Tuesday, 3^rd November, 2020

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

______

 

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

 

MOBILE NATIONAL REGISTRATION/NRCs ISSUANCE PHASE II PROGRESS

 

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for this opportunity to issue a ministerial statement on the progress made during the Phase II of the Mobile National Registration and Issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs), as directed by Her Honour the Vice-President and by yourself.

 

Sir, the 2020 Mobile Issuance of NRCs was intended to provide increased access to the acquisition of NRCs by citizens who have attained the mandatory age of sixteen years and above, especially those who cannot easily reach district national registration offices. The exercise is meant to also empower citizens with NRCs to enable them participate in economic activities and electoral processes of our country.

 

Mr Speaker, Phase II of the Mobile Issuance of NRCs commenced on 20^th September, 2020, in the Central Province, Lusaka Province, Muchinga Province, the Southern Province and the Western Province, after the successful completion of Phase I in the other five provinces. Operations during the first five days were slow owing to logistical challenges during the movement of materials and equipment from the provinces where Phase I undertook. As a result of this, registration teams could not be deployed to far-flung areas during the first few days. It is for this reason that the Government saw it fit to extend the mobile registration period for five days to end on 4^th November, 2020. I sincerely appreciate Her Honour the Vice-President’s Office and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for understanding this position.

 

Mr Speaker, the target for Phase II of the Mobile National Registration Exercise was to capture about 730,000 nationals and issue them with NRCs. So far, 632,363 NRCs have been issued out, representing 87 per cent success rate. I wish to thank hon. Members of Parliament, traditional leaders and other stakeholders for participating in the exercise by encouraging all eligible persons to obtain NRCs.

 

Sir, it goes without saying that some challenges were encountered during this mammoth undertaking, but the ministry worked closely with stakeholders to ensure that those challenges were addressed. We had some instances where unscrupulous individuals were taking advantage of this exercise by charging applicants for affidavits. These cases were reported mainly in Lusaka District and the ministry quickly moved in and deployed police officers to keep the situation in check. In addition, isolated cases of foreign nationals attempting to obtain NRCs and some Zambians attempting to obtain two or more NRCs were equally reported. Fortunately, law enforcement agencies were on hand to arrest the perpetrators and the said offenders will appear in the courts of law soon.

 

Mr Speaker, arising from the complaints received on the Floor of this august House that the issuance of NRCs was selective, I personally went to the Southern Province and other areas to see what was obtaining on the ground. My visit established that, in fact, the problem was simply lack of co-ordination and proper communication among the people on the ground. It was discovered that the district leadership in the province made a schedule and allocated dates when the registration teams were going to visit each identified registration centre. However, because of lack of communication between the Office of District Commissioners (DCs) and some hon. Members of Parliament, applicants were being ferried from centres which were yet to be attended to, to the district office or registration centres where registration was ongoing. This, in many cases, created long queues and led to many complaints that hon. Members were receiving from their constituents. I am, however, happy to report that during my visit, this situation was addressed.

 

Sir, allow me to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for the support during both Phase I and II of the Mobile National Registration Exercise. I also wish to thank Her Honour the Vice-President for the support rendered to our officers on the ground. I will be failing in my duties if I do not appreciate and recognise the support from the Minister of Finance, Hon. Bwalya Ng’andu, and for releasing funds for this important exercise. Generally, the exercise has been successful.

 

Mr Speaker, I wish to conclude by saying that all districts and sub-district registration offices will remain open in case there are eligible persons who might have missed the Mobile National Registration Exercise. In order to afford those who have lost NRCs easy access to replace them, I have extended the suspension of the requirement of a police report until the end of the Voter Registration Exercise.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

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

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for affording me this opportunity to ask the hon. Minister of Home Affairs a question pertaining to Phase II of the Issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) that the Government commenced, and I thank him for the statement.

 

Sir, listening to the statement the hon. Minister issued on the Floor of the House, one would tend to think that all was rosy apart from the few problems that he stated. The hon. Minister might not be aware that in most constituencies where NRCs were being issued, there were challenges of materials to be used. As if that is not enough, the most tragic situation occurred, effective 30^th October. Immediately after the demise of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019, the national registration officers in the Southern Province and the Western Province were directed to demobilise from 30^th October, 2020, to date.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Monze Central, what is your question?

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I need your protection.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Mwiimbu: You are not the Presiding Officer.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Monze Central, resume your seat.

 

I have no doubt in my mind that you have provided a sufficient preface to your question, and I am sure you are in a position to pose your question.

 

Please, proceed.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, why did the ministry order their officers to demobilise in all the constituencies in the Southern Province and the Western Province pursuant to the demise of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019? Why did it do that?

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Mwiimbu: That is the problem with thugs!

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Monze Central, please, withdraw that reference.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I apologise and replace it with people who get beaten in Kabwata.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the follow-up question from Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, the Member for Monze Central.

 

Sir, my statement was very clear and I did indicate that I, personally, travelled to the Southern Province and Monze was one of the districts that I visited although the hon. Member for Monze Central was not in the district. I do not know who could have given those directives because the statement I issued here is the official position of the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the demise of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019, a clique celebrated at a little corner and members of the public are not even aware of this. So, it shows how people will teach some people a lesson over that matter.

 

Mr Speaker, I want to emphasise that DCs are the authority in the district. So, if one opts not to co-operate with them and decides to do things his/her way, that is very unfortunate, and that is the situation that I was alluding to. So, DCs have been delegated the authority to deal with this exercise on the ground because they are the administrators of the Government. So, the hon. Member did not, probably get the programme from the hon. Minister because he was busy wining. When I was making an extension –

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, please, withdraw that reference.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I withdraw that reference and I replace it with – he was busy celebrating to what he referred to as the demise of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019.

 

Sir, the hon. Member needs to re-engage the DC because tomorrow will be the last day. As far as we are concerned, and this is the official position, tomorrow, 4^th November, 2020, will be the last day for the second phase of the mobile issuance of NRCs in the last five provinces.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, let me provide some guidance. I regard this ministerial statement as very innocuous and let us treat it as such. However, if we decide to lace it with other aspersions which will make it difficult for us to transact our business, then, we will proceed to consider and focus on the Budget. In any case, this is a budget meeting. It is a very short statement, and in my judgement, it is not controversial. If you want to clarify certain issues surrounding the exercise, ask the hon. Minister directly. However, if you elect now to use it as a venue or avenue to vent certain emotions, as chairperson of these proceedings, I will stop it because it is irrelevant. Let us deal with the issue, which is the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs). That is the issue.

