DAILY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY

Wednesday, 31stOctober, 2012

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER

__________

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

LUNDAZI BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOL

234. Dr Kazonga (Vubwi) asked the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

(a)whether the Government was aware that Lundazi Boarding Secondary School in Lundazi District had been threatened with immediate closure by health authorities in the district due to poor sanitation; and

(b)if so, what immediate measures the Government was taking to address the problem.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Mr Mabumba): Mr Speaker, the Government is aware of the poor state of sanitation at Lundazi Boarding Secondary School in Lundazi District, and that the school has been threatened with closure by health authorities in the district.

Sir, the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has addressed the sanitation issues that were raised in the report that was issued by the health authorities, namely:

(i)the pipes that were leaking at the school have all been replaced and there are no leakages anymore;

(ii)the boys’ dormitories have all been cleaned;

(iii)all the kitchen staff have been issued with new uniforms and have all undergone medical examinations; and

(iv)the outside as well as the inside of the kitchen has been cleaned.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, one of the measures taken that the hon. Minister has indicated is the cleaning up of the surrounding, kitchen and so on and so forth. May I know what has been done to ensure that this concept of cleanliness is internalised in the pupils so that the waterborne diseases that were about to break out at the school can be prevented?

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, as the hon. Member is aware, and I suppose at one time he also worked in the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education, we have preventive maintenance in all the schools. There are the committees that are responsible for ensuring that the schools are cleaned and they meet all the required sanitation standards.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo Central): Mr Speaker, even if this school is cleaned, it will still look dirty after a short while because the building is very old. Is the ministry considering rehabilitating the whole school?

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (Dr Phiri): Mr Speaker, it is as if Hon. Muntanga read our plans. I have said it before, in this august House, that we intend to rehabilitate as many schools as we can, beginning with the 2013 Budget allocation.

Sir, Lundazi Secondary School is one of the schools which were built in the First Republic. In fact, it opened its doors to the first intake of students which included Hon. Chifumu Banda, SC.  …

Laughter

Dr Phiri: … in 1966. It has come of age now. I had the privilege of touring this school early in the year on my way to Chama. I saw the levels of neglect that this school and many others countrywide have suffered over the years. We intend to rehabilitate these schools because we cannot allow them to decay to levels where they can be mistaken for prisons.

Mr Muntanga: Yes!

Mr Mbewe:I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, Lundazi Secondary School gets its water from Lundazi Dam. Now, from the answer the hon. Minister has given …

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Please, proceed.

Laughter 

Mr Mbewe: I did not get any answer from the hon. Minister indicating that the source of water is going to be looked into.

Dr Phiri:Mr Speaker, the health authorities did not include that aspect when they threatened closure. The water source is safe and has served the institution well. We have no intention of looking at that aspect at all,unless otherwise.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simbao (Senga Hill): MrSpeaker, has there been any danger of disease outbreaks at this school so far?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, without that threat, I do not think the medical authorities would have threatened to close the school. A school with serious sanitary and water reticulation problems is always at risk of an outbreak of a serious disease.

Sir, let me say that I pay tribute to the district leadership in the ministry for responding very well to this challenge. I must also include the provincial leadership as well because, ordinarily, they would have waited for headquarters to do something, but they took quick action. I am satisfied that the school is not in immediate danger, but that does not suggest that we should not rehabilitate the institution fully.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kalima (Kasenengwa): Mr Speaker, does the ministry wait until there is an outbreak or the school is threatened with closer before it can move in? I ask this because Kasenengwa High School, like Lundazi, is also threatened with an outbreak of disease with the onset of rains, as it does not have toilets. Does the ministry wait until the school is threatened with closure before it moves in, or does it wait for an outbreak of disease?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, I always desist from attacking colleagues who did their best in the offices which we occupy. The hon. Member of Parliament for Kasenengwa should know that I have said three times in the House that there was no budget line in the past for rehabilitating old institutions such as Lundazi Secondary School. For the first time, in 2013, we have included this budget line. Now, for the hon. Member to ask me whether we wait for disaster – in fact, each day, we pray that many of these schools whose infrastructure has decayed should not cause very serious risks of disease outbreaks. Now, this is on an temporal basis but, beginning from the budget allocation which I have just explained, we should be able to systematically look at all the institutions year by year and see what we can do. The buck stops at your door, Madam, since your party was in Government before I took over the reigns of education.

I thank you, Sir.

ROAD TRANSPORT AND SAFETY PORTFOLIO

235.Mr Chisala(Chilubi) asked the Vice-President whether the Government had any plans to transfer the portfolio of road transport and safety from the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to enable councils raise revenue from motor vehicle and boat licensing.

The Deputy Minister in the Vice-President’s Office (Mr Kalaba): Mr Speaker, the Government has no intension of transferring the portfolio of road transport and safety to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, as the mandate of transport lies with the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication. The portfolio of road transport and safety can only be moved to another ministry when the mandate of the ministry is changed.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, may I know whether there are other means of trying to help broaden the revenue base of the local authorities since they are going through serious financialdifficulties.

The Vice-President (Dr Scott): Mr Speaker, that was not the question, but I will have a crack. There are grants in lieu of rates and land rents. There are also donor subventions. In the case of Lusaka, for example, there are projects in which there are partnerships. There are council levies on crops and other commodities and so on and so forth. Licensing of motor vehicles used to be done together with licensing of guns and so on and so forth in local councils, as only one of many traditional forms of funding for local government.

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Muchekela (Lubansenshi): MrSpeaker, could His Honour the Vice-President be specific by indicating measures that the Government intends to put in place as a way of sharing revenue between local authorities and the Central Government as given by the hon. Minister of Finance in his Budget Address.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, now we are way out of the original territory. I think that that question will come up in the debate on local government. That issue will be looked at from many angles. At the moment, we are dealing with whether we are planning, as a Government, to return the right to issue vehicle and boat licenses to the local councils and the answer is no. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ntundu(Gwembe): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Chilubi for putting his Government on its feet with a number of questions.

Hon Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ntundu: Mr Speaker, may I find out from His Honour the Vice-President whether in areas where there in no Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) like Gwembe, but there is an existing council under the Ministry of Local Government and housing, there are any plans – he is looking somewhere else. Can you see, Sir.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Simply concentrate on your question.

Laughter

Mr Ntundu: Sir, the question to His Honour the Vice-President is whether he could consider giving councils like Gwembe the power to license motor vehicles and boats where there are no offices for RTSA.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the standard agent for RTSA is the post office. The alternative of using local councils as agents will be taken into consideration.

I thank you, Sir.

    MAIN MASALA MARKET IN NDOLA

236.Mr Chisala asked the Minister of Local Government and Housing:

    (a)    whether the Government had any plans to construct a modern market at Main Masala Market in Ndola; and

    (b)    if so, when the plans would be implemented.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mr F. Tembo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that the construction of modern markets requires huge capital investment. However, due to limited budgetary provisions for markets in the 2012 Annual Budget, the Government does not have immediate plans for the construction of a modern market in Main Masala Market during 2012.

However, the Government is currently soliciting for funding from co-operating partners to assist in the construction of modern markets in the provincial centres.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, may I know whether Ndola City Council has been communicated to by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing over the construction of the market in question.

The Minister of Local Government and Housing (Mrs Kabanshi): Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing will communicate to the staff of Ndola City Council when the money is made available for the construction of the market.

I thank you, Sir.

OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL

237.Mr V. Mwale (Chipangali) asked the Vice-President what measures the Government had taken to enhance the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General in accordance with the Lima Declaration of 1977 and the Mexico Declaration of 2007 which have since been adopted by the United Nations Assembly as part of UN Resolution No. A/66/209.

Mr Kalaba: Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has only been in office for a year now. However, my Government wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the promotion of good governance, transparency and accountability through strengthening oversight institutions such as the Office of the Auditor-General.

Mr Speaker, the Government is seeking ways to ensure that the Office of the Auditor-General operates autonomously in line with good governance practices. This is what is contained in our PF Manifesto and it is what we stand for. 

Mr Speaker, the United Nations Resolution No. A/66/209 of 2011 recognises the importance of supreme audit institutions in promoting the efficiency, accountability, effectiveness and transparency of public administration.

Sir, the United Nations has taken note of the Lima Declaration of Guidelines on Auditing Precepts of 1977 and the Mexico Declaration on Supreme Audit Institutions Independence of 2007, and encourages member states to apply the principles set out in these declarations.

Mr Speaker, a strong Office of the Auditor-General will assist Parliament in strengthening its oversight role through the inputs of the Office of the Auditor-General to this House. Accordingly, it is my Government’s resolve that part of what should be reviewed in our current Constitution are articles related to this office so that it can be more autonomous than it is today.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Mr V. Mwale: Mr Speaker, I appreciate that, finally, this Government recognises the United Nations Resolutions No. A/66/209. One of the critical issues under this resolution is the funding to the Office of the Auditor-General and the recruitment of personnel. When is the Government going to allow Parliament to work directly with the Office of the Auditor-General in as far as its Budget is concerned instead of being under the mercy of the ministry which is also audited? When is this Government going to do that so that the Office of the Auditor-General is financially independent?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I will just comment off-the-cuff that not even Parliament is financially independent of the Ministry of Finance…

Laughter

The Vice-President: …which is the Treasury, after all, of the country. I am not certain what it means to be financially independent unless it is funded from outside the country or something like that. 

Mr Speaker, the original answer states:

“A strong Office of the Auditor-General will assist Parliament in strengthening its oversight role through the inputs of the Office of the Auditor-General to this House. Accordingly, it is my Government’s resolve that part of what should be reviewed in our current Constitution are articles related to this office so that it can be more autonomous than it is at the moment.”

Sir, we are both singing the same hymn from the same book. It is just a question of whether we are on the same key.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali (Senanga): Mr Speaker, way back, the hon. Minister of Finance told this House that the autonomy of the Office of the Auditor-General would bring anarchy and, surprisingly enough, he did not mention anything about the Auditor-General’s Office in his Budget Speech. Is that the stance of the Government?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I have a slight allergy to quotations that are not sourced properly …

Laughter

The Vice-President: … or that are not even quoted in invented commas. They are not even quoted verbatim, but are generally glossed. I am not sure whether the hon. Minister of Finance or this Ministry of Finance ever said what the questioner reports they said. Furthermore, I can, again, only point to the answer which says we want to strengthen the Auditor-General’s Office in order to make it more autonomous and have Parliament’s oversight role enhanced.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simbao (Senga Hill): Mr Speaker, the issue of autonomy has to do with allocating enough funding to the Office of the Auditor-General. When is this Government going to ensure that the Office of the Auditor-General is highly funded in order to carry out their mandate properly in the country?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, we are going into the Budget debate, head by head and, duly, the subject of the Auditor-General’s Office will come up with detailed provisions and Budget lines to be considered. I think it would be reasonable to defer a detailed answer until we get to that stage.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, can His Honour the Vice-President assure this House that one way of enhancing autonomy of the Auditor-General’s Office is, indeed, through funding? Can we be assured that the Government will take steps to ensure that there is no erratic funding even as we consider that particular Budget line so that they carry out their work effectively?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, it is difficult to give undertakings in such a general way. Obviously, there will be moments of erraticism in the distribution of money by the Treasury in any country to any ministry or any arm of Government. However, we will not certainly use erratic funding as a means of trying to control the Auditor-General’s Office. As I have emphasised, we are in favour of a strong and independent Auditor-General’s Office. This is why we have kept an Auditor-General who is autonomous and famously so. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mutelo (Lukulu West): Mr Speaker, who audits the Auditor-General’s Office?

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I prefer that question in Latin. It is a famous question which says, “Who pleases the please and who is the custodian of the custodians?”

Laughter

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I must say that there are law enforcement agencies, Cabinet Office, the Treasury and auditors all over the place.

I thank you, Sir.

Interruptions

Dr Kazonga (Vubwi): Mr Speaker, according to the Mexico Declaration of Independence of Supreme Audit Institutions, there is one principle that His Honour the Vice-President has just partially tackled. Principle No. 8, in particular, states in part:

“Financial and Managerial Autonomy and the Availability of Appropriate Human, Material and Monetary Resources

“Supreme Audit Institutions should have available, necessary, reasonable, human and material resources. The Supreme Audit Institutions must have the right to direct, appeal to the legislature if the resources provided are insufficient to allow them to meet their mandate.”

Mr Speaker, may I have a comment from His Honour the Vice-President on Principle No. 8.

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, the follow-up questions have all been implicitly about Principle 8. They have all been about whether there will be enough resources of one sort or another, or freedom of action. The answer that we have given, again, is that yes, we believe in that. We point out that it is partly a constitutional issue. If you want your Auditor-General’s Office, for example, to have the right to appeal straight to Parliament, it should come up in the Constitution and we will agree to it. 

I thank you, Sir.

COMMUNITY SCOUTS IN NSUMBU AND MWERU-WANTIPANATIONAL PARKS

238. Mr Chansa (Chimbamilonga) asked the Ministry of Tourism and Art whether the Government had any plans to compensate the community scouts in Nsumbu and Mweru-wa-Ntipa National Parks, who have been offering their services for free in the past ten years.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism and Art (Mr D. Phiri):Mr Speaker, the community scouts that have been referred to by Hon. Chansa are called village scouts, and are employees of the Community Resource Boards (CRB) in Game Management Areas (GMAs). The village scouts, through their CRB, have volunteered to assist the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) staff in Nsumbu and Mweru-wa-Ntipa national parks in protecting wildlife. ZAWA plans to preferentially consider training these village scouts and, subsequently, employ them as wildlife police officers as long as they meet the qualifications.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chansa: Mr Speaker, the Nsumbu National Park covers 2,010 km, and there are only seven wildlife police officers, while the majority are village scouts. May I find out from the hon. Minister if there are any plans by the Government to offer employment to these village scouts who have been offering their services since 2004?

Mr D. Phiri: Mr Speaker, indeed, ZAWA is understaffed in terms of wildlife police officers. We currently have 1,200 and an additional 800 ZAWA officers are required. We have plans to recruit additional police officersin due course but, as we said earlier, these scouts that have offered themselves to assist us with touring the park will be given preference as we embark on the process of employing the ZAWA officers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Simfukwe (Mbala): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister, how far the ministry has gone in implementing the management plan for Nsumbu which was developed about a year ago.

Mr D. Phiri: Mr Speaker, this Government intends to continue with the development of the Northern Circuit, and Nsumbu is within this circuit. I would like to confirm that there are plans to continue with the development of the Northern Circuit and, to be specific, the Nsumbu National Park, which is in progress.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chisanga (Mkushi South): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out whether these village scouts get allowances from ZAWA.

