Wednesday, 31^st March, 2021

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_______

 

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

REHABILITATION OF NGABWE DISTRICT FEEDER ROADS
 

155.  Mr Chiyalika (Lufubu) asked the Minister of Local Government:

 

1. when the rehabilitation of feeder roads in Ngabwe District would  commence;
2. what the estimated cost of the project was;
3. what the time frame for the completion of the project was; and
4. who the contractor for the project was.

 

The Minister of Local Government (Dr Banda): Madam Speaker, the rehabilitation of 55 km of feeder roads in Ngabwe District commenced in March, 2020, after the Government signed the contract through the Ministry of Local Government.

 

Madam Speaker, the cost of the project is K59,366,861.34.

 

Madam Speaker, the project is expected to take about twenty-four months to be completed.

 

Madam Speaker, the contractor for the project is Tonlex Investments Limited.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kambita (Zambezi East): Madam Speaker, the problem of feeder roads being in a dilapidated state is chronic and countrywide. How is the schedule for rehabilitating all the roads countrywide? I am an interested party, as the roads in my constituency are in the same state as those in Lufubu Constituency.

 

Dr Banda: Madam, I recall that at one point, we circulated the programme for the procurement of works in all the provinces. If the hon. Member missed out on that, I invite him to come to the office. I am sure I will be able to give him a copy again of the same schedule.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Chiyalika: Madam Speaker, I appreciate the Government’s gesture of working on the 55 km of road network in Lufubu Constituency. However, in his response, the hon. Minister has indicated that the project will take twenty-four months and, as the area Member of Parliament, I am worried about the rate at which the works are progressing. The contractor is somehow very slow because of late payments. What is the ministry doing to make sure that the payments to the contractor are released on time for him to speed up the works and complete the works are within the time frame indicated in the contract?

 

Dr Banda: Madam Speaker, I assure the hon. Member that we, in conjunction with the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA), have a robust programme that makes funds regularly available so that our contractors are paid some money to keep them working on projects. So, we are on course with the payments, and I can even say that, as of yesterday, quite a number of contractors were given some money so that they continue with their works.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Evg. Shabula (Itezhi-Tezhi): Madam, in line with Hon. Chiyalika’s question, I am trying to find a way to get the hon. Minister to give me an answer, if he has one at his fingertips, concerning the Itezhi-Tezhi/Mongu Road. Is it one of the roads that will benefit from the allocation that the contractors have been given? That road has been too long in its current state; for the past six years, to be specific, and nothing is happening. So, I am trying to find out whether it is one of the roads that are going to benefit from that allocation the hon. Minister has just alluded to.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Obviously, hon. Member, it is not possible for the hon. Minister to have the information you seek. You are, therefore, encouraged to file in a question so that the hon. Minister can give you an answer specific to your constituency.

 

Mr Muchima (Ikeleng’i): Madam Speaker, the Government says that it does not have money at all, if I can borrow the words the hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development used the other day. Therefore, how possible is it that the same Government is going to complete the programme in Lufubu, for which the hon. Minister is saying there is a robust programme? Does the Government have money that it has put aside specifically for this programmes?

 

Dr Banda: Madam Speaker, projects are funded differently. The projects under the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development and those under the Ministry of Local Government are funded from different sources. We get funds directly from the NRFA. The agency always alerts us on how much money is available. Then, certain contractors are picked and paid. so, these projects are different from the capital projects handled by the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: From the e-Chamber, I will allow the hon. Member for Mumbwa and, on the Zoom platform, the hon. Members for Keembe and Kantanshi.

 

Mr Nanjuwa (Mumbwa): Madam Speaker, the Central Province had heavy rainfall and, as a result, many places were flooded. Does the answer the hon. Minister has given cover the feeder roads that were destroyed by heavy rainfall in Lufubu and many other parts of the province?

 

Dr Banda: Madam Speaker, my answer is specific to Lufubu, where I know that 55 km of roads have been catered for and that the contractor is on site. To speak about other roads in Central Province, I have to go back and check the records.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Will the roads that were destroyed by rainfall also be catered for under this programme?

Dr Banda: Madam Speaker, that is very difficult for me to say because roads have been destroyed in many parts of the  country. So, we need to sit down and see how we are going to approach this matter, which is different from a specific question like the one that has been asked.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister said that as of yesterday, some contractors were paid. This is the same answer we got in the past, yet the specific contractor in Lufubu may not have been paid. Could the hon. Minister inform not only the hon. Member of Parliament for Lufubu, but also the people of the Central Province, and the people of Lufubu, in particular, if the contractor in Lufubu was among those paid yesterday so that we know how to make follow-ups?

 

Dr Banda: Madam, that is why I did not specify the contractors who have been paid. I said that “some” contractors have been paid. If the hon. Member wants to know which contractors have been paid, she is welcome to our office, where I am sure the details will be availed to her.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr A. C. Mumba (Kantanshi): Madam Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that the funds the Government releases are from different sources. For example, he said that some funds come from the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA). However, it is well known that the money collected by the NRFA is meant for road maintenance, not construction of feeder roads. Could the hon. Minister clarify his answer further. Has there been a change in Government policy in the way the money collected by the NRFA is applied? The relevant Act is very clear in stating that the funds are supposed to go to road maintenance.

 

Dr Banda: Madam Speaker, I remind the hon. Member that these works are at different scales, and that is the reason they handled by different institutions. Certain roads have been given to the Ministry of Local Government because of their level. Even the funding we get for roads under my ministry is different from the funding that goes to, for example, a road from Lusaka to Kitwe under the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development. The levels are different, and that is why the jurisdiction is also different.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

DISBURSEMENT OF THE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FUND

 

156.  Ms Kasune asked the Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development:

 

1. how many youths in Keembe Parliamentary Constituency benefited from the Youth Empowerment Fund from 2018 to 2020, year by year;
2. which projects were approved for funding;
3. if no youths benefited from the fund, why; and
4. when the youths in Keembe will be considered for empowerment.

