PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 24th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
LIGHTING CEREMONY IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to inform the House that a Zoom link will be sent to your e-mails later today to follow proceedings of the lighting ceremony of Parliament of Zimbabwe virtually, in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. The ceremony will be held at Parliament building today from 1800 hours to 1915 hours.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 2 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CURBING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AMONG COMMUNITIES
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the increase of gender based violence since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion that was raised by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi on gender based violence.
Mr. President, annually, this issue is debated in this House as well as in the Lower House but the challenge that we have is that we have not seen any change. All measures that are being said to address this scourge seem not to be working for us. We know that the biggest challenge we have is that this issue involves our upbringing and our socialisation, that when a girl or boy child is born in a family, parents tend to think the boy child is the one who should be educated and the girl child should be relegated to household chores because eventually she will get married and enrich the family where she gets married to.
As a country, we need to raise awareness and ensure that we address the matter to bring this to an end. We need to work together with the partners and those in the field of fighting gender based violence against women and girls to ensure that we bring an end to GBV.
The other challenge we have is that we need to educate our girls as well as the women on how we can end these issues on GBV. If we raise awareness to the survivors and not the perpetrators, we will not be doing justice. So, I urge those who go on awareness campaigns on ending GBV to include both the men and boys so that we speak with one voice and this will help us to have a change of mindset, especially on the way the girl child is viewed.
Colonisation gave us that mindset where for me to go and get an identity document, I had to go with the child and the father to the Civil Registration Department. We also need to look at the survivors of GBV and to say if we do not involve the perpetrators, we will not be able to eradicate GBV. Mr. President, if that could be done I see this addressing the matter.
As the report was given, we were informed of the challenges that we are experiencing because of GBV. We also have our Constitution that has Sections 48, 51, 52 and 53 that were quoted. This matter can be eradicated through these provisions, but from my view Mr. President, the way we are addressing the matter, we do not seem to be using the right strategy. We need an inclusive approach including the perpetrators because if we do not do that, I do not see us making any progress. We need a change of mindset and realise as a country that when we talk of children, we are talking about both the girl child and the boy child. We should raise awareness that they should be given equal opportunities in whatever they want to do. If that happens, we will be able to eradicate gender based violence.
We were informed that there are different types of gender based violence – it is not only about physical violence but it can be psychological and emotional violence. If it is verbal abuse, one is affected emotionally -all that is violence. I also want to say we are talking about the women and girl children but we also know that there are men and boys who are also experiencing gender based violence and they are not being talked about. That is why I said that we need to have an inclusive approach to address these matters. The men have challenges in their homes but they cannot say anything about it because it is a blow on their ego. For that reason, men are facing challenges in their homes. Even the boy child in the schools that they attend, if they engage in a fight with a girl child, he cannot even talk about it when he gets home because it is embarrassing for a boy to be beaten by a girl.
I want to say that our strategy needs to be revisited. We need to ensure that we educate both the girl child and boy child, men and women, about gender based violence. If we do that, with the laws that have been put in place, the ZRP and Gender Commission will know exactly what to do. There will be clear guidelines on what to do. We need to take that strategy of inclusiveness to address the issue of GBV so that probably next year when we talk about 16 Days of Activism, we will be able to see a positive change in terms of eradication of GBV. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. M. R. DUBE: Mr. President, I feel pained as I address the issue of gender based violence because in the Bible, we are told that a man was created first, he was made to sleep then God extracted a rib to create a woman. You find a man having the guts to take a bayonet and cut the woman. I would like to say that those who abuse women and girls should be incarcerated for 50 years or more with no parole for such offenders. No matter if the Queen comes to Zimbabwe or there is an amnesty by His Excellency, people who behave like wild beasts should be incarcerated. They must not be released back into society because they are a menace. I am saying they should be incarcerated. They can be engaged to work towards the advancement of the economy of the country through extracting minerals.
I saw a young girl who was raped in Matobo. She was carrying a five litre container at Matobo Business Centre, and some people wanted to see what was happening. When I got into the shop, I asked what was happening, then that girl told me that she had been raped. She said that she had been to a police station but the police officer raped her also. I said how and she said please do not talk about it because they will kill me. Then I called Bulawayo Central Police and a police car came to the shopping centre whilst I was still there and that police officer was arrested. People are afraid of witnessing such events, whether it is a neighbour’s child or not but that child is yours. You are a parent also.
Mr. President, you find a woman being beaten up until she is disabled. I have a friend who suffered such abuse, then the husband drugged the woman until such a time she was sober and I was allowed to see the woman when she was feeling much better. When I confronted her, she said she fell on the staircase and broke her back but witnesses who saw the abuse happening testified that they saw the woman being beaten up. I would like to implore the State to prosecute such people. They must be arrested. It is not necessary to castrate such a person but they must be incarcerated because entertaining them is not good. They must be arrested. It is not necessary to castrate such a person but they must be incarcerated because entertaining them is not good for the nation. It is retrogressive. It is like someone who sees a green orange which is not ripe and decide to take it for consumption. I am saying women should stand up from Binga to Victoria Falls, Plumtree and Beitbridge. If we speak with one voice as women, I believe that this is going to work.
Our Government should engage Apostolic sects. Such sects are a problem Mr. President. You will find adults marrying off young girls. How can a young girl be a wife? How is that possible for such a young girl who maybe is in Grade 7? It is important that we engage such churches. My request is that His Excellency should flex his muscles so that this behaviour is stopped forthwith.
We do not want lawyers for murderers and rapists. It is important that such a person represents himself or herself in court. We need to be respected as women. We are equally people with rights. What some men are doing in Zimbabwe and the world over is not right. We are tired of being violated. I thank you Mr. President, but my heart is in pain. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MALULEKE: Thank you Mr. President Sir for giving me the opportunity to speak regarding gender based violence. I would like to thank also Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi who introduced this motion and the seconder of the motion. I would like to thank them for introducing such a pertinent motion.
We have chiefs in this august House, chiefs who are there to represent people. We also have councillors. Mr. President, the issue of gender based violence on women is a very big issue. My niece is also a victim of gender based violence, although she was employed and well versed with the law. I went to the police and the perpetrator was discharged from his duties. The person was employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. There was also another victim in rural Chiredzi. The police told me that if I go to Harare or Chiredzi town, the issue would be resolved. The perpetrators did not receive enough punishment. They were only discharged from their duties, but there was no sort of a punishment which was given to them. The victims had children, both girls. One was in Grade 7 and the other one was in Form 1. A criminal is always a criminal. Young women or even older women are being abused by these criminals. Yesterday at the launch of the high table delegation of Gender Based Violence, there was a woman who gave her testimony. She was crying while telling her story about gender based violence. Those police officers who went to that function - both men and women police officers, must stand by the law and make sure that they execute their duties. Police officers must desist from abusing the victims. They must stand by the law and help the victims.
We are no longer sure about our safety since some of the police officers are now being involved in these illicit activities of abusing the victims of gender based violence. Mr. President, we wish the Ministers for the responsible ministries to be present when we are debating these important issues of gender based violence. Listening to someone talking is different from reading a report.
If you look at my complexion, I am dark. That is how my heart is when I am thinking of the issue of gender based violence. I also met another woman who was physically abused. The woman came to me and told me that she had been physically abused and did not know what to do. She considered that if she went to the police, her husband was going to be arrested. I ended up going to the hospital. The victim saw that she can be treated. At the hospital, I met one of my friends who was the Sister-In-Charge. That woman was treated and after treatment, I later on went to the police with the lady to report her issue but during the evening, the husband came to my house carrying weapons to beat me. I ended up calling the police to report the issue.
It is very painful to see how young women, children and minors are being abused. Even in churches, Government must intervene. There are some churches which practice gender based violence. I went to one church where there was a minor who was called mudzimai. They were not explaining properly to me the nature of the issue then I told them to explain the issue properly because I was going to report the issue to the police. Therefore, I am pleading with the Government to work with churches and even the traditional leaders in eradicating gender based violence.
Last week I was in Bikita. I took the opportunity to raise awareness against gender based violence on young women, women and minors. I also told them about the prison term for rape. Right now I am pleading with the Government to increase the prison term for rapists from 50 to 60 or 70 years so that a person can face a life sentence in prison. Let us not agree on 50 years, but let us agree on 70 years. Many people are destroying the future of our children. Some of them are listening to lies which they are being told by the traditional leaders. So they end up raping the minors in a bid to end their diseases like HIV. I also experienced the issue of gender based violence. When my mother gave birth to me, she passed on and I ended up growing at my grandfather’s homestead. In 1958, there was a police officer who was going around looking for kids to go to school but my father insisted that he wanted me to go to school the following year. I grew up in Chief Tsobane area; many people were discouraging young girls from going to school because they were of the opinion that they were going to become prostitutes. The school inspectors also encouraged parents to send their children to school before looking for jobs. The school inspectors encouraged the parents to send the girl child to school because most of them were doing well as compared to boys.
Mr. President, the perpetrators of gender based violence and rapists are nowadays close relatives like our young brothers, aunties and uncles. Those people can go to neighbours’ houses to abuse the victims. At another house, there was a grandfather who used to go to the room of the granddaughter to abuse her sexually. The grandmother used to hear the noise during the night whilst the granddaughter was crying but the issue was not resolved. It was resolved traditionally; it was not reported to the police. I heard the issue as the Hon. Member of that area and I reported the issue to the police. Right now the perpetrator is in jail. Let us not keep quiet on the issues of gender based violence, but let us report all the issues. As society, let us report all these issues so that the law takes its course.
Mr. President, men are being abused although the number is very low compared to women. I encourage the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Justice to take this issue to His Excellency the President. Most of us who are in the rural areas, like in cotton growing areas, there are many problems which women are facing. Many women are being killed, some of the minors are being abused. We are also near the border, many young girls are going to South Africa at a tender age and most of them are into child marriages.
Mr. President, we plead with you, we have suffered as women, may the law and the society intervene so that they help. I want to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi for bringing up this motion. I thank you. May God bless you because the issue of gender based violence needs every one’s intervention so that it can end?
*HON. SEN. CHISOROCHENGWE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the gender based violence motion. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi who raised the motion. As women and girls, we are facing a lot of challenges; that is why there is that Shona adage which says, ‘chakafukidza dzimba matenga’, no one knows what happens behind closed doors. Right now, a lot of men are taking advantage of women just because women are weak, they do not have money and they face a lot of challenges. You find that most men who rape young girls are people who are related to that girl. You find that women who get married whilst they would have their daughters; the new husbands rape their step daughters and for the daughter to tell her mother, it becomes a problem because sometimes you find the mother protecting the rapist.
Mr. President, there is need for the prosecution of both men and women who protect rapists.. You find an old man who believes in a lot of things. When HIV and AIDS was first discovered, many men went to traditional healers and were told to abuse young girls so that they could be healed and they were not prosecuted but cases of rape were being reported. There are also some beliefs that if you want to succeed in life, you should abuse a young girl. For an old man to rape a ten-year old, it is an injustice. How do you feel when having sexual intercourse with a ten year old?
I would like to implore that there be sensitisation of both girls and boys pertaining to abuse; whatever form of abuse, for example touching of any part of the body should be reported. Young people should be taught from a tender age. The other issues is that in the past when a man and a woman got married, when they decided to part, it was necessary for them to follow our culture, gupuro and consulting aunties. There is a certain incident where a man did not sleep in his matrimonial home but he went to a girlfriend and there was confrontation between the man and the wife until the man told the wife that he was no longer interested in her then the woman stabbed the man. I am saying that if the man had approached a relative like the aunt to inform them that he was no longer interested in that woman, this was going to end in a better way. He took the smaller child like he was holding chicken. He ran outside holding that small child then he struck the child with a big log until the child died. I am saying that as Government, it is important that police officers are given motor bikes and cars so that they can attend to such cases. If police officers had attended to that scene, maybe one child was going to be saved.
It is important for women to be faithful in marriages because this leads to violence. This is also because there are some women who have extra marital affairs. I am saying that women should be faithful to their husbands. In political issues, you find women being sexually abused because of positions just because they want to be MPs or Councillors. You discover that a person who will be facilitating such positions is a man. Some men will propose to women to say first date me so that I give you that position. Government should regulate all political parties so that the quota system is applied, for instance, it may be in the National Assembly or Senate, because we end up suffering and some people end up contracting diseases like HIV and Aids. With those few words, I thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. MATIIRIRA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi regarding gender based violence as we commemorate 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. This is an issue that we can talk about continuously but we need to come to a position where this issue can be resolved. I believe that gender based violence is a very critical issue in Zimbabwe. If in a household there is a woman and the girl child – that is quite a home because we know that a woman is a person who looks after her household.
At times you find that because of violence things do not flow. It is important for public education to be carried out so that people know and we need to understand that our biological make up is different and our psychological dispositions differ. There are some people who do not have conscience, who do not know that they are doing bad things. I believe that we need to retrace our footsteps so that we embrace our culture. In the past, there were men who used to work and some who were not working but cases of gender based violence were fewer. At the moment, looking at COVID-19 era, there was a lot of gender based violence towards women and girls.
The woman will be at home and the man might go out to hustle but you discover that when he comes with nothing and when confronted, people ended up fighting over resources. At the end of the day, a child is implicated in the misdeeds of the parents or the child might end up being a victim and this is really bad. In the past when parents visited, as young girls, we would take up responsibilities. Sometimes we would sleep in the same hut and we would do household chores but now this is not happening and people cannot trust relatives in this stage.
When we went to Musasa Project, we were touched. We saw vulnerable children who had suffered abuse. You would find young pregnant girls suffering from hunger and other biological challenges because they fell pregnant at a tender age. If you ask some of these girls what surname they would give their children, they would be stuck, and we saw this happening at Msasa Project. The question is how are we going to end this issue?
Of course, we support the education of people and public awareness but what is happening is not good. Let us trace our footsteps and embrace our culture, let us support our chiefs and traditional leaders. The law should take its course because in most cases, such gender based violence cases are laid off at different systems but you do not find perpetrators being incarcerated. You find perpetrators coming back into the society, some would not be discouraged from perpetuating domestic or gender based violence. So we expect our children to be tomorrow’s leaders.
I would like to thank the First Lady who is moving around with Nharirire Yegota Programme but we expect that awareness campaigns should continuously be found to be happening around the country because there is a lot of gender based violence throughout the country. This violence is being perpetrated against the girl child. A certain Hon. Senator said that we differ and our socialisation differs, but the issue is that the woman will be suffering and as a woman to report that this is what has happened to this child, especially if it is a relative, then that woman would live in fear. When she speaks up, you discover that there would be a lot of noise and fights in the family.
We want this issue to be finalised and this should end and for it to end, there should be public awareness. In our constituencies we need to speak with one voice as a nation and throughout the country we need to use one language and one voice so that this issue ends. We can continuously talk but we want it to be eradicated even throughout the traditional leadership system, our chiefs, our headmen and other people should also be seen to be taking part in fighting gender based violence.
Mr. President, I would also like to say that I support the motion that was brought by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi in this House. We support the law and we expect the law to take its course so that perpetrators of gender based violence are incarcerated. There is a lot of violence against boys, girls and women.
*HON. SEN. T. MOYO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this motion. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi who moved this motion. Gender based violence is really affecting women in different areas. You find women being beaten up because they are not empowered with knowledge to stand on their own. There are a lot of crops like tobacco, there is livestock in rural areas which bring in money but you discover that despite the woman contributing, the husband will just pocket all the money. When the woman confronts the man, then she is beaten up.
Therefore, it is important for women to be educated and empowered so that they can stand on their own. This is a big problem and should not end in urban centres but this message should proliferate into the rural areas so that the victim friendly unit in police stations is also disseminating information instead of waiting for people to come to the victim friendly unit.
It is really touching that you find a police officer who is supposed to protect a victim but ends up raping the victim also. I am not sure whether there is law which says a male officer cannot attend to a female victim or vice versa. I thank you.
HON. SEN. BAIPAI: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this emotional motion of gender based violence. I grew up in such a set up where you would find abuse being perpetuated within the family. Even when getting married, you find that as an in-law, there is abuse from the mother-in-law, so, for you to leave your marriage yet your husband loves you was really painful. So, one would be patient and endure longsuffering.
Abuse is happening in different areas. In my constituency, there is a village head who abuses disabled children. I have a niece who is a daughter to my aunty; so the headman used to entice the disabled girl saying that he has a lot of projects. As a parent, I noticed what was happening and confronted the headman. However, the headman also has his own disabled daughter whom he impregnated. At the point of his daughter giving birth, there was no one to assist her and the baby died. The headman went on to impregnate another disabled child, so now I do not know what is happening whether this is because of rituals or juju. This case was reported to the police and the headman was arrested for rape. The daughter reported to the police that the father was abusing her by suckling her breasts despite being the biological father. This is quite painful. When I went to the rural areas, I was surprised to find that the headman was back in the community. He was back from the cells. I do not understand whether the police officers were paid or not. This is really painful because this is a person who is a menace to society.
I also have a niece who came back and was married but she had suffered for a long time. She eventually decided to leave because the husband was very abusive until he threatened to kill all the four and bury them secretly. This niece left until she went to live with someone for six months. The husband would take a cloth to strangle his daughter and these are real painful issues. This matter is a big issue in our locality.
(v)*HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me the opportunity to debate. I want to debate specifically looking at the women and girls on how to look after themselves. We need to educate our children to behave well. We need to educate both boys and girls instead of ascribing gender roles to girls and boys. This will demonstrate what will happen in future. We need to socialise them in such a way that they grow knowing that they can partake both duties as boys and girls.
When we were growing up and there was not enough money in the home, money would be channeled towards the education of boys instead of girls. Some cultures are contributing towards gender based violence. We need to look at what our children are wearing before leaving the homes. You find them wearing revealing clothes because there are some people who cannot behave themselves. It is not good for our daughters to go into public places without wearing decent clothes. This will affect them and their future. This is retrogressive and I am saying we need to observe how our children are clothing themselves. What they see on television should be restricted. Do they watch relevant material on television? As parents, we are there to restrict what they watch and how they live. They must not watch adult content.
There are some other cultures where you find children going to sleep overs. As parents, do we know what children do during sleep overs? Let us help our children so that, that culture of sleep overs is not practiced. There is also the practice of ferrying children in cars. Let us teach our children not to be given lifts by men when there is no woman in that car. What if that man turns on you and rapes you? Let us teach our children to be observant. Let us monitor what they do during the day at school and at different areas because at the end of the day, we will end up saying our children are misbehaving. As parents, let us take it upon ourselves to protect our children. The safety of our children is important.
Sometimes they might be going to school not wearing proper clothing. Let us empower them by giving them pocket money so that they cannot be abused. Some who are in Grade 7 might have reached puberty stage which might lead to some people abusing them. We need to see and observe what they are doing, and who is accompanying them.
There are cases of child marriages and sometimes these are encouraged by parents and churches. You find some children falling pregnant. When we went to Musasa Project, we saw this but as parents, let us learn to teach our children. As Members of Parliament, we were chosen to represent them. Let us find awareness programmes and projects so that our children can go to school. We say no to pregnancies. Our children should excel in education.
The other issue is that as parents, we allow people to give us monies. You find some girls getting married even before reaching 18 years yet the law prohibits that. All parents who allow that are destructive because they are destroying their own children. A lot of women are behind some of these cases because they protect abusers who are relatives within the family. You find a father or an uncle raping a young girl within the family but parents end up protecting rapists and abusers. We need to expose abusers and not protect them. We entertain such things because these are our relatives. We need to be serious with things like awareness campaigns. Let us tell our children how to protect themselves and if we do not do that, our children will be taught by radios and newspapers which we cannot control what they listen to. So let us sit down with our children. Let us teach them, educate them so that tomorrow they have information.
On the case regarding police officers, I would like to support the point that police officers are there to protect them. Imagine walking for 20km then a police officer turns on the victim and rapes the victim and a wrong statement is written. Let us make it a point that if it is a girl, whoever is accompanying her should be accompanied by a female police officer because this is happening.
There are some women who are abusing young boys. Sometimes you fear leaving a boy child with a housemaid because of what is happening. There are a lot of cases but gender based violence is really bad. So I thank the Hon. Senator for raising such a motion. Even coming to this august House, there are some who wear revealing clothes. Sometimes you wonder how and why. This is very important. We need to dress modestly. Let us protect our bodies which are important. We need to protect ourselves and we need to educate each other on how we can protect ourselves.
With these few words, Mr. President, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute towards this motion which was moved by Senator Chimbudzi. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. SIPANI-HUNGWE: Thank you Mr. President of the Senate. Before speaking, I would like to express my condolences on the sad loss of our Senator and former Minister, Sen. Ambassador S. K. Moyo. I would like to say rest in peace and may God guide you.
I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi for moving this quite crucial motion on gender based violence. Every year during this period we normally have the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. In most cases, this happens within the domestic sphere. Even in the public domain you find gender based violence happening, but I would like to say that we need to look at this. The previous speaker, Sen. Mupfumira, mentioned quite an important fact that as mothers when our children go out of the house, how do we see them?
I attended this other funeral and we saw a woman with a big body who was wearing indecent clothes. As black people, we need to teach each other and our children that as a woman you need to wear decent clothes. We have young boys who are indisciplined who when enticed with such dressing you find them following those who do not have decent clothes.
Of course in the past some say that people used to wear skimpy clothes which were revealing, but this was in the past. So I would like to say that what the First Lady is doing in moulding the nation to be a nation where boys and girls are well groomed is a good initiative. We thank her for that.
As women, we also contribute towards gender based violence. You might be told that this is not right then you go to the men and you confront him saying beat me up, beat me up and he will do that. I am not justifying violence. I am not saying that it is good but I am saying let us be responsible as women also because we are women. We have husbands, we have daughters-in-law, and we have sons. When you see your son beating his wife, you do not like that. So I am saying that there should be awareness. Let us educate the woman. The First Lady brought a very important initiative. Yes, that is the First Lady’s initiative. - However, as Members of Parliament, let us also go out to our constituents and teach them.
There are some women who are abusive. When you see them beating up their husbands, some people will say they are possessed. Let us teach each other that no, it is not right. The law that groomed us even in our ages, which teaches us that we must be subjective to men does not mean that when you are subjective to Mr. Hungwe then you are not of any value or use but you are important. This was done so that there is no gender based violence. The men should also know that the woman is my helper in my marriage.
There were a lot of touching words that were said here, like the beating up of women and you find a biological father killing his own children. That behaviour is not normal. This is the behaviour of a psychopath who should be incarcerated, who should be locked up for the rest of his life because he is like a wild animal that is a menace to society. In our Shona culture, there was quite good teaching which teaches that people should fear ngozi. When we were growing up we were taught that if you kill a fellow person then ngozi, the avenging spirit would affect your family. Now people do not fear the avenging spirit. When we were growing up we feared the avenging spirit. This was the teaching of our elders who were teaching us that violence should not happen in families.
The other issue is that there is a headman who is abusing disabled children. We have chiefs in this august House. When I heard this issue, I felt the headman should be traced. We want to know that headman because he is a menace to society. He is tarnishing the image of Zimbabwe. That person should be protected. We heard that he was arrested and he got out so we want to understand why he got out. A police officer who arrests a rapist and allows that person to go out should also be arrested. The police officer should also be arrested and incarcerated because he is an animal also.
Mr. President, this is an august House of senior citizens, we need to consider such issues, those who abuse young children, they should be arrested. It would be better for Government to set up a different facility for rapists and abusers so that when they are incarcerated in the same cells they will abuse each other. You find a person abusing a very young child. What is enticing in that young child? Some traditional healers are lying to people. The traditional healer and the perpetrators of abuse, both should be incarcerated because they are destroying the future of that child who has got potential to be a leader even of a nation. Even as we stand here, we are grown up, this august House is for elders, we want to handover the baton to young girls who are going to be Senators like Hon. Sen. Hungwe. Perpetrators of violence should be arrested, we do not want to see them roaming around the country.
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country which is endowed with everything including oil. I am saying that perpetrators should be incarcerated. I want to thank the Senator for having the vision of moving this important motion. Right now we have discovered some cases like the headman case. Let us go out and educate our people so that if they are abused they should go and report. Government should set up camps and sub offices in different areas which will be accessible to people who will be victims of abuse so that they are assisted as soon as possible. If you spend two days after being raped, once you bath then there is no evidence. Government should set up sub police stations nearby so that people do not walk for five to ten kilometers or more from where they stay.
Mr. President, I am saying that let us introspect and look at how we clothe ourselves. You find people wearing miniskirts which are revealing. This is not good. With this few words, I thank you.
+HON. SEN. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Madam President for affording me this opportunity to contribute where we are lamenting the treatment of the girl child. Before we start lamenting, let us look at the girl child and how they are treated at home, they are not being treated the way that we used to dress when we were still young. They are no longer dressing properly and men have different feelings from us women. Let us start teaching our children how to dress. Even the way that we dress now, it is now different from the way that our parents dress, now they were what is called tights. These are things that are worn in other countries when going for exercises. But we find that our children now wear such things. There are brothers and fathers in our homes, let us blame ourselves first. Let us teach our children to dress the way we used to dress ourselves.
Mr. President we must feel sorry for these men because of the way our children dress. Men are not the same as us but if a man wears a short we do not feel anything but if a woman wears a short dress and a man looks at her, he starts getting those feelings. It is not their fault, that is how they were created. As a nation, we should teach these children how to dress or what time to get back home either from school or from anywhere else. When we were growing up, if you delayed getting home by few minutes, your mother would be by the gate, looking out to check where you are. That is how we were brought up. We were told to treat an elderly person as a father or a brother. Just like what was said, I think it is good that we go back to our own culture, especially when it comes to the girl child.
Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi brought a very good motion which touches on the grandchild and us as women. Men are raped as well, when people get drunk in the beer halls, you see them fondling men, what do you expect men to do. This happens to both sexes, let us go back to our culture, let us respect each other and let us dress properly. I thank you.
*HON SEN. MKHWEBU: Thank you Hon. President for affording me this opportunity to also air my views on this motion that was brought by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi and seconded by Hon. Sen. Shumba. This is a very important motion on gender based violence on women and children. The abuse of children and women is very prevalent here in Zimbabwe. It is now like a song because this is something that is said almost on a daily basis. I stood to add my voice to this motion that the Government should take very strong steps so that we eradicate the abuse of women and children.
This abuse, if we were to go back, we no longer follow our tradition. It is no longer easy in this day and age to say that we will teach our children. It is now the other way round and it is them who are teaching us what to do. We can no longer control them because if you try to teach them, they will say you are thinking of your old times. I will tell you about what I witnessed these past few days. My Grade 3 grand child was playing with her neighbour and this neighbour’s child says ‘come let me show you what my mother and father do at night’. I wonder where that child got that from. The children are seeing such things on TV and they are learning a lot of things whilst they are still too young.
If you say to a child let me teach you what our custom is all about, it is no longer easy because this a Grade 1 and Grade 3 child and what do they know? If a child who is a bit older calls them and tells them about what happens between their mother and father during the sexual act, they will end up committing an offence, raping a child. It is now very difficult for our children and I do not know where these young children are learning all those things from.
Going back to how our children are dressing in front of their fathers, be it my grandchild who is a girl, a lot of speakers here have spoken on the issue of how these girl children and some of us are dressing up. We are no longer dressing up the way we used to long back. There is a lot of abuse on very young children and you wonder what really attracted them to rape a very young child. It is just simple abuse and it is just a bad thing that is happening in the country.
We need to pray very hard so that we get rid of this bad spirit that is prevailing in the country. I would also like to thank the First Lady, Mrs. Mnangagwa who is going about teaching people. Maybe this bad spirit will be driven away because she is going around teaching these young children. There is a lot of abuse on children and you hear of these rape cases from all over, about young children and women being abused. I am not talking about the elderly people but I am talking about the very young children, but some are saying it is because they will be operating mutis or they would have been following instruction from n’angas.
This abuse in the country is too much. That is why I am saying we need to pray hard for this bad spirit because from the women up to the young children, it is just too much. Women are being abused and we have seen it. At times you can really tell that this daughter-in-law of mine did not do anything wrong but the husband is always beating her up. You would have realised that she did not do anything wrong but they get beaten up for no reason and you wonder what really happened to the love that they used to have between themselves. They never go to report because of the love that they have. She would not go to report the husband because she loves him. You can tell that there is a very bad spirit that needs to be driven out, whether by prayer or by other means. We need to pray very hard for this bad spirit to go. Madam President, a lot has been said. I thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi for bringing up such an important motion. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank the Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi who moved the Gender Based Violence motion. My desire is that it should be a 365 days practice not a 16 days event because we see abuse happening in our areas. The end result is that we do not see justice when criminal cases like that are raised. We do not know whether it is because police officers do not have transport. Some hide things like this and others need evidence. We experienced COVID-19 era in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was a good country but during the COVID era, the statistics of gender based violence became very high. You would find the man beating up a woman and a woman beating up a man because of being confined in that domestic arena not knowing that being confined did not promote violence. So awareness campaigns could not be held because we did not know what was happening in domestic homes. As chiefs, we look at these issues.
Regarding compensation, we have books that we use not as criminal cases, but we also refer these cases to the police for criminal proceedings. We have three stages of traditional leaders who are the local head. There is confusion between the village head and the headman. The correct position is that you are talking about a village head or a Sabhuku. The headman has a court and he attends to cases. A headman cannot do that if it is a chief’s court. So if such behaviour is being perpetuated by traditional leaders, as chiefs, if someone is a traditional leader we deal with such cases. There are chiefs who are above such village heads. Some village heads are not paid, there are village heads who were given positions by chiefs who are not known by Government, and these are people who are perpetuating petty and serious crimes.
I concur with Hon. Hungwe that such cases should be punitive enough so that they deter would-be offenders. We do not allow such errant behaviour, so I would like to say that gender based violence is spreading. Where I come from, we had a disabled girl who was abused by her brother and when the brother abused her, she could not communicate, she spoke using sign language. The good thing is that I am married to a woman who understands sign language. There are some people who communicate but who were not taught sign language; so she spoke to that disabled who communicated that she was abused.
The boy was 17 years, he sexually abused his sister then as a Chief, I engaged the village head on compensation basis then the father and the 17 year old boy admitted to the offence. We then processed the papers and took them to the police so that criminal proceedings could be instituted against the offender. So, a person who can communicate sign language was engaged but we were surprised that the perpetrator of that case came back into society.
It is so painful that a perpetrator of violence is found to have been released by police without being charged. We do not encourage violence, we do not encourage such behaviour but instead we encourage the incarceration of people who commit such crimes though of course there are technical issues that are found in courts which are not found in the chiefs’ court. For instance, when someone is arrested for 48 hours, they are given free bail, so these are higher courts which than the chiefs’ courts. We cannot challenge that but as this august House, for domestic and gender based violence to be eradicated, there must be serious awareness campaigns so that we unite and work together and that we understand how things are happening until justice prevails. This is a good thing. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. MABIKA: Thank you Madam President, I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi for moving this motion. This is an all encompassing motion which even affects the mental state of an abused person, whether the person has been abused physically or emotionally. I remember a certain woman who was talking to herself; she was not mentally stable. At a funeral, when asked to pray, she would pray about her husband. At times people would think that she was mentally disturbed but it was because of this abuse. This is quite a serious issue which should be addressed.
There is physical violence which is found in all genders, there are some men who are being physically abused by their wives, and you find them quiet because they are afraid of being beaten. This is violence; it is not encouraged whether it is from a man or from a woman.
There are forced marriages and I do not know whether it is a cultural issue where you find a daughter reporting that she is suffering violence but the parents encourage her to be patient and courageous in order to preserve the marriage. I do not know how we can help our children to protect them so that they do not end up dying or committing suicide because they lack the support system.
We have sexual harassment issues, the most painful thing is that it is only the man who can fall sick but the woman cannot. So this has to be relooked at. Violence sometimes is as a result of deprivation or lack of basics in the house. I believe that people should be empowered with projects; organisations should urge people to partake in projects. There should be employment amongst the people. Sometimes you find people engaging in violence because of hunger.