Mr D Phiri: Mr Speaker, as I said in my earlier response, these scouts are volunteers and employees of the CRB. These boards are in GMAs, which are adjacent to national parks. They are really doing it in the interest of the national park to help with the conservation efforts so that, once the animal population increases in these national parks, then, obviously, the GMA will benefit. However, their allowances are paid by the CRBs, and not by ZAWA.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ngonga (Kaputa): Mr Speaker, these village volunteers who have been working for over ten years, have families to feed and other responsibilities to take care of. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister whether there is anything that could be done for the scouts because, if nothing is done, then, they are a danger to these national parks. Since they know the national parks very well, they could end up becoming poachers. Can allowances be given to them to ensure that they, at least, get some money from the Government as they offer these services.

The Minister of Tourism and Art (Mrs Masebo):Mr Speaker, as the Government, we are currently reviewing the Wildlife Policy. There are a number of issues on the ground that we need to review in order to ensure that the wildlife areas begin to benefit the communities. 

Mr Speaker, let me inform the hon. Members of Parliament that, at the moment, the CRBs are supposed to receive some money from ZAWA generated from the people that hunt from the GMAs. In the past, there have been some challenges in that some of the money was not given to the CRBs in order for them to, at least, be able to give some form of allowances to the village scouts. However, what we have done, as a Government, is to give instructions that, in future, any sharing of resources between ZAWA and the CRBs, should not be done through ZAWA, but be taken directly to the accounts of the CRBs. At the moment, ZAWA owes quite a lot of money to the CRBs. We have given instructions and are working hard to ensure that the amount of money which is owed to the CRBs by ZAWA is brought to zero. It is hoped that once the CRBs receive their money, some of it can be given to the volunteers, who are at community level. In terms of the long-term policy, we are trying to change it and see how best we can help these people that are participating in conserving our wildlife because it is difficult to get free services from people who have families. We are looking at this issue and will ensure that something is done for the communities that are working and supporting ZAWA.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chipungu(Rufunsa): Mr Speaker, much as my question has been partly answered, my worry is that, as far as they are concerned, the village scouts have already worked. May I find out who is going to pay them for the services they have already rendered?

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, I think, the hon. Deputy Minister already indicated that the village scouts were volunteers, and that there is a lot of voluntary work in the GMAs that is done between the communities and ZAWA. However, as I earlier said, ZAWA shares some revenue with the CRBs. These resource boards are supposed to pay an amount of money to the scouts but, in the past, they have not been able to do that because ZAWA has not given them the money. What I said earlier is that, as a ministry, we are working hard to ensure that the money that is owed to the CRBs is given to them. 

Sir, in future, we hope to try to increase the sharing of some of the resources between ZAWA and the CRB, by increasing the quarter which was 28 per cent in the past, of which 20 per cent went towards the CRBs. We have since instructed ZAWA to increase it to 30 per cent. All this is in an effort to try to give more money to the communities so that they can also benefit. We are working hard to find some ways and means that will ensure that the people in the parks also benefit from these activities.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.{mospagebreak}

MANGANGODAYHIGH SCHOOL

239. Mr Taundi (Mangango) asked the Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education:

    (a)    whether the Government had any plans to transform MangangoDay High 
School into a boarding school; and 

(b)    when the Government would construct more staff houses and classrooms at the school in order to improve the infrastructure.

Mr Mabumba: Mr Speaker, the ministry has no plans to transform Mangango Day High into a boarding school. This is because, currently, the Government is constructing a boarding secondary school in Mangango Constituency called Mayukwayukwa, which is expected to be completed in 2013. 

Mr Speaker, the Government will construct more staff houses and classrooms at Mangango Day High School once the construction of Mayukwayukwa Secondary School is completed. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Taundi: Mr Speaker, this school was opened in 1983 as a self-help project by the community and the Capuchin Fathers. Since then, nothing has been done, yet the school continues to enrol many pupils who walk very long distances, sometimes about 110km, and end up squatting in villages, risking early pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases, which eventually affect their learning. Since the hon. Minister said his ministry has no plans to build boarding facilities at the school, how, then, can we help these children who want to learn, but are squatting in villages where they get disturbed? 

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament is quite right. However, these observations should be seen in the right context. As the hon. Deputy Minister indicated, we are currently busy trying to complete Mayukwayukwa. I know that Mangango Day High School is approximately 30km from Mayukwayukwa Secondary Boarding School and that there is a need for us to complete what the local community started because Mangango Secondary School, for the sake of the record, was not fully-completed when it opened its doors to pupils, contrary to what the hon. Member indicated.  

Sir, there are a number of issues that must be looked at for us to have Mangango Secondary School become a proper secondary school. The timeframe is difficult to put to this development because we have many competing needs all over the country. However, it does not suggest that we are paying lip service to the people of Mangango. When funds are available, which is not a very interesting phrase anymore, we will endeavour to meet the Mangango Community, if only half-way, because this is the best way of appreciating community support. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Mr Mutelo (Lukulu West): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon. Minister for talking about pupils at Mayukwayukwa High School. However, what about the pupils at Mangango Day High School? What is the Government doing about their plight currently?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, for the number of years that Mangango Secondary School has been operating, it is difficult to say that all the pupils will be accommodatedtomorrow.I have dealt with this question on a number of times because it also concerns a number of institutions countrywide. For instance, the other day, we talked about Msichili. There are many more Mangangos all over the country.  It is, therefore, difficult for us to state, with no hesitation at all, that we will be able to do somethingon a particular date. A lot depends on the budgetary allocation. Even if we have a budget line for these activities, the money might not be enough for us to do a comprehensive job in all the schools that are affected. 

I thank you, Sir. 

Dr Kalila (Lukulu East): Hon. Minister, part of the respite will come when you open Mayukwayukwa Boarding High School. When do you think that Mayukwayukwa Boarding High School will be completed?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, Mayukwayukwa Boarding Secondary School is expected to be completed in 2013. The construction has gobbled almost K38 billion and we are making frantic efforts to complete the school, which will cater for both boys and girls, and have it opened in January, 2013. This, however, does not give much respite to the Mangango Community because the distance between Mangango and Mayukwayukwa is toolong for our children to think they have an alternative school to attend. This is the picture I want you to have. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, the problem of teachers’ houses is nationwide. It is almost a daily question in this House and affects the education system, yet the hon. Minister seems very comfortable to say that there is nothing much that can be done because it is a countrywide problem. What long-term plans does the Government have to solve that problem once and for all countrywide? 

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, I am trying my best not to over-react. 

Laughter 

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, in 2012 Budget, we budgeted for the construction of 240 teachers’ houses. That was not adequate, but it is the beginning. We hope to build on this using the 2013 Budget. With small steps, we will reach there one day. We have a commitment to house our teachers, particularly in the rural areas where life is particularly hard for teachers. Their resilience is commendable, but we cannot continue to depend on their patriotism. We have a responsibility to meet the housing needs of our teachers. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister indicated that there is a provision for the construction of 240 housesin the 2012 Budget. However, this year ends in two months’ time. In Monze Constituency the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has a provision to construct two teachers’ houses. To date, nothing pertaining to the construction of these houses has taken off. I am also aware that this is the scenario in most constituencies. What is the problem?

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, that observation is correct. Partly, this is due to the delay of budgetary allocations coming through, especially for the infrastructure in the primary sector, where we have not received the allocation. Secondly, it is due to inertia on the part of the ministry, which does not to see this as an emergency when it should. We are taking steps to correct the situation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Sing’ombe (Dundumwezi): Mr Speaker, is what is happening in Dundumwezi, where teachers are renting houses built by the communities also happening in Mangango? If it is happening, why?

Laughter

Dr Phiri: Mr Speaker, in fact, the situation in Dundumwezi could even be better than in most of the other areas in the nation. Why it is happening is that, over the years, we have not built teachers’ houses. Therefore, we have a big backlog. This is why, when I said 240 houses were earmarked to be built, I said that the figure was a tiny drop in the ocean. However, we hope that, as the budgetary allocation improves, and we also improve on our efficiency, as a ministry, the problem can be resolved expeditiously.

I thank you, Sir.

FARMER INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMME 2011/2012

240. Mr Ntundu (Gwembe) asked the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock:

(a)how many farmers, countrywide, benefited from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) during the 2011/2012 farming season;

(b)whether the Government had any plans to revise the programme; and

(c)if so, when the process of revision would commence.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Kazabu): Mr Speaker, approximately 907,653 farmers benefited from the FISP during the 2011/2012 Farming Season.

Sir, the Government has plans to revise FISP in order to improve its operational performance. The revision is mainly meant to correct concerns from stakeholders, such as targeting and the concentration of support on maize.

The ministry has already commenced the FISP review process for the 2012/2013 Farming Season. The revision is an annual process mainly based on experiences from the preceding seasons. For the 2012/2013 Season, the changes that have been made include the re-constitution of the Camp Agricultural Committees (CACs) and District Agricultural Committees (DACs), ensure the co-option of credible and impartial committee members as well as the diversification of the programme. To enhance the diversification process, sorghum, cotton and groundnuts have been included besides maize and rice.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Ntundu: Mr Speaker, to date, the people of Gwembe remain poor after they were deprived of their good arable land where they were growing crops. My question is: Does the Government have any intentions to increase the number of farmers who will benefit from this good programme left by the MMD?

Hon. MMD Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Chenda): Mr Speaker, there is, obviously, a big demand to increase both in terms of number of farmers as well as the content of the pack. However, this is dependent on the resource envelope. Obviously, as we get economically stronger, these considerations will be made.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Zimba (Kapiri-Mposhi): Mr Speaker, due to the poor funding to FISP, some farmers are forced to share a pack, forcing members to receive only one or two bags, particularly those in Kapiri-Mposhi. Is the hon. Minister aware that the programme is not achieving its intended purpose?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, this is a very popular programme. So, I am not aware that it is not achieving its intended purpose. In fact, there is a lot of demand on the Government to increase the number of beneficiaries, not only in terms of numbers, but the actual quantities of the pack as well. Like I said, obviously, this is dependent on the money that is available. As we get better, economically, we will begin to deal with these issues.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Ng’onga: Mr Speaker, FISP is an important programme, especially in the rural constituencies. Is it possible that this fertiliser could be distributed far before the onset of the rains, say, in the second quarter of the year? 

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, yes, there has been some delays but, obviously, the intention, as we go forward, is to distribute the inputs long before the rains set in.

I thank you, Sir.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, 907,653 beneficiaries was definitely for a reason. What was the expected target production of maize in terms of hectarage of the 907,653 beneficiaries?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, I do not have the exact statistics as to how much was expected from the farmers. I think that it depends on the productivity of each individual farmer. This programme is intended to benefit the resource-poor farmers where productivity is very low. So, it is very difficult to estimate how much is expected from this number of farmers.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, does the Government have plans to wean off some farmers who have benefited from this programme? If so, what criterion is it going to use?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, indeed, it is the intention of the Government to wean off some farmers. However, this will be dependent on how much wealth has been accumulated from this scheme and the advice of our camp officers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chishiba(Kafulafuta): Mr Speaker, following the answer given by the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, I would like to find out the number of the beneficiaries given on the Floor of this House. I would like to know whether that is the exact number or it is just coming from the statistics of the packs that were issued.

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, the figures that we give to this House are the ones which are contained in our records in our offices. So, this is as contained in the information in our offices.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mufalali: Mr Speaker, other than the 900 000 farmers, I would like to find out how many viable farmers are supposed to benefit from this programme.

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, there are more than one million five hundred farmers who have registered and shown interest in benefiting from this scheme.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Dr Kazonga: Mr Speaker, I would like to find out whether there are any plans by the Government to carry out a detailed study on the feasibility of this weaning off of small-scale farmers from the support under FISP?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, no such a study has been carried out but, it is in our plans and going forward, we think that this will enable us to determine as to who should qualify for this programme and who should be weaned off.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Hamudulu(Siavonga): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has alluded to the fact that one of the changes in the programme is the inclusion of members who are credible and impartial. Credibility and impartiality are highly subjective attributes. May I know how the hon. Minister hopes to achieve this?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, we seek advice from the local stakeholders and traditional leaders as well as our officers on the ground. So, it is on that basis that we determine the credibility of the farmers. 

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Miyanda (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, of the over 900 000 beneficiaries, I would like to find out what the ratio of female farmer beneficiaries was to male farmer beneficiaries.

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, I do not have the exact statistics but, generally, there are more male farmers than female farmers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mucheleka: Mr Speaker, I seem to be getting contradictory answers from the hon. Minister. On one hand he says, the intention is to wean off some farmers, meaning that probably, the number might reduce. On the other hand, he says if resources are made available, they intend to increase the number. Can we get a specific answer in regard to whether or not they intend to wean off by reducing or they intend to increase the number of beneficiaries?

Mr Chenda: Mr Speaker, the number of applicants for this programme is huge and we are not able to meet it, but obviously, those that would have reduced their poverty levels will be weaned off.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

CROP DESTRUCTION BY WILD ANIMALS IN SHANG’OMBO

242. Mr Njeulu (Sinjembela) asked the Minister of Tourism and Art:

    (a)    how much crop was destroyed by wild animals in Shang’ombo in 2012;

    (b)    whether the Government would compensate the farmers whose crops were destroyed by wild animals;

    (c)    how many cases of human-animal conflict were reported in Shang’ombo from January, 2011 to July, 2012; and

    (d)    what measures the Government had taken to control the human-animal conflicts to provide a win-win situation for both people and the animals.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism and Art (Mr D. Phiri): Mr Speaker, according to the reports made to Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), the number of crop fields destroyed by wild animals in Shang’ombo in 2012 is 339.

Sir, the Government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) will support farmers whose crops were destroyed by wild animals like any other disaster.

Mr Speaker, the number of human-animal conflict cases in Shang’ombo that were reported to ZAWA from January, 2011 to July, 2012 is 288 and is broken down as follows:

    Month    Year     Number of cases reported to ZAWA

    January to December    2011    272

    January to July    2012        16

    Total    288

Mr Speaker, the Government through ZAWA has taken the following measures to control the human-wildlife conflicts and provide a win-win situation for both people and animals:

    (i)    ZAWA is developing general management plans for game management areas (GMA) through a stakeholders’ participatory approach for guiding economic, settlements and conversation activities in respective areas. It is expected that when stakeholders abide by the guidelines and zoning scheme in the general management plan, human-animal conflicts will be minimised because encroachment into wildlife habitats will be avoided;

    (ii)    ZAWA officers have been mandated to kill problem animals that threaten human lives and property. These officers assess and control problem animals accordingly;

    (iii)    ZAWA management through its extension services in the GMA conducts sensitisation programmes where villagers are advised to avoid confrontations with wildlife by not settling in wildlife corridors and habitat; and

    (iv)    local communities have been advised and trained how to use methods that scare away animals especially elephants such as the use of chilli fences or burning chilli with elephant dung around their property or crop fields. Local communities are also encouraged to use solar electric fences around their fields.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Njeulu: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. Minister for that answer. Now that we have heard that the DMMU will actually distribute relief food to the affected people, I would like to know when that will be done.