 

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development (Mr Mulenga): Madam Speaker, in 2018, no youth benefitted from the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) because the fund was suspended after an evaluation that was undertaken by the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR), whose findings made it necessary for new measures, such as loan recovery strategies and monitoring mechanisms, to be put in place before resumption of the programme. Similarly, there was no funding for the programmes in 2019 due to the same reason.

 

Madam Speaker, in 2020, the Government of His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the President of the Republic of Zambia, did not want to continue with not funding youth empowerment programmes. Consequently, under the President’s able leadership, the ministry was given K470 million and, as a result, the following youth co-operatives were approved for funding in Keembe Constituency:

 

1. Chaboma Youth Multi-Purpose Co-operative;
2. Mululu Blessings Youth Multi-Purpose;
3. Hilltop Trading Centre Youth Group;
4. Kabwe Baptist Fellowship;
5. Twiza Avakado Multi-Purpose Co-operative; and
6. Chibombo Youth Initiative Youth Club.

 

Madam Speaker, in addition, twenty-seven interns also benefited from the Multi-Sectoral Youth Empowerment Programme in 2020.

 

Madam, the projects that were approved for funding are the ones I have mentioned in (a).

 

Madam Speaker, the answer is the same as in (a). The youths benefitted.

 

Madam Speaker, the Multi-Sectoral Youth Empowerment Programme is ongoing. To this effect, those who have applied have been considered, and those who will apply will equally be considered.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kambita: Madam Speaker, my question is in line with the response given by the hon. Minister on the youth empowerment programmes that have been started in the constituency in question. We have observed, and it is in the public domain, that most of the so-called clubs have been formed around Patriotic Front (PF) cadres. Could the hon. Minister categorically state whether this is a PF empowerment programme or one meant for all of us, the citizens?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam, the YEF is for all the youths in this country. So, I encourage the hon. Member to encourage the youths in his constituency to apply, and we will empower them.

 

I thank you, Madam.

 

Ms Subulwa (Sioma): Madam Speaker, it is good to see you virtually.

 

Madam, is the hon. Minister able to give the House a countrywide plan on the disbursement of the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) countrywide? I ask because the youths in Sioma, just like it is implied in the hon. Member for Keembe’s question, have not received any empowerment? So, does the hon. Minister have a plan that he can share with the House?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I will provide to this House the figures on all the youths who have been empowered. However, I should inform the hon. Member for Parliament for Sioma that I was in the Western Province early this year and that we received youths from Sioma and empowered them.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Kasune: Madam Speaker, has the ministry put in place mechanisms for recovering the loans and ensuring that the programmes that it is implementing actually achieve the intended result? I ask this question because the hon. Minister talked about having to cancel the programme in previous years. Further, has the ministry put in place mechanisms for ensuring that the youths whom the hon. Minister claims to have empowered in Keembe are not politically aligned, and that they are really from Keembe? I have a concern on two of the youth groups hon. Minister mentioned because they are not from Keembe. Maybe, we do not have adequate mechanisms for ensuring that a constituency as big as Keembe receives more. I want to know so that the people of Keembe, especially the youths, can take advantage of the remaining time that he has talked about. So, what strict mechanisms are there to enable us to empower the youths according to the size of the constituency and to ensure that the recipients are from the intended constituency?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I can safely say that the youths are from Keembe because one of the requirements when applying for youth empowerment is that the co-operative or individual gets a recommendation from the authority in their district specifying that they reside in that district. We do not empower only cadres or Patriotic Front (PF) members. Instead, we empower all the youths who apply.

 

Madam, we only received six applications from Keembe and we have empowered all the youths who applied from there. So, I advise the hon. Member for Keembe to go to her constituency and encourage the youths to apply for the YEF because the caring Head of State, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has provided funds, which are not loans, to the youths.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: I will allow four more hon. Members to ask questions, as follows: the hon. Members for Mumbwa, Liuwa, Kanchibiya and Serenje. The hon. Member for Keembe is free to ask another question if she wishes to do so.

 

Mr Nanjuwa: Madam Speaker, I have not heard how much money was released to the youth clubs in Chibombo under the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF). The hon. Minister mentioned that two clubs were approved, but I did not hear him state how much each club received.

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, in fact, six youth clubs, not two, received the empowerment funds.

 

Madam, the amounts received by each club were as follows:

 

Youth Club                                                                             Amount Received (K)

 

Chaboma Youth Multi-purpose Co-operative                              11,000

 

Mululu Blessings Youth Multi-purpose                                        11,000

 

Hilltop Trading Centre                                                                   5,500

 

Kabwe Baptist Fellowship                                                             5,500

 

Twiza Avakado Multi-purpose Co-operative                               11,000

 

Chibombo Youth Initiative Youth Club                                       11,000

 

Madam, let me state that the ministry does not decide which projects or businesses the youths should engage in or the amount of money that should be given. We have given the youths the opportunity to come up with business proposals and apply, and we fund them according to their requests. So, the funding given was in accordance with the requests the youth groups forwarded to our ministry.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Madam Speaker, when answering one of the earlier questions, the hon. Minister said that one of the reasons the youths are not getting empowered is that hon. Members do not encourage the youths in their constituencies to come forth. However, the truth is that hon. Members do encourage the youths, but there is never adequate funding from the ministry. That being the case, why does the hon. Minister not adopt the practice that was there before his administration came into office, whereby every constituency was given an allocation of the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) to allocate to the youths in it?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I did not come to Zambia as an adult; I grew up in this country. So, I know that the model that Hon. Dr Musokotwane is talking about has not helped any youth before. A lot of youth empowerment was provided through the constituencies, but I did not seen any. Besides, providing these funds through the constituencies would mean the funds going to cadres, not the ordinary youths, in this country. His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia encourages all the youths across the country to apply for these funds because the funds are available. As I speak this afternoon, we still have the funds in the ministry, as the President has instructed the Ministry of Finance to make sure that our ministry is well-funded so that the youths are empowered in this country. So, we cannot use a model that has not worked before.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Kasune: Madam Speaker, I will make a follow-up with the hon. Minister’s office.

