in place in order to attain the MDG No. 4, on the reduction of child mortality:

(a) integrated management of childhood illness: This will remain an important delivery mechanism for most of the priority interventions in offering children life-saving treatments for illnesses such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia;

(b) new-born care: taking into consideration the life-course approach and continuum of care, neonatal interventions that need to be scaled-up will include access to skilled care during pregnancy, child birth and immediate postnatal services at community and facility level. Integrated management of  childhood illnesses will also be expanded to include taking care of newly-born children in  the first seven days of life;

(c) infant and child feeding, including micro-nutrient supplementation and  de-worming: Key interventions to be emphasised are exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, including colostrums, timely and appropriate complementary feeding and adequate micro-nutrient intake, particularly Vitamin A, iron and iodine;

(d)  prevention of malaria using insecticide-treated mosquito nets and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria: Use of insecticide-treated nets for both under-fives and pregnant mothers and the incorporation of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in malaria-endemic areas are priority interventions for reducing low birth weight, child morbidity and mortality;

(e) immunisation of mothers and children: Provision of tetanus toxoid to pregnant women in antenatal clinics and childhood immunisations, including new vaccines at community and facility levels through outreach and fixed services will be promoted;

(f) prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV): The key to ensuring an HIV-free start in life begins with the prevention of HIV transmission to children by preventing HIV infections in mothers. Other interventions are mainly planning, anti-retroviral therapy, counselling on infant feeding and support of the HIV-infected women and infants; and

(g) management of common childhood illnesses and care of children exposed to or infected with HIV: Interventions engaged into include oral re-hydration therapy and zinc supplementation for the management of diarrhoea; effective and appropriate antibiotics treatment for pneumonia; dysentery and neonatal infections; and prompt and effective treatment of malaria at health facility and community levels. Care of HIV-exposed and HIV-infected children is also important in improving the quality of life.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, may I find out from the hon. Minister whether there has been …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, thank you for according me this opportunity to raise this very important point of order.

Sir, yesterday, the 12th of March, 2013, at around 1100 hours, Hon. Munji Habeenzu, Hon. Nkombo and I were celebrating the release of Hon. Nkombo from his malicious incarceration. As we were doing this, we saw three helicopters with three pieces of cloth dangling on the bodies of the helicopters. Barely ten minutes later, we heard that one of the helicopters had crashed. The witnesses said that the cloth that was dangling on one of the helicopters got entangled in one of the propellers of the helicopters that were flying in the squadron. As a result of that crash, we have lost one gallant officer in the Zambia Air Force (ZAF).

Sir, this is not the first time that we have had a sad incident involving ZAF aircraft crashing.

At one time, Mr Speaker, we almost lost a number of officers from State House and we have had no reports on those incidences on the Floor of this House. Is the Government in order to continuously keep quiet when the lives of our officers in ZAF, who are working under very difficult conditions, are threatened and the Government is not taking any action to ensure that their safety is considered prudently and adequately? Is the Government in order to wait until we start losing lives? Is it in order to keep quiet? I need a serious ruling on this matter.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwila: It happened yesterday.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is that I will request His Honour the Vice-President to just shed more light on the circumstances leading to this particular tragedy and I will allow him up to Friday to formulate his response. That is my ruling.

May the hon. Member of Parliament for Vubwi, please, continue.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, my follow-up question to the response by the hon. Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health is: Has the ministry made any special consideration to further reinforce those measures that the hon. Deputy Minister has indicated with regard to the community health assistants, which is a new cadre in the health delivery system, and traditional birth attendants (TBAs)?

The Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (Dr Katema): Mr Speaker, we have trained a cadre of community health assistants  the hon. Member of Parliament is talking about and we are about to post them to various health posts, after we have sorted out one or two issues about policy directives on task shifting. Since these cadres are not registered under any regulatory bodies, they, therefore, cannot be registered under the health workers registration body. So, after we have done away with those policy bottlenecks, we are going to post them to all the health posts, including the 650 which we are about to build.

Mr Speaker, we are shifting away from allowing the TBAs to carry out deliveries. We would rather encourage that our women are taken to health centres where we have qualified midwives and nurses. In addition, the Government has opened up a training facility that allows a direct entry from secondary school to train as a midwife. That is going to assist us in taking care of the delivering mothers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mtolo (Chipata Central): Mr Speaker, in the recent past, …

Ms Kalima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I apologise to my brother for disrupting him. Of late, I rarely rise on points of order. In fact, I have stopped raising them.

Interruptions

Hon. Government Member: You should have sat down!

Ms Kalima: However, I rise on a serious point of order. On Monday, the day before yesterday, the 11th of March, 2013, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the President of this country, during the swearing in ceremony, which has now become his favourite occupation, …

Laughter

Ms Kalima: …  as opposed to attending important occasions like the Youth Day …

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member of Parliament for Kasenengwa, I think, you should take your sit.

Ms Kalima: Thank you.

Mr Speaker: Do one thing at time. A point of order is not an occasion for debating. It is an occasion to raise a point of order. This is a very exceptional facility and should not be abused in that regard. It is either you have a point order or not. It is not a point of debate.

You may continue, please.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, thank you for the guidance. The President gave the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) a directive to investigate the United Party for National Development (UPND) leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, over his hard-earned wealth. I know that the Judiciary is supposed to be independent. Is the Patriotic Front (PF) Government in order to continue interfering with the operations of the Judiciary? I need your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I am not too sure whether the question has been properly put in that the hon. Member made reference to the DPP and the Judiciary. The Office of the DPP exists independently of the Judiciary. It is not part of the Judiciary. So, there is a very fundamental misconception here, and in light of that misconception, I am afraid I am not able to carry this point any further.

Mr Mtolo: Mr Speaker, in the recent past, there have been international media reports that when newly born babies, who are HIV positive, are started on a certain combination of therapy, they have shown signs of reversal in the immune system. I would like to find out if the ministry has taken the trouble to investigate what this therapy combination is so that our unfortunate young ones can benefit from this new finding.

Dr Katema: Mr Speaker, the ministry is aware of the research which the hon. Member is referring to. However, it is not going to make decisions based on that research immediately. It will follow up the research. However, let me add that even in the country where that research was carried out, there is no such policy direction of treating children with that combination the hon. Member has talked about. This is just a research finding. When we get to the bottom of it all and the World Health Organisation (WHO) approves of that mode of treatment, we are going to consider it.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, I heard the hon. Minister saying that the services of the TBAs will be shed off along the way. I would like to find out how long that will take and whether the Government has trained enough midwives to take up this challenge.

Dr Katema: Mr Speaker, I think my colleague, who calls himself headman, likes putting words in people’s mouths. I did not say that the TBAs will be phased out. They are a very cardinal link between the health facility, health posts and centres, and the community. They have their own role, which is to encourage identified expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinics. We would just rather have trained health workers to carry out the deliveries. I mentioned, here, that the Government, through the Ministry of Health, is currently training midwives through direct entry.

Sir, previously, midwifery training was undertaken by nurses who had completed their initial three-year training and worked. At the moment, in order for us to increase the numbers of midwives to cater for these health posts and centres, one can train as a midwife on a direct entry basis so that we can have the required number of midwives.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

NAKANYAA HEALTH CENTRE

511. Professor Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda) asked the Minister of Health whether the Government had any plans for the Nakanyaa Health Centre in Nalikwanda Parliamentary Constituency in view of a high school that would soon be opened in the area.

The Deputy Minister of Health (Mr Mulenga): Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that the Government, this year, intends to construct a staff house at Nakanyaa Health Centre.

I thank you, Sir.