The Minister of Tourism and Art (Mrs Masebo): Mr Speaker, it is the Government’s policy that wherever there is a disaster, the relevant Government department such as the District Commissioner’s (DCs) office will make a report to the DMMU office in the Office of the Vice-President. So, even in this vein, I would like to say to the hon. Member that if there is any disaster that occurs, it should be reported to the relevant department. First of all, it should be reported to ZAWA and then to the DC so that the information goes to the Office of the Vice-President, which is the DMMU’s holding ministry. That way, action will be taken to address the situation.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Mr Speaker, we know that people engage in agriculture activities not only for home consumption, but other reasons as well. Apart from the relief to cover the economic part, where the farmer would have sold his crop, what support can the Government offer to these farmers?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, there was a question earlier about compensation. I think those are issues of policy. The Patriotic Front (PF) Government is looking at reviewing the Wildlife Policy and these are some of the issues that we need to address as a country. We need to look at how much compensation or relief can be given and what steps the communities themselves can take to ensure that we do not have human-animal conflicts in the GMAs. 

In some cases, people go to settle in GMAs or encroach on national parks. Sometimes, as the hon. Deputy Minister has already mentioned in his statement, animal corridors are closed. So the animals get congested in one area and then start going in different directions. All these are issues that need to be addressed.

I thank you, Sir.

Reverend Sikwela (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, human-animal conflicts are on the increase in various places and Livingstone Parliamentary Constituency is no exception. Are the control measures that are applicable elsewhere also applicable in Livingstone?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, firstly, human-animal conflicts in Shang’ombo are actually on the decrease and not on the increase. Livingstone may be a different case. Nonetheless, I will give a bonus answer to the hon. Member of Parliament, since he is a very effective hon. Member of Parliament and is working very well with the Government of the day.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Mrs Masebo: Mr Speaker, my ministry wants to have a stakeholders’ meeting with the lodge owners along the Zambezi River because one of the issues that we have seen is that elephants are on rampage in Livingstone. Maybe one of the reasons could be that some of the animal corridors have been closed. There is need for my ministry, working with other ministries e.g. the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, to have a stakeholders’ meeting and discuss this issue with most of these lodge owners who have blocked the entire Zambezi River to the extent that even the community does not have access to the river. So, yes, some of the plans that are being applied in other areas are also being applied in Livingstone. In addition, there is need for the hon. Member of Parliament and I to meet the lodge owners. In that meeting, we need to look at this issue …

Hon. UPND Members: Where?

Laughter

Mrs Masebo: … and see how best we can resolve the matter so as to ensure that elephant movements are reduced. I also wanted to say that at the moment, there is hunting going on in Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. Some of these animals are running away from this hunting that is going on in these countries. That is why there is an influx of elephants coming from Zimbabwe into Zambia, particularly into Livingstone.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Hamudulu (Siavonga): Mr Speaker, I hope my question will be answered irrespective of how I am perceived by the Government.

Laughter

Mr Hamudulu:Mr Speaker, there is an assumption that human-animal conflict cases only occur in GMAs and national parks. I want to bring to the attention of the hon. Minister that this is not the case. Therefore, will the measures that the Government is putting place apply where there cases of human-animal conflicts outside GMAs and national parks such as in Chirundu and Siavonga where people are attacked by crocodiles on a daily basis as they go to draw water?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, that hon. Member of Parliament is also in good standing with the Government.

Interruptions

Hon. PF Members: Ulula!

Mrs Masebo: So he should not worry because we will work with him. The plans that the Government, through the ZAWA), is implementing in solving these problems are common knowledge, but one of the issues that is important is sensitisation. I think we need to do a little bit more as Government in terms of giving skills to the communities and just getting them to be aware of this problem. 

I think that sometimes we get people killed because they do not have the necessary information. We have not done very well as regards this matter. However, I want to assure hon. Members that we will work with all of them, especially those who have this problem because it is real and requires all of us to work together.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr M. B. Mwale (Malambo): Sir, when will land use plans be fully developed and implemented so as to minimise human-animal conflicts in GMAs?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament is not in good standing with the Government because he has court cases.

Interruptions

Mrs Masebo: However, the Government is working on more plans in terms of consultations and this is why …

Ms Kalima: On appoint of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kalima:Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. Is the hon. Minister standing right now in order to say who is in good standing with the Government as though she is a judge like you?

Laughter

Ms Kalima:Mr Speaker, is she in order to start judging people and saying that a hon. Member who is sitting here rightfully is not in good standing with others? I seek your ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Well, certainly that is not a task for a judge. However, on a serious note, I do not think it is appropriate to label hon. Members of Parliament as to how they are perceived by those on my right. I think that as hon. Members of this august House, we are all in good standing.

The hon. Minister may proceed.

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, I was saying that, as I indicated earlier on, we are reviewing the Wildlife Policy. There are a number of issues there that we need to address which our colleagues did not address previously.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mweetwa (Choma Central): Mr Speaker, since a number of people fall victim to human-animal conflicts, especially in Livingstone and other places where animals are preserved as part of nature and for economic reasons to promote tourism, are there measures in place to compensate victims?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, I thought I answered that question earlier on when someone asked about fields of crops being damaged and what the Government is able to do. My advice was that normally if it is crops, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the office of the Vice-President is mandated to address any form of disaster. So if anything happens that may be defined as a disaster, the relevant department to handle such a situation would be the DMMU. Hon. Members of Parliament can inform the area district commissioner’s office in order to bring to light what has happened which they are considering disastrous. In the past, even when there is an accident which has killed a number of people at the same time, we have seen that the Government moves in.

Mr Speaker, I also said that apart from this relief that the DMMU is able to give, we need to come up with a policy on the issues of compensation. We need to look at whether it is possible for the Government to 100 per cent compensate victims or not. I think it is a matter of policy. I am aware that in Kenya, the Government has or had in its wildlife policy such a provision. If an animal destroyed someone’s house or field, the government compensated that person. Further, I am also alive to the fact that Kenya is reviewing that policy because sometimes it is being abused. For example, when somebody sees that his/her field is not doing well, the individual just provokes some animals in the park to go and destroy that field so that they can go the government for compensation.

The Opposition interjected.

Mrs Masebo: So, there are all these tricks that people play. It is not …

Mr Speaker: Order!

She is narrating her experiences.

The hon. Minister can continue.

Laughter

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, these are matters of policy which we are reviewing.

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Livune (Katombola): Mr Speaker, since we are trying to assist each other in as far as managing of these issues is concerned, can the hon. Minister enlighten me on how an individual may attempt to provoke animals to go into his/her field so that I am kept alert to help in this regard?

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, there are many ways. One of the ways is simply to go and encroach in a national park, build a house and then later report it has been damaged. So, we have a number of people that are encroaching even in the GMAs today. We have national parks encroached in completely by the communities and those have become big social conflicts even within the community leadership. Some chiefs have been asking the Government to move the people out of the GMAs. So, there are many ways. I can give him others during break.

Thank you, Sir.

Professor Lungwangwa (Nalikwanda): Mr Speaker, can the hon. Minister, who has been described as Madam Tourism, enlighten the House and the nation as a whole on how the animals are sensitised in this whole challenge of human-animal conflict in order to achieve a win-win situation?

Interruptions

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, I think the professor may have learnt more about these issues than myself. However, let me say that there is a need to ensure that the animals are kept in the parks and people do not encroach in the habitat or corridors of the animals.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter

EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN LIUWA

243. Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa) asked the Minister of Tourist and Art:

(a)what plans the Government had to exploit natural resources such as wildlife in Liuwa Parliamentary Constituency as a means of fighting the high levels of poverty in the area; and

(b)when the plans  at (a) would be implemented.

Mr D. Phiri:Mr Speaker, wildlife, as a natural resource, is already being exploited in terms of tourism in Liuwa Parliamentary Constituency. Local people have been employed in wildlife tourism-related jobs in the area which is contributing to poverty reduction. The Government is encouraging the construction of lodges in and around the national park that will create employment to the local communities living around the park. The access road from Mongu to Kalabo has been a limiting factor to these developments. You may also wish to know that the Mongu/Kalabo Road is now being constructed.

Mr Speaker, as stated earlier, there are community camps and a tented camp operating in the park that are receiving touristsat the moment. Further, one lodge will be constructed in the park next year.

I thank you, Sir.

Dr Musokotwane:Mr Speaker, thank you for that answer. Last week, I was in Liuwa and I was asked a question to which I could not provide an answer. During the campaign period for the presidential and general elections last year, one of the empowerment promises made by the PF candidate was that once they got into Government, the local residents would be empowered to hunt inside the park so that they would enjoy the meat. 

Laughter

Dr Musokotwane: The residents in Liuwa are listening to the radio now. When will the Government open up the national park for free hunting?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Masebo:Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Nalolo, who was the campaign manager for the Western Province, refuses that there was no such campaign promise. I think we should not use this House for stories which are not factual. However, let me use this opportunity to say that Liuwa National Park, at the moment, has over 45,000 animals. At the time, the national park was depleted, there were only 10,000 animals. The Government has a programme of restocking depleted national parks, but this time around wants to implement it using the private-public-partnership (PPP) concept. Therefore, I would like to appeal to the hon. Members of Parliament to take keen interest in the management of national parks by way of participating as partners with other people we may get from outside the country who may want to engage in managing the national parks. I think that it is important to give this information to our communities so that they participate and not just be employed all the time. However, the local people or business community should be taking up these projects by way of getting into some business arrangement with other foreign investors so that we see the real benefits of our natural resources.

I thank you, Sir.

__________{mospagebreak}

BILLS

FIRST READING

THE RE-DENOMINATION OF CURRENCY BILL, 2012

The Minister of Finance (Mr Chikwanda):Mr Speaker, I beg to present a Bill entitled the Re-Denomination of Currency Bill, 2012. The objects of the Bill are to provide for the following:

(a)the re-denomination of the existing currency;

(b)effective date of application of the re-denominated currency;

(c)circulation of the existing currency and the re-denominated currency;

(d)display of prices in both the existing and re-denominated currency during the effective period;

(e)application of the re-denominated currency to acts performed under legal instruments;

(f)treatment of debt obligations and rounding off rules;

(g)technological adaptation connected with the redenominated currency; and

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

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: The Bill stands referred to the Committee on Economic Affairs, Energy and Labour.  The Committee is required to submit its report on the Bill to the House by Thursday, 15th November, 2012. Hon. Members who wish to make submissions or amendments to the Bill are free to do so within the programme of work of the Committee. 

________

MOTIONS

BUDGET 2013

(Debate resumed)

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication (Dr Mwali):Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the debate of the 2013 Budget Address presented to this House on 12th October, 2012 by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda, MP.

Mr Speaker, I will confine my remarks to issues concerning the road sector as brought out in the Budget Speech and the debate generated on the Floor of this House. Allow me to mention how happy we are that the hon. Minister of Finance has favourably responded to our request to recapitalise Government Printers. The K50 billion allocated in the Budget to the Government Printers for recapitalisation will ensure that, yet again, we deliver on the promise to print ballot papers locally.

Mr Muntanga: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Muntanga:Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to raise this point of order. Is the hon. Minister of Tourism and Arts in order to continue doing what she is doing as regards the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) whose board she dissolved early this year when, according to the ZAWA Act, ZAWA is empowered to run the affairs of this country?

Mr Mukata: Eeh? 

Mr Muntanga: In Part II of the ZAWA Act, it is empowered to control, manage, conserve, protect and administer national parks, bird sanctuaries, wildlife sanctuaries and game management areas and co-ordinate activities in such areas. It goes on and on.

Mr Speaker, I found no provision that empowers the hon. Minister to do what she is doing. Is she in order not to constitute the board and allow a vacuum in the administration of our wild life?

I seek your ruling, Sir.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I am sure he meant the affairs of the parks and not the nation.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: I do not have before me, of course understandably so, the relevant enabling legislation, but I know, generally,that the power to constitute the Board of ZAWA is vested in the hon. Minister. It is the statutory board that is charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of ZAWA on a day-to-day basis. The exercise of that power is, of course, in the Executive. However, in the meantime, I also take note that there is an incumbent Director-General who is responsible for managing the institution. All I can say, in sum, is that we will expect that the provisions of the Act will be abided to. The law is very clear.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Dr Mwali: Mr Speaker, I was saying that the allocation to the Government Printers for recapitalisation will ensure that, yet again, we deliver on the promise to print ballot papers locally.

Mr Ng’onga: Hear, hear!

Dr Mwali: This will greatly enhance the integrity of our electoral process and help us keep valuable resources within our borders in our future elections. 

Mr Speaker, it is gratifying that the transport sector continues to attract a significant portion of our Budget. This is despite the low absorption capacity by the road sector in 2012. Indeed, the low absorption capacity experienced in 2012 is of serious concern to the PF Administration. We can, however, assure this House and the nation that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has come to understand and appreciate the factors that have contributed to this unacceptable performance. 

Mr Speaker, two things happened at almost the same time. We need to appreciate that the allocation to the road sector by the PF Administration, especially in the 2012 Budget to the RDA, is unprecedented. Approximately, K4.3 trillion was allocated in the 2012 Budget compared to K860 billion in 2006. This still is a significant increase even if we take into account the effects of inflation.

Mr Speaker, the administration at the RDA has remained with constant staffing levels over the years. The staffing levels at the agency were further reduced following efforts to change the bad image of the institution in December, 2011 which saw the termination of contracts of personnel in the procurement unit and from key positions in other departments, especially in the Construction Department. There were delays in replacing the personnel whose contracts where terminated, thus contributing to the inadequacies in the capacity of the RDA. Action has since been taken to fill all the vacancies and we have gone further to approve a new structure for the institution which aims at enhancing the capacity and, at the same time, decentralising its functions.

Mr Speaker, putting things in context and in response to engineer, Hon. Mooya, this Government inherited the Road Sector Investment Programme (ROADSIP) which is a fifteen-year programme which commenced in 1998 as a result of the road sector reforms initiated by the Government in 1993. ROADSIP was divided into two phases, i.e. ROADSIP I, from 1998 to 2003, and ROADSIP II, from 2004 to 2013. 

Mr Speaker, ROADSIP II was initially for five years up to 2008, but was extended for another five years. One of the major objectives of Road SIP was to bring the core road network just over 40,000 km to a maintainable condition through periodic maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction. At the start of the programme in 1998, the road condition across the various classes of roads was 60 per cent poor for trunk, main and district roads, 20 per cent fair, and under 20 per cent was good, while 90 per cent of the feeder roads were in a poor condition. This year, 3 per cent of the paved trunk, main and district roads are in poor condition, 29 per cent are fair, while 68 per cent are good. 42 per cent of the unpaved trunk, main and district roads are poor, 29 per cent are fair, and 29 per cent are in good condition.

