Tuesday, 8^th December, 2020

 

The House met at 1430 hours

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_______

 

MOTION

 

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

 

The Vice-President (Mrs Wina): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that Standing Order 100 of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders 2016, be suspended to enable the House to consider more than one stage of a Bill at the same sitting.

 

Mr Speaker, as I indicated last Friday, the House is expected to adjourn sine die on Thursday, 10^th December, 2020. For this reason, it is necessary to suspend Standing Order 100, so that the House can consider more than one stage of a Bill at the same sitting.

 

Mr Speaker, Standing Order 100 of the National Assembly of Zambia, Standing Orders 2016, prohibits the House from considering more than one stage of a Bill at one sitting without permission of the House. As hon. Members are aware, the hon. Minister of Finance is scheduled to present the Appropriation Bill at the conclusion of considering the Votes of Expenditure.

 

Mr Speaker, the Appropriation Bill and other Bills need to pass through all the stages before the House adjourns sine die. Considering the amount of time between now and Thursday 10^th December, 2020, it is necessary to suspend Standing Order 100, to facilitate for this process.

 

Mr Speaker, this meeting started on Friday, 11^th September, 2020, when His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, officially opened the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly. At its adjournment, the House would have sat for a total of fifty-two days. During this period, the business that would have been conducted is as follows:

 

1. eighty-one Questions for Oral and Written Answer;
2. two Private Members’ Motions;
3. nine Motions to adopt Parliamentary Committee Reports;
4. one Motion of censure against Hon. B. C. Lusambo MP, Minister for Lusaka Province;
5. twenty-seven Bills; and
6. approval of the 2021 National Budget.

 

Mr Speaker, in addition, a total of twenty-eight annual reports from Government and quasi-Government departments, seventeen Action-taken reports and thirteen ministerial statements would have been presented to the House.

 

Mr Speaker, the House also welcomed two new hon. Members of Parliament for Lukashya and Mwansabombwe, following the by-elections held on 17^th September, 2020.

 

Mr Speaker, we are all aware that 2020, came with a totally different twist, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic which the whole world faced. This required adjustments in every part of our daily lives, and Parliament was not spared. Us, as a Parliamentary family, continue to mourn the loss of many loved ones.

 

Mr Speaker, notwithstanding this, I am grateful to the Almighty God for allowing an inconsiderable amount of business to be transacted during this meeting amidst all the challenges that came about with the COVID-19 pandemic. I can confidently state that the purpose for which the House convened has been achieved. This achievement has been made possible by the positive strides that the Government has taken to ensure that communication was not hindered and people could work from the comfort of their homes and offices.

 

Sir, the massive investment in communication towers countrywide as well as the robust exercise by the Government to create smart Electronic Working (e-working) platforms has made this possible. It is for this reason that the President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, did not fully lockdown the country, which would have adversely affected our economy.

 

Furthermore, I commend the Hon. Mr Speaker and his team at Parliament, as well as all supportive groups that ensured they strategised and reviewed the operations of Parliament in a manner that business did not come to a complete halt. Today, we have achieved our goal of this House within the planned period. In view of the foregoing, allow me to further congratulate hon. Members, individually and collectively, for the job-well-done and urge them to keep up the spirit of hard work. Now that hon. Members are able to communicate from their various constituencies electronically, it is my hope that we are able to respond effectively to all the needs and concerns of this august House, which we are members of.

 

Mr Speaker, as hon. Members, we may have differed in opinions on a number of issues as Business of the House was being transacted but now is the time to put behind those differences in opinions and move with one accord and in a comradeship manner as we confront, together, the economic challenges the country is currently facing. It is only when we march together in solidarity can we find solutions to the economic challenges that the country is facing to realise the Zambia we want. These challenges are not insurmountable, and I am confident that with the collective wisdom of all Zambians, we shall overcome.