Regarding violence, sometimes we encourage violence without knowing. You will find some people saying that this is a Chihera and she is untouchable. Some would say that the Madubes are like that, but we need to carry out awareness campaigns so that we reduce gender based violence. Gender based violence is expensive because you would end up re-locating, going to the police, using different resources. So if possible, we should not encourage gender based violence, it should be stopped forthwith.
We have people who assist us with household chores like housemaids and garden boys. As parents, we need to encourage each other because these are the people who spend time with our children. Some children do not communicate after being abused. We need to look at this and educate each other so that we come up with a way forward so that we analyse deeply the impact of gender based violence in schools, households and communities so that we map a way forward.
We need to partner with civil society so that we eradicate and stop gender based violence. There should be interventions from community to national level and continuous monitoring by Government ministries and other stakeholders. Whatever has been agreed to should be implemented. Government should set aside a fund for GBV operations which would be there for such programmes because this is a big issue. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November 2021.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
+HON. SEN. S. MPOFU: Thank you Madam President for affording me this opportunity to add my views on the Presidential Speech. I would like to thank Hon Sen. Kambizi who brought the motion to this House. I would like to thank the President on what he said when he opened Parliament, especially on the topic of COVID-19 pandemic which has wrecked havoc not only in Zimbabwe but the world over. What I am happy about is that all the other countries are admiring Zimbabwe because we managed to control the disease unlike in other countries. We give credit to our President Cde. Mnangagwa for his vision.
When we look at the vaccines to prevent the disease, he went out of the country and over 2 million people were vaccinated. It is visible that the disease has not spread like what happened initially because as it is now, even school children are supposed to get vaccinated against this disease. School children who are in high school are also being attacked by this disease and because of that, they are now going to be vaccinated. The beauty of it is that these vaccines prevent this disease and we were getting those vaccines for free. People should be encouraged out there in the villages that they should also be vaccinated against this disease. This disease is a very painful one but some people are refusing to be vaccinated against it. These are the people who are going to spread the disease. Steps should be taken against such people. They should be forced to be vaccinated or they should stay at their homes so that they do not spread the disease to other people who were vaccinated against COVID-19.
Coming to the agriculture season of 2020/21, we notice that we had good rains last year. A lot of people got a bumper harvest and most of those who harvested were because of Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme which was brought by Government. People were encouraged to carry out this programme of Pfumvudza/Intwasa. This led to a lot of people harvesting a lot last year. Those same people have again been given seed for this year. A lot of people admired that and a lot of them have also joined this Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme. A lot of people do not have implements for farming. They have no tractors, even diesel is very expensive and a lot of people cannot afford to buy diesel. So people are being encouraged to carry out this Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme and during the rain season, it means that seed would already be underground and the plants will then grow because of the rains that would have fallen instead of people waiting for tractors or animal drawn ploughing.
At the moment, seed is very expensive and people are asking for Government to assist in making sure that the price of seed is not that expensive. People still need to buy extra seed. They want seed that they can afford instead of waiting for the seed that they get from the Government. They also need seed for small grains in case people do not get good rains. People should also be taught on climate change because now it is very difficult to predict when exactly they should start planting. People should learn that from the little rains that they get, they should start planting so that they can benefit from the wetness on the ground. People can harvest instead of them starving.
People want agricultural loans. Women also want to farm but they end up not farming because they have nowhere where they can get money. They cannot access the loans. Madam President, we had a lot of rains and our roads got damaged, but now there are funds for devolution. We need to look at the issue of taking funds from devolution that falls under our councils so that our councils maintain the roads. Our roads are bad.
You find that a lot of councils do not have the machinery for repairing roads but because of devolution funds, those funds are supposed to do the work that it is meant for. They should not take the money to pay their employees, but it should be used for what it is intended for.
We have been under sanctions for a very long time and those sanctions are causing havoc here in Zimbabwe. We know that we had a lot of factories in Zimbabwe and when sanctions were imposed, most of those factories failed to buy spares to continue with their businesses and because of that, a lot of factories especially in Bulawayo were closed. Because of sanctions, they had no money and they could not get loans from out of the country, but we are happy as a country because here in Zimbabwe, we are now speaking the same language that sanctions should be removed. We are happy that as Zimbabwe, we are now singing the same tune. Although we have different opinions, if we want to rebuild our country, we should sing from the same hymn book.
We have seen the projects that the Government has carried out. A lot of those projects are taking shape here in Zimbabwe. I am from Matabeleland North. We have Hwange Power Station. Units 7 and 8 are being repaired so that we do not run out of electricity. We have the Gwai-Shangani Dam. We were expecting that by the end of the year the dam would have been completed, however funds were diverted to other projects but the dam is going to be completed soon.
The President also spoke about water in Nyamandlovu; that is water that is supposed to assist Bulawayo because Bulawayo does not have enough water. The President went there and drilled a borehole for the villagers. The borehole is working and the people in village 4 in Nyamandlovu now have water; all thanks to the President and people are so grateful.
There is a hospital that was built a long time ago in Bulawayo. This was a hospital that was built by father Joshua Nkomo. The hospital has not been functional for 20 years but now the hospital is functional because of the President’s vision, that it is now the COVID-19 hospital.
These are some of the projects that we are so thankful for. The people should see that the New Dispensation can prove that they carried out such projects. Here we are talking about Matabeleland North, but other provinces can also show what the New Dispensation has done. Madam President, I can speak all day but with those few words, I thank you.
+HON. SEN. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Madam President for affording me this opportunity to debate about what the President is doing throughout the country. The President spoke about farming, Pfumvudza/Intwasa, he said people should start ploughing instead of going around asking for food. I do notice that the President has given us some ideas that we should stand up on our own and start doing things. We have seen that the Pfumvudza is working.
Madam President, from my area, we are into animal husbandry. In Matabeleland, there is animal husbandry where people can get hides for making shoes. Bulawayo was a hub of industries and this was well known. Now we no longer have shoes and beautiful handbags because we are no longer looking after cattle. We are into cattle rearing and we also get glue from cattle hooves. Yes, people can do agricultural farming through the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme and we noticed that the President had been taking a begging bowl asking for food but now he will stop doing that.
Madam President, the President, Cabinet, MPs were vaccinated and we did not die. People can see that what the President was saying was very important. We realised that the First Lady is also assisting the President by taking initiatives to educate people throughout the country. We thank the First Lady and we thank the President for marrying such a visionary wife. The last speaker spoke about Ekusileni Hospital. Disabled children from the ages of one to 18 are being treated for free all because of the President. Thorngrove Hospital is now doing well; our President loves us and is always visiting us. The other President never used to visit us as much as this current President is doing. When he comes he gives us advice that you should do this and that but when it comes to money, women should be able to get funds from the bank. This should not be something that should be just said as a leap service but they should actually get the money so that they develop the country. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHISOROCHENGWE: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank Hon. Sen. Kambizi who moved this motion. I believe that the President spoke about unity. If we are not united, then the results will not be good but uniting will be good for the nation. The President is seeing what is happening that in Parliament, people are united, there is no noise and there are no people who sing whilst he is giving speeches.
Looking at Pfumvudza which is a good initiative, last year a lot of people had a bumper harvest, whether they have livestock or not. On the same note, we see that in 2021, some already have inputs but others do not have. The request is that those who are stakeholders should expedite the distribution of inputs so that every farmer has inputs. Mr. President, the President enacted this programme so that there is food security. There are some people who are not trustworthy because we discovered that some people who are farming are not faithful with the inputs.
Looking at the road network in Zimbabwe, roads are being rehabilitated but we have a challenge especially in rural areas. It is important that roads are rehabilitated in rural areas because if they are not rehabilitated then this will affect transporters, for example the Kadoma to Sanyati Road, it is a busy road which is being used by cotton and grain transporters. There are some farms like matengenyika where some people got those farms long back after being trained. For example, I come from Shurugwi in Gamwa which is the home to our National Hero, Cde. Tongogara. From the main road, the tarred road to his homestead, you discover that the road is not in good condition.
As residents of Shurugwi, we request that the road be rehabilitated then we know that the late National Hero passed on the 26th. If possible may that day be honoured as a holiday – [HON. SENATORS; Hear, hear] – For instance, the Boxing Day could be changed to Josiah Tongogara Day where we remember our National Hero.
Looking at COVID-19, we thank the President who sourced for vaccinations so that the nation is protected. At first people were not confident but eventually they started getting vaccinations. Looking at a hospital, there is a big job that needs to be done because there are no medications in hospitals, people are suffering. The issue is that you go to a hospital to pay consultation fees so that you get a card then you just get a prescription yet you do not have money to buy from pharmacies which require US dollars, There are people who suffer from chronic illnesses like hypertension especially in general hospitals, there are no tablets. After buying your medication, you end up not taking medication and not taking it properly so that you conserve your medication. Some people end up stroking because they do not take their medication properly. So we request that Government should assist us with medication.
Going to mines, we have a lot of mines in Zimbabwe. If possible, those who are miners should be required to fill up the holes that they would have dug, especially for small scale miners like artisanal miners because this affects our livestock and other things which are found to be falling into such large pits. I thank you Madam President for allowing me to debate.
**HON. SEN. NYATHI: I would like to thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Kambizi. Let me start by thanking His Excellency for the good job that he is doing as a leader. What I understand is that the President is speaking about these issues and we know that some things are not going well. The people that are supposed to be discharging duties are not doing their jobs well. For instance, the issue regarding roads - let me appreciate the good job that is being done but what I am requesting is that the whole of Zimbabwe should look at the roads that have been rehabilitated, then it will be beautiful.
There are issues regarding mines. For example, mines at Hwange are not accessible and there are dumpers which are using conventional roads. You know that dumpers are not supposed to use the same roads that are being used by motor cars because they destroy our roads. It is important that we look at this. Let me also look at mines in Hwange. There is a mine which has been closed. I do not know what is happening and how it happened that such a company like Makomo was shut down. This should be brought into the public domain so that we understand what is happening.
We can also look at the bigger road like the road to Binga – it is not good. That is why you find a lot of things happening on that road because there are no bridges. Since 1980, there has never been a bridge along that road except the Siyachilaba Bridge. That Siyachilaba Bridge is not in good condition and it needs to be fixed. That bridge is not in good condition and when it rains, buses end up detouring. That bridge has no pillars.
Even when something happens like an accident, there is nothing to protect the motorist because it is a narrow bridge. This project is an ongoing project because the President said that bridges should be looked at and other projects. We know that these days when people carry passengers, they just speed with no regard for the safety of passengers. So, whatever happens there is nothing that can be done but there are no sign posts. For people who are new in these roads who do not know whether there are cattle or there are signs or anything, this is not seen but we need to adhere to what the President is saying.
When the President tells us to rehabilitate our roads, let us do that. Zimbabwe belongs to all of us and we want it to be beautiful. When we are being told by the President to work on our roads, let us do that. Even this august House, we need to play our oversight role to determine whether things are being implemented as planned by His Excellency. When we come to this august House, you find Ministers do not attend to this House and so who is going to assist us to look at these things? We need to look at these issues Madam President.
I would like to thank and appreciate the good work that is being done on the roads because we use these roads everyday using our cars. If the road is not in good condition, then tyres are found to be repaired now and again. For the few words that I have said, I would like to thank you and I would like to urge Hon. Members to adhere to what the President is saying. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Madam President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25th to 27th June 2021.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the importance of a sound road network.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MABIKA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MPOFU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. MATIIRIRA: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. The motion is very important to us as Government and the nation concerning our environment. Our environmental issues are important issues which require us as a nation to conserve our environment and to look after it well.
The abuse of our environment for example, when you look at rivers which could provide water until the next rain season, you will discover that these rivers do not have enough water now because people are disregarding the sustainability of such rivers. People are carrying out different activities like stream bank cultivation where you find soil being washed away into the rivers.
As a nation, we are blessed because we have a good environment but we are not practicing the sustainable use of our environment. We have living organisms which require water, we have people and animals but you will find that people are just mining everywhere. Some are just digging everywhere; we find wild animals and domestic animals falling into water. People are no longer doing what is required; they do not fill up the pits that they dig. As this august House, we need to understand that the environment is for us all. We have a responsibility towards the environment; we need to work together with the Ministry so that we conserve our environment.
For people who just cause veld fires which are dangerous and which are costing lives, they must be given stiffer penalties. This is not good because we are destroying livelihoods, livestock, and wild animals.
So, I would like to support this motion and say that every district and every constituency has Government offices. Even the Ministry of Environment’s offices are found in every district, so we need to have awareness campaigns in support of the Ministry. There is need for monitoring because without monitoring, environmental issues continue to deteriorate which is affecting us as a nation. We are endowed with a good environment with animals and everything.
As Hon. Senators, we need to work with the leadership in different constituencies. Our village heads are supposed to work with the Ministry of Environment in every district so that we work together as a nation. This important issue regarding the environment needs us to work together as a nation so that our environment is looked after well in order to have peace in our nation.
I would like to request that the Ministry of Mines should be regulated so that people do not just mine everywhere. Some people just mine without any regard for the environment. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Hon. Sen. Rejoice Timire.
Question again proposed:
*HON. SEN. GWESHE: I would like to debate and talk about Hon. Sen. Timire who was my friend. She was not aligned to any political side. We would sit as women and do a round table scheme. Hon. Sen. Timire was a very astute person who was also punctual with her payments. When she fell ill, I sent her a message via WhatsApp to strengthen her, saying that she would get over COVID just as I did. That particular message had only one tick and the next thing I was told that Hon. Sen. Timire had passed on.
Hon. Sen. Timire wherever we travelled, some people were testifying that she was a good person and she was doing good things. When I was told that Hon. Sen. Timire had passed on, I was really affected. It pained me. Relatives and friends of the late Senator were told to look for someone who was close to her – her young sisters called me and they asked me to accompany them to the bank to sign for some monies. I was told that her husband was in hospital and was not aware that his wife had passed on. We withdrew the money for the funeral and everything went well.
I would like to say, may her soul rest in peace. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021.
MOTIONENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on challenges faced by children of incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 25th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MATHUTHU seconded by HON. SEN. TONGOGARA, the Senate adjourned at Nineteen Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRESENTATION OF THE 2022 NATIONAL BUDGET STATEMENT
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development will present the 2022 National Budget Statement on Thursday, 25th November, 2021 at a Quarter to Three o’clock, in the afternoon.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for giving me this opportunity to put across my point of national interest. I note Hon. Speaker Ma’am that whilst we are celebrating as a nation on the brilliant idea by His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa to introduce the Emergency Road …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are not connected.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. I rise to give my point of national interest noting that whilst as a nation we are celebrating on the introduction of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) by His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa and the work that is being done on our national highways, together with the introduction of new buses across the whole country, I am totally concerned by the increase in carnage that is happening on our national highways. This is on account of road users, especially heavy trucks and buses disregarding the rules of the road. I will therefore wish Hon. Speaker Ma’am, that we consider seriously having a position where haulage trucks are given a period where they do not operate after dark – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – I am sure with the ERRP, we are in a position to provide overnight bays for these trucks to be parked and in the process, reduce the carnage and also reduce the loss of goods in transit.
Furthermore, Hon. Speaker Ma’am, I think it is a noble idea that we seriously consider putting back the fences that were along our highways to prevent livestock from straying on to the highways. That in itself is a major requirement in my view that should be considered in tandem with the ERRP.
Lastly, I think it is important Hon. Speaker Ma’am, that the new buses and other buses in general be governed speed-wise so that they do not exceed certain speed limits because they are tending to drive recklessly, abusing the fact that we now have state of the art roads in Zimbabwe. Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Musikavanhu for raising that valid point. I would advise you to move a motion on that.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Noted Hon. Speaker Ma’am. I will proceed to do so.
HON. TEKESHE: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. My point of privilege is coming from last week’s Question Time. Last week I asked a question but I was not answered satisfactorily by the Acting Minister. Madam Speaker, the Deputy Minister was here. I think if she responded to the question, I was going to be answered properly. Why are we having Deputy Ministers if they cannot stand in their bosses’ shoes when they are away or on leave? Are they ceremonial deputies? They are persons who are in the Ministry throughout and you bring a foreigner from another Ministry to come and respond to questions. I think that is not correct. If the Deputy Ministers are not able to stand in the position of their bosses, why can we not relinquish the positions because it is burdening the fiscus?
When the Hon. Speaker is away for two or three weeks, you will be there. When the President is away, the Vice President is there but when the Minister is away, there is an Acting Minister but the Deputy is there, enjoying all the perks that the Minister gets. So is that not duplication of work? You are burdening the fiscus. I would like to understand whether these Deputy Ministers positions are ceremonial. Please, let us get rid of that and just have the Minister. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Tekeshe. Deputy Ministers are not ceremonial. It is the prerogative of the appointing authority to appoint Acting Ministers. Deputy Ministers can respond in the absence of the Minister or in the absence of the Acting Minister. If the Acting Minister is there, he will be the one in charge. The Deputy Minister can respond when there is no Acting Minister at that moment in the House.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of privilege Madam Speaker. I would like to commend the Office of the Speaker for facilitating the Parliamentary Sports Club in visiting constituencies where we interact with ordinary citizens as Parliamentarians. We will be raising awareness of wellness and fitness to promote health. I say so because we just had a fruitful trip to Zvishavane-Ngezi, with most of the Members of Parliament and staff. It certainly makes us bond, understand and do more when people understand us better.
I would also like to thank those Members of Parliament whom we visit that host us. Also, I extend the same to all Members of Parliament, because we shall be going to all the constituencies, only if you are a member of the Parliamentary Sports Club. If you are not a member, we do not visit. So each constituency, we will visit and I would like you to partake. We are also training for wellness and fitness, every morning, Monday to Friday, 6 to 7 a.m. at Girls High. We also train at 1230 to 1330 at Girls High School. Indoor training is equally here. So we encourage you to come and be part of us so that as Parliamentarians we lead in the health wellness and fitness of the nation. We are leaders in that regard. I want to thank Parliament for taking it seriously because it is important that we lead by example, in ensuring that people are healthy and fit.
All Members are invited to train. We were given tracksuits by a company, for us to train, not to just wear them in your fields or to walk around. It would be good for the company to see us walking with those tracksuits for the intended purpose of wellness and fitness.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. There are two points of privilege that I rose to give and you gave a ruling. One was for the Minister of ICT in terms of Getway Solutions or International Call Termination Centres, which can bring about a lot of money to the fiscus. If it pleases you Madam Speaker Ma’am, if this Ministerial Statement can be given before the announcement of the 2022 Budget, so that after the Ministerial Statement, we can proffer solutions to the Minister as it relates to actually broadening his budgetary requirements and revenue streams.
The second one was the Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development relating to the road infrastructural development in the advent of the Second Republic. You gave a ruling that he was supposed to bring it in. If it pleases you, if the same Ministerial Statement can come through so that we can also propose that the revenue streams, especially from the mining houses, to broaden his budgetary allocation.
However, to date, this point of privilege is based on the Third Party Insurance that resides with all the automobiles of about 1.5 to 2 million vehicles, which are criss-crossing the width and breadth of Zimbabwe. If it pleases you Madam Speaker, if the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, as the recipient of this ubiquitous and copious amount of money from automobile or from unsuspecting innocent drivers, if he can couple a Ministerial Statement as it relates to the exact use of this Third Party Insurance and what people have gained from that insurance and from the Passenger Insurance, which resides with the passenger services vehicles. If he can couple his Ministerial Statement with the Third Party Insurance and Passenger Insurance so that the citizens can get to know why they are paying Third Party Insurance and Passenger Insurance? What it is that they have to benefit from that? Thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: For the first one, a letter was sent to the Minister of ICT. It is only a matter of reminding him to bring it, maybe tomorrow after Question Time, if you are requesting that it must be tabled before the budget because the budget is on Thursday. So we only have tomorrow afternoon. We are going to remind him to bring the Ministerial Statement.
On the second one about the Third Party Insurance and the Passenger Insurance, we will convey the message to the Minister of Transport so that he will bring in the Ministerial Statement. Thank you for that.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ZIMBABWE GENDER COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2020
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS, COMMUNITY, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHLANGA): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I rise to present my report on the Zimbabwe Gender Commission 2020 Annual Report.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) is one of the five Chapter 12 Commissions established in terms of Section 245 of the Constitution and operationalised through the Zimbabwe Gender Commission Act (Chapter 10:31). Madam Speaker Ma’am, the Commission has eight commissioners - three males and five females including the Chairperson, Mrs. Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe.
Mandate of the Commission
Madam Speaker Ma’am, through Section 246 of the Constitution, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission is mandated to:
Monitor issues concerning gender equality and to ensure gender equality as provided for in the Constitution;
Investigate possible violations of rights relating to gender equality;
Receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;
Conduct research into issues related to gender and social justice and to recommend changes to laws and practices which lead to discrimination based on gender;
Advise public and private institutions on steps to be taken to ensure gender equality
recommend affirmative action programmes to achieve gender equality;
recommend prosecution for criminal violations of rights relating to gender;
secure appropriate redress where rights relating to gender have been violated;
do everything necessary to promote gender equality.
BACKGROUND
In terms of Section 323 of the Constitution, every Commission
must submit to Parliament, through the responsible Minister, an annual report describing its operations and activities. Having submitted reports covering the previous three years, the ZGC has finalised its 2020 annual report which is now ready for submission to Parliament.
MAJOR POINTS OF THE 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Madam Speaker, the period under review witnessed several achievements in the following focus areas:
- Investigations
In line with Section 246 (b) and (c) of the Constitution, the
Commission managed to investigate 51 cases of violations of rights relating to gender including:
- 20 cases of gender based violence
- 12 cases of sexual harassment
- Five cases of gender based discrimination
- 12 matters involving property rights
- Two cases involving gender stereotyping in social media and broadcasting services.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, the majority of the cases are centered on
Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in its various manifestations. Having noted this, the Commission developed Standard Operating Procedures for Handling and Investigation of cases of Gender Based Violence and Sexual Gender Based Violence with the support of United Nations Women under the Spotlight Initiative.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, in addition, the Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (known as Chapter 12 Commissions Joint Investigation Forum) to strengthen collaboration on investigation of cases where there are mutual interests. The MOU was based on the common objectives of the Commissions as provided for in Chapter 12, Section 233 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
2 Gender Equality Promotion
i Research and Programming
The Commission has a mandate to monitor issues concerning
equality with a view to ensure compliance with gender equality provisions in the Constitution, regional and international frameworks. Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission in 2020: -
a) Developed a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to
effectively implement and strengthen its oversight mandate on monitoring adherence to gender equality provisions;
b) Issued Advisory notes in line with Section 17 of the
Constitution, which provides for gender balance in social, political and economic spheres. Duty bearers were implored to ensure gender sensitive appointments and respect the supreme law of the land;
c) Participated and observed Zimbabwe Government’s reporting at
the 75th Session of the CEDAW Committee meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland. The Commission also made a comprehensive presentation to the CEDAW Committee which was in response to the State’s report;
d) Convened the 2020 National Gender Forum (NGF) under the theme, “Strengthening Accountability to End Gender Based Violence in Zimbabwe.” The NGF was preceded by the Provincial Gender Fora that were convened in nine provinces.
Convened dialogue meetings to strategise on ways to increase women’s participation and representation in local Government towards gender parity threshold; to sensitise stakeholders on violence and harassment in the workplace and develop a draft roadmap towards the Ratification of ILO Convention 190 by Zimbabwe; capacitate trainers on gender equality in the world of work.
e) Operationalised six Thematic Working Groups to enable ZGC
to extensively deal with various gender rights related issues;
f) Observed the Public Hearings on Constitutional Amendment
Bill Number 2;
g) Submitted a position paper to Parliament on Engendering Electoral and Constitutional Reforms. The position paper also provided a platform to input the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 2;
h) Produced and launched the Gender Audit of the main political parties;
i) Developed a model gender policy in an effort to strengthen institutional capacities and provide sustainable mechanism to support engendering of political party systems;
j) Conducted a Rapid Gender Assessment of COVID-19 Quarantine Centres across the country.
- ii. Public Education and Information
Madam Speaker Ma’am, in the period under review, the ZGC
carried out a number of public education and awareness activities to increase awareness on gender issues and understanding the role and mandate by the public. These include commemorations of international events which were done through statements; 35 media appearances on both radio and television to assess gender dimension of national COVID-19 response statement on the COVID-19 induced lockdown and its implications on achieving gender equality, violence against women, gendered impact of Cyclone Eline, workplace sexual harassment awareness programme at Dairy Board Zimbabwe and FBC Bank.
iii. Institutional capacity building
Madam Speaker, the report also captures institutional capacity building which includes among others, budget performance, acquisition of fixed assets, payment of outstanding arrears, periodic financial reports and statutory returns and staff establishment. The Commission continued to strengthen its term with secretariat growing to just under the then approved staff complement of 48.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic hampered the full implementation of the Commission’s work plan. However, the Commission managed to implement some of the activities despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. This resulted in enhanced use of virtual modes of convening and dialogue facilitation. Madam Speaker, this is our report and I so submit. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Deputy Minister.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. I have been checking on our email and noticed that the report from the Gender Commission has not been emailed to the Members and Members want to debate from an informed position. I am wondering why that document has not been availed to Members so that we will be in a position to contribute and seek guidance and clarification from the Minister. Accordingly, I am asking Madam Speaker, if this debate could be adjourned until such a time when Members have been availed copies of the report so that we will be in a position to engage the Minister accordingly.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Mushoriwa. The Assistant Clerk is checking whether the report was circulated or not.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Certainly, it has not been circulated. I am going through the emails as far back as we started this Session.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is okay Hon. Mushoriwa. Let us give him time to check. I will come back to you.
HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me begin by thanking the Hon. Deputy Minister for tabling the Annual Report from the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in the National Assembly. Coincidentally Madam Speaker, the tabling of the report in the House comes at a time when Zimbabwe is joining the global nations in celebrating or launching the Gender Based Violence against Women and against Child Marriages. This is the responsible Commission that deals directly with women issues in terms of GBV. I want to appreciate and thank the Ministry for being positive in terms of timely coming up with this report.
Madam Speaker, you will note that it is one of the critical chapters that this Parliament endorsed in terms of formation on the 12 Commissions in Zimbabwe. We know that they monitor, carry researches et cetera but my point is on the issue in terms of rapid response in terms of issues. Where critical issues have happened, they should be pro-active in terms of getting information and quickly alert it so that the nation knows what is happening on their findings so that they continue to be relevant in every aspect where they are supposed to be carrying out their mandate. I know there could be problems in terms of resources but Madam Speaker, if it is alerted to Parliament in time, that will assist Parliament in lobbying resources for the important Commission.
I want to appreciate where there is the mention in terms of sexual harassment workshop on awareness in terms of sexual harassment. I think a workshop for a particular entity alone will not bear results in the face of where we are supposed to come up with a sexual harassment legislation because we have a Bill before Parliament. I think they need to go further in terms of consultation, awareness and even to the parliamentarians, ourselves working with the Gender Commission so that when we debate and put issues in terms of consultations where we go to consult in terms of the particular Bill, we will be able to take the issues that the Gender Commission entails the nation to have as part of the legislation so that the law making process in terms of this House becomes easy, becomes informative with results, based where they have carried out some research.
In short Madam Speaker, I really want to appreciate and thank them. Where they have mentioned that amongst the research that they have carried GBV is the highest, we would also have appreciated where they can provide some kind of statistics like pin point where and how. It may be in the report but I hope that in future, we will have some kind of tabulation where gender based violence has occurred so that the MPs and Councillors who come from the various areas get to know that there are issues to do with GBV where they come from. We are representatives of people, the more the information we have, the more effective we are and the more collective we are. We work as a team. I want to thank you for this opportunity Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have been advised that the report has been circulated on your gadgets, so please check on your gadgets.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: Madam Speaker, does it mean it has just been circulated?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Check for it now and you can debate later.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you for that report. May I commend the Ministry for responding to it because most ministries do not respond to reports. The Gender Commission must be applauded for doing things on time and again, the Ministry for responding as well. Today would have been a day where most of these issues that are outstanding in the ministries’ offices would have been disposed of but again, we are lacking participation from other Ministers.
Madam Speaker, one of the issues that I thought was important was the issue of the investigations which had been carried and again 50 cases. I also was able to understand the cases which were really topical. I am quite worried about the aspect of gender when it comes to men, in that a lot of men are being beaten up in these homes but it seems not to be highlighted. I would like to urge them to come up with a way of a hotline for men, because men are also shy to go and report the matter to the police.
Usually when men report a matter to the police, of being beaten up by a woman, the police actually make a mockery of it kuti aah ibva pano apa warohwa nemukadzi but a man would have been battered so bad that it has to be taken as a serious case. So, if a hotline can be introduced for men in terms of the Gender Commission’s role, you will see Madam Speaker that a lot is happening and that is the reason why again men do not spend time at home with their wives because of fear of abuse. Abuse, not only physically but the worst is verbal abuse which you cannot even sleep dreaming of the words which you have been served with. Instead of being served supper when you get home, they serve you with words of abuse and that becomes your meal for the night.
Madam Speaker, it is difficult for a man to then be able to challenge in any other way but what is important Madam Speaker is, it is not good for the children who are growing in that home where two parents are there and they are seeing this. It creates a bad culture moving forward for the children. That is why I always say at times to people, if you are not ready to be married, be like me and be single because you end up creating problems for the children when you are shouting at each other. As for me, I am on my own; I do not shout at anybody and the kids just listen to me. So they must not go into these issues and create a culture of young people growing up because charity begins at home. Every man wants to marry a woman near their mother and every woman wants to marry near their father. What we see our mother doing is the type of woman that I want to marry and what you see your father doing as a woman is the kind of man you want to get married to. So it is important for us to understand that.
The other issue is even the aspect of sexual abuse of young boys. It is serious because men are absent in these homes, women biologically have got ticking issues in their body and end up abusing these young boys. What do we do? I am not seeing any remedy to this or any measures being taken for us to deal with this. Not only that, it is traumatic because they are forced or in fact raped if I have to be clear. For them to come out of it, in as much as the girl-child suffers the trauma of rape, the boy-child suffers the trauma of rape. What mechanism is being put in place to also protect them?
I also want to talk about the ratification of the ILO. It is important that we are seen to be up there with the global world. We cannot afford to have treaties signed, ratification takes time and there is no implementation and all that. We then are short of fulfilling the SDGs. The moment that we do not fulfil the SDGs, it affects the economy and how people view Zimbabwe. You know Madam Speaker, Zimbabwe in terms of the Disability Act was the first in the entire world but today if you look at it – I think it is in 1992 that everybody applauded us for coming up with that Disability Act but we have not been able to move it any further than that. We are only known for having come up with a robust one. So, we must be seen to be following the SDGs in whatever we are trying to do.
Madam Speaker, I also want to emphasise because they did not talk about the Constitution itself which empowers women. Already the councillors saw the President. The first thing that they said to the President is that they want free seats as councillors. I was at a meeting today at the Electoral Commission and I took this picture which unfortunately, I am not able to load but I would have wanted. This is what the picture says; it is a picture which says “vote 2018, the women’s vote”. It says “we are 53% of the registered voters” the women Madam Speaker. It goes on to say “we are 52% of the population” and “voting is our democratic right”. Why are women not being encouraged to fill these positions and to vote for other women?
There is abuse when women also want to be in office, they are abused by men. I see what is happening in Mashonaland West itself, not that she is my sister but in contesting to be the Provincial Chairperson, she is being abused by men. What is the Gender Commission doing? I cannot do much, but how do you protect a woman who wants to assume position? Does it mean men must only be the Provincial Chairpersons? So, we came out with a system like that and we must be able to also look at the very same politicians. Men who are here must lead by example and allow for a democratic process.
You know Madam Speaker, if a woman of that nature is being persecuted by men, how do other women get motivated? This is where the problem is. How do we break that culture of men constantly oppressing women? In the home they oppress women and politically they oppress. So, where do we go? It is quite worrying at the end of the day and for me, we need to be able to also encourage women.