CONSTRUCTION OF POLICE A STATION IN NANGOMA CONSTITUENCY

512. Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma) asked the Minister of Home Affairs whether the Government had any plans to construct a police station in Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, Nangoma Constituency has a police post for the purpose of controlling crime in the area. However, it is the Government’s desire to upscale the activity of controlling crime in the constituency and the country at large by establishing more police posts in various constituencies. Therefore, as part of the infrastructure development plans to be rolled out this year, plans are underway to construct more police posts and police stations in the country.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

LUSAKA CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

513. Mr Hamusonde asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing why the streets of Lusaka Central Business District were always dirty.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr Tembo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that while it is true that some streets of Lusaka Central Business District are dirty, it is not true that they are always dirty. My ministry has disbursed funds to the Lusaka City Council (LCC), which funds have been used in the recruitment of 153 temporary workers who are picking up litter from the streets of Lusaka.

Sir, the 153 workers are in addition to the 260 permanent workers who work in two shifts, during the day and night, to clean up the streets in Lusaka. In addition to making our streets and city clean, we have created employment, especially for the youths and women, through this arrangement.

Mr Speaker, in addition to that, my ministry is working with leaders of street vendors in order to improve their environment by cleaning up the streets as part of the Make Zambia Clean and Healthy Campaign Programme, which has been revitalised by involving various stakeholders, especially the private sector, in its implementation. As a long-term solution to this problem, the Government is in the process of drafting a statutory instrument (SI) for regulating street vending, which is aimed at improving the manner in which street vending is conducted as well as the trading environment, in terms of sanitation and hygiene practices.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister …

Mr Mbulakulima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mbulakulima: Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. Just like my nephew, Hon. Kunda, mentioned, I rarely stand on points of order.

Sir, Zambia is a democracy founded on the principle of respect for the rule of law. It is a known fact that, in the case of Major Kachingwe versus the MMD, the courts have ruled that the major has no position in the MMD. However, yesterday, we saw a group of disgruntled elements masquerading as MMD youths …

Mr Kambwili: Question!

Mr Mbulakulima: … at the Youth Day celebrations in full view of His Honour the Vice-President and the hon. Minister of Youth and Sport. Is the Government in order to promote lawlessness and anarchy instead of the rule of law in this country? The Government knew that the group it was dealing with is not registered, but still allowed it to receive accolades and encouragement.

I need a very serious ruling from you.

Mr Speaker: I have a lot of difficulty with some of these points of order because they seem to raise subjects and issues that are not amenable to the kind of rulings that you expect the Speaker to render. There was an event and there were participants in it. How they went to that event or how they were invited or not invited becomes a matter of speculation in the manner in which this point of order has been raised. That aside, I want to reiterate what I have said before: Points of order relate to the rules of debate. If a matter is grave, urgent or of importance to the nation, I will allow the point of order. I do not see any gravity and urgency attached to those youths participating, not only in a national event, but also an apolitical event. To get the Speaker to begin interpreting the lawlessness or otherwise …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … of that participation, when we are supposed to be transacting very urgent national business, is not right. If you see the Orders of the Day, you will note that there are urgent Bills to be disposed of. His Honour the Vice-President indicated, last week, that we are striving to rise this Friday. Let us use this time judiciously.

That is my ruling.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Hamusonde: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that the dirt is due to street vendors or street traders, as they are called. Does the hon. Minister not think that the dirt is because of people not having proper markets because they sell all over town?

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, I expected many of the questions to come from some of the colleagues who are well-baptised into making running comments while seated in their chairs so that we clear this issue once and for all.

Ms Kalima: You just answer.

Mr Tembo: I am responding to the question, but I meant people like yourself.

Interruptions

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, street vendors are people who also live in the community. From time to time, we have indicated to this House that street vending is quite a cardinal issue, which involves every person in the community. The street vendors will be allocated some streets that will be identified as being suitable for that purpose.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I would like to get a categorical answer from the hon. Minister of Local Government and Housing on whether the Government has legalised street vending, arising from the answer our colleagues have given to this House and the nation, so that we do not raise this matter anymore.

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, the Government has not yet legalised street vending. What we have said is that we cannot push out the street vendors without identifying places where they can be taken to operate from.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo West): Mr Speaker, I am comforted and encouraged by the fact that the hon. Deputy Minister has mentioned that the Government will soon be putting legislation in place to control and regulate street vending. How far has the ministry gone in this regard?

Mr Tembo: Mr Speaker, the ministry has made progress in coming up with an SI. What we are waiting for is the approval of the SI by the Ministry of Justice.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO TURKEY

514. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

(a) how many people constituted the delegation that accompanied the President of the Republic of Zambia on the official visit to Turkey in 2010; and

(b) how much money was spent on the visit.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Namulambe): Mr Speaker, thirty-four officers accompanied the President of the Republic of Zambia on the official visit to Turkey in 2010.

Sir, the Government spent K1,444,464,630 on that visit.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, how does the PF Government intend to reduce the size of official delegations?

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Dr Lungu): Mr Speaker, first and foremost, when Presidents travel outside the country, they carry a delegation with different members in it who play different roles. In this case, the delegation comprised people from different sectors in line ministries, and that is why it was large. As to what the current Government will do to scale down the number of people who accompany the President, we are already doing that because we are using the people who are already based in the missions abroad to help out.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Pande (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, one of the benefits of that trip was the opening of the Turkish Embassy, here, in Lusaka, and there should be a reciprocal action that should follow, which is that Zambia was supposed to have opened an embassy in Turkey. What is the status of that matter?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo entered the Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
 
Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Kasempa, continue. Have you completed your question?

Mr Pande: Yes, Mr Speaker.

Dr Lungu: Mr Speaker, I thank Hon. Pande for that question. I know that he was the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs in the MMD Government. Out of that visit, many bilateral agreements have been signed between Zambia and Turkey, and I commend him for that. Some of the agreements are as follows:

(a) the Air Service Agreement;

(b) memorandum of understanding on political consultation;

(c) memorandum of understanding on diplomatic training; and

(d) memorandum of understanding on co-operation in the health sector.

Sir, let me also say that the Government does not operate in isolation. We have continued from where the MMD Government left off. The buildings have been identified in Turkey and our staff is positioning itself. So, we will soon be opening the embassy. This House approved and passed the budget to open the Zambian Mission in Turkey.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr V. Mwale (Chipangali): Mr Speaker, as a way of providing accountability, the previous Government used to give this House summary reports on why some missions would have been undertaken. Is the PF Government thinking of doing the same?

Dr Lungu: Mr Speaker, the Government does not work in isolation and there is never a vacuum in the Government. The good things that our friends did, we shall continue to do. We shall come back to this House to report on what we are doing upon return from foreign missions. I have put up a calendar for coming to the House to make ministerial statements as to what happens each time I travel out of the country. We need to share the same vision for the country and to move as one.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, through you, I just want the hon. Minister to confirm …

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

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Lt-Gen Shikapwasha: Mr Speaker, I rise on a very important point of order, and I apologise to my nephew, the hon. Member for Monze Central, for disturbing his supplementary question.

Sir, in the evening of Saturday, 9th March, 2013, Mrs Kakoma, the wife to the hon. Member for Zambezi West, was abducted by suspected PF cadres in Ibex Hill.

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Lt-Gen Shikapwasha:  Mr Speaker, …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Lt-Gen Shikapwasha: … she was taken to some unknown place, blindfolded and, later, brought back home after many hours and ordered to go and open her house, after which her kidnappers took her computer and a number of items from the house. Then, they went and dumped her in New Kasama and the vehicle elsewhere. Today is Wednesday and the Government has been quiet. Is the Government in order to keep quiet when the lives of hon. Members of Parliament’s wives are threatened? This is an important issue because, as we sit here, we do not know whether our spouses are safe.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Well, obviously, I acknowledge that the matter in question is serious. However, I do not think that it is appropriate for us, as the august House, to begin making these subjects matters of debate. It is a very unfortunate incident but, quite frankly, regardless of what the press or other associates say, we should develop a culture that allows the investigative wings to carry out their constitutional duty of investigating these crimes. Mind you, every life on this soil is very important. That is why the Constitution, in the third chapter, protects the right to life as a fundamental right for every citizen. However, if we make it a convention to discuss these matters, I see no end to it.

