By Chambwa Moonga
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says his government will introduce specialised fast-track stolen assets recovery mechanisms and courts for corruption and economic crimes.
He also says the war against past, present and future corruption that his government will wage will spare no one.
The President officially opened the first session of 13th National Assembly yesterday.
Before being led into the Chamber, President Hichilema inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Zambia Army.
The Zambia Air Force (ZAF) executed a fly past, in honour of the President.
At 10:38 hours, President Hichilema entered the House and there were applauds of hear, hear, hear, hear.
Once he had started speaking, the Head of State led members of the House in observing a minute of silence, in honour of first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda, chief justice Irene Chirwa Mambilima and other Zambians who succumbed to the pandemic.
President Hichilema’s speech themed thematic areas of economic transformation and job creation, human and social development, environmental sustainability, and good governance environment.
He said his administration would strengthen oversight and governance institutions, ensure the independence and autonomy of the judiciary, and guarantee a free press and an active civil society.
The President said his government would also ensure an improved policy environment, strengthened public financial management as well as improved service delivery and productivity.
He stressed further that: “we shall restore the rule of law and protect human rights and property.”
President Hichilema emphasised that his administration abhors corruption.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy on corruption in all its forms,” he said. “We will wage war on corruption and not spare any expense to ensure that perpetrators are made to account for their impropriety. There will be no sacred cows in the fight. There will be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption – past, present and future. We will increase the benefits of being honest, rather than being dishonest as observed in the past. And the cost of being corrupt will be made high.”
President Hichilema said a conducive governance environment was imperative for Zambia’s political stability, security, economic growth and sustainable development.
To enhance transparency and accountability in national affairs, the President pledged that: “we will review the policy and legal framework for oversight institutions to enable them to effectively fight corruption and economic crimes.”
He said his government would increase funding and enhance operational independence of the country’s oversight institutions.
“For clarity, we will not use our political hand in the fight against corruption but the professional fight anchored on the legal mind given to oversight institutions,” President Hichilema noted. “So, no complaints going forward! We will increase funding and enhance operational independence of oversight institutions. Further, we will introduce specialised fast-track stolen assets recovery mechanisms and courts for corruption and economic crimes.”
He promised that his government would also enact legislation on ethics and integrity for improved transparency and accountability.
President Hichilema said part of the progressive transformation agenda would include decentralisaton and devolution of various central government functions to the provinces, to the districts and to the constituencies.
“That will be supported by resource allocation. This will include public procurement resource allocation and management that will be better managed at the local level with appreciation for local challenges,” he said. “A conducive policy and legal environment is critical to achieving speedy recovery and stability of our economy as well as ensure debt sustainability. It is not at the moment.”
He said his administration would enhance access to justice and ensure strict adherence to the rule of law and upholding of human rights.
President Hichilema said his government would safeguard the rights people and protect private property.
“To this effect, we will strengthen and modernise our institutions of governance to guarantee security, fundamental human rights, civil liberties and quick dispensation of justice,” he said. “The separation of powers among the three arms of government is essential to the upholding of the constitution and the rule of law.”
President Hichilema noted that his government would strengthen and preserve the integrity of the principle of separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, as provided for in the Constitution.
President Hichilema said the government would complete the constitutional reform agenda, anchored on a broad-based consensus among all the people, and not a section of people.
He said his administration would revive the process of expanding the Bill of Rights to integrate economic, social and cultural rights.
President Hichilema said Zambia’s democracy has become a shining example on the continent and the world at large, as evidenced by the just-ended general elections.
The President also said: “I don’t believe in petitions.”
“I don’t believe in wasting money in by-elections. I say so – it’s my belief. I am a believer in prudence but I am also a believer in rule of law as well,” President Hichilema said. “Our administration will, therefore, continue to promote and entrench the tenets of democracy at all times. To further entrench our democracy, we will implement electoral reforms to strengthen the independence of the Electoral Commission of Zambia.”
He further committed to reforming the public order Act to facilitate for its fair application and prevent the abuse seen in the past.
“With respect to international cooperation and foreign relations, Zambia will effectively engage at bilateral, regional and international levels to maximise the benefits that accrue to our people and the country. To this effect, our government will pursue economic diplomacy – trade and investment. That is the road we shall walk on,” he said. “We will promote regional economic integration of our continent. We will promote peaceful resolution of conflicts. We will ensure effective participation and representation of our citizens and other African nationals in multilateral agencies.”