What I did not see again Madam Speaker, which is pertinent, is that what programmes is the Gender Commission doing to be able to choose women politicians. Start talking to them now and equally not only that, bring them to Parliament and say these are councillors and empower them. Give them that head-start. Deliberately Madam Speaker, they have to do that because there shall never be equality for as long as that culture is not changed, the culture of men thinking they are superior and women thinking that they are oppressed. What programmes culturally are being put in place?
We need to agree that a certain generation must now be taught. We have got role models there in women. You have people like Hon. Mpariwa, Hon Dr. T. Khupe, Hon. E. Ndlovu and Hon. Muchinguri-Kashiri who have been there. Mentorship - what are you doing to go and mentor the young girls because they can only be encouraged when you go and mentor them? What is lacking is mentorship. You being there Madam Speaker as the Speaker, must also find other young girls who aspire to be Speakers. You talk to them and it is a responsibility, and you encourage them talking to them about the hurdles and how you overcame the hurdles.
So, the aspect of mentorship is lacking in terms of us moving forward. We have great people and businesswomen who have done well but what are they doing to plough back? We need to have women who are of good stature going to universities, doing public lectures. I want to see Hon. Evelyn Ndlovu and Hon. Khupe at universities, not on political lines but on women who have progressed. When we talk about political parties, what programmes are they bringing up? Go to the rural areas and talk to those women in the rural areas and inspire them to do more – the girl child in particular.
The other issue which is pertinent is sanitary wear. We have spoken about it and it seems to be lip service. It still has not gotten to the girl child. The girl child’s self-esteem has suffered as a result because some use socks. Just be standing there, it is a problem. I am glad that the Minister of Education is here; we are willing to help your office with the schools’ programme as Members of Parliament (MPs), to make sure that all schools have sanitary wear. Sanitary wear must be like condoms wherein they are found in every public toilet yet they are optional. Sanitary wear is not optional. You can choose not to use a condom but you cannot do the same with sanitary wear. We need to ensure that every female toilet has got that. Until we manage to do that, we cannot say that we have achieved confidence of the girl child.
I want to applaud what the report said but to also say that let us not always have laws accommodating you when we have laws that empower you. Let us look at the laws that empower you – enforcement of the laws; 50:50. How many boards have 50 women and why do they not have 50 women? The Gender Commission must be in the forefront of making sure that the 50:50 we are talking about should be enforced across the board. Here at Parliament, there is a gender balance. You are Deputy Speaker. What is happening in all these areas must be corrected, follow up and write to every institution that is working with the Ministry, that may you comply with the constitutional requirement.
I would like to thank the Gender Commission once again for being quite professional in coming up with these reports. We hardly see organisations bringing these reports to the House. I would also want to thank the Ministry for coming through. Here is a good example of a Cabinet Minister who is not here but the Deputy Minister is here and delivering the report. She was also here last week doing the same. A lot of work should be achieved if the Deputy Ministers are able to do what they are doing. This is a good example of team work. They must delegate and not do everything. A lot of work is left in these offices. It is time that they delegate.
Hon. Tekeshe was correct in saying, what is their role? This is the role of the Deputy Minister when the Minister delegates and we know that it is about the institution and not about the person. The institution must be superior to the person.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: I would like to thank the Hon. Minister for the presentation. Just to add on to what Hon Mliswa said; the composition of some parastatals or board members and also board members in the private sector is not gender balanced. In most of the parastatals, we have got more men being board members. On the economic aspect, when you go to banks, the Gender Commission must take the Bankers Association to task, to account for the loans in their books. How much have they advanced to men and women? The reality is that there has been more money advanced by banks to men than to women. That is the beginning of discrimination.
You then have a situation where the other party have access to money and the other party has no access to money. That is the beginning of poverty. The Gender Commission must look into that and see that the Bankers Association is taken to account.
I sometimes go to church once in a while. We have got more women going to church but most of the leadership and board members of those churches are all men. If we allow such an imbalance to continue when we want to go to church, I think it will be difficult for these males to enter the kingdom of God because they are oppressing women. There is oppression in the church and the Gender Commission must look into these institutions. Why is it that all the leadership and board members are men and then there are more women going to church?
Let us develop our institutions. The Constitution empowers them because churches are national assets and democracy should prevail. More than 50% of our population are women but we see no women on the boards.
I will conclude by thanking the Hon. Minister that they have done very well but this is just the beginning of their work. The Chinese say ‘a journey of 1000kms begins with a single step’. This is their first step, they must now move into banks, churches and parastatals. I thank you.
HON. MUNETSI: I would like to add my voice to this important debate on Gender Based Violence (GBV). I was once in a meeting where I pledged some money and I am going to do it here again. I will start off with US$10. I am talking to men like me. If I can get a satisfactory answer to this question – all men should pay attention to this question. Why do we abuse women? If someone comes up with a satisfactory answer, I can part with US$10. I can even raise it up to US$20 if you also give me the intention of abusing women, what is your intention when you abuse women? Can you just give me a minute if anyone can respond? As you can see, no one can come up with a response as to the reason why women and the girl child are abused.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Maybe those who abuse women are not in here – [Laughter.] –
HON. MUNETSI: Maybe those who abuse women are not in here, then maybe those who abuse women are here, it is either way. You cannot tell me that of all the men here, no one has abused a woman, never.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Maybe they are the ones who are being abused.
HON. MUNETSI: It is simply because it is unbecoming. My uncle is asking if I have not done so, I am asking this question, if my wife was here, she would testify. There is a misconception that I want us to correct. When you get married, it does not mean you own the person. Marriage is not ownership. Women are abused because we think we own them, simply because you have paid a token of appreciation for her to be at your home, then you think you own that person? The woman becomes like any other object at your home, it is wrong. That is the reason why women are abused. You will discover that women are abused all over; you go to Church, they are not allowed to preach, you come to politics, they are bullied around, go everywhere, women play second fiddle - why? Because we think we own women, which is wrong. Women are equal to us; they are human beings.
From the study that I did, I discovered that there are far reaching causes and issues why women are abused. If at the age of my mother, there was no one who could speak for women, during the time when my mother was growing up, women would just get married and listen, simple. If you do not listen, you would go back to your home, aah, tamutadza mwana wenyu uyu haatereri, gumbeze rakura. Now that we have people who can speak up on behalf of women and tell the world that women are human beings too, it is high time women must stand up and speak loud and find justice for themselves.
There is an element of inequality that we believe is there. We believe women are not equal to us men, it is a belief and not a reality, it is a simple belief which is a misconception. Women are equal to anyone. Tell me what type of work a man can do and a woman cannot do? Not any; yes, I believe we were born physically stronger than women but it does not mean that they cannot do what I can do. We have abused women in several circles in life. Now I can see my uncle looking at me because I am saying this – [AN HON. MEMBER: Stop it.] – and we must stop it yes – [Laughter.] – Now there is really urgent need to help women to speak out being assisted by us men. There is urgent need to seek justice so that women cannot be abused and there is urgent need to condemn violence at home, in the society, in churches, political spheres where we think women cannot be. There is also urgent need to challenge that military father at home, there are soldiers in the homes who march around the yard and give directions which are useless. We do not own women, they are just equal, and they are like us. I thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
+HON. S. NDLOVU: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for the report that was brought by the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development on the Gender Commission. This report comes at a right time when we are commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. The one that is perpetrated to women when men view it as if it is their right to abuse women, men in families abuse their wives in the presence of their children. Children grow up thinking that it is a norm in the family.
What we are now seeing is that, in the families, especially traditional families, we see a son-in –law plays around with a daughter-in-law and touches her indecently and culturally it is agreed on. This type of culture should be changed because it is abusive to girls. I am saying it is abusive because this is not supposed to happen and girls are uncomfortable with this. We have also noted that there are boys who are 17 years old that abused a seven year old girl who was coming from school.
Therefore, if we do not intervene as a society and nation to protect the girl child against abuse from men, I am concerned that this generation will suffer. The situation is worsening every day. If you ask them, they will tell you that the way girls dress is the reason why they are being raped. Hon. Speaker, I am talking about a child who is being raped by her uncle or father. How should that child dress? If they say someone like me did not dress properly, maybe it is understandable. What about a six year old girl?
As we talk, we have a daughter in law who was killed by her husband in South Africa. The husband killed the woman and threw her over the window. This is the gender based violence we are talking about. I am talking of a recent incident where the deceased is yet to be laid to rest. We are expecting the body from South Africa to be laid to rest in our rural area. What is worrying Madam Speaker, is that she was thrown from an uprise building after being killed. What is of concern is that the perpetrator will go freely. It is time that we should come out in numbers and denounce such behaviour so that the perpetrators are brought to book. This type of education should start within our families where we teach our children, both girls and boys, values and norms. The boys should respect the girls and the same should happen to the girls.
As we celebrate 16 days of activism against GBV, we hope as women we shall speak with one voice. All those who have committed rape cases should face sentence, at least 30 years regardless of the age of the victim. We want to thank the Gender Committee which went throughout Zimbabwe and compiled a report which they tabled before Parliament so that legislators can debate on this report. Women out there should feel represented as we enact laws that will lead to sentencing of the perpetrators of gender based violence.
We want to be vocal so that even the churches should accept this message. What happens in some of these churches is so astonishing. We think that the churches are holy but there is a lot of abuse that happen in those churches. As Parliament, we should call for a minimum mandatory sentence which should serve as a basis for rape cases. Men are lamenting outside, saying that they will be taken to prison because of gender based violence. That is not our concern. They should desist from such behaviour. They should respect us as we were also created in the image of God. I am calling upon the law of Zimbabwe to protect women from the abusive men. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for the opportunity.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 2 to 4 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 5 has been disposed of. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS COMMISSION BILL [H. B. 5, 2020]
Fifth Order read: Second Reading: Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission Bill [H. B. 5, 2020].
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. First of all, allow me to thank the Joint Committees on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services, and the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security for their report on the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission Bill. I would also like to thank Hon. Members for their rich and robust debate on the Second Reading of the Independent Complaints Commission Bill. Pertinent issues were raised on various issues, including the composition of the envisaged commission and the prescription of the reporting period, which deserves to be responded to.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, Hon. Gonese raised an issue that the President is conflicted by appointing the chairperson of the commission, as he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and also will be the administrator of the Act. I want to respond, with all due respect to the Hon. Member who is a colleague and learned friend, that the commission is not being created to look into the President’s misconduct. Instead, it is to look into the misconduct of rogue elements in the security establishment. As the Hon. Member mentioned, the framers of Section 210 of the Constitution envisaged an effective and independent mechanism to look into complaints of misconduct against members of the security forces. The same framers also went on to establish independent commissions in Chapter 12 and 13 of the same Constitution.
These commissions are intended to be effective and independent. Chairpersons of these institutions are appointed by the President. An example is the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, all of which have powers of protecting the public against the power of maladministration by the State.
Madam Speaker, the President is the Head of State; we cannot say he is conflicted to appoint the chairpersons of the commission. Section 235 has a whole max of an independent commission. These are - that they must (a) not be subject to the direction or control of anyone (b) act in accordance of the Constitution and through exercising their functions without fear, favour or prejudice. However, they must be accountable to Parliament for the efficient performance of their function. After the establishment of this commission, it shall be the constitutional duty of Parliament to make sure that it is accountable, effective and that its independence, impartiality and integrity is protected.
There was an error in Clause 6: 1 (a) of the Bill as it did not include the Committee on Standing Rules in the appointment of the chairperson of the commission. We are going to provide an amendment to include the Committee. The appointment of the chairperson will mirror the procedure of appointing chairpersons of Chapter 12 commissions.
Hon. Banda raised that some of the commissioners should be non-citizens as they will be non-partisans. The issue raised by Hon. Banda, I think he was totally lost in that issues of the State of one country are not subject to the direction and control of another sovereign State. I just felt that there is need to remind him that participation in political activities is a right protected by Section 67 of the Constitution and voting on its own is a political activity. Surely, that on its own cannot be used to disqualify one from being a commissioner of this commission in question. Like I said, there are certain activities that are a preserve of citizens and we do not have to invite foreigners to ensure that we act in accordance with our laws as provided for by our Constitution.
The Portfolio Committee Report and Hon. Members, also raised that, for reporting misconduct against members of the uniformed forces, prescriptions should be open ended. The mischief we are trying to cure is non-reporting of cases. I would like to remind Hon. Members of 2019 where we heard that women were being raped by security forces but those cases were not reported to the police. This commission is meant to encourage victims to report cases. When misconduct happens, it must be reported as soon as possible or within three years and that we feel the prescription period will encourage members of the public to report.
Members of the security service do not serve for eternity. They serve for relatively a short period as compared to civilian employees. If you report misconduct late, at times you will find that the perpetrator has retired and in that case, he/she cannot be court marshaled. In some instances, may be the worst punishment the perpetrator would get is a dismissal from the force, which would be mooted if he/she has already retired.
What can be picked is that the one from members of the public and Hon. Members, is that if the period is limited to three years, the commission will not be able to deal with Gukurahundi and other previous misconducts by members of the security forces. The general rule is that laws do not have retrospective application. In any event, this commission is not being created to deal with past misdemeanors. It is being created to deal with complaints that are current, that are being perpetrated by serving members of the security services. So, the notion or the idea that Hon. Members heard that this commission was going to be used to deal with the so-called Gukurahundi issue is totally misplaced. That issue is being dealt with by the President through his engagement with chiefs.
We also have the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. We do not want to create parallel structures to deal with a single issue as if we are a confused nation. So, I urge Hon. Members to stick to what this commission – the mandate is to deal with issues to do with sitting, serving members and those are the ones where members of the public will go to the commission to report the misdemeanors that they would have done.
Hon. Members also raised that dismissal of members of the commission should be in terms of Section 237 (3) of the Constitution, which says the procedure for removal from office applies to the removal of a member of an independent commission. I agree with this point and an amendment shall be done accordingly.
The Committee, in its report, recommended that members of the security services should be allowed to participate as observers in the investigation of crimes listed in the Bill, in order to provide technical assistance and information. The problem is if their role is limited to observing, then they will not be able to provide the technical assistance.
Once again, I want to thank the Joint Committee for the report and Hon. Members for the debate. I also want to assure Members that all bona fide amendments meant to enhance this Bill are welcomed and with that, Madam Speaker Ma’am, I move that the Bill be now read a second time. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that we revert to Order of the Day Number 4 on the Order Paper.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
GUARDIANSHIP OF MINORS AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 7, 2021]
Fourth Order Read: Adjourned debate on Second Reading of the Guardianship of Minors Amendment Bill [H. B. 7, 2021].
Question again proposed.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Once again, I want to thank the Committee of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for their report and this is a very short Bill that is meant to align provisions of the Guardianship of the Minors Act with the Constitution in terms of issues to deal with the custody of children. Basically, it is actually two amendments whereby we now recognise that men and women have equal legal status and as such, the Bill simply wants to correct that to ensure that the custody of children is afforded to both on an equal basis. As such Madam Speaker, allow me to go through the recommendations of the Committee as my response towards the Committee report.
The Committee recommended that the Short Title must be amended to read as, “This Act must be cited as the Guardianship of Minors Amendment Bill 2021”. I agree, I think it was a typo and I will amend accordingly even without giving a notice – it is a minor amendment as we go to the Committee Stage.
Secondly Madam Speaker Ma’am, the Committee recommends to amend the definition of custody for it to define what custody actually is and for guardianship to also cover other forms of guardianship that exist so the use of the word ‘right’ can be replaced with ‘responsibility’. The definition should cover all the types of guardianships that can exist, for example, testamentary guardianship – that is the recommendation of the Committee. Madam Speaker, I believe the definition of custody in relation to minors here is wide and correct. I am not sure what they were expecting more than what is here because custody in relation to a minor means legal custody arising by virtue of parents being married to each other or by virtue of an order of separation. Actual custody where parents are not married to each other without derogating from the Common Law position that minors born out of wedlock are in the custody of the mother and guardianship means a legal right allowing either parent to manage the minor’s affairs, including health, education needs, financial security or welfare needs.
So the definition is to me, broad enough and I am not sure what exactly they wanted. If you adopt a child, you become the legal guardian and custodian, you become even the parent and the definition can still subsist. However, I am open to comments from Hon. Members from the Committee as to what exactly is the import of what they want added.
The third recommendation, the Committee recommended that the status quo be maintained whereby interim custody be given to the mother because practice has shown that young children’s interests are best served when the mother has custody until proven otherwise. Madam Speaker that would be a disregard of the Constitutional provision. I think that certain issues are better left to the courts to make a determination as to where the best interest of the child lies. Where there is a dispute on custody, we are saying custody of children should be joint custody but where there is dispute, the High Court as the upper guardian will always ensure that the best interests of the child are maintained. I believe in its current status; it captures what we want to do in terms of our alignment processes.
Then the fourth recommendation, the Bill should extend the court’s scope of the Children’s Court to deal with cases of custody and guardianship of minors. We are bringing in the Children’s Bill, so it will cover those issues. I think that will be taken care of.
Recommendation five, guardianship and custody of minors should be determined by considering the best interest of the child looking at the various prevailing circumstances. This is the exact import of what we want to do and the High Court as the upper guardian of children, you will see that in the Children’s Act and the Child Justice Bill, those issues will be covered. So you were very much correct but they will be covered in the other legislation.
The Committee’s recommendation number six, the Committee recommends that the Act should be amended to insert a section that provides for custody and guardianship of minors with disability and minors who are chronically ill. On the surface of it, that looks like a very sound recommendation but we are talking about guardianship and custody of children in general. I am not sure whether what is covered here excludes children with disability. The import of the Bill is that all children are considered whether you are a disabled child or not, so while the intention of the Committee may be very noble, the text of the Bill covers all children and did not want to separate and have a specific section for disabled children. My feeling is that it would be discriminatory.
All Bills should be transcribed into all the official languages in order to ensure that they are understood by all the citizens across the country. I agree. In fact, we are going to work with the languages centre from the Midlands State University to ensure that we start the process of translating our legislation into our local languages so that they can be easily understood by the generality of our people. We will start with those that affect us on a day to day basis, like the Domestic Violence Bill and the Traditional Leaders Act. Eventually, it is our intention to ensure that all the legislation is translated into our local languages. I thank you Madam Speaker and I move that the Bill be now read a second time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 5 to 7 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 8 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
FIRST REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES ON THE HATCLIFFE EXTENSION RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION PETITION ON LACK OF REQUISITE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, MULTIPLE BILLING AND SECURITY OF TENURE
HON. CHIKUKWA: Madam Speaker, I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the First Report of the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works, National Housing and Social Amenities on the Hatcliffe Extension Residents Association’s Petition on the lack of requisite infrastructural development, multiple billing and security of tenure.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
HON. CHIKUKWA:
- Introduction
1.1 According to Section 149 of the Constitution, read together with Standing Order No. 191 and Appendix E, every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has a right to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority, including the enactment, amendment or repeal of legislation.
1.2 On 26 March 2019, the Speaker of the National Assembly informed the House that Parliament had received a petition from Hatcliffe Extension Residents Association (HERA), requesting Parliament to look into the issues of lack of requisite infrastructural development, multiple billing, lack of accountability relating to funds contributed by residents and security of tenure in Hatcliffe Extension. The petition was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works, National Housing and Social Amenities. The Committee conducted an enquiry into the issues and came up with this report with recommendations.
2.0 Methodology
2.1 The Committee invited the then Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to a meeting to discuss the issues raised in the petition on 22 May, 2019. The Committee conducted a fact finding visit to Hatcliffe Extension on 18 May 2021, held a meeting with the petitioners and also toured the area in question.
Committee’s Findings
Oral evidence from the then Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing
3.1 The Ministry acknowledged that there were problems in Hatcliffe Extension associated with ownership of land due to friction between the Goromonzi Rural District Council and the City of Harare. Each of the two authorities claimed to be the relevant authority responsible for the administration of Hatcliffe. This friction laid the foundation for the residents’ perennial problems of ownership of land.
3.2 Furthermore, jurisdictional irregularities were also cited as the root problems for the settlement in question. According to the Ministry, Hatcliffe falls under Harare City Council but the area in question was declared as State land. The Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing opted to keep the land. It informed the Committee that it would solve the problem and hand over the land to the City of Harare.
3.3 The Ministry admitted that there was no service delivery being offered in Hatcliffe Extension yet residents were being charged for services which are not available. The Ministry said the solution to Hatcliffe Extension was to engage the Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP) for regularization of the area. Development would be carried out along the standards of the City of Harare. UDCORP will collect revenue from residents for purposes of servicing the area and it will work with City of Harare in that regard.
3.4 It was also highlighted that lack of service provision such as garbage collection, lack of standard roads and proper sewer disposal system emanated from unpaid rates by some occupants. The Ministry explained that under UDCORP, residents who fail to pay rentals will be evicted and the lease will be cancelled. The Ministry explained that the lease conditions signed between the Ministry and Hatcliffe Extension residents allow one to pay rent as a way of clearing intrinsic costs of the land. The rent applies where there is a structure such as a foundation or a house at any stage of construction. Therefore, failure to pay the rentals will result in eviction and cancellation of the lease agreement.
3.5 It was further explained by the Ministry that where there was no structure, the money was paid for the lease to cover the costs of the intrinsic value of the land. The lease rentals did not include service charges. However, the challenge was that residents were paying for services and rentals where there is hardly any standard infrastructure such as roads, sewer disposal and clean water supplies.
3.6 The Committee noted with concern that the Ministry had not engaged residents to explain the situation. There was need for the Ministry and City of Harare to work together in finding a lasting solution to the challenges raised by residents of Hatcliffe Extension.
4.0 Fact Finding Visit to Hatcliffe Extension
4.1 The petitioners’ prayer was for the transfer of Hatcliffe Extension’s jurisdiction from that of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the Harare City Council because of lack of requisite infrastructural development in the community. In terms of development of the area, the community was referred to the City of Harare. However, City of Harare had no jurisdiction over Hatcliffe Extension because the land belongs to the State. The beneficiaries of Hatcliffe Extension were moved from Churu Farm, Dzivarasekwa holding camps and some of the residents were beneficiaries of Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle scheme.
4.2 The residents of Hatcliffe Extension had two types of lease agreements, depending on how they came to be at Hatcliffe Extension. Some had two leases, one from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the other from the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.
4.3 The residents of Hatcliffe Extension were paying money to three different authorities and were not sure what those funds were for. Ideally, the money being paid to City of Harare should be for service delivery but the council was not offering any service.
4.4 The residents were paying for their stands to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and rentals for ‘your house scheme’ to the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities. They complained that the terms and the period of payment were not disclosed in the lease agreements.
4.5 Some residents said they were relocated twice after they had started developing their stands but were not compensated. Residents had been paying money from 1993 to 2005 towards development of infrastructure but they were told that their contributions were eroded by inflation. Some residents got discouraged and stopped payments. Stands for those who stopped payments were reallocated to other people. The residents expressed concern on the unfair decisions by the Ministry.
4.6 The petitioners confirmed that the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works held two meetings with the petitioners after the Portfolio Committee’s intervention. During the meetings, the petitioners indicated that the Ministry had admitted that there was an error in the way the issue of development was taking place. It was then agreed that an evaluation of the area will be undertaken and the Ministry is yet to commence works. For City of Harare to take over the service delivery of the area, there was need for some development to be done by the Ministry. It was suggested that a de facto local authority should be in place to spearhead development and that UDCORP was going to come in to regularise the development in the area but no timeframe was given and UDCORP is yet to commence works. Residents informed the Committee that they had no faith in UDCORP because of previous experience from other areas where the entity was involved in the regularization exercise.
4.7 At the time of the Committee’s visit, Hatcliffe Extension had no roads, water, electricity, clinic or business centre. The school that is there has one block which was sub standard and too small for the current enrolment of 1250 pupils. The block leaks during the rain season, had no floors and no furniture. The school is Government owned and was built under Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle Scheme.
4.8 Residents requested that basic services such as water, electricity, schools and clinics be provided to the community. They also requested for a cemetery for that area, citing that the only nearest cemetery was Glen Forest which is very expensive. Public transport such as ZUPCO buses were not able to service that area because of the poor state of the roads and residents had to walk long distances to get transport.
4.9 The petitioners were aggrieved that some areas which were set aside for recreational facilities and business centres were being sub-divided and allocated for residential stands. It was not clear whether there was any authorisation of land use.
4.0 Committee’s Observations
The Committee observed that:
4.1 The residents were paying rates to City of Harare but were not receiving any basic services such as water and refuse collection. This situation was a health hazard which might result in contagious diseases if not solved with the urgency it deserves.
4.2 The residents had been paying rentals to the Ministries of Local Government and Public and National Housing and Social Amenities towards ownership of the houses and requisite infrastructural development but the terms and conditions were not clearly stated.
4.3 It was also unfair that residents were being evicted without compensation when they had paid towards a stand and had started construction.
4.4 The issue of residents paying towards ownership of houses without timelines might result in prospective home owners paying forever without being given title deeds.
4.5 The issue of boundaries was affecting many peri-urban areas and the Ministry has to be clear on who provides what in terms of service delivery.
4.6 Although the issue of jurisdictional disputes is constitutional and can only be solved in 2023, in the meantime the responsibility of each player has to be outlined to avoid disputes.
4.7 The service providers have failed to fulfil their obligations as per the signed lease agreement between the ministries and the residents of Hatcliffe Extension.
5.0 Committee’s Recommendations
The Committee therefore, recommends that:-
5.1 The Ministries of Local Government and Public Works and National Housing and Social Amenities should solve the problems being faced by Hatcliffe Extension residents by providing the requisite infrastructural developments. It should hand over the responsibility of service delivery to Hatcliffe Extension to City of Harare by December 2021.
5.2 Government must address the challenges of jurisdiction in the next delimitation exercise in 2023 to avoid disputes.
5.3 City of Harare should stop forthwith collecting rates from the Hatcliffe Extension residents since the area is outside its jurisdiction and is not offering any services to the area.
5.4 Going forward, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should desist from settling people where basic services such as water, roads, schools and clinics are not in place.
5.6 The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works together with UDCORP should regularize the Hatcliffe Extension area and ensure proper collection of revenue is done by one entity by June 2022.
6.0 Conclusion
6.1 The Committee implores the Government to seriously come up with measures to stop settling people where there are no basic services. This will go a long way in promoting and protecting the rights to water, safe environment and shelter of the petitioners as espoused in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
I thank you.
(v)HON. MARKHAM: Madam Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the petition which I believe is very comprehensive in what it states. I would like to reiterate some inherent problems that the petition raises in our town planning and also in the policy administration of local Government.
My concern with this is that it has been highlighted to Government ever since I was involved and even before I was involved. I want to make it clear from the outset that I am not blaming anyone but what I am requesting Government and the council to do is to fix the problem because while we talk and wait, people in Hatcliffe are still paying.
Every month those who can, will pay and those who cannot are being evicted and this has to stop. When the Justice Uchena Report was being commissioned in Hatcliffe, both extension and patriotic put forward a lot of complaints regarding these issues and we have to resolve them.
The petitioners are quite correct in what they are asking for. They have been paying for some years right back to the holding camps. In some cases, when even they receive it, the money is not being accounted for. We were told it was eroded with the devaluation of the currency. That is not correct because the money was received by the Council or whoever was collecting the money. These people were then settled on stands which they have been paying on an open ended account. There is not even one person I am aware of who can say I have got some money that I still have to pay. This is wrong and it is fleecing the residents. It is absolutely unacceptable.
When it comes to delivering services, water, sewerage or roads - all the services Council blames Government and Government blames Council. We have an ideal opportunity looming now when we have the delimitation coming up after ten years which we now have to do. Hatcliffe itself is bounded by Mazowe South and also by Goromonzi right on to the inside part of Hatcliffe – the top part of Hatcliffe is actually in Goromonzi West and this has to be rectified. The council and the Ministry have to get together and cut out so that Hatcliffe can be run as a separate entity so that the infrastructure can be built.
Hatcliffe has over 100 boreholes and does not have water except the shops at Ward. It has no sewerage to talk about. It has no roads put in for twenty years. There is no piece of tar that has been laid for twenty years. This is unacceptable. The Committee met the residents at Hatcliffe Primary school which has 12 050 children, 43 teachers and the Headmaster is paid by Government. It is a satellite school. Those 12 050 children fit into six classrooms and we are in an urban setting. The way we are treating these people is totally unacceptable.
I pray that the people do exactly what the Committee has said. The Committee has laid out what should be done and there is a timeframe for what the Committee requests both the Ministry and the City of Harare do. It is unacceptable that residents continue paying. There must be a moratorium issued immediately where residents stop paying until we realise and sort out the maps. The green areas have all gone to residential. The wetlands have also gone to residential. The area set up for the clinic and police have been saved but that is it. There is no green area in Hatcliffe. Hatcliffe Extension’s population is more than that of the original Hatcliffe. My prayer is exactly the same as the residents and I commend the Committee for the good work that they have done.
(v)HON. NDUNA: I would like to thank Hon. Chikukwa and Hon. Markham for the report on the petition according to Section 149 of the Constitution that mandates everyone to be able to petition Parliament on anything to come forward. The petition that came on the 26th of March 2019 is greatly applaudable.
I would like to say one thing only. If we continue to deal with the Hatcliffe Extension issue with kid gloves, we are actually drawing back the rights of the women. I say this because I am a HeForShe champion. I want it known that issues to do with poverty and lack of infrastructure development in particular housing affect mostly the women because everyone is borne of a woman. Issues to do with poverty affect the women mostly.
It has been said by Hon. Chikukwa that the Minister of Local Government has taken that land as State land and this means that Hatcliffe Extension or Goromonzi Rural District Council has no jurisdiction over that land. I will take you to Section 72 and Section 2 of the Constitution. Section 72 talks of the rights to agricultural land. Section 72 (7) (c) speaks of the people of Zimbabwe being enabled to assert their right to land which land was taken from their forefathers without any compensation. Section 2 of the Constitution speaks to and about the supremacy of the Constitution.
Any Section or Act of Parliament which is ultra vires the Constitution should be repudiated to the extent of its inconsistency. The land at Hatcliffe Extension mirrors the land that the A2s and A1s have been given without payment. The issue which I think is not just and is not right is the issue of making those people at Hatcliffe pay for land which has not been serviced. The mandate of the Local Government and local authorities is enshrined in Section 152 (2) of their own Act – the Urban Councils Act. It is also enshrined in Section 205 (1). It has three parts.
The first part says the local Government or urban authority has the mandate to sell that land to would be prospective owners and the second mandate of that same part says, you can lease that land. The people of Hatcliffe have been crying that they have been leasing land which they have no services from. The third part which I think is right and is prudent speaks about donation of that land to prospective house owners. However, none of that has happened but the local authority has gone ahead and made people pay without service provision. The issue of Hatcliffe also mirrors what is happening at Chegutu at M23A where people have no right in terms of any ablution, water and sewer and reticulation. If this issue comes to a screeching halt at Hatcliffe Extension, it will come to a screeching halt in Chegutu West Constituency too.
The issue of title should also be addressed immediately so that the people of Hatcliffe Extension can also help the people of Matshobana in Bulawayo, the people of Pfupajena in Chegutu and the people of Rimuka in Kadoma. If the issue at Hatcliffe Extension is addressed according to Section 72 of the Constitution - by the way, there is no more land in the local authorities except the land that is being given to Ministry of Local Government which is agricultural land for urban expansion. Let us view all the land in that regard and let us give the people in the urban sectors and urban authority land in the same way we are giving in the peri-urban and in the rural part, the A1 and the A2. Madam Speaker Ma’am, we are treating people in the urban authorities with the back of our hands, whereas the people in the rural part are being treated like queens and kings. Let us treat our people the same way. Madam Speaker Ma’am, there is need to address everybody in the same way the Constitution allows us to address our people.