Mr Speaker, the bulk of primary feeder and urban roads remain in a poor state, 77 per and 70 per cent of the primary feeder and urban roads are in poor conditionrespectively. It is safe to suggest that one of the major objectives of improving the core road network has been, to a small extent, achieved on paved trunk, main and district roads, and has not been achieved on unpaved roads, primarily feeder and urban roads.

Mr Speaker, let me come to the topical subject of the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project. The Road Sector Investment Programme (ROADSIP) comes to an end next year. The emphasis on this programme was on rehabilitation and maintenance. Very little was done to open new roads of both social and economic significance. Moreover, as far back as the mid 1980s, no significant new roads were added to the national stock despite the significant increase in human populationand number of vehicles. At Independence, the number of vehicles was merely, a few tens of thousands. This year, the vehicles in Zambia are 300,000. This is about 1,000 per cent increase. However, the length of the road network has, by and large, remained static. This has led to the overwhelming condition we are seeing on our roads countrywide. Therefore, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project is a relevant and timeous programme, which will, definitely, augment the achievements of the ROADSIP I and II programmes. Most importantly, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project will take on board, the maintenance agenda throughout its lifespan. 

Mr Speaker, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project is an important programme which will result in the expansion of roads to match the remarkable increase of both the human population and the number of vehicles in the country. This programme will also be used as a means of addressing the serious traffic congestion currently being experienced in the country. Upgrading of gravel roads to bituminous standards under this programme will result in high tangible benefits, including savings in road maintenance costs, reduced road user costs, reduced travel time, improved riding comfort, improved road safety and improved quality of life, among other things.

Mr Speaker, in view of these benefits, it is justified that major gravel roads, linking areas of significance and economic benefit be upgraded to bituminous standard as opposed to maintaining them in their gravel standard.

Mr Speaker, questions have been raised on the Floor of this House on the availability of resources and contractors to execute this programme. With regard to resources, the Treasury has been extremely responsive, as I alluded to earlier, and I look forward to the Treasury’s continued support.

Mr Speaker, on the availability of contractors, I am glad to inform the House that the National Council for Construction (NCC) has registered eighteen grade one and about seventeen grade two Zambian/citizen-owned road contractors. These categories of contractors are capable of undertaking major road works in Zambia. Further, under international competitive biding, other international contractors can still participate.

Mr Speaker: Order!

                Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours.

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Mwali: Mr Speaker, the Government has put in place a plan to improve capacity of the lower grade local road contractors through good policies such as the 20 per cent mandatory sub-contracting to Zambian/citizen-owned construction companies. These policies will help many companies participate in construction activities in Zambia, and this will lead to empowerment and employment creation among Zambians. Some critics have referred to the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project as yet another unattainable PF promise, while others are concerned that maintenance of roads will be neglected. The cardinal point in the debate is that the hon. Minister of Finance is proposing to spend K3.4 trillion on the road network in 2013. Although this amount is slightly below the 2012 allocation, it will, nonetheless, facilitate work on, at least, 1,500 km of our roads. The focus for building new roads will be on roads identified in the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project.

Mr Speaker, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project is not a campaign promise. However, it is an activity backed in the Budget. While some road projects are being advertised, work contracts on some roads are being signed, and work on some roads has commenced.

Mr Speaker, His Excellency, the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, commissioned road projects in Lusaka on 20th September, 2012. On 23rd November, 2012, road projects will be commissioned in the Eastern Province, and in December this year, road projects will be commissioned in Luapula Province.

Mr Speaker, we are the first people to acknowledge that because resources for upgrading roads are limited, stage construction has been adopted for important roads of potential social and economic activity.

Mr Speaker, we realise that a lot more needs to be done if the road sector is to implement its  ambitious programme which has been set by the PF Administration.

Sir, the thrust of the efforts by this Government aimed at streamlining operations in the road sector are in the areas of procurement management, project and contract management and restructuring and decentralisation of the RDA functions.

Mr Speaker, as regards procurement, we welcome the decision by the Ministry of Finance to confine the role of the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) to that of providing oversight and regulation. On its part, the RDA will raise the threshold of its regional offices.

Sir, the Attorney-General has lately also become a significant player in the procurement of works in the road sector. The Attorney-General takes four to twelve weeks to approve draft contract documents before contract signing. The RDA generates hundreds of tenders that the Attorney-General is required to review and approve on a case by case basis. This is enormous work for the Attorney-General.

Mr Speaker, in order to reduce on the time occasioned by this procedure, the RDA is to introduce a standard contract form whose standard clauses the Attorney-General will scrutinise and approve so long the RDA does not modify in any way the clauses as approved. 

Sir, accordingly, the road sector is reverting to the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) form of contract which the country used for many years during the Roads Department days. 

Mr Speaker, concerning project and contract management, it has become fashionable for the RDA to employ contractors who mobilise to the site before consultants are employed. There are structural problems with this practice.

Sir, we are improving the RDA project and contract management through ensuring that consultancy services are commissioned ahead of works contracts.

Mr Speaker, on the issue of the restructuring and decentralisation of the RDA functions, a new structure has been approved for the RDA which will also see some functions decentralised. The planning and procurement functions will be decentralised from the RDA Head Office to the regional offices so as to enhance performance and effective delivery of the RDA mandate. More engineers should be based in the regional offices to ensure that the backlog of project implementation is addressed forthwith. 

Sir, at the same time, the RDA is vigorously pursuing the utilisation of the Clause in the Public Road Act No. 20 of 2002, providing for the appointment of local road authorities. This will see the RDA delegate more works to local authorities, thereby, responding to a major cry.

Currently, the RDA has devolved authority to eighteen selected local authorities which includes Lusaka provincial centres and districts on the Copperbelt as well as along the line of rail.

Mr Speaker, regarding efficiencies in road construction intervention, the Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Projecthas benefitted from lessons in past road projects. We have learnt from appropriate and inappropriate interventions used in past road works.

Sir, a number of appropriate road interventions, which have resulted in roads performing throughout their respective service life have been undertaken in the past years. Examples of such interventions include, asphalt concrete interventions of the Chingola/Kitwe/Kapiri-Mposhi (T3) which was completed in 1992, and the KapiriMposhi/Serenje Road, which was completed in 2004, where, despite inadequate maintenance provisions, have serviced and benefitted road users and the Government, fully.

Mr Speaker, there have also been situations where very good and expensive interventions are misapplied on roads with very low traffic volumes. An example is the Formula One (F1) Programme in the urban roads of Lusaka, Kabwe and the Copperbelt. Some of the urban roads under this programme did not deserve to receive the intervention of crushed stone base course and asphalt concrete surfacing.

Sir, further, we are rationalising those interventions in order to optimise use of the scarce resources and ensure that our roads provide the required service throughout their respective design life. Some roads have failed, largely, due to inappropriate interventions. Such scenarios have led to the Government spending more financial resources for subsequent maintenance meant to keep such roads …

Hon. Government Member interjected.

Dr Mwali: Nachilumbula.

Laughter 

Mr Speaker: Order!

Dr Mwali:Mr Speaker, he is accusing me of not having mentioned His Excellency the President, which I did.

Sir, the Serenje/Nakonde Road which was maintained in 2000 under the World Bank funding of the ROADSIP 1, failed prematurely due to inappropriate intervention choice which did not adequately take into consideration, the sharp increase of transporting of goods, imports and exports alike by road to and from the port of Dar-es-Salaam. The double surface dressing (DSD) intervention proved inadequate in this case.

Mr Speaker, the Chingola/Solwezi Road also failed prematurely despite having been rehabilitated in 2004 because of the inadequate consideration of the potential increase in mining activities in the North-Western Province which resulted in the sharp increase of heavy goods vehicles transporting large quantities of copper ore to the Copperbelt for smelting.

Sir, the intervention of the DSD, in this case, was inappropriate because of the substantial increase in axle loads. The Bottom Road is also an example of inappropriate intervention. This road had been maintained in gravel standard even when the climatic and topographic conditions did not permit.

Mr Speaker, as we strive to transform Zambia into a land-linked country, we are also guaranteeing value for money.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport (Mr Mubukwanu):Mr Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for according me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Floor of this House, on behalf of my ministry.

Sir, I wish to congratulate the Minister of Finance, Mr Alexander Chikwanda, for ably delivering on his duty, as the bearer of the message from His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu:… the 2013 National Budget whose theme is “Delivering Inclusive Development and Social Justice”.

Mr Speaker, there have been public statements from some leaders of struggling political parties in our country, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: … pledging to go every mile to frustrate the 2013 National Budget. No wonder the trend has been evident in most debates from hon. Members on your left.

Mr Speaker, how else can one explain the few trips out of this Chamber that were undertaken by the hon. Members on your left?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mubukwanu: Imagine if the numbers were not on our side, we would have had serious challenges in progressing with the Business of this House as the Budget debate would have hit a snag.

Hon. Government Members: Shame!

Mr Mubukwanu: Sir, the 2013 National Budget, as presented to this House by the hon. Minister of Finance, sets the stage for inclusive growth in the duration it is intended for implementation. 

Mr Speaker, the numerous tax measures and incentives proposed by the hon. Minister of Finance are compelling enough to both the international and local investors to be innovative by creating jobs for our people, especially, the young. 

The great opportunities offered by the 2013 National Budget …

Mr Livune: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Livune: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister on the Floor in order to continue frustrating the hon. Members on your left when, in actual fact, we are supposed to be working as a family, and even to pass this Budget, the colleagues on the right are depending on us. Is he in order to continue frustrating us to the point where we can refuse to pass this Budget? I seek your serious ruling.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: Order

I am unable to discern in what way the hon. Deputy Minister for Youth and Sport is frustrating the left. Assuming that you are referring to the many political remarks he might have made, then I will only urge that we focus on the policy issues in the debate.

You may proceed, hon. Deputy Minister.

Mr Mubukwanu: Mr Speaker, the great opportunities offered by the 2013 National Budget in various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, tourism and manufacturing challenge our local contractors to compete favourably so that their active participation and implementation of the progressive proposed measures will help fulfil the expectation of our people. Our young people should be innovative by taking up opportunities in the construction and agricultural sectors. 

Mr Speaker, it was saddening to listen to some of the former hon. Ministers in the MMD question the viability of agriculture as a job spinner. No wonder unemployment levels reached their highest in the last year of the MMD in Government.

Sir, I want to re-affirm that agriculture is and shall remain very crucial in job creation in our country. A diversified agricultural sector, inclusive of both crop and livestock production, coupled with local value addition, has great potential to change the employment situation in our country and, in return, offer decent jobs to our youths.

Mr Speaker, the removal of tax on sporting equipment in the 2013 National Budget is a very big boost to the sporting fraternity in our country. It will not only take sports to a higher level, but also contribute immensely to the development of sports by building up a pool of professionals who can competitively participate in various international tournaments in various disciplines.

Mr Speaker, I now call upon the mining companies and the private sector at large to seize this great opportunity to re-introduce sports festivals and reserve teams that will serve as reservoirs for the senior teams and, subsequently, the national teams. We should be able to, once again, have school boy internationals playing for the senior Zambia National Soccer Team.

Sir, as a ministry, we have a commitment to ensuring that there will no longer be a thing called a minor sport. We urge the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ), whose chairperson is comfortably seated next to me, to prompt member associations to make every effort to assist their various sports disciplines to benefit from the removal of duty on sports equipment. 

Mr Speaker, as I conclude, may I take this opportunity to urge the hon. Members of this House to rally behind this Budget as we have done each time our national soccer team wins a crucial match.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Mubukwanu: Our youths, under the MMD Government, were heavily patronised, to the extent that they were made to live on handouts. This did not only make them dependent, but also deprived them of the human dignity to live by their labour. 

The hon. Minister of Finance boldly took a deliberate shift from this approach by clearly stating in his address, and I quote:

    “The fundamental approach is to build a self-reliant people able to sustainably generate money for their own pockets. This is the surest way of sustainably defeating poverty and delivering the inalienable rights of liberty and social justice for all our people.”

Mr Speaker, in this quest, the PF Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, will undertake to establish provincial youth farms in each of our ten provinces in which youths will not only be employed, but also participate as shareholders. We shall also endeavour to support our out-of-school youths with skills training in every district of our country so that they can also participate in the job market.

Mr Speaker, like most progressive Zambians, I look forward to the successful 2013 Budget implementation too.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Finance (Mr Sampa): Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Floor, which is on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 2013, as presented by the hon. Minister of Finance, Mr Alexander Chikwanda.

Mr Speaker, I will address some of the issues raised by hon. Members of Parliament on your left. 

Sir, I noticed that there were many ‘the Zambian people want this’ utterances. Hon. Kalima kept saying, “the Zambian people want this” in her debate. My question is: Who has appointed her as the spokesperson for the 13.5 million … 

Interruptions

Mr Sampa: … 13.5 million Zambians? I am sure … 

Ms Kalima: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Kalima: Mr Speaker, I am shocked by what the hon. Deputy Minister who is debating is saying. I have not debated on the Budget and wonder why these people love me so much that …

Laughter

Ms Kalima: … I should be included in every debate. 

Sir, is the hon. Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Miles Sampa, in order to include me in his debate when I have not spoken? I was enjoying myself in Canada.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter 

Mr Speaker: Order!

I think that, in spite of the love that we have for other hon. Members, let us be factual.

Laughter 

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, now that I have managed to get my colleagues’ attention, let me go straight into the serious and substantive issues.

Laughter 

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the first issue is about the famous or infamous windfall tax.

Hon. Opposition Member: Question!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the windfall tax is not the same thing as Government income from the mines. The difference is that the windfall tax is only, but one of the many forms of getting income from the mines. Other types of income from the sector are mineral royalties, customs duty and income tax, to mention, but a few.

Sir, what the people of Zambia want is not necessarily the windfall tax, but more income from the mines by all the various means. What they do not want is for this Government … 

Interruptions 

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Members on the left were given the opportunity to debate. It is now time for the right to respond. Let us maintain the appropriate dignity and decorum. 

Mr Sampa: Sir, what the people of Zambia do not want is for the Government to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. An increase in the windfall tax would only penalise only one or two mines that are currently making profit. The other mines are in real or false losses mostly due to accounting principles of which they are taking advantage.