 

Madam Speaker, further to the question the hon. Member for Mumbwa asked, is there a maximum amount that the youths can apply for? The hon. Minister stated that the reason the youths got the amounts they got, which do not sound substantial to me, was the categories for which they applied. Could the hon. Minister kindly indicate whether there is a maximum amount of money that the youths can apply for or the amount is open-ended.

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, there is no minimum or maximum amount that a youth group or an individual can get. All they have to do is prove that they have a viable project and convince us that they are going to pay back the money so that it can be given to another youth. The money is given as a loan.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Dr Malama (Kanchibiya): Madam Speaker, I thank the Government for the initiative of empowering youths, particularly the internship programme.

 

Madam, the hon. Minister mentioned that during the period under review, twenty-seven youths were recruited. Further, I note that the hon. Minister has been meeting with colleagues from the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) to make a follow-up on this programme, meaning the PF Government is not discriminating or limiting it to only the PF strongholds. The hon. Minister has also mentioned that His Excellency the President has made sure that the ministry is well funded. Will the ministry ensure that the internship programme, one of the empowerment programmes, being implemented this year? Is the ministry recruiting? Will the ministry enable internship programme to continue so that our constituencies, such as Kanchibiya, can recruit, particularly teachers, who can help to teach our children?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, I have had a number of interactions with His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and I have asked him whether the empowerment programmes will come to an end or not, to which the answer he has given me all the times I have asked him is that the empowerment will continue as long as he remains President of the Republic of Zambia. So, the internship programmes will continue.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Kabanda (Serenje): Madam Speaker, many youths in Central Province and, in particular, Serenje, have benefited from the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF). However, there have been problems with the remitting of the monies to the accounts of the respective youth clubs that apply. Could the hon. Minister state why there has been this challenge?

 

Mr Mulenga: Madam Speaker, that is a very important question.

 

Madam, the Financial Management Regulation Act of 2018 stipulates that all the money should be transferred into beneficiaries’ accounts, not given in cash. In that regard, the challenge we have is that a number of youths whose projects we approve do not have accounts. So, I urge the youths to open bank accounts so that the monies can be remitted into their accounts. Additionally, a number of them gave us wrong account numbers. So, when we remitted the funds, they bounced back. I urge the youths with such challenges to visit our offices. We are dotted across the country in all the ten provinces. They can go to the provincial office and file in their complaints in writing. Then, we will attend to their problems sooner than later.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

________

 

MOTIONS

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON YOUTH, SPORT AND CHILD MATTERS

 

Mr Miyutu (Kalabo Central): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Youth, Sport and Child Matters for the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on Friday, 26^th March, 2021.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

 

Hon. Member for Mpongwe, I have been informed that you are seconding this Motion instead of the hon. Member for Luapula. Are you ready to second?

 

Mr Bulaya (Mpongwe) (on behalf of Mrs Kabanshi (Luapula)): Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order No. 157(2), the Committee considered one topical issue, namely the Sexual Reproductive Health and rights of Children and Young People in Zambia. Allow me to comment on some of the key findings from the Committee’s engagement with various stakeholders on the topical issue.

 

Madam, one key finding is that Zambia remains reliant on donors for financing sexual reproductive and maternal health ant that this problem is exacerbated by inadequate disbursement of funds against the annual budgetary allocations for such programmes. For example, the Integrated Family Planning Scale-up Plan of the Zambian Government is 90 per cent funded by donors. This situation has the potential to lower the voice of Government in matters of sexual and reproductive health in the country. In light of this, the Committee strongly urges the Government to increase funding to sexual and reproductive health, in particular, to fully fund activities that promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of children and young people in this country.

 

Madam Speaker, another finding of concern to the Committee is that, currently, Zambia has no law or policy in place to prescribe the age at which children and young people can freely access sexual and reproductive health services from service providers. The Committee is concerned that in many cases, children and young people seeking sexual and reproductive health services are subjected to a number of hurdles, such as the need for parental consent. In light of this, the Committee recommends that the Government carries out a thorough inquiry into this matter and comes up with an appropriate decision as to the age of consent in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health services for children and young people.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee further notes with dismay that a strategy was launched by the Ministry of Gender whose main aim was to facilitate a 40 per cent reduction in child marriage by 2021. The strategy was also aimed at facilitating positive change in prevailing attitudes, behaviour, beliefs and practices that contribute to the practice of child marriage. However, despite this Government’s effort, child marriage is still on the increase in Zambia, largely on account of the country’s dual legal system. In this vein, the Committee recommends that the Child Code Bill and the Marriage Bill be expeditiously finalised to resolve all the lacunae observed in the legal framework relating to child matters, including the minimum age of marriage.

 

Madam, the Committee notes that a number of stakeholders are in support of the teaching of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in schools, as they believe that it provides sufficient knowledge about sexuality and reproduction and enables children to make informed decisions about matters of sexuality. However, some stakeholders have argued that in its current form, CSE disregards a number of local cultural norms. In other words, it inappropriate from the cultural and religious perspectives and, therefore, unacceptable. Those stakeholders have pointed to a need for a thorough review of the CSE syllabus to make it acceptable to all stakeholders. In light of the above, the Committee recommends that an urgent review of the CSE course content be undertaken. The review must take into account Zambia’s traditional and cultural values.

