Thursday, 24th September, 2020

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Thursday, 24th September, 2020

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_______

 

                ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER

 

2021 NATIONAL BUDGET PRESENTATION

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I wish to inform the House that in accordance with Article 202(1) of the Constitution of Zambia, the hon. Minister of Finance will, tomorrow, 25th September, 2020, present to the National Assembly, the Budget for 2021.

 

In this regard, and in accordance with Standing Order No. 83(1), the Budget will be referred to the Expanded Budget Committee comprising hon. Members of the Budget Committee and chairpersons of all the general purposes and portfolio committees. The Chairperson of the Budget Committee will preside over the proceedings of the Expanded Budget Committee. The Committee will hold its first meeting on Monday, 28th September, 2020, to consider its programme of work.

 

I thank you.

 

_______

 

MOTION

 

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS 5, 6 AND 11(1)

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that Standing Orders No. 5, 6 and 11(1) of the National Assembly of Zambia Coronavirus Disease-2019 Temporary Standing Orders, 2020, as amended, be suspended to enable the House sit from 1415 hours until business is concluded on Friday, 25th September, 2020, and also to omit the Vice-President’s Question Time from the Order Paper.

 

Sir, it is the tradition of the House to allow the hon. Minister of Finance to present the National Budget on a Friday afternoon. However, Standing Orders No. 5 and 6 of the National Assembly of Zambia Coronavirus Disease-2019 Temporal Standing Orders, 2020, as amended, provide that the House shall sit from 0900 hours to 1200 hours on Fridays, while Standing Order No. 11(1) provides for the Vice-President’s Question Time on the same day.

 

Mr Speaker, it is with this in mind that I move this Motion to suspend the mentioned Standing Orders so that the House can sit at 1415 hours on Friday, 25th September, 2020, and also to omit the Vice-President’s Question Time from the Order Paper to enable the hon. Minister of Finance to present the 2021 National Budget.

 

Sir, this is a procedural and non-controversial Motion. I, therefore, urge all hon. Members of this august House to support it.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to debate on this Motion. I also want to indicate that it appears that we have a challenge. We are failing to log in to the system. Could that be taken into account.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, as I rise to support the Motion, I would like to bring to the attention of Her Honour the Vice-President and the hon. Minister of Finance, who will deliver the Budget tomorrow, that we, as the Opposition, are very expectant. The nation is very anxious to hear the speech that will be delivered tomorrow.

 

Mr Speaker, as I support the Motion, there are a few points which I would like Her Honour the Vice-President to take note of. Members of the public, and, in particular, us in the Opposition, are very anxious to hear what measures the Government is going to put in place to ensure that the downward spiral of the economy is controlled. Her Honour the Vice-President may be aware that the Kwacha has now reached maturity and is capable of voting in the 2021 General Elections.

 

Mr Speaker, I also want to bring to the attention of Her Honour the Vice-President the fact that, two days ago, her Government issued a letter of intent to default on the bonds which it acquired.

 

Mr Lubinda: On a point of order, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: These issues are raising other issues.

 

Mr Ngulube: On a point of order, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Deputy Chief Whip, resume your seat. I am also listening and I am mindful of the fact that this is a non-controversial Motion.

 

Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, you may continue.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I am complying with the procedures that obtain in this House. All I am saying is that as the hon. Minister of Finance comes to present the Budget to this House, there are certain issues that members of the public will expect him to address. I am not opposing the Motion. I am following the procedures of this House.

 

Mr Speaker, we also want to hear what measures the Government is putting in place to address the problem of locusts which have invaded this country in the last two weeks or so. If we do not address this invasion of locusts, it is going to drastically affect the economy of this country.

 

Mr Speaker, we also want to hear what the Government will do to ensure that individuals whom it owes money, but whose contracts do not attract interest, are protected. Those are quite serious issues which we expect the hon. Minister of Finance to address when he comes to this House tomorrow.

 

Mr Speaker, lastly, the nation is saying that the most urgent issue that needs to be resolved and addressed is the state of the economy, not the Constitution. So, as the hon. Minister addresses us tomorrow, we must pay our attention to addressing the issues that affect the economy and not peripheral issues.

 

Mr Speaker, with those few remarks, I support the Motion.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, I also would like to thank Her Honour the Vice-President for the statement that she has made requesting this House to make variations to the Standing Orders to facilitate the presentation of the National Budget tomorrow.

 

Sir, from the outset, I would like to say that the Motion is fully supported without any reservations. This is because, as the Leader of the Opposition said, indeed, the nation is very expectant. There is a lot of suffering that is going on in the country today. The economy is suffering and prices are rising. The exchange rate, as we have heard, is getting out of control.

 

Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President came to open the current session of Parliament, we expected him to address some of the most pertinent issues in the country today, but those issues were not addressed. So, I think it has been left to the hon. Minister of Finance, as he presents the Budget tomorrow, to address those issues because the Zambian people are very expectant.

 

Sir, as we have heard, the exchange rate is going bananas or getting out of control. Prices are rising every day and many people and companies are owed money by the Government. Many development projects, such as the Libonda High School, which has stalled for the last nine years, are at a standstill. So, we are expectant.

 

Mr Speaker, further, we hope to hear from the hon. Minister tomorrow on the issue of the national debt crisis. Just a few minutes ago, news was received that one of the credit rating agencies has further downgraded Zambia to the worst debt category that it has ever been in the last ten years. It now has a C rating. So, we expect the hon. Minister of Finance to address the nation on all these pertinent issues and, with that, once again, I support the Motion.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I will take a few more contributions on this Motion from the hon. Member for Kalomo Central, the hon. Deputy Chief Whip and the hon. Minister of Home Affairs as well as the hon. Minister of Justice.

 

Mr Kamboni (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, I support the adjustment of the Standing Orders to allow the hon. Minister to deliver the Budget Speech tomorrow. However, we have expectations in the agriculture sector where we have had the problem of the Foot and Mouth disease which has hit the country, Kalomo in the Southern Province, in particular, really hard, without any solution in sight. The Government has failed to provide vaccine dosages to protect animals. So, we expect that there will be something in the Budget to solve this problem, if the Government is serious with agriculture development and the survival of the people. There should be a good allocation for livestock so that the Foot and Mouth disease can be a story of yesterday.

 

Sir, we also have a water situation that is so bad in this country such that some schools do not even have boreholes. So, it is very important that people see themselves being considered in the National Budget. We expect the hon. Minister of Finance to put up a reasonable allocation of money for water supply.

 

Mr Speaker, further, there is already a crisis as regards the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). We expect the inputs, this time around, to be delivered on time unlike the situation whereby people who manage FISP always have to wait for money. FISP must be given first priority.

 

Sir, the other area is that of the youth. The youth comprise 65 per cent of the population in the country, yet what we give them is so little. They are marginalised. The remaining 35 per cent of the population takes the huge chunk. It is my hope that the hon. Minister of Finance will look into the welfare of the youth in this country in terms of empowering them and, at least, creating employment opportunities for them. We need to look into this issue because we cannot have people who make up 65 per cent of the population only getting about 2 or 3 per cent of the National Budget.

 

Mr Speaker, these are serious matters and I expect the hon. Minister of Finance to look into them. I do agree that the hon. Minister is also expected to stabilise the value of the Kwacha. He needs to deal with these –

 

Mr Bwalya: On a point of order, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Bwalya: Mr Speaker, I am concerned and worried about whether or not this House is in order to allow a situation where a Motion of this nature should warrant hon. Members to begin debating their expectations on the contents of the Budget as opposed to looking strictly at the Motion to suspend the Standing Orders and the reason it should be effected. What I am getting is that people are now delving into the nitty-gritty of what they expect or what they want to see in the Budget. Those things will be debated when the Budget is presented. Is the House procedurally in order to debate in this fashion?