 

I have a very long list of people who want to ask questions, and it is almost one third of the Assembly. So, we need to proceed efficiently, if we are to process as many questions as possible. Not to mention that we only have two and half hours before we rise and there is other equally important business to transact. In fact, one of them is related to this exercise, in a way. It should not suffer.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to ask a question, and I thank the Hon. Minister for the statement. In his statement, the hon. Minister mentioned that the Government had a target of capturing and issuing 700,000 plus people with National Registration Cards (NRCs). Of that target, it achieved 632,000 plus, giving an achievement rate of 87 per cent.  This is a broad aggregate. Has the hon. Minister got targets for each and every province vis-à-vis the achievement rate so that we can see what percentages according to the set targets were actually achieved in each and every province?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the follow-up question from the hon. Member for Kabompo. I will come back to the august House with a comprehensive report at the end of Phase II of the mobile issuance of NRCs where I will give the statistics for the entire exercise. That is where I will address the issue of projections against the achieved targets. That will be done, but these preliminary figures I was giving are before the end of the exercise.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for his statement. In Bweengwa alone, more than 10,000 people, representing 70 per cent of people who have attained the age of 16 years, were not captured in the last thirty-three days of the Mobile National Registration Cards (NRCs) Issuance Exercise. How best can the hon. Minister help the people of Bweengwa to acquire NRCs in the remaining five days before voter registration begins?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate that follow-up question from the hon. Member for Bweengwa. If he could give me the details of how he determined the 10,000 people, where they are and in which area, it will be easier to see how he can be helped, working through the DC office and our coordinators in the district. That is my response.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for that informative update on Phase I and II of the Mobile Issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) exercise. The last five days saw the extension of the exercise without corresponding resources. Why was it so?

 

Mr Speaker: Could you please repeat your question.

 

Mr Kabanda: Mr Speaker, there was an extension of five days for Phase II of the Mobile Issuance of NRCs. Now, these five days were given without corresponding resources. Why was it so?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, we, first and foremost, made consultations. We looked at the available resources. Before we could make a decision, we ensured that the resources were available. So, there is no way we could have had the extension without matching resources.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Chikote (Luampa): Mr Speaker, I am quite saddened. I have been listening to the hon. Minister carefully... (inaudible)

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, you are not audible.

 

I am afraid I am going to pass you because you are not audible.

 

Mr Siwale (Mafinga): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for that statement. I would like to thank His Excellency the President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu for coming up with the initiative of the Mobile Issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) Exercise. The people of Mafinga have appreciated and benefited from this exercise because almost all corners of the district have been captured and people were issued with NRCs. My worry is that there are only two provinces where complaints on the Mobile Issuance of NRCs Exercise have emerged. Could there be a problem in these two provinces other than the eight provinces who have thanked the Government for this wonderful exercise?

 

Mr Speaker: Sorry, I did not get your question.

 

Mr Siwale: Mr Speaker, I was saying that there are only two provinces in the country where complaints have emerged, to the effect that the Mobile Issuance of NRCs has not been conducted in a proper way, and these have been brought before this House. I want the hon. Minister to shed more light on that. What could be the actual problem?

 

Mr Speaker: I think there is nothing to clarify there.

 

Mr Mukosa (Chinsali): Mr Speaker, in the event that a person wants to change his/her name on his/her National Registration Card (NRC), can he/she take advantage of the this mobile issuance of NRCs to do so?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I do appreciate the question from the hon. Member for Chinsali Unfortunately, changing of names cannot be done during the Mobile Issuance of NRCs Exercise because there is a procedure which provides for that to be carried out. The change of names requires to be done right at the registration office where a deed poll must be prepared and authenticated by the High Court of Zambia before the process of changing a name can be done.

 

Sir, like I said, the challenge in most areas has been lack of communication and respect for the DCs office in many cases. That is what has caused a number of challenges in many areas. Other challenges are where people want to take advantage of the exercise by representing people who are not their relatives. Deponents must be parents, blood relatives or official guardians only. So, in some cases, people want to take advantage by representing children who are not either related to them or indeed not under their guardianship. Where officers put their foot down because they still have to follow the same processes as the normal registration, is where people would think they are having challenges with our officers on the ground.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, when the exercise started in Liuwa Constituency, there were three centres, among many others, that were due to be visited by officers from the National Registration Card (NRC) office. The three were Ikatulamwa, Mokola and Namweti. So, people were waiting for the officers because they were told that they would visit the areas. However, to this date, the officers have not appeared in any of these three places. Tomorrow is the last day for the exercise. Could the hon. Minister explain to the people in Ikatulamwa, Mokola and Namweti how they are going to obtain NRCs which they have been promised to be provided at those sites?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the concern expressed by the hon. Member of Parliament for Liuwa. However, I had an engagement with the hon. Member of Parliament for Liuwa sometime last week, and I guided on what needed to be done. I even offered to engage the Permanent Secretary (PS) just like I have done for other hon. Members of Parliament in the Western Province. We agreed that it would be better if they got on the ground to see how they can work with the people. I was thinking that these last few days, the hon. Member of Parliament could have found time to be in the constituency. If he had called me from the constituency over the weekend, I would have responded because I have been working throughout, including on weekends. From the time this exercise commenced, I work seven days of the week to attend to some of these challenges. Therefore, if the hon. member was on the ground and had he called me, we would have had a discussion over this issue and I would have given him different options.

 

Mr Speaker, it is a bit unfortunate that I am only being told today, and the exercise is ending tomorrow. However, that does not mean our offices will not be open. Our established offices in the districts will remain open, like I said earlier. Further, I have extended the exemptions for people to go with police reports to replace lost NRCs. Additionally, I wish there was something I could do at this juncture, but maybe, we can see what can be done tomorrow. I will engage the hon. Member to see if the PS or the DC can be of help to the people in the areas he has mentioned.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Mr Speaker, my question is similar to some of the issues raised. As of yesterday, I was given reports from different places in Keembe constituency. However, the exercise was going on well until yesterday when I learnt from the people on the ground that in Chief Chitanda’s area, which is one of the most populated places in Keembe constituency, the officers conducting the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) did not reach areas like Ipongo and Mundu. There were also some places like Makoka and Chipili in Chitanda which the officers did not touch. I do not know what could be of help to the people of Keembe given that tomorrow will be a closing date.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the question from the hon. Member of Parliament for Keembe Constituency. However, like I said, we delegated this exercise for us not to micro manage it from Lusaka since we knew that we had representation on the ground. I have emphasised the point that hon. Members of Parliament in these constituencies are supposed to be collaborating with the DCs and District Coordinators. I do not know whether the hon. Member is in the constituency now or she is in Lusaka, but if she is in the constituency, I would urge her to engage the DC. If by any chance the DC or the District Coordinators, who are on the ground, are listening, I am sure they have heard the request, and they will probably find a way of attending to our people in those areas.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, let me provide some guidance. The hon. Minister of Home Affairs has issued a ministerial statement. The opportunity which is available to the hon. Members is to clarify that statement. Now, what I am observing is a trend towards seeking to resolve peculiar problems for the constituencies. The hon. Minister of Home Affairs is available, and in my assessment, I think he has been positive in responding to all these issues. He has also indicated that his door is open and that what has closed is the mobile registration exercise and not the National Registration Office. It is still open. Therefore, if there are these peculiars issues you would like to pursue, they should not be pursued on the Floor of the House. If we attempt to do so, probably, that is the only business we are going to conduct this afternoon, to try and resolve all these peculiar problems. We may not even finish at the end of the day, granted the number of constituencies involved. So, those who have peculiar problems and still persist in pressing for responses, I will simply pass. I will only entertain very few more questions touching specifically on the statement. I will entertain those who seek clarification on the statement. If there is something doubtful or unclear about the statement, those are the only questions I will entertain, and not generally how the programme is being implemented.