 

Madam, in conclusion, allow me to place on record the gratitude of the Committee to all the stakeholders who tendered both written and oral submissions. The Committee also thanks you for your guidance, and the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the support services rendered to it throughout its deliberations.

 

Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

 

Mr Bulaya: Madam Speaker, now. 

 

Mr Bulaya: Madam Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to second the Motion. I also thank Hon. Chinga Miyutu for the able manner in which he has moved the Motion.

 

Madam, as I second the Motion, I wish to comment on the few other issues in the report that equally caught the Committee’s attention.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee was informed that there was no co-ordinated information management system to enable the tracking of performance across ministries with the responsibilities over children and young people, such as the ministries of Youth, Sport and Child Development; General Education; and Health. The Committee, therefore, urges the Government to provide sufficient funds in the area of monitoring and evaluation so that data relevant to the understanding of the impact of sexual and reproductive health challenges on children and young people can be corrected.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee was also informed that the policies and regulations in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for children and young people should not be looked at in isolation from other existing policies and regulations. In other words, some of the policies do not speak to each other, thereby causing a situation of duplicity and limited coherence. Further, ministries seem to work in isolation even where policies and regulations suggest the need for synergy and collaboration. The Committee, therefore, urges the Government to adopt a co-ordinated and multi-sectoral approach to enhance collaboration among the line ministries in promoting sexual and reproductive services for children and young people in Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee was further informed that despite large numbers of persons living with disabilities, the needs of young people and children with disabilities in terms of sexual and reproductive services has often not received the deserved attention. The Committee notes with dismay that it is very clear that many children and young people living with disabilities have been denied information on sexual and reproductive health programmes in schools, as the information is usually presented in designs not consistent with their disabilities. The Committee, therefore, urges the Government to put in place a deliberate policy to ensure that information on sexual and reproductive health and programmes in schools is presented in designs compatible with children and young people with disabilities.

 

Madam Speaker, in ending my debate, I thank the members of the Committee for giving me the opportunity to second the Motion.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Ngulube (Kabwe Central):  Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Report of the Committee on Youth, Sport and Child Matters.

 

Madam, I just want to state that Zambia’s dual legal system is not in conflict with any of the proposed recommendations of the Committee. The country has remained intact in terms of its legal systems. The fact that it allows both customary and statutory marriages does not in any way prevent or hinder people who provide child sexual and reproductive health systems. There has also been speculation to the effect that there are many child marriages because of the age of marriage allowed in customary marriage. However, we do not believe that that to be true because we feel that even in the African culture, parents are aware that their daughters should only get married when they are ready.

 

Madam, it is also speculative to state that if the Government does not sponsor most of the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programmes, then, it will lose its voice on some of the policy decisions that come with donor funding. I say this because the donors have sponsored those programmes without any problems. Besides, the Government cannot implement most of those programmes without working with its Co-operating Partners. So, it is from that point of view that we state that the Government has policies and that the people who come to sponsor Government programmes always look at Government policies. So, it is because of the Government’s good policies towards a reduction in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), early child marriages, early pregnancies and similar problems that donors find it easy to work with the Government. So, it is not true that because the Government is not the main sponsor of the programmes on SRHR, then, it is likely to have a weaker voice on such matters.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to also state that most of the times our colleagues propose to sponsor some projects, they come with their own policies. For instance, people who implement family planning projects in clinics have to work with the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Health gives them guidelines. They cannot just impose themselves. Apart from that, the Government signs memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and other agreements with the donors so that Government policies on a number of the issues involved are not in conflict with the policies that donor-funded projects will come with. That is why we see a successful health system that supports both Government projects and donor-funded projects.

 

Madam, in conclusion, allow me to thank the Committee for its report. I also thank the mover and the seconder of the Motion.

 

Madam Speaker, with those few remarks, I thank you.

 

The Minister for Northern Province (Mr C. Bwalya): Mr Speaker, I commend your Committee for doing a good job on this report. Therefore, I support the report as articulated by the mover and the seconder.

 

Madam Speaker, the issues of child marriages and child care in the Republic of Zambia are well documented and, because they are, there are quite a number of pieces of legislation on children and on marriages. For example, the Education Act stipulates children’s needs and how children are supposed to be treated. The Juveniles Act also has clauses and sections that talk about how we should look after our children and about issues of age. There is also the Marriage Act, which defines marriage and addresses issues to do with customary marriages. Most importantly, the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia also deals with the issues to do with age and, all these laws, put together, constitute a legal framework capable of anchoring various policies for dealing with the issues of child marriages.

 

Madam, the collaboration that has been referred to by the mover and the seconder insofar as the policies and the laws are concerned can be dealt with administratively by the Government to harmonise the policies and the laws.

 

Madam Speaker, it is also clear that the Government is making many interventions not only on gender-based violence (GBV), but also on the issue of early marriages. For example, the Anti Gender-Based Violence Act has a component on issues to do with children because it provides for the tracking down of those who allow children to be married. We are also happy that because of these interventions, traditional leaders have taken it upon themselves to fight child marriages, with some of them managing to retrieve children from their marriages and allowing them to go back to school. These interventions are as a result of the Government’s policy of allowing the girl child to be educated and get the correct education.

 

Madam, I also want to talk about a programme we are implementing in the Northern Province. The programme, called ‘Natwampane’, is a Government programme that supported by different implementing partners, one of which is World Vision. The essence of the programme is to sensitise the people in the communities to the dangers of certain cultural practices we are clinging to and change the people’s mindset on traditional and cultural norms that have a negative effect on not only children, but also adult insofar as their conduct is concerned. The programme also addresses sexual violence and GBV, one component of which fights against children entering marriages earlier than they are supposed to. By the time they are getting into marriage, they should not only be mature, but also understand the consequences and needs of marriages. The programme enables parents who take their children into marriages to know that their children have to be old enough according to the law.