 

I seek your serious ruling, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I am also following the debate by hon. Members and, so far, no one has opposed the Motion moved by Her Honour the Vice-President. I think it is important that those who are going to debate consider the Motion and the issues which are being raised. There are issues which we may look at when we begin to debate the Budget. In that vein, I urge the hon. Member to get back to the real Motion so that we make progress. That is my ruling.

 

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

 

Mr Kamboni: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for your guidance.

 

The sound system malfunctioned.

 

Sir, I had to give reasons for supporting the suspension of the Standing Orders which will allow the presentation of the Budget Speech. I am agreeing with the Motion that the Standing Orders must be suspended to allow the hon. Minister of Finance to present the Budget Speech. These are the reasons I am giving. It is not wrong to be expectant. This is a Budget for everyone and we must all make an input into it. To comment on what you expect is not to criticise, but simply to mention the expectations.

 

Mr Speaker, I was saying that the youth make 65 per cent of the population and that they should, therefore, get a good chunk of money. Some youth from some areas are denied access to places where National Registration Cards (NRCs) are issued.

 

Sir, I would also like to look at one other area. Life is hard at the moment and it is important that workers are considered even when they are under much economic hardships in the country. We need to consider civil servants who are serving this country diligently. They must be looked after in this Budget. We do not want a situation where they spend five to six years without a salary increase and then get a huge increase at the end. We need to look at their welfare. Money has lost value. The buying power has reduced and inflation has increased. My point is that the youth should get a big chunk because –

 

There was a technical malfunction.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: We cannot get you, hon. Member.

 

Mr Kamboni: Are you able to get me now?

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: We are not able to get you, but we have picked the earlier part of your debate. It has been noted. However, we have to make progress.

 

Mr Ngulube (Kabwe Central): Mr Speaker, allow me to state that it has become very clear that some people want to lament even when it is obvious that the Motion on the Floor is non-controversial. Some of the issues that are raised by the hon. Members who debated earlier should not have been raised because I know that there will be a time when hon. Members will be given time to debate the Budget Speech.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, go straight –

 

Mr Ngulube: Allow me, Mr Speaker –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

We have passed that part and I have guided the House accordingly. Go straight into your debate.

 

Mr Ngulube: Mr Speaker, in supporting this Motion, I believe that by delivering the Budget Speech tomorrow, this working Patriotic Front (PF) Government will give a lot of hope to the people of Zambia.

 

Sir, we are aware that some political party which has been thinking it will form Government has been shown that it is far from forming Government.

 

Mr Mwiimbu interjected.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order, order!

 

Hon. Jack Mwiimbu –

 

Mr Kampyongo: You will lose!

 

Mr Ngulube: I have not mentioned the political party –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, I am in the same House where you and I are following the debate by the hon. Government Deputy Chief Whip. I will guide him if he misses the point or loses track. However, for now, let the hon. Member continue.

 

Mr Ngulube: Mr Speaker, I have not mentioned any political party and I do not know why Hon. Mwiimbu is seemingly agitated. However, I want to state that there is a political party somewhere which has been preaching that it is about to form Government. However, the happenings of Chilubi Constituency, Kanchibiya Constituency and Mwansabombwe Constituency have proved that they are far from getting to where they want to be.

 

Sir, in supporting this Motion, allow me to say that people in Zambia do not count chicks before the eggs hatch. All those who want to start counting their chicks before the eggs hatch are counting what they are not supposed to count.

 

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, allow me to say that Hon. Mwiimbu is scaring me in the way that he is looking at me.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Ah!

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, I would have seen that. There is no threat.

 

Mr Ngulube: He is intimidating me, Mr Speaker.

 

Sir, in conclusion, I want to urge all hon. Members of this House to support this Motion as we all expect good news for this country tomorrow.

 

With those few words, I just would like to say that there will be no change of Government next year.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to support the Motion which was ably moved by Her Honour the Vice-President.

 

Sir, it is surprising that a Motion as non-controversial as this one could attract debate. I have seen an attempt by some senior hon. Members of Parliament to take advantage of this Motion by debating matters which the hon. Minister of Finance will ably table before this august House tomorrow. Therefore, to try to be clever and start talking about matters –

 

Mr Syakalima interjected.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Keep quiet, you junior MP!

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order, order!

 

Hon. Minister, I am following you.

 

Mr Kampyongo: There is some noise coming from behind –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order, order! Take your seat.

 

Hon. Member for Chirundu, you do not debate if you are not permitted.

 

May the hon. Minister continue, please.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, we understand the desperation, but we will remain focused. As the hon. Minister of Finance comes tomorrow, he is going to deliver the message on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. This is what will form the basis for all the issues that the hon. Members on your left raised such as economic recovery because the people of Zambia are still in support of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government. I do not know how much more they are able to do apart from what they did in Lukashya Constituency and Mwansabombwe Constituency.

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

 

Mr Kampyongo: We have continued making inroads in the areas where other people thought that they were strong.

 

Hon. Opposition Member: Question, you kafupi!

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I support the non-controversial Motion which was ably moved by Her Honour the Vice-President.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Justice (Mr Lubinda): Mr Speaker, I also rise to support the Motion moved by Her Honour the Vice-President. In so doing, let me just set a few records straight.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Lubinda: Notwithstanding the unwarranted noise that is coming from quarters that you are well aware of, it is a virtue to listen to others, especially after they have listened to you. It is totally discourteous to think that you have the repository of wisdom and that you are above everyone else. This is something that we have to guard against, especially in this Parliament.

 

Mr Speaker, an impression has been created that this is the time when we should give input to the hon. Minister of Finance as he considers his budget. As you are all aware, the budget process in Zambia starts in June/July and, as has always been the case, the hon. Minister of Finance put in all the local newspapers, a call for comments and inputs in the 2021 Budget. All reasonable well-meaning Zambians and organisations listened to that call and went and made submissions to the hon. Minister of Finance. We are now at the tail end of that process.

 

Mr Speaker, tomorrow, as Her Honour the Vice-President indicated, the hon. Minister will come and present a Budget which, for the avoidance of doubt, is a culmination of all the presentations that were made to his ministry by various stakeholders. Those who did not seize that opportunity should not use this Motion to try to give input to the hon. Minister of Finance. To try to do that, for lack of better term, is mischief.

 

Mr Speaker, one thing that I would like to speak about is that when what is on the Order Paper is the Budget Address, people should not start debating the national address on the Progress Made in the Application of National Values and Principles which the President presents. When the matter on the Order Paper is the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019, people must sit here and debate, not go in the tavern to debate it. That is what Parliament is all about.

 

Mr Speaker, people must know the season, the business on the Floor, but today, it has been illustrated that some people in this House are totally misguided. I would like to appeal to you, Sir, to kindly guide all of us so that we are relevant to this nation. We should not come here and talk about matters that are not on the Order Paper because that way, we are wasting the time of Parliament and the people. I would like, therefore, to appeal to all of us that we support the Motion so that after the Budget Speech tomorrow, on Tuesday, we will come and interrogate the National Budget.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina):  Mr Speaker, I thank all the hon. Members for supporting the Motion which, indeed, is non-controversial.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_______

 

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

2021 GENERAL ELECTIONS CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES PARTICIPATION 

 

37. Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central) asked the Vice-President:

 

  1. what modalities have been put in place in correctional facilities in order to facilitate the participation of in-mates in the 2021 general elections; and
  2. whether the modalities include allowing political parties to access and campaign in correctional facilities.

