Friday, 24^th September, 2021

 

The House met at 0900 hours

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

PRAYER

 

_______

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MADAM SPEAKER

 

RE-LAUNCH OF COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAMME

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that the Ministry of Health will be re-launching the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination programme on Friday, 1^st October, 2021. The event will take place at the Ministry of Health Headquarters grounds, starting at 1430 hours. In this regard, all hon. Members who have not yet been vaccinated are invited to the event to get vaccinated.

 

I thank you.

 

COVID-19 VACCINATION OF HON. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND STAFF

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I further wish to inform the House that the National Assembly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, will conduct a five-day COVID-19 vaccination campaign, starting from Monday, 27^th September, to Friday, 1^st October, 2021, from 0900 to 1600 hours on each day here, at Parliament Buildings. The campaign is aimed at scaling up the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to ensure hon. Members and staff are fully vaccinated. I, therefore, encourage hon. Members and staff to get vaccinated during the vaccination campaign period in order to reduce the overall risk of severe illness and death due to COVID-19.

 

I thank you.

 

TRAINING OF HON. MEMBERS ON THE STANDING ORDERS, 2021

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly has organised training sessions for all hon. Members of Parliament on the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021. The training is aimed at enlightening hon. Members on the application of the Standing Orders so as to ensure the smooth conduct of the Business of the House.

 

The training sessions will be conducted virtually from 1000 hours to 1130 hours every Tuesday, starting on 28^th September, 2021. The logging in credentials will be made available to all hon. Members at an appropriate time.

 

Attendance of the training sessions will be on a voluntary basis, but all hon. Members are urged to attend these very important training sessions.

 

I thank you.

 

SESSIONAL COMMITTEES – MEMBERSHIP

 

Madam Speaker: I further wish to inform the House that in accordance with the provisions of Article 80 of the Constitution and Standing Order 166(5), I have made changes to the composition of some Standing Committees as follows:

 

GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEES

 

Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources

 

Mr R. K. Chitotela, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr M. J. Z. Katambo, MP.

 

Committee on Energy, Water Development and Tourism

 

Mr M. J. Z. Katambo, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr R. K. Chitotela, MP.

 

Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services

 

Mr L. Chibombwe, MP, has been appointed to replace Dr C. Chilufya, MP.

 

Mr L. Mwene, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr J. E. Banda, MP.

 

Committee on Local Government Accounts

 

Dr C. Chilufya, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr L. Chibombwe, MP

 

Mr H. S. K. Kamboni, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr L. Lubozha, MP.

 

Mr M. Nyambose, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda, MP.

 

Committee on Education, Science and Technology

 

Mr L. Lubozha, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr H. S. K. Kamboni, MP.

 

Committee on Transport, Works and Supply

 

Mr Emmanuel M. Musonda, MP, has been appointed to replace Mr M. Nyambose, MP.

 

I thank you.

 

                                                               

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

 

The Minister of Defence and Acting Leader of Government Business in the House (Mr Lufuma): Madam Speaker, let me acquaint the House with the business it will consider next week.

 

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, 28^th September, 2021, the Business of the House will begin with Questions for Oral Answer, if there will be any. That will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will continue the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

 

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, 29^th September, 2021, the Business of the House will start with Questions for Oral Answer, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will consider Private Members’ Motions, if there will be any. That will be followed by presentation of Government Bills, if there will be any. The House will then continue with and conclude the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

 

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, 30^th September, 2021, the Business of the House will commence with Questions for Oral Answer, if there will be any. Thereafter, the House will consider Government Bills, if there will be any. The House will then deal with any business that may be outstanding.

 

Madam Speaker, on Friday, 1^st October, 2021, the Business of the House will start with Her Honour the Vice-President’s Question Time. Thereafter, the House will deal with Questions for Oral Answer, if there will be any. The House will then consider Government Bills, if there will be any. The House will, thereafter, deal with any other business that may be outstanding.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

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MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

 

BY MR LUSAMBO ON THE ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE REGARDING REMARKS OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT ON THE ZAMBIAN GENERAL ELECTIONS

 

Mr Lusambo (Kabushi): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for allowing the people of Kabushi to raise this matter of urgent public importance.

 

Madam Speaker, this week, the President of the United States of America (USA) was addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). During that address, he alluded to the just-ended general elections here, in Zambia. In his speech, he said:

 

“The youths of Zambia demonstrated and they voted the corrupt regime in Zambia.”

 

Madam Speaker, there is the issue of sovereignty. Is the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House in order to remain quiet when our country is being embarrassed by other leaders in the world? The President of the USA is just like any other president; he was elected by the people of America, and they have their own issues to sort out, just like Zambia has its own issues to sort out.

 

Madam Speaker, is this not interfering in the internal affairs of this country? I want the Acting Leader of Government Business in the House to tell the nation if the President of the USA was in order to discuss the internal affairs of this country.

 

Madam Speaker: The hon. Member and the rest of the House will recall my ruling, just about two days ago, regarding this issue of raising matters of urgent public importance.

 

There is a criterion that I stated in my ruling; the issue must be of such urgent nature that if steps are not taken to correct it, death or some form of calamity will result. I have not seen any calamity or loss of life that will be occasioned if that issue is not raised. If the hon. Member for Kabushi wants to raise that matter, I think that a question that can be raised, not as a matter of urgent public importance, but during time for questions and answers for the Government, either for the Leader of Government Business in the House or any hon. Minister to clarify. In terms of the requirements of Standing Order 134, this matter does not qualify to be raised.

 

Hon. Members, kindly be guided accordingly, and that is why the seminar I mentioned earlier is very important.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

I urge hon. Members to be patient and wait for the seminar to take them through the Standing Orders. That way, we will be able to discharge our functions properly without unnecessarily raising of matters that do not fall under Standing Order 134. Please, be guided accordingly.

 

Thank you.

 

BY MR WAMUNYIMA ON THE HON. MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY REGARDING A NEWS ARTICLE ON THE FIC IN THE DAILY NATION

 

Mr Wamunyima (Nalolo): Madam Speaker. I will go straight to the point.

 

I wish to direct my matter of urgent public importance to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security. This is in reference to a story that was in yesterday’s Daily Nation newspaper, and it talks about the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) having abandoned an intelligence surveillance system, which is similar to what is used in the United States of America (USA) to track terrorism, in preference to a system that is of low standard. In the story, it is indicated that whatever system was used or preferred was used to hack phones for members of the public in terms of WhatsApp and direct calls.

 

Madam Speaker, I am concerned whether this story is hearsay or not. The reason I am escalating this to the hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security is that the FIC is not an investigative wing and it has no legal mandate to have such access.

 

I seek your guidance, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Nalolo, you have not indicated what calamity is going to result if that issue is not attended to today as a matter of urgent public importance. As earlier guided, those questions can be raised under another Standing Order, which relates to questions that are put to either the Vice-President’s Office or Ministers, but not under Standing Order 134.

 

Can we make progress.

 

­­_______

 

MOTION

 

MOTION OF THANKS

 

(Debate resumed)

 

Mr Lumayi (Chavuma): Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was supporting –

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

Please, mask-up.

 

Mr Lumayi wore his mask.

 

Mr Lumayi: Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was supporting the President’s move to realign ministries and stressing the point that the former Government of the Patriotic Front (PF) wasted a lot of resources, to an extent of having ‘Christians for Lungu’. What this country knew is that Christians worship God. However, for the first time in the history of the Republic of Zambia, we had a set of Christians who were worshipping a citizen of this Republic, and we saw a lot of resources being wasted.

 

Madam Speaker, at times, we saw a group of militia youths being used to fight even the then hon. Minister of Home Affairs. The youths had no respect for the laws of this Republic; they were above the law and the police were scared of them while citizens were not free in this country.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the almighty God for not allowing the PF party to bounce back into power because Zambia was going to be turned into a one-party State.

 

To our colleagues who were in power, please, give the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government time. We stand with the people of America when they say they saw rampant corruption in the Republic of Zambia.

 

Mr Lumayi: Madam Speaker, nowhere else have we heard of money being found in people’s homes in sacks.

 

Mr Fube: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, is the hon. Member in order to insinuate that certain things that are being investigated should be referred to? The Standing Orders say that if something is in court or is being investigated, it should not be a subject of discussion in the House.

 

Madam Speaker: Maybe, I can give guidance there.

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, order!

 

I guided earlier that as hon. Members are debating, if it is the issue of just talking about general aspects of issues of corruption, an hon. Member is at liberty to discuss because even the President’s Address talks about the issue of fighting corruption. However, hon. Members are discouraged or not allowed to refer to cases that are being investigated and will be the subject of matters before honourable courts. So, as you debate, please, bear that in mind.

 

Hon. Member for Chavuma, you can continue.

 

Mr Lumayi: Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Madam, please, allow me to request my colleagues on your left to stop using the name of our late brother from the North-Western Province, Kungo. To some extent, I was related to Kungo, whose death was as a result of the PF, which abused the young man. Many citizens died in this country at the hands of the PF party. Therefore, there is no need for every debater who stands to keep mentioning the name of Kungo when they actually killed many citizens in this country.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to tell my hon. Colleagues from the PF party that there is a need for them to work with the UPND Government in order for us to move the Republic of Zambia forward.

 

Madam Speaker, it is a fact that the people of the North-Western Province gave many votes to the UPND in the just-ended elections. The people of the North-Western Province, in general, and Chavuma, in particular, expect the Government to attend to the many challenges they face. Therefore, it is our mandate, as members of the UPND from the North-Western Province, to keep supporting President Hakainde Hichilema until he wins again in 2026 and 2031.

 

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

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Can we go back to the Business of the House?

 

Mr E. Banda (Muchinga): Madam Speaker, allow me to congratulate His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema on being elected President of the Republic of Zambia. I also congratulate Her Honour Madam Mutale Nalumango on being elected Vice-President of the Republic Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for according me this rare opportunity to contribute to the Motion of thanks to His Excellency the President’s Address to this House, and to deliver my maiden speech.

 

Madam Speaker, I say, ‘Congratulations’ to you on your election as the first female Speaker in the history of Zambia. I also congratulate the First Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker, and all my fellow Parliamentarians on being elected to represent the people of Zambia in different constituencies.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to thank the almighty God for making it possible for me to be elected Member of Parliament to represent the good people of Muchinga Constituency. I applaud the spirited campaign that was put up by a team of youthful men and women who delivered the first ever Independent Member of Parliament in Muchinga Constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to express my gratitude to the passionate traditional leaders of Serenje District for the support and love they showed me before, during and after elections. Allow me also to thank my family, in general, with special thanks to my children. I also extend my thanks to all my friends in business who gave me moral and financial support during the just-ended elections. Allow me to also thank the Church for the moral and spiritual support given to me during the campaigns.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to also thank Mr Howard Kunda for being the first one to send me a message of congratulations and for his contribution towards the development of Muchinga when he served as the area Member of Parliament.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to commend the previous Government for supporting MECCO Zambia in its core businesses. You may wish to know that sister companies of MECCO Zambia in countries like Zimbabwe and Tanzania have diversified into vehicle assembling. The people of Muchinga demand that the Government supports MECCO Zambia to diversify into the construction of bridges and production of concrete culverts, as we have a lot of quarry stones around. MECCO can also produce and supply desks throughout the country. It can also be used to train our youths in metal fabrication, block making and carpentry, and that would make it viable enough to employ many of our youths in Muchinga and become financially viable instead of depending on Government grants.

 

Madam Speaker, Muchinga has ten major roads that are in very bad state, namely Kabansa, Kaseba/Chisomo, Koffi Kunda to Pilyeshi via Kabwe Kupela, Waya/Mulilima, Sote/Nakalengule, Kanona/Katota, Mwenshe, Chibale/Mukopa and Kashitu/Nambo roads. We also have the Musa Mine to Lusiwasi Power Station road which needs to be upgraded to bituminous standard, as it becomes impassable during the Rainy Season in its gravel form. Further, the Ndabala/Chibale Road, a stretch of approximately only 67 km, needs upgrading to bituminous standard, as it is a very strategic road accommodating up to 100 vehicles, mostly heavy and light trucks, daily during the peak of the harvest season. Every year, many people lose lives and property due to the waves on that road.

 

Madam Speaker, Muchinga needs a hospital at Kaseba to provide advanced health services to the more than 15,500 inhabitants of Chief Chibale and 8,000 inhabitants of Chief Chisomo, who live approximately 120 km from Serenje Boma, which has the nearest major health facility. This will reduce on the number of people dying because of a lack of medical facilities. Muchinga also needs health posts in Kabansa, Chimbaya, Kaombe and Kalumbu, with transport in Kabansa and Chisomo, as these areas are in the Luangwa Valley.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to bring to the attention of the New Dawn Government, through the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Urban Development, that three high schools in Muchinga Constituency, namely Mailo, Kanona and Sibale, were neglected by the previous Government because the projects were started by the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Government. The people of Muchinga Constituency look forward to the completion of the schools by the New Dawn Government.

 

Madam Speaker, Muchinga has one power generating sites, the Lusiwasi Power Station. It also has one tourism site, the Kundalila Falls. There is a need to electrify the area, as it has a business centre, a clinic and a school at Muswema. The site is exactly 18 km from the Great North Road. As the area Member of Parliament, I demand that the ministries responsible tourism and energy work together to see to it that the area is electrified, as that will attract investment in the hospitality industry and create employment for the local people.

 

Madam Speaker, as Muchinga is situated in Serenje District, which has become a manganese belt, with many smelting plants under construction and some already in operation, the people of Serenje look forward to seeing the Government move in and stop the exportation of manganese so as to boost our local industries and make them viable enough to employ many of our youths and pay them decent salaries.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to mention that many youths have graduated from education and health learning institutions, yet are not employed. Meanwhile, our health and educational institutions are understaffed. The youths in Muchinga, like those in any other part of Zambia, look forward to the New Dawn Government employing them.