Again, I would like to remind hon. Members that the general rule of points of order is very clear. It is about debates. I am not surprised that, elsewhere, in other jurisdictions, they have just elected to dispense with it and limit it to rules because it is very difficult to define the limits. I have made an attempt by saying that it must be grave, urgent and be of utmost importance to the nation. There is an alternative avenue and that is, that of urgent questions. I have constantly assured the House that we will process those questions quickly.

That is my ruling.

The hon. Member for Monze Central, continue.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I was asking the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs to confirm that this good hon. Member of Parliament for Monze Central was part of that delegation and that despite the UPND members not being part of the MMD Government, we took a gesture of goodwill by promoting the Government’s programmes rather than joining the Government. Can you confirm that I played a very good role during that seminar?

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, confirmation is sought.

Laughter

Dr Lungu: Mr Speaker, before I deal with the issue of confirmation, I would like to say that, sometimes, frequency of speech in Parliament is not synonymous with sense.

Interruptions

Dr Lungu: I wish to state that I was not there when Hon. Jack Mwiimbu travelled to Turkey and, therefore, cannot confirm whether what he is talking about is true.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Next question.

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Laughter

Hon. Government Members: On whom?

Interruptions

MANAGEMENT OF BASIC AND HIGH SCHOOLS

515. Mr Chisala asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education what progress the Government had made in ensuring that all basic and high schools were managed by persons with a minimum academic qualification of a bachelor’s degree.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Member of whatever constituency and hon. Minister …

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Mwiimbu: … of Foreign Affairs in order to allege that I was being insensible and was not speaking sense when, in actual fact, I am more sensible than he is?

Interruptions

Mr Mwiimbu: Is he in order to allege that, Sir?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I think that we have a problem. First and foremost, let us extend courtesies to each other. We are all hon. Members and, therefore, there is a need for mutual respect. It does not matter whether you are on the left or right. There must be mutual respect. There is a risk that if we do not maintain mutual respect, our debates will degenerate. They will excite emotions, as you can see, where you now begin foisting personal challenges. That is not conducive to business. We should not debate ourselves and get into who is more or less sensible than the other. I do not think that should be the subject of our debate. I am addressing this to both the hon. Minister of Finance as well as …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: I meant the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the hon. Member for Monze Central. I do not think we should debate in that fashion. This House is too earnest. It is an august House. Let us keep it that way.

The hon. Deputy Minister can continue.

Laughter

Mr Mabumba: … I wish to inform the House that our records indicate that most secondary schools throughout the country are headed by degree holders except for a few that are located in areas where the retention of qualified manpower has been a problem.

At the basic school level, the situation has not been very good for the following reasons:

(i) the current policy on management of basic schools only requires that one holds a minimum of a diploma in education which most headteachers in this sector hold.

(ii) until recently, there have been no local universities offering degree programmes in primary school teaching. However, the situation is slowly changing with a few people having graduated from the University of Zambia (UNZA) with the Primary Teacher’s degree. In addition to that, we now have the Zambia Open University which is offering a degree in primary teaching. I think that going forward, Chalimbana will also be offering a degree in primary teaching.

(iii) a number of headteachers at both the primary and secondary school levels are also graduates of the education, leadership and management course which is offered at the National In-service Teachers College at Chalimbana. A sizeable number of headteachers also have Master’s Degrees in Education.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, may I know why it has been taking too long to upgrade some teachers from UNZA to higher positions.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, Hon. Chisala’s question is similar to that which Hon. Chishimba asked recently about schools in Kitwe. Our argument has been that if you want to upgrade a teacher from a lower position to a higher position, there should be a position in the establishment. What I said when answering that question was that the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education is working together with the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) in the review of our school establishment. It is at that stage, when the establishment in our schools is reviewed, that the many challenges that we have from people that have been upgrading themselves from diploma to degree level will be minimised.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, in his response, the hon. Deputy Minister …

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. I will raise my point of order, bearing in mind that you wisely made a ruling on the point of order by the hon. Member of Parliament for Keembe regarding abductions in reference to the wife of Hon. Kakoma that we must be mindful of what the media reports. I rise on a point of order on the hon. Minister of Home Affairs regarding abductions.

Mr Speaker, the Livingstone Magistrates Court ordered the police to take me for medical attention last Monday. I was admitted to Livingstone General Hospital after suffering fractures on my wrist and my back and sustaining multiple injuries …

Interruptions

Mr Nkombo: Can you shut up!

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Nkombo, sit down.

I am in charge of the proceedings in the House. If there is any disorder, it is my jurisdiction and I have not delegated this to anybody. As much as you may be interfered with in your point of order, please, leave that to my office.

Mr Nkombo: I thank you, Sir.

 I was admitted to Livingstone General Hospital and, unfortunately, my medical report form that the magistrate ordered to be filled in by the medical practitioners went missing and could not facilitate for the completion of my discharge when it was due.

Mr Speaker on Friday, the Commissioner of Police for Southern Province, a girl called Charity Katanga, sent her officers …

Hon. Government Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Member of Parliament, please, take your seat, again. I appreciate, Hon. Nkombo, that you are raising a point of order in which you are naturally and understandably personally involved. However, I still urge you to just be calm about it so that we make progress. Otherwise, I will continue interjecting your point of order.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I thank you. I was saying that a female police officer called Charity Katanga ordered her officers to come at midnight to pick me from my hospital bed …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Can we have silence. This is what is delaying the proceedings. Give him an opportunity to raise the point of order.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I was saying that a female police officer called Charity Katanga ordered her officers to come at midnight to pick me from my hospital bed on the pretext that she wanted to have a meeting with me at midnight.

Hon. Members: Aah!

Mr Nkombo: I cordially asked the police to permit me to call my lawyer. I called my counsel, Mr Fred Chunga, and he gracefully got out of his bed to go to the police station in order that he could hear why the police wanted me there. Unfortunately, I was not taken to the police station, I was thrown in the remand prison at midnight. Bearing in mind that the law has the presumption of innocence before anyone can be proven guilty, I want to know whether the Ministry of Home Affairs is in order to permit the respectable Commissioner of Police for Southern Province, her Royal Highness Charity Katanga, to conduct herself in the manner that she did?

I need a ruling on that matter, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Mr Speaker: Order!

There is no doubt that the matter, which has been raised, touches on the liberties of the hon. Member of this House. It also involves functionaries of the State and the hon. Member has actually indicated those functionaries and I state prima facia that the hon. Member appears to have been obviously injured by this action. I think that this is a matter, especially in so far as redress is concerned, that needs to be channelled to appropriate avenues. I must state that the rights and liberties of the citizens are well defined by law and I think we should develop a culture of resolving these matters. This may not even be the appropriate forum for that purpose. It may just reduce this matter into a debate when, in fact, what the hon. Member may require is real and effective remedies. I do not think I want to carry this point further than this.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, it is one thing to have a bachelors degree, whether it is a Bachelor of Arts with Education, Bachelor of Science with Education or Bachelor of Primary Education, and it is another thing to manage the schools efficiently and properly, whether they are basic or high schools. May I know what plans the Government has to reinforce the skills of education management. Since the hon. Deputy Minister partially talked about a course in education leadership for teachers, is the Government considering reinforcing the education management course for the people who are managing the schools?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, I agree with what Hon. Dr Kazonga has said. As I said earlier, the education leadership and management course was introduced to improve the skills of headteachers across this country. Even when Chalimbana Teacher Training College becomes a university, that programme will continue. In addition, we have continuous professional development programmes in our various schools that involve headteachers and, with these two components, I am sure that we will be able to improve the skills of headteachers.