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that the Zambia Correctional Service, working with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the stakeholders, have undertaken a mapping exercise in all the correctional facilities across the country. The purpose of the exercise is to collect data on how many prisoners are in possession of National Registration Cards (NRCs) and voter registration cards.

 

Sir, the House may wish to note that ECZ is the only institution mandated to plan the election modalities regarding political parties to access and campaign in correctional centres. The law is being reviewed to incorporate the voting of inmates. Once the law is amended, it will spell out the rules and regulations that will govern and operationalise the election system with regard to voting by inmates.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice- President has indicated that the Zambia Correctional Service, in conjunction with other stakeholders, is making consultations pertaining to how prisoners will vote. Who are these stakeholders participating in this particular process, taking into account that political parties are the major stakeholders in elections in this country? Are they being consulted?

 

The Vice- President: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, it is a new phenomenon for Zambia to have prisoners participate in elections. So, the ECZ has to look at all the pieces of legislation that will facilitate this exercise. The Law Development of Zambia is being engaged to look at the relevant laws that will respond to this situation that has arisen in the country. Once that has been finalised, I believe the political parties will be engaged in the modalities of conducting the participation of prisoners in elections and the rules and regulations that will govern the campaigns in these correctional centres.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, there is a misconception out there that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government initiated the process of allowing prisoners to vote in the forthcoming elections. Could Her Honour the Vice-President inform the nation, through this House, the genesis of this process? How did this matter start?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, having prisoners participate in elections is not a creation of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government. This situation arose out of a case that was taken to court by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which represents prisoners. The NGO took this case to the Constitutional Court to seek the court’s ruling on whether prisoners should participate in elections since they are full citizens of the country and the court ruled in favour of that NGO. Thus, what we are responding to, as the Government, is a court decision. So, having prisoners participate in elections is not a creation of the PF Government.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Mr Speaker, I would like Her Honour the Vice-President to clarify this issue because it is hot and contentious. In no uncertain terms, we, as the United Party for National Development (UPND), oppose this issue of inmates voting because of the challenges and modalities involved, and it is obviously going to favour the Patriotic Front (PF), which is the ruling Government at the moment. I would like Her Honour the Vice-President to explain this clearly. What is so compelling that the PF Government is comfortable with this issue and is pushing the agenda of allowing prisoners to vote? What has been missing in the previous elections that we should allow prisoners to vote this time around?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, this is not an idea that is being imposed on the people of Zambia by the PF Government. This is a court ruling that this Government is following. However, if an hon. Member feels that this law is contrary to the way Zambians conduct their business, he/she is free to contest this ruling in court because the Government is merely following what the court decided and ruled in favour of. Equally, the PF Government is not as excited about this situation as the hon. Member may think, but because it has to follow the law, it had to put certain modalities in place to address the issue.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, I know very well that some people, especially the Opposition want to cry over every point that comes their way. However, are there any countries in this region or outside where prisoners’ voting has been implemented? If so, are there some good practices that we can learn from such countries?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I believe it is usual, particularly in Europe, particularly for countries with advanced economies that can implement decisions of this type. South Africa is looking at the matter and is currently doing a benchmarking, and so is Namibia. This is a new situation for us as a country. So, it may take time for us to actually implement this provision. However, it does not mean that we should not interrogate it and see whether we should enfranchise the Zambians who are currently in prisons.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Ms Lubezhi (Namwala): Mr Speaker, since I am contemplating on contesting the Kabwe Central Seat, will I be allowed to campaign ...

 

Laughter

 

Ms Lubezhi: ... at Mukobeko Maximum Prison, if this is effected?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, in my opening remarks, I pointed out that the modalities of how to go about campaigning in correctional centres are still being worked out by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) in conjunction with other relevant Government institutions. For now, the ECZ has not engaged the PF and other political parties to inform us of how to go about this situation. So, I believe that when these measures have been considered and finalised, the modalities will be given to the relevant political parties so that they can start their work in prisons or we may not be allowed to go to those centres. We do not know yet.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I will allow two more questions from the hon. Member for Dundumwezi and the hon. Member for Mapatizya.

 

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, my question is similar to that of the hon. Member for Namwala. A few months ago in Monze, the Correctional Services Commissioner-General indicated that he would not allow opposition leaders or parties to campaign at correctional facilities and the President and other senior Government officials were present when he said this on that particular day. I would like to know whether the Patriotic Front (PF) –

 

Mr Sing’ombe was inaudible.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I wonder whether Her Honour the Vice-President has understood the question. Her Honour the Vice-President, are you able to give the answer?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member’s question has very little to do with the question on the Order Paper. The question asked Her Honour the Vice-President whether modalities have been put in place in all correctional facilities to facilitate the participation of inmates in the 2021 General Elections. So, the speech given by the Commandant-General at one of the correctional centres has very little to do with what we are discussing. So, I cannot give a response to that question.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: I will allow the hon. Member for Mapatizya and the hon. Member for Monze Central because he is the one who asked the question.

 

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President has indicated that the Government is still interrogating the system. Considering that the Voter Registration Exercise will end by the end of November, is there any probability that the prisoners or inmates will be able to vote in the 2021 General Election?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the ECZ is aware of the constraints of time. If this exercise regarding prisoners voting in the 2021 General Elections is concluded on time, the ECZ will inform the Government on the way forward. For now, the ECZ, together with other stakeholders, are still working on modalities of how to operationalise this issue.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, as I pose my last question to Her Honour the Vice-President, it has been stated –

 

Dr Malama: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Dr Malama: Mr Speaker, as Chair of the House, you guided that we should indicate in order to speak. I have indicated, but I have noticed that the Speaker’s list is not being followed. Would you guide if you are still following the list?

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Yes, I am following the Speaker’s list except that I have the power to cut the list and I have just done that.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: May the hon. Member for Monze Central continue.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, it has been stated on the Floor of this House that we are the ones who are always complaining and that we are complaining about this issue because the prisoners will vote against us. Let me make it very clear that the prisoners in Zambia can never vote for the Patriotic Front (PF) because it is punishing them instead of reforming them.

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Is that the question?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, it was a preface to the question. The question I would like to –

 

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

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Ngulube: Mr Speaker, the out-going Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, is trying to portray the picture that he already knows the outcome of the voting of the prisoners next year, yet he appears to be opposing the prisoners’ voting.

 

Mr Speaker, is the out-going Leader of the Opposition in order to mislead this House by asking a question that is not so clear when, in actual fact, we are aware that he has spent twenty years in this House and he knows the procedure?

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Indeed, the hon. Member for Jack Mwiimbu –

 

Laughter

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Sorry, the Member for Monze Central, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, was more like debating and that was not, indeed, a preface. However, I will still allow the hon. Member to ask a question.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, when somebody says something very good, I must acknowledge it. I acknowledge the hon. Member of –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, I will not allow that. Please, ask your question.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, as out-going Leader of the Opposition, I am very happy that I am outgoing because I will be on the right side of the House and in the Government in 2021.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, the question –

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, with your permission, as out-going Leader of the Opposition and in-coming member of the Cabinet, I would like to find out …

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: … from Her Honour the Vice-President the time frame that the Government has put in place to conclude this particular consultation, tagging on to the question that was raised by the hon. Member of Parliament for Mapatizya, who will be in the Government next year, as alluded by Hon. Tutwa Ngulube?

