Tuesday, 25th February, 2020

Tuesday, 25^th February, 2020

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

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MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

COUNTRY’S FLOOD SITUATION

The Minister in the Office of the Vice-President (Mrs Mwansa): Mr Speaker, I am going to present a ministerial statement on the flood situation in the country.

Sir, climate change and climate vulnerability has continued to impact vulnerable communities at a scale and magnitude never experienced before in the history of Zambia. These impacts are felt across a wide range of communities and society. Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts have impacted negatively on agriculture and food security, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, infrastructure, education and energy.

Mr Speaker, not only has the frequency and occurrence of extreme weather events increased over space and time, but the number of affected people has more than tripled in the last five years.

Sir, the 2019/2020 season forecast by the Southern African Region Climate Outlook Forum and downscaled by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) projected that most parts of the country would receive normal to above normal rainfall. Based on the forecast, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and its partners prepared the 2019/2020 contingency plan, which identified floods as the main hazard which would characterise the season.

Mr Speaker, the contingency plan is prepared every year by the Office of the Vice-President in collaboration with other stakeholders in order to put in place robust disaster preparedness measures to ensure that in times of disasters, impacts and loss are generally minimised by the involvement of authorities, individuals and communities in hazard prone areas. According to the contingency plan, sixty-three districts were projected to be affected by floods and dry spells in all the ten provinces in the country. The House may wish to note that from the onset of the rains in the 2019/2020 rainy season, the country has experienced hailstorms affecting over 100 schools, fifteen health facilities and dwelling houses throughout the country.

Sir, the rapid assessment conducted so far by the office reveals that fourteen bridges and culverts have been damaged in the Eastern Province, two in the Southern Province, six in Muchinga Province and two in the Central Province. In response to floods, the Government has distributed 20,834 x 12.5 kg bags of mealie meal, 2,420 blankets, 165 x 20 kg bags of kapenta, 527 dignity kits, 1,800 iron sheets, 29 banana boats and 200 x 50 kg bags of beans to affected districts. The House may wish to note that assessments are ongoing in all affected districts and relief items are being dispatched.

Mr Speaker, Mambwe, Lumezi and Chama Districts are the most affected districts in the country. These areas have experienced floods three to four times just this season. Most areas are inaccessible and about 6,000 households have been affected by floods in the Eastern Province, Muchinga Province, the Northern Province, the North-Western Province and Lusaka Province.

Sir, the House may wish to know that the country has also experienced flooding in urban areas such as Kanyama and other peri-urban settlements are still flooded. The cause of flooding in most urban settlements is poor seepage of water due to the underlying bedrock, which prevents water to penetrate. Others include blockage of outflow drains by illegal construction of structures such as wall fences.

Mr Speaker, in order to mitigate the impact of floods, the Lusaka City Council (LCC), working in collaboration with the DMMU, is pumping out water in most affected areas and working on outflow drainages. The latter started before the onset of the current rainy season as a long term solution. The DMMU with other stakeholders is also conducting a rapid assessment in Kanyama to establish the number of houses which are still flooded.

Sir, as a long term measure, there is need for urban renewal of flood-prone areas. I wish to inform the House that the Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development and Ministry of Defence as well as other stakeholders are already working on that.

Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that some of the affected areas will need relief food as maize fields and other crops have been washed away by flash floods. The House will be informed in due course the full extent of the damage caused by floods countrywide once my office is done with the comprehensive assessment.

Sir, the Office of the Vice-President, through the DMMU, has continued responding to emergencies in all the affected areas in the country through the provision of food and non-food relief items as already mentioned. The Government through the Road Development Agency (RDA) has also released K5,000,000 for emergency works on critical crossing points of national importance, especially along major trunk roads such as the one on the Great East Road. The DMMU and RDA have since worked on the Kacholola crossing point on the Great East Road by installation of an acrow bridge.

Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that the number of critical infrastructure such as bridges and schools affected by disasters is massive. The Government, therefore, will focus on critical ones to restore the normal state of affairs in affected areas and communities.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members are now free to ask questions on points of clarification on the statement given by Her Honour the Vice-President’s office.

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for the information. However, may I know, by name, the two bridges that are affected in the Southern Province and what has been done to bring about relief to the affected people.

Mrs Mwansa: Mr Speaker, the names will be given to the hon. Member after consultation with the people of the Southern Province.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Jere (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for her statement –

Ms Kapata: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, thank you for according me this opportunity to raise this important point of order on Hon. Mweetwa, Member of Parliament for Choma Central, who knows that if any Member of Parliament has an issue to raise, he/she can file a question that could be answered by relevant authorities.

Sir, after the Vice-President’s Question Time on Friday, Hon. Mweetwa decided to go to Diamond TV’s ‘COSTA’ programme and attacked Her Honour the Vice-President regarding an answer she gave in response to a question asked by another Member of Parliament. Hon. Mweetwa rode on that hon. Member’s question to attack Her Honour the Vice-President in the media. Is he, therefore, in order to attack Her Honour the Vice-President by calling her shallow and shameful for linking gas attacks to regime change?

Sir, I need your ruling and I am going to lay the paper on the Table.

Ms Kapata laid the paper on the Table.

Mr Speaker: My ruling is reserved so that, firstly, I familiarise myself with the publication in question. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I need to reflect over the matter.

Mr Jere: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that two bridges were damaged in the Southern Province and that bridges are being damaged year in, year out. For example, the one between Sakubita and Linda in Livingstone was damaged in 2014. When will the Office of the Vice-President attend to those bridges that have been damaged this year and those that were damaged way back?

Mrs Mwansa: Mr Speaker, as the hon. Member has alluded, those bridges where damaged way back but the DMMU looks at the damaged bridges immediately. Now, if the bridge was damaged way back, let him go and see the people at the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development or the local council, they will help him.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Chibanda (Mufulira): Mr Speaker, I would like to know from Her Honour the Vice-President which province out of the ten has been heavily hit by the floods.

Mrs Mwansa: Mr Speaker, it is the Eastern Province.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwila (Chimwemwe): Mr Speaker, it is very encouraging to hear from the Office of the Vice-President that the Government is working on the outflow drainages as a permanent solution to the flooding in Lusaka. I would like to find out as to whether this exercise of doing outflow drainages will be extended to Parliament Motel, which has not been spared by this weather problem.

Mrs Mwansa: Mr Speaker, Parliament Motel has not yet submitted a request to the DMMU.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I can confirm that we have not yet approached the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

Laughter

Mr Daka (Msanzala): Mr Speaker, the people of Msanzala and Lusangazi appreciate the effort that has been made so far by giving some food to the people of Lusangazi. However, the people of Chibale, Mukonda and Chisimbwe have not yet received anything because the road leading to those areas has been cut off. What effort is the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) making to ensure that what has been delivered to Mutondo and Sandwe areas is also delivered to the other areas that have been affected?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, hon. Members must have picked information from the statement given that quite a number of areas have been affected by floods, and Lusangazi is one of the latest to endure this great tragedy. The distribution of food is still ongoing because we have to consider logistics on how we will get food to the affected areas. Some of these areas are cut-off so badly such that you cannot use a vehicle or a boat, you have to airlift the food. This is ongoing. We have partnered with the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) to transport the foodstuff to the areas affected, and Lusangazi has definitely received its share. We are also looking at other areas of need.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, arising from the answer Her Honour the Vice-President has given pertaining to the disasters that have occurred in the country, and taking into account the magnitude of the disaster. Where is the Government going to find the money to remedy the situation, considering that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) only has less than K28 million inclusive of the current expenditure? Her Honour the Vice-President will recall that I raised this issue when we debated the Budget.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, currently, the DMMU receives support from the Ministry of Finance. Last week, K5 million was allocated to the Road Development Agency (RDA) to work on the bridge on the Great East Road. In emergency situations such as what we find ourselves in, the DMMU works with co-operating partners to address the issue of disasters and mitigate the hardships that our people go through. There are some contingency funds from which the DMMU can draw to undertake its activities. We believe that so far, we have managed to support the people who have been affected by floods in many parts of the country.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Mr Speaker, as a follow up to the question from the hon. Member of Parliament for Katombola, I know that many bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged as a result of the hailstorms and the floods which the country has experienced recently, is there a robust programme to cover the infrastructure in the entire country, notwithstanding the urgent ones which have very important economic value to this nation?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the Government has put in place an emergency recovery plan to address all these disasters in the country, whether as a result of drought or floods. Therefore, a comprehensive picture will only be known after a complete assessment has been undertaken, particularly in the current flooded areas where we cannot reach by a vehicle. It means we have to go round sometimes taking aerial views of the floods and determine how many people have been affected. In some areas, we are helped by the local councils on the ground to report these issues and challenges of flooding in many parts of the country.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, last year, Zambia experienced one of the worst droughts in living memory. A number of provinces, especially those on the western side of Zambia, were seriously affected by hunger and thirst. Problems like that do not usually go away in one year because the effects of last year have a carryover effect in this year. For example, there is a lack of seeds, water and many other things this year. What is being done to assist those people who were seriously affected last year? The consequences of last year’s disasters like hunger, lack of seeds, diseases and so forth are still manifesting today. What is in store for them?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, indeed, the effects of disaster situations take very long to rectify. However, this Government has worked around the clock to address every disaster, whether it was drought or flooding. In areas where people suffered dry spells or droughts, and lost a lot of their crops, the Government has been distributing food there, including in some parts of Liuwa, I believe that if the hon. Member visited his constituency recently, he must have noted that there was some food that was being distributed. This week, we are sending a consignment of mealie meal to Kalabo specifically for Liuwa so that people from that area can access mealie meal. Disasters leave a very big negative impact on communities, and the Government is aware of this. Seed was distributed through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare to some of the farmers who suffered from the impact of drought in the last season. Further, the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is also supporting farmers by giving them things including seed and fertiliser.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Phiri (Chilanga): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Vice-President for the effort the Government is doing towards the flooded areas in the country.

Hon. UPND Members: Question!

Mrs Phiri: However, Namalombwe Ward, which is next to Kanyama in Chilanga, is equally affected by the floods. The people of Namalombwe are also waiting for the same good support the Government has rendered to Kanyama.

Mr Speaker: There is no question.

Laughter

Mrs Phiri: Mr Speaker, when is the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) coming to work in Chilanga?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, it will be most helpful if hon. Members of Parliament can bring reports to the DMMU office. Chilanga is just nearby, and I am sure support can be rendered as quickly as possible. Further, I will ask the hon. Member of Parliament for Chilanga to contact the DMMU so that help can be sent to the people there.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mbulakulima (Milenge): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from Her Honour the Vice-President whether Milenge, which has experienced huge disasters, has been captured under the rapid assessment, taking into account that the report was delivered to the DMMU. In relation to that, is there any disaster captured in Luapula Province?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, over the past week or so, more attention was given to the northern part of the country where the Chambeshi River burst its banks. Milenge has been included in the assessment and so are other parts in Luapula Province which were affected by floods. So, after an assessment is made, the DMMU will determine the kind of support and how much support will be sent to the households in need.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Malama (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President has come to this House today to talk about the effects of climate change. I remember that on 13^th September, 2019, His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, came to address this House. The theme of his speech was ‘Accelerating Sustainable Development for a Better Zambia Amidst the Impact of Climate Change’, and the nation heard him. However, the Opposition hon. Members seated on the left of the House …

Laughter

Dr Malama: … went around the country demeaning that important address. Since this is a very serious issue for the people of Zambia, what advice does the Government have for the United Party for Nation Development (UPND) leadership …

Laughter

Dr Malama: … to ensure that it does not unnecessarily criticise well intended messages from the Executive?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, climate change is a world phenomenon. It is a global issue that every person in the world should be concerned about, including some of the non-believers in climate change because it has not come for one person or one political party. Climate change affects all of us. I, therefore, believe that all our leaders in the country believe that climate change is here and we need to tackle it together by strengthening our people and making them resilient to the effects of climate change. We also need to look at the best innovate ways to have our people adapt to the new scenario or new phenomenon which seems to be engulfing the whole world.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mbangweta (Nkeyema): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President …

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

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, I am very grateful for the opportunity to raise this point order.