 

Madam, it is true that we have to harmonise certain aspects. However, the Government is making interventions to curb the scourge of child marriages.

 

Madam Speaker, with these few remarks, I commend your Committee for the job well done in relation to this report.

 

 I thank you, Madam.

 

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development (Mr Mulenga): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the action-taken report of the Committee on Youth, Sport and Child Matters that has been presented to Parliament today by Hon. Chinga Miyutu, the Chairperson of the Committee.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to commend the Committee for a well-researched report, and for ensuring that youth, sport and child development matters are addressed, especially in the midst of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

 

Madam Speaker, the report of the Committee raises old issues like child marriages, definition of a child and youth unemployment, as well as new topical issues like sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHRs) of children and young people in Zambia. Therefore, I assure the House and the Committee that my ministry will endeavour to adequately respond to the Committee’s observations and recommendations in the report.

 

Madam Speaker, the Government has made significant progress with the Child Code Bill, as it has completed the legislative stage, and the Bill will soon be tabled in Parliament. Once enacted into law, the Bill will harmonise all pieces of legislation pertaining to children.

 

 Madam, the Government has also adopted a multi-sectoral approach in the implementation of youth empowerment programmes in order to address gaps and challenges encountered in the past, such as loan recoveries. The multi-sectoral approach allows the Government and my ministry to establish committees and guidelines to ensure that all factors of empowerment projects are looked into, including risks.

 

Madam, the Government, through my ministry, continues to ensure that sports development and administration is well managed in the country.

 

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, let me, once again, thank the Committee on Youth, Sport and Child Matters for a well-researched report. It is my sincere hope that the Committee will continue to ensure that youth, sport and child matters are addressed in the country.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Kampyongo): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to make a few comments on this very important action-taken report ably presented by Hon. Miyutu, the Chairperson of the Committee.

 

Madam Speaker, the report has highlighted a number of issues. I will focus on the issues raised on children, such as the various definitions of a child in various pieces of legislation and different Acts of Parliament, which are relevant  to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

Madam, let me start with the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, in which a child is defined as a person who is below the age of eighteen years. The Penal Code, on the other hand, defines a child as someone who is sixteen years old or younger. There is also the Adoption Act, Cap 54 of the Laws of Zambia, which defines a child as someone below the age of twenty-one. All these definitions can be revised and harmonised.

 

Madam Speaker, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, we are decentralising birth registration through the civil registration offices to ensure that children born in both rural and urban areas are registered and the correct date of their birth recorded. What we have done, so far, is decentralise the birth registration processes to all the provincial headquarters for the first time in the history of this country. Our desire is to go down further to the districts.

 

Madam Speaker, we have also collaborated very well with the Ministry of Gender in ensuring that birth registration is equally done through the schools. One of the challenges we face, apart from the gaps that have been highlighted in the report, is that of proving the age of a child, especially in gender-based violence (GBV) cases. This is because some children have not been registered and do not have clear records indicating their age starting from birth. So, birth registration is one of the ways in which we can address some of the challenges that have been highlighted in the report.

 

Madam Speaker, apart from decentralising the birth registration processes, the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship, whose mandate it is to register citizens from birth, is interfacing with the Ministry of Health, through health facilities, to ensure that every birth is captured and registered. Eventually, birth certificates are issued to most, if not all, of the children born. A birth certificate then becomes legal proof of the age of a person.

 

Madam Speaker, we have taken these matters very seriously, and His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia is equally very concerned about what has been obtaining in relation to children, be it their health, teenage pregnancies or child marriages. All these matters are difficult to resolve if we cannot ascertain the age of the victims. I, therefore, assure the nation, through this august House, that the Government has invested a lot in addressing these issues and that it is working with multinational organisations, such as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and other United Nations (UN) agencies that have supported the Government in ensuring that the registration of children through birth registration is enhanced and decentralised.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

The Minister of Gender (Ms Phiri): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this progressive debate.

 

Madam Speaker, the Government is not working in silos regarding these matters, as you have already heard from my hon. Colleagues on how we are collaborating in most of the things that individual ministries are doing. As the Ministry of Gender, we have been mandated to fight early and forced marriage, which are vices that have curtailed the future of many children.

 

Madam Speaker, our President is a continental champion for ending child marriage. As my hon. Colleague, the Minister of Home Affairs, has already said, it was not easy to identify who a child is before this programme that the Government has embarked on. In most cases in court, the perpetrators got away with defiling children because it was very difficult to define a child, especially when the parents were corrupted by the perpetrator. The parents even falsified the ages of their children in court, making the victims very vulnerable. This is the reason we have taken it upon themselves, as a Government, to see to it that a child is identified through documents.

 

Madam Speaker, as a Government, we have not kept quiet on child defilement. Instead, we have taken the step of introducing fast-track courts in six provinces. The fast-track courts do not take defilement cases as ordinary cases. Instead, the cases are fast-tracked. 

 

Madam Speaker, the Government of His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has laws in place and policies that guide the courts and other institutions in how to deal with children. However, I agree with the earlier speakers that we need to harmonise some laws. For example, the Penal Code defines a child as one who is sixteen years or younger while the Marriage Act stipulates that a child is one who is below the age of eighteen. This has brought confusion in how the courts deal with matters of children. So, we appreciate the need to harmonise the pieces of legislation and come up with a legal framework that will be consistent in defining the child, and I agree that we, as a Government, have to look into that. I believe that, very soon, we will harmonise the relevant pieces of legislation.

 

Madam Speaker, as a Minister of Gender who deals with cases of early and forced marriages of girls every day, I can tell you that we do not work in silos; we work with the ministries of General Education, Home Affairs, Health, and Community Development and Social Welfare. We want to look at these issues collectively and to see how best we can empower the girl child.