 

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that he waived the required fee for obtaining a police report. However, there are other fees that are required to be paid by those who lose their NRCs, especially the aged and others who do so for genuine reasons. Have those fees been waived during this period of NRCs issuance?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, the prescribed fees, which are required to be paid by those who lost their NRCs or want to change damaged ones, have to be paid. These have not been waived. I think they are minimal fees of K3.20 and K2.50, respectively. Those have not been waived and still have to be paid upon verification of information given to registration officers. In addition, those who lose their NRCs need to remember their card numbers.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Mr Speaker, among the challenges that the hon. Minister indicated was the resource envelope. He also thanked the President, the hon. Minister of Finance and Her Honour the Vice-President for providing resources. He further mentioned that he delegated authority to District Commissioners (DCs) to superintend over this activity.

 

Mr Speaker, as I ask him my question, I first want to put it to him that the delegated authority was abused by the DCs, as he knows, because we explained it to him. The issue of respect, which is earned and not demanded, is something that he just said here. Having set the programme of work, is he aware that there are areas that have not been touched at all with twenty-four hours to go before the programme ends? If he is aware, I want him to be very categorical on this question. From where he stands, is obtaining this national document a privilege or a right of citizens?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the concern raised by the hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central. Fortunately, I met him on the ground in Mazabuka when I visited the Southern Province and we dealt with some of the issues that he had brought to my attention.

 

Sir, I thanked the President and the hon. Minister of Finance for their support because we were doing this exercise at a very difficult time when resources were difficult to get from our revenue basket. For the fact that the President was pragmatic enough to permit us to undertake this exercise, he must be commended. The same applies to the hon. Minister of Finance. So, my commendation is genuine and not misplaced.

 

Mr Speaker, the delegation of this function to DCs is not something new. The hon. Member of Parliament may wish to know that the administration of each province manages the cross-cutting portfolio functions of the Government. The provincial National Registration Officer is under the provincial PS. Similarly, in districts, our district registration officers are supervised by DCs. So, there was nothing unique. It was not a newly delegated mandate.

 

Sir, finally, the issue of identifying citizens, registering them and issuing them national identity documents, especially the NRC on which all other national documents are premised, is mandatory. For anyone to enjoy privileges of a national or a citizen, he/she must have this document. That is why we have said we are not leaving anyone behind. The hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central knows that. We went into the inner parts of Mazabuka into Magoye and found people accessing this service. This was deep in the villages. So, for him to try and pretend that people have been deliberately left out is not being sincere. 

 

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.  

 

Mr Speaker: Let the hon. Minister finish his response.

 

Mr Nkombo: He is abusing me, Sir.  

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, we cannot expect –

 

Mr Nkombo: I asked a genuine question. So, how do I become a pretender in his face?

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Nkombo, resume your seat.

 

Mr Nkombo: No! I do not like to be abused.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Nkombo resume your seat. Hon. Minister of Home Affairs resume your seat as well.

 

Hon. Member for Mazabuka Central you should have allowed the hon. Minister to complete and then raise your complaint.

 

Mr Nkombo: I cannot allow one inch of abuse, Sir –

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

I am counselling you. This is the point I am making. This is a very simple exercise in my opinion. It is a simple exercise of clarifying issues. Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, so far, you have been temperate. Keep it that way. I do not think the hon. Member for Mazabuka Central has any pretentions here. He has asked a question and is entitled to a response in a temperate way. I do not think we should complicate these issues. Maybe it is time to wind down now.

 

Hon. Minister, you may continue.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, your guidance is well appreciated.

 

Sir, as I conclude my response, I want to make it clear that what necessitated my trip to get on the ground were the complaints that came and which pointed to the fact that our officers were not on the ground to serve their people in some areas.

 

Yes, we might not cover everyone because of the limited time we have, but like you said and echoed my assurance, our offices in districts will continue to operate as they have always done. So, those who will be left out can still access the services of the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC) at our established district offices.

 

Sir, our officers are doing everything possible and I want to commend them for leaving their comfort zones to go and sleep in classroom blocks to serve their fellow nationals. This exercise is a mammoth undertaking and we want to serve every Zambian equitably because it is our mandate.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, there is an equally pressing business that we have to transact which is unrelated to the Budget.

 

_______

 

 

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

VOTERS’ REGISTER

 

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

 

1. whether the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has any plans to discard the 2016 Voters’ Register; 
2. if there are such plans, why;
3. if there are no such plans, how the newly registered voters will be included in the 2016 register; and
4. what mechanism the Government used to determine that over 1,400,000 voters needed to be deleted from the 2016 Voters’ Register as stated by the Vice-President in Parliament on Friday, 23^rd October, 2020.

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will compile a new register of voters for the 2021 General Elections. The commission took into consideration, the following factors in arriving at this decision:

 

1. the credibility of the current register of voters. The House may wish to note that stakeholders questioned the credibility of the voters’ register that was used in the 2016 General Elections. They further requested for an audit of the register before the elections on 11^th August, 2016;
2. arising from stakeholder concerns, external auditors were engaged with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under a programme called the Electoral Cycle Project to audit the 2016 voters’ register. One of the recommendations of the auditors was for the commission to compile a new register for the 2021 General Elections;
3. delimitation of electoral boundaries (constituencies, wards, polling districts, polling stations, including shifting and renaming of some polling stations);
4. enhancing the integrity of the register and strengthening enhanced security features, including the capture of biometric data, ten finger prints and portrait. This will be a requirement of the new register;
5. the United Party for National Development (UPND) petitioned, in the courts of law, the 2016 General Election results on the basis that the voters’ register was flawed; and
6. international and local observer missions recommended that the commission compiles a new register for the 2021 General Elections in order to maintain a credible, free and fair electoral process as demanded in a democratic dispensation.

 

Mr Speaker, based on these factors, the commission resolved to compile a new register of voters for the 2021 General Elections in 2020. Therefore, part (b) of the question falls away as all eligible Zambian citizens will be captured on the new register.

 

It is estimated that about 1,400,000 voters are deceased. This is based on audit of the register as well as estimates by the Zambia Statistical Agency (ZSA) of eligible voters aged eighteen years and above.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President recalls that on the Floor of this House, she mentioned that the ECZ was not going to completely disregard the old voters’ register. Is she now confirming that she misled the House when she issued that statement on the Floor of this House?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Member may recollect, what I said was that the old voters’ register will be used, but will be cleaned and whoever is on that voters’ register will have to be registered on the new register so that their biometric features are captured. I believe this is what I said. So, we are still using the old register and taking out the voters from that register onto a new voters’ register. Therefore, the people who appear on the old register have to show themselves before the registration officers so that these new features are captured and then they are included in the new register.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity you have given to the people of Chilubi to speak on this important matter. Being a new hon. Member of Parliament, I think I am at pains to understand when we play with semantics like “new voters’ register” as well as “old voters’ register”.

 

 I am of the view that when we include those who are alive and those who are dead in the voters’ register and just separate those who are dead who will never vote, the document still remains a new document.

 

I seek guidance. If we included people who are alive and overlooked those who are dead who would not vote anyway, would it still not be called a new register? Maybe Her Honour the Vice-President can qualify this further.