Sir, before His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, came to this House to talk to us about climate change, which we all agreed with him, the United Party for National Development (UPND) brought a motion to this House after consultations with its leadership, including Mr Hakainde Hichilema. It is on record that we, Members of the UPND, moved a motion on the Floor of this House on climate change and told our hon. Colleagues on your right side that climate change is real. His Excellency President Lungu just agreed with the UPND when he came to address the House.

Mr Speaker, it is now a trend by Hon. Dr Malama to bring up the issue of climate change and purport that the UPND does not agree with that fact. On the contrary, Dr Malama is one of those who voted against the motion that the UPND brought to this honourable House. Is Dr Malama in order to continuously bring up the same issue and mislead the nation thereby bringing confusion in this House when we, on your left side, agreed with His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, with you Mr Speaker, and the whole House on climate change? Dr Malama continuously brings this matter up to mislead the nation. Is he in order, when your records show that he is one of those who do not believe that climate change is real because he voted against your noble motion?

Sir, I seek your ruling whether he is in order to continue to play simple the issue of climate change.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I reserve my ruling.

Mr Mbangweta: Mr Speaker, I would like to have some clarifications from Her Honour the Vice-President based on the statement which has been given by the hon. Minister in her office.

Sir, it appears the Vice-President’s Office and the Government is playing double standards in the way it is reacting to disasters. We reported to the Vice-President’s Office that three schools had their roofs blown off in Nkeyema, but no action has been taken, yet I have seen the hon. Minister in the Vice-President’s Office going to other places where roofs were blown off two weeks ago. On the few occasions that relief food has come to Nkeyema, the Government gave out 12.5 kg bags of mealie meal. However, it gave out 25 kg bags of mealie meal in Chilubi. Further, I have two letters from the hon. Minister in the Vice-President’s office through the co-ordinator saying that we would receive two banana boats. However, I am surprised to hear that other places have been given nineteen boats. I would like to know whether the people of Nkeyema are not entitled to receive these things.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the people of Nkeyema and anywhere in Zambia are very special to the Government. I do not think that the hon. Member can claim that there is impartiality in the allocation of resources.

Sir, there are other areas where classroom roofs were blown off several years back. Currently, we are dealing with over 1,400 schools whose roofs have been blown off throughout the country. The Government is slowly responding to each of these schools. Mind you, it is not that all the iron sheets, nails and everything that is need is readily available to attend to these requests.

Mr Speaker, however, we have said that this year, we will address at least 100 schools to ensure that the roofs are fixed and the children have space in which to study. This is ongoing and we have schools with blown off roofs all over the country, not only in Nkeyema. Nevertheless, if the report on Nkeyema is already submitted to the DMMU, I am sure it will be attended to.

Sir, regarding the mealie meal, it has been distributed in all the districts of the Western Province. There are some areas perhaps that have not been reached due to logistical challenges, but the desire of DMMU is to ensure that the relief food is distributed to everyone who is hungry.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, the Vice-President has indicated in the statement the seriousness and challenges that come with climate change and from where I am standing, climate change will not be a one off problem. All the reports and indicators show that this is here to stay.

Sir, has the Office of the Vice-President made serious decisions, for example, on looking at relocating some people who are living in areas that are flooded every year? These areas are either flooded or there will be other disasters that require the attention of the Government. In this case, are these decisions being considered so that the leadership in the country starts bracing itself for those changes?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the Government has considered many options. However, as we are all aware, moving people from one location to another takes a lot of persuasion and consultation and the chiefs have to be engaged in these movements.

Sir, people will tell you that they cannot move because of the graves of their grandparents or whoever are there and it is very difficult to move them just like that. Others leave their villages during the dry season and they go and encroach on the Game Management Areas (GMAs) and start new farms. Others leave their villages and go on the banks of the river and settle there to make homes in order for them to access fish from the river. So, sometimes they are caught up in floods. To tell even those who are caught up in these situations to move from there, takes a lot of persuasion.

Mr Speaker, however, we are trying as the Government to speak to the people to make them realise that the annual floods or droughts in certain areas, particularly floods, may not be good for their wellbeing because their homes would be submerged in water every year.

Sir, there is only one area in the country where people have learnt to tackle climate change in many ways. These are the people in the Western Province who know when floods will take place and what to do when they are in that situation. They move to another area. However, in most parts of Zambia, we have these disasters and people have not learned how to tackle those disasters.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I will take the last interventions as follows: The hon. Members for Luangeni Constituency, Chiengi Constituency, Luampa Constituency, Kasempa Constituency, Zambezi East Constituency, Chama South Constituency and the last question will be from the hon. Member for Nangoma Constituency.

Mr C. M. Zulu (Luangeni): Mr Speaker, I am aware and everyone else is aware that these disasters are coming after the budget and most of the dredges were not budgeted for. Therefore, what is the impact of these disasters on the economy of the country?

Sir, I am also aware that some institutions of higher education like the University of Zambia (UNZA) have not paid their lecturers because the money that was meant for grants has gone to these disasters. How are these disasters going to impact the economy?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, indeed, disasters can have long and negative impacts on communities, as I have said earlier. The Government has to divert a lot of resources to address emergency responses to disaster situations. So, it means that money that was earmarked for certain programmes and government projects may be diverted to address an emergency. This is the situation as we know it in our country today.

Sir, it is very important for hon. Members to take note of this fact and situation. Sometimes when they do not see a response to a certain challenge in their constituency quickly from the Government, they should not think that it is a deliberate move or it is a discriminatory move taken by the Government, no. The Government is impartial and it addresses all the challenges, including those of disasters, as they come.

Mr Speaker, the current floods in the country have meant that resources have to be channelled to support the people because we know that with floods everything is washed away and this poses a great threat to food security in the country. It is for this reason that the Government is calling on the hon. Members of Parliament to partner with the Government to address some of these issues in our constituencies.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Katuta (Chienge): Mr Speaker, Chienge is in a place known as the Congo Basin and as a result, roads are affected and bridges are washed away each year during the rainy season. In one of the responses that I heard from the hon. Minister in the Office of the Vice-President, she said that some of these disasters may not have been reported to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU). The situation in Chienge right now is that most bridges have been washed away. For instance, the road between Chipungu and Mwabu has been completely cut off and business people have to find people to pass through the stream in order to get their goods to the other side.

Sir, this is a well-known problem that the Office of the Vice-President through the DMMU has not been responding to in Chienge. It is not only one disaster, but many bridges have also been washed away and even the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development is aware that we have been cut off at about fifty points. It is, therefore, very difficult even for ambulances to ferry patients. When will the DMMU come to the aid of the people of Chienge?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the DMMU has taken note of all damaged infrastructure, but if the infrastructure in Chienge was reported and has not been attended to, we will look into the matter more closely. The DMMU is taking note of all these crossing points and roads, particularly in the Eastern Province, Luapula and many other areas which have been affected by flooding. We will then see how to address each of the affected areas as resources are mobilised by the DMMU and Road Development Agency (RDA).

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chikote (Luampa): Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President is on record saying that the reason some of these places which are represented by the United Party for National Development (UPND) are not receiving development is because hon. Members from the Opposition do not engage her. However, Luampa engaged her office over the roofs that were blown off at Mwangalesha Primary School and Chacha Primary School in late December, 2019, but her office has done nothing to-date. What is she telling the people of Mwangalesha and Chacha Primary Schools over the situation they are facing regarding the roofs of the classroom blocks which were blown off?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I have just explained that we have over 100 schools that have been reported to the DMMU as requiring urgent support. There are many more throughout the country, but the 100 schools will be attended to. If the DMMU committee in Luampa has communicated with the DMMU here in Lusaka, I believe it will look at this issue and see how to address the renovation of the schools.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Tambatamba (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, with the prolonged budget deficit, especially in the water sector, a lot of our people in the twenty-two wards of Kasempa are left to collect their water from shallow wells. I know that this is a similar situation in many parts of the North-Western Province and many other provinces of Zambia. With the floods that we have, the water table has risen and there is a detected commingling of the content in the water well and the toilets, which exposes our people to the risk of other disasters like typhoid and cholera.

Sir, what immediate measures has the Government put in place to get out into communities and save our people because survival is our first freedom and water is something they use every day? What measures are in place to check and ensure that people are drinking clean water?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, this Government is committed to ensuring that the people of this country have access to clean water. The Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection has gone around to areas like the North-Western Province and the Western Province to check on boreholes and even sink new ones in some of these areas. Therefore, unless the area is submerged in water and it is hard to dig a borehole now, I am sure these are matters that can be discussed with the ministry. If the hon. Member can make an effort to visit the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection and pinpoint the area where water is needed urgently, I am sure this can be addressed.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Mr Speaker, Zambezi East is no exception to the disasters that have befallen the country due to heavy rains. In particular, an area in Zambezi East Constituency called Makondu has a bridge on the Makondu Stream, which is now in a critical situation where children are risking being caught by crocodiles in an attempt to cross the stream to attend school at Makondu Primary School.

Sir, I am aware that the hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development announced the acquisition of already made bridges. The bridge at Makondu is one of those which are supposed to be erected. What is Her Honour the Vice-President’s office doing to ensure that this activity is done now, when there is a clear crisis and yet the infrastructure we need is seated here in Lusaka?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the DMMU is receiving the report on the Floor of the House, but it would be helpful if the hon. Member can visit the unit here in Lusaka. The Hon. Member should visit the DMMU here in Lusaka with his District Disaster Management Committee, if he has not already done so, and lodge in a report on this damaged infrastructure in Makondu.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mung’andu (Chama South): Mr Speaker, first of all, I would like to recognise and thank Her Honour the Vice-President for the effort that the Government has put in helping people who have been affected by floods and many other disasters countrywide. I know that people in the Southern Province have received enough support from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

Madam Speaker, Chama South has been affected by floods and I know that the Office of the Vice-President has responded. However, I seek Her Honour the Vice-President’s comment over the washed away bridges because Chama District is completely cut-off because of this. No trader can take mealie meal or maize to Chama. What measures is our working Government putting in place to ensure that things such as mealie meal and maize are taken there either during the dry season or in such a situation the problems are alleviated through interventions such as the use of the berry bridges that have been procured?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, both Chama North and Chama South are submerged in water. At this time, it is not possible for engineers to go into these two areas to construct bridges. This can only happen when the floods recede. For now, the Government will have to rely on airlifting food into Chama South and Chama North, and this is an expensive exercise. I hope the people of Chama will bear with the Government. The DMMU is doing its best to feed the people in the two areas.

Mr Speaker, when I was responding to the hon. Member of Parliament for Zambezi East, I forgot to mention that the DMMU has not received any report from Zambezi East regarding the infrastructure that has been damaged there. I will be grateful if the hon. Member for Zambezi East could do that.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma): Mr Speaker, in rural areas, people are disturbed by those who are gassing homes, and because of that, those who are supposed to guard cattle at night from rustlers are busy providing security for themselves against gassing. This means hunger will continue. Is the Government going to continue giving mealie meal to constituencies using the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU)?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I do not believe that the gassing going on warrants relief food for those who have been affected.

Laughter

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, as hon. Members of Parliament, we are leaders. Let us help our communities understand why these things are happening and assure them that the police and other defence forces are addressing this issue. Our people should be comfortable to move freely in their communities without any harassment and without anyone threatening them. However, I understand that in some areas today, you will find people standing near the roads with pangas, axes and other offensive weapons, yet these are areas that hon. Members represent. Why can hon. Members not stop their people from threatening others?