 

Mr Speaker, as we will soon go on recess, I wish to, once again, urge all hon. Members to take time to visit their respective constituencies to inspect the various developmental projects being undertaken and to ascertain the needs of the people, especially in areas faced with natural disasters and hunger. In this regard, I wish to remind all hon. Members that in liaising with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Office of the Vice-President, they should work closely with the regional representatives of DMMU to ensure they work together in understanding and sensitising their constituencies on issues of adaptation and preparedness which avert disasters. Remember, DMMU has regional coordinators in all provinces and districts of the country. By liaising with the regional representatives, the unit is able to quickly coordinate, sensitise as well as adequately respond to our people who may be in dire need of humanitarian support from the Government.

 

Mr Speaker, I cannot overemphasise the need for our people to register as voters. This is their democratic right to choose the leaders to represent them in Parliament and councils. I, therefore, implore all hon. Members to take a leading role in sensitising their constituencies on the need to register as voters and subsequently, participate in the 2021General Elections.

 

Sir, as I conclude, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to you, Mr Speaker, the hon. Madam First Deputy Speaker and the hon. Second Deputy Speaker for your tireless effort in presiding over the Business of the House. I, further, wish to commend the Clerk of the National Assembly and her staff for the services they continue to render to the House. In the same vein, let me acknowledge with gratitude, the important work done by officers in the Office of the Vice-President, the Parliamentary Liaison Officers and the entire Public Service in facilitating the work of the House.

 

Mr Speaker, finally, I would like to wish all hon. Members and, indeed, the entire nation a happy festive season and a prosperous 2021.

 

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze Central): Mr Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to debate the Motion that has been moved by Her Honour the Vice-President pertaining to the suspension of relevant Standing Orders.

 

Mr Speaker, I would like to state, in no uncertain terms, that this particular practice is a very bad practice. We all knew that money Bills would be presented before the Floor of this House for consideration. We knew about this idea a long time ago. It is, therefore, unfair and not in the interest of any hon. Member of Parliament and members of the public to introduce Bills at the last minute so that there is no consultation over them. We have always been advised by the Government that when Bills are presented on the Floor of the House, it is incumbent upon hon. Members of Parliament to consult their electorates. Now, how are we going to do it if we suspend the Standing Orders and debate all the stages of these Bills within that particular sitting or day? It is unfair and it is not in the interest of anybody. I hope that in future, this bad practice by the Patriotic Front (PF) will not continue to be applied on the Floor of this House.

 

Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President, in her Motion, raised a number of very pertinent issues that affect the people of Zambia. I would like to comment on one or two of the issues she has raised. She has implored us as hon. Members of Parliament to go to our constituencies and sensitise our members on the need to register as voters. I agree that that is our responsibility. However, we have been raising the issue pertaining to the registration of voters, vis-à-vis the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) on the Floor of this House. I have no doubt in my mind that many of our people have been deliberately disenfranchised by the PF by not issuing them with NRCs. People in the Western Province in particular, have been disenfranchised. The mobile issuance of NRCs exercise did not reach 50 per cent of the areas that were targeted in the Western Province. The same scenario obtains in the Southern Province, Central Province and parts of Lusaka.

 

Sir, Her Honour the Vice-President, on the Floor of this House, has been making assurances that the mobile issuance of NRCs exercise will go back to those areas that were not covered before the end of the registration period. We are remaining with approximately four days before the end of the registration period. As far as we are concerned, no movement, whatsoever, is taking place in the Western Province, Southern Province, parts of Lusaka, and in particular, those provinces that were in the second phase of the exercise.

 

Mr Speaker, on the other hand, we are aware that even as of today, the mobile issuance of NRCs exercise is taking place in Luapula, Northern, Eastern and Muchinga provinces. Why should the leadership of this country discriminate against particular members of the public who hail from certain areas? Why should we do that?