 

Madam Speaker, I now come to the President’s Speech.

 

I first want to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for giving Zambia a well-balanced Cabinet in which every region has been represented.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr E. Banda: I also thank the President for his agricultural policy with regard to what he said in his speech; he mentioned connectivity and making agriculture a business. It is important to note that in rural constituencies like mine, many people are not employed, as there are no industries that can employ them. However, with good policies in agriculture, they could all find jobs. With good connectivity in terms of roads, there will be many agricultural activities, and many youths will not cry to the Government because they will have their own things to do in the sector.

 

Madam Speaker, it is in the context of the President’s Speech that I think the New Dawn Government should set up many marketing depots, as many of our people in rural constituencies are forced to travel long distances in search of the nearest marketing depots just to find markets for their produce, thereby ending up paying a lot of money in transport and reducing their income. Still on agriculture, in areas like Muchinga, people depend on the normal way of cultivating using hands, and we look forward to seeing the New Dawn Government provide cattle and come up with a mechanism for empowering people through co-operatives. People should be empowered with tractors so that agriculture is enhanced and taken to a higher level.

 

Madam Speaker, on education, it is very important, again, to note that most rural areas were neglected by the previous Government. We did not receive a fair share in terms of education. Most of our places have no proper education facilities, as the classroom blocks that exist are dilapidated. Further, in most cases, there are no good schools and there are no desks in schools. As the Member of Parliament for Muchinga, it is my hope that the New Dawn Government is going to change things, since it has prioritised taking development to rural areas.

 

Madam Speaker, I now want to speak on corruption with regard to what the President said.

 

Any well-meaning hon. Member of this House should support the President in that area.

 

UPND Hon. Member: Kuluma wena!

 

Mr E. Banda: We know that Zambia has, for a long time, not been employing people. Our youths have been graduating in different fields, but the Government has been saying that it has no money to employ them. All this is because of corruption. Individuals are getting money and putting it into their pockets while our youths are languishing in the compounds. We need to support the President on this issue so that the New Dawn Government can put together all the monies to be recovered and start employing our youths in health, education and agriculture. Our people need to be trained in new mechanisms in agriculture, and it is for this reason that as Member of Parliament for Muchinga, I will be standing here for the next five years to support all the good policies that will make Zambia become free from corruption and ensure that we account for every resource. I thank the President most sincerely on that point.

 

Madam Speaker, I also thank the President for his words on the health sector. We have a lot to do in this area, and I advise the New Dawn Government to look out for rural areas in this area. People travel long distances to find better health posts. Further, there are no ambulances in rural areas as compared to our friends who live in urban areas.

 

UPND Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr E. Banda: Madam Speaker, we need proper connectivity in terms of roads. We need bridges. In my constituency alone, there must be a bridge constructed on the Lukusashi River between Kamena and Sancha wards. The construction of the bridge was started, but it was abandoned. In Chief Chisomo’s area, there must be a bridge on the Lukusashi River from the main centre to Kaombe, an area which has many people, but has no clinic or school. In fact, it has nothing. We need proper connectivity, as that is going to make it possible for the New Dawn Government to deliver on its promises.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Before I call on the next hon. Member, just a reminder to hon. Ministers that they have been given three days in which to debate this Motion. Priority will be given to them to debate. As we stand, only Backbenchers have indicated to debate. Therefore, hon. Ministers are encouraged to indicate and debate so that there is no rush on the last day for their reaction and debate, which is Wednesday, 29^th September, 2021.

 

Hon. Ministers, please, take note.

 

The hon. Member for Kankoyo may take the Floor.

 

Mr Mabeta (Kankoyo): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this rare opportunity to address the people of Kankoyo through you.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to pass my condolences to the families of all our members who lost their lives during the campaign period due to natural causes. I pass my condolences to the families of our late Constituency Chairman, Mr David Songa; our Vice-Chairman, Mr Chipampe; and our Ward Chairman, Mr Chola, who lost their lives a few days before the election day. Hence, they cannot be part of this historic moment. 

 

Madam Speaker, I extend my gratitude and congratulations over your election as the first female Speaker in our country. This shows the desire and will of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government to promote gender equality in our country. May I also take this opportunity to thank my President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for having given me a second chance – pardon me, I struggle to talk with a mask on. I was a victim of the deadly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and my lungs are still recovering – to represent the people of Kankoyo after I could not make it in 2016. Being given a second chance in such a competitive constituency came as a great honour. I also thank the UPND National Management Committee (NMC), the provincial executive, the district and the wards, which voted unanimously for me to be among the people who were going to vie to be thee representative of the people of Kankoyo in the 2021 election.

 

Madam Speaker, may I also thank the people of Zambia, who unanimously decided to vote out the Patriotic Front (PF), which was such a brutal regime and a nightmare to many of us. It never cared about humanity; all it cared for were its pockets and its families while working very hard to brutalise and crush everyone who did not agree with it.

 

Madam Speaker, the PF Government arrested our President fifteen times for no reason, except expressing his desire to be the President of this country. It also arrested our leaders, such as our Provincial Chairman, Mr Matambo; Hon. Mwaliteta; and other politicians who challenged it. I think Hon. Tayali was also a victim of the political brutality of the PF. I was one of the people the former hon. Minister of Home Affairs arrested five times without regard to the impact that had on my family. Today, my children remain traumatised because of how the police officers arrested me; the picked me up in the middle of the night without letting my family know where I was going to be taken. So, we really thank the people of Zambia for having taken it upon themselves to put an end to this regime, which was more of a tyrant than a political party. We really thank God that at His appointed time, He has given us the opportunity to be free again. Without His intervention, some of us would be dead today but, because of His glory, we are able to see the beauty of His love for humanity.

 

Madam Speaker, the PF was an organisation that worked on grand corruption; it never looked at lives beyond its pockets. For example, it supplied condoms that were expired without regard for their effects on human life. It also supplied drugs to hospitals and, today, many Zambia are paying for its corruption by having taken drugs that have damaged their health.

 

Madam, due to PF members’ desire to enrich themselves, they have left us with a huge debt country had not seen before.

 

Madam Speaker, there was grand corruption in the road sector. Most of the roads are damaged now because of their poor standards despite having been built at high costs. Today, the people of Mufulira are crying because of not having access to roads within the town. For example, the Mufulira/Mokambo Road has become a death trap, yet the contractor was paid K30 million two weeks ago without having done anything on it. I, therefore, appeal to the leadership, through the hon. Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Urban Development, to ensure that the money is collected back and given to a contractor who is capable of doing the work.  Otherwise, the people of Mufulira will continue being used as a conduit of corruption by the previous regime.

 

Madam Speaker, I am very delighted today that we have a President who is capable of giving hope to the hopeless.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mabeta: When I heard him speak, I felt like I was reading the book of hope, the Bible. He spoke with so much love, compassion and desire to serve the people. He spoke about the need for us to be united, and he reminded me of how much we were divided, as a country, by the hate speech that was being promoted by the PF. Members of the PF spoke without shame or regard to the feelings of other tribes in Zambia, and called us all sorts of names and reduced to cockroaches, rats, ba mundyemundye and ba mushanina mabisi without looking at our pride as human beings.

 

Madam Speaker, when the President spoke of peace and unity, it reminded me of what a great man he is that he was able to forget the abuse and the hate speech he suffered under the leadership of the PF. When I see him speak, he gives me hope that the future of Zambia is in the right hands. As a young man coming from the corridors of Kankoyo, who is just a garden boy from a bar, it gives me hope that I am in the right place at the right time.

 

Madam Speaker, the President, in his speech, spoke about the creation of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development to deal with small entrepreneurs. This is in line with our commitment to the people of Mufulira to create a middle class of young entrepreneurs by supporting their businesses. In Mufulira, we have lived a life of working hard to diversify from the over-dependence on the mine. So, we have been trying so hard to optimise the opportunities across the district, which is the largest market in Southern Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). So, when the President spoke of creating that ministry, it gave me hope that the promises I made to the people of Kankoyo; to make Mufulira, a transit town, to build the Kankoyo/Kasumbalesa Road, were in line with the vision of the party. Through his speech, the President restored the hope for a better tomorrow for all.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity to thank the PF for having accepted defeat as part of its demise, never to come back to the corridors of power.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kandafula (Serenje) Madam Speaker, I thank you most sincerely for according me this very rare opportunity to deliver my maiden speech to this august House, not only on my own behalf, but also on behalf the dependable people of Serenje Constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, may the almighty God continue pouring divine wisdom on you and your two Deputies, together with the entire staff of the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, to lead and guide this august House in a fair, equitable, balanced and progressive way.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the passionate people of Serenje Constituency for handing over the mandate of representing them in Parliament to me from my predecessor, Hon. Maxwell Kabanda, whose fatherly leadership is appreciated. My victory shows that I have the support of the visionary and independent-minded people across all the nine wards of the constituency and all the fifty-four polling stations in Serenje. I must also add that the people of Serenje Constituency, like many others across the country, are focused, as exemplified in their choice of what I would call quick response leadership, which will provide solutions to the many challenges they are facing. I assure them that I will work extra hard, and ensure that their aspirations and concerns are fully represented and addressed in this august House.

 

To the people of Serenje, I reiterate my message to you: Ndi mubomfi wenu kabili nalimitemwa meaning, ‘I am your servant, and I love you’.

 

Madam Speaker, let me also thank my family, in general, with special thanks going to my loving wife, Regina Kosoko Kandafula, and my children for their steadfast support. Their prayers and encouragement during the election period cannot go unrecognised. They celebrated with me in my triumph and encouraged me during my challenging days until we, together, secured the victory. I am truly and eternally indebted to them.

 

Madam Speaker, I applaud my campaign team, which worked tirelessly amidst strong opposition to ensure that we emerged victorious. The team might not have been seen on placards and media platforms, but they are the ones who worked extra hard to ensure that the voters spread across the constituency got our message of the quality leadership that we were offering. The entire campaign team was driven to support my candidature because it understood my 24/7 passion to serve my people, especially the wonderful people of Serenje Constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank all my friends and supporters for their spiritual, financial, and moral support during the election period. In the same light, I also thank the body of Christ, which is the Church, and all the Chiefs of Serenje District, especially His Royal Highness Chief Kabamba, for providing counsel and uniting us, which contributed to our having an incident-free election in Serenje Constituency. I think in other parts of the country, there was no unity, and that is why there were some incidences of collision. One wise counsel said, “Only where there is unity, that is where God’s blessing abounds”. It is my prayer that this unity of purpose prevails in this honourable House and maintains the decorum of the House, as people are watching over the fence. Another wise man said, “What man thinketh is what he becomes”.

 

Madam Speaker, to all the hon. Members, my appeal is that we are the light of the nation. Therefore, we should always think positively; let us unity.

 

Madam Speaker, Serenje Constituency is one of the vast constituencies in Zambia, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on one end. The constituency is endowed with various natural resources, including plenty of arable land, good rainfall, different types of mineral deposits and species of commercial trees. This huge potential has not been exploited and utilised.

 

Madam Speaker, the constituency has serious challenges with regard to health services because of inadequate equipment, drugs, water, funding and personnel in the few existing health facilities. In addition, the health centres are far apart, which poses a big challenge to our beloved patients and expectant mothers because they have to walk long distances to access health care services. I, therefore, appeal to the New Dawn Government to consider upgrading Kabundi, Mulilima and Mapepala clinics to mini-hospitals to enhance access to health care.

 

Madam Speaker, education is also a challenge in my constituency because of poor or inadequate number of schools and teachers. Like healthcare centres, schools are few and far apart, which makes children walk long distances to access schools, and this leads to poor school attendance and poor performance. Ultimately, children end up dropping out of school. I must mention that the girl child is the worst affected, which leads to most of them dropping out of school, having unwanted pregnancies and getting into early marriages.

 

Madam Speaker, I also request the Government to look into the issue of water and sanitation. In my constituency, there are a number of manual and non-functional boreholes that have been sunk. This poses a challenge for my people who, many times, are subjected to drinking unclean water, a situation that leads to their getting sick of various water-borne diseases. Therefore, the issue of water and sanitation should be considered with the urgency it deserves. The Government should also consider installing solar-powered boreholes with 500 litre overhead tanks to address the challenge of access to water.

 

Madam Speaker, despite having all the natural resources earlier mentioned, Serenje Constituency has a road network and bridges that require urgent attention before more lives are lost. There is a running contract to tar 35 km of township roads, of which the Patriotic Front (PF) Government worked on 8.5 km, and I thank the PF for that. I am hopeful that the New Dawn Government will prioritise completing the other roads. I also ask the Government to work on the TAZARA/Lupiya/Kabundi/Mutale Road, which goes up to the DRC Border. I need not mention the economic value that this road will bring to the nation. I also call upon the Government to quickly fund the completion of over 100 houses and an office for the Ministry of Home Affairs in my constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, Serenje Constituency has high levels of unemployment, and this has led to detrimental social and economic ripple effects among the residents in the constituency. The situation has been compounded by a lack of amenities, such as skills training centres, market shelters, a definite revolving fund for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and proper information from relevant offices. If the potential that I mentioned above could be well exploited, I believe that many employment opportunities would be created for youths in Serenje Constituency.

 

Madam Speaker, the other important issue that requires urgent attention is the electrification of Kabamba, Lupiya, Mulilima, Kabeta, Ndabala, Kashishi, Mbaswa and Teta through the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). The authority needs to continue promoting the use of alternative sources of energy as a way of promoting a green economy. In addition, the Government should build communication towers as a matter of urgency.