I thank you, Sir.

CLINICS IN CHADIZA CONSTITUENCY

516. Mr Mbewe asked the Minister of Health:

(a) when the construction of clinics at the following places in Chadiza
Parliamentary Constituency would begin:

(i) Naviruli;
(ii) Zingalume; and
(iii) Chang’oma;

(b) what the estimated cost of the projects was; and

(c) who the contractors of the projects were.

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that Navirali, Zingalume and Chang’oma are three places in Chadiza Parliamentary Constituency that have been proposed for the construction of health posts under the India Line of Credit Facility for the construction of 650 health posts in Zambia. The project is currently being processed under the Ministry of Health and the three health posts at Navirali, Zingalume and Ching’oma will be constructed as soon as the procurement process is completed. The India Line of Credit Facility is US$50 million and it will go towards the construction of 650 health posts.

Mr Speaker, since the procurement process is still on going, the Ministry of Health is unable to disclose the estimated cost for the construction of the three health posts in Chadiza Parliamentary Constituency.

Mr Speaker, the contractor will be known when the procurement process has been concluded.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbewe: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Deputy Minister for answering the question so well.

Mr Speaker, may I find out from the hon. Deputy Minister what level the procurement process has reached.

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, the closing date for receiving the bids is 15th March, 2013 and that is two days from now.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, fortunately, the hon. Deputy Minister is the one who came to officially open our district hospital and he promised the people of Chadiza that there would be five health posts constructed. The three that have been mentioned are among the five promised to be constructed. Does the procurement process include the remaining two health posts that have not been mentioned?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, a list of health posts to be constructed was actually distributed in all the constituencies. So, if the hon. Member is referring to the health posts on that list, I wish to assure him that we are going to have them constructed.

I thank you, Sir.

INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION IN NCHELENGE

517. Mr Mpundu (Nchelenge) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a) when the Government would construct the following infrastructure in Nchelenge District:

(i) more teachers’ houses;
(ii) school libraries; and
(iii) a modern office block for the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS);

(b) when the standards officers in the district would be provided with a motor vehicle for their operations; and

(c) when the ministry would resume the Adult Literacy Programme in the district.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, Nchelenge teachers’ houses will be constructed at Kanengwa, Kalilanshindo, Matoolo and Kabuta primary schools.

Sir, the ministry will come up with a programme to construct libraries in the new secondary schools under construction countrywide. However, libraries in primary schools will only be considered when the many grass-thatched schools are upgraded with permanent infrastructure.

Mr Speaker, as regards the construction of new office blocks for the DEBSs, the Draft 2013 Infrastructure Development Plan, provides for eight districts. Although, unfortunately, Nchelenge is not included in this draft plan, it will be considered in our future infrastructure plans.

Sir, in the 2013 Budget, the ministry has allocated about KR8 million for the purchase of vehicles. With that amount, we are planning to buy about forty vehicles which will be distributed to many district offices of the ministry. The names of those districts will be made available at an appropriate stage.

Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has plans to reintroduce the Adult Literacy Programmes in all the districts, including Nchelenge. Teaching and learning resources have been developed and are being piloted. By mid 2013, all DEBS offices will be guided on how to go about setting up adult literacy centres so that they are ready for the implementation exercise in 2014.

I thank you, Sir.

SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES IN NCHELENGE

518. Mr Mpundu asked the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health when the Government would undertake the following:

(a) introduce the Social Cash Transfer Scheme in Nchelenge District where poverty levels were extremely high, in excess of 80 per cent;

(b) increase the number of food security packs (FSP) allocated to the district due to increased demand;

(c) provide funding for monitoring the projects for beneficiaries of empowerment funds;

(d) start releasing funds for recurrent departmental charges for 2013, for the smooth operations of the district office; and

(e) construct community halls in each of the thirteen wards in the district.

Ms Kazunga: Mr Speaker, the scheme is currently being implemented in eleven districts, namely Chipata, Kazungula, Kalomo, Monze, Katete, Kaputa, Shang’ombo, Kalabo, Serenje, Luwingu and Zambezi districts. This year, the scheme will be introduced to Chiengi and Milengi districts.

Sir, there are districts where the Social Cash Transfer Scheme is assisting to reduce extreme poverty levels. At present, there is a ten-year joint financing agreement with our co-operating partners in which we expect the Government to take over the financing of the scheme and to scale it up to other districts. However, before this is done, there is a need to build the administrative capacity of the new districts and to engage a payment service provider which will deliver transfers efficiently and curtail the possible fiduciary risk associated with the delivering of payments to rural households.

Mr Speaker, the FSP Programme has been increasing the number of beneficiaries supported annually. For instance, in the 2009/2010 Farming Season, 200 beneficiaries were supported while in the 2011 Farming Season, 250 beneficiaries were assisted. In the 2012 Farming Season, 300 beneficiaries were supported. The ministry will, however, endeavour to support more vulnerable farming households based on the availability of resources.

Sir, the ministry, through the Department of Community Development, has been providing funds for the monitoring of programmes. Notable among these programmes has been the FSP Programme which has had a provision for funds for monitoring its implementation.

In 2012, Nchelenge District received KR24,380.00 for monitoring the FSP Programme under the Women Empowerment Programme while the district received KR4,500.00 for the last quarter of 2012.

Mr Speaker, at district level, the recurrent departmental charges for the Social Welfare and Community Department programmes are under provincial administration and should be released through the provincial administration where these budget lines exist for all districts.

Sir, my ministry has several projects going on countrywide under the Community Self-Help Initiative Programme and Nchelenge is one of the benefitting districts. The activities under this pogramme are demand-driven. This means that it is the responsibility of the community members to identify and initiate projects that they feel have the potential to improve their livelihoods. These projects are born out of the pressing needs of the community. My ministry comes in to support the community’s initiatives by contributing towards these projects in monetary and material form. Therefore, the ministry will not construct community halls if they are not being demanded for by the community members themselves.

At the moment, in Nchelenge, the ministry is constructing an office block which will have seven offices, one of them being a conference hall. The project was identified by a women’s developmental group and the ministry has contributed KR76,500.00 towards this project, thus far.

I thank you, Sir.

CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS IN MWINILUNGA

519. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga East) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education when the construction of secondary schools in the following areas of Mwinilunga District would commence:

(a) Chief Chibwika’s area;

(b) Lumwana West;

(c) Chief Kakoma’s area; and

(d) Chief Sailunga’s area.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, before I answer the question, allow me to provide a certain context to it.

Sir, I am sure that the hon. Member is aware that the Government is working towards the completion of construction works at Kanyama Boarding High School which is being constructed in Mwinilunga District.

In addition, in our Infrastructure Development Plan for 2012 which has been carried into 2013, the ministry identified five school projects in the North-Western Province. These include Iyovu Secondary School in Zambezi West, Kikombe Secondary School in Solwezi, Ikeleng’i Secondary School in Ikeleng’i, …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Mabumba: ... Mako Secondary School in Kasempa and Kalenga Secondary School in Kabompo.

Mr Speaker, as part of the implementation of these projects in the 2013 Budget, the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education selected three out of five school projects which are Iyovu, Ikeleng’i and Mako. Since we shall be using the available funds to complete works at Kanyama in Mwinilunga and the three projects, I have just mentioned, we will not manage to start the construction of secondary schools in any of the chiefdoms which the hon. Member referred to in his question. However, funds permitting, it is our desire to construct secondary schools in the chiefdoms in question.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Katuka: Mr Speaker, I am aware that there are construction works taking place at a basic school in Chief Chibwika’s area which already has ten basic schools. Would the Government consider converting that basic school into a secondary school so that the people of this chiefdom can have access to higher education?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, we will look at the option which has been suggested by the hon. Member and get back to him. I would not want to give a misleading answer on the Floor of the House.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, the hon. Deputy Minister has identified five schools which were part of the Infrastructure Development Plan for 2012 which has been carried into 2013. He identified one of the schools as being Kalenga. I am wondering which school this is because I know that it should be called Kalunga and not Kalenga. Could the hon. Deputy Minister clarify the mix up.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, I am grateful to the hon. Member of Parliament. The school is Kalunga and not Kalenga.