 

Mr Speaker, Her Honour the Vice-President has been on record on the Floor of this House as having said that Patriotic Front (PF) is now the dominant party in Western Province. Why is she disenfranchising her members in Western Province where she is now saying that PF is now a controlling party? The members of United Party for National Development (UPND) who hail from Western Province had a meeting with Her Honour the Vice-President and she made an assurance to them that something would be done pertaining to the issuance of NRCs.

 

Mr Speaker, through you, would I be wrong to insinuate that members of her Cabinet have no respect for her? This is because she has made commitments on the Floor of the House but nothing has been done.

 

Sir, us, who represent the people in our respective constituencies and provinces are urging the Government to do the needful and ensure that the people of Zambia get their NRCs.

 

Mr Speaker, as you know an NRC is not just for enabling you to vote. It is a document which identifies you to be a Zambian. It enables you to look for work in this country. It is a document that enables Zambians to get services from the Government. What can we interpret? The decision by the Government to deliberately disenfranchise and violet the rights of the people of Western, Southern, Central and Lusaka provinces who were in the second phase? What interpretation can we give?

 

Mr Speaker, we expect that when Her Honour the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia makes an assurance and pronouncements on the Floor of this House, those pronouncements are carried by her Cabinet. However, that is not being done. What can we be expected to interpret the actions of those who are supposed to undertake the instructions of Her Honour the Vice-President? Her Honour the Vice-President is the second most important person in this country in terms of governance. However, what is happening is that her instructions that she has made on the Floor of this House, which are so many, are not being implemented

 

Mr Speaker, we should not be blamed when we say that her colleagues are ignoring her. We cannot be blamed. On the issue of voter registration, she has made various pronouncements on the Floor of this House but none of them have come to fruition. She has also made pronouncements on the issue of NRCs on the Floor of this House but none has been implemented. I have no doubt in my mind that the people of Zambia, who listen to Her Honour the Vice-President, think that her authority is being undermined.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, if her authority is not being undermined, we want those instructions that she has been giving on the Floor of this House to be implemented. We want them to be implemented. There is nothing more we are asking on behalf of the people of Western, Southern, Lusaka and Central provinces. The mobile issuance of NRCs exercise was discarded within five days of it being extended. The five days extension was not implemented.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Sir, there is one person who denied us the right to see his nakedness in Kabwe over the failed Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, No. 10 of 2019.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Leader of the Opposition, can you withdraw that statement. 

 

Mr Mwiimbu: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the term that he denied us the right to see his nakedness as promised over the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, No. 10 of 2019.

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

The hon. Member’s time expired.

 

The Vice-President: Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Opposition hon. Member of Parliament for Monze Central, Mr Mwiimbu, for making so many insinuations. However, I thank him for the contribution to the Motion.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_______

 

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

 

NRC ISSUANCE SUCCESS RATE

 

73. Mr Mutelo (Mitete) asked the Minister of Home Affairs:

 

1. why the Western Province recorded only 52 per cent success rate as compared to 181 per cent for Luapula Province in the just ended Mobile Issuance of National Registration Cards Exercise when the two provinces had a similar target of 100,000 people; and
2. what urgent measures are being taken to ensure that eligible citizens are issued with National Registration Cards in the Western Province to enable them register as voters in the ongoing Voter Registration Exercise before it ends on 12^th December, 2020.

 

The Minister of Home Affairs (Kampyongo): Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship, conducted the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards from 1^st August to 4^th November, 2020, in two phases, comprising five provinces each.

 

Owing to the logistical challenges experienced during the first two weeks, the exercise was extended by ten days and, therefore, ended on 19^th September, 2020. The second phase of the exercise commenced on 20^th September, 2020, and was extended by five days, resulting in the completion of the exercise on 4^th November, 2020.

 

Sir, ministerial statements were issued on the Floor of the House on the modalities that were put in place before, during and after the exercise. Provinces were assigned targets based on the Zambia Population Estimates for the period 2015 to 2035 from the Zambia Statistics Agency and the 2015/2016 Mobile Issuance of National Registration Cards.