 

Madam Speaker, may I take this opportunity to both appeal and urge the Government to facilitate the equipping of earth-movers in Serenje Constituency. I also urge ask the Government to ensure that farming inputs are distributed in good time to the hard-working farmers of Serenje Constituency so that they are able to plan and plant in good time. Further, the payments for the crop delivered to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) needs to be expedited.

 

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I commit to the people of Serenje Constituency that for the duration I shall remain in this august House, I will work hard to ensure that our constituency is retransformed.

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

The time for the hon. Member’s maiden speech expired.

 

Mr Kandafula: Madam Speaker, coming to the President’s Address, I would like to contribute on three sectors of our economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.

 

Madam Speaker, under the ministries of Agriculture and Energy, my humble appeal is that the two ministries consider harnessing water bodies. We live in a climate change era. So, what we actually need, for example, is to have a waterway running all the way from the Luapula River into the Kafue River so that we can, at least, utilise water all the way from Lake Bangweulu. This idea should be taken as a matter of urgency. We should also try to put up water reservoirs on many streams that are within Zambia so that, at least, we have a lot of water. Further on energy, I urge the New Dawn Government to cautiously adjust the tariffs so that we do not disadvantage the manufacturing and processing industries.

 

Madam Speaker, when it comes to mining, Serenje is endowed various types of minerals, but one of the most significant is manganese. Our appeal is that we do not export raw materials. Instead, let us export processed and finished goods, as that will enable us to have more years for the industries that were put up at a high cost. We have about eleven processing plants in Serenje, and many people are being employed. Therefore, my appeal is that the Government reconsiders the export of raw materials.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Mufalali (Nominated): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me an opportunity to say one or two words as my maiden speech to this House.

 

Firstly, I thank God Almighty for giving me the opportunity to rise this morning and be part of your Assembly.

 

Madam Speaker, may I also join many hon. Members in the House and people outside who have been congratulating you on being the first female Speaker in the  Republic of Zambia. I also congratulate the First Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker. May I also take this opportunity to congratulate the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on winning the 2021 elections overwhelmingly. The President won with about a million votes, shaming the critics who thought they would use dubious means to win the election. A million votes!

 

Madam Speaker, I also congratulate the Vice-President, Madam Nalumango, on being the running mate to President Hakainde Hichilema and, thereby, winning the 2021 elections with him. I also thank my family members, who have seen me through in my political journey to this end when we managed to form the Government.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to dedicate this time to thanking and appreciating our forefathers who founded United Party for National Development (UPND). I have in mind the founding president of UPND, Mr Kambela Anderson Mazoka. I am privileged to sit next to his wife, and it is a rare honour, indeed, as there are many men and women who did not make it to be here today to celebrate the victory of UPND. In mind, I have Mr Request Muntanga, may his soul rest in peace, who used to sit next to me on my right. He was a very strong member of UPND. There are other men and women who supported this party. In mind, I have Mr Gerald Mutti, who saw us as we were campaigning in Mulobezi and many parts of this country when the party was being introduced to the Zambian people. He was able to support us. The list of such people is long.

 

Madam Speaker, I as well remember my friends who were there when we were campaigning in 2021 elections. One is Mutompehi Sibote Sibote Warren, who was with me as campaign manager for the Western Province. I also have in mind Mr Simomo Akapelwa, who was there and used his vehicles to ensure that we win the jurisdiction that we were given.

 

Madam Speaker, I congratulate the hon. Member for Senanga, Mr Walusa, who managed to win in the constituency where I used be Member of Parliament. I also congratulate all the hon. Members who have made it to this House.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank my President for giving me an opportunity, as a nominated Member of Parliament, to come and serve the people of Zambia. We will serve the people diligently, and we will spare nothing in taking everything to their doorsteps wherever possible.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank our past chairman, Mr B. M. Mumbela, who was there when the party was going down after the death of the founding president of the UPND, Mr Anderson Kambela Mazoka. We had issues, but Mr Mumbela was there to ensure that the party was kept intact in Senanga. I also thank many other men and women who were present during that time.

 

Madam Speaker, this country deserves better that what we saw in the past ten years of Patriotic Front (PF) rule. That should never get back to the Zambian people, as the suffering was too much. The PF were a danger to this society. The PF should never have been allowed to come anywhere near ruling this country because it brought untold misery to many families. Unfortunately, its members have no remorse, whatsoever, in this House.

 

Hon. Government Members:  Hammer!

 

Mr Mufalali: Without remorse, they are even able to complain that they are being beaten up even when they are not being beaten up.

 

Mr Sing’ombe: Masholi

 

Mr Mufalali: They are even being comical in the House. For example, they keep standing, “In remembrance of the chairman …” this and that, what and what. I think that is comedy, and we need to be serious. We cannot allow a situation in which many women and men died at the hands of the police under the PF regime, yet its members have the audacity and prowess to stand and start playing victim. That must not be allowed because we have serious business at hand in this country. We cannot continue with comedy, such as observing moments of silence, because this country deserves better. Those who are academicians will sit down one day and study what really happened and how to ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes made from 2011 to 2021. The PF will be a case study.

 

Madam Speaker, I was one of the victims of the brutality of the PF regime that caused harm to the people of Zambia. I was attacked during a by-election in Nangweshi and I broke a bone. Therefore, the PF should not be allowed anywhere closer to power again.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Zambia have decided to have President Hakainde as their leader, and we thank God because we have been redeemed from the claws and gnashes of the PF regime under Former President Lungu. That leader should never be allowed to come any closer to power again because the Zambian flag kept flying at half-mast throughout his ten-year rule.

 

Madam Speaker, we thank God that, today, we a proud nation and we have a President in the name of Mr Hakainde Hichilema who is flying the Zambian flag high.

 

Hon. UPND Member: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mufalali: We are very proud of him.

 

When you look at his performance in the United States of America (USA) at the United National General Assembly (UNGA) and the speech that he delivered there, and when you look at his inauguration ceremony, it all tells the big story that we have a leader who is capable of delivering and doing the right thing.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mufalali: As I get to the speech of the President, I will show the reason we need to continue supporting such a leader as President Hakainde Hichilema.

 

Madam Speaker, the President means well for this country, and it is disheartening to see men and women who want to continue with comedy. Very soon, they will be irrelevant to the Zambian society if they continue on the trajectory that they are on because I think the UPND, with its President and Cabinet, which is full of men and women of good character, is ready to deliver. Under the PF Government, things went wrong; the economy collapsed and education was nowhere, with pupils sitting on the floor, yet we had a Government that could not do anything. The only thing its members knew best was sharing tenders.

 

Madam Speaker, in his speech, the President says that our administration is determined to create a united and prosperous Zambia with equal opportunities across ethnic, religious and gender considerations, living in harmony in a free and democratic society. This has been realised already in the few months that the President and the UPND have been in power. We have seen serious strides away from the suffering that the people of Zambia were going through. There is total order now, except in a few areas like in Mansa where, just a few hours ago, I was told that some people had taken over Hon. Ernest Mwansa’s farm and mine, and they were mining because under the PF, it was common to say ‘Boma ni Boma’, meaning that the Government is the Government; no one can fight those in it.

 

Madam, women’s wigs were being removed from their heads under the PF. A woman could be driving and the cadres, the so-called commanders, would come and overtake and, if the woman delays in giving way, the cadres would just get into her car and remove the wig from her head. Such kind of behaviour is long gone. Even the things that are happening in Mansa, the illegal mining and beating up of police officers, will soon end. We will not allow it. So, the President, I think, walks his talk.

 

Madam, when he says his administration is determined, indeed, it is determined because we have seen serious changes take place. Whereas under the PF Government, police officers were being slapped and beaten up, and hon. Ministers were making phone calls to order this one and that one arrested, those are now things of the past. The President, in his speech, says he wants harmony, and I think that is what we are seeing. So, for anyone to stand up in this House and say the speech is Jelita and Mulenga shows narrow-mindedness and how some men and women are misplaced in the House. They were a missed call because the people thought they were sending someone and a party that would make a difference in their constituency but, unfortunately, they sent people who are not serious; people who want to talk about Jelita and Mulenga. This is not Jelita and Mulenga; it is Parliament.

 

Madam Speaker, we have seen it all and, were it not for the word of the President that called for peace and harmony, there was going to be chaos. So, we must have respect for a person who decides says that what we saw in the other regime should come to an end, and he walks the talk. How can you want to degrade such a person by saying he was not serious? I mean, let us be serious. The one who is saying, “Jelita and Mulenga”, and those who are trying to disparage the speech do not mean well for this country.

 

Madam Speaker, we have been hurt and beaten up before by the PF, and some of the people who were pushing for us to be beaten up and have our legs broken are here, in this very House, yet we do no harm to them.

 

Hon. Member: Hear, hear! Tell them!

 

Mr Mufalali: Madam Speaker, the governance system has changed, and the President says he will allow the law to take its course.

 

Hon. Member: Pamene apo!

 

Mr Mufalali: Madam Speaker, for anyone to think that it is a joke when the President tells us to work as a family and provide for everyone is sad. I think, the President really means well. Unfortunately, for the jokers and those who have found themselves on your left because they did not want to listen to the advice that was coming from the UPND, that is all a joke. Had our colleagues listened, maybe, things would have been different, but I do not think so because they had done too much damage to the Zambian people. Now, the country will get back on its footing and, under President Hakainde Hichilema, we will see proper education. When you look at the way he has put the ministries and the way he has allocated hon. Ministers to those ministries, it gives you the signal that things are going to be better.

 

Madam, for simple reasons, some of the people here are asking, “What about education?” The speech was coherent and properly organised. When the President was talking, you could see that it was a president talking, not the mumbling we were subjected to. Just where you are seated, we have heard people mumble to themselves, and we could not understand anything they were saying.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear! Hammer, hammer!

 

Mr Mufalali: This speech, on the other hand, was properly organised, well-thought-out and delivered with confidence.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

Hon. Member: Tell us!

 

Mr Mufalali: This kind of speech has not been heard in this House for a long time, especially not in the past ten years of the PF. It was all mumbling. So, we thank God for President Hakainde, his hon. Ministers and the Zambian people that, today, we are going to breathe fresh air. Even this House was not spared, and people were always looking over their shoulders because of the PF Government, which was hunting everyone who had a different name from what they wanted. That kind of leadership should never rise again. People were looking over their shoulders because of their surnames.

 

Thank you so much, Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Nkombo): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to debate on the speech that His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema delivered on 10^th September, 2021.

 

Madam, from my ministry, I begin by congratulating Her Honour the Vice-President, you, and the other Presiding Officers on the positions that you have taken. I also congratulate my fellow hon. Members of Parliament, those who have come for the first time and those who are coming for the second, third or fourth time, like me.

 

Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, raised his speech under the theme, “Creating a United, Prosperous and Equitable Zambia; Restoring Economic Growth and Safeguarding Lives”. This is a very loaded statement I must say, and it covers, in my view, all areas of human endeavour. This theme resonates a lot with the mandate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, which is charged with the responsibility of promoting decentralisation, the local governance system, and facilitating quality municipal service delivery in order to contribute to sustainable socio-economic development. Further, the Republican President realigned some portfolios, including Local Government and Chiefs’ Affairs to my ministry.

 

Madam Speaker, my ministry has the mandate to foster rural development in addition to its other equally important functions. This will improve the quality of life and economic wellbeing of our citizens living in rural areas. Indeed, development must be equitable and participatory. We will, therefore, enhance our collaboration with the stakeholders, including our people at local level as well as the traditional leadership, in order to attain the meaningful development that the President spoke about. To enhance provision of social services, both in rural and urban areas and settings, my ministry facilitates the provision of municipal infrastructure services that include rehabilitation and maintenance of township and feeder roads, solid waste management, markets and bus stations, as well as fire and rescue services.

 

Madam Speaker, under township and feeder roads, the rehabilitation and maintenance of the  roads is one of the key strategies that my ministry leverages upon to facilitate socio-economic development and improve the standards of living of our people. My ministry undertakes this through the local authorities, which are also local road authorities. The local road authorities supervise the projects being undertaken in their respective jurisdictions.

 

Madam Speaker, we are working to enhance local contractor participation in all road projects to create employment and growth of the local economy. Currently, my ministry has procured twenty-two performance-based contracts valued at K120 million for the period 2020 to 2023, covering approximately 1,000 km in Lusaka. This will be extended to all other districts across the country.

 

Madam Speaker, the feeder road network in the country is approximately 14,333 km, 82 per cent of which is in a very deplorable state. My ministry will, therefore, upscale programmes like the National Feeder Road Programme in order to improve accessibility, mobility and connectivity of agricultural sites, and social and economic facilities in the rural areas. We will ensure adequate participation of local contractors in feeder roads projects under my ministry as a deliberate policy to empower Zambian contractors and contribute to growth of the local economy.

 

Madam Speaker, currently, 166 contracts valued at K8.71 billion have been procured, covering just under 6,390 km. This brings the cumulative total of on-going contracts to 211, covering 8,650 km in various districts across the country, and a total contract value of K11.6 billion. In line with the ‘New Dawn’ Administration’s vision of facilitating equitable development, my ministry will ensure the rehabilitation of feeder roads in all districts in the country, unlike what used to happen before. To enhance these efforts, we are working to improve the capacity of local authorities to effectively supervise and manage road projects. Under the Improved Rural Connectivity Programme, capacity building of local authorities is underway at a cost of US$200 million, which will be facilitated by the World Bank.

 

Madam Speaker, on markets and bus stations, our focus is on restoring them as facilities that provide adequate services, and a platform for trading and transportation of our citizens. In this regard, my ministry will institutionalise the National Market and Bus Station Development Fund for enhanced management and infrastructure development. In addition, management committees will be created to run the affairs of markets and bus stations in line with the Markets and Bus Stations Act No. 7 of 2007. Our colleagues put the Act on the shelf, where it started gathering dust. As a result, we ended up with the undesirable citizens commonly referred to as political cadres taking away the authority of the Act with impunity, and injecting fear in citizens, commuters and traders, as we saw shortly before the 2016 elections. Everybody who commuted using the Intercity Bus Station, the nerve centre of this country, while wearing anything red was brutalised mercilessly by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres under the watch of the Government.