Mr Speaker, I appeal to hon. Members of Parliament to make sure that this serious embarrassment that has befallen our country is stopped. There is no way our people can continue living in fear. Those who wake up early in the morning from Mwembezhi or Mumbwa to take their farm produce to the market are forbidden from doing so because of a few selfish individuals who want to bring this country to a standstill. That, we cannot allow. The Government depends on hon. Members of Parliament to address this issue.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, earlier on, I clearly indicated that the last question was going to come from the hon. Member for Nangoma. In spite of my announcement, hon. Members have deemed it fit to continue indicating. I have also noted that most of the interventions so far, I would even put them at 90 per cent, are not clarifying the ministerial statement, but highlighting individual positions, requests and demands. I, therefore, urge hon. Members to engage the Office of Her Honour the Vice-President and put forth the various requests instead of doing so on the Floor of the House.

_______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

COLLAPSED HOUSES IN KANCHIBIYA CONSTITUENCY

174. Dr Malama (Kanchibiya) asked the Vice-President:

how many houses collapsed due to excessive rains in the following chiefdoms in Kanchibiya Parliamentary Constituency, as of Tuesday, 18^th February, 2020:

Senior Chief Kopa;

Chief Kabinga;

Chief Mpepo;

Chief Chundaponde; and

Chief Luchembe;

b. how many families are affected; and

c. what assistance has been rendered in terms of the following:

shelter;

food; and

medical supplies.

The Minister in the Office of the Vice-President (Mrs Mwansa): Mr Speaker, the total number of houses which collapsed in Kanchibiya Parliamentary Constituency as a result of floods which occurred on Thursday, 13^th February, 2020, was 659, specified as follows:

Area Number of houses affected

Senior Chief Kopa 161

Chief Kabinga 440

Chief Mpepo 44

Chief Chundaponde 1,300

Chief Luchembe 14

Mr Speaker, in the case of Chief Chundaponde, the House may wish to note that Chundaponde Chiefdom is mainly in Lavushimanda District, and the households affected are estimated at 1,300. The total number of affected families is 1,959.

Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that most of the affected people reside in the Bangweulu Wetlands, and their main livelihood is fishing. In this regard, most of the people move to the upper land for farming and they only return after harvest. In view of the temporary nature of the houses, the Government has not provided shelter. However, the most vulnerable people have been provided with blankets by the DMMU.

Mr Speaker, the affected people have also been given mealie meal. In Kanchibiya alone, more than 2,500 x 12.5 kg bags have been provided besides the other 2,240 x 12.5 kg bags which are already in the district. The total quantity of mealie meal available is 4,740 x 12.5 kg bags, which are being distributed to all the affected families in Kanchibiya and Lavushimanda districts.

Sir, in addition, the DDMC has engaged the implementing partner, Development Organisation for People’s Empowerment (DOP) to distribute food to the affected households.

Mr Speaker, in terms of medical supplies, the affected families have been provided with chlorine, since water points are flooded and the likelihood of contamination is very high due to submerged pit latrines. The District Epidemic Preparedness Committee (DEPC) is also monitoring the malaria situation, which currently is not posing a threat to communities.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Malama: Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to thank His Excellency, the President, and Her Honour the Vice-President for the support given and their personal concern for the people of Kanchibiya, unlike some leaders who just appear in Kanchibiya at election periods.

Interruptions

Dr Malama: Mr Speaker, I am aware that the Government has made that initiative, but there is a disjoint with the partner on the ground who is distributing these materials. Will the DMMU ensure that the homes that are affected receive these supplies in good time? Will the DMMU make sure that the people in Kanchibiya and Lavushimanda who are affected receive the supplies that the Government has made available?

Mrs Mwansa: Mr Speaker, the DMMU has taken relief food to Kanchibiya. I am asking the hon. Member of Parliament for Kanchibiya to sit down with the District Commissioner (DC) and the implementing partner to make sure that the food which the DMMU has sent to Kanchibiya is given to the people who are affected.

I thank you, Sir.

KAFUE NATIONAL PARK ILLEGAL SETTLERS

175. Mr Nanjuwa (Mumbwa) asked the Minister of Tourism and Arts:

whether there are any illegal settlers in the Kafue National Park in Mumbwa Parliamentary Constituency;
if so, how many there are;
what the population of each settlement is; and
what the estimated cost of relocating all the illegal settlers from the national park is.

The Minister of Tourism and Arts (Mr Chitotela): Mr Speaker, the Kafue National Park in Mumbwa Parliamentary Constituency does not have illegal settlers. However, an illegal settlement is in the adjacent Mumbwa Game Management Area (GMA). The illegal settlers have encroached into the conservation zone of the GMA which is reserved for wildlife conservation and sustainable hunting activities.

Mr Speaker, there are no illegal settlements in the Kafue National Park as stated earlier but the illegal settlement is in the Mumbwa GMA. We estimate that around 24,000 people have encroached into Mumbwa GMA.

Mr Speaker, the estimated cost of sensitisation for the illegal settlers in Mumbwa GMA is K330,000 which will be used for publicity and eviction monitoring from the GMA.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Nanjuwa: Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for that correction. The question was meant for the GMA. I thank him for the response. If those plans are there, when does the hon. Minister intend to effect the eviction of the illegal settlers in the GMA in Mumbwa Parliamentary Constituency?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, the plans are there. The settlers dragged the Government to court and a few of them obtained an injunction. After those few people obtained that injunction, there has been a growing population of people in that area. Mostly people from Namwala have been coming to settle around that area. The ministry is working in collaboration with the Government security wings to make sure that those people who did not get an injunction are evicted. Very soon, the hon. Member will see the operations in Mumbwa GMA where those who are encroaching in the national park will be evicted. These plans are underway.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Belemu (Mbabala): Mr Speaker, may I know who the hon. Minister is defining as being illegal settlers in a GMA because GMAs are also meant to allow human settlements considering that most GMAs do not even have updated game management plans?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I did state that we have seen the influx of people from Namwala and Kalomo that have invaded the Mumbwa GMA. This has raised a serious concern with the traditional authorities in that area who have petitioned the Government saying that they cannot allow people to co-exist with wildlife in the GMA. The traditional authorities have expressed concern that they cannot allow the number of people to be increasing at the rate it is because that is a threat to our wildlife. In the end, they will discover that all the wildlife will have been depleted by the people who are coming from far-flung areas to settle in the GMA.

Sir, the question we are asking is: Why are they leaving their places to come and settle in the GMA? We will not allow illegal settlements to continue. I will make sure that we put a stop to that because that is a threat even to the traditional authorities. Chiefs in Mumbwa have raised an alarm that the rate at which the people are invading their land is quite threatening.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, as I understood it, the question is: How do you determine who is supposed to be there and who is not supposed to be there?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, we co-manage the Game Management Areas (GMAs) with the traditional authorities. In the case of the GMA in Mumbwa, we have Chief Kaindu and the people under the chiefdoms of the local chiefs, whom we have tolerated. However, we are seeing people who do not belong to those communities coming from other areas to invade the GMAs. These are the ones we are referring to as illegal settlers. This is because they do not have authority of the chiefs or the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Tambatamba (Kasempa): Mr Speaker, this is a situation we have in Kasempa as well with proximity to Mumbwa. However, what are the deterrents that are in place to ensure that nobody gets there because they should be within the management system of the Game Management Areas (GMAs)? There should be a system that deters encroachment and what are those systems in place that people should look out for, so that they do not access these GMAs?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, as I stated, systems have been put in place for the conjoint management of GMAs between the traditional authorities and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. We constitute what we call Community Resource Board (CRBs) and those are the ones that manage the GMAs on behalf of the Government.

However, in the case of Mumbwa, when I received the petition from Chief Kaindu, he complained that he would be sleeping in the night and when he wakes up in the morning, he finds people in the area. When he asks them to go back from wherever they are from, they refuse saying they are Zambians and they can settle wherever they want.

Sir, despite having the community programme of protecting GMAs, there are intruders who are coming to interfere with the system and setting themselves up. I have a case in Mumbwa where the chief said that when one person is allowed to settle in the GMA, by the end of the month, the village would have grown to over hundred people. They begin bringing in their nephews, nieces and others. So, the systems are in place. We have the CRBs, chiefs and officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife who are managing these areas. However, it is just lack of respect for the system and the laws that we have put for ourselves. Our people tend to disregard the law and want to do things as they wish.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nanjuwa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister will recall that this kind of operation was carried out in 2015, where a great number of illegal settlers in the GMAs in Mumbwa Constituency were evicted. What measures have been put in place now, to ensure that once this operation is carried out, this will never recur because these operations actually gobble national resources?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, we will make sure that we collaborate more with the traditional authorities. What makes me to have a lot of confidence is the commitment by the traditional authorities regarding the GMA in Mumbwa. They are willing to partner with the Government in making sure that once we remove those illegal settlers, they will also be providing security.

Sir, the serious involvement of CRBs and more recruitment of the game scouts is meant to ensure that those people who are not supposed to stay in those areas are not allowed to encroach. I have been chatting with the hon. Member for Mumbwa and he can agree with me that a lot of people that are causing problems in that GMA are people who are not from those chiefdoms. They are people who are coming from other areas and settling there.

Mr Speaker, we hope that we will work together with the local authorities, chiefs and communities to make sure that once the operations are successful, we manage to drive those people out of the GMAs. We should not allow any other person to go and encroach in our protected areas.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts the boundaries of the park or the Game Management Area (GMA) from the Nalusanga checkpoint. This is because when you are going toward the Kafue Hook Bridge, there are people who are settled there. I saw in the newspapers that they won the cases in the Lusaka High Court and they have been allowed to settle there. So, where are the boundaries within the GMA?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, maybe I have not gotten the gist of the question, is it on where the boundaries within GMAs are? The GMAs are adjacent to the national parks. There are adjacent to the national parks. We keep them as buffer zones for wildlife. So, what does the hon. Member mean by saying boundaries because the GMAs are buffer zones for the national parks?

Sir, maybe he wants me to provide the map of Mumbwa East GMA, where it starts from and ends. I may not have those technical specifications to say where the Mumbwa East GMA begins and where it ends. However, I can state that the Mumbwa East GMA is a buffer zone adjacent to the national park.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mutelo (Mitete): Mr Speaker, migration is an ongoing process. If people never moved to Lusaka, Lusaka would not be what it is. What criterion is used regarding marriages, for those who would have married from Chief Kaindu, Namwala, Choma and Kalomo? How are they going to separate these people?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, we are not talking about marriage here. We are talking about people who deliberately come to encroach on the GMAs. We are not talking about those in the Kaindu chiefdom that married from the Lundas of the North-Western and the Bemba’s. We are talking about encroaching on our protected areas illegally without the authority of the chiefs or the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. We are also talking about those who just find an area, start building and stay. Those are the ones we are talking about.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: The hon. Member for Nalikwanda will ask the last question.

Prof. Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, those of us who use the Lusaka/Mongu Road, passing through the Kafue National Park, are still confused as to the distinction between the Mumbwa Game Management Area (GMA) and Kafue National Park. Once we reach Nalusanga, for us we are in Kafue National Park. Can the hon. Minister clarify to us where the boundary really ends as asked by the hon. Member for Shangombo?

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, the Mumbwa East GMA is immediately after crossing the Kafue River and you start moving as though you are going to Kaoma. I think the hon. Member may have seen the boundary where our officers from the wildlife department are found. That is where the national park starts from and it is a GMA.