 

Madam Speaker, we have embarked on the programme of withdrawing from their marriages girls who were married off early because of certain reasons, including falling out of school because of poverty and failure by their parents to support them adequately to complete school. We take such girls back to school. The Keeping Girls in School Programme has helped girls to become better women and empowered them to participate fairly in decision-making in this country.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Miyutu: Madam Speaker, let me thank Hon. Bulaya for ably seconding this Motion. Let me also thank the hon. Deputy Government Chief Whip; the hon. Minister for Northern Province; the hon. Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development; the hon. Minister of Home Affairs; and the hon. Minister of Gender. I also thank all those who had the desire to debate, but did not.

 

With those few words, I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 

Dr Imakando (Mongu Central): Madam Speaker, I beg to move that the House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources for the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, laid on the Table of the House on 26^th March, 2021.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Is the Motion seconded?

 

Mr Mutaba (Mwandi): Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

 

Dr Imakando: Madam Speaker, based on its terms of reference, as set out in Order No. 157(2) of the National Assembly Standing Orders of 2016, the Committee undertook a study on “The Fishing Industry in Zambia: Opportunities and Challenges.” In this regard, the Committee invited various stakeholders who made both oral and written submissions that assisted it to come up with the observations and recommendations contained in the report. I, hope that hon. Members have taken time to read the Committee’s report and familiarise themselves with its contents.

 

Madam, as hon. Members may be aware, the fisheries industry in Zambia is made up of capture fisheries and aquaculture. Zambia’s major water bodies for capture fisheries include lakes Kariba, Mweru-Luapula, Mweru-Wantipa, Bangweulu, Lusiwasi, Itezhi-Tezhi and Tanganyika, while the major rivers include Kafue, Luangwa, Lukanga, Chambeshi and Zambezi.

 

Madam Speaker, the House may wish to note that with more that 15 million ha of water bodies available for fish farming, the sector has great potential to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This notwithstanding, the fisheries sector faces a number of challenges, some of which are due to the fact that currently, it does not have a standalone policy. Rather, it is anchored on the Second National Agricultural Policy of 2016. Therefore, there is a need to develop a standalone policy for fisheries that will articulate strategies for the development of the sub-sector. There is also a need for the Government to formulate an aquaculture strategy that will take into account the uniqueness of aquaculture in order to develop the sub-sector’s potential. In light of the above, the Committee urges the Government to expedite the formulation of a standalone fisheries and aquaculture policy and its implementation strategy in order for the fisheries sub-sector to become one of the key drivers of economic growth. 

 

Madam Speaker, with regard to the legal framework, the Committee notes that there are various pieces of legislation governing the fishing industry and that the legislation is adequate. However, it is worth noting that some of the pieces of legislation, such as the Fisheries Act No. 22 of 2011 and the Animal Health Act No. 27 of 2010 lead to overlaps that would create conflict in their implementation and enforcement in relation to fish imports. It is, therefore, important that the pieces of legislation are harmonised to avoid conflict.

 

Madam, the Committee observes that the participation of indigenous Zambians in commercial fish production is very low. This can be attributed to high capital requirements, difficulty in land acquisition for commercial fish production, the length and cost of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental project briefs. On the other hand, the participation of indigenous Zambians in small-scale production is high due to the ease of access to land and water by small-scale producers.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee further notes with concern that commercial fish farmers prefer to grow exotic fish species, such as the Niloticus Tilapia, whose growth rate is considered superior to the indigenous species. However, it should be noted that the species is considered highly invasive and capable of wiping out the entire fish population in Zambia if introduced indiscriminately. In this regard, the Committee urges the Government to expeditiously fund more research in genetic improvement programmes for indigenous fish species to ensure the availability of high-quality local fish seed for the small-scale farmers. In the same vein, the Committee reiterates the call for the allocation of funds to the fisheries sub-sector to be realigned in order to prioritise the delivery of extension services and research work on the appropriate species to be introduced.

 

Madam Speaker, finally, the Committee places on record its debt to you and the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the guidance and support services rendered to it during its deliberations. Allow me to also thank the stakeholders who appeared before the Committee for supplying the necessary information.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

 

Mr Mutaba: Now, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam, in seconding the Motion to adopt the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources, allow me to thank the chairperson for ably moving the Motion. Aside from what the chairperson has said, allow me to elaborate some of the issues that I feel need to be highlighted, especially in promoting the aquaculture sub-sector.

 

Madam, one pertinent issue that was brought to the Committee’s attention is the non-availability of affordable and quality fish feed, which was attributed to a lack of low-cost raw materials produced locally. The recommendation on this is that there be more support to private sector involvement in the fingerling production value chain.

 

Madam Speaker, the Committee also notes the non-availability of quality fingerlings on the market. The recommendation on this is encouragement of more investment and research in fingerling production. Further, the Committee notes that most small-scale fishers and fish farmers incur heavy post-harvest losses due to a lack of connectivity to electricity, high costs of refrigeration and a lack of knowledge of preservation techniques. The recommendation on this is an increase in funding to extension services so that the capacity of the small-scale fish farmers to reduce post-harvest losses is built.

 

Madam, finally, I place on record my sincere gratitude to members of your Committee for working as a team during its deliberations, as that helped the Committee to make informed recommendations.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Ngulube (Kabwe Central): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources for the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly.

 

Madam Speaker, I concur with the Committee that there is a need for the Government to come up with an aquaculture policy that will guide fish producers. In the past few years, we have seen many people try to keep fish, and we have seen the President give us an example by rearing fish in his fish ponds. We have also seen many hon. Ministers, schools and farmers do it. However, as the seconder has stated, there are issues of fingerlings, policies, taxation, water rights and the type of water to use in keeping fish. additionally, we have seen the laws relating to the damming of rivers and other related issues. There have also been many conflicts between farmers and the Water Resources Management Agency (WARMA). In this regard, it is high time the Government moved in and brought sanity to this sub-sector. Some people may want to keep fingerlings, but they do not have the water rights because the procedures for acquiring those rights are very stringent and, as a result, the aquaculture sub-sector appears to suffer from lost opportunities.