 

Sir, the House may further wish to note that all provinces were provided with the required human resource and equipment to efficiently and effectively conduct the Mobile National Registration Exercise. The difference in performance between the two provinces referred to in part (a) of the question could only be attributed to mobilisation modalities that were put in place within the respective provinces and demographic factors.

 

Mr Speaker, in response to part (b) of the question, the Government would have wished that a mini mobile registration exercise is conducted in the Western Province, which was in phase two of the exercise, but resources for the undertaking are not available at the moment. However, district offices throughout the whole province are open and those who wish to obtain National Registration Cards (NRCs) can access the service just as they would at any other time.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mbangweta (Nkeyema): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you –

 

Mr Ngulube: On a point of order, Sir.

 

 Mr Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

 Mr Ngulube: Mr Speaker, thank you for according me this opportunity to rise on this very important point of order, and I apologise, most sincerely, to my farther-in-law, the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkeyema.

 

Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from this House whether the hon. Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central, Hon. Gary Nkombo, who is a seasoned member of this House and has come improperly dressed when he fully knows the dress code for this House, is in order.

 

Is he in order to remain in this Chamber when he is not properly dressed.

 

I need your urgent and serious ruling on this matter.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, the relevant rule is in 165(1) of the Standing Orders, 2016, and reads as follows:

 

“The official dress for male Members of Parliament shall be a formal suit, a pair of long trousers, a shirt, a tie and jacket, toga or safari suit with long or short sleeves and a scarf or tie.”

 

If I admitted what Hon. G. G. Nkombo, MP, is wearing, I would consider it more in the category of a safari suit, but the challenge is that there is no scarf. That is the difficulty I have. I have been reflecting over this matter for a while. So, I uphold the point of order raised by the Deputy Chief Whip.

 

 I am sure, Hon. Nkombo, you know the consequence of my ruling.  

      

Mr Nkombo left the Assembly Chamber.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Nkeyema, continue with your question.

 

Mr Mbangweta: Mr Speaker, as I ask the question, I seek your indulgence to read the hon. Minister of Home Affairs’ conclusion during the last but one ministerial statement, on page 9. He said:

 

“Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I want to inform this august House that District Registration Offices in all parts of the country will remain open and continue to issue NRCs on a routine basis. In addition, I wish to urge members of the public not to exert undue pressure on our officers as they discharge their duties. Further, during the period of Voter Registration, no police report will be required for those who want to replace lost NRCs, more especially in rural areas in order to encourage citizens to register as voters.”

 

Mr Speaker, in what sense, therefore, is this being complied with when the Government is using a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre turned Civil Servant to close offices in the Western Province? The Kaoma office has been closed for more than a week. Sesheke and Mongu and probably others have similar occurrences. I would like to understand how this is being facilitated given what we have been told here.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, let me take advantage of that question posed by the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkeyema to clear the impression that was created earlier on to assure this august House that we, in the Cabinet of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, are very much in support of Her Honour the Vice-President who is our second highest public officer. We got her to be the Vice-President without the support of our colleagues on your right. They should not pretend today that they have respect for her. So, they should not be in any illusion to think that we do not respect Her Honour the Vice-President. We are solidly behind her, just as we made sure she became the first female Vice-President of this country.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament for Nkeyema alluded to the statement which I issued last week regarding the mobile issuance of NRCS. I was surprised that in his question, he made reference to a PF cadre turned civil servant. I just want to lecture him about a cadre. A cadre can be anybody, including this hon. Minister standing here. That is a cadre. So, a Permanent Secretary (PS) could be a cadre in the Civil Service. However, had he said a “political cadre”, I would have been concerned.

 

 Mr Speaker, further, in response to the statement that we have closed offices in Kaoma and that anyone can give instructions, apart from this hon. Minister standing here, to close any particular office, is false.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Hon. Government Member: Hear, hear!