There is the Article on the African Charter on Human Rights of 1991, the Constructive Act of 2000 and the Protocol of the African Charter on Human Rights and relevant articles – there are about 18 to 19 articles that speak on the same issue, the issue of the rights that are supposed to apply to everybody. I am talking about the African Charter – there is also the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Charter and our development goals that are premised on Vision 2030 and NDS 1 that covers up to 2025. All these should be adhered to in addressing the issues of Hatcliffe Extension Madam Speaker Ma’am. You will find that by addressing the issues of Hatcliffe, you will address a plethora of issues that are bedeviling the urban authorities times without number. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to vociferously, effectively and efficiently debate on this noble motion Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. WATSON: Good afternoon Madam Speaker. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I would like to commend the Committee for the work they have done. I have heard Hon. Nduna talking about peri-urban – there are areas in the periphery of Bulawayo which we described as peri-urban. However, those people are neither fish nor fowl although they vote in the metropolitan area. They are outside the city council boundary and therefore in the rural council but they get no benefit from the rural council at all. I am hoping that where he sees them as kings and queens, he would change his attitude because they are suffering terribly. They have no access to services of any description, be they education, water, sewerage, social services, they have nothing.
We have to uphold SDG 1 and Vision 2030 - those people are some of the poorest in our close to urban environments and I would hope that the petition in terms of Hatcliffe will equally encourage local government to look at those areas and all the rural councils as well. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. MUTAMBISI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. MUTAMBISI: I move that the rest of the Orders of the Day on the Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 9 has been disposed of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE ON THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE HELD WITH THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
HON. SHAMU: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Portfolio Committee Report on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, on the Virtual Conference held with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Republic of China.
HON. C. MOYO: I second.
HON. SHAMU: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I will immediately go into the introduction;
INTRODUCTION
In tandem with His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, Hon. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s efforts to strengthen the long-standing relationship between Zimbabwe and the People’s Republic of China, guided by Parliamentary diplomacy, the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade held a joint virtual conference with its counterpart, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday, 26 May 2021.
BACKGROUND TO THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. W. K. Shamu, hosted a virtual courtesy call from the Ambassador of China to Zimbabwe, on 12th March 2021 in which discussions were centred on the importance and consolidation of relations between Zimbabwe and China. Pursuant to this, Hon. W. K Shamu assured the Embassy of China of improved dialogue between the two countries’ two Committees on Foreign Affairs. The virtual conference therefore, was a concretization of the communication between the two sister Committees.
OBJECTIVES OF THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
- To strengthen bilateral relations between the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
- To explore opportunities of improving China-Zimbabwe relations.
- To discuss cooperation and coordination between the two Committees.
PARTICIPANTS TO THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The joint virtual conference was chaired by Mr. Chen Guomin, the leader of the delegation and Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China. The following designated Members and officials of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China attended the Conference:
- Chen Jin, Member of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China;
- Chen Fulin, Member of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China;
- Liu Xiuwen, deputy director of the Budgetary Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee of the People’s Republic of China; and
- The officials from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
The following designated Members and Parliament Staff of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Parliament of Zimbabwe attended the conference:
Hon Dube G., Hon Moyo C., Hon Kabozo S, Hon Chikudo R., Hon Moyo Priscilla, Hon Maphosa L., Hon Gandawa A., Hon Chihururu C., Hon Chimbaira G., Hon Gwanetsa K., Hon Mchenje S., Hon Ngwenya S., Hon Sacco J., Hon Ncube Soul, Hon Masenda N., Hon Sibanda Z, Hon Tungamirai T., Hon Karikoga T. and Hon Shamu W. being the Chairperson of the Committee.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
The Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Chen Guomin the Chairperson of the conference, extended warm and fraternal welcome to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, for the historic virtual meeting between the two Committees and expressed his appreciation for the Parliament of Zimbabwe’s support for China.
In the interests of Parliamentary diplomacy, the host Chairperson informed his guests that China extends its unwavering commitment towards the China-Zimbabwe relations. He extended his appreciation towards the great attention showed by the members during the virtual meeting which he stated, demonstrated Zimbabwe’s full commitment towards China. He also highlighted his passion towards strengthening the bi-lateral relations between the two Committees.
BRIEF ON THE CHINA-ZIMBABWE RELATIONS
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade presented the position on China-Zimbabwe Relations as follows:
- Zimbabwe and China enjoy excellent political relations. The relations dated back to the days of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against the colonial rule. China provided training and military equipment to the liberation movement. Since independence, China’s involvement in Zimbabwe has been increasingly directed towards broader macro-economic growth, and in particular towards the development of mutually beneficial linkages with Zimbabwe in the various sectors of the economy. Some of the sectors included the construction of sports facilities, hospitals, schools and the development of textile factories.
- These relations have been strengthened over the years through exchange visits, including engagement at the highest level. His Excellency, President Mnangagwa paid a reciprocal State visit to China in April 2018 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, who had paid a State visit to Zimbabwe in December 2015. The exchange visits at the highest level indicated the cordial relations between the two countries.
- The long-standing relationship was based on mutual respect, solidarity and support for each other’s core interests. The two countries shared the same geo-political and economic issues.
- China has over the years supported Zimbabwe in the face of political pressure, isolation, stigmatisation as well as economic strangulation from the West. On its part, Zimbabwe has been consistent and unwavering in its support for Beijing’s core interests, particularly the One-China Policy.
- Zimbabwe was subsequently put under economic sanctions by most of the Western countries. Hence, in a bid to curtail the effects of the sanctions and international isolation, Zimbabwe has been very deliberate in enhancing its bilateral relationship with China. This deliberate effort was affirmed by the adoption of the Look East Policy in 2003 to give priority to investors from China, Japan, Singapore and other countries from that region. Resultantly, trade between China and Zimbabwe has been growing exponentially. Furthermore, the Look-East Policy resulted in the development of cordial relations between Zimbabwe, South East Asia, and Far East countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan. This also gave birth to several successful joint agreements between the Zimbabwean Government and these countries.
- The Look-East Policy adopted by the Government has managed to unlock investment opportunities in the key sectors of the economy. China has invested heavily in mining, telecommunications, power generation, and housing projects in Zimbabwe. Most of the aid from China has gone towards projects which have been neglected by western donors such as in health and infrastructure development. Furthermore, China loans and aid came with no conditions such as political or economic reform which reflects China's principle of respecting the sovereignty and non-interference of the recipient nations.
- Over the past 40 years, China-Zimbabwe relations have yielded positive results. A number of major projects have been implemented such as the Zimbabwe National Sports Stadium, Kariba South Hydro Power Station Extension project, Hwange Thermal Power Station Project, Victoria Falls International Airport, and Robert G. Mugabe International Airport, giving a strong boost to Zimbabwe's infrastructural development.
- Robust trade and investment have seen the creation of employment and changed people's livelihood. The investment in the expansion of the country’s two major power plants, Hwange Thermal Power Station and Kariba South Power Station by a combined 950 MW is nearly US$2 billion. While the 300 MW Kariba Power Station Expansion Project was completed in 2018, the expansion of Hwange by 650 MW is still ongoing and scheduled to be completed next year.
- China has also channeled its support towards health care, education and humanitarian assistance, for example reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Idai, medical teams and materials to combat the spread of COVID-19. To date, China has donated significant consignments of materials in support of Zimbabwe’s efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, China has since donated 400 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Zimbabwe to help the country combat the pandemic. Zimbabwe was one of the first recipients of the donation among the various developing countries in Africa. This demonstrates the close relationship between the two countries.
- Over the years, China has equally invested in agriculture and has become a key player in Zimbabwe’s tobacco growth sector, achieving an annual turnover of US$1.6 billion from tobacco export. The support to the tobacco industry has supported small and medium tobacco farmers. This support is in the form of contract tobacco farming which has resulted in improved yields from 2008 to 2019.
Joint Projects between Zimbabwe and China between the year 2000-2019
SECTOR |
PROJECT |
CONTRACTOR |
Health |
Mahusekwa Hospital– US$6 million Chinese aid to Zimbabwe. In 2011 US$100 million medical loan. extension of Phase Two of Mahusekwa Hospital launched in 2019 |
China’s Nantong Construction Group Co, Ltd |
Water |
In 2011 Upgrading of Morton Jaffrey water treatment plant China Exim Bank provided US$144 million loan |
China Mechanical Engineering Corporation |
Harare City Council sewage treatment plants upgrade- US$237 million |
Sino Hydro |
|
In 2018, Harare City Council signed US$868 million loan from China for water and sanitation projects. Land is used as collateral security. |
China Machinery and Equipment Corporation |
|
Transport |
Robert Mugabe International Airport expansion project. China Exim Bank provided the US$153 million loan facility. |
Jiangsu International of China |
Victoria Falls Airport refurbishment funded by US$150 million China Exim Bank loan |
China Jiangsu International Group |
|
Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu dualisation project cost US$2.7 billion |
Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group Limited (Afecc) |
|
Communication |
National Broad Band Project. US$98 million loan facility from China Exim Bank |
Huawei |
In 2011 Netone received US$60 million in 2011, a further US$290 in 2014 and US$71 million loan in 2018 for 4G and LTE from China Exim Bank for base stations upgrading. |
|
|
|
High Peformance Centre (HPC) at the University of Zimbabwe at a cost of US$5 million zero-interest loan. 2018 Chinese government extended a grant for the implementation of the HPC Phase II |
|
Power |
Hwange Thermal Power station $1.2 billion China loan (China Exim Bank). Generating capacity will increase by 600MW. |
Sino Hydro |
|
Kariba South Hydro expansion $320 million China loan (China Exim Bank). Generating capacity to increase by 300MW. |
Sino Hydro |
Infrastructure |
National Defence College constructed at a cost of US$100 million loan facility from Chinese government. |
Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group |
New Parliament building Chinese government grant US97 million. |
Shanghai Construction Group |
The Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Chen Guomin and his delegation, highlighted the following:
- In the past 40 years, China and Zimbabwe have been through a lot of socio-economic challenges but have remained resilient in the face of adversity. In spite of the challenges, the two countries have remained steadfast and grew close cooperation. Last year the two sister-countries celebrated 40-year anniversary of China-Zimbabwe relations.
China supports Zimbabwe in safeguarding national dignity and national sovereignty. China has extended humanitarian support towards Zimbabwean students against the effects of Covid-19 by providing vaccination and adequate accommodation. He emphasized that the assistance rendered to the Zimbabwean students studying in China is evidence of the Chinese government’s commitment to providing a dignified and peaceful place to live in. Pursuant to this, he revealed that the Foreign Affairs Committee of China is working to promote justice, fairness, peace and development.
- It was further highlighted that the Communist Party of China is celebrating its 100th Anniversary and working towards building a modern communist country which is the vision of His Excellency Xi Jinping. The Communist Party is guided by the Marxist ideology and its members are all united towards development of their nation.
- To ensure development in China, the Chinese nationals always follow the trends of time and history as well as seizing the opportunities for growth. He emphasized with great concern, the need for Zimbabwe to find its right path and stick to it in reaching our strategic goals. He further highlighted that when making national decisions as Parliamentarians, we should consider international socio-economic and political developments.
- In China, the Communist Party is clear on its ideology of putting people first. In the last 100 years, the party learnt the following:
- Being resolute in putting people first, i.e. equitable distribution of resources and opportunities among its people.
- Believing in the common good of the people and the world.
- Believing in working together with the rest of the world to build a better future for mankind.
Mr. Liu Xiuwen, deputy director of the Budgetary Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee of the People’s Republic of China, highlighted some of the economic achievements of China;
- China has managed to score historic victories against poverty. Statistics of China’s economic growth released by IMF in April 2021 shows immense growth despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Covid-19, its economy steadily recovered which in turn shows resilience and endurance by the Chinese People.
- The Communist Party of China has always prioritized ending poverty in the country. Approximately 99 million rural households have been lifted out of poverty through targeted alleviation programmes funded by the government, in an effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1, which calls for an end to poverty in all its forms.
- He emphasized that innovation is important for the benefit of our people. China believes that promoting investments in innovation and learning from other countries will result in great modernization of our countries.
- China is committed to importing food from Zimbabwe, particularly citrus.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- There should be a review of the trade relations with a view towards horizontal and vertical economic integration.
- The two Committees continue to engage one another in cross pollinating ideas on how China managed to alleviate poverty.
- To applaud the government of China through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe on the support that the government of Zimbabwe has received from China.
CONCLUSION
The virtual conference between the two Committees was invaluable and timely in consolidating bilateral relations and mutually beneficial co-operation between the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China and the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee of the Parliament of Zimbabwe. The China-Zimbabwe relations have yielded more positive results in the overall socio-economic growth and development of the two countries. China has made it clear that it condemns unequivocally the illegal sanctions imposed by Western countries on Zimbabwe. China is willing to cooperate with Zimbabwe in ensuring that the National Strategy Development 1 is realised. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. C. MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for affording me this opportunity to second a motion which has been moved by Hon. Shamu, our Chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, and International Trade on the virtual conference with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Conference of China on 26th May, 2021.
I think first and foremost is to appreciate and thank the Republic of China on the donation of more than 400 000 doses, which we received as a country so that we compact COVID-19. That will help us to reach herd immunity by 31st December, 2021. Allow me to highlight the objectives of the virtual conference where we said we need to strengthen our bilateral relations with the Republic of China and also to explore any opportunities so that we can engage more. Thirdly, to discuss areas of cooperation and there was an invitation that when COVID-19 cases eases up, as Foreign Affairs and International Trade, we need to go to China, as a re-engagement strategy. Also, they want also to reciprocate that to Zimbabwe as a way of strengthening that cooperation. So, I hope Madam Speaker Ma’am, when the request comes to your office, you just own to the request. Thank you Madam Speaker in advance.
Allow me Madam Speaker Ma’am, to highlight to you on the projects because I think people would question to say what the impact of those projects is. When I looked at this motion, I considered (1) the constitutional side; number 2 the NDS 1, our National Development Strategy 1 and I also considered Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That is very important.
On issues of health, to start with, according to Section 76 where we are saying we must make sure that the right to have access to health is given to our people - that is a constitutional mandate. When we look at the project of Mahusekwa Hospital, where US$6 million Chinese aid was called to the refurbishment of Mahusekwa Hospital, this will assist us when I look at NDS 1, paragraph 664, where we are saying we want to have a healthy nation. Obviously, a healthy nation will live longer, more productive and even accumulate more wealth. When I looked at our SDGs, I realise that is a response to SDG Number 3, where we want to ensure health lives and promote well being of our people. That is for project number one, Mahusekwa Hospital.
Then I looked at water, I considered our Constitution, were we have got Section 77, where we are saying we have to, by all means, provide safe and clean water to our people. Our Chinese counterparts are upgrading our Morton Jaffray as well as Harare City Council, which is very important to our people of Harare. When I looked at NDS 1, that is paragraph 483, where we said our people will have potable water and also we want to increase access to potable water from 77.3% to at least 90% by 2025. Our Chinese counterparts are helping us in this regard. I also now then checked on our SDGs, I realised that is SDG Number 6, where we are saying we want to ensure availability and sustainable water to our people.
I go to project number three that deals with energy and here our counterparts are helping on expanding Kariba South Hydro as well as refurbishing Hwange Thermal Power Station. When I looked at our NDS 1, I realised that on paragraph 405 (2), the availability of reliable, affordable and modern power supply to our citizens, manufacturers as well as our foreign investors but my problem on energy is there is a lot of load shedding which is affecting our nation as a whole. Our citizens would be asking where is that money? Was that money used properly because they are seeing many problems to do with energy, they do not need to see all these problems. They do not see the impact of those projects. Surely something must be done on energy. As I am speaking, in Mpopoma-Pelandaba in Bulawayo, they do not have electricity. Surely they will be saying we cannot appreciate and applaud our Chinese counterparts after pouring such huge monies in these projects.
Similarly on water, in Bulawayo, it is known that there is a perennial problem of water. Surely they will be saying, as we are being told money has been put in these projects: what is happening in Bulawayo, Mutare and other parts? When I looked on energy and check on our SDG booklet, SDG 7 talks about affordable, reliable as well as sustainable modern energy. So, our counterparts are helping us to achieve SDG Number 7.
On transport, Robert Mugabe International Airport is being expanded by our counterparts. Also Victoria Falls Airport is being refurbished. This is a noble idea and when we look at our NDS1, paragraph 518, it says we need to ensure that there is air safety and security. I remember we went to Turkey with Hon. Shamu, as well as our Hon. Speaker. Our Turkish counterparts want to invest more in Zimbabwe. In particular, with these airports, surely we need to be doing something so that when they come, they will see that there is a little bit of progress.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, on SDGs, I realise that we are working towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal Number 9, which talks about building resilient infrastructure as well as responding to innovation and our industry. A lot has been done but we still need to do more so that our citizens can see the impact of such a relationship.
In my closing remarks, I want to quote a Biblical verse. Job 2:11: ‘now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came everyone from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite heard about all the troubles that had befallen Job. They agreed to sympathise and comfort him.’ We need to thank our counterparts and in this regard, our Chinese counterparts for sympathizing and comforting us. I rest my case. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. MUTAMBISI: I move that the debate do now adjourn
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. MUTAMBISI seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Four Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2, on today’s Oder Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CURBING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AMONG COMMUNITIES
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I move the motion standing in my name that this House-
NOTING with concern that since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a sharp increase of gender-based violence (GBV) especially domestic violence in the country;
AWARE that Zimbabwe is a signatory of UN international and regional treaties and protocols against GBV, amongst them CEDAW, SADC Protocol on Gender and Development;
ACKNOWLEDGING the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign (UNiTE campaign) that calls for global actions to increase awareness, galvanise advocacy efforts, to end GBV;
AWARE that this year’s theme for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which will run from 25 November to 10 December 2021, is “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”;
RECOGNISING the efforts that the Government has been taking to curb the scourge of GBV through policies and activities in provinces and districts;
WORRIED that if urgent measures are not taken to reduce the prevalence of GBV, there is real risk that GBV will be a real pandemic within the COVID-19 crisis;
NOW, THEREFORE, CALLS upon the Executive to do more to curb GBV among communities by, among others
- deploying more GBV mobile services in districts and provinces; and
- building more safe houses
HON. SEN. SHUMBA: I second.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I rise before this august House, firstly, to inform this House that this year, Zimbabwe is commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the theme: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women and Girls: No to Child Marriages!” Honorable Members will recall that this annual commemoration has, since 1991, been an effective platform for rededication towards total elimination of all forms of violence against women and the girl child. Activities lined up for the commemoration testify of our commitment to ending violence in the country, and these include:
- Lighting of Parliament of Zimbabwe Orange punctuated ‘an Address by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Advocate J. F. N Mudenda’;
- High Level Dialogue on 16 Days of Activism punctuated through a Key Note Address by the President of the Senate, Hon. M. M. Chinomona; and outreach to four provinces.
Any act that is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty constitutes GBV. You will realise that given that broad definition, GBV is widespread. It knows no social or economic boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds. It is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. No doubt, GBV disproportionately affects women and girls. Most often, men are the perpetrators and women the victims. GBV can be deeply traumatic, fistula, destroys families, drives homelessness and results in illness, injury, disability and death.
Globally, conventions, protocols and treaties to which Zimbabwe is a State Party include Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women of 1979; the UN General Assembly of 1993; Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Development, Equality and Peace, 1995; the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against women and Children of 1997.
GBV or violence against women and girls (VAWG), is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. It can cause long-term physical and mental health problems. Violence and abuse affect not just the women involved but also their children, families, and communities. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data from those on the frontlines have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, have intensified. In fact, the spiking cases of the GBV have been described as the shadow pandemic growing amidst the COVID-19 crisis. There is need for a global collective effort to stop it. In Zimbabwe, according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, between January and September 2020, 5 507 GBV cases were reported through the national GBV hot line, recording a 200% increase, compared with the same timeframe in 2019, when 1 930 cases were recorded. During time of crisis, more than ever, calls for the need to be zero tolerant of domestic violence and exploitation of women and girls in any communities. This is of vital importance because women are not just victims in crisis situations like COVID-19 lock down, but they are also a group that plays a pivotal role in COVID-19 response.
I would like to take the opportunity to make reference to the legal framework the government put in place to address GB, which by and large is adequate but lack of full enforcement remains a challenge. Chapter 4 of the Constitution, Part 2, Sections 48 (1), 51, 52 and 53 provide for the right to dignity, personal security and freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment and all forms of violence; - the Domestic Violence Act; the Matrimonial Cause Act, the 1989 Maintenance Act, the 1997 Administration of Estates Act, the 2001 Amended Sexual Offences Act, the 2006 Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and the 2007 Domestic Violence Act. Regardless of all the aforementioned policies and conferences, GBV continues to be a thorn in the flesh among women globally, regionally and Zimbabwe in particular.
It is of concern to the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus, and the august House should be equally concerned, that the government has apparently failed to fully enforce existing GBV laws. I propose it is time a new GBV law is made, maybe one that codifies all the GBV laws into one that is effectively enforced. The different pieces of legislation have their own weaknesses that should be addressed urgently. For instance, GBV is not confined to the domestic sphere, but it can take place anywhere anytime, at a place of work, in public spaces, at bus stations, and in the informal sector. In addition, we are aware that funding of GBV programmes remain a challenge. Key GBV institutions, in particular the Anti-Domestic Violence Council, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Victim Friendly Units under the ZRP, require more resource allocation and timely disbursement in order for them to execute their mandate.
The Anti- Domestic Violence Council especially, has been unable to carry out its work effectively due to lack of any meaningful funding, yet it was established to promote the protection and relief of victims of domestic violence through research, information dissemination, coordination and monitoring. As we commemorate 16 Days of Activism and Gender Based Violence against Women, we take this opportunity to call upon the Treasury to fully adopt the concept of Gender Responsive Budgeting. Poverty is a risk factor associated with gender-based violence. It reinforces gender inequality and further marginalizes the status of women. Therefore, through Gender Responsive Budgeting and women economic empowerment, they can be powerful tools in reducing gender-based violence. We implore, as the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus, the august House to ensure funding facilities such as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO) and the Women's Micro Finance Bank.
Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. This issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs. Decreasing violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multi-pronged approach, and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders. The elimination by 2030, of all forms of violence against women and girls, and of all harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage, are key targets adopted under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This august House will note that while having laws on the books is important, it is not sufficient. Numerous GBV laws continue to co-exist with high prevalence of domestic violence or sexual harassment, and child marriages, which also become a scourge in its own right. This may result from poor implementation of the laws, whether due to poor enforcement, low capacity, or the lack of additional mechanisms, policies and specific programmes. We believe as women that the violence against women in this country continues despite legislation because of various factors: gender inequality, cultural attitudes towards the position of women in society, and women economic marginalization. A culture of patriarchy - especially within local power structures, makes it impossible for women to compete even for political power.
Survivors of domestic violence need a full package of services yet in most communities, service providers are located in different physical locations, thereby inhibiting timely and efficient responses. Police stations and hospitals do not provide a conducive atmosphere to report cases of GBV. I would like to applaud the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ), through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and SMEs Development, for launching a One Stop Centre (OSC) at Gwanda Provincial Hospital. We are also aware that Musasa Project established safe houses in provinces. The One Stop Centre concept will go a long way in providing the much needed medical, legal and psycho-social services to survivors at no cost under one roof. My only concern however, is that there is still a lot of provinces and districts which do not have such facilities. What this means is that women in these provinces cannot access critical GBV services. I think it is urgent that the Ministry rolls, in the meantime, mobile GBV services
Child and forced marriage (CFM) is an extreme human rights violation and a harmful practice that disproportionately affects women and girls globally, preventing them from living their lives free from all forms of violence. CFM threatens the lives and futures of girls and women around the world. Child marriages disrupt the girl child education, making them more vulnerable to violence, discrimination and abuse, and preventing their full participation in economic, political and social spheres.
While we are pleased that Zimbabwe has committed to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, you are aware that the Marriage Bill, among other things, seeks to end child marriages. This will, in turn, reduce incidences of domestic violence in communities. In addition to that, Zimbabwe has adopted the 4P’s campaign, namely, 'Prevention, Protection, Participation, Programmes'. This campaign is informed by the Africa Unite to End Violence against Women Campaign, the regional component of the UN Secretary General’s global UNiTE campaign. Be that as it may, child marriages remain a concern in the country, especially in the context of COVID-19.
You are aware that a sharp increase in teen pregnancies and child marriages has been reported in Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 lock-down, with at least 4,959 girls falling pregnant, and 1,174 cases of child marriages being recorded between January and February in 2021, as reported by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and SMEs Development. Prolonged lock-down due to the Coronavirus pandemic has seen children going for months without attending school, exacerbating the complex factors that drive teen pregnancies and early marriages. Child marriages and pregnancies are a form of GBV that the girl child continues to suffer. COVID-19 is simply exacerbating the situation. This should be addressed promptly, otherwise this is fast becoming another pandemic within a pandemic. The lock-down and the protracted closure of schools have also left many girls cut off from support systems intended to protect them from abuse.
Therefore, I humbly would request this august House to recognise and play a role in raising awareness against gender based violence in all its forms, work around laws related to sexual harassment and together should explore how a specific law on gender equality can protect women and the girl child, finalise the Marriages Bill, among other things. It begins with us Parliamentarians. I thank you.
+HON. SEN. MPOFU: Thank you Mr. President of the Senate for allowing me this opportunity to add my voice to this important motion. It is important for us as Zimbabweans to share and that we should know that there is abuse of women and girls, not only for us here in Zimbabwe but throughout the world. These 16 days of activism are recognised by all countries in the world. They all recognise that women and the girl child are being abused and it is particularly coming from the males.
First and foremost, what causes that abuse is this disease, COVID-19. During this time of COVID-19, children were not attending school. As a result, during that period, people were at home and relatives particularly were abusing women and the girl child. Women were abused so much during the lockdown because the husband was at home, he was not going to work. A lot of companies had closed down and that caused men to request for particular food even though it was not available at home. The men would abuse women for that.
Most of the children during the COVID-19 lockdown were married off because of poverty, particularly in the communal areas this was quite rampant. When people ran out of things, they would marry off their daughters so that there could be some food. That is bad indeed. That child’s right would have been violated to be married off while she is still a young child. My view is that such parents who marry off their daughters should also face criminal charges as to why they are doing that because they are abusing the girl child.
A girl child should not be married off before her time. That violence comes in various ways. It happens that at home when a woman requests for something from the husband, the husband becomes aggressive. When the woman requests to go for a meeting then the male refuses. That is wrong. We, as Senators and Members of Parliament, should campaign and conscientise those in the rural areas that the abuse of women and girls is not right and is illegal.
Sometimes it is difficult to see that abuse because the police stations are far away. You find that in some wards, there are no police stations. For people to walk it is difficult because of the distance they have to travel. When you travel that long distance, the police tell you to go and fetch the abuser. That becomes difficult and that causes people not to make reports. At police stations, there are now what are called victim friendly units but most people are not aware of that. People should be informed. The police as well should conscientise the communities about victim friendly units so that people may know where to go when abused to make a report to the police. You can report to the police or the hospital. It is allowed. It is my hope that by 2030, all this abuse of girls and women should come to a stop and we should be seen as a civilised nation which recognises human rights.
On political issues particularly, we are being abused as women. There are many women by virtue of our population, but when you want to stand for a post in politics, you find that in those posts, men are found in higher numbers because we are being looked down upon as women. There are posts that we are not supposed to occupy as women in leadership, but our Constitution says we have equal rights. It is our request that our chiefs should help us to conscientise communities so that women are not abused and girl children are not married off while they are still young. It should start there in the communal areas to conscientise people not to marry young girls. The Marriages Bill must quickly attend to this so that those who violate that law are prosecuted and sentenced. As of now, it is difficult to prosecute because the law is not yet in place. A child must be said to be ready for sex at 18 and it is my plea that the Marriages Bill be made into law so as to protect the girl child and women from abuse. Mr. President, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to debate. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi who moved this motion of Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. I would like to add my voice concerning women and young girls. I do not know why but in our country, I believe that we have laws; I do not know where people are going wrong in respecting women’s rights. Women are being abused in homes, young girls are being raped. I was hurt last week seeing a woman who was violated by her husband, her body and that of the children were cut into pieces. This is painful Mr. President because when these people are arrested, they are not given deterrent sentences as compared to those who steal livestock but they would have killed people. There is no painful thing like not respecting women. Women are being abused, there is no specific sector that we can say is genuinely reserved for women, whether it is in agriculture or somewhere, women are given the smallest portion or are the last beneficiaries; in all things men benefit first.
Mr. President, I do not know whether it is our patriarchal structure that is tough on women. The culture says when a woman gets married, she is taught to be submissive to the man. All the things belong to the husband, be it cattle, goats, poultry and even the woman is said to belong to the man. Women suffer in so many ways. Some man rape young girls who are as young as their own children. I do not know what should be done regarding punitive sentences for such perpetrators. You find a sexual offender being given community services.
Mr. President, I was pained to hear the story of a young woman who picked up a phone and gave it to her husband. Some people came to collect the phone from her claiming that they were the rightful owners. They were told that the phone was given to her husband. They took the phone and police officers then came and took the young woman to the police camp. On their way to the police camp, the young woman was raped by the police officers. On arriving at the police station, the young woman denied allegations of stealing the phone insisting that she picked it up and have since given it back to the owner. The young woman then alerted the police officers on how she was raped. The police officers denied the allegations and she told them that she left her pant on the scene evidence to show that she was raped. The police officers denied raping the woman. Women are facing challenges. So Mr. President, this is really painful. Where do we go and report as women?
There is a very serious problem in the nation. Government should look at what is happening or what women go through in rural areas and everywhere where women are. I would also like to request that there be victim friendly centres near homesteads. In other areas, women have to travel long distances to go to the police. In cases of rape, when they arrive at the police station, there will not be any evidence left. It takes some close to three days to go and report and it helps if police stations are near. This is a painful situation; it is difficult for women; we are being used to do things that are not right. During election times, the woman is told to go and do this and that and these are bad things and because of fear, women are found to be perpetuating such bad deeds.
Mr. President, with these few words, I would like to say a rapists and sexual offenders should be given deterrent sentences or life in jail, I thank you
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion that was raised by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi on an issue which affects us as women. I would like to say that we have had a tough time in this country and as women, we do not know how to live because when a man gets angry he takes an axe which is supposed to chop firewood and he chops his wife. I do not know what spirit has possessed our men because when he takes that axe and axes his wife and children, you wonder what crime has been committed by these young children. I do not know, this is really bad, we need God’s divine intervention upon our nation. Even in a community where a woman is being abused and axed by his husband, phones are becoming a problem. In the past, people used to intervene but nowadays people are just on their cellphones. They take videos of a person being abused. What is so interesting about watching a person being abused? After taking that video and posting it on social media, what do you benefit from that? Instead of confidently approaching such a person and assisting the person who is being abused, I do not know what spirit has possessed people where you find a person violating the whole family, mother and children. We have cases of children who are going to trauma centres who have seen their mothers being beaten up or killed. This is painful; you end up wondering what is happening. This is not right, it is painful. You find an adult male raping a minor then killing that minor and dismembering the minor’s body parts. May- be you are cutting a life short of a prospective nurse or leader. This is happening in our country and this is tough. You find a person raping a three year old, what do you benefit from that? She does not even know what you are doing, you are just disturbing and destroying her life. Even when we go to fruit trees like mangos and peaches, we pluck those that are ripe and not raw mangoes. How about a three year old girl? Is that girl ripe - no she is not ripe, she is an innocent child who is being punished for no apparent reason; she is being made to suffer for no reason.
Mr. President, I do not know if this is because of many people. Is it because of traditional healers and prophets, I do not know - but women are facing the brunt of sexual abuse. They are being killed and raped. What should we do about rapists? My belief is that we do not want them to be killed but those who are raping children should be castrated because they will continue to rape. Going to jail, that organ might be used to rape other men in jail – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] –Sometimes when you move around, you end up fearing people - you do not want to meet people. When you meet people you try to avoid them because you do not know whether they can be trusted or not.