President Hichilema also indicated that his government would create a professional foreign service to ensure effective representation of Zambia’s interests in all foreign missions.
“Even the staff quality going there will reflect this statement,” he promised. “Adherence to national values and principles does not only promote patriotism, peace and unity among our people, but also creates a positive influence on work ethics and productivity.”
On the issue of tribalism, the President said ethnic degradation, “which we experienced, observed, children observed, in this House in the last Parliament should not happen again.”
“We have no oversight over Parliament! But this is an appeal to the people of Zambia especially members of parliament – be examples of mutual respect,” he said. “In addition, adherence to our national values and principles will create a conducive environment to attract investments that lead to higher growth and employment opportunities for our citizens.”
President Hichilema also said efforts towards entrenchment of national values and principles would continue.
“We want every Zambian to be an embodiment of our national values and principles. We will make the national motto of One Zambia One nation once more a reality, not symbolism,” he said. “We recognise the important role that our traditional leaders, the Church and civil society play in the governance and development of our nation. To this effect, we will undertake policy and legislative reforms to enhance their contribution to national development.”
President Hichilema pointed out that to begin to actualise the policy measures he outlined under the thematic areas of economic transformation and job creation, human and social development, environmental sustainability and good governance environment, finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane would soon be presenting the 2022 national budget to the House.
“I, therefore, urge the honourable members of this august House to support, in advance, the budget,” he said.
He indicated that on August 12, 2021, Zambians sounded the trumpet of change – a trumpet summoning all of us to national duty.
“We must all act in harmony to move our country forward and achieve the much-needed economic transformation. Indeed, our best years as a nation are truly within our reach,” he said. “The will, courage, energy and faith we garner for our transformation, will secure us the success we all desire to achieve.”
He noted that hard work, discipline and perseverance must be Zambians’ bedrock.
“Indeed, the classical Greek writer, Euripides was right when he said and I quote, ‘much effort, much prosperity.’ This is the only way we will move forward as a country,” he said. “We must put service above self and the interest of the country before our own interests. Let us take individual responsibility for the common good of our people.”
President Hichilema said Zambians must promote peaceful co-existence and put an end to violence against each other.
He noted that it was only in peace and unity that people could plan and actualise personal and national development.
“It is only in peace and unity that our children can enjoy their childhood and grow up into responsible citizens. It is only in peace and unity that we can build meaningful relations with nature, fellow human beings and the Almighty God,” President Hichilema noted. “Let the rivers and waters of peace and unity wash away all forms of violence from our land, especially that of the past. This is what our founding father, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, overwhelmingly demonstrated over the years. When we work to the best of our ability, our dreams become a reality.”
The Head of State added that: “when we work together as a people, nothing can stop us from achieving our dreams.”
He further said his administration would implement tax and revenue administration reforms to facilitate a predictable tax environment and enhance revenue collection at all levels of government.
“We will broaden the tax base for revenue collection and lower the individual tax burden,” President Hichilema said. “To address the existing challenges in our pension system, we will undertake comprehensive reforms in pension fund management and administration. This will resolve the plight of pensioners and secure their rights to their hard earned money over the years.”
President Hichilema indicated that to enhance provision of financial services to Zambians and to attract investment in the economy, “we will introduce legislation to widen the scope and lower the cost of financial services.”
“In addition, we will create an enabling environment that facilitates the development of the financial sector and evolution towards a digital financial economy,” President Hichilema said. “To further improve the governance environment, we will enhance media freedom and access to information by facilitating the establishment of a media self-regulatory framework, and enacting legislation on access to information.”
The President said over the years, government accumulated massive debts to finance widening fiscal deficits.
He noted that those debts have accumulated to unsustainable levels, chocking every resource available for development.
“Our administration commits itself to immediately stop excessive public expenditure as a way of halting further accumulation of debt – especially expensive debt. Especially debt for consumption, not for revenue generation. Madam Speaker, that will come to an end,” President Hichilema said.
“We will engage our creditors on debt restructuring to restore sustainability. Further, accelerated growth will also improve our debt carrying capacity.”
He said to enhance debt management and transparency, the government would streamline reporting of debt to ensure full disclosure and strengthen public investment management.
“To this effect, we will de-politicise appointments and promotions and improve leadership and management competences in the public service. Public sector is open to all Zambians, not to a few Zambians,” said President Hichilema.