 

Mr Speaker: Her Honour the Vice-President, I do not know whether that is clear.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, this new register will be necessary for the old voters and the new ones. I have explained that the old voters’ register is still necessary because you have to capture all the people on that old register and transfer them onto the new register. So, if that is not clear, perhaps we have to find other words of explaining it.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, I must say that we are getting confused. Hopefully, the response to my question will clarify this confusion. I get the impression that if you are a new voter or an old voter, you are still required to register afresh. That is the understanding that I seem to be getting. Now, if I understand Madam Vice-President correctly, old voters like me and new ones must all go and register, could she explain how this is possible to be done within a period of thirty days considering the fact that with the National Registration Cards (NRCs) only a small proportion of the population, namely the youth, went to register, but we failed to register everybody. How then is it possible, Madam Vice-President, for the whole population – 

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Liuwa, the appropriate address is: Her Honour the Vice-President.

 

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, I would like Her Honour the Vice-President to explain how it is possible that the whole population, comprising of the young and the old, new and old voters, can be registered in thirty days when we have failed to register just a small number of young people for NRCs? How possible is that?

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, first and foremost, the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC) has not failed to capture the young people who wanted to access NRCs. The exercise is still ongoing, especially in district centres. 

 

Sir, as for the voter registration, thirty days will be adequate and the ECZ is planning to capture between 8 million and 9 million voters. It is believed that this will be done within thirty days because the issuance of NRCs is different from the voter registration exercise. Under voter registration, more centres are opened to capture more people. If millions of Zambians have voted in one day in the past, there is no reason ECZ cannot capture this number of voters in thirty days. That is what the ECZ has promised and I am sure it will be fulfilled.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mbangweta (Nkeyema): Mr Speaker, the Government is aware that Nkeyema has no district registration office and it is also aware that it withdrew all the registration officers last night to take them to Kaoma. As a result, there are several areas which have not been covered, as I speak. How does the Government intend to cover the areas that have not been covered and have had no access to registration cards?

 

Mr Speaker: My assessment is that, that is not a supplementary question.

 

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President said the 2016 voters’ register had lost credibility. A few minutes ago, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs indicated that there are people who were picked up by our security wings for attempting to obtain two or more National Registration Cards (NRCs). There will certainly be people who will get away with more than three or four NRCs with different numbers but the same fingerprints. Does Her Honour the Vice-President not think that the register which will be coming soon will also not be very credible as well?

 

Mr Speaker: Let me guide the House. This session we are in is as a result of a question which was posed by the hon. Leader of Opposition and Member of Parliament for Monze Central. The gist of the question is in part (a). He wanted to find out whether the 2016 voters’ register will be discarded. It is essentially that. Everything else followed from there. Further, he asked for an explanation if there were no such plans and if there were such plans, how the new registered voters would be included. Slightly away, he further asked what mechanism the Government used to determine the 1.4 million voters who need to be removed from the roll. If we start bringing in new issues they will not qualify as supplementary questions because a supplementary question must be connected to the main question.

 

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Mr Speaker, the issue of voter registration has become a subject of dispute because it relates to elections. The mobile national registration process has been a source of dispute because some areas like the Southern Province and the Western Province are accusing the Government of not covering everyone who is eligible to get a National Registration Card (NRC).

 

Hon. Government Members: Question!

 

Mr Kambita: Does Her Honour the Vice-President not think that deleting the current register will also be a source of dispute because these areas, which are perceived to be Opposition strongholds, expect the same behaviour from the Government?

 

Mr Speaker: It still does not qualify as a supplementary question.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mutale (Chitambo): Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President mentioned that about 1.4 million people are supposed to be removed from the register because they are believed to have died. Could she mention where the highest number of people who will be removed from the register are?

 

Mr Speaker: Her Honour the Vice-President, you may respond if at all that information is at hand.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, it is not possible to give statistics as to which province lost more people than the other. However, I urge the hon. Members of Parliament to have trust in these systems. The continuous eroding of that trust, is where conflicts arise after elections. We should try to ensure that we support the ECZ and give advice where it is faltering. The ECZ is committed to consulting stakeholders about every move that it makes in the electoral process. So, hon. Members have a platform to engage the ECZ where they feel they are not very pleased with the process that it is being undertaken. That would help us to ensure that there is trust in the electoral process. 

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Michelo (Bweengwa): Mr Speaker, what does the Constitution of Zambia say on voter registration? Does it give a specific period of time for voter registration, for example thirty days, or does it say that voter registration must be a continuous process? I ask this so that we do not have a dispute amongst ourselves.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, for now the time given to the ECZ to conduct the mobile voter registration is thirty days. Should need arise, more resources will have to be found for the continuation of the voter registration but for now the ECZ has been restricted to a thirty day period.

 

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kopulande (Chembe): Mr Speaker, in Her Honour the Vice-President’s answer to Question 57(a) raised by the hon. Leader of the Opposition, she indicated that one of the principal reasons for the undertaking of a new voter registration exercise, replacing the 2016 voters’ register was because the political party from which the questioner is coming from went to court in 2016. It questioned the authenticity and credibility of the 2016 voters’ register and demanded its complete replacement.

 

Mr Speaker, it has now occurred, from what we have seen and the general direction of debate, that this same political party seems to have changed its mind. Could Her Honour the Vice-President help educate this nation as to what exactly could be the reason for this change of heart by the same people who did not want this voters’ register, who are now insisting that they want this register. Could Her Honour the Vice-President advice the nation as to what exactly is going on so that we can all be in the know.

 

Mr Speaker: I do not think that is a fair question to put to Her Honour the Vice-President. That she should explain what has gone in their minds, I do not think is fair.

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, it would appear again that Her Honour the Vice- President has caused more confusion over this matter. Her Honour the Vice-President has indicated that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will use the old register to determine who would be registered, contradicting the earlier statement she had read. 

 

Interruption

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member, continue.

 

Mr Ngulube interjected.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: That one (pointing at Mr Ngulube) is the Deputy Chief Whip, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, continue with your question.

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, for the sake of the nation who are been listening, I would like Her Honour the Vice-President to be very clear. Her statement is now contradicting the earlier statement she made.  I want her to be very clear and state in no uncertain terms whether the ECZ are discarding the current register or not.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, we have indicated that the new register will carry new biometric features including the ten finger prints instead of just the thumb, as well as the portrait of the voter. Once the names have been taken from the old register to the new register, the old register can then be discarded. I do not know whether that is not clear enough.

 

Mr Speaker, all the voters on the old register have to be on the new register. That means the names have to be transferred to the new register. The old voters have to appear before a registration office so that their biometric features and portraits are taken and they will appear on the new register. It is as simple as that. So, for those who want to vote twice on the new and old register, it will not happen.

 

I thank you, Sir

 

_______

 

 

 

BILLS

 

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

 

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEE in the

Chair]

 

THE EXCESS EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATION (2020) BILL, 2020

 

Clause 1, 2 and 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First and Second Schedules 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 the Committee without amendments:

 

The Excess Expenditure Appropriation Bill, 2020

 

Third Reading on Wednesday, 4^th November, 2020

 

THIRD READING

 

THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT BILL, 2020

 

The following Bill was read the third time and passed:

 

The Public Procurement Bill, 2020

 

_______

 

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

 

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

 

VOTE 46 – (Ministry of Health – K9,230,638,999)

 

(Consideration resumed)

 

Ms Kasanda (Chisamba): Madam Chairperson, before the House adjourned on Friday, I was informing the hon. minister that in Chisamba, we have been requesting for an ambulance for a very long time and all we have received from 2016 are promises. There is no ambulance in the constituency for the patients. Most of the time, they are asked to find their own transport. In the process of finding transport, they either die or their condition worsens. So, this is something that the hon. Minister needs to consider as we approve this budget.