Interruptions

Mr Chitotela: Sir, we have to protect the GMAs because the biggest problem we have is that some people claim there is no encroachment in GMAs because people were meant to coexist with wildlife. However, there must be a regulated population that should be in the GMA because a lot of our national parks are not fenced. So, there is free movement of animals between the national park and GMA. You may argue maybe because you have seen a lot of animals during the migration period and may mistake it for the national park. That is why even in the GMA we have officers from the Department National Parks and Wildlife who control and make sure that our wildlife is protected. So, I want to state that we do not allow people to unnecessarily settle in the GMAs because these are buffer zones for wildlife.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister’s response is distressing our thoughts and creating confusion. What we know is something different. This is because as we travel to Mongu, we talk to those officers at Nalusanga and they tell us that that checkpoint is not only a checkpoint, but the beginning of the Kafue National Park. Now, if the hon. Minister is saying that the Kafue National Park begins at the Kafue River, where the hook bridge is, then which part would the hon. Minister classify as the Game Management Area (GMA) because from Nalusanga to the Kafue Hook Bridge, it is a distance of more than 100 km? So, is the hon. Minister not confusing us or diminishing the park?

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, clarify.

Mr Chitotela: Mr Speaker, I want to repeat what I said. When you enter the park, you will find a roadblock where officers from the wildlife department are stationed and that is where the national park starts from. I stated in my previous statement that where you find officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife is where the Kafue National Park starts from.

I thank you, Sir.

KAPUTA DISTRICT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

176. Mr Ng’onga (Kaputa) asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

whether the Government has any plans to construct a correctional facility in Kaputa District;
if so, when the plans will be implemented;
what the estimated cost of the project is; and
what the estimated time frame for the completion of the project is.

The Minster of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government has no immediate plans of constructing a correctional centre in Kaputa District. This is due to the current Government policy of completing all ongoing projects before commissioning new ones.

Sir, as there are no immediate plans to construct a correctional centre in Kaputa District, there are no estimated costs of constructing a correctional centre in Kaputa District. Therefore, there is no estimated time frame for the completion of such a project.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, let me just get clarification from my hon. Minister. In 2018, we were visited in Kaputa by the high command from the Ministry of Home Affairs and from our regional offices, Mansa at that time, and Chief Kaputa allocated land where this facility could be built, basically because we are 225 km from Mporokoso and about 180 km from Nchelenge, where the nearest facility is. Therefore, Kaputa was considered to have a correctional facility. I just want to find out whether this is a new plan while the original plan of having a correctional facility in Kaputa does exist or the hon. Minister is telling us that we need to start the process afresh to initiate discussions that were already concluded.

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for that very important follow up question. I want to confirm with the hon. Member that, indeed, it is the Governments desire to ensure that a correctional facility is provided for our people in Kaputa. In the long term plans, we have factored Kaputa to be one of those areas where we shall consider building a correctional facility.

Sir, I want to thank, through the hon. Member, his royal highness for making land available because what we intend to do is that, apart from the facility, we would like to go into production in the area. So, I want to assure the hon. Member that once the current projects under construction are completed, we will certainly revert to the hon. Member and our people in Kaputa as to when we are going to commence putting up a correctional facility in the area.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

KASEMPA CONSTITUENCY TIMBER SPECIES HARVESTED

177. Ms Tambatamba (Kasempa) asked the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources:

how many tonnes of timber, by species, were harvested in Kasempa Parliamentary Constituency from 2015 to 2018, year by year;
how much revenue the Government collected in the same period;

whether the revenue collected has benefited the local people; and

if so, how the local people have benefited.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Ms Kapata): Mr Speaker, the species that are mostly harvested in Kasempa are mukwa and rosewood.

Sir the cubic metres of timber that was harvested from 2015 to 2018 are as follows:

2015 2016 2017 2018 Total

214.1 m³ 363.7 m³ 261 m³ 174 m³ 1012.8 m³

Mr Speaker, the Government collected the following revenue in the period under review:

2015 2016 2017 2018 Total

K50,972.52 K129,050 K94,725 K62,235 K337,026.75

Mr Speaker, all Government revenue collected is deposited in Control 99. Therefore, the revenue collected benefited the local people through allocation from the Treasury. The local people have benefited from the revenue through Government’s funding to various sectors from the Treasury to departments. This has been done through the implementation of various activities in the constituency such as education, community development, forestry, health, to mention a few.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Speaker, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), defines an extractive industry as not only based on mining but also on other natural resources. I see the amount of advocacy that goes into coercing or getting the mining industry to contribute to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), but I do not see the same advocacy or pressure put on those extracting timber and other forest-based natural resources. What measures has the ministry put in place to ensure that local traders and the land owners where timber is being extracted are empowered to run enterprises that are sustainable for improved livelihoods?

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, the measure the Government has put into place is that it has not allowed anyone from a concession area to move timber 100 km without having it sawn. In the process of sawing timber, jobs are created, therefore benefiting the local people where the concession licences are.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Tambatamba: Mr Speaker, what sustainability measures has the Government put in place to ensure that the species that are being collected like mukwa, rosewood and more are replenished so that we do not have the effects of climate change and lose much more? I know that there are more species that were located at a police station.

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, indeed, felling trees causes climate change. We encourage all concessionaires to plant nurseries each time they fell a tree. I know she said this is not happening on the ground. I know that it is not happening on the ground. We have told the concessionaires to plant nurseries and I know that most of them are not doing so. As a ministry, we will have to sit down and think of punitive measures that can be given to people who are not following instructions given by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in terms of replenishing trees in the midst of climate change.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Nanjuwa: Mr Speaker, does the Government have any plans to prescribe a certain percentage of revenue or taxes realised from such industries to be given directly to the local authorities in the localities where these natural resources are being harvested from?

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, we have not discussed that as Cabinet. I think that if the hon. Member of Parliament thinks that Government should be giving the local authorities where our forests are a certain percentage, maybe he can bring that as a question and we can answer that question directly. For now, we do not have intentions of giving the local authorities the revenue. What the forestry department gets is so minimal.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Lufuma (Kabompo): Mr Speaker, as you harvest, so shall you plant, should be the policy of the ministry. The hon. Minister can correct me if I am wrong, but this is what she said. She said that when the timber concessionaires harvest, they should also replant trees. Unfortunately, she said that they are not doing that on the ground. Since they are not doing it on the ground, what is the ministry doing to ensure that they start replanting tress? Otherwise, in two or three year’s time, we shall become like a desert.

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister has already answered that question. Part of her response was that they will consider punitive measure. Does the hon. Minister want to come back to read that again?

Ms Kapata: Mr Speaker, I mentioned that we will consider punitive measures. Maybe we can also take the idea to Cabinet about introducing a ban like the one the department of fisheries has for the fish ban. We must also ban felling of trees for a period so that we give time for trees to grow. Also, we should be able to stop giving licences to those who are not replanting trees until they meet the conditions of the ministry.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

MBALA CONSTITUENCY ELECTRICITY GRID CONNECTION

178. Mr Simfukwe (Mbala) asked the Minister of Energy whether the Government has any plans to connect the following areas in Mbala Parliamentary Constituency to the national electricity grid:

Masamba;
Chief Penza;
Chief Kela; and
Kaka Secondary School.

The Minister of Energy (Mr Nkhuwa): Mr Speaker, yes, the Government has plans to electrify Masamba, Chief Penza, Chief Kela and Kaka Secondary School. This project is earmarked for 2030 as per plans that I brought into the members’ pigeonholes last week.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simfukwe: Mr Speaker, these four places are not more than 2 km from the nearest national grid. Mbala has in house power supply from Lunzua, which has a surplus and even exports power. Where power has been provided in Mbala, the impact on the livelihoods of people has been has been positive. I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether the ministry wishes to prioritise these four areas because Mbala has its own power station which has a power surplus of 11 MW. All these are less than 2 km from the national grid. Some are just a few hundred metres from the national grid.

Mr Nkhuwa: Mr Speaker, I am sure if the hon. Member engages our office and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), we could sit down and re-plan and see how we can bring it forward. Everybody would like to bring their electrification forward so it is a challenge. Nevertheless, if it is a small task, we should be able to do it.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr A. C. Mumba (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, recently, when the hon. Minister launched a programme for scaling up the use of solar energy through the World Bank, he encouraged the country to embrace solar energy. Therefore, would he not consider this request under the Scaling-up Solar Programme?

Mr Nkhuwa: Mr Speaker, Hon. Simfukwe said that the distances are very short. It would be economical to connect these places to the grid which is already there. However, if the distances and the places are far apart, definitely, we could consider a standalone solar system.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

NANGOMA FILLING STATION/NANGOMA MISSION HOSPITAL ROAD TARRING

179. Mr Hamusonde asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

whether the Government has any plans to tar the road from Nangoma Filling Station to Nangoma Mission Hospital in Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency; and
if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, the Government has no immediate plans to upgrade to bituminous standard the road from Nangoma Filling Station to Nangoma Mission Hospital in Nangoma Parliamentary Constituency. Plans to upgrade the road to bituminous standard will only be considered once the Government is able to mobilise the required funds for the project. However, maintenance of the current gravel road will continue to be undertaken to keep it motorable.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mrs Chinyama (Kafue): Mr Speaker, in his response, the hon. Minister said that the road will continue to be maintained. When was this road last maintained? I traveled on the same road two days ago and I almost shed tears at the state of the road. I, therefore, support the request by my colleague to tar the road at this point and beyond. When was this road maintained? It seems it has a dangerous bridge at some point.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we have a routine maintenance contractor working on this road by the name Messrs Clair Contractors. Should there be any bad parts on the road, the contractor has been assigned to provide routine maintenance. The contractor will have to be paid each time hr does some work. If the road is bad, perhaps we have not found the money to pay the contractor, so that the routine maintenance is done. To show that we are serious about maintaining the road, we have a contractor to carry out routine maintenance of the road to make it motorable.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Minister, the question is: When was it last attended to?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, routine maintenance contractors are working on this road routinely. It is difficult to say when it was last maintained. It may be last month or the other month. Maybe last month there was a spot that was bad and was dealt with and the next two weeks, there was a different spot which was bad. It is routine maintenance. Maybe I need to dig out information on a routine basis as to when the contractor was on different sites of the road. I do not have that information. Nevertheless, I can pull out a schedule.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nanjuwa: Mr Speaker, I agree with the hon. Member of Parliament for Kafue that the road leading to Nangoma Mission Hospital has been in a very bad state for a very long time. Since the hon. Minister mentioned that there is contractor to carry out routine maintenance, is he in a position to tell us when the last payment to this contractor was made?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, that information is available. However, I am not in a position to say it now.

I thank you, Sir

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has heard that this road leading to the hospital is in a bad state. When is he going to source money to pay the contractor to carry out routine maintenance?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we have so many roads which routine maintenance contractors look after. However, I will try and prioritise this road because of the importance of the hospital. We will get money from the Ministry of Finance and from the toll gates towards this road to make it motorable.

I thank you, Sir.