In the past, when you meet a man in darkness, they would accompany you so that you are safe but nowadays you are no longer safe, you can be raped. This is a painful issue which is really affecting me. Wherever I see a woman being beaten up or being killed, I feel like crying because this is a woman like me, it pains me. You find that when a woman is being beaten up where men and women are found, like in a beer hall, you find people saying that a prostitute is being beaten up instead of protecting that person but people just celebrate the beating up of a woman. If she committed a promiscuous act, if it is adultery, why is it that people only beat up women but do not beat men? Is it because women are not powerful or strong enough to retaliate also? When you go to the police station to report such a case, the police officers will also judge that woman asking where she was beaten up and when she says it was in a bar, no one is prepared to assist her. So, after being beaten up, it is important that she is protected.
You also find the police officers also abusing commercial sex workers. I do not know what spirit is hovering around policemen who are supposed to protect people but are seen abusing women. They no longer fear committing crime. How is this going to be addressed? You end up going to report that I have been abused by a police officer. For instance, the case that was referred to by the Hon. Member, they were walking for a distance of almost 20 kilometres until that woman was raped and she left her under garment. She was tested and it was discovered that she had contracted a virus. This is going to affect her in terms of marriage. She might not get married because she has been infected after being raped. We find people in Samora Machel who want money in exchange for sexual favours. These are commercial sex workers who are prepared to be paid yet you find men raping and abusing young girls who are innocent. When you are raping, you are affecting and destroying both the mental and physical state of your victim. I do not even know where you are coming from when you beat me up and abuse me. Recently, a man fought with his wife and then I said this man did this because I was not nearby. After beating up the mother, he held his small baby by the neck. When I came back home, I was told the story of such abuse.
I was told that that small child was held by the neck and the baby was only three months old. That man was lucky because I was not nearby. I wanted to confront him and get him arrested. Why lift such a small baby by the neck? The child cried a lot. This was very traumatic because we have young children who saw that abuse. Some children from the neighborhood were so affected, they ended up saying he wanted to kill his child. I said that this happens and I had to counsel them. Children in that neighborhood are very concerned because it is affecting them psychologically. May God help us and intervene. Some children and a number of thousands of children who were abused by their uncles and relatives have fallen pregnant. You find a father or biological father raping his own daughter and then you ask that child to do an abortion. I am not talking to men who are not doing that but I am talking to abusers. I am saying that abusers should desist from doing that. How do you feel engaging in a sexual encounter with a young child? Young girls are falling pregnant because they are being abused by their own relatives and you find a father abusing his own daughter or a brother to the father abusing these young girls.
The mother-in-law will take that small girl as a daughter-in-law, which taints us as women. It is just that during that particular time, we did not know what should be done and where to go. Right now because we know, if I see such a thing happening, I go and report the case to the police, especially the case where this man was raising a three-month old baby by its neck. This reminds us that as we commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, let us value these days. Let us work together to report abuse whether it is abuse by the in-laws.
There are some mothers-in-law who abuse their daughters-in-law and you find that the husband might be having a close relationship with his wife and you find the brothers to the husband or the aunties abusing that woman. A happy daughter-in-law can be seen and it is evident but abuse is not right. Denying me my rights is not right, it is abuse. So let us not abuse each other as women especially for mothers- in-law. Let us treat our daughters-in-law well. With these few words, I would like to thank you Mr. President. When I went back home, I was told the story of such abuse and I was told that that three-month old child was held by a neck, and we witnessed such abuse and even some children from the neighborhood were so affected. I thank you.
+HON. SEN. A. DUBE: Thank you Mr. President for this opportunity so that I can also contribute to this motion which is quite pertinent which has been moved by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi, and seconded by Hon. Sen. Shumba. It is a very important motion on the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. There are abuses all over and even throughout the world. There is a campaign all over the world that this abuse is continuing to increase. As a woman at home, you may also abuse a man – asking the man to cook and attend to the children.
This is what we are talking about and that should come to a stop. We should campaign against that. Strong campaigns should be done so that we stop this abuse. Even at home, a mother-in-law can abuse a daughter-in-law. That abuse is a violation of rights. Gender Based Violence is all over even at work, people are being abused by their bosses. That should come to a stop. There is a lot that is happening and we have a higher population of women and they are being abused. Every day in the Press, we read of females being killed by males. Things like this happen and you find a male calling a woman in an abusive way and they end up killing them. There is so much abuse and women are not resting at home.
When a man fails to get some money for beer, he will victimise the woman and when food runs out, again the woman is abused while it is the man who should fend for the family. When the man has money, he calls the woman to cook for him even late at night. The numbers of women being abused is rising and there is no rest for them. When a woman is tired, the male will say I require you to come to me and that is abuse which is unlawful. When a woman is tired, she cannot perform her conjugal rights, so because of lobola, the women are abused for that in front of their children. The children will end up being traumatised and as a result, these children will fail at school. These abuses affect the children’s performance at school.
Women also abuse men and that should come to a stop as well. There should be a deterrent sentence for such people who conduct themselves in that way so that others will learn that abuse is not good. It causes the victims to be depressed. At Engutsheni, you find that the number of girl inmates there is increasing, for some of them, it is out of poverty and others, it is abuse.
Young children are being raped Mr. President. In some places, after abuse they are not allowed to report. One child approached us when we were in a group; the grandmother was there and the girl was bleeding. They looked for the young men but the granny did not like it. It is understood that another 18-year old boy also abused this child and the granny said they had solved that amicably.
Mr. President, the children are being abused at home, the matters are solved communally at home and the child ends up depressed and traumatised on seeing that abuser. In the law, if a child is abused by a relative, that relative must be arrested so that we put a stop to this. We do not talk when violation of rights has happened and the future has been disturbed. Such people will encourage such behaviours, for instance mothers and grannies should also be prosecuted.
Members of Parliament and Senators should conscientise our people; we should not wait for the 16 days of activism to conscientise our people as this is an annual event. We should continuously remind each other, people are being killed and burnt, and we have never heard of such; this is taboo. The police now have the Victim Friendly Units but we request that these units be properly educated on customer care so that they can handle such cases ethically.
There are cases where a victim approached the Police Victim Friendly Unit and the officers were aggressive. Such officers need to be retrained so that they are victim friendly. Because of this aggressiveness, the victims end up being afraid of the police and they will not disclose everything that would have happened. So, these police officers should have a proper training on how to handle victims.
This is a very important motion Mr. President. Every day in the press we read about people being abused. In this country, even in political parties, women are being abused. There are situations where people are of the same rank but when you are a woman and you are of the same rank with males, they will exclude you from the discussions. That is abuse of women because the males will simply be looking down upon women. When it comes to political campaigns, these women are the ones who will be at the forefront. Even the males who are of a lower rank look down upon those women of higher ranks. In political parties, people should also be conscientised to respect women. We should have equal rights at work and home as well.
When we conscientise each other, we must always include the Almighty God in these activities. There is now an evil spirit hovering around the world. What is happening is not normal, women are being killed and burnt and the children end up in depressive moods. Therefore, God should be involved in these activities of conscientising and bringing a stop to all these abuses. The First Lady has had prayers for this nation and she should continuously do so in order to liberate us from the devil.
It is the devil who causes people to be murdered in that way, we need prayers. We can do campaigns and conscientise people but we really need God’s intervention on these matters so that the truth can be brought forward and the devil will be shamed. This motion urges us to contribute because we hear these problems are all over the world. People are being stoned to death and so on around the world. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKUMBE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this debate regarding gender based violence. Gender based violence is not only about women but it is happening to men also. It is not a good thing, whether it is being perpetrated on a man or woman. This means that our culture is under attack. Our culture does not support violence. It does not support the use of axes and knobkerries on women. God created a man first, then he also created a woman so that men and women should love each other and they procreate, and because of that it is important to value and respect a woman.
As a father, I have four daughters and I have never beaten up my daughters because I know that they have rights as girls, the rights to be brought up properly. When the time comes for me to have a son-in-law, I would tell the son-in-law that I have never beaten up these girls and giving me lobola does not give you the right to beat up my girl child because this is a person who can hear and understand when you talk to her. We find men beating up women, this is bad. We also find women who beat up men. Recently in Featherstone, there is a woman who stabbed her husband for spending the night away from home. When the husband was asked where he was coming from, before responding he was stabbed to death. Domestic violence is just not right, whether it is being perpetuated by a woman or a man.
Some men are abused. Some are dragged by their collars when they fail to provide for their families. Some are being abused emotionally while others are committing suicide. Violence is not just physical but emotional and verbal as well. Men fear discrimination to a point that when they are abused, they cannot talk about it and report it. Some are suffering in silence. There are some young children who are abused by teachers. The advantage that we have is that news is being distributed through social media. Some domestic workers are abusing children they look after. That is abuse. Where have our values and norms gone to? People go to church every Sunday and share the Bible but our culture is only shared in a few rare cases. There is no platform where people are being taught their culture yet culture is important because it teaches people to be responsible. It does not encourage violence at all. This is happening because our culture is under attack.
We need to correct that notion so that in schools, the curriculum should be having aspects of gender based violence as a subject because both girls and boys are going to be married at one point and they need to understand that there is no need for abusing each other. They need to understand what should be done. Sometimes you find people being poisoned, some hire people to go and kill their spouses. Violence is not encouraged, whether it is being perpetuated against a woman or man. It is not part of our culture as Zimbabweans.
Right now, we have the Marriages Bill and some women are saying we do not need to worry about lobola because it commodifies women. Using that to perpetuate violence is not right. Our culture is under attack. Let us defend our identity as a people so that we understand where we come from and why it is important for us to be here now. We do not need to copy other people. Some say that you need to know the confines of your environment and identify the good things that are found in our culture. When we were growing up, we used to swim together with young girls. At times we would share the same room but nothing would happen. Where did we go wrong? In a rural set up, a niece can be left with her uncle but nowadays you cannot leave your daughter with your relative because the vulnerability of that child is at stake. There is no respect for anyone’s rights. This violence, especially in urban areas is being perpetuated by people with guns who shoot each other.
Recently, the social media was awash with a story of a man of God who abused a woman. This is the erosion of our social fabric. We find people extorting each other or participating in corrupt activities. This is not right. A woman has her rights. When the domestic violence policies were being formulated, the former Vice President Mrs. Mujuru used to say that it is important to understand the dynamics of relationships. Men need to love their wives instead of victimising and threatening them. Women should not fear their husbands. When you are feared as a man, there is something wrong with you. Children have rights too. What culture are we inculcating in our children? We want people who know that we are black people and as black people, your child would be married to the Chimbudzi family of which good cultural values should be inculcated into that child so that when she gets married she would understand the dynamics of marriage.
Some families do not have anyone who supports them. We need to understand that some children were brought up by other children. They did not have adults to look after them. Some were brought up by guardians like grandparents and this results in them not being groomed well. As Parliament, we need to think about that.
The other thing that I want to talk about is we need to tell each other the truth in life. The truth does not destroy a relationship but it makes us to live together in harmony. We need to accept the truth. What happens is that sometimes people live their lives in complicated relationships. Sometimes you might end up wondering whether the children in your family are yours or not. That is why our culture says that you should marry someone who you know and you know their family because some marriages are now marriages of convenience. There is no longer love.
These are the few words that I have. I do not want to defend myself as a man, but love is between two people. Let us love each other. Let us not beat each other. Respect your wife, respect your husband and do not be an abuser of your children because they have their rights. I am a champion in Manicaland because I say 18 years plus. You cannot marry an underage girl and there should be consent. That is found also in the Marriages Bill. At 16 years, a girl can date, she is not allowed to get married but at 18 she can get married. So what are we saying in between 16 and 18? What will happen if a girl dates at 16? That is food for thought. I thank you Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to remind Senators to put your phones on silent or better still switch them off.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: Thank you Mr. President. I stand up with passion. I am passionate because of the reports of violence that we get which are being perpetrated against women and the abuse that is happening even among women. So I wanted to debate regarding the motion that was moved by Hon. Sen. Chimbuzi regarding gender based violence.
Abuse is in various forms, Mr. President. There are women who abuse each other. Some know that this man is married but despite knowing that he is a husband to someone, they seduce that man. They entice that man, enticing a man until he knows that he is being enticed. This is abuse. She is abusing the wife to that man and the children of that man who end up knowing that if the woman knows a certain neighbour is doing that to her husband, this is really difficult for her.
These are issues that are difficult when we talk about gender based violence where you find people tormenting other families. This was not happening in the past. When you met a married woman, you would accord her respect. You would give her space. Based on our culture, she would greet you without looking into your eyes. What if you decide to be naughty using facial expressions? So this was not permitted by our culture. When meeting a woman, you would just greet her and she would also greet you, but you did not maintain eye contact.
These were laws that were meant to make sure that there is no violence among families because this will end up affecting both families. Some would know that this man is married, but she wants to go there. She wants to be married to a man who is already married, who has his own family, who has children that are growing up. Now this might be a girl who is only 18 years old, who is going to a man who is old enough to be her father. This affects the children in that marriage.
Some abuse their men. I heard the Chief talking about this form of abuse. It is as if we shared notes. We are keeping quiet but as I stand here, I have also suffered abuse, being abused by women. Whether it is at home or other women, women are perpetrators of abuse also. Our legs are now painful because of age, when you come across a woman, some would start acting at you and you end up wondering whether she is just passing by. She seduces you until you approach her. That is also abuse because once I fall into that trap, it means that my marriage begins to suffer.
This is happening, Mr. President. There is no proper cultural teaching because there is a demarcation between rural and urban because in rural areas, some are being raped and in towns some are being paid off. Some are raped but some suffer abuse in a different form using money. This violates women.
We also have cases of men. I cannot say men are good compared to women because, Mr. President, if children who are in this country are being registered so that it is determined whether they are from the first wife, second wife or the third wife, you discover that children from the first marriage are fewer than children from out of wedlock; this is abuse to the first marriage. His Excellency the President said that the First Lady has been talking about abuse of young children through her platform which is meant to teach young people to be responsible. You find that people after being taught, especially those of the apostolic sect in Marange, about values in relationship, you will find an old man with white beard marrying a girl aged nine. Senior citizens will be exchanging young girls. I have witnessed deaths three times. The girls will die giving birth. These sects do not allow the young girls to go to maternity hospitals but they go to their local shrines. You will find the young girl crying as if she is the one who has just been born yet it will be her giving birth because of her age. Surprisingly, the old man will be seated by the door waiting to see and hear the cry of the new born baby to a mother of such a tender age. In most cases, these young girls will not make it during child birth, the girls die and are buried in those shrines.
What kind of abuse is that, where you will find an old man forcing a small child to engage in sexual intercourse with him? I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi for raising this motion. If it were possible, I would say men who do that should be castrated but castration is quite severe because removing a male’s manhood is also abuse. If a person looks for lost cattle, when you meet someone in the streets, they will say you are looking for your oxen, it only shows how important manhood is. Those who marry young girls must be given deterrent sentences. We must not castrate their manhood but they should be incarcerated with their manhood and be given very harsh sentences. We must visit the apostolic sects and teach them not to abuse young girls. It is only a mother who can protect her child from such behaviour.
The other form of abuse is between women and women. Women throw the ball to the men saying that we hinder them from occupying top positions. I must say that we must tell each other the truth here as what the Chief encouraged us to do. As I stand here, I was voted for by women. If I want to win, I will just say ‘madzimai woyee!’ and they will vote for me. If a woman stands up and says the same thing, you will find other fellow women saying ‘hure’. If we tell each other the truth, it is good. Women fight against each other, if there are eight people, eight females and one male and you ask for leadership, all the women will point at a man that he is the only one suitable. They will not vote for their fellow women no matter how qualified and educated they are. They do not want another woman to take up that position. I am appealing that women in this abuse discourse unite and work together to end all this discrimination against women.
In the past, we did not hear many cases of gender violence because women were respectful to their husbands. They humbled themselves before their men. When slapped, she did not show attitudes, she would continue with her matrimonial duties as if nothing happened. Nowadays when there is no cooking oil in the home, you will discover that when the man arrives, if he asks why the wife did not use cooking oil to cook relish, the wife would reply that - take that bottle of beer that you are holding and pour it in your plate of sadza to make it cooking oil. If the husband brings beer instead of cooking oil, instead of telling the man that there is no cooking oil, you will find the woman insulting the man that you brought alcohol instead of cooking oil. The husband might be surprised, may be the woman will not have communicated that there is no cooking oil. Another example is that the man will complain that the children are disrespecting the husband and the wife will say ‘are they your children’, and the man will retaliate physically choking the woman because of her response.
This makes the husband to be emotional. I witnessed a certain couple; the man got hints from the neighbourhood that a certain man was coming to his home in his absence. One day he pretended to go to work and came back, found the boyfriend in the house, he confronted the boyfriend and he was beaten up. When the woman came out, she started insulting the husband saying, why did you confront him when you know that you are a useless man? There is nothing that you can do, you do not even have children.’ The husband went into the house and took all the children and threw them out. He killed his own children because of infidelity and the abusive words that were said after infidelity. So, after that confrontation, what if she had been quiet?
Mr. President, despite all the things that I have said which have truth, I still support that there should not be abuse of women, that is where I stand. I do not want women to be abused. I do not abuse my wife in my house. I do not insult her, but we call each other ‘honey’. When you come to our place, you do not even know who is ‘honey’, whether it is me or my wife. We do not insult each other but we consult each other.
HON. NYATHI: I would like to thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to say the few words, contributing to the motion that was moved by Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi. A woman is a very important person in this country. What I know concerning a woman is that when a woman is married and then the husband passes on, the woman remains behind that marriage. Is it good to axe someone because if you find someone taking a weapon to beat up a woman, it is not right. A woman should be respected, there is nothing that can be done in this world without the involvement of women.
Right now, we have our First Lady who is moving around the country; she is a woman, she understands, she has got that maternal instinct, she knows that she has to do it and if she does not, there is no one who can do it. We have men but what I know is that when two people are in love, when they meet and there is attraction between the two, when the man proposes to the woman, what then goes wrong when you find a man killing his own wife and all children? This is the same person that you propose love to and you declare that you love her. So, in marriage and in all the domestic violence that is happening, there are some people who are sent to go to approach the woman’s family. There is a traditional process but why is it that at the end of the day you will find a man perpetuating those ills, instead of going back to the traditional process and telling a relative that we are having a problem with my wife. Mr. President, there are a lot of domestic issues that are happening. There were some women who would say; I will not leave my marriage, I want to stay looking after my children.’ When a woman experiences problems, she will say I will not leave. It is different from a man because they know that when they leave their children might end up being looked after by other people.
So as an individual, I am saying that gender based violence is an issue that we have discussed. This issue has been discussed several times. Mr. President, I believe that what should be done should be done as fast as possible because the violence is happening in different areas, even at workplaces and on our roads. You find that a driver will be over-speeding, he is only interested in money. At times you find that when an accident occurs, the driver survives but people end up suffering. The Senate and the National Assembly need to come together and make sure that we address these issues so that we have punitive laws which are going to deter bad practices like gender based violence. You find young girls and women suffering from abuses which are mostly being perpetuated by men. In other cases you find that people who abuse children are not strangers but these are family members Mr. President. This is happening, we need to be serious, and we need to work together concerning this war against gender based violence because we do not know where we are going and how this is going to end.
Mr. President, you find that police officers are also contributing and perpetuating gender based violence. It is important that we promulgate laws that are tangible, that are going to protect the people so that we have a conducive environment in the country. Mr. President, it does not matter where we are and which environment we are operating in, whether it is in schools or not. Even when people are sober, we need to look at these issues so that we protect every citizen of this country so that such issues are addressed. Things are not right out there. With those few words, I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC-Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25th to 27th June, 2021.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Mr. President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the importance of a sound road network.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: Thank you Mr. President for the motion that was raised by Hon. Sen. Mabika regarding our roads. Let me thank the President who spoke about the road network because this is a challenge that is found in our country. Some roads are not in good condition because when you move around in urban centres, you cannot even see where the road was tarred but you see only potholes. You find cars stopping because they will be affected by these potholes. I am saying that councils should work together with Government in fixing these roads that are found in urban centres.
In rural areas, there are some roads which are in a bad state and because of the rain season, some children fail to go to school because there are no bridges where they can cross rivers. Sometimes they spend two or three days without going to school waiting for the water levels to subside. This should be corrected because some children might attempt to cross rivers. I would also request that the Harare-Mutare Road dualisation programme should commence because there are a lot of cars which use that road enroute to Mozambique from South Africa, Zambia and other countries.
Sometimes late at night, you find haulage trucks being ten or so and this leads to congestion along the highway. So, the dualisation of that road is quite crucial so that our haulage trucks would be able to discharge their duties properly because most of these haulage trucks would be drawing tankers and other loads. At times when driving along that road, you experience congestion on the highway. It is important for Government because during Hon. Minister Matiza’s time, this road was officially launched.
You would find that because this is quite a busy road which is being serviced by different countries enroute to Mozambique, it is important that it is dualised because we experience a lot of challenges when we use that road. I said in most cities the roads are in a bad state. Even in rural areas, it is important to tar such roads but it is important that the Harare/Nyamapanda Road is also rehabilitated because small roads which lead to different rural areas are also not in good shape.
This affects haulage trucks of those who are in that business. Even when you have a sick relative who needs ambulance services, there are delays because ambulances cannot use such roads or they cannot speed in such roads. Such rural roads need to be rehabilitated because in some cases, some people are ferried by scotch-carts and some end up being sicker than they were taken from their homes. It is important to remind each other that different roads have not been repaired. This is going to benefit even those who use public transport because most schools in outlying areas is far, they are inaccessible by buses because of the state of our roads. Some buses have decided not to ply such routes because they cite the state of the roads. This is affecting schools. We went as a Committee to certain roads and were told that because of the state of roads, some motorists have stopped plying such routes.
The Government should rehabilitate major roads and rural roads. There are people who want to travel to remote areas to monitor different projects. Sometimes they are forced not to do so because of the state of the roads. Good roads are good for business; they are good because when you plan a trip to Harare or Murehwa, then you are able to travel nicely. I also appreciated that His Excellency the President is continually talking about these things. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MABIKA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Hon. Sen. Joice Timire.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MKWEBU: I second.
Motion put agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24rd November, 2021
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on challenges faced by children with incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MKWEBU: Thank you Mr. President for the opportunity. I want to thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma and the seconder for this motion about the women prisoners saving their prison terms with their children. It is estimated that as at December 2017, more than 50 children were accompanying their mothers in prison.
Mr. President, children with an incarcerated parent are more than three times likely to have a problem of depression than similar children without an imprisoned parent and also they are likely to suffer from learning disabilities.
Mr. President, the increasing number of women offenders have left our Government faced with a dilemma on how to handle some challenges involving mothers with infants or pregnant mothers at the time of sentence. It is a fact that these children have not committed a crime and as such, the Government has a special responsibility to protect rights of children.
Mr. President, according to findings, rightly observed that children of incarcerated parents are often ignored by the prison system and officials with their needs. Whereas our Government has taken steps to establish child friendly facilities such as nurseries within the prison structures, it is only available at Chikurubi and Marondera Open Prison, the brainchild of ZPCS patron, the First Lady Amai Mnangagwa.
I urge the ZPCS to adopt child programming in budgeting in order to meet basic needs of such children. The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services should develop and implement clear guidelines outlining the conditions that are appropriate for the admission of children with mothers in prison.
I urge the Ministry of Justice to consider alternative sentencing options such as avoiding pre-trial detention and imposing non-custodial sentences or community services. Parliament should review the Prisons Act to align it with international practice.
The Ministry of Justice should consider parole to women with children in prisons. Government and other stakeholders should help incarcerated mothers with funding for them to start their projects which will help children. The initiative was launched at Whawha Prison by the Young Women for ED with the aim of helping incarcerated mothers to start projects in prison so that they become empowered to support their children.
+HON. SEN. A. DUBE: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to air my views on children who are incarcerated together with their parents. This is a very important motion that was brought by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. It has to be noticed that some children that are brought up in the wrong way, because if we look at it, how people survive in prisons especially looking at the young children, they do not have a bright future. The children end up copying the way they were brought up and hence they are not brought up properly. If you look at these children who are incarcerated together with their parents, you will find that most of them are very naughty because these are people who will be seeing what is happening in prison and they grow up with that.
There is dirt in prisons and there are a lot of things that happen in prison and for these young children, they end up copying from that and embrace the bad things that happen in prison. Even when they are out of prison they end up doing bad things because they will have copied what was happening in prison and yet their mothers are the ones who will have committed the offences. Government should find other means of how these children can be treated. Maybe they can establish colleges so that children can be placed into colleges or the offender can be taken to prison and the child remains with the relatives.
These children are brought up like orphans because they do not see love. They are not shown any love. They only see bad things that happen around them in prisons. We have heard that there are men who sodomise other men in prison; we understand that women also do the same and this is a bad thing. A person will end up doing that and that same spirit ends up getting into the children. So to me, this is a very important motion because it is not good that if a person is incarcerated they go to prison with a child because it is like incarcerating the child as well. If the child is amongst other prisoners, it is as if that child is a prisoner as well. The child ends up doing bad things even in future.
We have to look at ways of how Government can do about these children because these children are prisoners as well. Let us find places where those children can be placed instead of being incarcerated with their mothers. They should be taken to crèches and other places where they can be kept, cared for by their relatives and taken by their mothers when they have been released from prison.
As Members of Parliament, we must sit down and discuss to see what Government can do about these children who are being incarcerated for their parents’ offences because they did not commit any offences. Even when they are released you will find that they cannot get along with other children because they are used to being brought up in prison. We need to help those children because they should not be brought up in such a bad way. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MATHUTHU seconded by HON. SEN. TONGOGARA, the Senate adjourned at Ten Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 18th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
An Hon. Member having passed between the Chair and the Hon. Member speaking.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order Hon. Sen. Mohadi, you may not cross between the speaker and the Chair. – [HON. SEN. MOHADI: I apologise Madam President, I did not realise there was someone on the floor.] - Please take your seat.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Before we get to the Oral Answers to Questions Without Notice, with me, I have a list of apologies from ministers:-
- Dr. C. D. G. N. Chiwenga, Vice President and Minister of
Health and Child Care; Hon. Dr. E. Ndlovu, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education; Hon. E. Moyo; Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education; Hon. Sen. Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Hon. Dr. S. Nyoni, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Hon. Dr. K. Coventry, Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation; Hon. July Moyo, Minister of Local Government and Public Works; Hon. Dr. S. Kanhutu-Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Hon. D. Garwe, Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities; Hon. M. Chombo, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Public Works; Hon. K. Kazembe, Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
Anyway, in the House, we welcome Hon. Minister Mhona,
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development; Hon. Dr. Mangwiro, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care; Hon. Mudyiwa, Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Thank you Madam President. My question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Mines. There are a lot of pits that were left uncovered all over the area and all over the country by chrome miners who are not rehabilitating the land after mining. Who is going to cover up these holes?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): Thank you Madam President. I thank Hon. Sen. Chinake for the question. We are working hand in glove with the Ministry of Environment to ensure that the pits that were excavated and those that are going to be excavated in future are covered so that this will not be dangerous to our country. Before a person is allowed to peg a mine, they are supposed to do an environmental impact assessment (EIA). In the EIA, she/he is going to disclose how they are going to operate and how they are also going to rehabilitate the excavations that they would have done as has been referred to by the Hon. Senator. We are amending the Environmental Act or the EMA Act to also include such requirements so that the miner is duty bound or obligated to ensure that they cover the holes that they would have excavated. We have a team that was put together with the Environment Ministry that consists of inspectors from the two ministries who are going to inspect mining locations so that we urge our miners not to leave pits uncovered because it is a danger to the livestock and to the people who will be moving around. It also disturbs farming activities. Thank you Madam President.
HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI: Thank you Madam President. Appreciating the answer from the Deputy Minister on their work with the Environment and also appreciating that you are working with the EIA Department in terms of rehabilitating areas of mines, what is the policy between your giving out a licence and the environmental assessment teams coming in to ensure that the mining is done properly? I say so because there is a discrepancy between your ministries giving out a mine licence and it can take up to three years to get an EIA to combine. How do these two link up so that you can continue to check on the dilapidation of land when the mining is taking place?
HON. KAMBAMURA: Thank you Madam President. I thank Hon. Sen. for the question for the question. The Mines and Minerals Act, Chapter 30 calls for every miner who has pegged at an area that is open for pegging, before he/she commences mining operations, they should do an EIA assessment. They should also engage the local community so as to buy the social licence. Initially, we issue out a mining title but before a mining company or organisation starts mining operations, they need to have an EIA. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Madam President. My supplementary question is still on the miners, mining everywhere. What is Government policy on that because I do not think some of them follow the procedure of obtaining EIAs when mining? They mine along the tarred roads. Does that not cause any harm to the roads as well as to the travellers? If you travel along Gwanda Road, you will find that two to three metres away from the tarred road people are digging? What are you saying about that?
HON. KAMBAMURA: Thank you Hon. Sen. Mohadi for the question. We believe that there are a lot of illegal miners throughout the country and we have raised this issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs and other law enforcement agents to look into the issue. We encourage all miners to be registered with Government. In the interim, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development is working on a structure that mirrors the structure that is at the Ministry of Lands, whereby we have Agritex officers at the districts where farmers are to supervise and regulate the farming operations. In the same manner, the Ministry is restructuring and very soon we will be having mining extension officers who will be right down to where the miners are, to regulate and control all mining activities and also to monitor if miners are operating as per law. They need to be fully registered and they need to have an EIA.
The issue of miners that are mining along main roads, Cabinet has come up with an inter-ministerial team to look at those miners that are mining along major roads or like what Hon. Senators said, we have those incidences occurring along Gwanda Road and along Gweru to Bulawayo Road. Very soon there will be sanity in those areas. I thank you Madam Speaker.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: My question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Energy. Electricity is now a scarce commodity. Without the provision of electricity, people use LP gas but the gas is no longer being sold in Z$ but in USD - which USD is not readily available. It would appear that you are allowing businesses that are under your ambit to use USD because petrol and diesel are only bought using USD. Is that in line with the Government policy because it is hurting the Zimbabwean people? I thank you.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): I would want to thank Hon. Sen. Komichi for his pertinent question. The issue of electricity is that it is not scarce or never available. Electricity is available but lately we have had very little in terms of electricity on the grid because our machinery at Hwange is outdated and tripped. The machines are being fixed. Some of the six units are now back on the grid at Hwange. Unit One was burnt and was not repaired but the other five were supposed to generate electricity but out of the five we had a challenge and we ended up having two that were generating electricity. As of today, we have four units that are generating electricity. As a result of that, we still have a deficit of electricity and there is also a challenge in the region so we could not import any more electricity to ensure that we offset our deficit. That is the problem that we experienced. We now have four units running at Hwange and our situation is now considerably better.
True, people are now using gas and we actually urge people to use gas. You mentioned the problem of this gas to be sold in USD, but the problem that was there was that the majority of the people that were selling gas were not getting foreign currency from the auction system for them to be able to import that gas. So we have spoken to the RBZ that they could be accommodated and also get foreign currency at the auction rate. Once that position is attained, they are expected to sell the gas in RTGs. That was the problem that was prevailing. It is not as if we are allowing people to buy our products, such as fuel, electricity and gas in USD. It is a challenge that we are facing and together with the RBZ we are trying to ensure that we bring sanity to that area especially in the fuel sector so that we find service stations that are solely selling fuel in RTGs.
We are putting in place measures through the National Management System which is a computer based system that is going to be operational through service stations that would have been allowed to operate using the RTGs system. The system will be able to monitor the distribution of fuel from the depot to the service station and how it is distributed. We will have this service throughout our 10 provinces. So far, we have 57 service stations that have applied and have been allowed to operate. Those are the measures that we are putting in place.
*HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI: I want to find out how much electricity we have on the national grid because we should also bear in mind that we have the picking off plant at Kariba?
HON. MUDYIWA: I was looking at our report today and we have 1334 megawatts as the maximum and 1630 megawatts is our expected demand. I did not hear the other part of his question.
HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI: It was to do with capacity at Kariba.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: No, you had not asked about Kariba. You asked what we have on the national grid.
*HON. MUDYIWA: Kariba is producing 995 megawatts from all our eight units from 764 to 995 megawatts.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: My question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development. Does Government law allow anyone to explore or mine gold on anyone’s farm or home? Can someone just go and start mining at someone’s farm or homestead?
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): The question does not allow someone to go and mine gold at someone’s homestead. One is only allowed to mine after getting permission from the Ministry of Mines. After getting that permission, the Ministry of Mines goes and inspects whether that place is fit for mining activities. They have to put into consideration whether it is someone’s homestead or field; is there any infrastructure like schools, shops or dams. After that, the person is then given permission or a mining licence. Before they start mining activities, they are supposed to interact first with the local stakeholders. They should also be able to get an EIA before they start exploring from the Environmental Management Agency so that they will not disturb the environment.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: I have a supplementary question. These people are coming with documentation and that includes demarcations that cover homesteads and fields. They are allowed to start mining. Is that what the law says? Can someone go and start mining with all the legal documentation but mining at someone’s homestead or kraal?
*HON. KAMBAMURA: If there is a particular place where that is happening, may the Hon. Senator please put it in writing so that we investigate what is happening because the Constitution does not allow that.
I will explain briefly what the Constitution says in terms of minerals exploration. It states that if you have less than 100 hectares of land, nobody is allowed to come and peg at your field without permission from you. But if you have more than 100 hectares of land, someone is allowed to come and peg as long as they do not peg on cultivated land. In addition, they are not allowed to come and start mining close to houses. They are supposed to mine at least 400 metres away from the homesteads.
As you are aware, the Constitution was crafted around 1961 before independence. As we speak, we are now busy working on this law to be amended. It has since gone for outreach and the draft has been submitted to Cabinet and it is within that Committee. There are some things that need to be realigned in order for the law to conform to the current needs. In 2018 when we had the Land Reform Programme, this law was not aligned to such occurrences.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Minister, what you are saying is not what your workers do. What you are saying and what is transpiring on the ground is not the same. Last week under Sabhuku Tete in my homestead, there was exploration and digging and that person had documentation. You need to work with your officers to ensure that what you are saying happens on the ground.
*HON. KAMBAMURA: I agree that there are some officers who may transgress against the Constitution. We need to reach out to people in provinces and meet the local leadership as well as the Ministry of Agriculture officials so that we settle this issue before the law is aligned.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: You said the amendment to this Act is being worked on. When do you think this Bill will be passed into law because it is almost five years and this issue has been coming to Parliament yet there seems to be no progress?
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. There are several doctors who are well trained in this country but some have left for greener pastures. Those that have remained behind are suffering due to the hardships in the country. They have persevered and are trying to survive together with the citizenry. What is Government doing to ensure that the bond between the Government and doctors can be looked at, especially those doctors who are loyal to this country and have remained servants to this country even in these difficult times? A doctor is close to God. I have worked with you in the theatres and I am sure you understand what is happening. Some of the doctors are no longer working for Government but operating in private surgeries.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): Thank you for the question on the status of Government bonding with the doctors who have left this country. In order to ensure that we support the doctors in this country – as you are aware, we are trying very hard to ensure that most of the health workers are given incentives as you are aware, most of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers are now manufactured here. We are procuring the necessary equipment that they want to use in their work places. We want to solve that and we are also trying to ensure that most of that equipment is manufactured locally so that doctors do not fail to work because they do not have necessary equipment. We know that doctors need to be mobile, they need transport, the pharmacists and radiographers – we ensure that they import cars duty-free and we try to assist them so that they are helped in time.
As Government, we have started constructing houses for doctors. As you are aware, we have the General Resident Medical Officer (GRMO) and the Specialist Resident Medical Officers (SRMO) who are supposed to reside next or nearby their patients and nurses as well. As Government, we have since started constructing high-rise apartments where they can reside. We are also constructing recreational facilities where they can drink and interact. That will also ensure that doctors and nurses can get their food within the premises of the medical facilities.
We are also aware that their earnings are low and as Government, we are looking at how best we can cushion them in terms of their welfare. We also want to ensure that they get shopping malls within the premises of the medical facilities so that they do not have to travel outside those premises to fetch their needs. We want to ensure that they get everything locally because doctors and medical staff are more than 3000 as well as their families and they need to get all their basic requirements including food within those premises. That will also help all those who may be visiting patients, even children so that the children can also watch television within the same premises. That will give them ample time to rest within the proximity of the medical facilities.
If the doctors and nurses are bonded by the Government and they complete their bonded time, there is nothing we can do to stop them from leaving. We prepare recommendation letters for them after they have served their bonded period. There is nothing we can do to stop them from going because those recommendations also include that they have no criminal records. However, we know that workers also look for greener pastures but our objective as the Government is to ensure that all health workers and support staff welfare issues are catered for so that they live a comfortable life. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Mr. President. I am so grateful that doctors are being well taken care of. I would like to know if this welfare facility is well spread out to cater for doctors and health workers who are outside major cities, including those in the rural areas. Those are the ones who are serving people. What are you doing for the doctors in the rural areas?
*HON. DR. MANGWIRO: Thank you very much Madam President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira for his question. As Government, we are fully aware that hospitals from councils, churches as well as Government are serving Zimbabweans. A few weeks ago, I was in Manama in Gwanda South, which is a mission hospital. Last month, I was at Mutambara in Mutare which is a mission hospital as well and I was also at Mt. Melleray, also a mission hospital. I would like to inform the Hon. Chief that as Government, we will not segregate any hospital in Zimbabwe, even when it comes to purchasing of hospitals and construction of accommodation. As I speak, I am working with the Hon. Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Hon. Garwe. We have companies that are going to be working on the construction of accommodation in hospitals around the country. Even at Manama Mission Hospital, we are working with them to come up with something that is progressive. We are spreading this through the provincial medical doctors so that they know that we are visiting their areas, and even small hospitals, we are refurbishing and expanding them.
In Chivhu, at Pimbi Clinic, we are looking forward to expanding it so that we have doctors staying there so that people will have access to medical facilities and services. We are fully aware that doctors are in need of decent accommodation. This is something which we have started working on and it will reach all parts of the country. Very soon you will witness what we are doing. Thank you very much.
*HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA: Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank the Hon. Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care for what he has said regarding hospitals. There is a place in Makonde, there is only one hospital in the whole district called St. Ruperts Hospital. Hon. Minister, there is not even a single doctor at St. Ruperts, the laboratory is empty, it is not equipped. I am not quite sure what exactly you are focusing on. Are you going to focus on hospitals in the urban areas? At this hospital that I am referring to, there is not even a single doctor. So my humble request is that you assist us as people of Makonde to get a doctor. It is a mission hospital but there is not even a single doctor.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): Like I said before Madam President, we will not leave behind any hospital in the country. It might be a clinic or hospital that I did not reach on our tour but this is a specific question. I kindly ask you to come through to our office so that we discuss further and see how we can resolve this problem.
You would actually assist us if you bring a detailed report to our offices so that we can work on the solution.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Thank you very much Madam President for giving me this opportunity. My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. I would like to know the Ministry’s policy with regard to the road from Chegutu to Chirundu. As we speak, we are approaching the rain season; there are a lot of potholes and patches on this road…
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order, Hon. Senator, such questions should be submitted in written form so that the Hon. Minister can make an informed research and come up with a detailed response.
Hon. Minister, would you by any chance have a detailed response to the Hon. Senator’s question?
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you very much Madam President. I would also like to thank Hon. Moeketsi. It is true that such questions should be submitted in written form because there is need for us to conduct proper research so that I can bring a detailed response to the House. If possible, the Hon. Senator can give me the question before I leave this House so that I give her a response today before midnight.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Wonderful. Thank you very much Hon. Minister.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: Thank you very much Hon. Minister. We are seeing your work on the roads and we are very grateful for the work that you are doing on the roads. You once mentioned that you have embarked on phases in rehabilitating these roads. Is the Government meeting its deadline, from your own assessment in terms of the work that you are doing on the roads?
*HON. MHONA: Thank you very much Madam President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Komichi for his question. I would also like to thank him for the gratitude that he has for the work that we are doing on the roads as Government.
I would also like to thank you for mentioning the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme which was revamped by His Excellency the President. Looking at it, I would say that we are impressed with the work that is being done. Yesterday in the National Assembly, I was requested to bring forward a detailed response on how many kilometres we have covered so far. I would like to thank you and say truly, we have made significant progress on this particular project. There are other areas that we have not reached since we started, but I can assure you that we are now everywhere in the country. We may be a bit behind in the work that we are doing but I promise you that definitely, we will accomplish.
We are looking to complete the programme in the year 2024. Let us appreciate and acknowledge that this is our project as Zimbabweans. As we approach the national budget, let us remember and ensure that this particular part, that is the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme, is well funded so that we accomplish our mission.
*HON. SEN. DUBE: Thank you very much Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Hon. Minister, you are doing a great job and I am very happy and impressed with the work that you are doing on the roads. Our roads are now starting to show a beautiful image to the nation. What exactly are we going to do in order to get new road signs? Some of the road signs were erected during the colonial era and are now pointing in the wrong direction. We kindly request you to remove all those worn out and deformed roads signs, we want legible road signs that we can clearly read as a people.
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you very much Hon. Sen. Dube for asking such a pertinent question that as we are developing our roads, we should have road information signs that are very clear. Travellers and drivers should be able to see where they are going and where they are coming from as well as the distance.
It is my humble plea that as we approach election time, we do not inscribe political messages on these road signs that cannot be erased. It is our responsibility as Zimbabweans to make sure that we acknowledge that we agreed as SADC countries on the signs that we erect on the roads. These lay-bys allow us to have a place to rest as a people. I promise you that on all roads that we are rehabilitating, these road signs that we are erecting will be suitable for everyone, not only Zimbabweans, but even those beyond the borders will be able to comprehend what they mean. This is what we agreed on as SADC countries so that it becomes easy for everyone coming from either country to understand what is meant by these road signs.
Thank you very much Hon. Senator, we are rushing and chasing time so that these signs are erected. It will help travellers to say, even if you run out of fuel, you will be able to know where to get the next fuel station. Where we come from, we have Provincial Road Engineers, those are the ones responsible in our provinces, I will try by all means to share their contacts so that you are able to contact them and ask why some things are not in good order or shape. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: I move that the time for Questions Without Notice be extended with 15 minutes.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: I second.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: My question goes to the Minister of Transport but I would like to thank him first. I think when a Minister tells you that he will give you a response this very day, it means he is hard working. This is servant leadership. May you continue to be like that? So far you are shining. There are accidents being caused by stationary vehicles because some people would have left the broken down vehicles idle on the roads. What is the policy on people who leave stationary broken down vehicles on the highway? People are perishing because of such acts.
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you very much Hon. President of the Senate. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Fortune Charumbira for his encouraging words. We will continue to work hard on what we promised. We will do as commissioned. It is true Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira that we are losing many lives. We have reckless drivers on the roads in this country. We understand very well that vehicles might have broken down but the driver would leave it in the middle of the road doing whatever he will be doing. We work together with the police and any car that is broken down and found in that situation should be removed from the road. When we see a vehicle in that state, it is supposed to be towed away and taken to our stations. Eventually that person should be fined. You have raised a pertinent question in which us as a Ministry are supposed to remind people of the corrective measure to take after the vehicle has broken down on the highway. We are supposed to tow those vehicles. Our main intention is not to have those vehicles on the road. They should be towed away. We will engage the Traffic Safety Council to move around the country teaching people and to conscientise them on removing broken down vehicles from the highways and avoid disasters. We have people who drive on the wrong side of the road every time with people trailing behind them. These are some of the people we say should be brought to book.
This word should reach everyone. We should conscientise people in our areas and you will see change in behaviour.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you very much Mr. President. Minister, we have never heard that the Vehicle Inspection Department tows away such vehicles. May be if you inform them that we have never seen them doing such. Let them tow those vehicles so that we do not see anything on the highway. We are witnessing lorries that are broken down using tree leaves as reflective triangles. This is not the Zimbabwe we desire to see.
*HON. MHONA: Thank you very much Mr. President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Charumbira. It is true, if we are to leave this issue to police only, we will be pushing ourselves back. It is the responsibility of drivers to use the correct measures when they have a breakdown. They should make use of reflective triangles. When it comes to the issue of VID, we should be fining people who would have done so. We work together with the responsible authorities within police to make sure that there is safety on the highways. If people have had a problem of vehicle breakdown, we should be using correct measures and not tree leaves.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: Thank you very much Hon. Minister. We have a very big problem in this country and we are not finding a sustainable solution to that effect. What can we do as a Government so that we conscientise Zimbabweans? Compared to other countries beyond the borders, when it rains it is just the same in those countries but here in this country when it rains, it seems there is a lot of confusion amongst drivers, hence there are accidents.
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): It is true that most of the accidents that we experience on the roads are caused by the behaviour of drivers. When it rains, I agree with you Hon. Sen. Komichi that there is a lot of confusion causing traffic jams. At times I used to think it was the water that would be clogging the drains. I go back again to the National Traffic Council, it is important for them to conscientise Zimbabweans. Our lives are in our hands. When we use the highway we must not think of ourselves but other people who are also using that highway.
Even if it is a robot that is not working, we should be able to know and understand that we should be giving way to other motorists. I think it is a culture that we have here in the country. We should urge each other to follow traffic rules. Sometimes the untidiness we have in the environment is also a problem as people are always throwing their rubbish and the rubbish blocks the drains. I think it is important for us through commemorating the day as introduced by the President; we should always make sure that our environment is clean so that our drains are clean. We are approaching the rain season and we should make sure that we have no disturbance to the flow of water.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: I wanted to thank the Minister to say everyone is doing a great job. We are having a lot of accidents on the highways caused by heavy vehicles at night. A haulage truck is about 25-30 metres and sometimes they are travelling one after another, five or six of them. So, people end up trying to overtake without even seeing what is happening in front and that is the cause for most of the accidents I have seen. Is there no law or policy that can regulate the movement of these haulage trucks such as ensuring that the other one leaves after 30 minutes so that people may overtake them properly?
*HON. MHONA: Indeed, we have lost a lot of lives on our roads because we are saying travelling should not be a cause of death. The Hon. Senator raises the issue of haulage trucks following each other closely. Some of those heavy vehicles carry dangerous substances and are not supposed to travel after 1800 hours, but we have seen that some of them are breaking the law and do not follow those regulations. Again, that refers to the culture we were referring to. Some of those haulage trucks that follow each other, sometimes it is the rules of the companies where they are coming from but when we repair and refurbish our roads, the width of our roads, you realise they were seven metres wide but now our roads will be 12 metres wide. What it means is, anyone who may move to the extreme left of the road may safely do so without disturbing the cars behind you. If you realise that you are not moving fast enough you should be able to give way to traffic behind you because that way we will not have people trying to overtake even on dangerous stretches of the roads. That is the mandate of our National Traffic Safety Council to ensure that there is safety on the roads.
*HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. What is Government policy with regard to the chiefs in this country restoring their dignity, especially their courts as well as to construct better housing for them?
*THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Just for clarity, do you mean houses as in homesteads?
*HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: I am referring to their courts. Some of them hold their court sessions under trees but they should be well-constructed buildings with offices as well as courts of justice.
*THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: The Minister may respond if she so wishes, but I think that issue is for the Minister of Justice because they are responsible for the administration of customary law. If the Minister wants to respond she may go ahead.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. CHOMBO): Yes indeed, I agree with your response but I would also like to add that our Ministry looks at the welfare of Traditional Leaders. We are assisting them to get cars. As we speak, we are working flat out to ensure that their vehicles are serviced. We also work looking at the Pfumvudza Programme and Zunde raMambo or the programmes that ensure that they get adequate agricultural inputs for crops meant for the security of the Chief.
If you look at what is happening now, our chiefs have gained better dignity as compared to the past but I agree that we need to improve on some grey areas. As Government, we are working on that.
*HON. SEN. GUMPO: My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. When will the Harare-Chirundu Road be repaired, especially that part that was worked on by the Japanese? There is another stretch that remained unattended too.
If you are going to start road rehabilitation, can you start from Chirundu coming back to Harare because that is where there is great need?
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): We have a listening President in our country. People complained about the Beitbridge-Harare Road and it has been rehabilitated. The Harare- Chirundu Road had issues but it is now being rehabilitated from Chirundu to Harare and that is what the President instructed us to do. We have about five companies working on the Beitbridge-Harare Road. We are going to have a sixth company that will start working from Chirundu coming to Marongora where you referred to – that section that was repaired by the Japanese. After giving us the number of kilometres to be rehabilitated, they sent their delegation to increase the other section of the road that had remained. I can assure you that Marongora and Hailsgate will be worked on to complete the whole section.
*HON. SEN. GWESHE: My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. I have some issues pertaining to COVID-19 and these have been troubling me. I do not know whether people were tested before they got vaccinations. Were people who were vaccinated in the rural areas first of all tested for COVID-19 before they received their jabs? In the urban set ups, there were people who got their vaccinations but they were tested first. There are some centres where they were only vaccinating without testing.
I will give you an example. In Glen View, one woman was vaccinated and the following day she died but if only she was tested before being vaccinated, I am sure they would have discovered that she was COVID-19 positive. Is it not possible to ensure that people are tested before vaccination?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): My understanding is that you are referring to COVID-19 testing before vaccination and not any other diseases. When it comes to vaccination, most of the people are just getting jabs without being tested initially because that would be a bit difficult. When we can do that, we ask people to be tested first if they are not feeling well or they have other issues that they may be suspecting. However, in most cases, if someone has any other condition or ailment that they are aware of, they should mention it so that they are tested before being vaccinated. I would also like to say that anyone who gets vaccinated, it does not mean that they will not succumb to other ailments like heart diseases, burst arteries, high blood pressure or diabetes.
However, people associate that type of death to vaccination, which may not be the case. Yes, I know that there may be complications associated with vaccination but before we vaccinate, we explain all those issues and if anyone complains of any ailment, they are supposed to be tested for COVID first. That is very important for the majority of people to know that if you are not feeling well, when you intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19, you explain to them so that there is no urgency or rush to fight against COVID-19. Some people are succumbing to diabetes or high blood pressure, cancer and other ailments which are not COVID-19 related. So it is very important for us to explain all those things so that people know that some of those ailments can also result in death. If someone dies after being vaccinated against COVID-19, it may not mean that the person died of COVID if they were not tested prior to vaccination. What it also means is that, if I have a heart problem and my heart stops pumping, it does not mean that I died of COVID in the event that you test me after death and discover that I am COVID-19 positive. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: My supplementary question to the Minister of Health and Child Care is that when it comes to COVID-19; we understand that vaccinated and unvaccinated people are now allowed to gather during church services. Before we were told that only vaccinated congregants should attend church services but now everyone is mixing up, vaccinated and unvaccinated. What do you have to say concerning this issue? This will lead us to the question of not knowing who was vaccinated or not. Is it true that church congregants, vaccinated or not can attend church services together?
*HON. DR. MANGWIRO: The day before yesterday, His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa said, the lockdown has been extended by two more weeks. I did not hear him say people who are attending church services should mix up regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. So, I might have missed that if he said it. Right now, we are encouraging vaccinated people to go, because if you look at the conditions for Level 2 lockdown, nothing has changed. So, let us be wary of people who just write things as sometimes they write articles which are false or things that bring despondency amongst people. We need to be careful because we need to know what exactly is being talked about. I thank you.
Questions without Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order No. 67.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA), the Senate adjourned at Six Minutes past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 18th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
THE HON. SPEAKER: There is a request by the Hon. Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs to make a Ministerial Statement. Can you proceed Hon. Minister...
HON. NDUNA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker. I rise on a point of privilege.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You have a point of privilege, please proceed. Next time, can you give due notice to the Chief Whip, that is the route.
HON. NDUNA: Yes Mr. Speaker Sir, I am obliged.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You seem to be lost as well.
HON. NDUNA: I just wanted to fill up space on this side Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise on a point of national importance. It is twice, I have risen on this issue. Your Chair Mr. Speaker, the last time, gave guidance that I needed to ask that as a question on Wednesday. Twice on the Wednesdays, I have not been able to put across that question to the Minister of ICT because of the list and the bells would then ring for Questions without Notice to end before my time has been allowed. Be that as it may, I feel it is critical and it is important that a Ministerial Statement - if it pleases you Mr. Speaker Sir, that the Minister of ICT comes to this House and gives a Ministerial Statement on international call termination centre or international call termination solution.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it is prudent that we get to know what it is that Zimbabwe stands to benefit if we have such a centre. The establishment of the same is a low hanging fruit in terms of getting revenue in particular, cognisant of the fact that last year we received a billion US dollars as remittances from the diaspora in what is called facilitation fee for monies that are derived from facilitation of the remittance of the one billion which could be ten percent. It is only just and right that we know that that money gets to ZIMRA and to the Ministry of Finance.
In the absence of national call termination centre Mr. Speaker Sir, the telecommunication service providers, Government is at the mercy, will remit any international call charges as local charges, thereby depriving Government of the much needed revenue. I ask Mr. Speaker Sir, if it pleases you, that the Minister of ICT comes and favours this House on the establishment of the International Call Centre because there is a lot of money that could be derived from such an establishment on a PPP basis without any Government Complex outlay. I thank you.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
MSMES WORKSPACE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN AFFAIRS, COMMUNITY, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHLANGA): Thank you Mr. Speaker. In Zimbabwe, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) including the informal sector, occupy a strategic position in the macro-economic environment, in the COVID-19 recovery process and the achievement of Vision 2030. To fully harness the immense socio-economic potential within the sector, there is need for capacitation of the Micro-Small to Medium Enterprises from the primary stage right to maturity by providing important economic enablers. Such key enablers include modern workplaces critical in enhancing the roll of the MSMEs, the informal sector players and the productive sphere of the economy.
Currently, the nation is experiencing disequilibrium and structural deficiencies in the provision of workspace for MSMEs and the informal sector. There is excess demand of workspace by MSMEs induced by the rapid growth of the sector against constrained supply as a result of limited investment, special development and regulatory framework bottlenecks. The deficiencies and workspace provision have also been activated and further exposed by the outbreak of COVID-19 which led to the closure of some of the workspace occupied by MSMEs as most were designated as unorganised, unregulated, congested and unsafe.
Farmers’ markets, vendor marts, some factory shelves and manufacturing sites had to be closed and the unsanctioned ones were demolished. Over 30 000 SMEs and informal sector operators were affected by the demolitions which took place around the country. Consequently, the development and growth of many MSMEs and the informal sector business have been adversely affected. In the NDS1 and National Micro Small to Medium Enterprise running from 2020 to 2024, workspace provision has one of the key strategies to support MSMEs to improve production capabilities and increasing performance of SMEs in the production of value added products and also promoting rural industrialisation.
Mr. Speaker, under the framework of the enhanced Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management, Cabinet has noted the challenge and has made a decision to have an accelerated programme to construct decent workspaces for MSMEs. Under the programme, Government is working in collaboration with local authorities to renovate existing or put up new modern workspace for MSMEs with designs, taking into account the type of businesses or trades to be housed.
The following type of workspaces is being considered; Factory shelves and distribution hubs, commercial hives, multi-storey market malls for MSMEs and retail, production and distribution centres cold chain cold rooms for workspace where fresh products are sold. The workspaces should be well partitioned with glass and aluminum, warehouses and store rooms, toilets, wash rooms to include three designs to facilitate use by people with disabilities and canteen service provision office.
Mr. Speaker Sir, MSMEs workspaces will also be provided through PPPs. Under this arrangement, local authorities partner with property development or even engage directly with the MSME beneficiaries who can provide financial resources, labour and other non-financial resources to develop whilst local authorities provide serviced land. In the current year, Treasury has provided 150 million for workspace construction. The Ministry has entered into agreements with the three local authorities; namely Gweru City Council, Chikomba Rural District Council, and Gwanda Municipality where Government is providing funding and the local authorities are providing the land and technical support.
Construction is under way and it is at various stages in these local authorities. The programme targets to construct seven workspaces across the country in 2022. The identified projects are as follows: In Harare, the project is Shawasha Grounds Small to Medium Enterprise Market. The project scope is construction of a market mall which will accommodate 120 MSMEs engaged in trading of various products. In Bulawayo, Emkambo Market Stall in Makokoba, construction of market stalls which cover 812 square metres will house 100 traders. In Mashonaland Central, SMEDCO Commercial Hub in Bindura, construction of a commercial hub with factory shelves, shopping mall and hardware shops and will accommodate 88 MSMEs. Tender process is under way for the first phase of the project.
In Manicaland, Sakubva Produce Market, construction of fresh produce market and it will accommodate 100 SMEs. Mashonaland West, Chinhoyi SME market stall – construction of three market stalls which will accommodate 324 traders. The drawings and bill of quantities are now in place. In Matabeleland North, Mahamba Business Centre in Bubi, construction of a flea market to accommodate 60 micro enterprises. The Bubi Rural District Council has constructed the structure but has been struggling to finish it and what is left on the site is roofing, plastering, doing the floors, painting and provision of other necessary infrastructure. In Masvingo, Chitima Clothing Market construction of 20 market stalls which will accommodate 800 micro-small to medium enterprises.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the Micro-Small to Medium Enterprises’ workspace deficit in the country is quite huge and it will require close cooperation among the Central Government, local authorities and the private sector to address it. The Ministry stands ready to partner with all stakeholders who are interested in addressing this challenge so as to support the contribution of a micro-small to medium enterprises to economic growth and development. I so submit.
HON. TOGAREPI: Mr. Speaker, I want to appreciate what Government is doing because what we see in urban centres is these small and medium enterprises are everywhere and actually competing at doorsteps of established companies, which is not very good for business.
However, my area of clarification is on what the Ministry is going to do with rural areas where we see women and youths who are selling along the highways with no toilets, nothing covering them when it is raining, yet they are actually doing business that is looking after their families and serving those who would need whatever they are selling.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. First of all, I would like to thank the Hon. Deputy Minister for bringing a Ministerial Statement on a noble idea of constructing workspaces for micro-small to medium enterprise traders. This is a very good idea Hon. Speaker, but at the same time, once these work spaces have been constructed, traders would want goods which they are going to be putting in those work spaces. What measures are you putting in place to make sure that those she was mentioning here to say 100 traders will be in Makokoba, 88 in Marondera, 324 in Mashonaland West, 600 in Mahamba and 800 in Masvingo, totaling to about 1500 traders have access to financing so that they are able to fill those spaces with goods. As you know, women who are in the informal sector, the majority of them do not have any collateral and it is an issue that we have been talking about over and over again. What measures have they put in place so that at least these women would have access to finance without those stringent rules in order for them to be able to buy their products, grow their business from micro-small-medium to large enterprises? Without any financing they will not be able to grow their businesses.
+HON. MATHE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. First and foremost, I would like to say that I am happy to see you after a long time. I thank the Hon. Deputy Minister for Women Affairs for the statement that she has issued in this august House.
I wanted a clarification here since with the COVID-19 restrictions, most of the people under her purview were not at work. In what ways is the Ministry going to help these people? If she gives us an answer, she should specify for each province how that was done. People are out of business and people are at home, life is difficult.
HON. NDUNA: My points of clarity to the Minister of Women’s Affairs are that would it please the Minister to go into dialogue with local authorities and close off some sections of tar-macadamised places and roads in local authorities at weekends or during public holidays so that the women and the small to medium enterprises, the vendors in particular, can use that space in urban areas.
I say this; I want to mirror that to Hong Kong, my other life before I came to Parliament. They closed the whole section like Samora Machel during the weekend and make sure that there is money derived from there as taxes, the small to medium operators operate there. I also went to Brazil the same issue occurs. Would it please the Minister to derive revenue taxes from small to medium enterprises operatives through such a modus operandi. Council gets taxes, Government gets taxes and the people get to sell in a space that has been designed for them in the urban areas without cat and mouse issues with municipal police like is currently happening.
HON. MARKHAM: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Hon. Speaker, my point of clarity is, while I am very thankful one of the areas in my area Chishawasha, I question the selection method in whether the local authorities were involved because I understand and I am very grateful for Chishawasha. However, I cannot understand the selection of Chishawasha over the areas in Hatcliffe like Pamuzinda and Duster and it is of great concern because the population there is very poor. I thank you.
(v)+HON. L. SIBANDA: I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development for what she has pledged to do for vendors. I would like to know when, since you are going to build these things for them. Are you going to capitalise these vendors so that they can run their businesses? We have a Women’s bank. That bank is no longer approachable because it now requires collateral and we do not have that collateral. Can the Hon. Minister have this on line? I would like again to say there are places under Bulawayo, why could she not go further to Binga, far from the town? I thank you.
(v)HON. I. NYONI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. First of all, let me thank the Hon. Deputy Minister for the detailed report. We note that micro, small and medium enterprises are playing a significant role in employment creation. We have some of the micro, small and medium enterprises which are doing well. Good examples are those at Gulf in Harare, Mashumba in Bulawayo and other areas. A few in this sector are tax compliant. My question is; what measures does the Minister have to encourage this sector to be tax compliant? Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
(v)HON. MOKONE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for the Ministerial Statement but I have got two issues of clarity. I would like to know from the Minister what measures there are to make sure that these traders are not going to be charged exorbitant taxes and then the second issue is that Minister, in your statement, I did not hear you mentioning establishments in Matabeleland South Province. Is there any special reason for that? I thank you.
HON. BHUDA-MASARA: I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for the Ministerial Statement. My question to the Deputy Minister is around the issue of the total number of these people who are into informal sector in the entire country because they are a big chunk. She only furnished us on those that they have so far catered for, but I think it would be best for the Ministry to know how many people are into informal sector province by province in the entire country. Furthermore, I would like to find out what other measures you are putting in place to ensure that by the end of 2022 or 2023, these people will be having places to operate from because they will also be contributing to the national fiscus. I thank you.
*HON. SAMSON: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question to the Minister is; I would like to know if those people who are selling in the streets are the ones who are going to be allocated places to sell or it will be those who have money and can afford to pay rentals that will benefit?
THE MINISTER FOR WOMEN’S AFFAIRS, COMMUNITY, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHLANGA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I begin by appreciating the point of clarity raised by Hon. Togarepi. Our response to that as Government, as Ministry, is that we take note of the importance of the rural trader, more-so our business persons that are trading from highways and we want to take it into the rural industrialisation realm as Government is encouraging us to do.
So we will definitely be going into the rural highways to ensure that our traders are trading from decent sheds and are trading from decent market stalls. It is one of those areas where we are saying the micro business player is important in terms of livelihood and in terms of putting an income on their table, be it on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. We are not leaving anyone behind as your Ministry and we appreciate that you have raised that point of clarity.
Hon. Dr. Khupe, we want to say that as Government and as a Ministry in particular, we want to encourage our SMEs to embark on what we call production centres. Production centre at the back and retail at the front. Cluster business first floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor but make sure that you are being productive and you are not just taking business from other countries and making our country a huge warehouse. We stand on seven pillars and these pillars have to do with financial capacitation. We create linkages and we also make sure that we are getting into the digital and online marketing for our business persons for SMEs. We are also looking at young women tapping into the Youth Empower Bank. We know that the Women’s Bank is not that capacitated but we are working at ensuring that you also support us so that the bank is well capacitated and can then stretch its hands to ensure that it catches our grassroots businessperson.
We also have your financial house, SMEDCO and we encourage you to make use of that facility. Other financial institutions are also coming up with packages for our small to medium enterprises and we would want you to make use of those.
Hon Mathe, after COVID, Government helped business with money called COVID Cushion Fund. In the last Budget, it was $500 million but so far we have disbursed $160 million towards resuscitating small to medium enterprises. We were disbursing this money through the Women’s Bank and SMEDCO.
Hon Nduna brings out an enterprising way for weekend shopping malls within streets. I am not sure if we are ready for that because at the moment, we are talking about decent working spaces where we have ablution and requisite infrastructure such as water. This may be something that we may want to probe further as long as we have these facilities. I have seen Gweru doing it around the OK street but we may just need to look at this further.