I thank you, Sir.

REHABILITATION OF MAKANU/NTAMBU ROAD

520. Mr Katuka asked the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication whether the Government had any plans to rehabilitate the Makanu/Ntambu Road connecting Mwinilunga and Solwezi West Parliamentary constituencies after the construction of the Kabompo Bridge is completed.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Mr M. H. Malama): Mr Speaker, the Makanu/Ntambu Road, connecting Mwinilunga and Solwezi, is not in the annual work plan for 2013. However, the Road Development Agency (RDA) has plans to carry out the rehabilitation of the road in 2014.

I thank you, Sir.

POLLING STATIONS IN MUCHINGA CONSTITUENCY

521. Mr Kunda (Muchinga) asked the Vice-President when the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) would declare the following schools in Muchinga Parliamentary Constituency, polling stations:

(a) Isaninga Basic ;

(b) Mulembo Basic

(c) Nsanje Basic; and

(d) Fikondo Community.

The Deputy Minister in the Vice-President’s Office (Mr Mwango): Mr Speaker, the ECZ shall consider turning Isaninga, Nsanje and Mulembo basic schools as well as Fikondo Community School in Muchinga Constituency into polling stations, if they meet the criteria which it considers, when the delimitation exercise to review polling station boundaries takes place, possibly before the 2016 Tripartite Elections.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

MINISTRY OF CHIEFS AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS OPERATIONS IN NCHELENGE

Mr Mpundu asked the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs when the Government would undertake the following in Nchelenge District:

(a) construct offices;

(b) provide a motor vehicle for operations; and

(c) increase the number of staff.

The Deputy Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs (Mrs Kawandami): Mr Speaker, the construction of offices in Nchelenge District, as in all other districts, will be undertaken once funds for the exercise are secured and an appropriate budgetary provision is made in the estimates of expenditure.

Sir, the provision of motor vehicles will be considered after the construction of offices is concluded. The current establishment provides for seven officers at the moment. The recruitment and placement of staff for districts in the country is on-going.

I thank you, Sir.
__________

BILLS

SECOND READING

THE NATIONAL HEALTH RESEARCH BILL, 2013

The Minister of Health (Dr Kasonde): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Mr Speaker, the Bill before this august House seeks to provide a legal framework for the implementation of the National Health Research Policy.

Sir, hon. Members may wish to note that the current legal framework is inadequate in dealing with many issues related to health research such as the exportation of human biological material, genetic studies and population profiling, to mention, but a few.

Mr Speaker, the current legal framework does not provide protection for the public and the Zambian researches from undue exploitation as research participants and research partners. Therefore, should anything go wrong in terms of health research involving the human participants, the Government will find itself in a weak position in case of litigation.
 
Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks to provide the following:

(a) establishment of the National Health Research Authority that is provided with sufficient powers to discharge its functions;

(b) establishment of an independent National Health Research Ethics Board that has sufficient powers to discharge its functions;

(c) constitution of a Health Research Ethics Committee at every health institution where research is conducted;

(d) regulation of the exportation and importation of biological materials for health research;

(e) designation of any health research institution, site or health establishment as a bio-bank;

(f) regulation of the conduct of clinical trials;

(g) protection of intellectual property rights arising from or connected with health research undertaken by a health researcher or institution;

(h) establishment of a Health Research Trust Fund; and

(i) domestication of the relevant international protocols used in health research and guidelines on ethics and good clinical practice in the conduct of health research.

Mr Speaker, the Bill before this august House is critical to the development, regulation and co-ordination of health research and also to the promotion of the rights of citizens. It is in the interest of national security to regulate the transfer of biological materials collected from Zambians during the process of conducting health research.

Sir, before I conclude, I wish to recognise the contribution of the Member for Mumbwa, Hon. Brig- Gen. Dr Brian Chituwo, whose document of 2008 was a very useful contribution to the beginning of the process of creating this legislation.

Sir, this Bill is not controversial, but progressive. I, therefore, urge hon. Members of this august House to support it.

I thank you, Sir. {mospagebreak}

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo (Mumbwa): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank you for according me this opportunity to brief this august House on your Committee’s consideration of the National Health Research Bill, 2013, whose objects are:

(a) establishing a National Health Research Authority and provide for its functions and powers;

(b) establishing the National Health Research Ethics Board and provide for its functions and powers;

(c) provide a regulatory framework for the development, regulation, financing and co-ordination of health research and ensure the development of consistent health research standards and guidelines for ethically sound health research;

(d) provide for the establishment of health research ethics committees and the regulation and management of research institutions, health researchers and health establishments involved in or undertaking research;

(e) provide for the regulation of biological materials for health research;

(f) provide for ethical approval for the conducting of clinical trials; 
(g) provide for the use of traditional complementary or alternative medicines in health research;

(h) provide for data management and intellectual property rights in health research;

(j) provide for the designation of bio-banks; and

(j) provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

Mr Speaker, you may be aware that the proposed National Health Research Bill, 2013 …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was about to say that you may be aware that the proposed National Health Research Bill, 2013 is the first ever of its kind in Zambia and the country is among the few without such legal framework. As such, most stakeholders who appeared before your Committee were in support of the Bill, but raised a few concerns which have been highlighted in your Committee’s report. Stakeholders noted that enactment of this law is the culmination of efforts to explicitly articulate a comprehensive legal framework for the institutionalisation and administration of health research in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, your Committee agrees with the stakeholders and commends the Government for the step it has taken to bring this particular Bill to Parliament. As the report of your Committee has been circulated to hon. Members, I will not spend time specifying the other concerns of the stakeholders, as these concerns have impacted your Committee’s observations and recommendations set out hereunder.

Sir, in supporting the Bill, your Committee wishes to make the following observations and recommendations:

(a) your Committee observes that the discourse on the funding mechanisms for the regulation of health research has not been given prominence in the Bill, despite it being a very important and crucial requirement for the successful implementation of the regulations for health research. It, therefore, recommends that a research fund, as opposed to a research account, be created in a similar manner as provided under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Act.
(b) your Committee observes that the Bill has made reference to the minister without stating or defining who this minister is. This is of particular importance, given that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health both deal with human health. Therefore, your Committee recommends that the Bill be specific in defining the minister, as the hon. Minister responsible for health;

(c) your Committee also recommends that reviewing of research proposals and protocols remains the function of the Research Ethics Committee or Independent Review Board and not the National Research Ethics Board so that the board plays the role of an arbitrator or an appeals board in the event that aggrieved parties lodge in an appeal. Therefore, it has proposed that Clause 14 (3) be deleted;

(d) the composition of the National Health Research Ethics Board, under Clause 13 (1), is too broad to be an objective when handling professional issues of misconduct. Therefore, your Committee recommends that the National Health Research Ethics Committee be the final authority to consider submissions of the institutional health research ethics committees and that a technical sub-committee be established to deal with matters regarding the violation of the provisions of the Act.

Sir, subject to the foregoing recommendations, your Committee urges the House to support the National Research Bill, 2013. May I thank you, Hon. Mr Speaker, for affording your Committee an opportunity to scrutinise the Bill. Your Committee is also indebted to the witnesses that appeared before it and tendered both oral and written submissions. We also wish to thank the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the invaluable assistance rendered to your Committee.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Namulambe): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate that is on the Floor. First of all, let me comment very briefly on the report of your Committee. It did very good work and I will draw your attention to its recommendation on page 12 where it is simply urging this House to support this Bill. As for the recommendations, I am sure the responsible hon. Minister will attend to them. I support the good report of your Committee and the Bill.