 

Madam, in most instances, the costs of starting a fish farming project are astronomical. So, we urge the Government to come up with incentives in the sub-sector. For instance, one needs heavy equipment, tarpaulin tents and a large water source in order to create a fish pond and one needs to change the water in the fish pond every three months. Therefore, the Government must come up with incentives for small-scale fish farmers. For instance, there should be a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Zambia National Service (ZNS) and fish farmers so that the ZNS can help farmers to construct fish ponds and, probably, also provide some implements on credit so that we can reduce the fish deficit together.

 

Madam, we are aware that some companies are already doing well in terms of breeding their own fish but, for the small-scale farmer, there is  a need for Government intervention in this sub-sector. Firstly, the Government must give us an aquaculture policy; secondly, it must introduce incentives for small-scale farmers; and, lastly, it must create more areas where we can access fingerlings. If one is in Kabwe, for instance, one should not have to travel all the way to Chalata in Mkushi to get fingerlings. We could establish fingerling breeding centres in all provincial centres as a way of encouraging small-scale farmers who want to start fish farming.

 

Madam, with those remarks, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to support this report.

 

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Katambo): Madam Speaker, allow me to thank your Committee on the work that it undertook of reviewing the performance of the fisheries sub-sector. It is worth noting that over ten years, since the Patriotic Front (PF) Government assumed office, there has been substantial investment in the fisheries sub-sector. This is evidenced by interventions like the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAEDP), which is a US$40 million investment. Results of such investments are there for all to see.

 

Madam Speaker, we have significantly increased fish production in aquaculture in the country. Between 2018 and 2020, production increased from 29,565 metric tonnes to 45,670 metric tonnes. Overall fish production from both aquaculture and capture fisheries in the same period increased by 8 per cent, from 118,799 metric tonnes to 140,613 metric tonnes. In the same period, we have also seen an increase in service providers to the fisheries sub-sector, such as hatcheries. With the funding of thirteen commercial hatcheries by the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), it is expected that fingerlings will be readily available. As you may be aware, fingerling production is key growth of the sub-sector. Further, producers of fish feed have established eight mills that will supply domestically-produced pallet fish feed to commercial aquaculture. 

 

Madam Speaker, despite the successes we have scored, the fisheries sector, particularly aquacultural fisheries, has faced challenges over the years, namely the issue of over-fishing and depleting fish stocks. The Government has been intervening through training of farmers and enforcement of fishing bans. However, the onus to ensure sustainability of capture fisheries is not on the Government alone. I, therefore, urge your hon. Members, especially those who come from fishing areas, to communicate to their constituents the fact that the fishing ban is not designed to punish them, but to ensure sustainable production.

 

Madam Speaker, our approach to the development of the fisheries sub-sector is holistic, as it encompasses all aspects of fisheries development, namely training, research and development (R&D), development value chains and marketing.

 

Madam Speaker, I can safely say that for the first time in the country, we have a comprehensive strategy for developing the fisheries sector.

 

Madam Speaker, with those very few words, I thank you.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for allowing me to make a brief comment on the Motion on the Floor of the House.

 

Madam, just like the hon. Minister of Agriculture has stated, under this Government, we have seen the support that has gone to the fisheries industry. Speaking as a small-scale fish farmer, I have been encouraged to participate in fish farming by His Excellency the President because this is one sub-sector that is close to his heart.

 

Madam, there are many water bodies in this country, but we all know that fish stocks have been depleted in most of them even with the fishing ban that we observe. Therefore, the diet that is supposed to be supported by white meat from fish is poor for many of our people. So, it is important, just like the hon. Deputy Chief Whip has said, that we decentralise this function. I know that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is doing everything possible to make fish feed available to our people. Therefore, I commend it on behalf of the people of Shiwang’andu for allowing us to start engaging in cage fish farming in one of our lakes, Lake Shiwang’andu.

 

Madam Speaker, fish farming  is the only way people can eat fresh fish, not the preserved one. You cannot call fish that was harvested three months and has been transiting through different coolers and fridges fresh. Fresh fish is the one you harvest and eat there and then. So, as the Executive, we are very much involved in fish farming, and I know that the hon. Minister of Justice, who is the Chairperson for Agriculture in the Patriotic Front (PF) is equally a small-scale farmer, but he is a slightly bigger farmer than me.

 

Mr Kampyongo laughed.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, fish farming is a fulfilling undertaking. As we have seen, every time the President has harvested his fish, the volumes have increased. We want to encourage our people who live near water bodies to also take interest in this very important type of farming that guarantees people cash. We see how fish mongers protest when there is a fishing ban. Fish farming could be an option for them so that when the fishing ban is enforced on many water bodies, they can still harvest fish from their small-scale ventures.

 

Madam Speaker, I saw His Excellency launch a project in Mongu, and our youths there have taken up the initiative. I must advise those youths, whom I had a chance to interact with, that they cannot waste the water they see every day and expect someone to drop manner from somewhere. The youths who have taken up fish farming in Mongu should also encourage their fellow youths around the Western Province to join them. Hon. Mbangweta should encourage the youths to not waste the water body that God has given them. Let them utilise that water to keep fish, as that will capacitate them to do whatever they want to do in terms of businesses.