 

Madam Speaker, further works are on course to upscale cashless revenue collection systems to reduce corruption. With this initiative in place, the Government expects revenue collection to tremendously improve and be streamlined. I am pleased to inform you –

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

The hon. Member’s time expired.

 

Mr Chibombwe (Bahati): Madam Speaker, congratulations are in order to you and your two Deputies.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank God Almighty for His grace, gift of life and strength granted to me to serve the good people of Bahati Constituency as their Member of Parliament.

 

Madam Speaker, I give distinctive and immeasurable recognition and many thanks to the President of our party, the Sixth President of this country, His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, for the mentorship, guidance, and moral and material support that I have received from him. I also thank the Members of the Central Committee (MCCs) of the mighty Patriotic Front (PF) Party for giving me the chance to contest on the party ticket in the just-ended elections. I further thank the provincial leadership, led by the Party Chairperson, Mr Francis Musunga, for believing in me. Further, I thank the party leadership at the district, branch and section levels for the unfailing support given to me during the campaigns. 

 

Madam Speaker, allow me, at this juncture, to thank my campaign team led by my campaign manager, Mr James Kalebaila. I also thank Mr Donald Ng’andwe, Mr Alex Chola, Mrs Mwelela, Miss Lillian Mpongwe, Bana Nsofwa, Kalwinta Kamuzaza, Mr Peter Chikombola, Commander One, Augustine, Habikadyo, Kasapo, Chile, Stanzo and His Worship the youthful Mayor of Mansa District, Mr Njiko Musuku. I am very thankful to them. We made quite a great team.

 

Madam Speaker, the electorates of Bahati came out in numbers to vote for me. I thank them for a job well done.

 

Madam Speaker, I would be failing in my duty if I did not recognise and thank the following MCCs: Hon. Nixon Chilangwa, Hon. Ronald Kaoma Chitotela, Hon. Anthony Kasandwe and, indeed, my neighbour and elder brother, Hon. Chitalu Chilufya, for the unquantifiable support, mentorship, motivation, commitment and guidance rendered to me during the campaigns.

 

Madam Speaker, I am grateful to my mother, Mrs Rosemary Chibombwe, for the immense love, support and wonderful meals she provided to me and my team during the campaigns. I also appreciate my late father, Mr David Chibombwe, who was a founder member of the PF Party in Luapula Province, for introducing me to politics. I also thank my sisters, brothers and the whole family.

 

To my friends, Mr Allan Kapeso, Mr Mwansa of Lusaka and Mr Muluba, thank you for your support.

 

To my children, Nkandu, Busisiwe and Thandolwami, I love you. You mean the world to me. To the mother of my children, Inonge Nasilele, thank you for taking care of our children while I was away on my tour of duty.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to also thank Their Royal Highnesses of the Ushi people of Bahati Constituency, namely Chief Mibenge, Chief Kalaba, Chief Chisunka, Chief Chimese and, indeed, Chief Matanda, and all the headmen for the wise counsel, encouragement and inspiration given to me. I also thank the servants of the Lord, the Bishops and the Pastors’ Fellowship in the constituency. Again, I would be failing in my duty if I did not pay tribute to my predecessor, Hon. Charles Mwamba Chalwe, for the work done during his tenure of office.

 

Madam Speaker, at this point, I thank the hardworking PF Government for embarking on a massive developmental agenda in the country as well as in the constituency. Bahati benefitted from the four mini-hospitals that were constructed and the upgrading of the Musonda Hydro Electric Power Station from 5 MW to 10 MW, thereby reducing the number of challenges that we faced as a constituency and district, and improving the quality of electricity supply in the province. It is my prayer that the United Party for National Development (UPND) will continue on the same development trajectory.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me to highlight some of the challenges faced in our constituency.

 

Madam, we look to this Government to complete a number of uncompleted schools in our constituency, such as Kalanga Secondary School. We, the people of Bahati, also ask this Government to sink more boreholes in the constituency and repair the non-functional ones. We also look to this Government to rehabilitate the Kaole Stadium, which is in a deplorable state despite being the only sports stadium in the province. Rehabilitating it will keep our youths busy.

 

Madam, we want this Government to work on the Kabunda/Matanda, Moloshi/Mpanga, Kalaba, Chibalashi/Kasamba, Chibinda/Chililanshindo roads and so many other feeder roads that are in a bad shape. We look to this Government for new health posts and completion of the health posts that the PF Government started. We also want this Government to electrify schools, especially those near the power distribution lines like Musendeka, which is near Musonda Falls Hydro Power, and Chilila and Mikaili, which are near the electricity lines.

 

Madam Speaker, Bahati is a rural constituency whose main economic activity is agriculture. The area is endowed with fertile soils and many water bodies, and receives favourable rainfall. So, we look to this Government for serious investment in the agricultural sector. It is said that when our farming community thrives, this nation will flourish. There is also a need to empower women and the youths who are involved in agricultural production with modern agricultural tools. As one agricultural expert said, the hoe now belongs to the museum, but most of our people, especially in Luapula, still use hoes.

 

Madam Speaker, I am here on behalf of the people of Bahati, and I pledge that I will serve them diligently to the best of my knowledge.

 

Hon. PF Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, allow me to now make a few comments on the President’s Speech.

 

Madam Speaker, most of my colleagues who stood to debate in this august House talked about the mining of manganese. We have large deposits of manganese in Bahati Constituency. Let me bring it to your attention that manganese is one of the most sought-after metals in the world today. This is because of its many industrial uses, especially in the production of the batteries used in EVs, and in the production of steel. For the sake of our colleagues from some villages, EV stands for ‘electric vehicle’.

 

Madam Speaker, we want this Government to seriously look into the mining of this rare metal. You may wish to note that most of the people mining it in our area are small-scale miners, among them women and the youths, and it is disheartening to note that they use ancient tools to get the metal; most of them use picks and shovels. So, we appeal to the new hon. Minister in charge of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to seriously look into the mining of manganese and to empower our people by giving them loans to enable them to secure modern mining tools. We want this Government to also spearhead the marketing of manganese because it has potential to create employment, especially for our youths.

 

Madam Speaker, let me now turn to agriculture, which I need to over-emphasise. Like I said –

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Business was suspended from 1040 hours until 1100 hours. 

 

[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]

 

Mr Chibombwe: Madam Speaker, before business was suspended, I was commenting on agriculture.

 

Madam, we, the people of Bahati, look to the Government for a reduction in prices of agricultural inputs, including of fertiliser. We also want the Government to honour its promise of increasing the floor price of maize. I say this because the President says agriculture will now be a business.

 

Madam Speaker, let me now turn to page 24 of the President’s Speech and zero in on the electricity sub-sector.

 

Madam Speaker, it is gratifying to note that the President, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, wants to continue building on the foundation laid by the PF Government in the electricity sub-sector. For example, he talked about reducing power losses, and there are such projects under implementation. We just want this Government to continue with those projects. The President also talked about interconnectors, and there are such projects. I just urge this Government to concentrate especially on the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) Interconnector Project, an initiative of the PF Government whose main purpose is to link the Southern African Power Pool to the East African Power Pool. If the project is actualised, Zambia will be part of what will be the largest transmission power pool on the continent. 

 

Madam Speaker, the President also talked about creating off-grid power solutions. Before this Government does that, it should concentrate on giving power to communities, especially those that are near electricity distribution lines.

 

Madam Speaker, the President also talked about reforms in the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) Limited, but missed a golden opportunity to address what the people want in this area, which is that ZESCO Limited works on its backlog in connecting people to electricity. That is what the President should have addressed, including instructing ZESCO Limited to clear its enormous backlog in connecting people to electricity. There are many people who have paid ZESCO Limited in Bahati and Zambia, as a whole, to have their premises connected to electricity, but their premises have not been connected. That is what is affecting the people. So, before we start talking about reforms at ZESCO Limited, let us clear the backlog, and I hope the hon. Minister in charge of energy is listening.

 

Madam Speaker, we, the people of Bahati, condemn violence in the strongest words possible. The pictures we are seeing on social media, such as the one in which a person is made to undress and is whipped, are quite bad. We are a Christian nation, and such things should be avoided. Our members are losing property to UPND youths who are grabbing it. For example, a car wash in Munali Constituency that belonged to PF youths was grabbed by UPND cadres.

 

Madam Speaker, let me end by citing a simple old English adage to my hon. Colleagues: “Pluck a thorn and plant a rose instead.”

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker. 

 

Mr Jamba (Mwembezhi): Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me time to debate. Firstly, may I render my maiden speech.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the almighty God for the time given to me and for life so that I may be part of the people in this Parliament. I also congratulate you and your two Deputies on your deserved election to be overseers of this House.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the United Party for National Development (UPND), our party, for adopting me. I also thank the President for his support, as I do the Vice-President. I also thank the UPND National Management Committee (NMC) and some colleagues like Hon. Nkombo, who came to my constituency to support me, as well as Madam Kabwiku and Mutompehi Sibote. Further, I thank the provincial, district and constituency committees, and the wards in Mwembezhi.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Mwembezhi stood with me and the UPND to make sure that we won the just-ended election. They voted out the Patriotic Front (PF) because of the many atrocities they foresaw and passed through. The PF Government, led by the Sixth President, Mr Edgar Lungu, and his Cabinet, went into Mwembezhi and degazetted a forest, and grabbed property and started sharing it. The Sixth Head of State, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and his Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs and other ministries went to Mwembezhi and, instead of giving land to the people of Mwembezhi, grabbed it for themselves.

 

UPND Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Jamba: How could the people of Mwembezhi vote for the PF Government again when it grabbed land from them? They grabbed the Kawena Protected Forest Area No. 42 and shared it among themselves.

 

Madam Speaker, for your own information, our colleagues used to sit on your right and, whenever they stood to speak, you could see the difference. We are now trying to compare and contrast. Whenever the people who used to sit on the right stood to speak, they used to start by saying, “His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Commander-in-Chief  ...” Do you know why they were saying that when we were not at war? We know that the President is the Commander-in-Chief. When they said that, they meant, ‘Sosa tulekushina nokukuma because balitutuma kuli batata’.

 

Madam Speaker: Meaning?

 

Mr Jamba: Meaning, ‘We are the daughters and sons of the Commander-in-Chief. If you dare say anything, twalakunyensha’.  That is what they used to say, meaning that they would whip you.

 

Madam Speaker, our colleagues would come to Mwembezhi and raped women in Forest No. 42. I came to this House and told them that our women were being raped, but they scandalised the whole thing. How could they be voted in? The people stood with me when I said “No, this is a regime of thieves and corrupt people. You cannot go with them”. That is why they voted for me.

 

Madam Speaker, let me remind the PF that the former Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Kampyongo, sent a battalion of police officers to Mwembezhi to search people who were not armed and had nothing, not even a spear. The police went to Mwembezhi and harassed people on the pretext that Mr Hakainde Hichilema had hidden firearms in his in-laws’ houses. We woke up at night traumatised and ran away. I came to this House and asked the former hon. Minister why the police had been deployed to Mwembezhi, and he asked, “Do you not know that His Excellency is the Commander-in-Chief?  In fact, iwe niwebo walaba next”. That is what he said when he was on the right. Today, he is on the left, and I do not know where the person he called Commander-in-Chief is. I also do not know where the police that protected him is. We know them.

 

Madam Speaker, the people supported me –

 

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Jamba: This is a maiden speech, you.  Sit down.

 

Mr Kampyongo: It is a procedural point of order.

 

Madam Speaker: A procedural point of order is raised.

 

Mr Jamba: Ni maiden speech, iyi.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, yes, indeed, points of order are not permissible during maiden speeches, but this is a procedural point of order, and I am forced to raise it.

 

Madam, I am seated here, patiently trying to listen and make sense of the debate of the hon. Member, who is a senior Member of Parliament. Were he a new Member of Parliament, I would not have bothered. Is he in order to draw me into his maiden speech in a very mischievous way and make very serious allegations meant to dent my name?

 

Madam Speaker, I have served this nation for a long period of time as Minister of Home Affairs. Therefore, I cannot allow my fellow hon. Member to dent my reputation in the manner he is trying to do it.

 

UPND Hon. Member: Useless Minister of Home Affairs!

 

Mr Kampyongo: We are a House of rules.

 

I seek your guidance on this very important matter, Madam Speaker.

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Let me guide on the content of speech in accordance with Standing Order No. 65.

 

The hon. Member who is debating, you are advised not to draw any hon. Member of the House into your debate because that brings this House into disrepute. So, as you debate, please, do not bring Members of this honourable House into disrepute because all of you, the hon. Members of Parliament, have been voted for by your constituencies not because you are criminals, but because you are representing the people of your various constituencies. So, avoid debating one another on the Floor of this House.

 

Please, be guided accordingly as you continue.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, the people of Mwembezhi were traumatised by a battalion of police officers sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to attack them. How could the people vote for this PF, which was a brutal Government?

 

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Home Affairs then even ordered big riot vehicles from South Africa to take to Mwembezhi so that people could be traumatised and think that there was a big –

 

Mr Kampyongo: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Kampyongo!

 

Resume your seat.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member for Mwembezhi, you have been guided. Please, do not disrupt your own maiden speech. You are allowed to debate without any interruption, but do not allow your speech to be interrupted by drawing other people into your debate.

 

Continue.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, I did not draw anybody into my debate.

 

Mr Chilangwa: Do not argue with the Chair, iwe! You know the rules.