THE HON. SPEAKER: There is Five Street in Bulawayo and Fourth Avenue, they have also barricaded that area for the small to medium enterprises. You may want to visit there as well.
HON. MHLANGA: Noted Mr. Speaker Sir. Hon Markham, we may want to collaborate with you because we also rely on our legislators in terms of identification of working space. We would encourage the Hon. Member to come forward and work with the Ministry very closely.
Hon. L. Sibanda, for Binga, it is just the same as what I have said in response to Hon. Markham. If you see where we have failed to measure up, we are prepared to work with councils so that there is plan for work spaces from the council and that they have a good work space. Those pillars that I mentioned, we will continue to work in all these work spaces so that we grow our businesses.
Hon. Nyoni raises a very important point in terms of the formalisation of our SMEs so that they make their contributions. We would want to say, yes there is still a lot that can be done but we would like the House and the nation to take note of the fact that we have come a long way in formalising our small to medium enterprises. We stand at 76% in terms of employment creation and our GDP has been measured to be at 60%. We want to continue training and engaging the necessary operators so that we formalise even further. It is in the interest of the Ministry and SMEs to continuously formalise.
Hon. Mokone, you may want to take note that in the statement, we have indicated that Gwanda is one of the four areas after Chikomba, Gweru and Bindura that have been chosen for work space development and a very ambitious project is going up in Gwanda.
Hon. Bhudha-Masara, yes point taken; it is important for us to be speaking in figures. It is important for us to be continuously collecting the data relating to our SMEs and also to continuously research. As we go into the commemorations of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, we are opening the Epworth Market which is a safe space for our women. We hope that we can spread these markets throughout the country.
Hon. Samson, we did that in Gweru when we went to Kudzanayi Market and we learnt a lot. What is being mentioned by Hon Samson is a bit of a challenge to share the cake but I would suggest that, let us work together so that we do not disturb the initiative which is meant to benefit the poor and we end up benefiting the rich. These are my responses, I thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker Sir. I rise to correct a misconception in regards to the issue of collateral. What we are saying in terms of collateral is that you do not expect a woman from Makokoba to walk into a bank and be given money without collateral. If you go to Barclays Bank, they require collateral of a house or something else and you do not have that. We are saying we want different conditions of collateral. For instance, in group lending, women can go into groups, it happens in other countries like Bangladesh. The Hon. Minister mentioned that informal traders must start producing. We do not want them to be buying goods from other countries; which is exactly what all of us do not want.
So if these women want machinery to produce, if they go to the Women’s Bank, they must be given money. That machinery that they buy so that they can start a business must be used as collateral but they must get the money. So this is the misconception that I am talking about. There are certain individuals who are saying you want women to get money without collateral; no, we are talking about collateral in the traditional banking sense, they do not have it. The reality is that women informal traders do not have collateral, most of the women in this country do not have collateral; it is a known factor. I wanted to correct that and I am happy the Minister of Finance is here, we are saying we want different collateral conditions which are going to be afforded by women who are at the bottom of the pyramid because they are the majority who are in the informal sector. We want them to start producing. If these women who are in the informal sector start producing, this country will be developed. I thank you.
+HON. MATHE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question was not property answered. Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, people were just seated at home without doing their informal activities like selling. What measures have you taken to improve those who were affected by lockdown so that they can go back to their small and medium enterprises? These people can be given loans even if they do not have collateral. This programme must uplift women who have no title deeds. If we uplift women, we uplift the whole nation. This Ministry is there to better the lives of women so that they can be equal with their male counterparts. If you want to reach the middle-class economy by 2030, we must train at least a few women. Women and youths in provinces must benefit from this programme before we even talk about this year’s money. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. PETER MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I just want to thank the Deputy Minister for a good presentation. We have some very critical issues that she has to look at. When we are talking about indigenisation, we want to empower people who are disadvantaged, poor people who sell tomatoes in the streets. When you are asking for collateral from a person who is selling tomato and renting in Rugare, where do you expect that collateral to come from? The person has potential to do proper business when she is assisted. Who is then going to assist the person when the Ministry that is supposed to take care of small to medium enterprises seriously put a lot of hustles for the people who want to borrow that money? Remember it is Government money that is intended to empower its own people. There is no Liver Brothers or Olivine where you expect those people to go and get employed. The people are selling tomatoes, potatoes in order for them to grow. You start from scratch; if you ask Strive Masiiwa, he will tell you that he was selling some electrical gadgets at Harare City Council and other commodities, driving a Mazda 323, he had no collateral. So, it seems as if this Ministry’s intention is to empower people who are already rich. They do not empower the people at Glen View Area 8; they do not empower people in Mbare who are selling vegetables. Those are the people we want this bank to empower. I will give you an example; I had about 5 women in my constituency who came and took one of my properties they asked me to lend them one of my properties so that they turn it into an ECD school. I have tried to assist.
Even if you say you want to see a Director at the Women’s Bank, you hardly find anyone, they are always out of office. What I know vividly is that they will be in the office but there are certain people whom they want to see and there are certain others whom they do not want to see. Is it possible to do a forensic audit through the Auditor General’s Office to ascertain whether this bank is empowering the intended group or they are continuously empowering the same people? I requested this but to no avail, but there we are, we are still crying because people in our constituencies are bothering us on a daily basis that they want money. We talk about Empower Bank and the Women’s Bank, but you hardly get any money from these institutions. So, I do not know why we are giving these institutions money, why are we budgeting for them when they are not helping anyone?
I agree with Hon. Mathe that we want the Ministry to bring its report and say in Kambuzuma and so on, they helped so many people. We want to know those people because we are the representatives of the people. We know everybody so that we do not continuously help people from Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru - people who are financially sound. We want to empower people without resources...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you, you are now debating.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: During discussion, an issue was raised about cash compliance. I want to find out if the Ministry has a law which, for example says the initial five years, it is tax free for SMEs, because we are doing that for all multinational companies, we are giving them tax holidays. Why are we not applying the same thing to our SMEs and say you are in business, here is a certificate for you, catch a holiday for five years or for ten years. That person will be compliant but we are doing that for international capital not our own people.
(v)HON. MOKONE: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. The question that I wanted to ask is the same as the question that was asked by Hon. Mudarikwa. I wanted to ask the question on taxes and the Minister did not answer it comprehensively. I want the Minister to clarify, women in my province are complaining that they are subjected to exorbitant taxes. I thank you.
HON. MARKHAM: Thank you Hon. Speaker. The Minister mentioned that water will be available in these structures, I presume that ablutions as well. My second point is the issue of rentals on these properties if they are going to be rented. The programme must be very carefully planned because we do not want to end up like Mbudzi Market where the whole structure got vandalised and also the rains were too much and everyone was left outside the structure.
On collateral, you cannot guarantee your debt. So any collateral given to that structure is guaranteed by everyone and that everyone watches each other. That way we can get people at the bottom to start coming through the ladder.
HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I just wanted to seek clarification from the Deputy Minister. I am looking into the financial statement for the Zimbabwe Women’s macro finance bank. Their last financial statement which was produced and audited by the Auditor General indicates that the bank has been suffering or incurring losses for the past five years. In fact, the last time in 2019, there was a loss of 69 million Zimbabwean dollars. In that year, they wrote off bad debts amounting to 57 million Zimbabwean dollars and this bank, its assets are less than the liability. What I want to find out from the Hon. Minister is; what mechanism is the Ministry putting in place, firstly on the capitalisation of the bank? Then secondly, the issue is to do with the management of the bank. What mechanisms are you taking as a Ministry to ensure that there is efficient management given the fact that the bank has been making several losses year in and year out?
Lastly, I also wanted the Ministry to clarify the issue of the Board of Directors. The Auditor General reported in the 2019 Report that the Ministry took a long time to appoint a Board of Directors. I want the Hon. Minister to explain why an important institution which is supposed to capacitate women can go on for more than a year without a Board of Directors.
(v)HON. DUTIRO: I want to seek clarity from the Hon. Minister, she talked about tax and if you look at...
*THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, can you speak proper Shona.
(v)HON. DUTIRO: I was saying councils collect rentals on a daily basis from women, we want to understand the correct position...
*THE HON. SPEAKER: You have switched off your microphone.
(v)HON. GABBUZA: What is their policy on giving money to members of staff and the board? What kind of bad debts are there, can they clarify who are the bad debtors and what categories are there?
(v)HON. MBONDIAH: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My question to the Hon. Minister is with regards to lease financing. Has the Women Bank thought of putting into consideration the matter of lease financing where they buy equipment for manufacturing and they hold that as collateral so that women are able to start up big projects that can actually build back into the economy of the country. They can start businesses like poultry and peanut butter so that they can have proper businesses in Zimbabwe. Is there a policy where they would use lease financing?
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I seek clarification from the Hon. Minister regarding the issue of financial inclusion. Why is the Ministry not applying the principles of financial inclusion which would entail that beneficiaries of loans from banks use whatever materials that are within their habitat? Thank you.
*HON. NDUNA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. We are talking about perishable foods. There are no by-laws in the books of council that allow police officers and council police officers to take items from vendors and consume them at their places. This is currently happening in the country, especially in Chegutu Constituency and the vendors will be crying. Can you do something for the vendors so that the police officers will not ruin their businesses? Get rid of that corruption within the police officers and council police officers so that they will not take bananas, apples and vegetables from the vendors and take them to their places without them getting arrested. Thank you.
*HON. MHLANGA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I begin by responding to the contribution that we were given by Hon. Dr. Khupe. I would like to inform the august House that we have what we call ‘small savings clubs’ that bring together groups in order to crowd-fund. As far as financial inclusion of our grassroots, SMEs, our micro business people, we still have a challenge. It is one of those things that we continue to talk about and we appeal to you as representatives of the people to say that we are still very much short – you know that pillar and we would like to continue to improve on it so that we can reach out to our small businesses.
However, I continue to invite Hon. Dr. Khupe to come to my office and if that is difficult, I am asking her to write a paper to us because you speak very passionately about the best practice in Bangladesh. We stand ready as your Ministry to take that example of Bangladesh and see how best we can apply it to the uniqueness, in particular to SMEs in our country, Zimbabwe. So, we are waiting for you Hon. Dr. Khupe and we have taken note of that.
As far as our bank is concerned, we have to balance the social side of addressing the backwardness of our women with the business model of how the bank should be running. I think at the end of these questions, you find one of our legislators saying, but you are making losses. It becomes a very difficult issue to balance.
Hon. Mathe, all I can say is that challenges can be there but when we talk of women, their fund is called a Women’s Development Fund. When we talk of a bank, we are talking about businesses. All businesses including those who are in the tomato business, big and small, but when we talk of women, we have the Women Development Bank. Your Ministry is going to produce figures of how much we have distributed but the money that we receive is too little. It does not cover a lot of women. We have said to your Ministry, the money should be distributed to all the ten provinces. I understand that you want us to produce figures and yes, we will bring the figures.
The question by Hon. P. Moyo on the issue of collateral and the issue of empowerment for our SMEs – as the Ministry, we stand ready to ensure that our SMEs are empowered but in as much as we would want all our SMEs to be able to access finance, there are limitations in terms of what we get and what we are able to disburse. So we will continue to thrive to get a meaningful chunk that will impact on our SMEs.
Mr. Speaker Sir, Hon. Mudarikwa, the issue that we give multi-nationals tax breaks and we do not look at our own internal capital, I think that is a powerful point that we need to take note of as a Ministry of SME’s. It is a fact that our small to medium enterprises are riddled with multiple taxes and they then struggle with the little that they have at their disposal. So that point is taken note of, we will certainly consider it as Ministry.
Hon. Markham, the crowd-funding as I have indicated, we are trying to bring our groups together as a small savings club and we hope that can grow and make an impact.
Hon. Mushoriwa has spoken about the loses that our bank is making, issues of corporate governance where the board was not in place for quite a while, I would like to report to the House that we do have the board that is in place and we take note of those short comings in terms of the corporate governance structure.
Hon. Dutiro raises a very important point and I am going to combine it with the concerns that have been raised by Hon. Nduna. If we look at the vendor laws that our local authorities are running with are colonial vendor laws that were meant to exclude the indigent population of this country. Even the location of where they were supposed to be trading was un-strategic, it was meant to close them out of the strategic sites. So, it is law Hon. Members that should be examined in collaboration with the local authorities and bring in a law that is friendlier. A law that also considers the strategic placing of our business people be it micro, small or medium.
Hon. Gabbuza raises issues of conflict of interest, loans on staff and how we then write off bad debts. Yes, it may be an issue that we must be conscious of and we will certainly look into it. I do not see the Ministry having a policy and it might just be the way to go. Hon. Mbondiah noted lease financing but at the moment the Women’s Bank is running with what we call asset projects. We are out there giving small businesses, giving our women assets so that at least these can then turn around and be used as collateral.
Hon. T. Moyo, yes we are agreeable to using household effects as collateral and we are certainly making inroads in terms of lending out against the households effects. I thank you.
HON. MAKONYA: On a point of order! My question was not addressed on the issue of taxes.
HON. MHLANGA: I assumed that the issues that were raised by Hon. Mudarikwa were also the issues that were raised by Hon. Makonya in terms of the burden that our SME’s have to carry numerous taxes as well as giving tax breaks to international capital as opposed to giving our own local small businesses. I thank you.
HON. MUDARIKWA: The level of contributions by Hon. Members on this particular issue requires the Ministry and Parliament to hold a workshop specifically to do with SME’s. This workshop should be held in Kariba or Nyanga where we assist and contribute in a positive way for the development of the women in Zimbabwe so that we are gender sensitive. I thank you.
HON. MHLANGA: I would like to appreciate the contribution that Hon. Mudarikwa has made. Again, I would like to ask Hon. Mudarikwa to write a paper to our offices in terms of what the expectations are and we will value add to the paper and go the route that the Hon. Member is suggesting. We would like to retreat with our legislators, to take as much in terms of knowledge so that at least we drive the important sector of SMS’s as Government.
HON. PETER MOYO: On a point of Order Mr. Speaker. My point of order is that I want to second what Hon. Mudirakwa has said.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, you are out of order. If you second it means you are debating.
FIRST READING
INSURANCE BILL [H. B. 1, 2021]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE) presented the Insurance Bill [H. B. 1, 2021].
Bill read the first time.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
FIRST READING
INSURANCE AND PENSIONS COMMISSIONS AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 6, 2021]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE) presented the Insurance and Pensions Commissions Bill [H. B. 6, 2021].
Bill read the first time.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. T. MOYO: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 5 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 6 has been disposed of.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
+HON. MATHE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the State of the Nation Address which was presented by His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe for the fourth time in the Ninth Parliament…
(v)+HON. NDEBELE: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. Hon. Speaker, let me make a correction at this early stage. The Hon. Member was supposed to thank the Hon. Speaker, addressing the Speaker in the correct way saying thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
+HON. MATHE: I did not get the correction Mr. Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: The correction is that Hon. Member, you were supposed to say thank you Hon. Speaker Sir, referring to the Chair. Thank you Hon. Ndebele.
+HON. MATHE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for affording me the opportunity, like I mentioned when I started. Maybe the Hon. Member did not get it. So, thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, for allowing me to talk about the State of the Nation Address which was presented by His Excellency.
When opening the State of the Nation Address, the President of Zimbabwe said that he is happy with the progress that is there in the prevention of COVID-19 and he was appreciating the unity of purpose and the adherence to the COVID-19 protocols. His Excellency also thanked the people of Zimbabwe for working hard in ensuring livelihoods for their households despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also appreciate His Excellency when he spoke about unity among SMEs and other business entities which demonstrated the support they are giving to Vision 2030 and attaining the middle class economy. Mr. Speaker Sir, the President also appreciated the unity among the people of Zimbabwe and the problems that we see in our economy which had a 7.2% growth.
Mr. Speaker, His Excellency also mentioned the point that the expenses that are being incurred by the country despite the economic environment, it shows that Zimbabwe for now has stable foreign currency earnings. He expressed concern noting the pains that the country is experiencing due to the illegal sanctions. He mentioned that sanctions are hurting the country. His Excellency also thanked the people of Zimbabwe because Government has promulgated ways of bettering the people’s lives through Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme.
He also said that this has brought stability in Zimbabwe because during the past farming season, Zimbabwe had a bumper harvest and this ensured food security in the country. A lot of people tilled their land and produced a bountiful harvest. He said Government is working hard to develop different areas through empowering people with tractors and empowering them with ways of ensuring food security in the country. Government has also distributed tractors to different provinces and these tractors can be accessed through the DDF. It is unfortunate that people lost their livestock as a result of disease outbreaks that were found during the COVID-19 era. The President said because of that farmers have been losing their livestock, so it important that Government finds a solution to eradicate such disease outbreaks.
The President emphasised that those who are in the mining sector have been working very hard during the COVID-19 era. This has culminated in Zimbabwe’s economy growing by 11%. Like I mentioned before, it is clear that Zimbabwe is in a stable condition particularly looking at the economy. This is evidenced by what is happening in the mining sector. The President also continued saying that Government is going to continue supporting the mining sector through different departments. Government is going to allow small miners and other players who are interested in participating in mining in Zimbabwe without any unnecessary stumbling blocks.
His Excellency explained that Government procured COVID-19 vaccinations which were distributed throughout the country and people are accessing such vaccinations easily. He said that in Victoria Falls, a lot of people participated in the vaccination programme where foreign currency earnings are coming into the Treasury. He said the Minister of Finance is receiving foreign currency earnings from tourism and it is cascading down to Treasury.
I would like to end by saying His Excellency the President is a visionary leader as we see farming, mining and other sectors prospering. Such a President should be supported so that in 2023 he gets our full support as a nation. Every Zimbabwean citizen should appreciate what he is doing and support him. He is not just working for his political party but we need to understand, appreciate and support him. I thank you.
(v)+HON. NDEBELE: On a point of order! When I make a point of order, it is not that she should say I thank you for this opportunity and I also notice that you are not directing this House and this thing keeps happening. An Hon. Member cannot refer to a Minster as “a Ncube gentleman”. That belittles the Minister. Please, I appeal to you to uphold the decorum of the House.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. M. KHUMALO): Let me advise you that there are a lot of Ncubes in this House and the talk about Ncube has nothing to do with anybody in the House. He did not mention the name. He just said Ncube and this is why I did not take it seriously.
(v)+HON. NDEBELE: No, no, no, he must be given his proper title. Let us not hide behind a finger.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Ndebele, we will check with Hansard whether she said so. I thought it was not an issue because he did not mention the name and also the Ministry.
(v)+HON. NDEBELE: No, it is an issue because we should not say a boy from the Ncubes or a grandmother from the Ncubes.
*HON. RUNGANI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to add my voice to the motion which was raised by Hon. Mutambisi regarding the State of the Nation address which was presented by His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe to Parliament. I would like to appreciate the words that were said by His Excellency and I want to concur with him that what he said is transpiring in the country, especially to us who come from the rural areas, who survive on farming. We are given inputs through the Pfumbvudza Programme and this helps women in rural areas. We welcome the distribution of inputs and people are so happy, because they will be able to farm and everyone will be well fed.
I would like to thank the Government for such a programme, if someone tills their land through the dry planting programme, they can do so without the help of livestock and tractors. So I appreciate this initiative which ensures food security in the country and this enables people to have adequate food.
The other thing that was said by the His Excellency, the President concerns our health in rural areas. He encouraged people in rural areas to go and get vaccinated. I thank the President for managing to secure vaccines to vaccinate at least more than half of the whole population so that people will not succumb to COVID-19. A lot of lives would have been lost had our President not have taken this wonderful move.
On devolution, devolution funds were distributed and taken to rural areas for the construction of clinics and schools so that our young people can go to school. We appreciate this noble thing by His Excellency the President. He spoke about peace that prevails in rural areas, in clinics patients are well taken care of and people are so happy.
His Excellency the President also talked about Bills which will pass through this august House. If we have laws, there will be peace in the country. We need to amend some laws which were enacted way back so that they are aligned to the Constitution. The President also spoke about provision of clean water in rural areas. Access to water in rural areas is important; people no longer have to fetch water from untreated water sources.
We are aware that a lot of people do not have proper houses and I am happy that Government is constructing houses particularly in outlining areas. The other thing is that even those who are urban dwellers were given permission to participate in peri-urban farming instead of surviving with food stuffs from retail shops. They can now sustain their livelihoods through farming. I thanks you Mr. Speaker.
HON. T. MOYO: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. TEKESHE, the House adjourned at Twenty One Minutes past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 17th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Madam President, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the motion on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency the President when he opened the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament. We would like to thank the President because he is a listening President. He listens to our concerns and acts upon them.
I am very happy because when he assumed office, he spoke of unity in the country amongst people and this is exactly what we witnessed – there was no violence. We see it as a good initiative because everyone listened to the President’s speech. This is what he expected from us, that we are united in building this nation. If we fight amongst ourselves, we will witness no progress in our lives. He also spoke about our economy and sanctions as well. This is what has held us back; even our economy cannot perform better because of these sanctions.
We are seeing progress on what he promised us. We remain hopeful that things are shaping up. We had a few problems before but when he came in and did his work, we are actually seeing positive signs. Even the auction system, we appreciate this because we are seeing a positive change in that particular area. His Excellency the President is very determined to fix this country. He spoke about a lot of things and we are actually seeing some of the things.
The whole nation is happy and even young children are delighted, they know what Pfumvudza is all about; that is Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme. Even children are reciting poems of what the President articulated in the State of the Nation Address. In order for the economy to work out positively for economic growth, we need programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa to be functional. So we are happy with some of these programmes. We had Pfumvudza since last year and people got bumper harvests; their stomachs are full, they are happy and some of the harvest was sent to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB). Our grain silos are full as we speak, so we can actually confirm that the President is not just talking but putting those things into practice. We are very happy about this.
He spoke about a lot of things and even roads are being rehabilitated. Everyone is praising the New Dispensation. In his own words, he mentioned that there is need to fix roads, clinics and other things - they should be functional. There is need to fix our roads up to Chirundu. It was our desire not to be given cars and helicopters instead but the whole intention was that we would be running away from bad roads. We are grateful for infrastructural development, one example being of the Beitbridge Border Post. A lot of developments have taken place and I heard people saying good things about the place. We are very happy with what the President is doing. We are very delighted with what His Excellency and Head of State and Government is engaging in.
We now have a factory in Mwenezi manufacturing beer from amarula fruit, which is a very good development. These are the things that were mentioned by His Excellency in His State of the Nation Address speech. We are very thankful to His Excellency for the work that he is doing to this nation. He is a hardworking man. He is always in his office putting what he says into practice. He said a lot of things, even if you go into mining, he is encouraging investment into mining. In areas like Ngundu, we anticipate to witness gold mining. The whole objective is for the economic growth of this country. We see that he is not just talking but he is putting things into practice. He is working on the ground.
We are fully aware that the congestion at Mbudzi roundabout is something that they are working on under infrastructural development. He has a vision. We anticipate a successful Vision 2030 for the nation. People should be able to go wherever they so wish, conducting business. We would like to thank His Excellency for the good things that he has done. That is all I wanted to say Mr. President Sir. With these few words, I thank you.
*HON. SEN. BAIPAI: Thank you Mr. President for the opportunity that you have given me. I would like to thank the President of Zimbabwe for the work he is doing. He fought very well against COVID. TB has been a dreadful disease amongst citizens. It is my wish that we get medication so that we get rid of tuberculosis for good. The issue of drug abuse amongst the youths, they have become reckless. They cannot control themselves after consuming the drugs and they lose respect for elders. There is a high rate of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases amongst these youths. It is my wish that we have a law within the health sector to criminalise and imprison those that are found selling drugs to these youths. As they engage in infrastructure development working on the roads, it is my wish that the Nyanga Road, known as Bhinya Road be attended to. That is my kind request to His Excellency. Thank you very much.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Mr. President Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC-Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25th to 27th June.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Mr. President Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the importance of a sound road network.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to say a few words on the motion raised by Hon. Sen. Mabika. This is a very important motion to us as a nation because we know that without roads, nothing moves forward. Even development, there is nothing of that sort. It is different from ways back when we used to take a very long period travelling to another place. Through His Excellency and the projects that he is doing, we understand there has been some great improvements on the roads. It is easier to travel and you can actually calculate your distance and destination but if there are no good roads for you to travel on, it is very difficult.
I would like to thank the New Dispensation and His Excellency who has a very good vision. Through the Lord’s grace, we got a lot of rainfall and managed to have a good harvest in the country. Again, because of the heavy rains, the roads were damaged but because of his great vision, they embarked on fixing the roads in the country. They declared it a national disaster which meant the Government intervened on this particular disaster. Even in rural areas, it is something he embarked on fixing infrastructure. We would like to thank him for that.
You also heard Hon. Mabika talking about the Mt. Selinda- Chipinge Road that they wish it could be fixed so that farmers may access and be able to sell their produce. There is also another road Mr. President. We actually have areas where back in the days there never used to be any roads or access to those areas. I remember my father acquiring a farm in that particular area. He was given a licence to farm which was then called a Master of African Tillage. These were people said to have been thrown away and even to this day, farmers cannot access roads so that they are able to sell their produce. No one comes there to assist because of the poor state of roads, such that people are afraid to further damage their vehicles.
The road I am referring to Mr. President is from Mushandira- Bonongwe; you cross Save Bridge and get to Gandami till you get to Jumba. Then to your right you actually reach Chivhu and your left Msasa. This road has been named Bhinya Road. There is no vehicle that uses this road and comes out undamaged. This is a very bad road Mr. President and it is my kind request that the Minister of Transport and Minister of Provincial Affairs should come through to assist us.
These people who have been thrown into this area where there is no access, may they be assisted so that they are able to also get farming equipment and inputs? They should be able to take their farm produce to Chivhu. If that road is fixed, it means that the community which stays in that area are able to travel and that way, we can talk of development in that community. Without that, there is nothing that happens to that community. Their produce will rot within their own backyards.
Mr. President, I welcome the motion that was brought into this House. The New Dispensation is doing a lot in terms of development of infrastructure. The Kanyemba Road was fixed and people are now able to cross into Zambia. This is the development that we have always been talking about and development that comes about if roads are fixed. Even investors coming into this country, rural areas will not be the same again if the roads have been fixed. Our rural area will develop and investors are attracted to these places because there is easy access.
Right now Mr. President as you know, we fought in the liberation struggle and for our freedom. The cake is very big and must not be eaten by just a few. Everyone should be able to find a share because everyone has a right to get a piece of the cake. This is why you see these days that when we talk of development in the urban areas, the same is also being done in the rural areas. I am sure everyone has heard that people in the rural areas are very happy because the roads are being fixed. I would like to also appreciate the vision of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. I would like to urge that we continue to fix the roads because when we fix roads, we have done development in different parts of the country. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Mr. President. I delayed a bit but these are sophisticated modern gadgets and as you know, Chirungu chakauya negarava so eventually I got there. I would want to applaud the motion that was moved by Hon. Mabika. It is a very important motion because when there is no road infrastructure, there is no development or transportation. I would want to thank her dearly because this affects the entire country and everyone. Although she was centring on roads that are in her area, the state of the bad roads is a nationwide phenomenon. We would want to thank the New Dispensation led by President Mnangagwa. They are fighting very hard but Rome was not built in a day. His vision and objectives are very clear. He is on record clearly spelling out that he wants all road infrastructure to be better.
We went as far as Mberengwa with the SDGs Committee. When we were going to Musumhi, we got there and a lot of people were suffering from back-ache. They were asking whether there were any Members of Parliament (MPs) in that area because of the bad road. We proceeded to Matabeleland North. We left the tar-macadamised roads and went into dust roads. Generally, the roads are all bad. It is envisaged, in accordance with the President’s vision, that the roads are going to be repaired and the infrastructure is going to be good. Even in Mwenezi where I come from, once you leave the tar-macadamised roads and go into dust road, you will hate travelling using your vehicle because of the bad state of the roads.
Like I earlier on said, Rome was not built in a day. We should be united as MPs and Senators – maybe the Ministry of Transport does not have people that can see the state of roads in various areas but MPs are the President’s eyes. As has been done by Hon. Mabika, we now know that there is a road in Mt. Selinda which is bad and need repairs. I urge all of us to be in the same mode so that we are able to repair our roads and they will be in good state. They can plan accordingly because of the number of roads that are bad in Mwenezi and Mberengwa and then come up with a holistic plan to deal with that.
Generally, roads are being repaired. I urge our councils and DDF to also support the President’s vision that roads be accessible. People want to travel on passable roads. I urge that the roads be properly constructed so that we have got good road infrastructure and we will be able to transport crops. I remember our local GMB in Mwenezi appealing for roads that go to the farms to be properly constructed so that they become accessible. Truckers no longer want to use those roads because of the breakdowns that they suffer or because of wear and tear on their vehicles. We need to work very hard in that regard. Once again, I thank Hon. Sen. Mabika and all those that are going to be of similar minds, that roads be repaired for us to be developed. I thank you
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to debate because this motion is very important to us as a country. I recall that there once came a motion in this House dealing with veld fires that had become rampant in the country.
Our country has been destroyed because of small scale miners who are mining gold trying to make a living but as they do that, once they have found the mineral, they forget to go and rehabilitate the areas they would have done the excavations so that there will be no land degradation. I always urge that the Ministry of Mines have a vision to come up with a mass education programme targeted towards small scale miners that once they have excavated pits, upon leaving that area, they should leave the pit covered. These small scale miners are not bothered but it is because of ignorance. It is important that there should be pit reclamation exercises once one has completed mining. It is my considered view that there be a campaign to educate small scale miners.
You may arrest a culprit and incarcerate them but upon release from incarceration, they may not have the knowledge on how best not to commit the same offence. If we were to do that, it would help us to ensure that we put an end to the open pits that are not covered. I once said that there was once a motion to deal with veld fires when there was a Committee on Sustainable Development Goals which wanted to find out the causes and the end result of veld fires. Hon. Sen. Chirongoma’s has again been re-launched. It is just that there has been no meaningful change with regards to addressing the issue of veld fires.
Veld fires have actually been exacerbated instead of being put to an end. This is not just an issue to be dealt with by the Ministry of Environment alone. It now requires a concerted approach as a country so that we safeguard our country from these veld fires that are occurring willy-nilly. This results in the disturbance of flora and fauna, hence causing soil erosion. This also leads to siltation in our dams because there would be no grass. It affects our farming ability to reclaim our status as the bread basket of Africa because there will be no meaningful irrigation.
I have also observed that there is environmental degradation caused by streambank cultivation. I am happy that the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture is ensuring that people are given pieces of land legally and that they should not go and do cultivation willy-nilly. There is now going to be an orderly allocation of land which is legal. We know that once they have been allocated land, there are always bad apples. Whenever things are going to be done in a proper manner, there is bound to be those wayward characters. I once again reiterate that the problems that we are facing in this country, the majority of them are caused by ignorance amongst our people. Outreach programmes need to be planned so that people can be taught on how best they can desist from such malpractices. Once they are knowledgeable, it helps us as a country Mr. President.
We are also having our environment disturbed by deforestation. Whenever you see a Zimbabwean person moving around, they will be carrying an axe hung on their shoulder. When they see a tree that is several years old, they cut it willy-nilly and lorries come and carry firewood which is then sold in urban areas and also for curing tobacco. That is a problem Mr. President, that a person will cut down trees, they are arrested and they pay a minimal fine, they go back to the forest with their axe and start cutting firewood again. It is a problem that is nationwide and if it was possible, the authorities on environment preservation should put to action a plan that is deterrent to would-be offenders. Whenever we are coming up with plans, we should always involve our traditional leaders because they are the custodians of the people whom they live with. The traditional leaders live within these communities from time immemorial. They have been ruling these communities and once the chief is involved, his word is respected by his subjects.