STALLED CONSTRUCTION OF KALONGOLA/KALABO ROAD PORTION

180. Mr Imbuwa (Nalolo) asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

why the rehabilitation of the portion of the Kalongola/Kalabo Road from Kalongola to New Nalolo Town has stalled;
when the works will resume; and
when the project will be completed.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the rehabilitation works of the portion of the Kalongola/Kalabo Road from Kalongola to New Nalolo town have stalled due to cash flow challenges. The contractor will only resume works once we find some money and fund this road. The completion period for the project has been revised to 5^th April, 2021.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Imbuwa: Mr Speaker, as you may be aware, our district hospital is over 95 per cent complete, and the council offices and the secondary school are also almost complete. The power lines have been extended to the town itself and a number of houses that were built are now being vandalised to a great extent because of the delay to complete the access road to the town. The infrastructure that has been put in place will be vandalised further. What is the ministry doing to ensure that the access road to town is completed so officers can move to the new district town?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, perhaps we did not pay much attention to releasing some funds towards this project. This is a very important project, and I am happy that the hon. Member of Parliament is a witness to the development that has been pushed to that area by the Government. It follows that there should be a good road to that area. We may not have paid much attention to this road. Nevertheless, I promise that the Zambia National Service (ZNS), which is the contractor, shall prioritise this road like it did in other cases, once we pump in some money. We may not give ZNS the money to complete the whole road, but to at least make it motorable. We will try and look into that. I must say that even Her Honour the Vice-President has been reminding us about the same road. Therefore, it shows the importance of the road.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr A. C. Mumba: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has just mentioned that the Zambia National Service (ZNS) is supposed to complete the portion of the road in question. The Government has invested a lot of money in buying equipment for ZNS. Therefore, why does the Government need money from the Treasury when ZNS has the equipment and the personnel to carry out this project? If the project was undertaken by a private company, then I was going to ask about the financial implication. Now, since it is being done by a government agency, why does the Government need money from the Treasury?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, ZNS needs payment from us for it to sustain the works because it needs fuel, keep personnel on site and maintain the equipment. Above all, ZNS is a cheaper option because it is not making a huge markup compared to private contractors. However, even if it did, the money gets back into the Government system. So, we always prefer ZNS. The institution needs money to sustain the project because it does not have any other stream of income to sustain the roads.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Mr Speaker, the Kalongola/Kalabo Road is one of the roads the Patriotic Front (PF) strongly campaigned for in 2010 and before that while of course opposing the current Mongu/Kalabo Road. In view of the enthusiasm that the PF Government had expressed so strongly in those days about the Kalabo/Kalongola Road, which I must say that it is also very important in terms of connecting the tourism potential from Botswana into Sioma Ngwezi all the way to Liuwa, I would like to know when the Government is going to put in place practical steps to match the enthusiasm the PF Party used to talk about this important road.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, we meant what we said then and we are still committed to working on this particular road. Further, I have just admitted that perhaps we were overwhelmed by so many projects to look at then, such that we did not send enough money to carry out something on the road. However, we have come to the realisation that we need to complete the road in order for us to ensure that tourism and other things are exploited by the visitors to our country. So, we have come to the realisation that we need to fund this project and we will do just that.

Dr Ng’andu indicated assent.

Mr Mwale: Actually, the hon. Minister of Finance is listening and nodding, which means that he is in agreement with us that he will send us some money.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Prof. Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that this is a very important road. The hon. Minister has said the completion date has been revised to 5^th April, 2021. I would like him to indicate to us how much work has been carried out so far and whether the revised completion is realistic.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, the indications I have are that out of the over 250 km, only works on about 10 km have been properly executed. It shows that we have about 240 km or so to be worked on. However, with the period we have indicated, and given resources, it is enough and a good period for us to work on this road. Otherwise, ZNS is well equipped because it has the equipment which it inherited from the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) and has the personnel to work on this project. If the money is provided, our target is to make sure that come 5^th April, 2021 we would have completed the road.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ndalamei (Sikongo): Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front (PF) mentioned the same road to be among the roads under the Link Zambia 8,000 Km Roads Project. What is the hon. Minister going to tell the people of Nalolo? Is he going to make sure that come 2021, they will point and say, “Sonta epowabombele”, the slogan they always talk about? What are they going to point at in the Western Province since they have failed to work on this road, which was supposed to be worded under the Link Zambia 8,000 Km Roads Project?

Mr Speaker: I did not get the question, hon. Member for Sikongo.

Mr Ndalamei: Mr Speaker, what is the PF going to point at in 2021 because this is the road which was supposed to be constructed under the Link Zambia 8,000 Km Roads Project, but the Government is failing to work on it? What are our hon. Colleagues on your right going to point at in 2021?

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, actually, we do not need to sonta or point at anything because the independent hon. Member of Parliament for Nalolo was just pointing at everything we have done in Nalolo Constituency.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwale: He stood and gave a catalogue of the things the Government has carried out such as the hospitals. I, as hon. Minister did not say that because I might be accused of being an interested party. However, the independent hon. Member of Parliament gave us a catalogue of the things we are going to point at. We will still work on the road in addition to the many things the hon. Member has pointed out.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyutu: Mr Speaker, the responses given by the hon. Minister indicate that maybe he has not been to Nalolo. Whatever is in Nalolo has been delivered through the Mongu/Kalabo Road. The stretch which the Government is failing to work on and complete is a short distance. The development the hon. Minister is talking about has been enabled by the sand between Nalolo and Kalabo.

Sir, since the Government wanted Nalolo District to be operational and forgot about the road linkage to Nalolo, what would the hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development say over the development which they want to create in Nalolo without a road linkage? What is the hon. Minister’s comment over that issue?

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister has repeated himself and has been very candid about it. Further, he has made more than a single assurance that this road will be attended to. I do not think we should engage him with academic discussion now about what he thinks about the state of affairs because he has already expressed himself. Just in case you want to further assure the parties concerned, hon. Minister.

Mr Mwale: Mr Speaker, indeed, I have said that we are committed and we have realised that we did not pay much attention to the project. I have also said that even the Vice-President is equally concerned as well. So, the Government really wants to work on this road and I am sure that the hon. Members will soon see an improvement in the way we will manage the road.

I thank you, Sir.

AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVES REVIVAL

181. Mr Kaziya (Matero) asked the Minister of Agriculture:

whether the Government has any plans to revive agricultural co-operatives countrywide, to enhance the marketing of agricultural products;
is so, when the plans will be implemented;
whether the Government has any plans to reintroduced state-owned farms; and
if so, when the plans will be implemented.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Katambo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has embarked on several activities to build the capacity of co-operatives through the provision of business development services. With regard to agricultural co-operatives, the Ministry of Agriculture offers technical support in production and marketing of agricultural commodities. The Government remains committed to the growth of viable co-operatives.

Sir, as stated above in response to part (a) of the question, there are currently activities to strengthen the co-operatives. The Government has no plans to reintroduce state-owned farms. However, the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has continued to provide support to government institutions that are engaged in agricultural production with equipment such as the centre pivot. Some institutions that have benefited from support include the Zambia Correctional Services, Zambia National Service (ZNS) and agricultural training institutions.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kaziya: Mr Speaker –

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1640 hours until 1700 hours.

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Kaziya: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was about to indicate that arising from the answer that was given, how much has the Government done to train or retain co-operative officers to enhance the co-operative movement in the country?

Mr Katambo: Madam Speaker, detailed information can be gotten from the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, where the Zambia Co-operative College and department of co-operatives fall under. The Zambia Co-operative College usually graduates above 100 graduates each year. The qualifications are diploma in agribusiness management, certificate in co-operative development and also certificate in agribusiness management. These are the courses that are offered under the Zambia Co-operative College. The college trains above 100 students annually.

I thank you, Madam.

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Madam Speaker, part of the question is that these co-operatives should also relate to the community on a local level. The hon. Minister has answered that they are being looked into by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry and he also talked about the number of students that graduate from the Zambia Co-operative College.

However, for us on the local level, when we talk of the co-operatives, it is those which help our local farmers. Therefore, are there any plans that the Ministry of Agriculture has put in place to ensure that our local farmers through the co-operative system are still able to market their produce? This is because most of the produce is going to waste due to lack of marketing.

Mr Katambo: Madam Speaker, those fall under associations. Co-operatives are a key component to develop and enhance production and productivity. Even under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), you hear that inputs are gotten through co-operatives through their co-operative leaders. The Ministry of Agriculture is engaging several of the co-operatives that are being recommended by the District Agricultural Co-ordinating Officers (DACOs), our extension officers and field staff within the localities in our constituencies, districts and provinces.

Madam, the Ministry of Agriculture is helping and working together with several of these co-operatives. However, detailed information about co-operatives can be gotten through the line ministry which they fall under, which is the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. The Ministry of Agriculture is also engaging, working and helping several of the co-operatives within the country.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MUFUMBWE CONSTITUENCY BOREHOLE SINKING

182. Mr Miyutu (on behalf of Mr Kamondo (Mufumbwe)) asked the Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection:

when the sinking of boreholes in the following wards in Mufumbwe Parliamentary Constituency will commence:

Miluji;
Lalafuta;
Kaminzekezeke;
Mushima;
Musonweji;
Kabipupu;
Kalengwa; and
Matushi; and

b. what has caused the delay in commencing the project.

The Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection (Dr Wanchinga): Madam Speaker, this is a timely question and I will give a bit of background so that the answer to this question can be understood. It will also give me the opportunity to supplement the answer that was given by Her Honour the Vice-President to the question asked by the hon. Member for Kasempa and two cordial questions that I received during tea break.

Madam, the Government is working with the German Government through what we are calling the Rural Basket Financing Facility. Under this facility, the German Government is going to work in five provinces, which are the Central Province, Lusaka Province, the North-Western Province, the Eastern Province and the Southern Province. The financing agency will be Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW). The total amount of money which will be involved will be about €7 million. We are expecting that this financing agreement and everything will be put in place by June, 2020.

Madam Speaker, regarding the question on sinking of boreholes in Miluji, Lalafuta, Kaminzekezeke, Mushima, Musonweji, Kabipupu, Kalengwa and Matushi Wards in Mufumbwe Parliamentary Constituency; this is planned to commerce in 2020 because that is the time when the financing agreement will take effect.

Madam, the delay in the commencement of the project has been necessitated by the need to facilitate a financing agreement before the Zambian Government and Federal Republic of Germany could begin implementing this programme. This is a programme which is going to be implemented within the framework of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme supported by the German Government.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that the financing agreement will be signed this year by June. How long is the programme or project going to take and if possible how many boreholes are envisaged in this project?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, the original question was for Mufumbwe, so I came with figures of the number of boreholes to be drilled in Mufumbwe, which is eight. However, if the other information is required concerning the total number of boreholes over the entire programme, then that information can be made available at a later date. Let me just mention that this is a programme which will be covering forty-nine districts in the five provinces that I mentioned. Therefore, I will need to pool the numbers and avail it to the House if needed.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Madam Speaker, I am aware that the hon. Minister made an undertaking that he was going to bring a statement to the House indicating the number of boreholes that will be drilled in all the constituencies that are affected in Zambia, but that information has not been brought to this House. As a result, questions relating to the number of boreholes that are to be drilled keep rising on the Floor of the House.

Madam, taking advantage of this question, when is he going to bring that information so that we do not ask similar questions to the one that has been raised by the hon. Member for Mufumbwe?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, the last time I answered a similar question on this subject, I mentioned that we are implementing three national programmes which have recently been approved by Cabinet. We are implementing the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme Phase II, which is from 2019-2030 and the National Urban and Peri-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme which runs up to 2030. We are also implementing a recently approved programme which is a contingency plan for 2019 to 2021. The figures can be pooled together in the three programmes.

Madam, last time I stated that under the contingency plan, we are sinking 4,500 boreholes which are going to be solar-powered. We are sinking an additional 3,500 boreholes and hand pumps and rehabilitate 1,500 boreholes. These will be throughout the country concentrated in twenty-one constituencies. I do recall that the hon. Member who showed interest even came to inspect the report.

Madam Speaker, as regards the overall picture of the whole country, we would have to pool all these activities under these three programmes together and make a grand total, which is the figure that the hon. Member is talking about. This information can be brought to the House, if it is so required. The information is available if he wants me to bring it tomorrow or next week.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, the hon. Members of Parliament want to know where these boreholes from the different programmes will be drilled. When are you able to bring this information to the House?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, since it is just a matter of bringing these documents to the House, I can bring them next week because the documents in which this information is contained are available.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Very well, so you can do that next week before Friday, hon. Minister?

Dr Wanchinga: Yes, Madam Speaker, before Friday.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Mecha (Chifunabuli): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has alluded to the rural basket financing facility for water supply. What criteria were used to identify the five provinces to benefit from this facility?