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: The question is clear and the last part is not necessary.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President of this Republic, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, is on record pardoning more prisoners or inmates than any other President in our history. This shows that the President is a defender of human rights. As for whether the ECZ has been given a time frame to complete this exercise, it will come back to the Government when all the activities and modalities have been worked on and put in place to ensure that everything is taken on board.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

_______

 

MOTIONS

 

REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE

 

Mr Kunda (Muchinga): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of the Republic for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2018, for the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly laid on the Table of the House on 19th June, 2020.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

 

Ms Tambatamba (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

Mr Kunda: Mr Speaker, in line with its terms of reference, the Committee considered the highlighted report and it now presents the report on its work. I wish to state from the outset that in the audit report under consideration, it was stated that there were weak internal controls in various Ministries, Provinces and Spending Agencies (MPSAs) on the collection of Government revenue and the detection of anomalies. 

 

In order to address the weaknesses, the Committee was informed that the Treasury was automating revenue collection systems and had also issued instructions to compel all controlling officers to review their control environments.

 

Sir, in this regard, the Committee urges the Treasury to ensure that the control measures are strengthened and implemented without fail. At this juncture, I wish to highlight some of the issues which the Committee came across when considering the report.

 

Sir, with regard to the Ministry of Transport and Communication, the Committee was confronted with irregularities in the administration of the concession agreement signed between the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and Intelligent Mobility Solutions (IMS). So far, two addendums to the concession agreement have been signed and negotiations to sign the third addendum are underway.

 

Mr Speaker, the Committee was informed that negotiations on the third addendum were necessitated by the proposal from the Ministry of Finance to review the financial model of the agreement in order to ensure that both the Government and the concessionaire benefit from the agreement. In light of this, the Committee urges the controlling officer to follow up the matter and ensure that the second addendum is amended and that the financial model is reviewed.

 

Sir, the Committee also encountered five cases of misapplication of funds involving a total amount of K51,754,828, under the Ministry of General Education and the Committee finds this unacceptable.

 

In this regard, the Committee expresses disappointment at the violation of the financial regulations with impunity and, therefore, implores the Secretary to the Treasury to institute necessary disciplinary action for any breaches of the regulations and in line with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 2018.

 

Sir, in conclusion, I wish to thank all stakeholders who participated in the production of the Committee Report.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

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

 

Ms Tambatamba: Now, Sir.

 

 Mr Speaker, I wish to first thank the mover of the Motion for the able manner in which he has moved the Motion to adopt the Report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of the Republic for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2018 for the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly laid on the Table of the House on 19th June, 2020.

Sir, what caught my eye in this Motion is the fact that the Treasury continues to bleed. This continued bleeding is closely related to the issues or management responsibilities that come with the office of the controlling officers in the various Ministries, Provinces and Spending Agencies (MPSAs) as well as the Secretary to the Treasury. Indeed, the laxity at Cabinet Office continues. There is observable negligence in the execution of duties amongst the public workers. An example is the loss of public funds through negligence by public workers totaling K535,000 under the Ministry of Justice.

 

Mr Speaker, although this case was reported so many years ago, the controlling officer responsible for supervising the concerned members of staff has never taken the disciplinary action that was recommended in the previous reports. The Committee is highly concerned that many more cases of this nature are going under and are not being completed by meting out the required measures as stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 2018.

 

Sir, if only the controlling officers and, indeed, Cabinet Office, which is supervising them, would take action, we would reduce on the continued bleeding of the public resources which is impacting on the delivery of services in the Public Service.

 

Mr Speaker, another major area of concern that came to the attention of the Committee is the contract management issue. A case in point is the Ministry of Agriculture where groundnut seed that was procured from a contractor was actually dead seed. This raises questions about the due diligence that is supposed to take place at procurement level.

 

Mr Speaker, this is not the only case that the Committee has come across. Again, this speaks to the supervision of holders of public offices who are not paying attention to carrying out due diligence when procuring.

 

Sir, if only they would pay attention to these issues, we would do much better. The Committee calls upon the Secretary to the Cabinet to walk softly, but carry a big stick to ensure that public workers pay attention so that we do not lose public finances in the manner we are losing them.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Muchinga, wind up debate.

 

Mr Mwila: Mr Speaker, Chimwemwe would like to debate.

 

Mr Kunda: Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to wind up debate. I just want to thank the seconder of the Motion for the way she has articulated issues. I am sure the country has heard how the money or their resources –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Muchinga, sorry, you may resume your seat. I think the hon. Minister of Finance had something to respond to in the report. We will get back to you later.

 

The Minister of Finance (Dr Ng’andu): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for examining the accounts of the Republic, showing the appropriation of sums granted by the National Assembly to meet the public expenditure as reported in the Government Financial Report of the Year ended 31st December, 2018, and the Report of the Auditor-General for the accounts of the same year.

 

Sir, let me begin by commending the PAC members under the leadership of the hon. Member for Muchinga Constituency, Mr Howard Kunda, MP, for having worked tirelessly to complete all the business that came before it. This is an undeniably huge commitment to parliamentary responsibility and to the nation at large.

 

Mr Speaker, as you are aware, the work of PAC generates a lot of interest in the nation because it is the main tool which is used by the public to monitor how public resources have been prudently utilised in conformity with the provisions of the Republican Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act. It is, therefore, important that the Executive, through the Ministry of Finance, acts swiftly to implement the recommendations in the report. In this regard, I wish to report that we have taken note of the key recommendations in the report. I would like to assure the House that the Treasury shall take appropriate action to address all of them.

 

Sir, I would like to attend to specific issues that were raised in the report. As regards one issue that relates to support towards the Office of the Auditor-General, the Committee observed that the scope of the audit by the Auditor-General needs to be increased and that additional Treasury authority to recruit more staff should be granted. The Committee recommended that the Treasury increases funding to the Office of the Auditor-General.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Treasury regards the Auditor-General as a key and vital player in the public finance management process of the Republic. Therefore, it ensured that the appointment of the current office holder was expeditiously undertaken to ease the oversight role of Parliament and the Office of the Auditor-General.

 

Mr Speaker, as regards the financing of the Office of the Auditor-General, adequate provision shall be availed in the 2021 to 2023 Mid-term Budget Framework that is to be presented before the House for the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly so as to enable the office to increase the scope of audit.

 

Sir, for this financial year, the ministry is considering a supplementary budget to the Auditor-General to enable the office to actualise the restrictions on non-institutional developments and undertake the audit of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) resources.

 

Mr Speaker, the second issue which was raised relates to public finance management. The Committee recommended that the Treasury should complete the comprehensive sensitisation programme, for all office holders, on the punitive measures enshrined in the Public Finance Management Act No.1 of 2018 that was embarked on.

 

Sir, to demonstrate our commitment to good governance, the Government has been implementing Public Financial Management Reforms intended to ensure that the resources are allocated to sectors in line with the Government’s Social and Economic Policy. These are focused on ensuring that the country attains a rapid and sustainable economic growth that would result in significant reduction in poverty levels. The Public Finance Management Reforms provide a framework for the efficient and effective use of public resources for the delivery of public services to the citizens and ensure that the resources provided are accounted for in a prudent manner.

 

Mr Speaker, the Public Management Reforms that we will implement involve the following:

  1. revision of the Procurement Act of 2008 to enhance the roles of procurement entities in Ministries, Provinces and Spending Agencies (MPSAs) and the oversight role of Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA);
  2. the revision of the Public Finance and Stores Regulations in order to align them to the Public Finance Management Act of 2018 and ensure that internal controls are strengthened to reduce wastage, pilferage and misappropriation of funds;
  3. enactment of the Planning and Budgeting Act to regulate national planning and budgeting processes to provide for all-inclusive, transparent and participative budget processes that address the developmental needs of the country;
  4. sensitisation of all office holders on the punitive measures enshrined in the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 2018; and
  5. undertake a review of the Integrated Finance Management Information System configurations in order to enhance its capacity and allow integration with other Government systems. The implementation of the change in the Government Financial Accounting Reporting System from a cash based to accrual reporting to conform to international practices and standards.