 

Madam Speaker, with those very words, I support the report.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

The Minister of Justice (Mr Lubinda): Madam Speaker, let me start by commending your Committee for this very we-written report. I also pay tribute to the late Hon. Maxas Bweupe Ng’onga, who was the chairperson of this Committee at the time this investigation was being made. Due to his personal interest in these matters, he really deserves our tribute. Further, I join others in commending His Excellency the President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for what he is doing. Never in the history of Zambia have we seen so much political will for the growth of the aquaculture industry exhibited as we have seen ever since Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu was elected President of the Republic of Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, indeed, aquaculture is now seen as an enterprise not only for small-scale farmers like my colleague, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs, or me, but one that makes a very important contribution to Zambia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employment creation in the country. Like the hon. Minister of Agriculture indicated, during the short period that President Edgar Lungu has superintended over this country, we have already seen growth in the production of fish in the country. This shows that with President Edgar Lungu continuing in his position, this will not only be called an area of potential, but one whose potential has been realised. There is no doubt that come 2025, those who will be standing here will be talking about how Zambia would have become a net exporter of fish. The deficit now is only 40,000 and, at the rate we are moving, Zambia will, indeed, start exporting not only feed, but fish too, within five years.  As hon. Members may be aware, 60 per cent of the feed that my colleague spoke about is exported, not consumed here. Further, we produce 196 million fingerlings. Imagine that if all those fingerlings grew up to only 100 g, we would have more than 19 million metric tonnes of fish. given that we only need 120,000 metric tonnes, we would easily become a net exporter of fish.

 

Madam Speaker, the financing to the fish industry that my hon. Colleague spoke about was not enough. I would also like to put it on record that there are other resources that are being put into the aquaculture industry in Zambia. For example, farms are being made available. Further, US$50.6 million is available through the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience and US$100 million through the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) Project.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank His Excellency the President for coming up with the idea of establishing a standalone ministry responsible for fisheries because in only one year, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock employed 250 extension officers all because of the realisation of the fact that aquaculture farmers require technical support. So, the number of players in the fish value chain has increased tremendously. Today, you even hear of people in Zambia making fish fillet, a thing that was only a far-fetched dream during the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) regime. Further, today, in this country, there are people who are even thinking about making shoes from fish skins. Can you imagine that? Again, this is something that no one has thought about before now.

 

Madam Speaker, the chairperson of the Committee spoke about conflicting laws, namely the Animal Health Act and the Fisheries Act, No. 27 of 2010. I assure him that the Control of Goods Act is the one used to regulate the importation of goods, including fish. Therefore, the two pieces of legislation are superseded by this Act insofar as the authority to import fish is concerned. Talking about the banning of the importation of fish, if we do not do it, we will be taking away the investment courage that people would have when we show them that we are willing to give them an opportunity to feed themselves with fish.

 

Madam, with regard to the fishing ban, you will recall that when the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Livestock extended it in particular breeding areas, not on all water bodies, there was hue and cry, which was also brought to this House. Some people came and complained that the people were hungry, and that is an attitude we have to change because we have to protect our breeding areas to continue having sufficient fish in the capture fisheries.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Dr Musokotwane (Liuwa): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to say something on the report presented by the Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources.

 

Madam Speaker, fisheries has been an important industry in this country for many years, and it is high time it provided a lot of income to individuals. I remember one time visiting Luapula Province and seeing many beautiful houses on the road from Mwense all the way to Kaputa. When I asked where the money for building those houses had come from, the answer was that it had come from fisheries. I further asked why the owners of the house had not continued building them, and the answer was that the fish stocks had depleted. It is as a result of the depletion of fish stocks that today, contrary to the praises of the Government we have been hearing, there is not enough fish in the country. For so many years, if you went in our supermarkets, you found fish that is imported from China and other countries, and you would ask yourself why fish is imported from abroad when we have so many water bodies in the country. The answer is in the report of your Committee.

 

Madam Speaker, the kind of interventions that were required, as we saw under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) during the tenure of a former hon. Minister of Agriculture, there was action taken to replenish the fisheries. Yes, I remember very vividly seeing Hon. Mundia Sikatana releasing fingerlings in the Luapula River and the lakes. I am sure Her Honour the Vice-President remembers that, too. That is what is missing today.

 

Mr Lubinda rose.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Resume your seat, hon. Minister of Justice.

 

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, what is missing today is action. There is a lot of talk that we hear here, but there is no successful action to ensure that fingerlings are being produced

 

Interruptions

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, on my right!

 

Hon. Member for Liuwa, resume your seat.

 

You can proceed with your debate.

 

Dr Musokotwane: Madam Speaker, all I am saying is that there should not be only empty praises. We want action to ensure that fingerlings are produced and provided in this country so that the farmers can produce the fish that we require. Then, we will stop importing fish. It is very embarrassing for a country like Zambia to be importing fish.

 

With those few remarks, I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister of Justice, I allowed you to debate. Further, the report is on the Floor of the House, and it is available for any member of the public to read it.

 

Mr Lubinda interjected.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon. Minister, that is why I am saying that the report is there for all to see.

 

Mr Lubinda: He should be telling the truth.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order, hon. Minister of Justice!

 

Dr Imakando: Madam Speaker, let me begin by thanking Hon. Sililo Mutaba for ably seconding the Motion.

 

Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the rich and constructive debates made today. I recognise the contribution by the hon. Member for Liuwa and Opposition Whip, the hon. Deputy Chief Whip, the hon. Minister of Agriculture, the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and, lastly, the hon. Minister of Justice.

 

Madam Speaker, as I wind up the debate, I cannot help but remember our late chairman, Hon. Ng’onga, may his soul rest in peace, who ably chaired our Committee meetings leading to the production of this report. I, therefore, agree with Hon. Given Lubinda that we should pay tribute to him for the wonderful job he did in shaping our agricultural sector into what it is today.

 

Madam Speaker, I urge all the hon. Members to support this report. I also convey my gratitude to you for the opportunity that you have given us.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

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The House adjourned at 1621 hours until 1430 hours on Thursday, 1^st April, 2021.

 

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