Dr Wanchinga: Madam Speaker, we have criteria which range from scarcity of water supply to various vulnerabilities. We are financing the Eastern Province, the Southern Province, Lusaka Province and the North-Western Province, but perhaps the hon. Member wants to hear why Luapula is not here. The Western Province and Muchinga Province are not here because they are benefiting from a similar but different programme under the Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation Programme financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). We have finalised the details and these projects are about to start.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

CHILDREN LIVING IN PRISONS

183. Mr Mecha asked the Minister of Homes Affairs:

how many children countrywide were living in prisons on account of their incarcerated mothers as of June 2019;
what the policy of the Government on such children is;
whether the Government gives the children any amenities and preferential treatment in accordance with their basic human rights; and
if no such treatment is given to the children, why?

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Madam Speaker, there were forty-five circumstantial children in our correctional facilities as at 30^th June, 2019. The breakdown of these children by province and gender is as follows:

Province Boys Girls Total

Central 2 1 3

Copperbelt 3 4 7

Eastern 5 3 8

Luapula 3 1 4

Lusaka 2 0 2

Muchinga 8 2 10

North/Western 1 1 2

Southern 2 1 3

Western 3 3 6

Total 29 16 45

Madam Speaker, the Government policy on circumstantial children as guided by the Prisons Act Chapter 97 of the Laws of Zambia permits infants under the age of four years to live with their mothers. Upon reaching the age of four, the Zambia Correctional Service is required to place the child with relatives or friends who may be willing to take care of the child. In the absence of willing relatives or friends, the Zambia Correctional Service is required to hand over the child to the social welfare authorities for care. While under the care of the Zambia Correctional Service, the State provides accommodation and other necessities such as food.

Madam Speaker, correctional facilities across the country currently do not have amenities for preferential treatment of infants whose mothers are in correctional facilities. However, modern correctional facilities being constructed have provisions for amenities that provide for the preferential treatment of circumstantial children.

Madam Speaker, as already alluded to, there are no amenities in current correctional facilities to provide for preferential treatment of circumstantial children.

I thank you, Madam.

Ms Kasune: Madam Speaker, I had a chance to go the prisons and found circumstantial children there. What I learned is that most of the food that the children were given was from donors. Could the hon. Minister inform the House if there has been any budget put aside by the Government to help the circumstantial children? I realised that much of the food was coming from well-wishers, churches in particular.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, the Government provides amenities such as food and a few other necessities at correctional facilities. The Government has also opened doors to well-wishers. If the hon. Member of Parliament for Keembe wants to partner with the Zambia Correctional Service, she is welcome to do so. Correctional facilities have been working with a number of stakeholders in trying to cushion the challenge of taking care of circumstantial children.

Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the facilities that exist, except for a few that have been built under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, were all built way before independence and are all overwhelmed. So, because children under four years cannot be separated from their mothers, the Government has to provide for them within the limited space available. The Government has had very good co-operating partners who have been providing a few necessities such toys and learning materials to the circumstantial children.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that circumstantial children are separated from their parents at the age of four. Is there any policy that guides as to how often these children should visit those parents serving longer terms so that they bond with their parents?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, if you do have an answer to that question?

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, it may not be a policy as such, but these are issues being looked at critically as the Prisons Act Chapter 97 is being revisited in view of the paradigm shift of management of offenders. As a country, we are coming from an era of punitive incarceration and we are now using correctional management of offenders. So, some of these pieces of legislation have to be realigned.

Madam Speaker, all these are matters that we are speaking about, including expectant mothers who find themselves in detention facilities, are being looked at. As you know, the law considers no faces. The Government wants to make sure that expectant mothers are provided for. However, even when circumstantial children are under the social welfare authorities, arrangements are made for them to interface with their imprisoned mothers so that there is no loss of touch.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Mecha: Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Zambia Correctional Service is doing a tremendous job in partnering with various stakeholders to provide for the welfare of circumstantial children. However, going by the hon. Minister’s response, it is very clear that provision of food and other basic needs is at the discretion of the Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner-General, and this information is provided for in the Prisons Act. There is no separate provision for food rations for circumstantial children. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister if the Government has any plans to bring the Prisons Act to this House for amendment so that human rights for circumstantial children are provided for.

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I appreciate the hon. Member for that concern. Indeed, circumstantial children are rarely spoken about. Let me just reaffirm that the Prisons Act Chapter 97 of the Laws of Zambia is being revisited to realign it with the paradigm shift I spoke about in terms of offender management and the changes that have been embarked on. I am sure what the Government is doing has been seen, as the hon. Member said.

Madam Speaker, the reformation of the correctional service is a mammoth task. The Government is trying to see how it can put up new infrastructure and also provide a good environment for the Zambia Correctional Service officers as well whose duty is to reform offenders. Children who have unfortunately found themselves in detention facilities also need to be taken care of. As the hon. Member may know, the tender ages between one and four is where the character of a child is shaped. Therefore, the Government would like to make sure that circumstantial children are given the environment conducive for them to grow without being punished for the sins of their parents.

I thank you, Madam.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, do circumstantial children between one and four years whose mothers are on remand face similar conditions as those whose mothers have been sentenced?

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, indeed, that is a very interesting question. The circumstances, of course, could be different. The hon. Member of Parliament for Liuwa, Dr Musokotwane, is talking about a mother who is probably appearing before the court and awaiting sentencing. It depends on the circumstances because in offenses that are bailable, we do not expect children to be in remand with their parents. If a mother has committed a capital offense which is non-bailable, then certainly they will have to live under similar conditions because they would be in the correctional facility.

So, their conditions will be much similar in terms of the way they are looked after. Those children whose mothers are convicts live in the same facilities with their mothers, but remand facilities are different from the actual prisons. The challenge we have is limited space. We are supposed to be keeping these people differently, but, unfortunately, because of the limited space, we sometimes get people to live in the same facilities with their children.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

MANYINGA DEBS MOTOR VEHICLE PROCUREMENT

184. Mr Lihefu (Manyinga) asked the Minister of General Education:

whether the Government has any plans to procure motor vehicles for the office of the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) in Manyinga District;
if so, when the plans will be implemented; and
if there are no such plans, why.

The Minister of General Education (Mr Mabumba): Madam Speaker, the Government has plans to procure motor vehicles for the office of the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) in Manyinga District. The plans will be implemented when funds are available. Due to the answer to part (a) of the question, part (c) falls off.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, I am aware that there are so many co-operating partners that help in this sector. As a ministry, do we not have any co-operating partners as at now who are willing to help in this sector in terms of transport?

Mr Mabumba: Madam Speaker, the co-operating partners are there, but even with their presence, the support is quite limited. We have got the World Bank under the World Bank School Project. There are some districts that we have been able to support with motor vehicles such as Namwala, Chisamba, Kawambwa and other districts. Under the Keeping Girls in Schools initiative as well, there are some districts that have been supported in those particular areas where the programme is being implemented.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Lihefu: Madam Speaker, there are so many districts that were created in Zambia. We appreciate that because service delivery is closer to people. Now, of the districts that were created, how many have got the same challenge that Manyinga is facing?

Mr Mabumba: Madam Speaker, Manyinga is not the only exceptional district out of the districts that have been created which are facing transport challenges. It is not for me to say what the numbers are, but I can just tell the hon. Member that one other example is Chembe District, which also has the same challenge. I have been to a number of other districts, including the old ones, and they still have got the same challenge.

Madam, where resources permit or where our co-operating partners come on board, we do support. We had a number of vehicles in the ministry which were old and we surrendered most of those vehicles to the new districts. So, we will continue to provide support to our colleagues when funds are made available and when support comes from the co-operating partners.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has been preaching about quality education. How does he expect quality education to be achieved in Manyinga when the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) cannot even inspect his own schools due to lack of transport? Is the hon. Minister not putting this one as a priority so that we achieve quality education? What is his ministry doing with the Ministry of Finance in order to prioritise this issue?

Mr Mabumba: Madam Speaker, while it is our responsibility to provide transport to our DEBS offices, we must know that they do not operate in isolation. This is why at district level, there is the District Commissioner (DC) who supervises all the government departments. So, I expect that when we do not have a vehicle as the Ministry of General Education, through that multi-sectoral collaboration, our DEBS should go and speak to the DC to organise transport from other departments to help them to go and monitor our schools.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, the problem that is being mentioned for Manyinga is countrywide. The Ministry of General Education at district level has no transport. Often, many of us have complained about the absence of teachers in our schools. From Grade 1 to 9, you will find that there are only two to three teachers, if you are lucky.

Under those circumstances, how does the hon. Minister talk about education when his district staff cannot even move to see how those two to three teachers teaching from Grade 1 to 9 are coping under such a big load? During our days as primary school children, we used to have school inspectors coming to inspect how a teacher is teaching once every term. Now, it will not happen once in ten years because there are no teachers. What is the hon. Minister doing about this problem?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister will be repeating himself because the question has to do with transport such as motor vehicles for districts that do not have transport and I think he has dealt with this question.

Mr Mabumba: Madam Speaker, I am just going to repeat myself that we remain very committed to supporting the districts, especially the new ones which do not have vehicles. Like I demonstrated, we have been giving out vehicles. We gave vehicles to Namwala, Chisamba and Kawambwa Districts. Other districts have been given vehicles in the recent past. So, that just goes to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that quality education, as measured even by the results that I announced, is attained.

Madam, if Hon. Musokotwane wants to get interested in terms of the improvements that we are making, the results that the hon. Minister announces every year is an indication of whether as a country, we are making improvements. If the hon. Member asks me, out of the ten provinces we have, seven of them are doing very well, notwithstanding the challenges that we have. For those three provinces which are not doing very well, that is why I want to focus with my Permanent Secretaries (PSs) to try and see what it is that is making them not to do well, including his province.

Madam Speaker, in my own view, we are trying our level best under the circumstances from the results that I have announced in this year that there is quite remarkable improvement. Most of the provinces are between 60 to 70 per cent in terms of performance, as evidenced by the results from the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ). So, that goes to give us an indication that the education sector is moving on in terms of improving the quality of our education. So, we will continue to support our hon. Colleagues as and when the funds become available or as and when the programmes from our co-operating partners provide transportation.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Nanjuwa: Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the hon. Minister that that challenge is all over, even in the districts that have been existing for a long time. Does the Government have any plans to buy a fleet of vehicles for all the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBSs) across the country?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Again, the hon. Minister will be repeating himself. Since this is the last question, perhaps he should.

Mr Mabumba: Madam Speaker, in 2017, we bought vehicles, but obviously they were not enough to be distributed to all the districts. We continued to provide resources in the budget for buying a fleet of vehicles every year. In this year’s budget, money has been provided for and when it is released by our colleagues from the Ministry of Finance, we will be able to buy some vehicles for the districts.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

KATIBUNGA/KAKOKO ROAD REHABILITATION

185. Mr Chabi (Chipili) (on behalf of Mr Mukosa (Chinsali)) asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

when the rehabilitation of the Katibunga/Kakoko Road in Mfuwe Parliamentary Constituency will be completed;
who the contractor for the project is;
how much money had been paid to the contractor as of July, 2019; and
what the cause of the delay in completing the project is.

Mr Mwale: Madam Speaker, the Katibunga/Kakoko Road in Mfuwe Parliamentary Constituency is one of the roads that have been identified for re-scoping to gravel standard. It is envisaged that the re-scoped works will commence in 2020 and are expected to be completed by December, 2020, subject to availability of funds. The contractor for the project is Messrs China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited.