 

Mr Jamba: I am talking about a ministry that sent police officers to our constituency. So, you want me to not say it?

 

Madam Speaker, the police went there and brutalised people.  That is why we cannot allow –

 

I want to also say that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources went to Mwembezhi and sub-divided plots, and some of the people seated here are beneficiaries. Those who benefitted are actually thieves. So, today, they cannot say they are angels when, in fact, they are the people who have been traumatising the people of Zambia. How can they come today and think the people have forgotten? We have not forgotten how the people were troubled in Mwembezhi. 

 

Madam Speaker, when we asked our colleagues to work on the Mwembezhi Road, they said “Kavotedwe, kavotedwe, kavotedwe”. How could the people vote for them?

 

Madam Speaker: What does “kavotedwe” mean?

 

Mr Jamba:  It means, ‘You have to vote with the PF. If you do not move with the PF, then, there is no development for your area”.

 

Madam Speaker, the road from Mumbwa through Nampundwe could not be tarred because the PF said, “Jamba, if you do not vote with us on the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No.10, 2019, we are not going to do the road”, and I could not vote with it. So, the people of Mwembezhi said, “Oho, then, we are not going to vote for the PF”, and they did not vote for it. I thank the people of Mwembezhi for that.

 

Rev. Katuta: On a point of procedure, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: May the hon. Member who is debating continue. He is debating his maiden speech. Let him finish.

 

Rev Katuta: Madam Speaker, there is someone who is chewing in the Chamber; the hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

 

Madam Speaker: Who is doing what? I did not get you.

 

Rev. Katuta: He is chewing groundnuts.

 

Mr Syakalima: How do you know?

 

Laughter

 

Mr Nkombo removed his mask.

 

Rev Katuta: You can see he is chewing.

 

Madam Speaker: Maybe, he needs some energy. May the hon. Member debating proceed.

 

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Madam Speaker: Please, do not chew in the House, hon. Minister.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, we worked together with the people of Mwembezhi to make sure that we won and won big because the people on your left marginalised us. We were not part of them because they did not want us. Therefore, the people said, “Jamba, stand on the UPND ticket because you are part of us. We shall vote for you”, and they truly voted for me. So, I thank them for what they did. The people of Mwembezhi knew what was happening and saw how they were denied development.

 

Madam Speaker, the former hon. Minister of Health stood in this House and said, “We are coming to lay a foundation stone for a hospital in Nampundwe”, but they never came. All they wanted was to force me to do something I did not want to do. They said that if I did not do what they wanted, then, they were not going to give me the hospital and, true to their word, they did not give us a hospital because I refused to sign up and be part of the evil document that they had presented here called the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019.  These people were a band of evil people bent on destroying Zambia.

 

Madam Speaker, let me now make comments on the President’s Speech, starting with one of the statements the President made. He said, “One Zambia One Nation”. Why did he say that when he knew that this is was sovereign State called Zambia? Let me contrast and compare. During the PF’s time, the whole Cabinet was one-sided; they were only from Muchinga, the Northern, Luapula and part of the Eastern provinces. No one was from the North-Western, Southern and the Western province. So, our colleagues were a bad Government.

 

Mr Chilangwa: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Ms Mulenga: UPND members, do not trust him.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Chilangwa: Madam Speaker, conduct in this House is premised on the fact that we must be factual as we rise to debate. We cannot debate like headless chickens. Those are the fundamental rules our forefathers laid down in this House. Is the hon. Member of Parliament, Jamba Machila, of Mwembezhi, in order to continue debating in that particular fashion when he knows very well that in ECL’s (Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s) Cabinet, we had hon. Colleagues from the Southern, Eastern, Western and Central provinces?

 

Madam Speaker, I need your serious counsel and guidance for that hon. Member who is trying to bring this House into disrepute.

 

Madam Speaker: Thank you for the point of order.

 

I believe the information on the people who constituted the Cabinet is in public domain, and the public knowledge is that there was no balance, as such, in that Cabinet. So, the hon. Member is in order to state that point of fact.

 

You may continue, hon. Member for Mwembezhi.

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, when the President said, “One Zambia One Nation”, he was trying to heal the wound that was caused by the PF. If you look at the PF Cabinet, you will see that it was one-sided. To add salt to the wound, I can produce the list of Permanent Secretaries (PSs) in various Government institutions.

 

Mr Mung’andu: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Jamba: Bushe Twala debat’a lelo shuwa?

 

Mr Mung’andu: Madam Speaker, this point of order is very compelling because one of the Standing Orders states that we should present facts on the Floor of the House.

 

Madam Speaker, the hon. Member for Mwembezhi, who happens to be a very good friend of mine, has stated that our Sixth President, the former hon. Minister of Home Affairs, who is seated in the Chamber, and many other former Cabinet Ministers raped women in a forest in Mwembezhi as they were sharing the forest. Is he in order to make such allegations without presenting facts, considering that I have a family in Mwembezhi and the hon. Member knows that?

 

I seek your serious ruling because this Parliament is being watched countrywide, and the perception of the people out there is that the former Cabinet Ministers raped women in Forest No. 42 of Mwembezhi.

 

Madam Speaker: Thank you very much for that point of order, although it has been raised belatedly because the issue was debated in the maiden speech. However, I did guide the hon. Member who is debating that he should comply with the provisions of Standing Order 65, which states that “A member who is debating shall  –

 

1. confine his or her debate to the subject under discussion; and

 

1. ensure that the information he or she provides to the House is factual and verifiable.”

 

Further, it states that:

 

“A member who is debating shall not –

 

1. impute any improper motive to the President, Vice-President or any other member.”

 

It is for this reason that I said that when hon. Members are debating, they should not debate other hon. Members in this House. I have already guided on that point of order and that issue has already been addressed. So, there is no need to go back to it. Otherwise, we will lose time on points of order. We want to make progress as we debate, and the Standing Orders are very clear; once a point of order has been addressed and a ruling has been rendered, there is no need to reopen the matter on that point of order.

 

Hon. Member for Mwembezhi, as you continue, please, be careful. You can say many things in a better way rather than to impugn some wrongdoing on other hon. Members of Parliament who are in this honourable House.

 

You may continue.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, I will continue by saying that, yes, the division was seen even at the level of PSs, and the names of PSs are in the public domain. Some of us were trying to change our names because if someone was Hamweete or Habanda, they had to remove the ‘Ha’ so that they remained as ‘Mweete’ or ‘Banda’ because there was cleansing, if you like, such as the one that was –

 

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

 

Mr Jamba: The people were actually side-lined and were not able to work properly in their own country.

 

Mr Kampyongo: On a serious point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, this House is a very important institution, and it is the people’s House, where we are supposed to bring the nation together.

 

Madam Speaker, the Constitution is very instructive on how Presidents constitute their Governments and appoint constitutional office-holders. The issue of names that the hon. Colleague is trying to bring out now is extremely retrogressive because we have children –

 

Mr Jamba: How?

 

Mr Kampyongo: I am going to demonstrate.

 

Madam Speaker, we all know that, now, we are a nation that does not look at tribes because we come from different regions, but we get married to different people. How is the hon. Member being allowed to be so divisive in his debate?

 

Madam Speaker, we have records of how our Government used to be. For example, we know that the former Leader of Government Business in the House did not come from the same region as the President, and we know many of our hon. Colleagues who came from different regions, but were part of Government. So, is he in order to debate in that fashion? We had people from the southern region, such as Hon. Nakachinda and Hon. Malanji.

 

Hon. Member: He is from the Congo.

 

Mr Kampyongo: These are the records. There was also Hon. Lubinda. I did not want to get into this, but the concern we have is that if we allow this kind of debate to continue in this august House, we shall divide the nation, and that will not take anyone –

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Kampyongo: You have a responsibility, Madam Speaker, to help us unite this nation.

 

Hon. Member: Bamunyinane!

 

Mr Kampyongo: We all come from different regions, but we converge here, in this august House, to unite the nation, and you have a responsibility to control us when we start becoming divisive. I do not have to look at Comrade Jamba and look at where he comes from.

 

Hon. Member: What is your question?

 

Mr Kampyongo: Madam Speaker, I appeal to you to exercise your authority to make us responsible citizens.

 

I thank you.

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Kampyongo, please, resume your seat.

 

Hon. Members, please, let us observe some decorum in the House. We cannot be shouting and even have someone saying ‘No’ when the Presiding Officer is speaking. Is that hon. Member trying to usurp my powers as the Presiding Officer or what is happing? We have to observe the rules and orders. There are Standing Orders here, which we formulated for ourselves to guide our debate, and the rules are very clear. I am surprised that the old hon. Members, not the new ones, are the ones who are trying to go against the Standing Orders that we formulated for ourselves to guide our debate.

 

I understand that in order to heal, people have to look at the past as they try to look at the future. However, let us not use the past to cause divisions because, as we debate in such a way, we are not healing the nation. You can refer to facts that are in the public domain, but do not capitalise on them so much that the other side feels like they are being discriminated against or that information is going to be used against them. In this regard, I am referring to Standing Order 66, which is on unparliamentarily language, and states as follows:

 

“Unparliamentarily language refers to the use of offensive, provocative, insulting, threatening or obscene language in the House.”

 

As we debate, please, let us bear that in mind.

 

The people on my right, you are now in Government, and the President has said that you are not going to do what was being done by the people on the left when they were in Government. If we keep on poking and talking about the wrongs that they did when they were in Government, how are we going to heal the nation? Let us try to restrain ourselves and follow what the President said in his speech on the issue of healing the nation. It is your responsibility, as leaders, as you speak on behalf of the people who sent you to Parliament, to not promote offensive or threatening speech in the House. Let us try to heal the nation, as everybody wants to heal, instead of concentrating on issues that the people of Zambia are complaining about. So, as we debate, I appeal to you to use language that is acceptable in accordance with the Standing Orders, which guide the procedure and manner in which debate is supposed to be conducted.

 

Hon. Members, we also need to maintain some order and listen to one another as we debate. The people out there are watching and listening. The House wanted to be aired on television (TV). So, the people are watching and wondering, “Are these the leaders whom we sent to the House to represent us?” So, let us heal the nation, please. That is my appeal.

 

Hon. Jamba, you can continue.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, surely, we need to heal and unite the country. However, in our unity, we shall not forget the dark ages in which we have lived. The President presented a speech on the Floor of this House that was above par and one that raised the bar to a certain standard. However, some people said the speech was Jelita and Mulenga. We have not forgotten that, as Zambians, we needed unity more than divisive language and things that were happening. In his speech, the President talks about “One Zambia One Nation” and how we must be united. He also said that no one is going to be harassed and that no one should live in fear.

 

Madam Speaker, we cannot forget how we lived in fear during the gassing period. The people of Mwembezhi and Zambia know why we should never go back to those dark ages. If there are any historians, they have to study the ten years in which Vesper Shimuzhila died in cold blood and Given Mutapa died, and some people are still serving death sentences. The historians will record how Harrison Banda was killed. That will never happen again in Zambia. We shall never allow such things to continue happening. If we do not talk about these issues in this House, tell ourselves what went wrong and resolve that we do not need those things again, after fifty years, someone will vote into office a bad Government like the PF.

 

Madam Speaker, we want to continue on a trajectory on which human rights are going to be respected. President Hakainde Hichilema was imprisoned in Mukobeko for 127 days as though he murdered somebody. Should we forget and say, “Okay, we are reconciling”? Yes, we are reconciling, but we shall not forget the evil and atrocities that were perpetrated against us so that we tell our children to never again do such things in life. How do you keep your friend in Mukobeko for 127 days and, immediately you come here, you say, “We are reconciling”? Yes, we are reconciling, but we will not forget the atrocities. Hon. Beene was traumatised and beaten up when he went to City Market.

 

Madam Speaker, we want the hon. Minister of Home Affairs to end cadreism and end it properly.

 

Mr Fube: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

 

Madam Speaker: A point of order is raised.

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order in line with Standing Order No. 207.

 

Madam Speaker, I feel that despite your guidance, this House is now going into contempt. The Standing Order I referred to talks about the impartiality of the Presiding Officer and the language that we should use in Parliament so that, at the end of the day, there is the decorum that you referred to. However, I think that the debate of the hon. Member of Parliament on the Floor has raised many issues, including the issue of whether the former Cabinet was balanced or not.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Fube: Madam Speaker, sorry, I am having problems with the interruptions. If I may be allowed to proceed.

 

The Presiding Officer, to that effect, contributed by saying, “It is in public domain that the Cabinet was not balanced”. If I heard well, that was what the Presiding Officer said. However, Standing Order No. 207(b) says:

 

“A reflection on the character or impartiality of the Speaker in the discharge of the Speaker’s duty.”

 

Madam Speaker, looking at these factors brings me to the conclusion that, possibly, the Presiding Officer could have taken a side in looking at the debate that, unfortunately, the current debater is projecting to the House. I seek your guidance on how we will be conducting ourselves in this House because we have seen that our friends on the right are on an assault route, whereby they are just championing hatred towards the people on the left. We have been called thieves here, and we are Members of Parliament. We have been called all sorts of names without qualifying where we stole, which means that there is already a divide in this House, whereby there are thieves to the left and angels to the right. So, according to the Standing Order I cited, I want to submit –

 

Mr Mutinta: On a point of procedure, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Fube: You cannot talk about another point of order when I am on the Floor.

 

Hon. Member: You are now debating.

 

Mr Fube: Can we respect one another here.

 

So, when we look at such, I am afraid –

 

Madam Speaker: Hon. Member, can you resume your seat.

 

The hon. Member who has just taken the seat is raising a point of order on the Chair.