Sir, the situation we inherited in the mining sector shows that nearly all copper mines are loss-making because the fishing net left by the MMD Government was torn and had big holes. So, the small fish like kapenta are just going through without getting caught.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, in order to catch more small fish, one is not supposed to buy a net with big holes. The Government has realised that the best starting point is to increase income from the mines. We reckon that, once we tighten all the loopholes and increase the monitoring processes, we will get more income from the mines without unsettling the investors. If we have nets with small holes, fish will not go through. The tax regime that we inherited only focused on the so-called income tax. Some of these mines make sure that they make losses every year so that this Government has no tax to calculate the income tax from. 

Mr Speaker, if we were to introduce and set windfall tax at 60 per cent, and these companies are making negative K2 billion as profit, 60 per cent of negative K2 billion will give us zero. Even if we increase that 60 per cent to 90 per cent, it will still remain zero. Even if we adjust the windfall tax, as long as the mines are making losses, it will remain the same. In the 2013 Budget, we are trying to ensure that these mines show profits, not losses. By the way, it is illegal not to pay tax. If you are intelligent, as a company, you can use the laws and principles of accounting. This way, you will not pay tax. It is very easy to create losses of your own a company. 

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Hon. Deputy Minister, you are addressing the Speaker.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, if a company really wants to show profit, it can use what is called transfer-pricing. There is nothing illegal about it and it is done all over the world.  If you subtract revenue from expenditure, you will get your profit. If you want to make a loss, you will increase your expenditure.  For the multi-national corporations (MNCs) to get transfer pricing, they would import machinery which is worth so much and put that on their balance sheet. For that particular year, they would show that they incurred that cost. When they subtract that cost from the sales, they will make a loss. In the meantime, the company where they imported that particular machine might be a parent company and it would have made a profit on that transaction. As a group, they will make a profit but, as a country, we will make a loss. That is what is called transfer-pricing, and it is an issue worldwide. This Budget is looking to address that.

Mr Ntundu interjected.

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Gwembe, please, do not interject.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister of Finance also talked about capital allowance in the Budget. These mines would bring in equipment which they would not even use, put the cost on their balance sheet and benefit from tax concessions. Now, the hon. Minister of Finance has indicated that machinery has to be in use before a company can benefit from the tax concession. We have also depreciated the machinery over four years. Before, the rules were that, if somebody brought in a machine worth US$10 million, for example, they would immediately put it on their balance sheet and show a loss. We have come in and said that we will depreciate that over four years. So, only 25 per cent of that equipment would go in this year’s Budget. With that, there will be enough income left for this Government to tax. We are looking at making the system foolproof with the existing laws.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, I will not use my hon. Minister’s description to refer to those who keep talking about the windfall tax. I will simply say that they should be forgiven because they do not know what they are talking about.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Interruptions

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, let me quickly go to the concerns over the FRA. 

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Sampa remained silent.

Mr Speaker: You are on the Floor, hon. Deputy Minister.

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, this Budget is meant to return the FRA to its original role of buying and storing strategic food reserves. The K300 billion in the Budget is for strategic reserves estimated at 500, 000 metric tonnes. 

Sir, if the FRA will need additional funds, it will be expected to borrow from the commercial banks, buy the maize, sell it and pay back the loans. The issue of maize subsidy has been a cancer on the Treasury because huge sums of money that should be used on hospitals and schools are drained, unfortunately, not for the actual maize production, but in the process of procuring and distributing the seeds and maize after harvest. A subsidy, by definition, makes a product cheaper but, in our maize subsidy, the product is more expensive than the ones that are not subsidised. The Government spends money under FISP and spends even more to purchase the maize. This Government thinks that there is so much wastage of resources in this process. Therefore, we want to do things differently. Doing things the same way and expecting different results is being lunatic.

Interruptions

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, we want to do things differently so that we get results. Who said that the FRA means maize? Is there not a possibility the agency storing wheat, millet or groundnuts?

Mr Speaker, we are looking at agricultural diversification as a solution to this maize syndrome. We want those on your left to realise that food if not maize only, but also rice and many other crops. 

Mr Speaker, let me now proceed to the Eurobond issue. 

Sir, for an individual to become rich, particularly in Zambia, they need to have earned the money or inherited it. If you have not raised enough while working, the next thing you can do is borrow. It is perfectly alright to borrow. Some use other dishonest means which I will not go into. It is similar for a country. Where there are enough internal resources, we can tax people. However, there is a limit to which we can tax them, otherwise we will put them out of business. 

Sir, going out there to borrow is perfectly fine. Having been privileged to be among the experts in the ministry and the Central Bank who went to market this product, the people out there think that Zambia is a good story. They think that, in Zambia, we are the number one copper producers in Africa as well as a peaceful country which has changed presidents five times without firing a single bullet and we have seventy-three tribes, yet we live in harmony. There has never been a civil war and it does not look like there will ever be any. So, those were the marketing points we were using and the investors liked our story. 

Mr Speaker, as you heard, they gave us more than what we were looking for and the rate that they gave us is the best that any African country has achieved on its debut.  The entire financial services community is applauding us. When I hear people condemning it, I wonder. It is unethical for some hon. Members on your left to start condemning the Eurobond because they are the ones who approved it. The Eurobond was brought to this House through the 2012 Budget and they ratified it. Why should they stand and start condemning what they ratified? 

Mr Speaker, Hon. Dr Musokotwane mentioned that the MMD should get the praise for securing the Eurobond, not the PF. However, like in football, it is not the one who passes the ball who gets the accolade. It is the top striker who scores.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Mr Speaker, the MMD passed us the ball and our number nine, the hon. Minister of Finance scored and the net is still shaking.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: The coach is His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: Sir, Hon. Mbulakulima should know that we were excited because we know that we now have the financial means to refurbish the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). We are excited because, now, we have the means to revamp the railway system. Hon. Livune should be the happiest because the Mulobezi Railway Line in his constituency, …

Mr Livune: Hear, hear!

Laughter

Mr Sampa: … which was originally meant to transport timber from Western Province to Livingstone, is so dilapidated that it only carries goats now. We have the money to revamp that railway line.  

Sir, we are excited because we have now realised that we have funds to stop power cuts by investing in the generation of more electricity. Hon. Members of Parliament, that have small companies and wish to access some of the funds from the Eurobond can now go to the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) and put their business proposal foward. I know that my colleague, Hon. Garry Nkombo, has a security company that I was a client of.

Hon. Opposition Member: Question.

Mr Sampa: He can now go to the DBZ, to borrow money for such projects.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa:Mr Speaker, finally, I note that Hon. Hamududu stated that Budget guidelines are not met followed because of the work culture of civil servants. I cannot agree with him more. There is urgent need to get the Civil Service to be more result oriented. We need to shift the Civil Service from the culture of having meeting upon meetings … 

Hon. Government Member: And workshops.

Mr Sampa: … and also, workshops upon workshops. Once this Budget is approved, we expect the civil servants to immediately start the implementation stage. They need to start advertising for contracts, so that come 1st January, 2013, the actual ground work and not paper work can begin, so that by December, 2012, the Budget would have been exhausted.

Mr Speaker, since the Opposition respect so many sentiments that come from the World Bank, let me conclude by quoting one of the respectable newspapers in Zambia which is The Zambia Daily Mail. On page 6, of The Zambia Daily Mail, of Wednesday, 17th October, 2012, under the headline, “Zambia should spend resources.” In that article, the World Bank Country Manager, Kundhavi Kadiresan, when commenting on the Budget said: 

 “the Government proposal to restrict operations on the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is commendable, adding that the challenge remains in defining the size of strategic food reserves and employing transparent processes to procure reserves. There is need to enact a new Agriculture Marketing Act and to amend the FRA Act for the agency to stop influencing maize prices. The enactment of the new Act will among other things establish an agricultural marketing council to enforce measures. The Government’s move to avoid major changes to the mining fiscal regime will breed a sense of greater fiscal stability. The Government did not bring about major shift policies in the mining sector in the 2012 Budget. This provides the right signals to the mining sector for more future investments.”

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa:Mr Speaker, that is the World Bank commending this Government for not changing the tax regime in the mining sectors. Doing things that way will attract more investments into Zambia. The PF Government is committed to efforts to attract more investment because only then we will create more jobs in Zambia.

Sir, this new Budget under the leadership of President Micheal Sata …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sampa: … will create more jobs. With those words, I support the Motion.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting (Mr Kapeya):Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the 2013 National Budget which was presented to this House, by the hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda, on the 12th October, 2012.

Mr Speaker: Order! Order!

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, let me join follow hon. Members of this august House in congratulating the, hon. Minister of Finance, for presenting to this House, the first ever National Budget under the PF Government after its resounding victory in last year’s elections.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question.

Mr Kapeya: As opposed to this year’s Budget which we largely inherited from the MMD, as we came into office last year, the 2012 Budget represents the PF’s vision of making Zambia a better place for all as promised in our manifesto. 

Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to dismiss assertions by some sections of the Opposition that the 2013 National Budget does not address real issues. That is far from the truth. Contrary to such empty political rhetoric, Zambians across the country, including some eminent and prominent economists and scholars, have, indeed, commended the first PF Government’s prepared National Budget.

Mr Speaker, among other merits, the Budget has projected improved funding to major sectors such as road infrastructure, health, education and agriculture which are key to job and wealth creation. So, who are we, as politicians, to dismiss what the people of Zambia have said is the best Budget?

Mr Speaker, as politicians assembled in this august House, one thing we should bear in mind is that, forty-eight years after independence, Zambians have seen many budgets come and go. In this regard, they have learnt a lot and therefore, they have known what they want. So, when they say that the PF Budget is good, we should believe them because  they understand some of these issues better than some of us.

Hon. Opposition Members: Question.

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, allow me to humbly advise the hon. Members of the Opposition not to over-rate themselves by thinking that they are more intelligent than the majority Zambians who are out there who have overwhelmingly endorsed next year’s Budget.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya: Otherwise, if the hon. Members of the Opposition are not careful, they may just be digging their own political graves from which they may never resurrect.

Mr Speaker, this brings me to the complaints made by some members of the Opposition that the public media, and in particular, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), is not covering them fairly. These complaints are untrue and unfortunate. The people of Zambia have not forgotten how partisan, unprofessional and unethical, the public media had become under the MMD regime. It was a taboo for the Opposition to feature on the ZNBC news under the previous regime. Then, it was not possible to even mention a name of an Opposition political party member for instance Mwansa Kapeya.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has reversed this sad state of affairs and restored objectivity and professionalism in the media today. The ZNBC and other media houses are no longer a preserve of the party in power as we saw in the twenty years of the MMD rule. They are now covering all politicians. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, the ZNBC, like other media outlets, has been covering the Opposition adequately, including their recent walk-out from the debate in this House. 

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Kapeya: As always, the ZNBC was on hand and fairly covered the walk-out. Hon. Lungwangwa was interviewed and featured prominently on ZNBC’s evening news. 

Laughter

Hon. Government Member: Professor!

Mr Kapeya: Therefore, for the Opposition to claim that the public media, in particular, …

Professor Lungwangwa: On a point of order, Sir. 

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Professor Lungwangwa:Mr Speaker, I thank you for granting me this point of order. 

Mr Speaker, I am seated here listening very patiently to the hon. Deputy Minister who is engaging in a cross country debate. Is he in order to bring me into his debate in such a manner?

Mr Speaker: The tradition and practice of the House is to try and avoid debating individuals. I think that the hon. Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting can still make a point without necessarily referring to individuals. By the way, I am not impeaching the veracity of that statement. 

The hon. Minister may continue. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear. Hear!

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, I thank you for your guidance. 

Sir, for the Opposition to claim that the public media, in particular the ZNBC, is biased is totally untrue. 

Mr Speaker, let me also talk about media development in Zambia. The PF Government is resolved to growing the media industry to the extent where every Zambian should have access to information. If the MMD Government had continued from where the United National Independence Party (UNIP) left off in terms of media development, we could have registered a lot of growth in the country’s media industry today. 

Mr Speaker, UNIP was very mindful that without an effective media, most parts of the country would lag behind in terms of development. In view of this, UNIP embarked on the construction of modern infrastructure …

Hon. Opposition Members:Aah!

Mr Kapeya: …like the Mass Media Complex on Alick Nkata Road in Lusaka, introduced colour television and created the Zambia News Agency (ZANA). 

Mr Speaker, when the MMD Government was in office, it completely closed doors to media development in country and even destroyed the little that the country had such as ZANA. 

Ms Siliya: On a point of order, Sir. 

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, the PF Government under the visionary and dynamic leadership of His Excellency …

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised. 

Ms Siliya:Mr Speaker, let me state from the onset that I am at pains to raise this point of order on the hon. Deputy Minister. However, is the hon. Deputy Minister debating in order to mislead this House that in the last twenty years the Zambian people, represented by the Governments they had elected achieved nothing in terms of media development, when from 1991 onwards, we saw the accelerated opening of community radio stations? I need your serious, Sir. 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My preface to this ruling is that as far as possible let us give opportunity to the colleagues on my right to respond to the various issues. There may be contests over opinions and judgments. However, hon. Members from the Opposition should exercise some patience and let those from the Government respond to the issues which they raised.  

If we do not put this caveat on the points of order, there is a risk that the right may be inhibited from responding to the various issues that you raised.  

The hon. Minister may continue.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, the PF Government under the visionary and dynamic leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, wants to continue from where UNIP and not MMD left off …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Kapeya: …by putting up provincial television stations in all the provinces of the country, re-introducing vernacular newspapers, allowing self-regulation of the media and improving radio and television reception throughout the country. 

Mr Speaker, this is why the creation of new districts …

Interruptions

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, I request the hon. Members of Parliament to hear me very correctly on this issue. 

Hon. Opposition Members:Aah!

Mr Kapeya:Mr Speaker, this is why the creation of new districts by the PF Government deserves commendation rather than condemnation. The creation of new districts, as some Members of the Opposition may not be aware, will indeed contribute to the improvement of radio reception around the country. 

Hon. Opposition Member: How?

Mr Kapeya: I will qualify that statement. 

Mr Speaker, the Government’s policy today is to install Radio 1 and 2 transmitters in every district throughout the country. Each transmitter broadcasts over a distance of 70 km radius. If, therefore, districts are close to each other, this will automatically improve radio reception around the country. 

Mr Speaker, I also wish to comment on accusations by the Opposition that the PF Government is spending a lot of money on expensive vehicles for hon. Ministers and hon. Deputy Ministers.   

Hon. Opposition Members: Yes!

Mr Kapeya: We have very short memories. This is highly misleading because hon. Ministers and hon. Deputy Ministers …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Hon. Minister, please focus on the policy issues. This particular Motion is not like those which are omnibus in nature through which you can bring all sundry issues on the Floor of the House. The major principle of any parliamentary debate is relevance to the Motion. Please bear in mind the Motion under debate as you proceed.  

MrKapeya: I thank you for your guidance, Sir. 