 

Madam Chairperson, we also lack health care workers. On Friday, I mentioned that at Liteta Hospital, there is only one doctor who attends to over 100 people, two medical licentiates and three clinical officers. These health care workers are not sufficient. We also have a challenge of staff at Chisamba Ranch Clinic. The community has taken over the clinic and there is nobody from the Ministry of Health. So, it is important that the ministry looks into these issues that I have talked about that are affecting people in Chisamba.

 

Madam Chairperson, the people of Chisamba are ready to support this budget but I am asking the hon. Minister to help us with what we are asking for. At the end of the day, the hon. Minister must realise that this is not a favour, but it is a right for Zambians in general and the people of Chisamba in particular.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Fube (Chilubi): Madam Chairperson, in the first place, I support the allocation to the Ministry of Health.

 

Madam Chairperson, I know that there have been arguments and people have advised that this year’s budget has shrunk compared to last year’s budget. However, in comparison to last year’s Vote, the Ministry of Health was able to roll out the work it planned to do in Chilubi, especially the delivery of primary health care. I think primary health care is directly connected to continuum of care, as it may be.

 

Madam Chairperson, so far, we have had infrastructure development and considering the Budget, we do not expect more infrastructural projects. For instance, in Chilubi, two new hospitals were built and Santa Maria Hospital was upgraded. So, I do not expect the Government to build more of such infrastructure. We instead expect the budget allocations to go towards beefing up pharmacies with medication so that they are well-stocked, and also increasing the number of personnel to attend to the patients. However, the hospitals were given ambulances because of a result-oriented budget.

 

Madam Chairperson, in Chilubi, the Ministry of Health has continued implementing the 650 Health Post Project despite the prevailing swamps in the area. However, I want to underscore the fact that we may not attain primary health care if water ambulances are not provided in an area like Chilubi. Otherwise, in terms of infrastructure, the Government has tried on that score to reduce the radius which most of our people used to cover. However, in this Budget, we expected to have an allocation towards increasing the man power.

 

Madam Chairperson, I heard some people talk about lack of medicines in hospitals. However, last week, just to confirm, I went to the smallest health post to check and I discovered that the Government had stocked up drugs in pharmacies of even small health posts. All the essential drugs such as oxytocin, which is used for woman in labour, are available. The people in far-flung areas are catered for. However, we should concentrate on what the Government has embarked on, and I encourage the hon. Minister of Health to continue recruiting medical personnel. For instance, they need to replace the Community Health Assistants, although we do not need any in Chilubi. However, I would like to give the hon. Minister accolades because we now have a nurse. Some time back, Grade 12 school leavers, some of whom were failures, used to man the health post, but that is no longer the situation.

 

Madam Chairperson, the ministry needs to concentrate on providing health services, especially in my area where there are swamps, the island and the mainland. In these areas, connectivity to health care services is much better on the island as opposed to the mainland. So, people have to crossover. Therefore, I urge the ministry to concentrate on providing water vessels as this will complete the picture of both continuum health care as well as primary health care because that is where health starts.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mrs Jere (Lumezi): Madam Chairperson, I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to say one or two things on behalf of the people of Lumezi Constituency.

 

Madam Chairperson, I sincerely thank the hon. Minister of Finance for the very eloquent, clear and pro-poor Budget that he presented to this House. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Government for the massive construction of hospitals, mini-hospitals, health posts and other infrastructure. Kudos to the Patriotic Front (PF) Government!

 

Madam Chairperson, out of the 650 health posts that were supposed to be constructed in this country, Lumezi was given four. Out of the four, two were constructed and are functional. So, I implore the hon. Minister of Health to consider completing the assignment by constructing the two others because then, it will take health services closer to the people who really need those services.

 

Madam Chairperson, I also want to let the hon. Minister know that there are two distinct areas in Lumezi, namely the valley and the plateau. In the valley, we do not experience many problems in as far as health posts, hospitals or health centres are concerned, but the only challenge is the distance between the health centres. So, my appeal to the hon. Minister of Health is that he should try to recast the Budget and help us to put up more health posts so that the health services can be near to the people’s door steps. In some cases, people have to walk 15 km or 20 km to access the nearest health post. When children get very sick, they die on the way and also, women who are about to deliver find themselves in problems.

 

Madam Chairperson, I remember that at one time, the hon. Minister of Health issued a ministerial statement in this House and he indicated that the highest maternal death rate in this country was in Lundazi. When we zeroed-in to find out where exactly in Lundazi, we found out that it was in Lumezi. So, it is in this regard that I ask the hon. Minister of Health to consider putting up more health centres in the plateau. Worse still, we have a challenge in the valley where we have three chiefs in three distinct areas. We thank the Government for the rural health centres that it has provided but the only challenge is that we do not have qualified staff to manage these health centres. So, when there is a complicated case, it is difficult for the cleaners who are not specialised to attend to the patients who have complications. So, when the Government deploys health workers, it should consider deploying some to the valley.

 

Madam Chairperson, most of the health centres are dilapidated. So, the Government should rehabilitate, expand and upgrade them so that the simple procedures that health officials are supposed to undertake are done just there. The health centres in the valley are very far from district hospitals. So, it is a challenge for people to access expert medical services. For this reason, the Government should give them mini-hospitals and ambulances so that they are taken care of just like other Zambians in this country.

 

Madam Chairperson, with those few remarks, I support the budget.

 

I thank you.

 

Mrs Phiri (Chilanga): Madam Chairperson, I thank you very much for this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on this very important Vote. I would also like to thank the hon. Minister of Health for the policy direction.

 

Madam, in supporting this Vote, I request the hon. Minister of Finance to increase the budget for the Ministry of Health. At the moment, it stands at 8 per cent, which is not very good. I also urge the hon. Minister of Finance to ensure that the budget allocation to this ministry, which is very important in our country, is released on time to enable it to run smoothly.

 

Madam Chairperson, the people of Chilanga Constituency are very happy with the positive strides that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government under the leadership of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has so far made towards the attainment of universal health coverage in Zambia.

 

Madam, Chilanga Constituency is huge and that is why we were lobbying for its delimitation. In Chilanga Constituency, we have areas like Kacheta, Shampule, Malcolm, Mpampa, Chibonta and Namalombwe and the people in these areas cover long distances to access health facilities or health care services. So, as the Government undertakes the programme of constructing health centres and mini-hospitals, I urge the hon. Minister of Health to consider constructing more health posts and mini-hospitals in Chilanga to lessen the distances that people in far-flung areas where there no health facilities cover.

 

Madam Chairperson, the good people of Chilanga Constituency asked me to remind the hon. Minister of Health to consider constructing a district hospital in Chilanga. Chilanga was declared a district eight years ago, but up to now, we do not have a first level district hospital. Mostly, people go to Kafue District Hospital to access health facilities offered at a district hospital. Sometimes, they go to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, which is very far. However, there is already land in Chilanga that has been earmarked for a district hospital and the people of Chilanga are waiting for this hard working Government to construct that facility for them.

 

Madam, like I said, Chilanga is huge but there is only one ambulance which caters for all the ten wards. So, in its budget, the Ministry of Health should allocate another ambulance to Chilanga District.