 

Hon. Member, if there is any concern that you have with regard to the manner in which the Chair is discharging her responsibilities, there is a procedure for that. Please, be guided accordingly. Further, when you raise a point of order, be precise and to the point. There is no need to debate your point of order. I know the Standing Orders are new, and that is why I announced earlier that there is a need to go through these Standing Orders. If you are not satisfied with the manner in which I am discharging my responsibilities, you have a duty and the right, in accordance with the Standing Orders, to use another procedure.

 

May the hon. Member for Mwembezhi continue.

 

Mr Jamba: Madam Speaker, I was saying that we, the people of Zambia, shall never go to the dark ages of ten years. Were it a number line written on the history of Zambia, at a certain point, there would have been a dark spot where the PF ruled. The people will be studying what happened and why. They were the days when there was no equity and equal distribution of wealth. Just here, in this House, you heard people brag that they have built seventeen mini-hospitals or clinics in every ward when in some of our constituencies no hospital has been built. Someone was bragging that he took a road to his constituency between two towns. Just to tell you, I have been to some of those roads being bragged about. In the morning, you can hear a vehicle coming vuuuu from 10 km away. After about three or four hours, you will hear another vehicle coming vuuuu, and it goes.

 

Laugher

 

Mr Jamba: At 1500 hours, you hear another one. Only three vehicles pass in a whole day, yet one takes a tarmac road there. What economic benefit can be realised from that? When you come to Nampundwe, a road that leads to a place where pyrite for processing copper is produced, where there are farmers and sugar companies and where there is an iron mine that contributes to the economy of country, someone does not tar it. The roads that are tarred, in a year, it is vehicles of the very hon. Minister that pass on the tarred road. What type of prudence is that?

 

Madam Speaker, our colleagues are saying there is no free education, yet the President said there is going to be free education. We had advised them to not build that airport in Ndola because it is a sheer waste of time and money. I ask them, how many planes land in Ndola now? Do they see that they wasted money there? Were that money used to build a plant in Solwezi to process pineapple juice, it was going to be recouped. Similarly, were that money given to farmers to buy dairy animals, we should have made returns on it. Alas, we put the money into an airport. Tamwakwata nendeke. mwapanga airport. What type of –

 

Hon. Members: What is the meaning?

 

Mr Jamba: You do not even have a plane, but you start building big airports. What for? Where do you want to go? You go to spend the money that you are stealing from Zambians in other countries?

 

Madam Speaker, the PF regime was one of the most corrupt in the world, but Hakainde is saying there will be no corruption.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Yes!

 

Mr Jamba: Corrupt, He will not allow corruption.

 

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for allowing me to add my word to the debate.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear

 

Mr Jamba: Mwikabwekeshepo baiche.

 

Interruptions

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Chinkuli (Kanyama): Madam Speaker, I am grateful to you for giving me this opportunity to deliver my maiden speech in this House.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the almighty God for the courage, strength, love and unfailing mercy, and for according me the  chance to stand here before you.

 

Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank the people Kanyama for sounding the drums and trumpets of a new birth of economic freedom, which victoriously ushered me into this House and the fighter for economic freedom, His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, into office as our Seventh Republican President.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the United Party for National Development and its Presidency for trust and confidence they showed in me by adopting me as their candidate for Kanyama Constituency, and I also thank the people of Kanyama for approving that choice. I shall endeavour to ensure that they are well represented.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the Lord Almighty, to whom all glory belongs. I also express my gratitude to my lovely family for the patience they exhibited, and their unmatched support in prayer and finances during the time of my campaigns.

 

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, on his victory in the just-ended general election.

 

Mr President, may the Lord Almighty God bless and guide you all the days of your life.

 

Madam Speaker, I also congratulate you on your election as the first female Speaker of this House among the great Speakers who have come before you. I am confident you will guide this House with the wisdom that comes from above. I also congratulate your two Deputy Speakers on their election in this House.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the people of Kanyama, who spoke through the ballot during the just-ended general elections. They spoke loudly against injustices, bad governance, inconsistencies and bad conditions of living. I thank them, once again, for the trust and confidence they have in me. I shall effectively and efficiently identify myself with their interest. Allow me to also thank my campaign team, that is, the district, constituency and ward officials, and not forgetting all the six councillors who worked tirelessly to mobilise the UPND branches of Kanyama Constituency. Lastly, but not the least, I thank the churches for praying and fasting for me during that period.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Kanyama are available, ready and willing to march forward with the new dawn of economy recovery, freedom and effective participation in the development crusade of our nation given the necessary skills.

 

Madam Speaker, Kanyama, like you have been hearing, and the information is in the public domain, is a hostile constituency. Quite a number of people have asked me, “Hon. Chinkuli, how and why did you go to Kanyama?” Yes, Kanyama may be called a violent constituency and given many names, including its people being called thieves, junkies and all sorts of names. However, you will agree with me that there are certain times that we need to change our mindset. Let us change how we play our ball game. If each time you play your game, you keep losing, try to use other means to see how best you can improve.

 

Madam Speaker, as Member of Parliament for Kanyama, I have decided to flip the coin and look at the other side of it. The people of Kanyama deserve pity rather than anger. Those we call thieves, junkies or lazy people are our mothers, children, nephews and grandchildren. Those people, like I said, require pity and, if someone requires pity, then that person requires help. However, where can they get that help? It is from their parents, and we are the parents. It would be unfortunate if your son came to you and, whether explicitly or without stating it, he needs your help, but you give him a cold shoulder. That is the more reason some children simply go astray and do whatever they feel is right.

 

Madam Speaker, if you have a one-on-one chat with those we term thieves or junkies, and do not have a hard heart, you will shed tears. Those so-called thieves and junkies are family people; they have children and are married, and they just want to find something that they will put in their bellies and, probably, give their children and send them to school. So, it is my humble request to every hon. Member – I know that in most of the constituencies, there are such people who are perceived as a people without a vision. Nevertheless, let us help those people because they need help.

 

Madam Speaker, Kanyama has a number of problems, including people still fetching and drinking water from wells, and a lack of good roads with a proper drainage system. Further, with the onset of the Rainy Season, it has now become a traditional ceremony for people to start thinking of how to run away from floods. Water goes into their homes because of a lack of planning on the part of the regimes that are normally tasked to take care of environmental issues in Kanyama.

 

 Madam Speaker, Kanyama is densely populated and has sanitation systems that are not up to date. As a result, there are outbreaks of a number of diseases, yet the area has only one hospital, which is not sufficient to provide the people the medical attention that they require. Therefore, I request the line ministries that Kanyama be given two or three more hospitals, looking at the big population. However, before that is done, I request that the relevant authorities, through the Ministry of Health, make sure that the existing hospital is fully equipped with drugs, quality medical personnel and utilities.

 

Madam Speaker, we have places like Garden Park that are impassable, and I do not know what used to happen in the previous regime. That is why I said that Kanyama has been neglected over the years. There are quite a number of issues that need to be addressed there. So, in time, we will be knocking on the Government’s doors so that the issues can be addressed.

 

Madam Speaker, I have few comments to make on His Excellency the President’s Speech.

 

Madam Speaker, I am sorry, I am becoming emotional. Sacrifice, selflessness and perseverance are attributes we have seen before, and you will agree with me that we have had the likes of Mama Kankasa, may her soul rest in peace, and Mr Peter Zuze, who refused to give in during the time of Ian Smith. Like the saying goes, ‘What goes around comes back around’, and we also have the Mama Kankasas and Peter Zuzes of today. These are no other than His Excellency the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, and other UPND members who fought tirelessly to ensure that the brutal regime left. We thank God that has been achieved.

 

Madam Speaker, looking at what is imbedded in the President’s Speech, it is very sad to hear people castigate the speech and say that it is a replica of PF regime. The question that may arise is: Why did the previous regime not actualise the ideas in the speech? Lamentations on the alleged hollowness of the speech and how the speech is a replica have been making the rounds. However, the question is: Were the ideas in the speech actualised? The answer is ‘No’. So, I do not know. I think it is just because in any battle, there are losers and the losers will always have something to blame here and there. So, we just need to forgive them.

 

Madam Speaker, the UPND is all about job creation. A simple example is when we look at agriculture, which is the basis of industrialisation. How is it actualised? Agriculture coupled with value addition entails processing which, in turn, requires some industry with employees who are skilled enough to run it. The moment one puts that in place, jobs are created. I will not waste much of the House’s time on this issue because I am more interested in the pronouncement on the restoration of the rule of law. Allow me to read just briefly on that.

 

Madam Speaker, the rule of law encompasses all sectors. It governs all Government institutions, all places in the country; all organisations, meaning these institutions and persons, their conduct should be in accordance with the law. Everyone is not above the law.

 

Madam, everyone should be accountable for their acts to the point that the acts that have been committed before should be audited and, for those found wanting, we will probably not direct or give the political will for them to start attending court issues. The law, itself, will compel such people to go and exonerate themselves. The issue of corruption is imbedded in that. The moment someone violates the rule of law, we can proudly say that ours an administration with zero tolerance to corruption because the entities tasked with handling issues like the conduct of people and taxes will be up there. Like the President said, as politicians, we will not push in a hand, but allow that sector to handle things in the manner they are supposed to be handled. So, sit here and start defending things that are not even supposed to be defended, and be antagonistic in whatever people are saying is just a sheer waste time. The bottom line is that the rule of law is in, and it is just a timely warning to ourselves to comply with the law. If we are given a task, let us do it diligently without any selfish motive. By doing that, we will be spared.

 

Madam Speaker, people have lamented over free education. Come on! How can we talk about those issues? We have been on that route before. Some of us are standing here because of the same system. So, how do we fail to run that system? The problem I have come to realise is that it is like one proposes to a lady, has a wedding tomorrow and, the other day, wants to see a baby, which is practically impossible. What I can assure the House is that free education is real. We benefitted from it and we have heard His Excellency the President, from time to time, say he benefitted from it and that he wants his fellow Zambians to also benefit from it. So, if our colleagues on the left want to approach the issue with antagonism, then, it is unfortunate. The bottom line is, at the end of the day, hope and help are here.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kalobo (Wusakile): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to present my maiden speech.

 

Madam Speaker, I start my maiden speech to this august House by saying ‘Thank you’ to the people of Zambia for demonstrating that our democracy has come of age. At a time everyone thought that our country would come out of the 12^th August General Elections divided and polarised, the opposite happened and the United Party for National Development (UPND), which has been in the Opposition for the past twenty-three years, won the Presidential election. It is no longer deniable that the Arab Spring has penetrated our society, and the fears we had about regional voting did not materialise, except in the Southern, Western and North-Western provinces. This is the Zambia we want; a Zambia where any citizen can offer himself/herself for public office.

 

Madam Speaker, national unity is key if we are to move forward and develop this country. Zambian voters have walked the talk by rejecting tribalism and voting for their preferred candidate, and we want the UPND to reciprocate this gesture. It will be a sad day if the UPND, under the leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema, ignores the goodwill that Zambians have shown it and uses the popular vote to push unpopular economic and social reforms down our throats.

 

Madam Speaker, the UPND’s manifesto is premised on economic reforms and restructuring of parastatal companies. As a Member of Parliament for a mining constituency, Wusakile, I put it on record that miners have had a bitter experience with privatisation, with many having lost their jobs, sub-contracting mushrooming and poverty engulfing the Copperbelt. So, I urge the UPND Government to tread carefully on economic reforms; it should not be blinded by the arrogance of numbers to hurry into restructuring parastatal companies. It is said that wisdom is better than strength. What we have learnt on the Copperbelt is that not everything that glitters is gold. This country, Zambia, has struggled from the United National Independence Party (UNIP)’s command economy, which brought suffering; the Movement for Multi-party Democracy’s (MMD’s) market economy, which is enriching foreign investors; and the Patriotic Front’s (PF’s) mixed economy, which nationalised some companies. The cry of the people is that the Government should always have a foothold in the economy.

 

Madam Speaker: Order, hon. Member!

 

Sorry to disrupt you. Could you move the microphone. You are not clear, and there are other people listening to you from outside.

 

Mr Kalobo: Madam Speaker, I was saying that the cry of the people of Zambia is that the Government should always have a foothold on the economy. This was why the PF Government repossessed the Zambia Telecommunication Company (Zamtel) Limited, Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). By co-operating with the Chinese, the PF has left in place robust infrastructure that the UPND should build on to deliver on its new social contract with the electorates. Had it not been for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our economy would have taken off and paid dividends to our people.

 

Madam Speaker, it will not do for the UPND to rubbish everything the PF did. We are now in the Opposition with an even bigger number of Members of Parliament than the UPND had in 2016. Therefore, we will offer checks and balances by praising good performance and offering alternative policy options to enrich our democracy.

 

Madam Speaker, the UPND fought tooth and nail to shoot down constitutional reforms. Now that it is in Government, Zambians are expectant to see whether a people-driven Constitution will be delivered in the next five years. We all understand that there are lacunae in our Constitution, the Penal Code and the Electoral Act. Sadly, we have wasted colossal quantities of resources on constitutional reforms that have not seen the light of day due to vested stakeholder interests. This standoff cannot go on because Zambia is too poor to waste resources on impotent constitutional reforms. Our expectations are that the UPND will rise above sectional interests and engage all stakeholders in inclusive, wholesome and open constitutional reforms. If it fails to do that, Zambians will have their say in the 2026 elections.

 

Madam Speaker, unemployment is a national challenge that needs urgent attention. If the UPND fails to walk the talk on unemployment, as it promised in the campaigns, another Arab Spring will sweep it away. The world has become a global village in which forward-looking governments are creating employment opportunities through public-private partnerships (PPPs) or build, operate and transfer (BOT) investment models. As the PF is a responsible party, we know that development is about the people, and we will support the UPND in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to industrialise Zambia and create employment opportunities for our people. We will also support the UPND Government on agricultural reforms that will support the green revolution, and in addressing poverty and unemployment through the creation of value addition industries that will empower farmers and local manufacturing industries. We want a Zambian economy that will have a trickle-down effect.