Mr Speaker, the policy of the PF Government is to ensure that we improve information dissemination to all parts of the country compared to what the situation used to be in the past. It is only when every corner of the country is effectively informed that we will allow Zambians to make informed decisions. 

Mr Speaker, I thank you. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Eastern Province (Mr C. Banda): Mr Speaker, thank you for according me the opportunity to add my thoughts on behalf of the people of the Eastern Province to the Budget Speech of 12th October, 2012, ably presented by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda, MP.

Mr Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr Muntanga: ABC!

Mr C. Banda: Sir, I wish to begin by congratulating the hon. Minister for a job well done.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, for the first time in the history of our Parliament, I listened to an all embracing Budget Address. The hon. Minister did not leave out any sector in his pronouncements of good will and intentions of revitalising the country’s economy and welfare of both the ordinary citizens and the business community. I must state that most of our people in the business community have actually upheld this Budget. For example, for those who are in the transport sector, buying tyres was a very big problem but, because of the zero rating of the tax on tyres, everyone is rejoicing and we are going to see the growth in the transport sector.

Mr Speaker, for ordinary citizens, we have seen that more money will be put in people’s pockets.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: We are rising day in and day out, putting more money as per our PF Manifesto.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: Just as the Republican President, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata indicated in his address during the Official Opening of the Second Session of the Eleventh National Assembly this year, the people of Zambia have been clearly identified as the centre of all activity as exemplified in the Budget Speech by Hon. Chikwanda, Minister of Finance. 

Sir, it is the intention of the PF Government, as enshrined in the Party’s Manifesto, to make things easier for our people to enjoy the benefits of the caring PF Government.

The Budget Address was very clear and scored several major points on economic affairs which include agriculture, fuel and energy, mining, transport, communication and tourism. We have seen an allocation of K8.9 trillion to these sectors, representing 27.6 per cent of the total Budget of K32.2 trillion. This is an excellent job and very well done.

Mr Speaker, agriculture in the EasternProvince is our mainstay. The more the Government is going to support agriculture, the more we are going to create economic activities for our people in the province. We are talking about creation of jobs. Jobs do not mean just being given a desk and sitting down with a pen and writing, but there are many other activities that one can venture into. These include business and business includes farming. We would like to make farming a business and not just an activity or a formality. When farming becomes a business, it means that it will develop to such levels that it will be passed on from generation to generation. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: That is what we are looking forward to in the EasternProvince. This can only be attained if we are going to have budgets like the Budget that has been presented for 2013. 

Mr Speaker, it is so pleasing to see that the budget for the health sector also has an allocation which has been pegged at K3.6 trillion, representing a total of 11.3 per cent of the 2013 Budget. There is no debate on this one because health is very critical. We, who come from the provinces, whose majority of the population are in the rural areas, value the aspect of increasing resources for health services. This is because it is in the rural areas where most of our young ones and mothers die when there are no health facilities. We talk about women in pregnancy and child mortality rates. When there is not enough provision for the health sector, a lot of lives are lost in the rural areas. When we have a budget which is as resolute as the 2013 Budget, presented by Hon. Chikwanda, we are very proud to say that now we can see a future for a happy population in a country called Zambia.

Mr Mwila: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, the education sector has been favoured with K5.6 trillion, representing 17.5 per cent of the total budget. This is what it ought to be. We need to get educated. When we were growing up, we used to wonder as to why Zambia had less than a thousand university graduates when we heard stories that countries like Nigeria had millions of university graduates. It was because of investment in the education sector. When we improve the education sector, we are going to have more people getting the best of education in this country. When you have got more people educated to very high levels, even finding solutions to poverty alleviation becomes easy.

Sir, I am aware that substantial amounts have been allocated to other sectors such as social protection, environmental protection, housing and community amenities, recreation, culture and religion and general government services. All I can say is, well done Minister of Finance.

Mr Speaker, apart from what I have said in my preamble, I have a duty to present an overview of the 2013 Budget allocation to the EasternProvince. We believe that with the increment that has been given to the 2013 Budget, we shall have an opportunity to accelerate development in the province. What has been done so far, in the past one year of the PF’s stay in power, is testimony enough that with more resources, we are going to change the face of this country, especially in the Eastern Province where I can attest to this because the works have began. People are beginning to see that the promises which His Excellency President Michael Chilufya Sata and the PF made during the campaigns, have come to fruition.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: People are seeing that things are being done.

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr C. Banda: What more with the increment in the Budget for 2013? It means that more will be done. We expect that as we go on, up to 2015/2016, this kind of phenomenon should be kept at the same rate or even better if we are going to do better to serve the people of Zambia, EasternProvince in particular.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, in one year, we have done what many people failed to do in twenty years.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: They failed to open up rural areas which we have done in one year in the Eastern Province. The question is: Where were they taking the money?

Mr Kalaba: Buried!

Mr C. Banda: If we were able to find the money ourselves within one year to show that it can be done and it will continue being done, why did they fail in twenty years?

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Greedy!

Mr C. Banda: Sir, against that background, allow me to briefly talk about the performance of the 2012 Annual Budget. The province has so far received K36.16 billion against the K48.14 billion provincial annual budget for Recurrent Departmental Charges (RDCs) and Poverty Reduction Programmes (PRPs) as at 29th October, 2012. This represents a budget disbursement level of 75.11 per cent. We are hopeful, however, that the Ministry of Finance will endeavour to disburse the balance before the end of the fiscal year, because we want to prove that things can be done. We do not want to live in the abstract. We want to show that physically, these things can actually be touched and seen with the money that is available or with the money that will be available come 2013.

Mr Speaker, that notwithstanding, our major outlook, as a province, is to receive funds for poverty reduction programmes, especially in the area of road infrastructure. This will help us to implement planned activities within the annual Budget period and ensure that people’s lives are improved.

Sir, my contribution would not be complete if I did not talk about the state of the Great East Road, especially the stretch between Luangwa Bridge and Petauke District. Our friends in the MMD neglected the works on that road despite the cries from people day in and day out. Despite the accidents that have occurred on that road, our friends did not do anything to improve the situation, but we are saying we have to solve that problem.

Mr Speaker, a lot of fatal road traffic accidents have occurred and continue to occur nearly on a daily basis on this stretch of the road. I am aware that there are plans by the Road Development Agency (RDA) to work on the Great East Road from Luangwa Bridge to Mwami Border Post, starting early next year. This is the reason I am happy with the allocations in the 2013 Budget because we can see the road already done. With what we have received from the donor community and from our own resources, we are sure that the works on this road will be done.

Sir, I am also happy to note that some work has been done on some portions of the road, especially in terms of replacing worn out culverts since last year when this matter was first brought to the attention of this august House. While these efforts are appreciated, I wish to advise that the RDA speeds up the procurement process so that the road can be quickly worked on to prevent further loss of life and property through road traffic accidents.

Mr Speaker, I have noted that in the Budget, there is emphasis on decentralisation, creation of provinces and new districts. Those who do not understand development and how it comes will have negative notions about the creation of new districts, and yet when you have a new district, it means the allocation of more resources to that area. In the EasternProvince, we are very happy and proud that we have two more districts that have been created. This to us means more money will be allocated to the province. We have Vubwi, which was under Chadiza. Unlike in the past when we would have one allocation for Chadiza, this time, we are going to have two allocations, one for Vubwi and another one for Chadiza, which means that Zozwe, Tafelansoni and everybody else will benefit.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr C. Banda: Mr Speaker, we shall see the development of road infrastructure and many other social services that the people have been dying to have since independence. The same will happen at Sinda which will no longer depend on Katete or Petauke, but will be a-stand-alone town as has been the case with Nyimba recently. Those of you who travel to the Eastern Province, when you pass through Nyimba, can go and see the development that is taking place in Nyimba. This is because it is a stand-alone-district with its own allocation. The Budget for 2013 is showing that Sinda has its own budgetary allocation. So, for those who are opposing the creation of new districts, all I can say is shame upon them because you do not know what it is to create and bring about development.

Sir, if small countries like Singapore, which is even smaller than the Eastern Province, have eight thousand provinces, why can we not have more districts to enhance development?

Mr Speaker, it is very important that we take notice of what we are here for. People have voted for us so that we can take development to them and ease their hardships and make their lives better in all areas.

Sir, the people of the EasternProvince are very happy with President Michael Chilufya Sata and the initiatives he has taken to develop this country. This is evidenced by how much they have welcomed this Budget.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mrs Mwamba): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Floor of the House.

Sir, to begin with, I would like to greatly commend the hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Chikwanda, for this excellent Budget.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order, order!

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, this Budget is excellent because, in the past or last year, in particular, people said that the Budget did not have adequate funds but, in the 2013 Budget, there have been increments in most of the key areas of the economy. The Budget allocation has also been increased to key sectors of the economy like infrastructure development and agriculture which will result in the creation of thousands of jobs.

Sir, I would like to urge my colleagues on your left to commend the hon. Minister of Finance for a job well done. I know that when you sit on the left, you tend to think that your job is just to criticise …

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Mr Speaker: Order!

The hon. Members on the left are making the debate extremely difficult to progress in the necessary decorum and dignity. You should desist from doing that. 

Hon Member you may continue.

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, playing the oversight role does not mean continuous criticism. Where the Government has done well, we should give it a pat it on the back. That does not take away the fact that you are still in the Opposition.

Sir, I would like to comment on the introduction of the Prohibition of Abuse of Office Clause and the fight against corruption.

Mr Speaker, His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, is seriously committed to fighting corruption in public office. He has declared zero tolerance to corruption and said that he is allergic to corruption. He has made that very clear. To demonstrate this, the Government has restored the Abuse of Office Clause in the Anti Corruption Act No 1 of 2012 and fully domesticated the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Sir, the President is on record of saying that when it comes to fighting corruption, there shall be no sacred cows. He is very serious about fighting corruption and he has already demonstrated this. If this process is well managed by those who are mandated to investigate and prosecute, we shall soon see results. Therefore, the fight against corruption is not restricted to any particular group in society as some hon. Members on your left have been insinuating. The Abuse of Office Clause is a sure and clear way of fighting corruption and sweeping it clean.

Mr Speaker, if you engage in corrupt activities, it does not matter whether you are from the Opposition or, indeed, the Executive, you will be investigated and, if found wanting, you will be prosecuted just like anybody else. The Government will not be timid because of your political inclination or, indeed, your political eminence or standing in society. Each one of us is subject to the law and no one is above it.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government, under the able leadership of His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, does not want the fight against corruption to be another song politicians sing. Therefore, the hon. Minister of Finance has allocated a staggering K100 billion to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to build capacity and professionalism so that we do not get reports of serious investigations in the press, but through established channels.

Mr Speaker, in the party manifesto, the PF promised to restore public confidence in the ACC once in power. To achieve this, the following measures had to be put in place:

(a)reinstate the Abuse of Office Clause, that I mentioned above;

(b)enhance capacity of the ACC personnel to enable it to fight white collar crimes;

(c)increase the budgetary allocation to the institution, as has been demonstrated by the hon. Minister of Finance;

(d)domesticate international protocols to fight against corruption; and

(e)review and amend the ACC Act to achieve the above.

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has delivered on the above.

Mr Speaker, let me now turn to good governance, and protection and respect for human rights. The PF Government has reaffirmed its campaign promises to protect and promote human rights and, among other things, to strengthen the Human Rights Commission. The President reiterated this in his recent address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September, 2012. In this regard, the Government is increasing funding to the Human Rights Commission in order to improve the capacity of the commission to address human rights issues in Zambia.

Further, in the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) which the PF Government is implementing, human rights have been included as a cross-cutting issue under the governance chapter. Pursuant to the SNDP, the Government intends to ratify and domesticate all the human rights treaties and increase access to justice institutions. In addition, the proposed Bill of Rights in the Draft Constitution contains provisions that will enhance the protection of human rights for various groups, particularly the vulnerable. The proposed Bill of Rights, also, has provisions that enhance access to judicial remedies.

President Michael Chilufya Sata set up a number of commissions of inquiry to inquire into several matters raised by the people of Zambia such as the Mongu riots and the sale of Zambia Telecommunications Limited (ZAMTEL) to Lap Green Networks. Zambians expressed concern at the manner in which these matters were handled by the previous Government. The President wanted a transparent process to establish facts so that Zambians can learn what really happened and, if need be, corrective measures be put in place or be taken.

Mr Speaker, finally, I would like to comment on the Public Order Act. I think this issue has irked our colleagues on your left because of lack of understanding of this piece of legislation. 

Interruptions

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, the Public Order Act is not an instrument for oppressing citizens of Zambia. It is an instrument for maintaining law and order in society. I want my colleagues to listen very carefully.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Mwamba: Where the members of a political party give notice to hold a public rally or peaceful demonstration and the police indicate that they are unable to allow the planned event to take place, the police have very good and compelling reasons for doing so. If they do not have adequate numbers of officers to keep vigil at those meetings or if they suspect any degree of mischief, they can direct that the meeting should not take place.

Mr Speaker, in certain circumstances, we have seen the police being overwhelmed by the public. An example is what happened at Lusaka Central Police Station when the president of the United Party for National Development (UPND) was summoned. 

Mr Muntanga interjected.

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Order! Let us have order!

Mrs Mwamba: Mr Speaker, when the police are overwhelmed by the public, they appear to be incompetent in the minds of the public. So, they are very cautious in ensuring that they put all security measures in place before allowing an event to take place. However, where some people are aggrieved by refusal to allow them to go ahead with a meeting and are very sure that the police had no reasons for the refusal, they are at liberty to seek recourse in the courts of law.

The Government wishes to reiterate that its general desire and policy is to respect human rights and, in particular, freedom of assembly and expression. It must be noted, however, that the freedoms enjoyed by citizens are not absolute and that their enjoyment must be done in such a way that it is not in conflict with national defence and public safety, order, morality and health and be justifiable in a democratic society.

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

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Copperbelt Province (Mr Mwenya):Mr Speaker, thank you for permitting me to contribute to the Motion on the Floor, which is on the 2013 Budget Address with the theme “Delivering Inclusive Development and Social Justice”. May I pay special tribute to the President His Excellency, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the hon. Minister of Finance and their technical teams for a well-spread and, indeed, all-inclusive Budget. This Budget has been well articulated on the Floor of this House.

Mr Speaker, as I perused through the Budget, I was astonished by the great wisdom emanating from each and every page. It is worth noting that this Budget came with a special message from His Excellency the President, Mr Michael ChilufyaSata. On page 1, Paragraph 2, the hon. Minister of Finance mentioned that he had a special message to deliver before the House. This manifested how critical and important this document is.

Mr Speaker, I would like to agree with the old adage which says, “Umulilo ucingilile abakulutaoca.”

Hon. Opposition Members: Question!

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: This means that you cannot go wrong if you are being led by the wise and senior citizens of the country.