 

Madam Chairperson, we need more health workers to be sent to Chilanga. The whole district has only two doctors because we have not received enough health workers. One doctor is a director of health and another one is operating from Chilanga Clinic. We need more doctors who can operate in other health facilities within Chilanga.

 

With these few remarks, I support this Vote.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Dr Chilufya: Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank all the hon. Members who have debated in support of this Vote. The common thread I picked from all the debaters is a cry for universal health coverage. I also picked a cry for more investment in human capital, infrastructure for health and in medicines. That is a well placed cry and there is a call for increased investment.

 

Madam, I believe as a collective, across the political aisle, we need to push for universal coverage. So, it is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that we invest adequately in the health of our people. Our sustainable development aspiration is inexplicably linked to a healthy population. Therefore, we do not politic over health care and I hear the call from all hon. Members for improved investment in the various clusters.

 

With those remarks, I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Vote 46 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 51 – (Ministry of Transport and Communications – K 408,758,894)

 

The Minister of Transport and Communication (Mr Kafwaya): Madam Chairperson, I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to render a policy statement regarding the Ministry of Transport and Communication’s budget for the year ending 31^st December, 2021, for which I seek the support of all hon. Members.

 

Madam Chairperson, allow me to start by appreciating the hon. Minister of Finance for not only the manner in which he delivered the Presidential message to this august House, but also the content and consistency of the 2021 Budget message.

 

Madam Chairperson, the goals of the Ministry of Transport and Communication remain as follows:

 

1. to create an efficient inter-modal transport system;
2. to achieve a universal access to communication coverage; and
3. to strengthen the provision of climate and weather information for sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

 

Madam Chairperson, before I go any further, allow me to reflect on some of the activities which have occurred in the ministry during the year ending 31^st December, 2020, which are as follows:

 

1. the ministry launched the Child Online Protection Strategy to ensure a better online experience for children and avoid abuse and cyber bullying of children;
2. the ministry embarked on the process of repealing and replacing the Inland Water Shipping Act of 1962 and the Railways Act of 1984 as well as initiated amendments to the Road Traffic Act of 2002. These amendments are aimed at improving the transportation and safety frameworks in the relevant transport sub-sectors;
3. the ministry continued the upgrading of the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), which has reached 90 per cent completion, and works at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola have reached 76 per cent completion;
4. on the communication side of business, the ministry continued to implement the Communication Towers Phase II Project involving the construction and upgrading of 1,009 telecommunication towers. This project is being undertaken to increase telecommunications access to citizens in under and unserved areas of our country; and
5. in the maritime sub-sector, the ministry embarked on the digitisation of vessel registers. This is to improve data capture and service delivery. In meteorology, we strengthened the establishment of weather and climate data collection instruments and increased our outreach.

 

Madam Chairperson, all these developments and more, reflect the heartbeat of His Excellency, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia, who wishes to see development reaching every Zambian without leaving anyone behind.

 

Madam Chairperson, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not gone without impact on the contribution of the Ministry of Transport and Communication. While it is common knowledge that all sub-sectors have been affected by the COVID-19, the most affected of them all in the transport sector has been the aviation sub-sector. This has been due to reduced flights on a global basis.

 

Madam Chairperson, allow me now to turn to the proposed budget for the year ending 31^st December, 2021. The ministry proposes to spend K408,758,894 only. The ministry also targets to raise K1,071,811,237. This revenue would be raised from various streams available to the ministry. The focus of activities for the year 1^st January to 31^st December, 2021, will be as follows:

 

1. completion of the Kenneth Kaunda and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe international airports;
2. completion of the Communication Towers Phase II Project;
3. improving road safety through various interventions including educational activities;
4. expediting capacity in weather information collection, analysis and dissemination; and
5. expediting legal and operational reforms to attract private sector investment in water transport.

 

Madam Chairperson, the priority areas outlined in our proposed budget for 2021 are aligned with the desired outcomes of the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), which wishes to see sustainable development for the promotion of job and business opportunities creation for the Zambian people.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka Central): Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for his policy statement.

 

Madam, very quickly, I want to appreciate the goals in the ministry as those of efficacy of the transport system and also the universal communication access. I always wish you well, as you know hon. Minister. This is a sector that can help facilitate for the growth of our economy. The hon. Minister laments the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its effect on the sector and ministry that he presides over. Yes, it is true because in as far as moving goods and trading in services is concerned, I know that his ministry has been heavily affected by the COVID-19. I do recall that at the height of it, we had to quarantine drivers from across the borders, including those who were transiting through to other countries. So, that slowed down business quite extensively. However, I think that the hon. Minister has made strides in the internet section because of the social distancing and also the issue of people not co-mingling. The world has generally gone into more sophisticated ways of communicating using the internet. Although it is slow, it has provided a solution. I think that as the hon. Minister responsible for that, must take full advantage of the growth of this sector.

 

Madam Chairperson, my expectation was that the hon. Minister was going to speak a little more about the other four modes of transportation. He talked about the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), and that is fine. With this COVID-19 in our midst, he will now appreciate that that airport that he built may not get the full potential for this country in terms of being a communication or transport hub in the region and worldwide.

 

Madam, the waterways are something that he did not quite delve into. However, I want him to know that our rivers require to be cleaned up at every stage. Kafue River, for instance, is choked with a weed which is commonly known as Water Hyacinth. As a matter of fact, we have argued before that if we allow for a bypass at Itezhi-tezhi, we could actually make the Kafue River navigable. That way, we can move cargo from the Copperbelt up to Kafue and make Kafue an inland border so that we can now load heavy stuff in Kafue onward to Chirundu or through Livingstone for export. I think that is a matter that the hon. Minister should look at.

 

Madam Chairperson, with regard to railway transport, I want to say to the hon. Minister that it is his Government that borrowed money in form of the Eurobond and put a staggering US$120 million into the railway sector. He knows very well that he inherited this problem. I think he should find a way to make sure that the railway transport system starts to function once again in our country. It is because of the cheap methods that his Government has adopted to build our roads that we now have a situation where the Government is where it is resurfacing roads every three months. This is especially so in cities where traffic generally becomes slow, the roads get damaged due to heavy load and cargo.

 

Madam Chairperson, finally, I know that the hon. Minister works very closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs on this Zhongxing Telecom Service (ZTE) Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) that he is mounting in the country with the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), which is under his department. Many people have argued that those cameras are there to monitor crime. While that is correct, we are told that ZICTA now has a tendency of recording conversations thereby infringing on people’s rights to privacy. This is a matter that we have argued about even with the people from ZICTA that if this is happening, it better stop. We should not record people’s conversations because people need their privacy.

 

With those remarks, I want to assure the hon. Minister, that we will support his budget and wish him well in his endeavours.

 

Mr Mutelo (Mitete): Madam Chairperson, I thank you for the opportunity to debate and I thank the hon. Minister for the policy statement.