 

Mr Speaker, with these measures, we should be able to strengthen our oversight role.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Kunda: Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to wind up debate on this very important Motion. I would just like to thank the seconder of the Motion and the hon. Minister of Finance for those measures that he has highlighted. I just want to implore the Government to take charge so that the revenues or funds for this country are protected and they go to their intended purpose for which they were appropriated in the Budget. I thank the whole House for the support.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Question put and agreed to

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

The Minster of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to conclude my debate which I started yesterday.

 

Sir, in conclusion, I was only trying to join the hon. Member for Sioma in encouraging His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia to remain focused on his agenda of taking development to all the corners of this country as he shared in his very inspiring speech. As we say where I come from, “Ichongo chaba bombwe na bachula, tachilesha insofu ukunwa amenshi.” That is the spirit we want the President to move with. The noise of frogs in the stream will never deter the elephant from quenching its thirst. So, we do not want the President to pay attention to these armchair critics who are full of hate, and consumed by hallucinations. Let him remain focused because the people of Lukashya, Mwansabombwe, the Copperbelt rural and the North-Western Province have shown that they are with him and will continue supporting him.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Minister of Health (Dr Chilufya): Mr Speaker, I thank you for forgiving me an opportunity to contribute to the debate on His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s speech on the opening of the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly under the theme “Dedication, Resilience and Innovation: In Pursuit of Economic Recovery for the Zambia We Want.”

 

Mr Speaker, economic recovery is intertwined with the imperative of a healthy population. The President made it very clear in his discourse that his Government will continue to invest in the health of Zambians in pursuit of universal health coverage. This is to ensure that people are not only healthy but also productive enough to drive the social economic development agenda. Indeed, universal health coverage has been the message from inception. Progress has been scored and, His Excellency, today, must be praised for making significant progress towards health for everyone, everywhere in Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, in pursuing universal health coverage, the President focused on strengthening health systems and set clear legacy goals to track progress towards universal health coverage. I will focus on just five of them.

 

Mr Speaker, in improving access to health services for all Zambians, this Government has built forty-five district hospitals, 439 health posts, twenty-four mini hospitals that are complete with another twenty-four in progress.

 

Hon. PF Member: Hear, hear! Ema Ministers aba!

 

Dr Chilufya: Mr Speaker, these are being evenly distributed countrywide, from north to south and west to east.

 

Mr Speaker, this is the first Government and the first President to preside over a Government to recruit 25,000 health workers in a period of four years. That is, indeed, progress towards universal health coverage. In addressing sustainable financing for health care, innovation has been embraced and for the first time, Zambia is firmly on track on health for all because the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) is in place and close to 800,000 people have already enrolled. Indeed, every Zambian shall have health insurance cover by the year 2021.

 

Mr Speaker, in terms of the supply chain, today, Zambia ranks amongst the top three in Southern Africa in warehousing space and systems. We have a warehouse centrally located with a pallet space increased from 7,000 to 32,000 in just a period of four years. With medical stores hubs dotted countrywide, drugs are closer to the people and, this is, indeed, movement towards universal health coverage.

 

Mr Speaker, as we talk about universal health coverage, we need to talk about health security. Just in four years, this Government has established the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), a centre of excellence that has been shielding Zambians from health emergencies and epidemics. Today, we boast that Zambia has made significant progress towards eliminating water-borne diseases such as cholera because of the strong technical support and strong technical leadership through the ZNPHI.

 

Mr Speaker, today, we battle Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and, again, the incident management system that has been set up under the ZNPHI has been instrumental. All this is attributable to the dedicated leadership that the President has shown. His Excellency President Lungu, needs to be urged on. His legacy will live beyond him.

 

Mr Speaker, for the first time, Zambia is firmly on track as regards attaining epidemic control of HIV/AIDS. We are firmly on course with the programme of eliminating malaria. The maternal mortality and neonatal mortality rates are going down. All these are indicators that show that the health system reconfiguration that His Excellency, President Lungu, has embarked on is yielding dividends.

 

Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to invite all Zambians across the political aisle to join hands with His Excellency President Lungu in pursuit of universal health coverage. For those of us who say, for instance, that Monze District has no Government facility, let me tell them that Monze has eleven health posts that were planned for and are completed. The Monze Mission Hospital has had infrastructure expanded at Government cost. Health workers working at the Monze Mission Hospital are on Government payroll and the drugs are from the Government. The partnership with the Church is strong.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock (Prof. Luo): Mr Speaker, I would like to contribute to the debate on the speech which His Excellency the President of this Republic, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, delivered at the Opening of the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Sir, I want to start by saying that in Bemba, we say, “Uushumfwa pa tunono, napa twingi takomfwe.” Those who cannot understand small things and appreciate them will never appreciate even great things. This is premised on the type of debate from our colleagues on your left. As the Patriotic Front (PF), we need to remain resolute. It does not matter what we do. The Opposition will come at night to ask you for favours, but in this House, they will never say thank you, you have done a good job.

 

Mr Speaker, I would like to pick five things from His Excellency the President’s Speech. He talked about development. The reason Zambia, until the PF came to power, remained behind is that we did not focus on infrastructure. The resolve by the PF to focus on infrastructure and road networks was the beginning of the development of this country and it will never go back ever again.

 

Mr Speaker, let us take roads, for example. It is because of good roads that the provision of services and goods has become easy and it is done in shorter time. Before the roads were worked on, to get to Kasama, I had to go to Mpika then connect to Kasama. This time around, however, one can cut through if he/she wants to think mathematically when he/she is planning a journey. You do not use two sides of a triangle like we used to do before by going to Mpika then Kasama. Instead, you use the hypotenuse, which is what we are using now. You cut across Luapula via Luwingu and you are in Kasama. Therefore, even those who want to come to this House and demonise us for debt should appreciate that we have done a good job with it because Zambians are able to see were this money went. I will not join all those who are pessimists. I will be one of the optimists that know that we have done a good job.

 

Mr Speaker, the President also talked about commitment. As the party in the Government, we are very committed to improving the lives of our people. For the first time in this country, livestock and fisheries are top on the agenda. This is because we know that with fisheries and livestock, we are going to, not only make people wealthy because they will be able to sell this livestock, but we will also improve their nutrition. A person with good nutrition, especially one that depends on fish, must know that it has a particular substance called omega which is very important for intellectual ability.

 

Mr Speaker, the President talked about innovation. In these times, if you are not innovative, you cannot get anywhere. This is the reason we have invested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This is the first Government that has given a lot of attention to STEM. For me, as the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, this is very critical because I need animal scientists, aquaculture experts and capture fisheries experts. Their thinking is premised on science.

 

Mr Speaker, science is the cornerstone of development, and this is what the Patriotic Front (PF) believes. Any Government that will come will not kill this legacy. So, His Excellency the President of this Republic must walk with his head high because we have scored a first, and we are the first.