Mr V. Mwale: Ndiyeakawalala.

Laughter

Mr Mwenya: Indeed, if you look at the composition of our team in Government, you can see that we have His Honour the Vice-President, Hon. Dr Guy Scott, the hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Chikwanda, the hon. Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Kasonde, the hon. Minister of Gender and Child Development, Hon. Madam Inonge Wina, the hon. Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education, Hon. Dr Phiri and the hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Sichinga, just to mention a few.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: This senior leadership has been blended with the young leaders. As the saying goes, “Imiti iyikula empanga.” This, of course, means that the younger men and women in Government, today, are being prepared for future leadership.

Mr Speaker, within the short period of time that His Excellency the President has been in Government, he has shown profound wisdom and courage. As Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Forces, he is always in the forefront without fear and ready to captain the boat across the fiercest of storms. He has not pretended, but made it clear that the journey is rough and rugged with so many difficulties. He has called for perseverance on all of us, as a nation, indicating that we all have a duty to play, rich or poor and in the Ruling Party or the Opposition, in delivering development which, when achieved, shall not leave anyone by the roadside.

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: It is not good to criticise without any base. The Opposition ought to be objective in its debates and we shall listen. We need to take our democracy to another level by embracing one another with constructive thoughts, be it the Ruling or Opposition, for the development of our country. 

Mr Speaker, I listened to Hon. Siliya’s debate yesterday who spoke with passion and I envied her. However, I wished that was the zeal she had exhibited when she was in Government …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: … because, I believe, this country could not be where it is now. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya:Mr Speaker, today, the hon. Member of Parliament could not be appearing in the courts of law. 

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

The hon. Deputy Minister should not forget I ruled earlier that we should avoid debating individuals. There is a lot of fodder in the Budget Address, especially for the right to showcase. Use the precious time effectively to showcase your case.

The hon. Member may continue.

Mr Mwenya: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the guidance. 

Mr Speaker, as I listened to the various debates from your left, I wondered why our colleagues cannot help us and the nation to appreciate the challenges or difficulties in doing the right things when in Government so that the PF Government does not fall into the same trap. The hon. Members from the Opposition should open up next time as they debate so that we learn more from them. 

Mr Speaker, the PF Government, through its able leadership of His Excellency the President, Mr M. C. Sata, …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: … has shown that we shall take the bull by its horns to put this country on track. There is a lot to show to that effect, for example, the Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL), Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ), Pave Zambia 2000 Project, and Link Zambia 8,000 km Road Network Project. Most of the hon. Members seated on your left confess when we meet outside this House that, indeed …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwenya: … this Budget means well, but pretend that they think otherwise when they are in the House. 

Mr Speaker, the people on the Copperbelt Province are excited about the PF Government. They appreciate the good intentions in the 2013 Budget. We are all aware that the President has never been a failure in all his endeavours. 

Ms Siliya: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Ms Siliya:Mr Speaker, I reluctantly rise on this point of order. Is the hon. Deputy Minister in order to mislead the House and the nation by stating that when we, on your left, meet with him outside this House, we confirm that this is a good Budget? The truth of the matter is that he is the one who tells us that there are problems in the PF when we meet him outside.  

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: My ruling is simple. The Chair is not concerned with those confessions or admissions of problems. On a serious note, I would urge, once again, the hon. Deputy Minister to focus on the issues. This is precious time.

The hon. Deputy Minister may continue.

Mr Mwenya: Thank you, Mr Speaker. 

Mr Speaker, the Budget Address is summarised in few words on page 1, paragraphs 3 and 4. Paragraph 3 reads as follows:

“Mr Speaker, the Patriotic Front Government is dedicated to the veritable advancement of social justice for all. This requires a complete change of our mindsets and priorities, both as individuals and as a nation.”

Mr Speaker, indeed, as Zambians, we have to change our mindset so that we develop and take our country to another level. The tendency of wanting to live well is destroying our nation. People want to own big cars and mansions as well as invest abroad at the expense of our poor country. As a country competing with some developed countries in terms of fuel consumption, the Civil Service should not be irresponsible in terms of doing its work. It should take a personal responsibility to fight corruption, and take keen interest in improving our environment. All these issues affect our aspirations to the growth of the nation. This is why the hon. Minister of Finance clearly indicated that a change in mindset is needed.

Mr Speaker, the people on the Copperbelt are very proud of this Budget because it clearly indicates critical areas of development. An amount of K20 billion has been provided in the Budget for the small and medium entrepreneurs. This money will go a long way in helping the youths, men and women to start small businesses. This is a good move because our people will be empowered and become self-reliant, hence having more money in their pockets. 

Mr Speaker, the 2013 Budget Address brings out a lot of goodwill in all areas of development, such as the construction of schools, universities, colleges, upgrading of the health infrastructures and roads across the country. The Copperbelt Province has not been left out. The township roads shall soon be worked on under the Pave Zambia 2000 Project. Therefore, this calls for nothing, but patience from our people and the hon. Members of the Opposition on your left.

Sir, I am excited because the 2013 Budget brings hope to the people in our country. I wish to implore all hon. Members of Parliament, especially those on your left, to take advantage of the good will that has been exhibited in this Budget and explain to the people so that they may start forming clubs to access the funds as soon as possible. 

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

The Deputy Minister of Health (Dr Chikusu): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the 2013 Budget presented by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander BwalyaChikwanda.

Mr Speaker, before I address the points relevant to the health sector, I would like to mention the names of doctors who were in Sesheke under which Mulobezi was administered. These were Dr Sikambale Chazya, Dr Imamba Akakambama, Dr Joseph Phiri, Dr Misozi Moono, who is now in college pursuing further studies, and Mr Mwakamui Nyambe, who is a medical licentiate far above a clinical officer and manning Sichili Hospital.

Mr Speaker, this …

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health will, in 2013, continue to emphasise the provision of quality …

Mr V. Mwale: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr V. Mwale: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Deputy Minister of Health in order to give us that list of names without mentioning when those people went to the clinic and …

Interruptions

Mr V. Mwale: … whether they are still there because the question was whether those people were still there? He just gave us a list. Are they there now? He is not explaining that. Is he in order to do that?

Interruptions

Mr Speaker: Hon. Deputy Minister, for avoidance of doubt, just re-state your response. 

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, I was asked to name the doctors and these were the names of the doctors present at the time of the question. They included Dr Sikambale Chazya, Dr Imamba Akakambama, Dr Misozi Moono, who is currently pursuing further studies, Dr Joseph Phiri and Mr Mwakamui Nyambe, a medical licentiate who is manning Sichili Hospital. 

Thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: You may continue.

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health will continue to emphasise the provision of quality health services in a clean, caring and competent environment, which will be at the centre of service delivery in 2013 and beyond. 

Mr Speaker, this Budget has been crafted within the context of the PF Manifesto and the overall national development agenda for the SNDP, which runs from 2011 to 2015, and Vision 2030 strategy, which is aimed at transforming Zambia into a prosperous middle-income country by 2030. This Budget can be described as pro-poor, all embracing, inspiring and inclusive.

Mr Speaker, overall, the Government has increased the allocation to the health sector from K2.5 to K3.6 trillion, representing an increase from 9.3 per cent of the Budget in 2012 to 11.3 per cent in 2013, which is a good move towards the attainment of the 15 per cent target of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Mr Speaker, the increase is more than K1 trillion, representing a 40.7 increase over the 2012 allocation to the sector. This increase clearly shows the Government’s continued focus on service delivery in a clean caring and competent environment in order to provide quality healthcare as close to the family as possible.

Mr Speaker, in 2013, the Ministry of Health will pay particular attention to the way patients are managed. There has been an increase in demand for health services ever since the PF Government announced the abolition of user fees. This is expected and only goes to demonstrate the emphasis on universal access to quality health services. It is hard to contemplate what used to happen to the poor citizens who could never afford the user fees. 

Mr Speaker, a notable increase in the sector budget for 2013 is that of the drug and medical supplies allocation, which was K303 billion 2012, but is now K594.1 billion, representing an increase of more than 100 per cent. The focus, in 2013, will be to eliminate stock-outs in order to ensure access to quality health services; enhance the logistical systems; implement interventions that strengthen the selection, quantification, procurement and use of essential medicines in a rational way in all health facilities; and, above all, ensure that the drugs situation is stable in all health facilities. The ministry will, among other factors, emphasise anti-malaria drugs and other interventions to which K120 billion has been allocated. This will go a long way in scaling up our anti-malaria drive. 

Mr Speaker, in relation to HIV/AIDS, the Budget line has increased from K50 billion allocated in 2012, to K175 billion in 2013. The increase in this Budget line will, definitely, increase early diagnosis and access to ARV drugs. The Ministry of Health will, in 2013, further focus on improving the quality of life for the HIV/AIDS patients. 

In relation to Tuberculosis (TB), the ministry will, in 2013, work to maintain the success in TB control through the strengthening of the strategy and improving the other areas, such as Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) management and control; diagnosis and management; and sustaining of TB/HIV collaborative activities. 

Sir, the ministry will also focus on addressing the debilitating conditions of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), preventing and controlling these conditions that strike at the time when least expected and cause untimely deaths. Being a lifestyle condition that involving various …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

Dr Chikusu: Mr Speaker, before business was suspended, I was saying that NCDs are lifestyle conditions that involve various risk factors, and that the ministry will focus on using a multi-sectoral approach in 2013.

Infrastructure and Equipment

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health has noted that most infrastructure projects take long to be implemented. This concern was already expressed by our colleagues on the left of the House. The ministry has started addressing it. The Ministry of Health, in consultation with the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, has devised a more service-oriented approach to construction. This means that, within phase one, health facilities will become functional even as the other phases roll out. Phase one will now include Out-Patient Department (OPD) services. This approach will allow the hospital to be utilised while other parts continue to be built.

Mr Speaker, K186.1 billion has been allocated to infrastructure development in the 2013 Budget. In addition, K204 billion has been provided for upgrading the University Teaching Hospital (UTC), NdolaCentralHospital and KitweCentralHospital to clinical excellence. In addition, K110.8 billion has been provided for the procurement of medical equipment for the health facilities. Medical equipment is important for the diagnosis and management of patients. 

Sir, with these funds, the Ministry of Health will, in 2013, focus on upgrading general hospitals to central hospitals and district hospitals to general hospitals, and continue with the construction of district hospitals, staff accommodation for rural areas and health posts in a phased manner. The ministry will also focus on the rehabilitation and extension of health facilities and institutions to acceptable standards so as to critically improve the infrastructure of hospitals, training schools and other facilities as well as equipping these institutions in order to improve service delivery.

Human Resource

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health has been allocated K30.8 billion for net recruitment of staff in 2013. This will allow us to recruit not less than 2,000 health workers into the establishment. In order to increase the workforce, the ministry will further focus on facilitating the hiring of professional health workers not only locally, but also from outside the country as well. 

Sir, the hiring of health professionals from abroad is an interim and immediate measure. The long-term and sustainable solution will be to increase investment in the training of professional health workers in the country. This interim measure is to ensure that we have an appropriate skills mix to achieve the health-related MDGs.

Health Information and Research

Mr Speaker, the ministry will emphasise research in 2013. This is in a quest to ensure evidence-based decision-making and enhanced service delivery. The ministry will also conduct the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) so as to collect performance indicators on health to help the Government track progress in attaining the MDGs and the implementation of various social and economic development policies and programmes. 

Sir, the ministry will, further, work on strengthening the monitoring and evaluation function so as to track health-sector projects and provide accurate and evidence-based information on the status of such projects.

Health Care Financing

Mr Speaker, the ministry will focus on establishing sustainable financing mechanisms for the health sector, which shall, among other functions, supplement the normal funding mechanism to the health sector in 2013. The other important output is the National Social Health Insurance Fund (NSHIF), which will initially cover all the public sector workers and eventually be rolled out to the entire formal sector and informal sector in a move towards universal health coverage.

Mr Speaker, following the adoption of the Governance and Management Capacity Strengthening Plan (GMCSP) by the Government and co-operating partners, the ministry will continue to emphasis prudent and efficient utilisation of resources in 2013 with the focus on service delivery. The GMCSP has seen donors resume funding to the health sector.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the health sector is based on the six health system building blocks adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These are: service delivery, human resource, drugs and technology, health finance, health information and research, and leadership, governance and accountability.

Mr Speaker, this framework is also used for analysing the proposed strategic frameworks. The approach presents opportunities for the logical analysis of the sector and inter-country comparisons, and benchmarking. The rationale is that we should focus on placing service delivery above everything else.

I thank you, Sir.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (Mr Mwewa):Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to add my voice to the debate on the 2013 Budget. Let me start by thanking the hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Chikwanda for that powerful and pro-poor Budget.

Sir, I will restrict my debate to three key sectors of my ministry and these are co-operatives, fisheries and training institutions. 

Mr Speaker, there is an increase in the budget allocation to the agricultural Sector. Last year, it was K1.6 trillion and this year, it is K1.9 trillion. There is an increase of at least, K300 billion which we cannot overlook. So, we appreciate that.

Sir, in the past twenty years, the MMD Government actually shattered the co-operatives in Zambia. The co-operatives could not tick at all.  During the UNIP era, co-operatives were doing fine. However, when the MMD took over, they crumbled down. I think it was a question of not realising the importance of co-operatives in Zambia.

Interruptions 

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, the PF Government realised that there was need for breathing in new life into the co-operatives. That is what we are going to do as PF Government.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, once we do that, we will be able to reach people at the grassroots. We will be able to rich people in the rural areas. We will be able to reach people at district level. We will be able to reach people at the provincial and national level.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, we realise that we will able to reduce poverty in Zambia and revamp the agricultural sector. At the same time, we will create jobs for our youths.

Sir, I want to enlighten this House that co-operatives are not only about agriculture. They cover a lot of sectors. The known co-operatives include the Seed Production Co-operative, Art Co-operative, Livestock Marketing Co-operative, Tourism Co-operative, Fish Restocking Co-operative, Savings and Credit Co-operative and Small Scale Miners Co-operative.

Hon. Opposition Members:Aah!

Mr Mwewa: So, the co-operatives cover all sectors in this country and need to be supported.

Mr Speaker, from the K300 billion, US$2.5 million has been allocated to the Co-operative Department for revamping the co-operatives in Zambia.

Hon. Opposition Member: Dollars!

Mr Mwewa: This amount can be translated into about K13 billion.

Sir, I would like to elaborate a bit about the co-operatives. Co-operatives were born out of economic hardships. They are made out of people with almost the same or unique set of principles. As a result, they are driven by what they all wanted in that particular community. They have the same interests. That makes co-operatives to be more resilient when there is global crisis. For sure, we saw that some co-operatives actually survived when the financial crisis went down. They stood a test of time. I, therefore, urge hon. Members to support the co-operatives, and put in money. 