 

Madam Chairperson, I will go for point number two where the hon. Minister talked about universal health coverage, adding that it was the heartbeat for the President, not to leave anyone behind. Be informed that Mitete as a district, has, on this goal, been left behind. However, since there is still room, I hope that we will be brought on board. What am I saying? Mitete, as a district, only has one communication tower, and that is a challenge to all the departments and our people in terms of communication. We live in an era of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) where everything is connected, and if you are not connected, you are left behind. Be it information and communication or what is happening due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our learners in Mitete have totally been left behind. While urban pupils are busy learning via television, in Mitete, such issues are not there. If the President’s heartbeat is really not to leave anyone behind, and if Madam Chairperson could allow it, I would kneel down before the hon. Minister and ask for a communication tower. A short tower covering only a radius of 5 kilometres for Mitete is not sufficient. It is true that I have been to the hon. Minister’s office and those of the Permanent Secretary (PS) and the Director. To date, there is only one tower in Mitete. My question is: are you not leaving Mitete behind? Meanwhile, you are talking about universal coverage for all. Where are we?

 

Madam Chairperson, may I just end here. There is only one communication tower in Mitete. Please, I beg of the hon. minister and his entire ministry to give us communication towers in Mitete.

 

Thank you very much. I hope he has heard, and we will not continue to be left behind.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Madam Chairperson, I thank you for the opportunity to make one or two comments on the Vote for the Ministry of Transport and Communication. I also want to thank the hon. Minister for his policy statement.

 

Madam Chairperson, I think this ministry is straightforward. Right now, the in-thing with regard to development is Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Unless we are up to it –

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Lufuma: Madam Chairperson, those guys are disturbing me. They are being naughty.

 

Mr Lubinda: Which guys?

 

Madam Chairperson: Order, on my right!

 

Mr Lufuma: Madam Chairperson, I thank you very much.

 

Madam, I was saying that unless we are up to it, we shall remain behind in terms of development. I would not like to waste time but go straight into the happenings in Kabompo District vis-à-vis universal coverage. Universal coverage was announced some years back with the erection of 109 communication towers in the second phase of the project. Unfortunately, for Kabompo, just like Mitete, we were only given one communication tower.

 

Mr Ngulube: On a point of order, Madam Chairperson.

 

The Chairperson: Order!

 

Resume your sit hon. Member. I am not allowing any points of order. We must catch up. We are behind by days.

 

Proceed hon. Member on the Floor.

 

Mr Lufuma: Madam Chairperson, we were also given only one communication tower. We know that that is not enough. That cannot be universal coverage at all. Moreover, we know that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is very important even for the education system. Right now, during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, we are encouraged to, as much as possible, listen in or connect to the internet. Unfortunately, in Kabompo, most schools, except maybe one or two which are centrally located at the Boma, were not able to use this facility. The major reason is that we do not have communication towers in the area.

 

Madam Chairperson, we needed at least ten extra communication towers in Phase II in Kabompo. Areas like Kalwilo, Mulundu, Chifuwe and Mbinjilika have not been covered. There are many places where there is no communication at all and this is impeding development in the area.

 

Madam Chairperson, further, the Government would like to roll out the Electronic Voucher (e-Voucher) system 100 per cent in the whole country. Now, it cannot do that until communication towers are available. Therefore, we would like to urge the hon. Minister in charge to quickly roll out the Universal Access to Communication program as quickly as possible because development hinges on his ability to be efficient and effective in rolling out the communication towers.

 

Madam Chairperson, I support the Budget and would like to ask the hon. Minister of Finance to disburse the monies that are required to roll out the Universal Access to Communication programme, if possible.

 

Madam Chairperson, I thank you.

 

Dr Imakando (Mongu Central): Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for the policy statement.

 

Madam, the Ministry of Transport and Communication is a great enabler. It is an enhancer, a promoter and a catalyst. Indeed, it is a facilitator. This is the ministry that should enable many actors to ensure that there is private sector development, diversification and job creation to reduce poverty and vulnerability. This is the ministry that is supposed to enable players.

 

Madam Chairperson, the ministry does so because it helps us overcome the challenge and barrier of physical distance to move people, goods and information, and data from one place to another. Therefore, it is important that this ministry champions these policies because it is a great enabler. Unfortunately, the ministry is somewhat failing.

 

Madam Chairperson, the movement of goods and people need an inter-model transport system that provides efficient linkages. At the moment, we have serious challenges, particularly with economic roads. These leave us wondering whether this ministry does take time to lobby for economic roads.

 

Madam Chairperson, we need to do a lot to make Zambia a regional hub. There is a need for robust resource mobilisation to ensure that many economic roads are passable all the time. There is a need to prioritise investment that gives us maximum benefit.

 

Madam Chairperson, currently, you see many projects being implemented and you ask the question: Are these projects going to give us maximum benefit? There is a need to undertake institutional reforms for improved co-ordination and implementation. At the moment, efforts are scattered around. There is one big airport being built in one area, another one in another area and a road which is left halfway done. Consequently, we are not benefiting from our infrastructure. There is a need to have political will to make investments that are guided by economics and not political expedience. 

 

Madam Chairperson, we need to provide for efficiency while curbing road carnage. It is necessary to appropriately balance business opportunities between our local operators and foreign transporters. This ministry needs to help us improve both border and port competitiveness to attract more traffic to pass through Zambia. It is necessary that this ministry encourages what I call backhauls to ensure that some of the trucks that bring goods do not return empty. When you see trucks going back empty, it shows you that economic activity is at its lowest. There is a need for this ministry to help reduce truck turnaround time so that people who have invested in trucks can get maximum benefit.

 

Madam Chairperson, as we look at this ministry, I cry for the Sikongo/Angola Road. We are looking to export to Angola, but we need a road from Sikongo to Angola for this to happen. It is this ministry that should champion calls for this road to be completed.

 

Madam Chairperson, when you look at the targets of this ministry, you will notice that they are somewhat irrelevant or do not speak to its core mandate. It needs to look at its key output targets and ensure that it is in line with its core mandate.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Ms Subulwa (Sioma): Madam Chairperson, allow me to thank this Government, on behalf of Sioma for having put up communication towers in many places in that area. For instance, we have towers in Namatoya, Sinjembela and Loto. There are quite a number of other areas including Mulele, Mutomena, Sitote and Siukela which have benefited. The people of Sioma are grateful to this Patriotic Front (PF) Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Ms Subulwa: Madam Chairperson, the people of Sinjembela suffered when it came to communication for a long time. It was very difficult to communicate. In the area of health, for instance, communication with the hospitals in Sioma and Nangweshi was very difficult. In fact, there was no communication at all. People had to rely on the old system of communication using radios. This time around, however, people are able to make phone calls.

 

Madam Chairperson, I would like to appeal to the hon. Minister to consult the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL) on the fact that though we are able to communicate via phone, but unable to use internet facilities. It is impossible for me to be in Sinjembela and do my parliamentary business or any other because there is no internet. Therefore, I would like the hon. Minister to look into that issue.

 

Madam Chairperson, at Chief Lukama’s Palace, the communication towers are short and the network is quite bad. As the hon. Member of Parliament, I am very concerned. I am not happy that our Senior Chief Lukama is in an area where he is unable to communicate. I think the Government needs to seriously look into that issue as well. 

 

Madam Chairperson, I wonder whether the hon. Minister is aware of the beauty of Sioma. I wish I could take a trip with him to Sioma so that he can see for himself that it is a beautiful place. I think it can be the next tourist town after Livingstone. Therefore, we need to do a lot to help the lodges in that area. For instance, just in the area where our main lodges such as Country Lodge, Sioma Camp and Whispering Sands are, there is completely no cellular phone network. So, there is a need for this ministry to consider putting up a communication tower in that area, as well as in Kabula so that people in those areas are not left behind. We are aware that the Government is capable of doing something about that situation.