Mr Speaker, having said so, allow me to simply give my brief maiden speech …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: … after being re-elected as hon. Member of Parliament for Mpongwe Parliamentary Constituency so that I can finish my term comfortably ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: … up to 2016.

Mr Speaker, to start with, I want to thank the people of Mpongwe Constituency for the confidence shown by re-electing me as their hon. Member of Parliament under the Patriotic Front (PF).

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, in doing so, I am greatly indebted to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Micheal Chilufya Sata, for the immense support he rendered to me during this by-election and his fatherly words of encouragement after I resigned from the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: … and also for appointing me to serve in his Cabinet as the hon. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Sir, my thanks also go to His Honour the Vice-President, Dr Guy Scott, who helped me during the campaigns in Mpongwe and assured the people there of the much-needed development; the Secretary-General of our party, Hon. Wynter Kabimba, for warmly receiving me at the time that I joined the party; and my campaign manager, Hon. Jean Kapata, who was previously my wife but, is now my mother because …

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: … she helped me win the election. My sincere thanks also go to the hon. Cabinet Ministers, hon. Deputy Ministers and hon. Members of Parliament who came to Mpongwe to give me support, the provincial Chairperson for our party, Mr Mwewa, and his team, the district chairperson and his team, the constituency officials, my friends, like Mr. Frank Ng’ambi, Mr Bulaya Mukualala and many others, including all the people that resigned from the MMD with me in all the wards, my chiefs, my parents who, first of all, were reluctant to render their support, but after I explained the reasons behind  my resignation, gave me overwhelming support and prompted me to move on …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: … and, lastly, my family for the encouragement.

Mr Speaker, after the MMD lost power in 2011, the people of Mpongwe almost lost political direction after considering the fact that the former Ruling Party was not showing any signs of bouncing back into the Government. Due to the lack of inspiration regarding what the party was doing in order for it to find some ways of bouncing back, the people of Mpongwe started asking me questions on whether it was necessary for me to continue serving under the MMD, especially that I was the Chairperson for Elections and was contributing in making decisions for the party although nothing tangible was coming out of them. Therefore, I gave such comments serious reflection.

Mr Speaker, I have been keenly following the pronouncements by the Government in relation to …

Mr Mwiimbu: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, procedurally, a person is not authorised to speak on the Floor of this House before giving a maiden speech. Hon. Namulambe has been on the Floor of this House, answering to questions on behalf of the Government. Therefore, how does he, now, after having already spoken on the Floor of this House give his maiden speech? Is that procedural?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Monze Central, the rule that you have stated is correct and it represents the general rule, as it were. However, when it comes to hon. Ministers and hon. Deputy Ministers, even before they render their maiden speeches, the exigency of the moment demands that they attend to that business.

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection.

Mr Speaker, the people of Mpongwe have keenly followed the Government’s pronouncements on how it will move this country forward. Although Mpongwe was an MMD stronghold, its people appreciated President Sata and his hon. Ministers’ pronouncements on the developmental projects that are to be undertaken. Some major attractions for the people of Mpongwe include the construction of the 8,000 km of new roads under the Link-Zambia 8,000 Road Network Project. Mpongwe will benefit through the tarring of the Mpongwe/Machiya Road and the construction of a bridge at the Machiya Ferry Point.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: The Government also intends to construct 650 clinics, out of which eight are meant for Mpongwe District; to sink a number of boreholes as well as to purchase road equipment to grade and make new feeder roads for the Copperbelt, from which Mpongwe District will be one of the first beneficiaries; to construct more secondary schools and teachers’ houses; to expand the Kwilimuna Youth Skills Training Centre, which will provide more survival skills for our youth and K4 billion has already been released towards the project by the Government; and the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives announced that the Government would ensure that agricultural inputs are distributed early and the input distribution system revised. This and many other developmental projects in the pipeline attracted the people of Mpongwe to this party.

Mr Speaker, some people have alleged that I am a political opportunist. I am not.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Some selfish individuals wanted to use me as a political song-bird to oppose all the good things being announced by the PF Government. I am not that kind of a person.   

Hon. Government Member: Ema MP aya!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, I appreciate good things. When things are good, who am I to say otherwise? Let us not be too shy to say it when things are being done well.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Just join the bandwagon.

I do not have regrets because I know that my people will benefit because these pronouncements will come to fruition. So far, we have already sited the areas where the eight new clinics are going to be built.

The road equipment is already in Mpongwe …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: … to grade all the feeder roads and make new ones so that agricultural inputs are transported properly.

Mr Speaker, the lack of foresight to draw an attractive manifesto by my former party is one of the reasons that made me rethink my loyalty to it. I could not remain a part of a party that could not even draw up a manifesto to attract people. 

Hon. Government Members: Shalom, shalom!

Mr Namulambe:  I tried to engineer the drafting of a new manifesto after the retreat, but all to no avail. I am aware of the fact that my former party’s manifesto died in 2011. The one that is at work now is that of the PF. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: I have no shame in accepting that it is the manifesto being implemented, currently, that will benefit my people. I would like to urge my colleagues who have remained in my former party, particularly those who congratulated me on joining the PF, to come and join us. They should not feel shy. The boat is still empty and we still want more people to join us. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: All those who have remained must rally behind what is being done by hon. Ministers. Of course, some people are saying that they have not seen anything tangible yet. I want to urge them to be patient because they will, definitely, see something. The Doubting Thomases will start hiding before 2016. We will not even see them contesting the 2016 elections.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, this is the time that people should start drawing closer to the PF Government so that we continue to work together. Political parties must exist in a multi-party State. However, in as much as we must appreciate the role of the Opposition, the Opposition should always be the Government-in-waiting. As such, each time it wants to oppose, it must do so by providing alternative ones.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, a few years back, our colleagues in the United Party for National Development (UPND) did not believe in one National Budget. Hon. Sichinga, who was in the UPND then, came up with an alternative Budget. Now, however, people are being ordered to reject the National Budget in the House without providing alternatives.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: This is a sign of being shy. If, for instance, one has nothing to oppose, sometimes, it is not wrong to admit that a Budget is good and thank your colleagues.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, if someone has a very good suit on and yours is in tatters, simply appreciate your friend’s and request them to give you one so that you also look good.

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, checks and balances must be provided. However, I challenge my colleagues in the Opposition to make constructive criticism as well as come up with better alternative solutions. 

For instance, what is the alternative to the construction of 8,000 km of roads in the country?

Laughter 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: If your alternative is to provide airplanes, bring it on for the people of Zambia to accept or reject. If, however, the Link Zambia 8,000 Road Network Project is there to benefit Zambians, what is there to oppose?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: The best you can do is support it. It is for this reason that I do not feel shy. Even during the campaigns in Mpongwe, we based our campaigns on real issues. When our colleagues came to Mpongwe, my elder brother addressed a rally that had fewer people than would attend a premature baby’s funeral.

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, that was a sign of diminishing fortunes for my former party.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: If I were to advise them, …

Hon. Ntundu interjected.

Mr Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Gwembe!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, if I were to dispense some advice, I would advise my colleagues to go back to the archives and get the people who started the MMD and involve them in the running of the party so that they remain focused. They should go further and ask the people on the street what they should do to reclaim their lost glory. Failure to that, those whom we see in the House will only be here until 2016, after which, we will forget about them.

Hon. Government Members: Doom!

Mr Namulambe: At least, the United National Independence Party (UNIP) tried to sustain itself for a while. 