Mr Speaker, the PF Government has so far pumped in K7 billion into the Zambia Co-operative Federation (ZCF), in order to revamp the co-operative sector.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, let me now dwell a bit on the fisheries department. The PF Government will redress the situation in the major fisheries areas where fish is of economic importance, but has been depleted due to increased fishing which does not give room for fish recruitment and growth. 

Sir, the PF Government under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock will restock the depleted lakes and rivers in Zambia. We know for sure that with the K300 billion increment in our Budget, we shall restock our depleted lakes, rivers and lagoons. We want to use a particular method called cage culture.

Mr Speaker, we feel that with cage culture we will be able to restock fish and feed them. We are going to pick our indigenous fingerlings in each particular lake, river and lagoon. So far we have identified six lakes and rivers in Zambia. We are going to restock Lake Chila in Mbala, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Itezhi-tezhi, Lake Zambezi … 

Hon. Opposition Member: Aah!

Laughter

Mr Mwewa: No, Lake Mwelu and Lake Bangweulu. No actually it is Lake Mwandi on upper Zambezi. 

Hon. Opposition Member: Itezhi-tezhi Dam.

Mr Mwewa: I have mentioned Itezhi-tezhi.

Hon. Opposition Member: It is a dam not a lake.

Mr Mwewa: Mr Speaker, we have a deficit of about 40,000 fish in Zambia today. The PF Government will provide about 900,000 tonnes of fish only if we can restock using the cage culture methodology that we are going to apply. In future, I will stand here and confess to the nation that we have done it.

Sir, we are actually importing about ten tonnes of fish everyday from Zimbabwe … 

Hon. Government Member: China.

MrMwewa: … yes, China and Mozambique in Cabrobassa … 

Hon. Opposition Member: From Taiwan.

Mr Mwewa: We are importing from everywhere just to try to meet the demand in Zambia. This is sad because Zambia has about 40 per cent to 50 per cent of water masses in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The MMD watched as our fish depleted from our lakes. They watched sadly, but the PF Government will not sit idle. Some of us can stand here because our forefathers were able to go and catch fish and sell it to take us to school.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwewa: Today that cannot be done because there are no fish. Some time back when you entered Luapula Province there used to be an aroma of fish, but today it is not there. 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwewa: You cannot smell fish anymore. That is how bad it is in most of the water masses in Zambia. We are going to restock our lost oreochromis macrochir which is popularly known as pallet. We are also going to restock oreochromis naloticus which we are over eating today and which come from Zimbabwe, but are originally from the Nile River. 

Sir, we are going to use the fish co-operatives in each community where there are water masses. That is the tool we are going to use to reach out to people as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Our people belong to most of these communities and that is what we are going to use. We are going to help them and allow them to be able to get loans.

  We have introduced the Aquaculture Fisheries Development Fund (AFDF) to help them start the process. Each and every farmer will be free to go and get help from this fund. This fund will also help the co-operatives. For as long as they can work together, they will be able to learn from our members of this department on how to do cage culture. They will be able to use that and produce 900,000 tonnes of fish in this area.  I know that most of the people fear to go into cage fishing because it is expensive, especially on feed. Our ministry is therefore, determined to sensitise the communities around the water masses to start growing soya beans. We are going to introduce a deliberate policy for people to grow soya beans. Out of soya beans, you can extract oil and a by-product of soya cake. Soya cake is used as feed. Our friends are doing it in Thailand, Brazil and China. Why should we not do it in Zambia? We are going to do it. 

Mr Muntanga: There is no money!

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

MrMwewa: We have money.

Mr Muntanga: Where is the money?

Mr Speaker: Address the Speaker.

Laughter

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, our Budget for this kind of exercise is only about K13 billion. The hon. Minister of Finance has put an increment of K300 billion for the agricultural sector. My hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Chenda told me that we gonna get money…

Laughter

Mr Mwewa: ….from the K300 billion to ensure that this exercise takes off. 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Deputy Minister, avoid colloquialism.

Laughter

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, it is sad to note that today, most of our agricultural institutions are totally dilapidated. If you go round these institutions, you will see a sad sight. In our ministry, we are determined to change the look of our training institutions. I would say that there are no training equipment and training tools in these institutions. If you see their classes, it is a sorry sight. Their dormitories are in a pathetic state. The MMD Government watched all this and did not do anything. I would like to say that this Government is going to do something about it. We are going to ensure that agriculture is sexy.

Hon. Members: What?

Laughter

Mr Mwewa: I will explain that.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order! That is another form of colloquialism.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Please, use formal English.

Mr Mwewa:Mr Speaker, I am sorry for that. 

Sir, for the past five years, the graduates from our agriculture colleges have never been employed. We will make sure that they are employed. We have already started with 1,000 vacancies and next year, we will have the authority to employ another 1,000 people. We shall, therefore, continue employing our graduates. The MMD failed to do this for the past five years. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwewa: Mr Speaker, if we are going to talk about boosting the agricultural sector, then definitely the students that are coming from our colleges should be fully baked. If we are producing half baked students, how do we expect them to provide quality services? It was very difficult for them do so. However, the PF Government is turning things round, and we will first and foremost, ensure that the students have equipment, tools and are learning in a good environment. We will turn things in all the colleges because we have enough money.

Hon. Opposition Member: Where is the money?

Mr Mwewa: If you look at the Yellow Book, you will see the money that I am talking about. Read you guys.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Hon. Deputy Minister …

Mr Mwewa: I am sorry, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: I know that influence might be strong on your vocabulary, but, please, let us use formal language in this august House.

Mr Mwewa: Mr Speaker, what I am saying in short is that, we are going to see a different Zambia, because as the PF Government, we are determined to do it. If other countries can do it, then we can also do it. This is the time for Zambia. We have the leadership, the able Cabinet Ministers, and hon. Members of Parliament to drive the economy of this nation to prosperity.  

Mr Speaker, a vibrant corporate sector in Zambia can open opportunities for international exchanges, trade and collaboration, as well as lifting households out of poverty and providing services that can contribute to national development.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Interruptions

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Luapula Province (Brigadier-General Kapeya): Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to debate on the Budget Speech whose theme is “Delivering Inclusive Development and Social Justice” which was delivered on the Floor of this House, by the hon. Minister of Finance, on Friday, 12th October, 2012.

Sir, the people of Zambia have given the PF Government the mandate to develop this nation and to achieve that, we need to have a clear road map. This speech from the Government gives a clear hope for the people of Zambia that we are going to deliver on the promises.

Sir, my short speech will concentrate on the road infrastructure, newly developed districts, education, health and support to tourism and arts.

Mr Speaker, the Government promised to improve the quality of economic infrastructure, including the road network. Luapula Province will benefit from this pronouncement as we have various roads that need to be worked on, including the Mansa/Luwingu  Road, Pedicle Road and Kashikishi/Luchinda Road …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Brigadier-General Kapeya: … which passes through Lambo to Kaputa.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Brigadier-General Kapeya:With such developments, economic activities in the province will get a boost resulting in employment creation.

Mr Speaker, this Government has set aside K204 billion to commence the construction of infrastructure for Government departments in newly-created districts. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brigadier-General Kapaya:My province has four new districts that have been created, namely Chipili, Mwansabombwe, Chembe and Lunga. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Brigadier-General Kapaya: These districts require infrastructure and this Government has shown commitment to providing the infrastructure. Services will be brought closer to the people, thereby improving the quality of their lives. 

Further, this Budget provides funds for the construction of border infrastructure. My province, being on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), requires infrastructure to be built, especially at Chipungu and other areas. 

In the area of education, the K393.3 billion allocated to the development of secondary school infrastructure is welcome. In my province, a number of secondary schools scattered in various districts are at various stages of construction. 

Mr Speaker, I am also happy with the K186.1 billion set aside for infrastructure development in the health sector. Luapula Province has district hospitals at various stages of construction dotted around.  It is my hope that the secondary schools and district hospitals will be competed so that the communities can start benefitting from these facilities. 

Mr Speaker, this Government is committed to promoting tourism in the country and this can be seen from the number of imported items in the tourism sector that are now duty free. My province has a great potential of becoming a tourist magnet, as we have a number of waterfalls such as Lumangwe, which is the second from the famous Victoria Falls. My province is going to create more jobs for the people of Zambia following these major boosts as many businesses that are involved directly or indirectly in tourism, find it expensive to import certain items, including vehicles to provide transport to customers. 

I am delighted that the Government has taken into consideration the plight of these businesses. In view of the hosting of the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation Conference, this is a major milestone to its success and will create jobs for the youth of the nation and Luapula Province in particular. 

Sir, this is a pro-poor Budget. 

With these few words, I thank you. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Northern Province (Mr Sikazwe): Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to debate on the Motion which was presented to this august House by the hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Chikwanda. 

Mr Speaker, from the outset, I want to state, on behalf of the people of Northern Province, that the Budget presented to this august House is testimony of the good things to come during the PF’s stay in office under the good leadership of His Excellency Michael Chilufya Sata. 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, the PF Government promised the people of Zambia to transform the country by adopting a more people-centered developmental agenda ...

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Sikazwe: …and, by so doing, deliver more money in the people’s pockets. 

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, this Government is determined to do so. 

Mr Livune: Question!

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, in doing so, the hon. Minister of Finance has given us a pro-poor Budget in which he has proposed the changes in the value of the money that has been allocated to this country. The 2013 Budget is going to create employment in agriculture, tourism, health and education. In the infrastructure development, the hon. Minister has allocated money that is going to change the economic infrastructure such as roads, rail and power generation. The Link Zambia 8,000 km  Road Network Project will link the Northern Province to other provinces and other roads in the province will be constructed under the proposed K3.5 trillion which is expected to cover, at least, 1,500 km of the our roads.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: K642 billion is going to be used to recapitalise the railway system. This will be an achievement on the part of the Northern Province because, as you know, most of the railway line in the country passes through the Northern Province. As a result of having neglected the railway line, there has been an extreme damage to the roads. By improving the railway line, we are going to prolong the lifespan of the roads in the province.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, another major challenge that we have been facing, as a province, is the power outages. This able Government has already realised what the challenges of the province are and, through this Budget, the hon. Minister of Finance has allocated money that is going towards the rehabilitation of the power stations and generation of power in the province. This has been a big challenge and my disappointment goes to my colleagues on the left, because the hon. Members of Parliament in the area saw the challenges, but unfortunately, they had wrong priorities.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear! Tell them!

Mr Sikazwe: We want to give priority to areas where people are affected. Electricity in the province is the biggest challenge as we cannot even pump water.

Mr Kalaba: Ba Mutati emo bali?

Mr Sikazwe: Mpulungu is known to be a place of cholera because despite having a lake, we cannot pump water from the lake due to the shortage of power. This able Government has realised what the mistake is and has already started constructing the power hydro station at Lunzuwa.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear! Ba Mutati!

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, the allocation of K1.4 trillion to the sector is another score by this Government in trying to solve the major challenges that the people of the Northern Province having been facing.

Sir, in education, the K5.6 billion will be spent for the purpose of providing quality education and skills training will go a long way. I stand here as a very disappointed hon. Deputy Minister for the province because I cannot believe that forty-eight years after Independence, there are schools which are grass-thatched in our province.

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: It is unbelievable!

Mr Kampyongo: Terrible!

Mr Sikazwe: I think this country is just going to turn around if people change the attitude. If we all believed that this country is for us and the purpose of our coming to Parliament is to work for people, I think, we are going to develop this country. We can do it and can change the face of this country.
Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: Let us remove the greed. Greed is what has killed this country. We cannot allow a situation where people bury money at the expense of developing schools.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Sikazwe: This Government is ready to handle all those hurdles. I think come 2016, Mr Speaker, you will have problems in trying to get these ‘guys’, our colleagues, …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

Can you withdraw the word ‘guys’?

Mr Sikazwe: Sorry, Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word.

Our colleagues on your left will have problems finding points to debate because we will have sorted out all the problems in the country and it will be difficult for them to campaign. Come 2016, the Northern Province will be a no-go area for our colleagues because we will have sorted out the problems there which they failed to solve.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: On a point of order, Sir.

Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I tried to restrain myself from rising on a point of order until the hon. Minister of the Northern Province, in a ghetto style, called us guys and I am glad you ruled on that. However, my point of order on whether should start campaigning for the 2016 elections when the rules are very clear that he must refer to the Budget Speech and give us the policy direction of his Government. Is he in order to start campaigning now and tell us that we will not have the right to go into the Northern Province, which he calls a no-go area for us in the Opposition? 

I need your serious ruling, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I think that I have ruled on this subject before. However, since a point of order has been raised, I will reiterate what I have repeatedly said. We have a specific Motion before us and we need to be relevant in our debate. I know that these are political issues that have a bearing on electioneering. For the time being, let us focus on what is before us, which is the Motion on the Budget. When you go so far as suggesting that some people will not be allowed in certain areas, I think, we definitely will have stepped outside the bounds of the Motion. Please confine yourself to the Motion.

Hon. Government Member: Hammer, mudala, hammer.

Mr Sikazwe: Mr Speaker, with those few words that I have hammered, I support the Motion.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Deputy Minister for Western Province (Mr Mwaliteta): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me this chance to add my voice to the debate on this very important Motion.

Sir, allow me to also thank the hon. Minister of Finance, Mr Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda, for the 2013 Budget, which the people of both the Western Province and Kafue have commended.

Mr Speaker, for us in the Western Province, the Government has undertaken many developmental activities through various departments and ministries. For example, my Government wants to bring more land under irrigation. To this effect, the Government allocated resources to develop existing infrastructure through the construction of dams, such as Runyati and Kamakomwa in Kaoma, Rusu in Sesheke and Sioma in Shang’ombo District.

Mr Speaker, livestock rearing, particularly cattle herding, is the main source of revenue for the people in the Western Province. A number of interventions have been put in place and some success has been scored in livestock diseases incidence reduction, resulting in an increase in cattle and fish production.

Sir, under the Industrial Cluster Initiative (ICI), most of the districts have planned to establish meat-processing plants so that the locals can add value to the livestock products. The construction of a livestock laboratory is also progressing well in Mongu.

Sir, in this Budget, the hon. Minister of Finance talked about tourism, and I would like to inform the House that the construction of the Mongu/Kalabo and Sesheke/Senanga roads is expected to stimulate the inflow of tourists to the Liuwa and Sioma-Ngwezi national parks.

Mr Speaker, it is unfortunate that the hon. Members of Parliament for the Western Province are not present in the House for them to hear what the Government is doing in their province.

Mr Speaker: Order!

(Debate adjourned)

ADJOURNMENT

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

Question put and agreed to.

_______

The House adjourned at 1916 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 1st November, 2012.