 

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, today, the PF is in the Opposition, but this is not a bad thing because it signifies a maturing democracy. We cannot have democracy without democrats, and the PF are democrats who delivered free, fair and transparent elections that saw the Opposition UPND emerge victorious through grand promises that were made during the campaigns. Now, the people are expectant, and my message to the UPND is, ‘Be careful what you ask for’. Running a government is not child’s play, and wisdom is better than strength. Our colleagues should embrace everyone and be mindful of their fiduciary duty to this country called Zambia. The world is a stage on which we all do our part and, at some point, leave for other dancers. Should our colleagues fail us, Zambians will have the last word in 2026.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the Former President, Mr Edgar Lungu, and the PF Party for adopting me. I also thank the people of Wusakile for re-electing me as their Member of Parliament for the second time. Further, I thank my friends and family for their support. We have come a long way in taking development to Wusakile, and I assure them that their voice is heard at every seat where policies are made. If we did it when I was an Independent Member of Parliament, we can do it even now that I am an Opposition Member of Parliament. Let us look forward to a better future because they have sent an experienced and competent Member to Parliament who will ensure that their voice, hopes and aspirations are articulated and heard.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the Wusakile team.

 

Madam Speaker, allow me now to comment on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Speech.

 

Madam Speaker, the vision of the UPND contained in the President’s Speech focuses too much on economic transformation, and an analysis of this speech confirms the adage that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’. The UPND Government wants to restructure our public debt so that it can borrow more money and attract FDI to grow our economy. Indeed, it is good to borrow for investment, but the tricky question is: Where should we borrow from? Is it from the East or the West? Bembas say ‘impanga isapile yenda abakalabene’.

 

Madam Speaker: Meaning?

 

Mr Kalobo: When the going gets tough, only the tough get going.

 

Madam Speaker, the UPND seems to be in a hurry to borrow from the West, where conditionalities of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many poor countries. As a Member of Parliament from a mining constituency, Wusakile, I have witnessed how corporate greed attached to FDI from the West has impoverished miners.

 

Hon. Member: Ema MP, aba!

 

Mr Kalobo: Despite US$14 billion having been invested in the mining sector, jobs have been lost, poverty has grown, wages have remained poor, roads have been damaged and environmental degradation has continued. For over twenty years after the privatisation of the mines, this country has failed to fund its development needs using its mineral wealth. It is for this reason that I caution His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND Government to tread carefully on their economic transformation agenda.

 

Madam Speaker, the President’s emphasis on reforming the fiscal policy, on mining taxes, PPPs, and cost reflective tariffs are all pointing to one thing: privatisation through investor-friendly policies. I am saying that the President’s emphasis on reforming the fiscal policy on mining taxes, PPPs and cost-reflective tariffs all point to one thing: privatisation through investor-friendly policies. I said that there is nothing new under the sun, and that is true of this speech. We have gone down the route of privatisation before, and we came out losers. As a mitigation measure by the PF Government, Zamtel was repossessed, then ZRL, KCM and MCM, and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) were turned into a common carrier of electricity.

 

Madam Speaker, collecting fair taxes through a sliding scale on mining tax is the way to go if we are to fund our development using our mineral wealth or our mines. We do not want an economic transformation that will dispossess us of our uranium, copper, gold and many other minerals in this country. We want an economic transformation that will look to the East, which is China, because the Chinese loans gave us space to implement home-grown investment plans. Thanks to China, we have roads, schools, hospitals, hydro power stations and many other kinds of infrastructure. This investment is there for everyone to see, and it is paying economic dividends. It is for this reason that I thank the wisdom of His Excellency President Edgar Lungu and the PF Government for saving Zambia from the greedy jaws of Western aid.

 

Madam Speaker, I stand with the UPND Government on its total commitment to zero tolerance for corruption. However, it is worrying to see that the Executive is trying to make the same blunders that the previous Governments made. We are not a failed State to create specialised fast-track courts. Where we are coming from, did we not see Scotland Yard coming to investigate Dr Kaunda? Did we not see Judge Smith come here to try Mr Chiluba? Did we not see the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) search for Rupiah Banda and his son, Henry? Did we not see Judge Chikopa come here for the former Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mutembo Nchito? In all those efforts, nothing was recovered. If the Executive wants to be the judge and jury, when is it going to deliver on the many promises that it has given the people?

 

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Kalobo: When is it going to deliver on the promises of food for all, free education and many other things?

 

Madam Speaker, Zambia is a monolithic economy that depends on copper, and we stand with the new Government when it says that it wants to invest in research and development (R&D). It is very important to invest in R&D because new products and services will be developed, and we will be able to tap into the export market. I also stand with the President on the prioritisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as engines for economic development, but the Government should go a step further and institute preferential treatment in giving out loans to SMEs in the mining value chain.

 

Madam Speaker, due to limited time I am given, I will end here by thanking you for giving me the opportunity to present my maiden speech and to comment on the Motion of Thanks.

 

Mr Mulaliki (Senanga Central): Madam Speaker, I thank you for according me the opportunity to render my first maiden speech in this august House.

 

Madam Speaker, I congratulate His Excellency the President of the Sovereign Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, and Her Honour the Vice-President, Madam Mutale Nalumango.

 

Madam Speaker, I also congratulate you and your two Deputies on your well-deserved unopposed election in this august House. I believe this House will benefit greatly from your wealth of experience and impartiality. We have a lot of confidence in you, and we believe you will preside over the affairs of this House to the satisfaction of everybody.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank the almighty God for His blessings upon me and for granting us victory. I also thank His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) for the trust and confidence they placed in me by adopting me as the UPND candidate for Senanga Central Constituency. Let me also thank the losing Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentary candidate for Senanga Central, Mr Mwangala Liomba, for having exhibited maturity and parenthood by ensuring that his supporters did not engage in violence. As a result, Senanga Central was violence-free and, for that, I say, ‘Luitumezi tate’, meaning, ‘Thank you, Sir’. In addition, let me thank my dear wife, Maria; my elder sister, Miranda; my mother; and my children for their support and encouragement before, during and after the elections. Their support strengthened me on the difficult journey to here; they always gave me a shoulder to lean on and, for that, I am eternally grateful to them.

 

Madam Speaker, let me, from the bottom of my heart, thank the wonderful people of Senanga Central, especially the youths, for the love, unity, support and perseverance before, during and after the elections. I must state here that what they have done to me is awesome and that they will be rewarded handsomely for it.

 

Madam Speaker, let me extend my special thanks to the business community in Senanga Central, the likes of Mr Tito of Kashuwa Enterprises, Yams Wholesalers, Njambi Lika, Moze Enterprises, Kasoni and Gloria for their immense support. My special thanks also go to our campaign team, Mr Seke, Bo Peggy, Mulako, Kwitu, Goba, Chiku, Reuben, Inambao, Kamitondo, Caleb, and the list goes on. Because of their love for the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the UPND and me, we are here today, and our task now is to work together to deliver development to Senanga, in particular, and our great country, Zambia, in general. 

 

Madam Speaker, let me now congratulate all the hon. Members on their election to this noble House. The Zambian electorates collectively and singularly made a wise choice on 12^th August, 2021, to vote out cadreism, corruption and bad governance. The defeat of the PF in the just-ended elections was a defeat of cadreism, corruption and lawlessness.

 

PF. Hon. Member: Question!

 

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mulaliki: Madam Speaker, it was also a vote against the third term bid by the defeated President. Imagine where this country would have been had the PF won the just-ended elections. It would have been a disaster for this country.

 

Madam Speaker, at the time the previous regime was elected in 2011, it found the Kwacha trading at K5 against US$1. However, during its ten-year rule, it managed to depreciate our Kwacha to K23 per US$1.

 

UPND Hon. Member: Shame!

 

Mr Mulaliki: This is the more reason prices of goods and services kept going up, and the previous regime must be ashamed that it left the bad legacy of having damaged our economy. In contrast, in just weeks of Mr Hichilema’s reign as Republican President, he has managed to appreciate the Kwacha from K23 per US$1 to K16 per US$1.

 

Interruptions

 

Mr Mulaliki: It is as a result of good governance and the confidence that the people have in the UPND Government and our President. The only legacy that the PF has left in the minds and hearts of Zambians is poverty, cadreism and lawlessness.

 

Madam Speaker, to the wonderful people of Senanga, kwa hae koo ndembela iciwa ki lingweshi, meaning, ‘my village where the flag is eaten by tiger fish’, I pledge to be available and to work to their satisfaction. My greatest desire is to see development, a reduced cost of living, and equal access to quality education and health care. We will do away with miyaho yamuso ya kumateha, meaning, ‘pole-and-mud Government structures’. We shall replace pole-and-mud Government structures with permanent ones.

 

Madam Speaker, over the past decades, successive Governments have neglected the people of Senanga in that no roads were constructed in the area. Currently, the main employment for the youths in Senanga is taxi driving. However, the road network is very bad, making the maintenance of vehicles very expensive. Further, we only have one hospital and very few clinics, yet the previous Government constructed several hospitals in other constituencies. Additionally, most of our classroom blocks are made of poles and mud, which is unfortunate, especially given that in other constituencies, several classroom blocks were constructed, as some hon. Members told us in their maiden speeches in this House. Some were boasting of having constructed five or four schools. This type of inequality must end. A vote in Senanga is as good as a vote in Lusaka or anywhere else. Therefore, what is given to Lusaka, the Copperbelt and Muchinga should also be given to Senanga.

 

Madam Speaker, Senanga has fourteen wards, of which seven are on the other side of the Lui River. What is saddening is that there are no roads that go to these seven wards. There is also no road going to Senanga East, yet the place is densely populated. We need a road going to Muweswa, Sibukali, Mataa and Lumbe Nanyezu, the Lui Bottom Road. This road is needed as a matter of urgency. Our people are suffering because it is very expensive to hire off-road vehicles because of the terrain, and I believe the Government of His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, will prioritise this request.

 

Madam Speaker, access to safe and clean drinking water is a nightmare in Senanga. Despite sitting on the banks of two rivers, piped water is rationed in a few places and unavailable to most people. For example, there is no safe and clean drinking water in Senanga East. Arising from this, I urge the Government to increase the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amount and ensure it is availed every year, which will be a better way to create opportunities and jobs for youths and women.

 

Madam Speaker, not only do we not have adequate classroom blocks, we also do not have desks and, as a result, our children sit on the floor while learning. Further, we have a very serious shortage of teachers, such that most schools with Grades 1 to 7 only have two teachers. Such an overload means the teachers cannot deliver efficiently.

 

Madam Speaker, Senanga also needs a community radio station to disseminate information quickly.

 

Madam Speaker, those in the PF must be ashamed that they found this country peaceful, but allowed their cadres to cause mayhem in it. What a bad legacy! We now have what the people are referring to as our second independence. Even the air flowing in Zambia is fresh and everything has become peaceful since the PF lost.

 

UPND Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mulaliki: Those in the Opposition, the PF, should be grateful that under the UPND leadership, their liberties are respected, which they failed to do for us when we were in the Opposition. They should thank us for treating them better than they deserve. Ordinarily, we should have given them the same treatment they gave us when we were in the Opposition.

 

Madam Speaker, let me now dwell on the President’s Speech, which was delivered to this August House on Friday, 10^th September, 2021, by His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

 

Madam Speaker, the President’s Speech was positive and all-encompassing, and gave hope to the majority of Zambians who are currently wallowing in abject poverty brought about by the defeated regime. No amount of blackmail and name-calling by the PF, which brought about this poverty, will make Zambians sympathise with it. The people of Zambia know the truth and have immense trust in the UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema, hence our victory.

 

Madam Speaker, the President informed us that his Government would work to reduce inequality among citizens and promised to create equal opportunities for all citizens. This, we have all seen in his well-balanced Cabinet.

 

Madam Speaker, the President has promised to transform the agricultural sector. Currently, we have a scenario in which officers employed under the Zambia National Service (ZNS), for example, are at checkpoints and at our boarders preventing the export of maize, thereby denying us the much-needed foreign exchange. In the New Dawn Government, we expect to see those same officers being actively involved in the growing of maize so that we have enough for our consumption and surplus for export. That way, we will be able to get foreign exchange from maize.

 

Madam Speaker, we have everything that it takes to have sufficient food. However, that potential has not been harnessed properly. For example, just last week, in this very House, those who were defeated in the Government and had been running the affairs of this country were complaining that empty bags had not reached their constituencies, yet they are the ones who should have procured the bags before leaving office. With our Government, you have seen that the empty bags have already started going to constituencies so that there is no wastage of grain.

 

Madam Speaker, there has been talk, over the years, like our President mentioned, that Zambia should be a bread basket. Over the years, that has not been actualised, but the Government of His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema will ensure that it is actualised by having sufficient food produced in our country. I am also happy that His Excellency has promised to restock and reintroduce artificial insemination. For me, as someone who comes from Senanga, which is dependent on livestock-keeping, this is a very welcome move because our people will benefit. Many of our animals have died from Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Right now, there is an outbreak of FMD in Senanga, and a ban on the movement and slaughter of animals has been effected. I am also happy that the President has indicated that there will be construction of infrastructure, such as laboratories and service centres, because without these, you cannot actualise the development in the livestock sector.

 

Madam Speaker, I am happy that our President is determined to fight corruption and has promised to make it unbearable for those who have engaged in corruption, those engaging in corruption and those who will engage in corruption in future. It is also good that the benefits to those who are honest will be multiplied. In this regard, I support the introduction of fast-track courts so that we have speedy delivery of justice. Remember, justice delayed is justice denied. Some of us here may be made examples. All those who stole must await their time of reckoning.