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: For my former party, however, it is a pity because it has no single asset. It is even failing to participate in national events because it has no money to buy attire for its members.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: If at all there will be some members remaining.

Hon. Government Members: No!

Mr Mwila: Bwekeshapo!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, it is important for all of us to think positively. Zambia is our country. As patriotic Zambians, we must contribute to its development. Yes, we must criticise, but it should be in a way which is meant to build our country because the people out there look up to us. As we come to this Parliament, we must not hide in the unnecessary walk-outs when we do not have reasons to oppose things.

Hon. Government Members: Shame! Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Let us be objective. There is nothing wrong with opposing constructively. Mr Speaker, personally, I do not regret my decision to leave the Opposition. That was not meant to kill the Opposition. However, if it has got no direction, …

Mr Kapeya: Kill it!

Mr Namulambe: … it is not wrong to leave it.

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: Some people have been claiming that I am a muselela kwakaba. In fact, there was even a song that was composed during the by-election that Namulambe is a muselela kwakaba, meaning that I go where it is warm. Honestly, Mr Speaker, I would be foolish to stay in the cold and keep shivering.

Laughter

Mr Namulambe: Why should I remain there and die when I could move to where it is warmer?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr M. H. Malama: Beebe! Welcome!

Mr Namulambe: So, that song, actually, helped me very much. I liked it because it spoke the truth. There is no way I can remain in a house where I have seen that the roof is falling and say, ‘‘God will help me. I will just remain here.’’

Laughter

Professor Luo: Ba Mwale, muleumfwa!

Mr Namulambe: I was proud and principled enough to move to a house that I knew would keep me from getting soaked or dying, and allow development to come to my people.

Sir, I want to tell the people of Mpongwe, once again, to keep waiting for the good things that they will soon see.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: They will see development. I may not have the money to give them, but development will go there. Therefore, let us give support to our President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: At first, I did not like him and the members of the PF when they were campaigning. However, after seeing what they were trying to do, after their meetings, I was convinced that I had been wrong, somehow.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: The best I did was to join them.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Namulambe: Mr Speaker, I want to urge Zambians in all corners of the country to rally behind the PF.

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

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Ema youth aya!

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, thank you …

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Let us have some silence, please!

Dr Kasonde: … for giving me the Floor to respond to some of the presentations of the last few minutes. The clear message, to me, is of full support from hon. Members. Therefore, I do not think that I should disturb that clear message and, perhaps, comment unnecessarily on issues upon which we have fully agreed.

Sir, I have taken note and thank the Committee for a very elaborate assessment of our proposal. We will, of course, take into account all the comments it has made, and what will come up, eventually, will be inclusive of the observations it made, subject to this consultation that I must make before coming back to the House.

Mr Speaker, two points have been made which, I think, should be noted. One is the issue of the Research Ethics Committee, which should be national, but below the National Ethics Board. Perhaps, there might have been a misrepresentation in the sense that it was made clear that the National Ethics Board was, in fact, the former National Health Research Committee, and it was considered, in discussion with colleagues in the Cabinet Committee, that the function of supervising the other committees could be performed even now by the board, itself. I think that if we can present that point and make it clear, our colleagues will understand.

The other comment was on whether the hon. Minister should appoint the chair of the board. This was not referred to by Hon. Brig-Gen Dr Chituwo, but it was in the report. Again, I consulted very extensively with colleagues in the Cabinet Committee, who felt that this is part of direction of the creation of any organisation, and that the influence of an hon. Minister should not be shied away from.

Sir, the rest of what I see are comments of support and confirmation that this piece of legislation was well-conceived. The logical conclusion is that it must now be passed into an Act.

I thank you, Sir.{mospagebreak}

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee, on Thursday, 14th March, 2013.

THE MEDICINES AND ALLIED SUBSTANCES BILL, 2013

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Sir, the Bill before this august House is intended to repeal and replace the Pharmaceutical Act, No. 14, of 2004, in order to facilitate the implementation of the business licensing reforms and address some of the challenges experienced in the implementation of the previous Act.

Mr Speaker, the Act is intended to regulate and monitor the entire pharmaceutical industry in Zambia and the movement of medicines and allied substances throughout the distribution chain. The main objective of the Act is to ensure that all medicines and allied substances consistently conform to the required standards for quality, safety and efficacy throughout the chain of manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, storage and supply, and that the information accompanying the medicines or allied substances is accurate and conforms to the required standards.

Sir, as part of the business licensing reforms that the Government is currently implementing, the Pharmaceutical Act was among the four pieces of legislation under the health sector that required streamlining, in terms of licensing procedures, in line with the objectives of the Private Sector Development Reform Programme (PSDRP).

The review of this Act provided an opportunity to address some of the challenges affecting the smooth implementation of certain provisions of the Act such as:

(a) non availability of retail pharmacies in most parts of the country, especially the rural areas;

(b) lack of clarity in distribution of veterinary medicines both in the public and private sector; and

(c) ambiguities in the application of the term medicine.

Sir, the proposed Medicines and Allied Substances Bill No. 3 of 2013 continues to provide a framework for the regulation and control of medicines and allied substances and is intended, as indicated earlier, to facilitate the attainment of the objectives of the Business Licensing Reforms by streamlining the licensing procedures and reducing the cost of doing business in the pharmaceutical sector in Zambia. This will provide an enabling environment for future investments in the pharmaceutical sector, thereby creating more job opportunities and wealth.

Mr Speaker, the review of the current Act identified twenty-five possible licences and recommended that they be reviewed, rationalised and amalgamated into five licences and others re-classified to permits or certificates, as the case may be.

Sir, the proposed Bill specifically provides for the following:

(i) pharmaceutical licence covering manufacturing and wholesale;

(ii) permit, covering health shops and agro veterinary shops;

(iii) permit, covering for import/export of medicines and allied substances; and

(iv) certificate, covering retail hospital pharmacy and dispensing certificate and clinical trial certificate.

Mr Speaker, you may wish to note that the Bill introduces a new concept of health shops and agro-veterinary shops which will be permitted to handle a prescribed list of medicines and allied substances in order to increase access to quality assured, efficacious, safe medicines and allied substances.

Sir, this will apply in areas where the services of a pharmacist may not be available. This will also help curb the proliferation of illegal drug outlets and reduce pilferage of medicines from public health institutions.

Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks to change the title from Pharmaceutical Act to Medicines and Allied Substances Act to reflect the intent of legislation which is to regulate medicines and allied substances and not to regulate the profession of pharmacy. The Bill also seeks to rename the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority as Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority.

Sir, in addition, the Bill provides for a lean board composition consisting of fourteen members as opposed to twenty in the current Act. Also provided in the Bill is the Expert Advisory Committee to replace the Medicines Committee in the current Act, whose major function is to advise the board on marketing authorisation for medicines and allied substances.

Mr Speaker, the Bill is, in fact, compatible with internationally-accepted norms for the regulation of medicines and allied substances and it has, to a greater extent, attempted to accommodate the harmonisation of initiatives in the African region.

Sir, this Bill before this august House is in the interest of public health and is of national security. It is not controversial at all and, I believe, deserves support. I, therefore, urge the hon. Members of this august House to support it.

I thank you, Sir.

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, let me begin by expressing my gratitude for this opportunity to brief the House on the deliberations undertaken by your Committee with regard to the Medicines and Allied Substances Bill, which was referred to it on 21st February, 2013.

The objects of the Bill are to:

(a) continue the existence of the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority and rename it as the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority;

(b) provide for the functions and powers of the authority;

(c) provide for the registration and regulation of the pharmacies, health shops and agro-veterinary shops;

(d) provide for the registration and regulation of medicines and allied substances;

(e) provide for the regulation of the manufacture, importation, exportation, possession, storage, distribution, supply, promotion, advertising, sale and use of medicines and allied substances;

(f) provide for the regulation and control of clinical trials;

(g) repeal and replace the Pharmaceutical Act, 2004; and

(h) provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.