 

Mr Speaker, the President talked about unity. Our colleagues on the left do not believe in unity. They always want to fight. Even in their debates, that is all they do to provoke the situation. As you have seen, the President has even gone to places where we were not voted for because he wants to unite us. Even we, the hon. Ministers, are able to go there to empower the people. I have been to the Southern Province, the Western Province and the Eastern Province and I will be going to the North-Western Province. We are doing this in the quest to unite so that we can do good business and improve and develop this country.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Local Government (Dr Banda): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s Address during the Official Opening of the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me, first of all, to applaud His Excellency, the Republican President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on delivering such a thought-provoking, encouraging and progressive address to the nation during the opening of the fifth and final session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Mr Speaker, the theme of the address was “Dedication, Resilience and Innovation: Pursuing Economic Recovery for the Zambia We Want.” This theme clearly speaks to the longings of every well-meaning Zambian. In pursuing the desired economic recovery, there is need to focus on changing the mindset of the Zambian people, especially our youth, to be more dedicated, resilient and innovative in all they do. The President set the tone in his speech for the kind of mindset change that needs to be achieved.

 

Mr Speaker, today, our country, along with the rest of the world, faces a myriad of challenges from the impact of climate change, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the recession of the global economy. Yet, as the Government, we remain steadfast in our effort to reduce the impact of climate change and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to position the country for socio-economic recovery.

 

Sir, the ministry will endeavour to develop the Zambia we want through our mandate of promoting a decentralised and democratic local government system, and facilitating the provision of efficient and effective delivery of quality infrastructure and social services for long-term sustainable development.

 

Mr Speaker, Zambia has been greatly impacted by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) along with the rest of the world. Many of our people have suffered from the viral disease, while some have died. This is a difficult time for our country.

 

Sir, allow me to recognise the gallant efforts of our men and women on the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). These officers from various Government ministries as well as from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) have worked tirelessly to treat and safeguard our people against the virus. They have facilitated Government programmes to empower the public and ensure its resilience to the effects of the virus.

 

Mr Speaker, my ministry has been at the helm of this fight. It has been working with local authorities, the private sector and civil society to implement programmes that have upheld public health and protected our communities. This includes sensitisation activities against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) undertaken in public places like markets, bus stations and in the public media. It also provided protective equipment and materials to the public as well as mass cleaning and disinfection of markets, bus stations and other public places.  

 

Mr Speaker, when the President announced the closure of bars, taverns, night clubs and casinos on 26th March, 2020, the ministry facilitated adherence to this directive through regular inspections. Owners of the premises that were found to have contravened the directive were admonished and penalised. From that period to date, the ministry has continued to ensure that all business premises, including restaurants, churches, cinemas, hotels and lodges, just to mention a few, operate within the stipulated guidelines of Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2020 on Public Health Regulations and the Liquor Licensing Act No. 20 of 2011.

 

Mr Speaker, in his address to this august House, His Excellency the President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, announced the partial reopening of bars, taverns and nightclubs. Following this, the ministry immediately issued a press statement and a directive to all local authorities to ensure that these facilities operate within the stipulated times, and that they adhere to all Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) regulations during the hours of operation. The directive also reminded all other business owners whose businesses had been operating normally during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak to strictly follow the applicable public health guidelines.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to acknowledge the contributions of the various stakeholders from a cross section –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

The hon. Member’s time expired.

 

The Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection (Dr Chanda): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for allowing me to support the President’s Speech that was given in this august House.

 

Mr Speaker, when His Excellency the President came, the theme of his address was, “Dedication, Resilience and Innovation: Pursuing Economic Recovery for the Zambia We Want.” I just want to thank the President because in the history of our country, he is the first President to show so much commitment and dedication to the water and sanitation sector.

 

Sir, as you know, before 2016, there was no Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection. Its functions were scattered in departments in various ministries. For example, water issues were in the Ministry of Local Government while environmental issues were in the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. The President, using the Vision 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) which says that we have to give Zambians universal access to safe and clean water and sanitation services without leaving anyone behind, created the ministry to address all water and sanitation issues.

 

Mr Speaker, before the Patriotic Front (PF) came to power, it was amazing how many Zambians were left behind. Like the President clearly showed, before 2011, water supply coverage in Zambia was less than 60 per cent. As we stand today, the water supply coverage to Zambians is over 72 per cent. With the completion of the projects that we have, an additional 4 million Zambians will have access to safe and clean water. We are going towards coverage of over 80 per cent. Further, we are well on our way towards the Vision 2030 of attaining universal access to water supply and sanitation. This is because of the vision of His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the President of the Republic.

 

Mr Speaker, the same applies to sanitation coverage. When the PF came into power in 2011, sanitation coverage stood at less than 20 per cent. Today, it is at 54 per cent. With the huge projects that we have, we will soon be heading to providing Zambians with universal access to sanitation.

 

Mr Speaker, my colleague, the hon. Minister of Health, spoke before me. There is a very close link between water supply and sanitation and health. These are what we call social determinants of health. I get surprised when former Cabinet Ministers in previous Governments stand here to lecture us on how well they governed the country, when they left so many people behind. In the 1990s, everyone in Chawama, Kanyama and George Townships was digging pit latrines and shallow wells, and that is why we had cholera epidemics in 1991, 1992 and 1995.

 

Mr Speaker, yesterday, I was in George Compound. In partnership with a private company, the Zambian Breweries, we are providing extra water to over 40,000 residents in George Compound. That is in addition to the many other projects that His Excellency, President Edgar Lungu, is spearheading. I can catalogue these issues, province by province.

                             

Mr Speaker, we have the Lusaka Bulk Water Project, which the President talked about. It will bring an extra 50 million litres of water by the first quarter of next year and many people in Lusaka will have access to water services. We also have the Emergency Water Supply Improvement Project, which will cater for Kanyama, Chawama, George Compound and other areas, which the President initiated in response to the cholera epidemic of 2017 and 2018. There is also the Lusaka Sanitation Project. These are huge projects that we are talking about.

 

Sir, on the Copperbelt, the province alone has received investments in water and sanitation in excess of US$900 million. The Kafulafuta Water Dam Project, which His Excellency the President talked about here and which he visited last week, will benefit 1 million people on the Copperbelt in Ndola, Masaiti, Mpongwe and Luanshya. The Zambia Water Supply and Sanitation Project, under the Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company, is benefitting thousands of residents in Chililabombwe, Chingola and Mufulira. We have other projects under the Nkana Water and Sewerage Company catering for Kitwe, Chambeshi and all those townships where over 750,000 people will benefit.

 

Mr Speaker, in Luapula Province, we have an on-going water and sanitation project there. In the Northern Province, there are projects in Serenje, Kaputa and so on and so forth. This is because the Patriotic Front (PF) Government does not want to leave anyone behind. That is our vision and we believe that when we give people universal access to water and sanitation, they will be healthier. We will cut down on the budget for health because people will not be sick. Those are the social determinants of health and His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, has to be commended for that.

 

Sir, the President talked about innovation and he has challenged all of us, including Government ministries, the private sector, and our co-operating partners, to think outside the box and that is why we have taken the message of His Excellency the President very seriously. Commercial utilities under our ministry will not do business as usual. Therefore, we are urging them to follow the President’s guidance of doing business unusually. If you are a commercial utility, your job is not just to connect water and bill customers. You can restructure your business operations and diversify your portfolio. Commercial utilities can go into water bottling, like the Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company in the Northern Province will start doing. In six months time, the Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company will set up a plant where it will be manufacturing mineral water, soft drinks and other products. It will even generate hydro power in Mpika. So, all of us should do that.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Musukwa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s Speech to Parliament. The speech by His Excellency the President to Parliament was so insightful, inspiring and motivating and it created a platform on which the hon. Minister of Finance will actually work through tomorrow.