 

Ms Kasune (Keembe): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to add the voice of the people of Keembe and, in particular, my own. On the question that the hon. Member is raising, there is a challenge in terms of taking would be voters or, should I say, citizens, to those offices. The reason is that, most of them live in far flung areas, and so, it becomes a problem.

 

Sir, we had a similar experience in Keembe. There were three areas which were left out and we have since been transporting people from these areas to registration centres. It is a huge cost on hon. Members of Parliament in particular  and hence our asking the office of the hon. Minister to consider coming back, especially to the Western Province and even to places such as Keembe, Ipongo, Mundu, Chitanda and many others.

 

Mr Speaker, at the end of the day, this NRC is such an important document and the hon. Minister is very much aware of this fact. It is why we are posing these questions. So, I would like to ask the hon. Minister to consider coming back to the Western Province and to Chibombo and other constituencies so that we can enable our Zambians to have the needed document.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate the follow-up question from the hon. Member for Keembe. In taking advantage of her question, I would like to refer to the statement that Her Honour the President made when she informed the august House that a review was going to be undertaken to look at the challenges that were encountered in the Western Province. She stated that a decision was going to be made by this ministry to see what could be done. I am happy that the hon. Member of Parliament has alluded to the fact that it is costly to move people from one place to the registration centres. It is actually more costly for this Government to embark on a mobile issuance of National Registration Card (NRCs).

 

Mr Speaker, I would also like to say that the mandate to confer people with citizenship is not limited to electoral processes, but a requirement by law. Therefore, through the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC), we conduct the identification of citizens and confer them with citizenship on a daily basis. This exercise is conducted every week of a month, and every month of a year.

 

Mr Speaker, the mobile exercise is only done as an intervention to try to give people who are in far-flung areas and might be having challenges to access our established offices in all the districts across the country. Therefore, as representatives, to try to create an impression that the issuance of NRCs is only done during the national mobile issuance of NRCs is not being helpful to our people. I have made these comments on several occasions here.

 

Mr Speaker, if we decide that we go back to the Western Province with the mobile registration, another request will come. Already my hon. Colleague, the hon. Member of Parliament for Keembe, is asking me to go back to Keembe. It will not end there because people from other areas will also ask. So, how far can we go?

 

Mr Speaker, yes, it could be costly, and that is why I advised my hon. Colleagues to collaborate with the officers on the ground such as District Commissioners (DCs). Antagonism is what ends up disadvantaging our people.

 

Mr Speaker, it is a difficult one but the only thing I can advise is that our offices will remain open, but space must be given to our officers. Let us not use the coming elections as a way of getting people to register because we also have challenges that we need to deal with. From the 2015/2016 issuance of Mobile National Registration Cards, we have a large number of people that have been given NRCs, because of the pressure that has been mounted on the officers, but cannot be found in the records. These are things that we should make sure we do not repeat in this exercise that was being done.

 

Mr Speaker, on our part, it was a success story. We achieved 106 per cent overly, in terms of performance. We were satisfied, and I came to this House to give these projected targets, premised on the estimated population using the information we got from a credible institution responsible for demographic matters in the country.

 

Mr Speaker, I am afraid, for now, we have to use the offices that are established. I would to assure my colleagues from the Western Province, Her Honour the Vice-President instructed me to go to the Southern Province to go and deal with the issues that were obtaining on the ground and are satisfied with the Southern Province’s performance of above 90 per cent. We cannot say that it was a failure. As just as I was instructed, we are trying to see what can by making sure that materials are available in our offices in the Western Province. As the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, she is concerned about the welfare of this country. We shall continue following her instructions and ensure that we execute them to the expectation of our people.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Mr Mutelo indicated

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. would you like to ask another question? You may proceed, Hon. Mutelo

 

Mr Mutelo (Mitete): Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

 

Sir, when this one is satisfied and the other one is not, the two will not be the same. You will have 181 per cent target in Luapula against 100,000 people. In addition, you have 52 per cent in the Western Province of the same target in the name of mobilisation and demography. What is that mobilisation which was done in Luapula, that which was not done in the Western Province. As much as I believe, this is ‘One Zambia, One Nation.’ I do not want to believe that this is “One Zambia, One Barotse.”