 

Madam, lastly, regarding water transport, Sioma has a place called Mbeta Island and the people on that island depend on Nangweshi and Kanja areas for schools, hospitals or anything else. So, I am appealing to the hon. Minister as he looks into his ministry’s budget to please consider buying banana boats for transportation between Mbeta Island and Nangweshi and Kanja. He should also consider providing transport for the people in Sitoti and Kalongola. There is a need for the hon. Minister to consider buying banana boats for those areas because we have lost lives. Just last week or the other week, we lost a pupil. So, I think there is a need for the hon. Minister to look into this matter seriously. I plead with him to consider buying banana boats for our pupils so that they are at least able to cross over to access schools in those areas that I have mentioned.

 

Madam Chairperson, I wish to conclude by saying that I support this budget.

 

I thank you.

 

Mr Mwamba (Lubansenshi): Madam Chairperson, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to add the voice of the people of Lubansenshi to the discussion on this very important sector. I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, through the hon. Minister, for the efforts himself and the hon. Minister have been putting in to ensure that this country is taken to the stage where it is now. The stage I am talking about is that the country has now opened up in terms of communication.

 

Madam, when you look at what was previously happening, communication in terms of cell phones and so on and so forth was only confined to places which were known as urban areas. Today, however, we are able to communicate in the peri-urban areas and the countryside. This has even made the post office unable to offer the facilities or services that it was giving to our people in rural areas. Today, I am able from here to speak to my people in Lubansenshi Constituency, even those at the furthest point in the constituency because of the good works that the Government has carried out in this country. This ministry must actually be given a pat on its back.

 

Madam Chairperson, communication towers have been rolled out throughout Lubansenshi Constituency and throughout the country. However, there is a word of caution that I want to give the hon. Minister and that is to ensure that the social media which has come with the cell phones that we are using is kept in check. I do not know what we need to do. We may need to set up a school or have the Ministry of General Education include it in the syllabus so that children can learn to use this facility for their good.

 

Madam, I say this because you find insults on social media. Many of our youth are misusing social media. They think they cannot be traced when they insult using it. We must find a way of tracing and educating such people. I know that all they need is education. We cannot take them to court, although I know that it is unlawful to do that. Instead, we must educate them so that they learn the importance of communicating with others and sharing ideas in a civil manner.

 

Madam Chairperson, that is a very important subject that the hon. Minister should take note of. He can sit down with his colleague in the Ministry of General Education to ensure that a component of the syllabus is taught from primary to secondary, college and university.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kafwaya: Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank all my hon. Colleagues who have contributed to our proposed budget. All of them have raised very important issues. While I will not be able to respond to each and every one of those issues, their submissions were very clear and the ministry will consider them. However, let me reflect on a few of them.

 

Madam, the first contributor, Hon. Gary Nkombo, Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central, said very important things which I appreciate. However, he worried me when he intimated that the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) may be recording conversations.

 

Madam Chairperson, I want to make it clear that ZICTA is a regulator of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, not an operator. Telecommunication happens at Airtel, MTN and ZAMTEL. ZICTA does not have the capacity to record conversations. They only regulate the business of these operators and ICTs, generally.

 

Madam Chairperson, Hon. Mutelo lamented the fact that there is only one tower in his constituency. However, even after the completion of Phase II, we will not be able to cover 100 per cent of the country. That means we still have a bit of work to do as a nation to cover 100 per cent. In subsequent programmes, Mitete, like Mafinga, will be considered so that we drift towards 100 per cent.

 

Madam, Hon. Lufuma says that there should be at least ten towers which is the same thing. We need to invest a little more to be able to cover 100 per cent.

 

Madam Chairperson, Hon. Dr Imakando laments that our objectives are not linked to our mandate. I was left wondering what he meant because when I look at our objectives, I do not see who else should improve the collection of weather information or complete Phase II of the Telecommunication Tower Project, if not the Ministry of Transport and Communication. I do not see who else should ensure that all these things are done. This is our mandate, but we will continue to take advice.

 

Madam Chairperson, Hon. Dr Imakando talked about the road from Sikongo to Angola. Let me be very clear that, us, on the Zambian side, are nearer to Angola. However, even if we worked on the road leading to the border of Angola today, there is no road on the Angolan side. So, the value that Hon. Dr Imakando talked about will not be achieved. If we compare Zambia and Angola in terms of how much work needs to be done, Zambia has a very small component of working on the Mongu/Kalabo Road to Sikongo leading to the Angolan border. However, we have a long way from there to Bengwela, and there is no road there. It is the same case in the North-Western Province. So, it is very important for us to balance our conversations. However, Hon. Vincent Mwale and I went to Angola to talk about these roads. So, the Government is ensuring that transport connectivity between Zambia and Angola is achieved.

 

Madam Chairperson, I also took note of Hon. Subulwa’s debate and she talked about the bad network in the chiefdom areas. The project we are implementing involves the construction and upgrading of communication towers. So, we are still upgrading some of the towers that are not providing the right level of service. I have also taken note of Hon. Mwamba’s debate.

 

Madam Chairperson, let me end by thanking all hon. Members for supporting the Vote.

 

I thank you, Madam Chairperson.

 

Vote 51 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

 

VOTE 52 – (Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection – K2,165,472,368)

 

The Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection (Dr Chanda): Madam Chairperson, I wish to thank you for according me this opportunity to issue the policy statement in support of the 2021 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Vote 52 – Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection.

 

Madam Chairperson, the formulation of the policy statement and the 2021 Budget Estimates are anchored on the Vision 2030, the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) and the Ministerial Strategic Plan. The budget preparation process took into account the 2020 budget performance, current micro-economic fundamentals and the effect of the Coronavirus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, among others. I thank the hon. Minister of Finance for presenting a progressive Budget under very difficult circumstances in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Madam Chairperson, water and environmental protection remains high on our developmental agenda as reaffirmed by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, in his address to this House during the Official Opening of the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly. It is for this reason that the Government has continued to prioritise interventions aimed at promoting universal access to clean and safe water and sanitation, improved water resources development and management, and environmental protection.

 

Madam Chairperson, the Government of the Republic of Zambia under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has continued to make the policy and legal environment conducive for the development of water environmental sectors. To this end, my ministry launched the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy in September this year. Furthermore, it has embarked on reviewing the Water Supply and Sanitation Act of 1997 to strengthen the legal framework for the provision of water and sanitation services.

 

Madam Chairperson, at this juncture, I wish to inform the nation that significant achievements have been made to improve access to water and sanitation services. Currently, 72 per cent of people have access to water, from less than 60 per cent in 2011, while 54 per cent of people have access to sanitation services, from less than 20 per cent in 2011.

 

Madam Chairperson, in terms of open defecation, the practice reduced from 16 per cent in 2014 to currently 10 per cent. Furthermore, to ensure enhanced water resources management, 34,821 boreholes have so far been registered to contribute to sustainable water resources management.

 

Madam Chairperson, to ensure environmental protection, my ministry is enforcing Statutory Instrument No. 65 of 2018 –

 

The Chairperson: Order!

 

(Debate adjourned)

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HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

(Progress reported)

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The House adjourned at 1657 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 4^th November, 2020.

 

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