 

Sir, in January 2020, at the time when the cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were on the rise, the copper price on the international market plummeted from over US$6,000 per metric tonne to US$4,000 per metric tonne. This consequently led to most of the mining houses reducing the production targets and commodity price. In addition, the closure of some borders due to the lockdowns which were imposed in some countries affected the operations of many mining houses as they could not get materials, consultants, and human capital to work and operate in the mines in time.

 

Mr Speaker, we are glad to report that the copper price has begun rebounding and that our economies will slowly begin to open up. In terms of mitigating the effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the mining sector, His Excellency the President guided that we should take a proactive approach by ensuring that the disease is fought. In the process, the Government has put up measures to mitigate and cushion the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the mining sector by providing tax relief packages through the Government suspending import duty on concentrates and exports on precious metals.

 

Sir, the Government remains open to ensuring that dialogue and negotiations in the mining sector are key in building a mining sector that develops the future of our country. I wish to echo the sentiments of His Excellency the President as regards the issue of diversification to other minerals such as gold. This is very critical and the Government has declared gold as a strategic mineral, while we also envisage ensuring that we promote the exploitation of other minerals such as manganese and nickel, just to mention a few.

 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President also encouraged Zambians to be part of the mining operations in Zambia and, more importantly, with gold as a starting point. I listened to many speakers, especially from your left, when they were debating this very inspiring President’s Speech. Many debates were hollow and based on hate.

 

Sir, I want to assure the people of Zambia that His Excellency the President and the Patriotic Front (PF) are on a solid trajectory of ensuring that we transform the mining sector which is relevant to our people. To that effect, the Government and His Excellency the President are using the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) as a platform to build and increase shareholding in various mine entities which have challenges in order to save the operations from total collapse and prevent job losses, as the case is with Mopani Copper Mines (MCM). Glencore Plc has agreed to give ZCCM-IH controlling shares. The role of ZCCM-IH is to galvanise partnership in order to mobilise both financial and technical competences to run and operate mines viably. This will include both Zambians and investors from all walks of life.

 

Mr Speaker, I notice that some sections of the media seem to fail to comprehend these dynamics and I will come to Parliament with a detailed statement to that effect so that we can ensure that our friends from the media stop misleading the public. Zambians have, for a long time, been crying to be part of the mining sector mix but, at this point, His Excellency the President’s Government has provided this opportunity for them.

 

Sir, I want to end by calling on all Zambians to ignore the United Party for National Development (UPND) and its propaganda which says that President Edgar Lungu and the PF are not going anywhere. We are here to stay and the opposition must watch out and wait for a massive defeat as we embark on a countrywide campaign.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister of Justice (Mr Lubinda): Mr Speaker, any person who took time to listen to the President’s Address and read it will, no doubt, agree that the speech was very inspiring, motivating and uniting. The President was extremely visionary in his statement. Whilst that statement was meant to be for the opening of this session of Parliament, the content went beyond 2021. The President was speaking beyond the general election of 2021 and that is what a visionary person does. He/she does not live for the moment. He/she lives and speaks for the future and that is the characteristic of President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

 

Sir, President Lungu, in his statement, did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges of our times. He showed that he knows where we are today, but what is even more important is that he demonstrated that he knows where Zambia should be. He demonstrated the fact that we, the citizens, want a particular Zambia; a Zambia of dignity and peace.

 

Mr Speaker, in so doing, His Excellency the President called for dedication from all of us. He raised the hope of the Zambian people. When he made that quotation, it was not for himself. It was for him to remind all of us citizens that we should not despair. Amid the challenges that we are facing, he is dedicated and keen to ensuring that we rise like our national eagle above our challenges.

 

Mr Speaker, I want to state that the President of Zambia does not travel for elections. He is not an election-oriented politician. This is symptomatic of a person who leads a country not because he is concerned about whether there is an election next week or next year.

 

Sir, when he came to address Parliament, there were pending elections in Lukashya Constituency and Mwansabombwe Constituency. If you read what he said about those elections, you would learn that he appealed to all of us to be peaceful. He did not appear like a person who was desperate to win those seats. How could he be desperate? Did he not win elections purely as a novice, especially when he stood against veteran electioneering politicians who had experienced several elections? He came in as a novice, an upstart, and won elections. That goes to show that President Edgar Lungu, indeed, means well for this country.

 

Sir, the President in his speech, as a matter of fact, called upon all political leaders to ensure that they refrain from engaging in any kind of political violence. That is what a leader should do. He encouraged us to refrain from using vulgar language.

 

Mr Speaker, the President acknowledged the fact that Zambia has debt, but we should ask ourselves where that debt went. As my colleagues already illustrated, it is shameful for some people who have been leaders in this country to come and question the debt when what they left was a country that was in dire need of a socio-economic environment which would attract further investment. What was the health status of our country? What was the status of the roads in this country? What was the status of our communication systems in this country? Everything has been transformed by this transformational President.

 

Sir, another question we must ask ourselves is whether we have the capacity or ability to pay back and, of course, we do. However, we can only pay back that debt if we incur a debt to ensure that we exploit our natural resources. There is no use having land which you cannot exploit. It is of no use to be a farmer with huge tracts of land, but no money with which to plough it to generate revenue from it. It is only a wise person who ensures that they borrow to exploit their natural resources to add value to their country or to their farm. That is what President Edgar Lungu is doing. One would even wonder what the state of the Kafue/Mazabuka/Monze Road would be today had it not been for the debt that we have. I doubt we would have had any communication with the Southern Province, but because of the transformational agenda of President Edgar Lungu, today, people can drive easily and quickly between Kafue and Monze.

 

Mr Speaker, tell me what the case could have been with regard to social media which has been abused, especially by those armchair critics. They have abused it terribly. In what state would that be if it was not for President Edgar Lungu’s transformational agenda?

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Lubinda: President Lungu deserves to be supported and I am sure that for him, 2021 is not an issue because he shall lead beyond 2026 –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

The Hon. Minister’s time expired.

 

The Minister for Eastern Province (Mr M. Zulu): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to add a word on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Speech.

 

Sir, to try to pick it up where the hon. Minister of Justice left off, it is important to know that the President was bringing hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. It is a hopeless situation because the world has been brought to its knees due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19).

 

Mr Speaker, in this particular circumstance, the President stated, in no uncertain terms, that there is a need for a mindset shift. In dealing with a mindset shift, he stated that our mindsets should be attuned to building a Zambia that is resilient to shocks, open to new ideas and opportunities, and one that is working inwards for local solutions. This call for working inwards to explore local solutions is what we all need to take heed of.

 

Mr Speaker, the President gave an example of the shops or chain stores stocking local products. We should learn to trade amongst ourselves. Trading amongst ourselves means we need to produce what we are going to trade in. We need to be an export-oriented country instead of an import-oriented country. We have vast resources in this country that we are capable of utilising, exploiting and adding value to so that we are better able to trade internally and externally.

 

Sir, the Eastern Province is one such region that is production-oriented. I say it is production-oriented in terms of agriculture because it is the largest producer of most of the commodities that we trade in here in this country. I will give an example of the last farming season that we had.

 

Mr Speaker, in the last farming season, we produced about 604,547 metric tonnes of maize which accounted for 19 per cent of the national production. As regards sunflower, we produced about 58 per cent of national production. In addition, we produced 26 per cent of groundnuts, 58 per cent of soya beans, 37 per cent of seed cotton, 57 per cent of Virginia tobacco, and 73 per cent burley tobacco.