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member, what is your question?

 

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, what is the mobilisation and demography which was happening in Luapula, which did not happen in the Western Province for it to have this variance in numbers?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Mr Speaker, this is a very interesting question from my hon. Colleague. However, I have come to this House on several occasions. Whenever I came here, I used to talk to my hon. Colleagues by appealing to them to collaborate with the people and officers on the ground. Without being malicious, in the last week of the exercise, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mitete, together with his counterpart from Kalabo Constituency, Hon. Miyutu, approached me. I bent backwards by calling the Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Western Province to help them mobilise. He is asking about mobilisation. When I called the PS, I made them speak to him on my phone so that they could agree on some of the areas of need which they wanted officers to visit. After that discussion, it was expected that my hon. Colleagues would get to further engage the PS and agree on those areas. The Permanent Secretary (PS) tried to get hold of my hon. Colleagues from the province, but he failed. When he failed, I referred him to the Deputy Chief Whip to help him contact the hon. Members of Parliament. However, it appears that this is the time they were not appearing here at Parliament. They were quarantined at some place ...

 

Hon. Government Members: They were dancing.

 

Mr Kampyongo: ... and were not taking phone calls. That is how they missed that chance. The mobilisation was for hon. Members of Parliament and other stakeholders on the ground such as the District Commissioners (DCs), district officers, and those who were co-ordinating the exercise.

 

Sir, it is like students who have been given the same lectures and examination getting the results and then some of them asking why some students got 89 per cent and others got lower percentages. How do you go back to the lecturer and say, “What happened, why has this student got 40 per cent from the same examination?”

 

Mr Speaker, I did indicate here that we deployed the same number of officers to all the provinces. That is why we succeeded in all the nine provinces. The performance of the Western Province has been a concern to the Government. Like I said, Her Honour the Vice-President, who is concerned about the whole country, instructed us to do an assessment, which she announced here. She even engaged the hon. Members of Parliament from there. She told them that the Ministry of Home Affairs has been instructed to do a review, and depending on the resource availability, the Government will decide on what to do next.

 

Mr Speaker, we, as ministry, went back to Her Honour the Vice-President and said that because of the limitations in terms of resources, we should make sure that all the materials are available in all the offices so that people who missed the earlier exercise access this service just like they do every day, every week and every month. This panic we are seeing is because of the elections, and we are observing it, because in the midst of panic, we get undesirable characters who want to be conferred with citizenship when they do not deserve it. Currently, we are prosecuting a large number of people concerning this issue. We cannot just start another exercise. We have to make sure that even as we do the mobile registration exercise, we observe the laws that are followed when conferring citizenship to our people.

 

Sir, the modalities were spelt out here in this august House, and I have continued spelling them out. Our people are free to register. I have extended the waiver for those who want to replace their National Registration Cards (NRCs) which are damaged or lost. I explained this to the hon. Member for Kalabo Central just last week. That is how it is.

 

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, we have a lot more business to transact. This particular subject has been given a lot of attention in the past, and it is evidenced by the number of statements the hon. Minister has made on the Floor of the House. However, hon. Member for Mitete, you are entitled to a second question. Thereafter, I will move on.

 

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I am trying to hold my heart.

 

Mr Speaker: Hold it wherever you can hold it.

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mutelo: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister aware that the offices of the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship have not been operating not only in Lukulu but the entire Western Province? The hon. Minister stated that the offices are operating even today. Does he think it is possible for the two of us, to start off now to go and spot check whether these offices operating or not? Is the hon. Minister aware that these offices are not working?

 

Mr Speaker: Order!