Mr Speaker, the House will be interested to know that all the stakeholders who appeared before your Committee generally supported the Bill, but raised a few concerns which have been highlighted in your Committee’s report.

Mr Miyutu entered the Assembly Chamber.

Interruptions

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Brig-Gen. Dr Chituwo: Mr Speaker, stakeholders noted that unlike the Pharmaceutical Act, 2004, the Medicines and Allied Substances Bill is much broader and better couched, as it incorporates most of the concerns and challenges faced by stakeholders in the manufacturing and distribution of drugs.

Sir, your Committee agrees with the stakeholders and commends the Government for the step it has taken to bring this particular Bill to Parliament. It is your Committee’s hope that this Bill will promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines and allied substances.

Mr Speaker, I do not intend to take too much time to articulate the concerns of the stakeholders which are in the Committee’s report, as these concerns impact the observations and recommendations of the Committee set out below:

(a) your Committee observes that the proposal to rename the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority as the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority is somewhat ambiguous as it may imply that the authority will only be regulating Zambian medicines and not imported medicines. Your Committee, therefore, recommends that the new name of the authority be the Medicines Regulatory Authority of Zambia in order to remove the perceived ambiguity;

(b) your Committee is concerned that the hon. Minister has been empowered to take action which should ordinarily be under the jurisdiction of the authority in so many instances. This, in the opinion of your Committee, weakens the power of the authority to make professional decisions. Therefore, your Committee recommends that such powers be vested in the authority as opposed to the minister. In any case, actions of the minister should be exercised on the recommendations of the authority. Sir, in view of the above observations, your Committee strongly recommends that the chairperson of the board be elected from among the members of the board as opposed to being appointed by the minister.

(c) your Committee observes that in view of the fact that the 2013 Budget has already been passed, the commencement of the Bill will necessitate that certain administrative measures be put in place by the ministry. Therefore, it recommends that the Bill commences on a date to be specified by the hon. Minister in a statutory instrument (SI);

(d) your Committee further observes that the issue of import permits is under-represented in the Bill, especially given the numerous substandard medicines and allied substances that are reportedly being imported into the country. Therefore, the issue of import licences ought to be comprehensively addressed to ensure that stringent guidelines are set in order that only quality medicines and substances are imported into the country. Furthermore, your Committee recommends that export procedures be left to the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry for guidance. However, matters of the quality of products being exported must be regulated by the manufacturing standards already in existence;

(e) your Committee is of the view that Clause 39(4)(A) be deleted because there should be no exemptions granted to medicines in order to protect the country against dumping and substandard drugs entering the country on the pretext of being donations. Therefore, your Committee recommends that all donated medicines should be subjected to the same scrutiny as any other medicines in order to safeguard public health; and

(f) your Committee observes that Clause 68(1) empowers the authority to publish guidelines in a daily newspaper of general circulation upon which such guidelines shall be binding on all persons regulated under this Act. Your Committee is of the view that publication of these guidelines should also, in addition to the above, be done via radio, television and other means of communication such as cellular phones in order to ensure that they reach the people in rural areas.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to express my gratitude to you for the opportunity given to your Committee to scrutinise this Bill. Gratitude is also extended to the stakeholders who gave both written and oral submissions which greatly assisted your Committee in its work. Last but not the least, I also wish to thank the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the services rendered to your Committee throughout its deliberations.

Mr Speaker, I thank you. {mospagebreak}

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, I will be very brief. Probably I will be done in less than three minutes. I just want to add my voice to the many voices that have supported this Bill. From the outset, I want to state that this Bill is extremely progressive and has been long overdue. I want to support this Bill so much for the innovation that has come with it, particularly on two fronts. These are the introduction of agro-vet shops and, for the first time, the bringing into the net the non-pharmaceutically qualified retail outlets, the so-called drug stores.

I think that, for the first time, there is now an attempt to take into consideration everyone who has been involved in the medicine value chain, so to speak, starting from the very least. For many years, we have tried to bury our heads in the sand and pretended people involved in the sale of medicines and allied substances do not exist. I notice that this move is very progressive in the sense that not only will it control and regulate these other players, but will also be a channel through which many Zambians will be empowered by allowing them to also take part in the medical industry by way of trade at a lower level.

I am sure hon. Members will note that for many years, we have not controlled certain chemicals that have come into the country, particularly in the agriculture sector, but this has, however, been catered for in this Bill. So, in my view, this is, in itself, a very important innovation and I hope that the hon. Minister and his team will provide an elaborate mechanism to enforce and police this new policy direction. I am sure hon. Members know that to deal in medicines, there were stringent requirements. From what we have been told about agro and health shops, it is my understanding that some other form of licensing, probably by way of permit, will be made available.

The other innovation is obviously the inclusion of allied products or substances which have escaped the drug net in the past. These are non-medical substances such as laboratory reagents, catheters, syringes and needles. I suppose all these are now coming on board in terms of regulation, quality, source and so on and so forth.

Mr Speaker, like I said, I do not intend to take long because I support this Bill wholeheartedly. I just want to say that I hope that this Bill will also regulate the conduct of those that are involved in the cosmetic industry. We are all aware that most of these cosmetics contain steroids, which obviously have detrimental effects and damaging most of our people, especially the womenfolk. I think it is high time we introduced a more elaborate and better enforcement mechanism to ensure that we remove them off our shelves in trading outlets. We see a lot of yellow faces, and I am not talking about certain brothers in here, but …

Laughter

Dr Kalila: … I am actually referring to some of our friends, particularly the womenfolk, who have been consistently using these products which contain medicines, most of which are banned, but are hidden under brand names and our enforcement mechanisms have not been able to remove them from retail outlets. I hope that this Bill will provide a mechanism under which we can enforce that. Even some big retail shops such as Shoprite, Spar and Pick ‘n’ Pay actually sell some of these medicines and I hope that this Bill will extend to try to control some of these trading practices.

Mr Speaker, I want to congratulate the hon. Minister and his team. Obviously, our technocrats worked tirelessly over the years to bring this Bill to this House and this is the way to go. Like we have been told, it is the best practice in many other parts of the world.

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

Hon. MMD Member: Hear, hear!

Dr Kasonde: Mr Speaker, again, I would like to thank hon. Members for being so unanimous in supporting this Bill. I thank the Committee which worked very hard to analyse and advise on the way forward. I take the message of unanimity and will not go one by one to comment on the various remarks because I believe they were all supportive and very easy to incorporate into our current thinking.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time.

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

Committee on Thursday, 14thMarch, 2013.
  
_____________

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMITTEES in the
Chair]

THE BANK OF ZAMBIA (Amendment) BILL, 2013

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 2 – (Insertion of new section 40A)

The Minister of Finance (Mr Chikwanda): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 2, on page 3, in line 8, by the deletion of the words ‘regulate and’ and the substitution therefor of the words ‘take measures to’.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

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

CLAUSE 3 – (Insertion of new section 44A)

Mr Chikwanda: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 3, on page 4, in line 2, by the deletion of the words ‘prescribe the maximum’ and the substitution therefor of the words ‘regulate the’.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 3, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

THE MILLENIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT BILL, 2013

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Schedule from pages 14 to 96 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

_________

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

The Bank of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2013

Report Stage on Thursday, 14th March, 2013.

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee without amendments:

The Millennium Challenge Compact Bill, 2013

Third Reading on Friday, 15th March, 2013.

REPORT STAGE

The Higher Education Bill, 2013

The Teaching Profession Bill, 2013

Report adopted.

Third Readings on Thursday, 14th March, 2013.

_________

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

__________

The House adjourned at 1745 hours until 1400 hours on Thursday, 14th March, 2013.