Madam, as of July, 2019, the contractor had been paid a total sum of K18,079,548.87 out of the contract sum of K267,727,318.33. The cause of the delay in completing the project has been due to financial challenges.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr A. C. Mumba: Madam Speaker, I have heard the hon. Minister mention the re-scoping of the works from bituminous standard to gravel road. So, considering the period that it has taken between the time the contract was signed and now that his ministry is considering re-scoping of the works, how much will the Government spend on payments of standalone time and loss of profit which will occur as a result of re-scoping the works? As he may know, hon. Members are concerned about the domestic debt accumulation side of it. How much will the Government lose from this? This is because the K18 million paid out is as good as an advance payment.

Mr Mwale: Madam Speaker, I note that the hon. Member for Kantanshi has been concerned about this issue for a number of times. He is consistently checking with us on who is going to be paying for liquidated damages once there is re-scoping, delays and so on. However, I want to assure him again that we always do negotiations with these contractors once a contract has been delayed for this long. For example, construction of this road started in 2015. The contractors are also concerned that the project has stalled and are happy to renegotiate with us, re-scope and whatever terms we put forward, they actually do agree without having to charge us liquidated damages or extra charges.

So, this is what is happening. Most of these contractors have been co-operating with us by accepting our terms. We do not expect to lose money on this road and the contractor will be happy to get back on site and complete this road even after re-scoping, as long as we honour the payments under the new arrangement. What we have agreed with the contractor is that there are no liquidated damages.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

COMPANIES UNDER IDC

186. Mr A. C. Mumba asked the Minister of Finance:

how many companies are under the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC);
of the companies above, how many are loss making;
what the way forward for the loss making companies, is;
what the total number of jobs created under the IDC was, as of March, 2019;
what the cause of the delay by the IDC to create more jobs is; and
what measures the Government is taking to accelerate job creation under the IDC.

The Minister of Finance (Dr Ng’andu): Madam Speaker, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has a total of thirty-four companies under its portfolio. I need to indicate that at the time the IDC was formed and when it came into operation in 2014, it took over twenty-nine companies from the Ministry of Finance. The IDC has since acquired five more companies which now brings the total to the current number of thirty-four.

Madam, as at 31^st December, 2018, twelve companies in the IDC Group of Companies recorded losses. In contrast, twenty-five companies made losses in 2016, representing over 100 per cent improvement in the performance of the companies in the group.

Madam Speaker, the IDC has been implementing various interventions to turn around the loss making companies and these include, firstly; the recapitalisation through shareholder loans. From 2017 to-date, the IDC has disbursed over K257 million in shareholder loans.

The second intervention is balance sheet and organisation restructuring. An example of this intervention is the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL) where its balance sheet was successfully restructured as at 31^st December, 2019. In implementing this measure, over K390 million was taken off the balance sheet through a debt to equity swap and liabilities with the passive infrastructure were transferred to its subsidiary company called Infratel Corporation Limited Zambia.

Madam, I need to indicate here that the business model that has been applied in the case of ZAMTEL involves creating a new subsidiary which they are referring to as Infratel Corporation Limited Zambia to operate the telecommunication infrastructure and provide call location services. This enables ZAMTEL to focus on its core business of providing service to its customers.

Madam Speaker, the other companies that are earmarked for balance sheet organisational restructuring include Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZISC), General Insurance, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) and ZESCO Limited.

Madam, the third intervention involves removal of companies from the IDC portfolio that are not commercially oriented. There are still companies under the IDC portfolio that are not in commercial business, but their main purpose is to provide public goods. These companies will be handed over to the line ministries for them to provide financial backstopping and to ensure that they continue to offer the services that they are mandated to provide in an effective way.

Madam Speaker, other interventions that are being implemented to turn around loss-making companies include:

strengthening corporate governance. The IDC has so far appointed fourteen new boards comprising both private and public sector professionals so as to enhance the quality of governance;
change of management. New executive management teams have so far been appointed in seven companies. This means that we have dispensed off some of the officers who were in these companies;
enhanced oversight by IDC. The IDC has implemented performance management contracts with boards of subsidiary companies. This has had a positive impact particularly in the area of work ethic and organisational culture in these institutions; and
listing on the Stock Exchange. Some of the companies under IDC portfolio will be listed on the stock exchange not only as a way of accessing capital but also to provide an opportunity for citizens to participate in the shareholding of these companies. The Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) Life is earmarked for listing on the Stock Exchange. I need to mention that a few weeks ago, the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO) was listed on the Stock Exchange.

Madam Speaker, a total of 4,370 new jobs were created from 2017 to December 2019. These were mainly on account of the IDC investments in the renewable energy, agriculture and agro processing and financial sectors.

Madam Speaker, as I indicated in my response to part (d) of the question, 4,370 jobs have been created under the IDC. It is, therefore, not exactly correct to say that there have been delays in the creation of jobs. The IDC was formed with the main mandate of transforming the companies that were transferred from the Ministry of Finance and were loss-making in order to make them profitable and also to act as an investment arm for the Government. Under the IDC mandate of acting as an investment arm for the Government, the IDC has established new enterprises through either direct investment in projects which it owns a 100 per cent or through partnering with the private sector. As a consequence, the IDC has, as stated, created 4,370 jobs.

Madam Speaker, in this regard, the variety of projects in which these jobs have been created include solar projects in the Central, Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces, fruit processing projects in the Eastern and the North-Western provinces and farming and agro processing projects in the Western, the Central and Luapula provinces.

Madam Speaker, as indicated in my earlier response, the framework to roll out jobs under the IDC investment is now in place. However, it is important that the House acknowledges that the job creation objective must be balanced against the need to develop financially viable enterprises. It is only possible for companies to create jobs if they are first profitable and are able to expand their business. In short, financial sustainability of companies is key and that is what will sustain the creation of jobs.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Mr Mwiimbu: Madam Speaker, if I heard the hon. Minister correctly, he did mention that in order to clean the balance sheet of the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL), there was a debt swap. I would like the hon. Minister to confirm whether the debt swap also included the debt that accrued to LAP Green pertaining to the decision that was made by the Government to re-nationalise ZAMTEL.

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I am not able to confirm the LAP Green debt as being an integral part of this debt swap.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kabanda: Madam Speaker, in 2017, the hon. Minister’s predecessor, Hon. Mutati, assured this House that the twenty-five loss-making companies will be unbundled and sold to the private sector so that there is less strain on the Government coffers. We go to church every Sunday because we are assured that Jesus will be coming, and we have hope. What hope is the hon. Minister giving to the Zambian people that these companies will be offloaded so that the Government does not spend any more money to sustain them?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I did mention that at the beginning of the process, the number of companies that were loss-making were twenty-five. This number has reduced to twelve. That is a huge improvement. What this is pointing to is the fact that the IDC has undertaken to make these companies financially strong over time. It is very difficult to sell a company that is loss-making. You may have the desire to sell it, but you will not find anybody who is willing to buy a company that is going to be a liability from the very beginning. So, if you want to make a company attractive for selling, you have to restructure it and put it at a point or level where it is attractive to buyers. I think that is what is happening. Another line that the IDC has taken is to see whether some of these companies can be put on the Stock Exchange after they have been made strong so that ordinary Zambians can buy shares. I think that is a very attractive proposition because it means that these companies are now becoming assets in which all Zambians can benefit from.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Are there any intentions to unbundle some of them? There was a question about unbundling.

Dr Ng’andu: Well, I am not sure what unbundling in this case means, because what we have here are a number of companies which are basically not strong. They are loss-making, so the task that the management of the IDC and the board have is to restructure them and make strong again. At that point, a decision will be made whether to sell them or not, or list them on the stock exchange or not. In this sense, I am not exactly sure what unbundling means. Whether it means selling them, getting rid of them, I do not know. However, as I said, decisions will be made on a case by case basis to see whether it makes sense to the group to get rid of certain companies or it is better to retain them within the group or to release them to the general public through an initial public offering.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms Kasune: Madam Speaker, I am aware that through the 2012 Eurobond, the Government recapitalised some of the parastatal companies such as Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), Ndola Lime Limited as well as the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) to mention a few, but these parastatals are struggling. With that background, I want to understand the 4,300 plus jobs that the hon. Minister talked about as having been created under the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Which companies exactly created those jobs because right now, many of the parastatals are struggling?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I have a number of companies here that have created jobs. I would like to mention them and the number of jobs that they have created in the period that I did indicate.

Name of Company Number of Jobs Created

Bangweulu Power Company 08

Ngonye Power Company 13

Zampalm Limited 737

Zampalm Out grower Project 05

Zambezi Cashew Nuts Limited 36

Kawambwa Tea Company 192

Agro-Luswishi Zambia Limited 23

Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank 63

Superior Milling Company Limited 157

Zambia Airways 31

Infratel 50

Mununshi Banana Estate 05

Scaling Solar Hue Drainage 60

Food Processing 03

Agro-Luswishi 150

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Imakando (Mongu Central): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that the IDC had twenty-nine companies and with time, it added five more companies to make thirty-four companies. Would the hon. Minister give us the list of the additional five companies.

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, let me just check and see if I can isolate the five companies that have been added to the portfolio. I am not able to tell from the list of the companies which are the new five companies, but from the list that I read through, you will appreciate that some of these companies are new. So from this list that I read out, some of those are the five. I do not want to take a guess. I know that Zambia Airways is definitely one of them because that is a new company. I know that Superior Milling was bought by the IDC. I know that Zampalm is one of them.

Mr Ngulube handed Dr Ng’andu a document.

Dr Ng’andu: Thank you. Somebody has come to my aid. Bangweulu Power Company, Ngonye Power Company, Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank, Zambia Airways and Infratel are the five new companies.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Ng’ambi (Chifubu): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that as at December 2019, twelve companies were loss-making. Is he able to quantify the extent of the loss by these twelve companies?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I am not able to give the extent of the loss that was made by the loss-making companies. That information is not available with me. However, if the House so wishes, I can make that information available.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr Malama: Madam Speaker, on 14^th February, last year, His Excellency, the President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, launched the out grower scheme for Zampalm. I would like the hon. Minister to clarify how many jobs have been created from the out grower scheme. Furthermore, what is the projected potential number of jobs to be produced through that scheme in the areas of Chief Kabinga, Chief Kopa and the surrounding areas?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The hon. Minister may answer if he has that information,

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I can speak to the number of jobs created by Zampalm Limited. Directly within the company itself, 737 have been created. The out grower scheme project which at the time of compiling this data was in its initial stages, created only five jobs. However, the intention is to grow the out grower scheme. I may not be able to tell the exact projection of the jobs that will be created in the next one to two years at this point in time. If the House would like this information, I can extract it and share it with the House.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Mwila (Chimwemwe): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister referred to ZESCO Limited as one of the companies that is loss-making. I would like him to confirm whether it is true that ZESCO Limited only has a board chairman and no board members. If it is true, when will the Government correct the situation so that we end the challenges at ZESCO Limited?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, I do not wish to hazard a guess as to the composition of the board of ZESCO Limited. I am sure that my colleague at the Ministry of Energy will be much more competent to answer that question. Therefore, I will avoid answering it.

I thank you, Madam.

Mr Lufuma: Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that in 2014, the IDC took over twenty-nine companies and thereafter, added five new ones to make thirty-four companies. At the same time, he also indicated that there were twenty-five loss-making companies. However, the IDC reduced them to twelve only, meaning there are twenty-two companies more or less making profit or breaking even. Of these twenty-two that are more or less in the grim, how many have been able to pay dividends to the Government? The whole idea is to have these companies make profits. Apart from providing services, they have to pay dividends which will then be used for development. Do have any dividends forthcoming from any of these companies?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, yes, we have been able to get dividends from the profitable companies. Last year, the companies that were able to pay dividends included the Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS), Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO), Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH), Indeni Petroleum Refinery Company Limited, Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO), Indo Zambia Bank and Mulungushi Village. That is seven companies in all.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, my question will be a bit long-winded because I would like to have a clear answer. Most of the companies owned by the State, also known as parastatals, were formed via an Act of Parliament. At the time of coming up with the idea of the IDC, it was envisaged that those companies would be listed under the umbrella of the IDC and should be registered under the Companies Act. However, this created some kind of conflict in terms of how these companies are governed as regards corporate governance. Admittedly, we have boards in place for these companies which the IDC constituted.