 

Hon. Member for Mitete, are you serious that you want to start off now?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Mutelo: If he will accept, we can start off now so that we verify as to who is telling the truth between him and the people who are affected. He is not telling the truth.

 

Mr Speaker: Hon. Member for Mitete, I do not think you are posing any question. 

 

______

 

BILLS

 

SECOND READING

 

THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (2020) BILL, 2020

 

The Minister of Finance (Dr Ng’andu): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Bill be now read the second time.

 

Mr Speaker, the Bill basically covers the submissions that were made under the Budget, and relates to the additions or the major proposals that we made in amending the Budget so that additional resources can be provided. The matter has been presented to the hon. Members of this House and the submissions have been considered extensively. So I would like to once again, present this for ratification by the House.

 

Sir, I beg to move.

 

Mr Speaker, as I noted, the Bill has been considered extensively, and I am grateful that the House has approved it without any additional debate.

 

I thank you, Sir.

 

Question put and agreed to and the Bill read a second time. 

 

Committed to a committee of the Whole House.

 

Committee today.

 

_______

 

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

 

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

 

THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (2020) BILL, 2020

 

Clauses 1 and 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First and Second Schedules ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

_______

 

HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee without amendments:

 

The Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020

 

Third Reading today.

 

THIRD READING

 

The following Bill was read the third time and passed:

 

The Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020

 

_______

 

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

 

[THE CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the

Chair]

 

THE ZAMBIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES BILL, 2020

 

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 2 – (Interpretation)

 

Dr Mushimba: Madam Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 2, on page 6, in line 6 by the insertion of the words “technology, engineering, mathematics” immediately after the words “applied sciences”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 3 and 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 5 – (Functions of Academy)

 

Dr Mushimba: Madam Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 5, on page 7:

 

1. in line 11 by the deletion of the words “science and technology” and the substitution therefor of the words “science, technology, engineering and mathematics”;
2. in line 17 by the insertion of the words “technology, engineering and mathematics” immediately after the word “science”;
3. in line 28 by the insertion of the words “that promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics” immediately after the word “organisations”;
4. after line 28 by the insertion of the following new subparagraphs immediately after subparagraph (g):

            (h)  recognise and honour distinguished scholars such as scientists, mathematicians, engineers and   

             technologists;

             (i) promote the use of science and technology in achieving sustainable development;

             (j) promote the recognition of the intellectual property rights of scientific discoveries and innovation in

                  accordance with the relevant written laws; and

              (k) promote interdisciplinary research on national matters relating to science and technology; and

 

       (e) in line 30 by the deletion of the words “science and technology” and the substitution therefor of the   

             words “science, technology, engineering and mathematics”.

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 12 – (Executive Director and other staff)

 

Dr Mushimba: Madam Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 12, on page 10:

 

1. after line 18 by the insertion of the following new subclause (3) immediately after subclause (2):

 

(3)        The Executive Director shall attend the meetings of the Governing Council and may address those meetings but shall not vote on any matter before the Governing Council.; and

 

1. by the renumbering of subclause (3) as subclause (4).

 

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

 

Clause 12, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Clauses 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

First Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

Title agreed to.

 

_______

 

 

HOUSE RESUMED

 

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

The following Bill was reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

 

The Zambia Academy of Sciences Bill, 2020

 

Report Stage today.

 

REPORT STAGE

 

The Zambia Academy of Sciences Bill, 2020

 

Report adopted.

 

Third Reading today.

 

THIRD READING

 

The following Bill was read the third time and passed:

 

The Zambia Academy of Sciences Bill, 2020

 

REPORT STAGE

 

The Financial Intelligence Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2020

 

Report adopted.

 

Third Reading today.

THIRD READING

 

The following Bill was read the third time and passed:

 

The Financial Intelligence Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2020

 

_______

 

MOTION

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

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

 

Question put and agreed to.

 

_______

 

The House adjourned at 1542 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 9^th December, 2020.

 

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