His Excellency the President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu called for the 3rd Cabinet Meeting today, 1st March, 2021, which was held virtually, to mainly consider Bills earmarked for introduction in Parliament during the current sitting particularly that this sitting of Parliament is dedicated to legislation matters.
1. The Electoral Process (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Cabinet approved for publication and introduction in Parliament of “The Electoral Process (Amendment) Bill 2021.”
The objectives of this Bill are to provide for voting by persons in prisons or correctional centres; provide for distribution of campaign material in prisons and correctional centres by candidates in an election; provide for access to prisons or correctional centres by monitors, observers and polling agents on election day; provide access to the community to vote in polling stations established in prisons and access to the community; and prohibit the announcement and declaration of results by unauthorised persons.
The Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 under section 47 prohibits a person to vote at an election if that person is in lawful custody or the person’s freedom of movement is restricted under any written law.
However, the decision made by Cabinet on this matter, stems from the Constitutional Court Judgment in the case of Godfrey Malembeka (suing as Executive Director of the Prisons Care and Counselling Association) Vs. the Attorney General and the Electoral Commission of Zambia, Selected Judgment No. 34 of 2017 in which the Constitutional Court allowed persons in lawful custody and those whose freedoms of movement are restricted under any written law to vote.
2. The Cannabis Bill, 2021
Cabinet also approved the publication and introduction in Parliament, during the current sitting, of the Bill entitled “The Cannabis Bill, 2021.”
Among the objectives of this Bill are to provide for the regulation of the cultivation, production, storage and distribution of cannabis for medicinal, scientific and research purposes.
Cabinet expects that the country will benefit both for medicinal purposes and economically through the enactment of the law on cannabis.
3. The Industrial Hemp Bill, 2021
Cabinet also approved for publication and introduction in Parliament during the current sitting, a Bill entitled “The Industrial Hemp Bill, 2021.”
The objects of this Bill are to provide for the licensing of cultivation, production, processing, storage, exportation, importation and distribution of industrial hemp; and provide for regulation of research in industrial hemp.
Cabinet is aware that Hemp has been used the world-over, for paper production, provision of all sorts of good building materials such as insulation, fiberboard and pressboard, and even be used to make hempcrete. Hemp has also been used in clothing including for providing material for shoes, jeans, and other tough sport clothing including hair oils and others. Hemp is also used as a viable feedstock for plastics production including for biofuel as cellulosic ethanol technology becomes more commercially viable worldwide.
This Bill, when enacted by Parliament, will assist in boosting the economy in view of the broad industrial use of Hemp.
4. The Higher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Cabinet also approved the publication and introduction in Parliament of “The Higher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The objectives of this Bill are to amend the Higher Education Act, No. 4 of 2013 so as to re-define the functions of the Authority; re-constitute the Board of the Authority; re-define the categories of higher education institutions; and provide for accreditation of learning programmes for higher education institutions.
It has been noted that various higher learning institutions have authority to accredit learning programmes both for foreign and local Higher learning institutions. This has created a duplication of functions between the Higher Education Authority and other higher learning institutions. Cabinet felt the need to remove the duplication that currently exists between the Higher Education Authority and other higher education learning institutions and bring about order in terms of accreditation of learning programmes for both local and foreign learning institutions.
Following the approval by Cabinet to amend the Higher Education Authority Act No. 4 of 2013, Cabinet also approved amendments of other consequential legislation across the higher learning institutions and these are as follows:
(a) The Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (Amendment) Bill, 2021, and The Accountants (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Finance;
(b) The Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021, under the Ministry of Justice;
(c) The Zambia Institute of Marketing (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry;
(d) The Zambia Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Engineering Institution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Transport and Communications;
(e) The Health Professions (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Health;
(f) The Zambia Institute for Tourism and Hospitality Studies (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Tourism and Arts; and
(g) The Urban and Regional Planners (Amendment) Bill, 2021 under the Ministry of Local Government.
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT CABINET OFFICE
LUSAKA
1ST MARCH, 2021
I have been waiting for this bill to be passed on growing Fwaka Yalukelo, Ganja, this is a positive development as it will generate a lot of forex if not hijacked by the politicians and foreign elements. This is only positive initiative from one Peter Ganja Sinkamba. Well done Petros this thing is long over due and had it been much earlier the ZMW would be trading @K5.00 to U$1.00
When sinkamba’s support and money to government ministers results into the cannabis Act and Industrial Hemp Act.
We leave it at that.
Looking at the current situation in the nation I wouldn’t mind if parliament was dissolved today. I can’t see much happening now.
all of them cant even think more than my grade 6 daughter… dull, dull, dull… if it is meno meno.. the ka worst president on earth with and empty tin can on his head, he thinks with his arms when he is stealing and hiding stuff in those ugly teeth of his.. what a waste of space with this useless 0 IQ drunk good for nothing … need I say more
Hh is just wishing that was him. Hahaha. Hurt upnd cadres go to hell
Cabinet please also look at the operations of the traffic police on the Copperbelt, in Ndola one traffic officer was nearly bashed because the traffic police move on roads in moving traffic checking on cars without any signs or cons, they started this strategy some two years ago when the minister said he wanted a reduction on roadblocks. Chambishi traffic will stop you for not stopping before the rail line in Chambishi between Kitwe and Chingola for a rail line where a train last past through you in the 1990s, To me this is a cabinet issue
Yes, in Ndola traffic police move in moving traffic without signage checking cars, this is very dangerous to the lives of the police officers, in Chambishi traffic police stop you for not stopping on a disusable rail line.
More sensible comments are moderated, Kaizars insults are never moderated by Lusaka times
The PF government is upside down.
Cabinet making bills, parliament approving?
True, Ndola traffic police who inspect moving traffic as a way of beating road blocks which the minister is against is dangerous to their lives
Why does this moron Edgar wear a face mask if he’s doing virtually!!
One Kaizer Chimbwi Zulu the real beneficiaries of kraptomania government. Just scared what can happen to them if HH takes over government. Winter Kabimba is also an opposition leader, scandalize him also if you are not afraid of HH.
Corruption is sweeter when you benefit from it and bad if you don’t benefit from it. Just see how are panicking over HH. Try this case, it fails. Try privatization also fails to gather evidence because an individual can not a state owned company on his own. Try to buy the Hatembo family, it is now backfiring. If HH is not a factor and Zambians have rejected him, then allow him to campaign feely and see how you can be slashed in the polls.
Was Malanji active in that meeting?
IGNORE KAIZER ZULU THE MAN IS DEM<ENTED…….
YOU CLOSING DOWN THIS SITE YOU SAID WHEN ????????????
OR IS IT YOUR MOUTH MOVING FOR THE SAKE OF MOVING
I SUGGEST YOU START SINGING AFTER AUGUST ZAMBIA WILL BE MADE GREAT AGAIN
The first prize is going to His Excellency for recognising that people are trying to sabotage our economy. Can someone nominate the second prize winner that thinks they can work against him by distorting our able economy through cash distributions that dont go through the banking sector. How daft can one be? Introduce new notes and you see the panic else shut up and you will be caught like a fish out of the water.
The biggest risk to this economy is Lungu who is standing in the way of real progress.