Madam First Deputy Speaker: What is your question, hon. Member?

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, how is the Government going to harmonise the issue of corporate governance in these parastatals to ensure that the perpetual political interference in running these institutions is completely removed so that the enterprises can operate as separate entities and be profitable as envisaged?

Madam First Deputy Speaker: That is obviously a very different question from the one on the Order Paper. You are talking about formation and corporate governance. Perhaps you should file a question.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, I was listening keenly when the hon. Minister spoke about the new jobs that have been created under the IDC until the hon. Minister started reading out the names of some of the companies that he said have created new jobs. Now, my dear friend, you talked about jobs –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, refer to him as “hon. Minister”.

Dr Musokotwane: Madam, the hon. Minister talked about job creation in Zambia Airways when he knows very well that the first day when the aeroplane flies, maybe a week later, the airline is going to close as the South Africans are closing. Several other companies he listed have questionable quality of jobs. Is he serious that 4,000 plus quality jobs have been created? Or is this figure just for the sake of putting statistics and saying that so many jobs have been created, even when he knows that the jobs will not be there soon?

Dr Ng’andu: Madam Speaker, my friend, the former hon. Minister of Finance knows that whether a job is a quality job or not is an issue of judgement. What I have given here are the numbers of jobs created. One can argue whether sweeping is a quality job or not. However, it is a job. I am looking at this from the perspective that these are jobs which people who were unemployed have and are now able to earn a living, sustain themselves and look after their families. That is what I mean by a job. In terms of your –

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1810 hours until 1830 hours.

[MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Ng’andu: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that Zambia Airways has been set up with a full expectation that it will grow and become a sustainable company and that the jobs that are being created are not transitory jobs, but jobs we think will increase in numbers as the company gets stronger. They will be quality jobs in every sense of the word.

Sir, I do not have the level of pessimism that has been exhibited by the questioner. So, I believed that Zambia Airways will grow to be a sustainable company and, therefore, will continue to create jobs going forward.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kopulande (Chembe): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister and I know that one of the major contributors to the low levels of economic development in our country is the low levels of industrialisation. The establishment of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) brought hope to many of us that it would be used as a channel or tool for the industrialisation of our country by investing in green field projects. However, this does not seem to be happening. Is there any plan by the IDC to commence investing in green field projects, especially in the rural areas where the private sector cannot reach so that we can accelerate the rate of industrialisation of our country?

Dr Ng’andu: Mr Speaker, I explained at the beginning that the IDC inherited a number of weak and loss making companies and the first challenge it had was to restructure the companies and make them sustainable enterprises. Clearly, the task of industrialising these companies is a challenge that the IDC acknowledges. However, when companies are investing in new ventures of this nature, it is a matter of strategy which the board will pronounce itself on. So, the question of whether we will go in this direction and exactly when we will do it is a matter of strategy for the board to determine.

I thank you, Sir.

SIOMA TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS UPGRADE

188. Ms Subulwa (Sioma) asked the Minister of General Education:

how many teachers upgraded their professional qualifications in Sioma Parliamentary Constituency as of December, 2018;
of the number above, how many have been promoted to appropriate positions; and
when the rest will be promoted.

The Minister of General Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that fifty-nine teachers upgraded their qualifications as of December, 2018 in Sioma Parliamentary Constituency as follows:

certificate to diploma – 19;
diploma to degree – 19; and
certificate to degree – 21.

Sir, out of the fifty-nine teachers, thirteen teachers have been promoted to appropriate positions. The rest of the teachers will be promoted as and when positions become available.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Subulwa: Mr Speaker, it would have been good if the hon. Minister had indicated how many positions were created in the 2018, so that we know how many teachers were posted to Sioma. I am asking that question because if the thirteen were promoted to the positions he has indicated, it meant that thirteen vacancies would have been automatically created. So, why did the ministry not consider the teachers that were trained under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for the thirteen positions which were vacant?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, as much as I recognise the effort of the hon. Member to train people in her constituency, probably, the challenge is the promotions were at various levels, for example, the head teacher, deputy teacher and senior teacher. Obviously, those who have been trained had just completed their training. Therefore, they could not be eligible for promotion to some of these particular positions. However, the hon. Member has a valid point that maybe as we recruit teachers going forward, we can probably see how we can consider some of the teachers that have been trained in her constituency using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

I thank you, Sir.

ZAMBEZI WEST CONSTITUENCY YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES

190. Ms Kucheka (Zambezi West) asked the Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development:

whether there are any youth empowerment programmes being implemented in Zambezi West Parliamentary Constituency;
if so, what the programmes are;
how many youth clubs benefited from the programmes in 2018;
what the total number of youths, who benefited for the programme is; and
if there are no such programmes being implemented, why.

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development (Mr Mulenga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament may wish to note that the Government is implementing youth empowerment programmes in Zambezi Parliamentary Constituency. The youth empowerment programmes being implemented by the Government include:

youth innovators programme through which youths are empowered with start up kits;
the skills development programme; and
youth Information and Communications Technology (ICT) empowerment schemes, through empowerment of start up kits to the youths to establish business centres.

Sir, the hon. Member may wish to note that no youth club benefited from the empowerment programmes in 2018. This is because there were no youth clubs that applied for specific empowerment programmes. However, individual youths applied for various skills training programmes offered under the Zambezi Youth Resource Centre in Zambezi East. A total of fifty-one youths benefited from various skills training programmes offered under the Zambezi East Youth Resource Centre in 2018, of which twenty-eight students enrolled in bricklaying and twenty- three students enrolled in tailoring. The answer is the same for parts (c), (d) and (e) of the question.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Ms Kucheka: Mr Speaker, from the fifty-one youths that benefited from various skills training programmes offered that the hon. Minister has mentioned, how many youths are from Zambezi West because we have Zambezi East and Zambezi West?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, all the youths that I have mentioned are from Zambezi East.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muchima: Mr Speaker, from 2018 to-date, is the Ministry implementing any programmes? If it is, which programmes are running currently?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, this question is specific to 2018 projects and programmes. I did not come with answers for 2020. However, if the hon. Member wishes to get the actual programmes which are currently going on, I can provide the information at a later date.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, we aware that under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government, each constituency was allocated a certain amount of money which we used to call the Constituency Youth Development Fund. As a result, all the constituencies in the republic benefited. Is there any programme under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government that transcends across all the constituencies, so that youths do not have to bother enquiring how to access funds? Is there any money for each constituency to enable the youths access funding?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, it was discovered that the default rate among the beneficiaries was high. So, the ministry changed the programme of empowerment by making sure that each youth submits a programme of empowerment. Once the youths apply for empowerment, they submit to the provincial youth co-ordinator, who passes it on to the headquarters in Lusaka, so that those youths are empowered to make sure that the rate of default is reduced.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister said that fifty-one youths were empowered in Zambezi District. However, this question was specifically for Zambezi West. Is he mixing Zambezi East with Zambezi West? Nevertheless, of the fifty-one, why did the ministry not empower any youths from Zambezi West?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, I did indicate that the no youth clubs benefited from the empowerment programmes in 2018. This is because there were no youth clubs that applied.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kucheka: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister talked about other programmes which are being undertaken in skills training in the district. How did those youths get to those programmes? Was it by application or were they programmes that were brought forward for everyone? The hon. Minister said that all the fifty-one were from Zambezi East and not from Zambezi West. Therefore, how many female were among the fifty-one youths?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, I should mention that for anyone to be empowered, whether by the bank or Government, they should apply. Under good governance, there should be an application and should work according to the governance systems. Under the governance system, one should apply for them to be empowered.

Sir, in this instance, no one applied from Zambezi West Constituency. I will take this opportunity to encourage the hon. Member of Parliament to go and educate the youths in her constituency that they need to apply, then we will consider those applications. That is the system which is in place at the moment. However, on the statistics of how many women and men, I did not come with that information.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Dr Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition asked the hon. Minister a question which went as follows: During the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government, the ministry was empowered with funds to empower youths in every constituency of the country to buy hammer mills and other equipment. The hon. Member asked why the Government is not doing the same in empowering youths in every constituency. The hon. Minister’s response, which will now enlist my question, was that because the Government discovered a lot of defaults. However, these where not loans, but grants given for nothing.

Mr Speaker, why is it that the Government is not providing sufficient funds in the Budget so that youths in each constituency can be empowered? There was even another fund for women to be empowered. Why is the Government not providing for these funds so that the youth can be empowered not by loans but by grants? Grants mean free money –

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, your question is clear.

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, you should not give someone fish, instead, teach them how to fish. The former hon. Minister of Finance is saying that he used to give out grants during his regime, we would have seen many good businesses being run by youth at the moment, ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mulenga: ... but because it was free money from the Government, the youths misused it. We have not seen companies funded by that money growing or flourishing today. If the former Government never gave free money, many youths today were going to be employed or sustained by their own businesses. This is why this Government changed that to ensure a sense of responsibility by making sure that people pay back the money that they receive. If you have to pay money back, you handle debt finance very well. We need to note that during that time, the population was lower than it is today. That is the reason this money should be a revolving fund so that many youths can benefit from it.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

Ms Kucheka: Mr Speaker, the Government must have programmes for the youth, of course. In future, is it possible to tell hon. Members about these programmes in advance so that they can sensitise the youth?

Mr Mulenga: Mr Speaker, I am more than happy to share with the hon. Member for Zambezi West. I invite her to my office to look at what is there so that we can work together and see how we can empower the youth in her constituency.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Lufuma indicated to debate.

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member for Kabompo, you asked your question and I cannot allow you to ask for the second time.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Second Deputy Speaker: Order!

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

______

The House adjourned at 1854 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday 26^th February, 2020.

_____________

WRITTEN REPLY TO QUESTION

MUMBULA/KATIKULULA PHASE 3 RESETTLEMENT SCHEME MINI HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION

187. Mr Mutale (Chitambo) asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

when the construction of mini hospital at Mumbula and Katikulula Phase III resettlement scheme in Chitambo Parliamentary Constituency will commence;

what has caused the delay in commencing the project;
who the contractors for each project is;

what the cost of each project is; and

who the financiers of each project are.

The Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the construction of mini hospitals at Mumbula and Katikulula Phase III Resentment Scheme in Chitambo Parliamentary Constituency is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2020.

Sir, the implementation of the plan to construct the two mini hospitals was scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2020 and as such there is no delay. The contractor for the two min hospitals is NMS Infrastructure Zambia Limited.

Mr Speaker, the project is part of the Engineering Procurement Contract which includes building of 108 mini hospitals and three district hospital and as such it is difficult to cost a single facility as the project is costed as a package. The financier is the United Kingdom Finance (UK) Finance.

STALLED CHAMA/MATUMBO AND CHAMA/LUNDAZI ROAD REHABILITATION

189. Mr Mung’andu (Chama South) asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development:

why the rehabilitation of the following roads has stalled;

Chama/Matumbo; and

Chama/Lundazi

when works on each project will resume; and

what the time frame for the completion of each project is.

The Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development (Mr Mwale): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the rehabilitation of the Chama/Matumbo and Chama/Lundazi Roads have stalled due to funding challenges. Works on the Chama/Matumbo and Chama/Lundazi Roads will resume when funds for the projects have been mobilised.

Sir, the timeframes for the completion of each of the four lots under the Chama/Matumbo and Chama Lundazi Road are as follows:

July, 2020 for Lot 2 (118 km);

October, 2021 for Lot 3 (90 km);

February, 2021 for Lot 4 (84 km); and

June, 2020 for Lot 5 (56 km).

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

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