 

Sir, with all this production that we are experiencing in the east, we should be able to take advantage of the market and add value to what we have because we believe that the future of this country is dependent on value addition.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr M. Zulu: We can only add value if we create a market where we are able to trade amongst ourselves. I look forward to a day when we will step into a shop and everything in that shop will be wholly Zambian.

 

Sir, the President has been very emphatic on the promotion of buying Zambian and buying local. For that reason, he has visited most of the companies in this country. He has visited Trade Kings. When each one of us gets into our kitchen, believe me, there will be a product from Trade Kings, a purely Zambian owned company that we should be proud of. With the production of sunflower, we look forward to all the cooking oil on our shelves being locally made. We look forward to cereals on the shelves of each and every shop in Zambia being locally made.

 

Mr Speaker, in the words of Hon. Rogers Mwewa, may his soul rest in peace, there is a need to make agriculture ‘sexy’ again and the Government of Zambia led by the Patriotic Front (PF) is on the move to improving our agriculture.

 

Sir, we have already started the distribution of inputs in the Eastern Province which makes the farmer better able to plan and improve the quality of the harvest. It is the quality of the harvest that is going to enable us to add value to our produce. We will have a better Zambia that is resilient to both internal and, indeed, external shocks and be able to better lead and improve our economy.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development (Mr Mulenga): Mr Speaker, I wish to thank you for this opportunity which you have granted me to debate the speech presented by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia on 11th September, 2020, under the theme “Dedication, Resilience and Innovation: Pursuing Economic Recovery for the Zambia We Want.”

 

Mr Speaker, in his speech, the President specifically identified the youths as a category that contributes positively to the socio-economic development of our country Zambia. To this end, the President reaffirmed the Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s commitment to implementing affirmative action to ensure that the youths are provided with opportunities to develop their potential to live productive lives.

 

Sir, in line with the theme, the youths should be proactive, dedicated and innovative if they are to benefit from the various empowerment programmes and contribute positively to national development. The President also called for the youths to be resilient in this time of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has negatively affected the entire population.

 

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President has not only ended at making pronouncements on issues related to youth empowerment. As you are all aware, on 15th August, 2020, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia launched the K470 Million Multi-sectoral Youth Empowerment Programme as a practical programme aimed at empowering over 150,000 youths across the country. This is in a bid to create employment opportunities and stimulate youth led businesses. The primary goal of the PF is to empower the youths so that they live better lives.

 

Sir, His Excellency the President equally directed that all empowerment programmes being implemented by various Government institutions reserve, at least, 30 per cent of the resources for the youths. This is already bearing fruit under the aquaculture and animal restocking programmes, land allocation, agriculture support programmes and many other initiatives. Further, as a way of stimulating job and wealth creation for the Zambian population, particularly that of the youths, the President highlighted the various Government interventions that have been identified to diversify the economy, create more job opportunities and grow the economy of the country. Diversifying and growing the economy means more jobs and wealth for our youths.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to commend His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia for reopening all schools, colleges and universities under the new normal. This shows His Excellency the President’s desire to see educated children and youths. The closure of learning institutions due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the provisions of education and skills training to the children and youths. With the opening of all learning institutions, it is my hope that all relevant institutions providing education services, including my ministry, will adhere to the health guidelines that are aimed at preventing the transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the learners.

 

Sir, the call for unity of purpose and hard work from all of us is an indication that His Excellency the President wants to see our country develop. This will, indeed, ensure that no one is left behind in our development agenda. At this point, I wish to reiterate the call for hard work and unity of purpose including hon. Members of Parliament who are part of the Government system. We should all take heed of the clarion call for hard work, dedication and patriotism.

 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude, I appeal to all hon. Members in this august House to be drivers of change by ensuring that youth issues are fully mainstreamed in all developmental activities in their respective constituencies. I also wish to echo His Excellency the President’s call for peaceful elections in 2021. Let us ensure a violent free and fair election.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry (Mr Yaluma): Mr Speaker, let me join my colleagues, who have ably spoken, in thanking His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for delivering a speech whose theme was: “Dedication, Resilience and Innovation: Pursuing Economic Recovery for the Zambia We Want.”

 

Sir, the theme and content of the President’s Speech has undoubtedly given hope and confidence to the people of Zambia and investors alike. The speech ably diagnosed both economic and social sectors and provided guidance on how we, as a country, should continue to strive amidst endogenous and exogenous factors such as fiscal space and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, respectively.

 

Mr Speaker, allow me to thank my fellow hon. Members for their continued support of the mandate of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. Specifically, I am indebted to hon. Members of this House for their understanding and appreciation of the Bills that I have brought before this House. My fellow hon. Members play an important role in sustaining Zambia’s economic system through their legislative function that guides both industry and trade.

 

Sir, the ministry will continue to formulate and administer policies as well as regulate activities in the trade and industrial sector in order to enhance the sector’s contribution to sustain socio-economic growth and development for the benefit of the people of Zambia.

 

Mr Speaker, my ministry is at the centre of promoting industrialisation and inclusive participation of our people in economic activities for socio-economic transformation. The essence of industrialisation is to diversify via upgrading and adopting of modern technology and this is achieved through the Industrial Policy, the Trade Policy, the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Policy, the Local Content Strategy, the National Co-operative Development Strategy, the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act, the National Quality Policy and the National Investment Promotion and Strategy, among others.

 

Sir, at this juncture, let me highlight some of the areas covered in the President’s Speech that are of particular importance to my ministry and these are as follows:

 

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Local Content or Empowerment

 

Sir, the ministry, through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), the Patent and Company Registration Agency (PACRA), and the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) is providing business support, services to the general public and, in particular, to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). For instance, this year alone, over 10,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were supported in business incubation and business linkages and we facilitated local business development programmes. Further, over 3,250 growth-oriented small businesses accessed the market to chain stores and other buyers.

 

Mr Speaker, we are aggressively implementing the local content strategy which is anchored on home-grown solutions and the Proudly Zambian Campaign Programme. We have been engaging chain stores countrywide to ensure that they increase uptake of the local products. Further, the ministry is currently receiving huge numbers of seasoned groups, largely women and youths, intending to register co-operatives and we are processing the approvals in record time.

 

Promoting the Investment and Manufacturing Sector

 

Sir, the ministry is implementing the Industrial Policy and some of the successes include the declaration functions of the Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) and industrial parks across the country. Both MFEZs and industrial parks provide opportunities for our country to accelerate industrialisation, economic diversification and spur growth in other sectors of the economy.

 

Enhancing Market Access through Competitiveness

 

Mr Speaker, the ministry is currently implementing the National Quality Policy, which is helping local producers in the area of standards and quality. Hon. Members may wish to note that most of the products, especially agro processed that are now found in most of the chain stores are locally produced and all this is because of the interventions of the ministry. Further –

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

The hon. Minister’s time expired.

 

Mrs Simukoko was inaudible.

 

Mr Lusambo was inaudible.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, we cannot get you. Please, try to unmute.

 

Mr Lusambo was inaudible.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, you are not audible. We cannot get you and, therefore, we need to make progress.

 

Ms Mwape (Mkushi North): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for affording me an opportunity to wind up debate on this very important Motion. Allow me to also thank the seconder for the able manner in which he seconded the Motion.

 

Sir, for the past eight sitting days, various hon. Members have made invaluable contributions to this Motion. I, therefore, would not want to water down their contributions.

 

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, you are too close to the microphone. You may continue.

 

Ms Mwape: Sir, therefore, what remains, is for me to thank all the hon. Members of Parliament who have debated on this Motion, for their invaluable contributions.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

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The House adjourned at 1645 hours until 1415 hours on Friday, 25th September, 2020.

 

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