 

Madam Speaker, I am glad that His Excellency highlighted one thing that is of great importance, namely appointments to the Public Service being based on merit. This is a complete shift from what we had in the previous regime in which appointment to Public Service and parastatals was based on patronage in line with the PF manifesto. The PF members needed those who were aligned to their party to be in key positions so that they influence decisions. This will be a different shift, as competence will take precedence over affiliation.

 

Madam Speaker, I am also very impressed that His Excellency has promised to transform the service commissions so that they enhance efficiency and professionalism. What this entails is that all those employed on patronage rather than merit will be removed from the services. The service commissions will also protect Public Service workers. It is unfortunate that in the previous regime, Public Service workers were scared of cadres because cadres took precedence over professionals, and people were scared of executing their duties properly for fear of victimisation. That has come to an end, and our people are working properly as professionals.

 

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, His Excellency has promised to safeguard private property. Those who perpetrated the grabbing of private property shall be made to face the law because rightfully acquired property must be respected, and protected by the State and everyone.

 

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

 

Mr Kamboni (Kalomo Central): Madam Speaker, may I begin by congratulating you and the two Deputy Speakers. You have surely added value to our institution, and your joining us is highly appreciated.

 

To His Excellency the President, I say ‘Congratulations!’ You have managed to do what Napoleon failed to do. Job well done! We can now breathe and walk as one country.

 

To the beautiful people of Kalomo Central, I say ‘Thank you’. To Chifusa Ward, Nachikungu, Simayabwe, Siachitema, Sipatunyana, Kalonda, Chonga, Chileshe, Mayoba and the mighty Mwata, I say ‘Thank you very much for delivering forty-one votes against the Patriotic Front (PF)’.

 

To my campaign team, I say ‘Thank you very much’.

 

To the constituents, I say, ‘We greatly appreciate your service’.

 

To the campaign manager, Mr Simahomba, and the team, I say, ‘Your services are well appreciated’.

 

To the whole Kalomo Central, I say ‘Thank you very much for entrusting me with the responsibility to represent the constituency again. I will surely not throw your trust into the dustbin. Instead, I will use that trust as my shield in tackling the challenges of society on a daily basis, with you behind and in front. I love you all’.

 

Madam Speaker, my constituency, Kalomo Central, is first in maize production and it feeds the country in terms of maize. It also produces the beef that most of us consume. However, currently, it is in need of dams. The PF could not give us a single dam. Several times, I brought up this issue here, but we were told, “Whenever money will be available”. Unfortunately or fortunately, the money was never available for the whole of the last five years. On township roads, it was the same thing. I brought the issue to the PF Government’s attention times here more than five, until those who write questions on the Order Paper said, “We have written this so many times”, and I said, “The work had not been done”. However, in some other areas in our colleagues’ strongholds, development was going on. I do not know whether I can call that good leadership or bad leadership. The township roads are needed. It is pathetic when you come to Kalomo, the first Capital City, and you see the potholes that are there. It is like an abandoned town where there is no leadership at all. 

 

Madam Speaker, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has really ravaged cattle production in the constituency and is a serious problem. The animals of the farmers who create employment through butcheries and meat processing were dying like flies when there was a Government. The problem with FMD is that even if you have money, you cannot buy the drug. It has to be bought by the Government. However, on the several occasions I brought the issue here, the answer I was given again was, “Whenever money will be available”. I sat with the Permanent Secretary (PS) and I was told that the Government was trying to get the drugs from Botswana or Kenya. However, to date, the disease is still there, and what this implies is that farmers could not sell their animals, especially when there was a drought. They could not take their animals to Kasumbalesa. So, their source of livelihood was non-existent, yet there was a Government. We need change on that aspect.

 

Madam Speaker, the people of Kalomo are so hard-working that any leader can admire and love them. They burn their fingers to produce food to feed the country, yet those who were in leadership in the PF segregated them. They were marginalised, segregated and never given any service. The workers among them were never promoted because of the regions they came from. Everyone who was Tonga or from the Southern Province was presumed to be a member of UPND. So, they never got employment or tenders from the Government. It is very bad for those aspiring for leadership to judge people based on tribe because we must all make sure that people are judged according to their character and what they are able to do. It is very bad to segregate any human being because of the language he/she speaks or the regions he/she comes from. People who do that do not deserve any space in leadership.

 

Madam Speaker, all the people are asking for is for everyone to be treated equally. There should be no segregation at all and, that way, we will move the country forward. When you have been in leadership and people give you a red card, it is very important to take a step backwards, look at the mistakes you made, be humble and face reality. However, if you continue with the same arrogance, you are headed for extinction; you will not survive. Even in business, if you see that your commodity is not selling, you have to go back and rebrand it, look at the mistakes made and move forward. However, we are not seeing that with PF members. Instead, they have the same attitude.

 

Madam Speaker, the PF was brutal. I still remember when there was gassing in the country that one of my people, Malaba, was shot dead around 1600 hours while moving in an independent country. The body was left on the scene and only picked up around 2200 hours, and I had to raise the issue in Parliament. however, to date, the culprit is walking freely. Those are very sad memories that we should all talk about and make sure such things do not happen again in this country. What used to happen is very painful. I still remember Lawrence Banda in Kaoma, whom I met for the first time while I was seated having a drink. He approached me with four others and asked  me to buy them drinks. Little did I know that it was the last drink I would buy for him. The following morning, on a Sunday, as I was going to church, I was informed that one person had been shot in the head, and we were not allowed to pick up the body. When we went to the hospital, we were faced with guns and were unable to see our member. Later, he was flown to Lusaka. All those were atrocities committed by the previous regime. So, it is necessary that our colleagues repent, going forward. In that way, people will have reasons to join their party. However, they have this attitude of not wanting to be reminded of the wrong things they did.

 

Madam Speaker, when our colleagues are reminded of the evil things they did, they argue. What kind of attitude is that? I do not remember any society that taught people to live like that. So, they must step back, check themselves and then move forward.

 

Madam Speaker, we, as Zambians, should never again allow anyone to divide us. Dr Kaunda and others took a lot of time to build us into ‘One Zambia One Nation’. However, we had a group of people that wanted to divide the whole country and, in terms of jobs and other aspects, including promotions, looked at where people came from. Teachers could not be promoted because of the regions they came from. Even those who started in other areas were taken out. So, I thank Zambians for teaching the PF the lesson that, as a country, we are one and that if you push us too far, we will kick you out. We did exactly that because we are a country that lives as one. I lived outside the country and, when people visited me, I did not look at tribe. I was very happy to see a Zambian. That is how it should be.

 

Madam Speaker, in concluding my maiden speech, let me say those who have insufficient leadership qualities should not aspire to be national leaders. Further, those who segregate people should, please, stay in their villages and not aspire for leadership because national leaders should look at the whole country; it is good to be Zambian and to belong to one entity. When we play football, we are one. In churches, we are also one. However, because people had a different agenda of leadership, they wanted to divide the country, and that is not acceptable. So, I am very happy that Zambians taught some people a lesson. No person should ever come to divide our country again.

 

Madam Speaker, let me now come to the President’s Speech.

 

Madam Speaker, when something is good, call it good. If the colour of the shirt is white and you call it blue, you are wrong and people will be left to wonder. When it is white, everyone will see that it is white, and it is very important that we call a spade a spade. I had not listened to a speech like this one in a long time. I remember being a proud Zambian in the Kaunda and Mwanawasa eras, but I never felt like a Zambian in the PF regime because there was nothing to be proud of in the way it was ruling. So, this speech, surely, inspired me. I sat and read it, and I looked down and up. This speech is good. I say so because it is promoting democracy and the separation of powers. It is also, in the end, going to create a conducive environment for doing business. When you do business, you create employment because one thing that the PF managed to succeed in was to make doing business very hard. If there was one thing that was hard to do in Zambia, it was business. Money was in the hands of people who were dishonest, dealers, bad dealers and criminals. Those were the ones with money. Those who worked hard did not have it, and it is very difficult to live in such a society. You want to live in a society where hard work is rewarded. Here, dishonest people were the ones being rewarded. Who would want to live in such a society? That is the problem that we had.

 

Madam Speaker, this speech, which I will quote because I read a lot, on page 19, paragraph 2, reads as follows:

 

“Government will review the existing agricultural policies.”

 

The PF failed even to put prices on agriculture commodities. If you wanted to go into farming for the first time and you asked how much a kilogramme or bag of maize or soya beans was, you would not know. Such simple things as putting prices on all crops throughout the year are important because when I want to venture into agriculture, I can say, ‘Okay, this is what I want to do’. As the UPND New Dawn Government, we shall make sure that the prices of commodities are there throughout the year so that those who want to go into farming can know whether it is profitable or not.

 

Madam Speaker, the marketing season was so full of confusion you would not know when the buyers were going to buy. So, there is a need for reform, and I surely do not see what is wrong with that. There are those who are arguing that this speech lacked specifics. I think that is a lack of knowledge, and one who thinks like that does not deserve to be in Government. When you institute a policy, that policy is supported by rules. A policy can never have depth or specifics because the specifics come in the rules. That is where you deal with policies. For instance, the President has given a policy direction and everyone in the country knows it now. The specifics will be given by the hon. Ministers. However, even the hon. Ministers will leave room for headteachers, if it is in the Ministry of Education, to also play around with the objectives and have the freedom to achieve the set objectives. So, to say that this speech lacked specifics is not right. 

 

Madam Speaker, others are arguing that the UPND Government is saying the Government coffers are empty when it found money in the reserves. I have explained this before. The money in the reserve is there for the stability of the currency. If you have a bank account, money in the reserve is like the minimum balance. When you open a bank account, you will be told that you cannot leave less than, say, K300 in your account. If you withdraw the minimum balance, you are very disorganised and a bad person and, if the bank wants, it can even close the account. This is what the PF did. When it came into power, the money in the reserve to stabilise the currency was US$3 billion, but it depleted the money by doing what was taboo; it used the money and left the reserves at about US$1.4 million, and that made the Kwacha very unpredictable, and planning or doing business impossible in the country. Today, our colleagues are saying, “You are saying the coffers are empty, yet we left money there.” If I have a K100 in the house, but K5,000 is what I need to see me through the month and I owe K13 million, I am bankrupt and the coffers are empty. I cannot provide the services that are needed in the house. Similarly, the PF Government left empty coffers, and that has to be made clear. We cannot argue that the coffers were not empty.

 

Madam Speaker, there are some people who have also argued that there was violence. However, the violence they are talking about occurred when the PF was in charge. I told our colleagues when they were here (right side of the House) that, if they did not sort out the economic crisis, they would go, but they asked me where they would go. Now, they know where they are.

 

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

 

They were laughing just here, and I said it twice, “Sort out the economic crisis” because, these days, leadership is about economic management. They were supposed to exploit the natural resources of this country to benefit the citizens instead of having a situation in which only a few people, only those they liked, had money and opportunities were given to people who were not adding any value to society.

 

Madam Speaker, let me, again, refer to the President’s Speech. It says:

 

         “We will reduce transaction costs of doing business.”

 

Madam Speaker, the cost of doing business has been a big problem. The previous speaker, who is a businessman, understands what I am talking about. There was total confusion in the country, and the cost of doing business was too high. As a result, companies closed and people lost jobs. The President says we will reduce the cost of doing business. Is that not good? We have businessmen in this House. So, it means a lot to them. Look at the tollgates. How much money does one pay from Livingstone to Kasumbalesa? How much money does one pay on fuel and all the taxes that are there? The President is saying we will reduce the cost of doing business because for someone to milk a cow, the cow must be fed first.

 

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

 Mr Kamboni:  You cannot milk a hungry cow. There is no way business can go on when the clients do not have money.

 

 Madam Speaker, I quote from page 46, where the speech reads as follows:

 

“We will review the policy and legal framework for oversight institutions to enable them to effectively fight corruption and economic crimes.”

 

Madam Speaker, what used to happen is that the Government was there to protect corruption. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prepared files and took them to the Executive, but the Executive refused to take action. It was the same with the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), until the two institutions just sat and began to watch. How much money did we lose from embezzlement? One could build another country on an island. The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has revealed that at one time, K6.1 billion was embezzled in six months, yet nothing was done about it and no person was taken to court. The Auditor-General’s Office has equally written numerous reports about huge amounts of money being lost, but no action from the Executive was taken. The President has said that he is going to give teeth to these institutions so that when the ACC investigates someone today, he/she will appear in court tomorrow. Equally, when DEC catches someone breaking financial regulations, he/she will be taken to court immediately. Further, when the Auditor-General’s Office finds someone wanting, it should have the power to take the person to court. Then, there will be discipline in the country.

 

Madam Speaker, when you allow people who are criminal-minded to take charge of the resources, you know what it means.

 

 Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity.

 

Mr Mubika (Shangombo): Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to render my maiden speech. Actually, this is the fourth time I am rendering a maiden speech in this House.

 

Let me start by congratulating our Republican President, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema – Hon. Lusambo would have added, and it is true – ‘the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces’ …

 

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Mr Mubika: … and his running mate, Her Honour Madam Mutale W. Kapembwa Nalumango, on their victory in the 12^th August, 2021, Elections, which they won by a landslide of plus or minus 1 million votes. I must say that never in the world has a ruling party lost like that. So, the Patriotic Front (PF) has made history by losing by such a margin.

 

 Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

 

Of course, the PF, as the Ruling Party then, tried all its dirty tricks to rig the elections. For example, it concentrated on its perceived strongholds in issuing National Registration Cards (NRCs) and Voters Cards.

 

Madam Speaker: Order!

 

(Debate adjourned)

 

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The House adjourned at 1255 hours until 1430 hours on Tuesday, 28^th September, 2021.

 

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