That approach Mr. President, will help us reduce environmental degradation which we are seized with and we will be able to appreciate that each one of us has a duty to play and not leave everything to the Ministry. Once we work as a united people, we will achieve more and we will be knowledgeable, and this knowledge will quickly spread to the people. Once the people become knowledgeable, a lot of these offences committed due to ignorance will be avoided.
We should not leave the task of enlightening people to the powers that be in the environment sector. Once a person is arrested, they should be given deterrent sentences. I am worried that the sentences that are being passed against offenders are not deterrent, they will spend a few days in jail and go back to the community and commit the same offences again.
In conclusion Mr. President, I urge that we work together with the relevant ministries that ensure that our environment and natural resources are preserved. Our traditional leaders and us as legislators should go into our constituencies and educate our people about the negative effects of stream bank cultivation, forest degradation and the cutting down of trees, deforestation. Once we educate them, they will do better because they would have been enlightened and our future will be bright. I thank you for giving me this opportunity Mr. President. Once again, I thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for moving this important motion. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKUMBE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to say a few words on this pleasing motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. Indeed, our country is being destroyed under our watch. As the august House in this country, it is incumbent upon us to come up with a law that ensures that our heritage should not be destroyed in the manner that it is. Firewood is being sold on the roadside and we are going past without raising any eyebrows as if it is a good practice. Trees are important, some have medicinal values and others provide us with shade and fruits and cattle can also obtain food. We also get firewood from trees but a lot of trees are being destroyed under our watch.
In most cases this is being caused by people who will be looking for money; gold or those into tobacco growing. It is well documented that everyone who is into tobacco growing should grow trees but they are not doing so. In our communal lands, we never used to grow tobacco but when you ask for the trees that they are growing towards tobacco curing, there is nothing. They grow trees at their homestead and when they want to cure tobacco they go to the forest which belongs to everyone and depletes that forest. We need very strong laws to arrest this culture of cutting down trees.
We must have stringent environmental laws that protect our natural heritage. There is soil erosion because all the trees are gone. Some trees are now extinct, especially in the form of fruit trees as people randomly cut down trees. When you leave Harare using any road, you will notice firewood piled along the roadside for sale, even wood that is not yet dry. If we were serious about it, we would deploy people to go and arrest those people who are selling this firewood. If there is no stringent law, then people will do as they please. Deterrence can only be brought about when there are sufficient laws and as this august House, we should revisit the laws that govern such issues with a view to come up with laws that protect our environment. We owe this country to our children. What legacy are we leaving them? What natural heritage are we leaving them? We run the risk of leaving our children with nothing.
A few weeks ago, the President was at COP 26, a Climate Change Summit. It is because of land degradation, we are cutting down trees willy-nilly. The chiefs and headmen should tell people not to cut down trees where they are not going to be ploughing because trees are life and our heritage. Our inheritance must come up with ways to arrest people who are selling firewood illegally. Deterrent fines should be imposed so that likeminded offenders will not behave in such a manner and the arresting officials should not be bribed. It is bribery that is fueling the destruction of our country. I have seen you committing an offence – pay and thereafter go away. The two of you are now planning to kill this country that belongs to 70 million people – it is a bad practice.
I am a chief and Buhera especially the south which is under my jurisdiction is fast turning into a desert due to the random cutting down of trees. As traditional leaders and leaders in our different communities, let us urge people to work hard to ensure that our people do not destroy the environment so that we are able to protect our inheritance. I decided to also contribute because this affects me so much as a chief. We are very few but it is very hot in here and it means that the weather is no longer good – times are now very hard. We are killing this country called Zimbabwe which is a very beautiful country. Let us protect this country by doing good work. Let us arrest offenders as responsible citizens. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me the opportunity to also debate on the…
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENTOF SENATE (HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA): Order, order, you are not connected yet.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me the opportunity to also debate on the importance of this motion that was tabled by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma and I also thank the seconder. I am not going to say much because a lot has already been said by our chief.
Mr. President, let me say that this country has a lot of gold and because of the abundance of this gold, gold is now being found everywhere so the majority of our people are mining gold as a way of sustaining themselves. It is not bad that we have a lot of gold in this country. It would have been good if people were going to mine responsibly and legally so that we safeguard their lives because most times, there are disputes where there is gold mining. A lot of people now have claims and some mines have several owners who will then contest for ownership.
In Mashonaland Central, you will find that there is Mupfure and to the west there is Tsakare Primary and Tsakare Secondary Schools and a gold belt passes through the schools. Mr. President, the Government should be clear on the laws that are used by small scale miners because we are now observing a problem in that some of the gold is now being found either on someone’s homestead or in someone’s field. You find an outsider coming to claim that the gold belongs to him despite the fact that the homestead or field belongs to someone else. Hence there will be conflict and fights because the owner of the field will be claiming ownership and the miner will be saying, he has the right to the place since he has the requisite permits that allow him to mine in that area. There should be mechanisms to address disputes between the farmer and the miner over the issue of the gold.
It is true as has been alluded by Hon. Sen. Chief Makumbe that our country is no longer attractive. We no longer have trees and have pits all over and we are turning a blind eye to this bad practice…
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order, I see most of you are surprised as to what that noise is all about. It is our air conditioning system, we need to lower the temperature a bit and switch it off again. Thank you. Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi, you may proceed.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: My view point Mr. President Sir is that there is no law that is required to regulate our mining and the protection of our environment. Let us give the power to the chiefs; every chief knows what is found within his jurisdiction. He must come up with laws that govern his subjects who will be mining gold or those who will be looking after the trees or covering up their pits. There is no need for a document to come from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry when the chief is there.
Once we take that route, Zimbabwe is going to be a peaceful country because the chiefs will be working with their subjects from the ground. It will put a stop to fights because there is no one who will come out of the area to fight someone who is already under the jurisdiction of a particular chief. The chief is well and able to deal with his subjects. My view is that Government should allow the chiefs to ensure that there are no pits that are left uncovered after mining, no land degradation, no willy-nilly cutting of trees and no soil erosion. It is only the chief who can ensure that there are no veld fires. A lot of people have lost lives because of veld fires. People might have had their own veld fires but when wild fires come, they destroy plantations. As a result, people lose their investments. Government can eradicate this problem by empowering the chiefs to deal with the subjects and Zimbabwe will be a green belt again. These illegal miners do not sell their gold to Fidelity for fear that they could be arrested. As a result, leakages are causing a lot of loss to the country. Chiefs can direct that everyone sells at Fidelity and it is done. Chiefs have capacity to do that and there is no need for any law or document to come from Government. There will be peace in all our areas. Thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Honourable Senator Rejoice Timire.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. C. NDLOVU: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity. I would like to make a short contribution to the debate on the life of Hon. Senator Timire. Hon. Senator Timire was a member of the Gender and Development Thematic Committee that I chair. I was lucky to chair that Committee because it had two disabled persons in the name of the late Hon. Sen. Timire and Hon. Sen. Khupe. Hon. Sen. Timire was one of the most reliable Members in the Committee despite her disability. When COVID came, we had to have some of our meetings virtually. To chair a virtual meeting was one of the most difficult things I had to do because we had Members who would just appear and at times would not contribute but Hon. Sen. Timire would always come to the rescue and start the discussions, start the contributions and debates in our meetings. She was forever present when we had public hearings. She was one of the people that you would find waiting at the venue. We have most of our Members who were not disabled and I always wondered how it is that she always makes sure that she prepares on time and does everything on time, to be on time for meetings yet some of us who are able-bodied were not able to be as punctual as she was.
Hon. Sen. Timire was not born disabled. That brings me to the point where I think I would urge our Parliament, our Government to listen to the voices of disabled people. We have those that were born with disabilities and those of us that meet disability later in life and it can happen to any one of us. I urge our Government and Parliament that we should treat our members of the community living with disabilities with respect. In their different forums, they have cried out for basic necessities, for instance there is an outcry to have public transport system that is accessible and user friendly to disabled people. This is not a huge task. This can only enable them to conduct and go on with their lives the best way they know how under the conditions. It is the responsibility of our Government to make sure that we listen to these voices because it can happen to any one of us that at one stage or another we become disabled.
The life of Hon. Sen. Timire should give us life lessons when we treat those amongst us who are disabled. The life of Hon. Sen. Timire should guide us. Her life should not have been in vain. The fact that we had the opportunity to work with her and see how effective she was when she carried out her work should be encouragement enough to make sure that we take care of those members of our society. I still want to believe that Parliament and Government have the capacity and we have a listening President to listen to those of our society that are disabled. I have watched Hon. Sen. Khupe, listened to him debate and I have had the opportunity also to listen to Hon. Sen. Timire when she was alive. When they made their contributions, there is nothing that says they are disabled and I urge this Parliament to also look at increasing the number of disabled people because their tenacity and work ethic is actually quite different from ours, those of you who are saying they are able-bodied. They know they are disabled and plan in a better way. I think it is something that we need to learn and emulate.
In other countries Hon. President, their public facilities and even pavements are user friendly to people living with disabilities. For instance, if you take people who are blind, they have got pavements that have got nodes so that when they are using their sticks they would know which direction the road is going. Even if they are crossing robots, they would know that this is at a robot and can live without being guided. This is something that we need to start looking at as a nation, to say how best we can treat our disabled communities.
I urge all members of this House, the Hon. Senators, that we join together with the voices of those that are living with disabilities in our communities to make their lives better and integrate them fully into functional citizens of our country. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: I also want to add my voice on the death of Senator Timire and because this is a condolence message, that is why I toned my voice. I would want to thank the mover of the motion. I rise to give testimony on the life of Hon. Senator Timire. Before doing so, my condolences for the passing on of Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo. Three Senators have died so far. We would want to also know that it is God’s law that we eventually die and there is nothing we can do about it. Some die after a long illness and others after a short illness. Others just find themselves dead the following day.
We did not anticipate that we would not have Hon. Timire by now. She was ill for a very short time. Be that as it may, we say it was God’s way. So, I met Hon. Timire in this august House when we were in this Parliament. She was someone who was very free although she was wheelchair bound. We were with her in the SDGs Committee. She was dedicated to duty. I said we once went to Mberengwa and the roads were bad but she would get there first before the bus got to the destination. She was really dedicated to her work. She diligently and was inspired to look after her constituency.
She would also ask at every institution and every place that we would go about the welfare of the disabled. She was very keen at empowering and improving the state of the disabled people. We have lost a very important Hon. Member. There is nothing much we can do about it because it was only time that removes someone from this planet. I would want to say, we worked very well with this lady and may her soul rest in peace. I thank you.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA): I would like to advise Senators that we are mourning the passing of Hon. Sen. Khaya Moyo at the moment but if you want to debate on that one, you move a motion specific on that. We do not mix the two. Hon. Sen. Timire’s motion is already on the Order Paper and we are debating but we also have the death pertaining to Hon. Sen. Khaya Moyo which we are not yet debating. I am appealing to you not to mix the two issues. The motion on the late Hon. Sen. Simon Khaya Moyo will come at its own time. Those that are motivated to move a motion on Hon. Sen. Khaya Moyo, I think that is coming very soon.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on challenges faced by children of incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA seconded by HON. SEN. MATHUTHU, the Senate adjourned at Eight Minutes to Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 17th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM THE MINISTERS
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have the following apologies for leave of absence: Hon. Rtd. Dr. C.G.D.N Chiwenga, The Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care; Hon. S. Kanhutu-Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Hon. Prof. Murwira, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development; Hon. D. Garwe, Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities; Hon. Dr. E. Ndlovu, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education; Hon. M. N. Ndlovu, Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Hon. Sen. M. Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Hon. Dr. S. G. Nyoni, Minister of Women’s Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Hon. Dr. K. Coventry, Minister of Youths, Sports, Arts and Recreation; Hon. J. Moyo, Minister of Local Government and Public Works; Hon. O. C. Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri, Minister of Defence and War Veterans; Hon. Prof. Mavima, Minister for State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution - Midlands Province; Hon. E. Moyo, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and Hon. D. Musabayana, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. Now that we have seed and fertilizer at our Grain Marketing Board depots, and there is need to carry these to collection points. There is a statement that was issued that no farmer is supposed to pay a single cent on collection of those inputs and a certain figure was given for transporters to transport the inputs to collection points. The transporters in our areas are refusing to take up the offer from GMB, citing that it is too low and they cannot afford to carry inputs to collection points on such figures. What is our way forward?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I thank the Hon. Member for the question which is relevant because the rain season has almost commenced and we need inputs delivered to farmers. Government has taken the stance that this is a Presidential Input Scheme available to all 2.3 million households -1.8 million rural households and the balance peri-urban and in that, Government is going to provide transport from GMB depots to the respective wards. There are challenges in some wards and these are an exception.
The Hon. Member can avail those details immediately so that we can transmit them to the GMB. There are occasions where in Gokwe and last week in Zvimba and in Murehwa, where we heard this morning that transporters were unwilling to engage GMB to ferry the inputs. Last week, we were given 250 000 litres of diesel to avail to transporters so that they can move their inputs expeditiously. In cases where there is still insistence that the transporter is unwilling to move these, we have sent GMB trucks to assist so that no farmer pays for the transport.
In some instances, we have also noted that this is connivance between the transporter, GMB, Agritex and the councillor, where they get $2 to $4 per villager and then they give the transporter. The transporter is perhaps given $600 and the balance is shared. So that used to happen in the past and we want all inputs to be distributed by GMB, and Hon. Members to assist us in this regard by raising these issues wherever they occur so that we can solve them on a case by case basis. Thank you Hon. Speaker.
HON. MUNETSI: May I get it clearly from the Hon. Minister that he is saying on top of the offer of money, they are also going to be given fuel?
HON. DR. MASUKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and the Hon. Member for seeking clarification because it is absolutely critical that we clarify the position that the contract is inclusive of fuel but the issue that was arising is because this is payable in Zim dollar. Transporters were raising the issue that the Zim dollar fuel is not available. We have responded by availing 250 000 litres to GMB to avail to transporters, which amount will be deductable from the total that is payable to the transporter. Thank you.
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and good afternoon to you. I wanted to ask the Minister of Environment and Tourism and in his absence, I will direct the question to the Leader of Government business. Zimbabwe has a total population of over 100 000 elephants and the carrying capacity is 45 000, which means there is over-population. What is Government policy regarding the export of live elephants to other countries? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. It is very correct that the carrying capacity for our elephants has been exceeded. We really want to downscale and have a reasonable amount of our herd of elephants. As a country, we are constrained because of the international conventions that we are party to but we really believe that this is very unfair. We should be allowed as a country to sell off excess stock of our elephants; it is one of the areas that our Minister is seized with and we are pushing as a block, particularly as African countries.
Those that impose this ban do not have elephants in their countries and we believe that it should not be a blanket statement that applies to everyone else in the world. We must look at it region by region and look at it specifically looking at us here in Southern Africa, you find out that almost 50% of the elephants in the world are in Southern Africa outside Kenya - that is Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. We believe it is something that we must look at and continue pushing so that we are allowed that free trade. I thank you.
HON. MUNETSI: I have a supplementary question. Would it be of any effect if Zimbabwe as a country would pull countries which are giving us restrictions to sell our elephants? Thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. We believe in engaging and negotiating as opposed to pulling out. So, we believe that we must continue with our efforts to negotiate so that our position is heard. I thank you.
HON. TEKESHE: We are facing a challenge of human wildlife population. The number of elephants in Zimbabwe are so many. They have exceeded the desired number. I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank him for his view which we are going to take to the Hon. Minister regarding the caring of elephants. I will take that suggestion.
HON. DR. LABODE: I was just thinking loud over these horns. If we were to get a company from China - because we know Chinese actually make medicine from these things and they are based here. We process them into whatever, is it not an end product which is different from a whole horn, would that also not be better? I know we cannot send it out but what if there is a factory here that is processing those horns? We cannot just keep piling them, putting them behind the speaker.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank Hon. Labode for the suggestion. Mr. Speaker Sir, it is still banned. What they are banning is what we are using as a raw material to come up with your end product that you want to export. Like I said, the best bet is to continue engaging as a bloc so that the ban is lifted and then we will be able to do like what she is proposing, if we are allowed.
+HON. M. NKOMO: My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. I want to know if elderly people who are not able to dig, are not into Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme can be given agricultural inputs?
The question having been translated by the Hon. Speaker.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you very much for the translation. The clarity is very important; from a policy perspective, we climate proof agriculture to ensure household food security. In doing this, we have said no one and no place will be left behind. No household, no village will be left behind. So, the prerequisite of accessing these inputs is that you have done one plot up to five and you are given inputs that are commensurate with the number of plots you have done. But not to do a plot is also electing not to get inputs. However, there are orphaned, child-headed families, the elderly, those you have mentioned, they will get inputs when the inputs for that particular area are distributed, whether they have done plots or not. Then we request the local leadership and everyone to go back to the old traditional cultural issue of assisting our neighbours because they are the most vulnerable and they need food security more than ever.
In short, to get inputs, you should have done something and that something is first to be trained in the concept of Pfumvudza/Intwasa and secondly, rolling out at least one plot. Thank you.
HON. GONESE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. We are blessed to have you as our Speaker, you are multilingual. However, my point of order relates to an issue which you raised previously in this august House. We have got 16 official languages and all Members of Parliament are entitled to speak in a language that they choose. I am concerned that after the adoption of our Constitution in 2013, it is now eight years down the line. As Parliament, we have not implemented or taken measures to ensure that we have facilities which allow simultaneous translation so that we do not have a situation where the Hon. Speaker has to double up as an interpreter.
I just wanted to find out from your office Mr. Speaker, what has been done in order to address this issue so that any member who speaks in any language that he chooses, there will be simultaneous translation and all Members will be able to follow?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you for that observation. We were in a catch-22 situation to be or not to be. In view of the fact that we are moving to the new Parliament building, now to spend money installing such gadgets here and six months down the line, you again install new gadgets at the new Parliament, we thought it was uneconomic and that the Presiding Officers will assist from time to time with interpretation. All things being equal, I think by June if not earlier next year, we should be at the new Parliament building where all these facilities will be in place.
HON. NDUNA: My supplementary question is; in view of the fact that the Pfumvudza concept is now gone urban as of last week’s question time, where Government said they have now a policy to also give Pfumvudza to the urban dwellers, it is my observation that they had actually used other means of not ......
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, ask the question. The matter was accepted last week, so what is the question?
HON. NDUNA: In view of the fact that urban dwellers had used other means as opposed to digging holes to cultivate and excavate their one plot pieces of land, would it please the Minister to also apportion the Pfumvudza inputs support scheme to these urban dwellers irrespective of the methods they used in tilling and excavating their land Mr. Speaker Sir?
THE HON. SPEAKER: I do not know, I thought the Hon. Minister was so explicit in his response earlier on. I will indulge the Hon. Member and perhaps the Hon. Minister may be seeing another angle in terms of the supplementary question.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. This just gives me an opportunity to provide additional information relating to Pfumvudza/Intwasa. The programme is primarily the land owned by 99% of the households, but as we move to the bigger plots and more were exploring the possibility for mechanical conservation farming methods. There are about 600 farms that will be selected for that purpose for this year. The local Agritex Officer will be able to ascertain whether the principles of Pfumvudza have been carried out because those are the pre-requisites for accessing these inputs; so there will be very specific local area judgments made.
May I take this opportunity to clarify that we do not give urban dwellers Pfumvudza/Intwasa, we give peri-urban farmers on what we call transcend urban cultivation. There are no policies on urban agriculture but on transcend urban cultivation because agriculture takes place in designated areas. These are agricultural areas and they are defined in terms of the statutes. Open spaces in urban areas are not for cultivation, they are intended for some futuristic use. However, in the interim, they can be used to cultivate crops to improve household food security. So, we call that transcend cultivation for which we have recognised as a Government that there is need to cushion the urban population so they too could cultivate those and be able to access the Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs. I thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Hon. Minister, prices of basic commodities have astronomically gone up beyond what many families can afford and it is very clear that as we move towards the festive season, prices are going to be increasing even more higher to the extent that even with bonuses, workers will not be able to touch and feel those bonuses. What measures are you putting in place to mitigate against these price increases so that at least people can afford to buy something even as they are going to be receiving bonuses? If you do not do anything, people will not be able to touch and feel those bonuses.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I thank the Hon. Member for the question on the galloping prices which are hurting the poor. It is certainly true but the causes have been largely the gap between the parallel market and the official rate. So, the first order of business is to tackle that gap between the parallel market and the official auction rate. We have put in place several measures. First of all, is to eliminate the gap that exists in the allocations on the auctions. We did that successfully this week where Treasury stepped in to clear the backlog making sure that there is certainty and credibility around the auction.
The Central Bank issued a statement yesterday attesting the fact that we had cleared this backlog as Treasury. The way we do it is not that we are handing money over to the private sector through the auction but rather we are exchanging the USD that we have that we collect from taxes for the ZWL that we need to settle civil servants’ salaries and other ZWL needs.
You have seen that we have increased interest rates to make it more expensive for the speculators to speculate. We are implementing other measures going forward to make sure that we reduce the cost of speculation and dampen the arbitrage opportunities that come with that.
On the simple cushioning front through this Parliament, we will be requesting an adjustment in the tax bands as I present the budget next week just to make sure that those who are at the lower levels in terms of salaries can be cushioned through a tax relief. We are also going to request that Parliament approves an increased social protection budget which covers things be it BEAM, health support for the vulnerable, cash transfers as well. We will be requesting an increased budget for the support for the vulnerable. So, we will try to attack this issue from different angles in terms of trying to meet the needs of the vulnerable from the price increases.
One thing that we could not do by the way, is price controls; that would be a disaster. It never works; we make strategies on the shelves. I think these kinds of measures that I have outlined are perhaps the best way to go as package of measures. I thank you.
+HON. PETER MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker. People who are behind parallel markets are known, what is the Government doing about that? The Minister is aware of those culprits behind parallel market. I thank you.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Most of the culprits are known, some of them have been arrested. Certainly, the people are very cunning because they enjoy the proceeds so they continue with what they are doing but they are being arrested.
We have a law SI 127 which is helping us to do what we are doing so that we obey the law. It is not easy, some come to the auction and we would want to know who is receiving the money. Some come weekly, so we want to see whether there is no criminality which is happening around there. We are trying our best so that the law is implemented.
As we speak, it is one of the measures which we have taken that the law should be adhered to. I thank you.
HON. MARKHAM: Thank you Hon. Speaker and good afternoon. Hon. Speaker, I would just like to supplement to the Minister - so long as our incomes are working on the official rate and our expenditure is on the parallel market, we have a serious problem and this is unsolvable until it is policed and enforced. I do not know why the Ministry cannot push that the monies taken from the auction rate are charged into the system at the rate they were bought because there is no shop in town that is not charging on the parallel rate. Can the Minister not enforce those companies that are accessing money on the auction rate to acquit their forms at that rate and not the parallel rate? I thank you.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I thank Hon. Markham for his question. He is correct in the observation that there are individuals, companies and others who source money from the auction at the auction rate that he sees published every week, but the prices that you find in their shops are different. They are parallel market prices and this is not on. We do not condone that. In fact, we are trying to deal with that. I agree with him that there should be better enforcement when it comes acquittals. Before the person comes back to the auction, there should also be a follow up and an audit. That is what I mentioned earlier. So I agree with him that we should enforce better. We will continue to do so. It is never easy. You know when there is arbitrary opportunity, often that tends to be shared through the ecosystem. So in terms of collusion of individuals and companies - it is happening. That makes it difficult to enforce the law through a single point and we have to attack the whole ecosystem if we want to succeed, but I appreciate his suggestion and his concern. We are concerned, I am concerned. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My supplementary to the Hon. Minister, where I come from, in particular the people in some areas have no access to information from the print and radio media, but I make sure I give them the Hansard after Parliament. Would it please the Minister to elaborate, espouse on the bonuses that are United States dollar based that you are going to give to civil servants which we saw in the print and in electronic media, as well as on television so that the people I represent can get to hear first hand from you?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Unfortunately, that supplementary question does not arise in terms of the price regime raised by Hon. Khupe. Please take your seat.
HON. GONESE: Supplementary Mr. Speaker Sir. In your response Hon. Minister, you have indicated that there should be better controls and also better investigation on those companies which would have accessed foreign currency at the auction rate. However Hon. Minister, there are individuals…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, you are now debating. Ask the supplementary question.
HON. GONESE: Hon. Minister, what happens to those companies which are not able to get all their requirements at the auction rate as a result of which they claim to have purchased some of the currency on the parallel market and some on the auction rate? How do you deal with that situation in terms of the policing and the controls that you have alluded to Hon, Minister?
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: What we are policing is really around the foreign currency that we have provided. It is a lot easier to do that. That is what we follow up on but if individuals are doing blended pricing and so forth, again we want to understand it but really we want to make sure that our foreign currency is not a contributor to parallel market prices that we see prevailing. That is really our main concern and it is much easier to prove that than blended prices or the other prices, but the issue of enforcement is never easy at all.
We have FIU, the police, we have ZIMRA to an extent, we have all the law enforcement agencies out there but people are still managing to escape. Those are the facts. It just shows you how difficult it is especially if the incentives and the arbitrary profits are being distributed among many beneficiaries, then everyone has an incentive to cover up for each other. It is never easy, but we will continue with the hard work especially around the sources that we would have provided ourselves through the auction. I thank you.
(v)HON. WATSON: My question is in connection with the theft of cables, the ZESA electricity conducted cables. Large areas of the country have no power because the cables have been stolen. ZESA themselves do not have the capacity to replace the cables. Residents have replaced cables and those too have been stolen. What is the Ministry of Home Affairs and the ZRP going to do? What plans do they have to curb that theft?
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Indeed, we are faced with the problem of theft of copper cables and the Minister of Home Affairs brought an amendment to the Copper Act to ensure that we put in place stiffer mandatory sentences to curb the theft of these cables as a deterrent measure. Over and above that, we believe communities must come together to assist our law enforcement agencies. Sometimes it is very difficult to police the whole electrical line and if communities come together and assist in apprehending these criminals, it will go a long way in ensuring it will also act as a deterrent measure when the thieves know that communities are now assisting the law enforcement agency to ensure that we protect our property. The Minister is going to steer the Bill that will bring in mandatory stiffer sentences to ensure that it acts as a deterrent measure. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: I am glad that the Leader of Government Business is the one tasked with enacting laws. Would it please the Minister meanwhile to withdraw the licences of copper operators seeing that we do not produce copper and their mining field is the ZESA cables?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Actually, that is what is happening. The Minister of Home Affairs has suspended issuing new licences and is tightening up to ensure that those that have them comply. Once you are caught and it is proved that you have been stealing copper cables, naturally the Minister is cancelling those licences. So, indeed those measures are there but we need over and above that, to come up with deterrent mandatory sentences and our communities to come together so that we fight this evil. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: My question is directed to the Leader of Government Business. When are we likely to see provincial councils fully operational?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): We had already initiated the process of ensuring that provincial councils start working by coming up with a Bill here in Parliament, the Provincial Councils Bill. What then happened is that we then passed Constitutional Amendment (No. 2), and it entailed us withdrawing that Bill and ensuring that we bring in a Bill that is consistent with the amendments we made. That Bill should be reaching Parliament before the end of this year so that by the first quarter of next year, the provincial councils must be operational.
We are mindful that this year when budgets for provincial councils are made, these must be disbursed to councils that will be in operation. Our target is that as we start a new year, we should be able to have passed it the first quarter of next year so that they can become fully operational. I thank you.
*HON. SEWERA: I would like to direct my question to the Leader of Government Business. There are illicit brands of alcohol which are being sold literally for a nominal fee. I am wondering whether they are coming through the official channels or black market channels. What is going to be done about that?
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for such a pertinent question. The answer is that indeed there are such illicit brands of alcohol which are a cause for concern, which culminated in His Excellency creating a taskforce to deal with such alcohol so that we prevent our children from this vice. These illicit drugs and alcohol are coming through the black market channels and this is being done in an illegal way. It is being sold illegally. The challenge is that we request or implore the public to assist police officers by tipping them if you are aware of where such alcohol is being sold, and indeed alcohol cannot just be sold without a liquor licence.
If you are a shop owner and if you are selling food, you are required to be given a licence by the Ministry of Local Government to sell liquor. For those who sell liquor, the Ministry of Local Government is there to give licences. If you sell illicit alcohol, then your licence will be withdrawn. Through Government programmes, we need to come up with ways of curbing such illicit drugs. I thank you.
HON . CHINYANGANYA: Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Minister for his response. Since the packaging of that alcohol makes it easy for youngsters to afford, why can Government not put in place measures that make it mandatory for distilling companies to package in such a way that the alcohol is not affordable? Can the Government come up with such a policy?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMETARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Actually Madam Speaker, these are illegal illicit brews, so we cannot set a price on something that is illegal. What we want is to get rid of all those illicit brews. I thank you.
(v)*HON. KASHIRI: Thank you Madam Speaker, I wanted to know from the Hon. Minister whether it is possible to have a policy to close all such companies that are making illicit brews? I thank you.
*HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker and I thank the Hon. Member for the question. This is exactly what we are saying that all those found selling or brewing these illegal brews that are harming our people, if they were in business of selling alcohol, if we catch them doing this, we will cancel their licences. We also want to introduce deterrent prison sentences for such practices. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My supplementary question is that some of the people involved in these illicit commodities seem to be aligned to the law enforcement agencies especially where I come from. We are still looking at means and ways to effect citizen’s arrest. Would it be possible Hon. Minister for the resident, in particular where I come from, to expeditiously without fail, effect citizen’s arrest and mete instant justice to the people who have killed the youths in Chegutu West Constituency and in particular Zimbabwe in general in Ward 25.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker; I hear Hon. Nduna’s concerns and his appetite to ensure that we mobilise members of his constituency to arrest those that are in the business of brewing elicit beer. I agree with him the moment you notice that someone is doing this, apprehend him and hand him over to the police but do not beat them up. I thank you.
HON. MARKHAM: Thank you Madam Speaker. I see the lockdown has been extended on level 2. My questions pertains to cross-border travel, this particularly pertaining to the figures that are coming up from the Ministry of Health and Child Care that we are losing one person a day and we have got about 45 new COVID-19 cases. My question is when are we going to lift the ban on cross-border travel because it is going to have a serious impact on retaining diaspora and on Christmas bookings et cetera? I stand corrected but I believe we are the last SADC country to still consider opening our borders in view of the Christmas holiday, of the economy and informal sector. Surely this must be taken into account, I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question wherein he is asking when we are opening our borders, if I got him correctly. Madam Speaker, our borders are open but there are conditions for entering just like what is happening in all countries across the world. Our citizens can come, if they do not have a COVID-19 certificate; because you are our citizens, we will quarantine you. If you are a foreigner there are requirements. For citizens, we request that you have a COVID-19 PCR that is less than 48 hours that you took at least 48 hours before you travel. That has been the requirement if you want to come to Zimbabwe. We had imposed stiffer requirements from those that were coming from India but we have now relaxed because we noticed that the Delta variant is now prevalent in our population; we have relaxed. Our borders are open but there are certain conditions that we believe must be satisfied upon arrival for you to be allowed entry. I thank you.
HON. MARKHAM: I might not have put it correctly but I am talking about road borders not airport -hence, I mentioned the regional countries around us have opened their borders and also diaspora and the informal traders. These people do not travel by aircraft, I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker, our road borders are open and the conditions are exactly the same, I thank you.
HON. MUTAMBISI: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development. What has the Government put in place to protect our newly constructed roads throughout the country from some careless road users who might damage the infrastructure?
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I would want to also thank Hon. Mutambisi for that wonderful question. The Hon. Member has raised two very important points, one to do with reckless and negligent users and the second one to do with the issue of maintaining roads. Hon. Madam Speaker, I am quite grateful to the advent of the Second Republic. For those who remember, we used to have the Maintenance Unit for our major roads and they had been abandoned for quite some time. However, through a Cabinet decision again, in particular His Excellency then directed resuscitation of maintenance units. The essence of maintenance units is to maintain the roads after rehabilitating and reconstructing our roads, and we also need to make sure that we keep those roads in that state.
As we speak, we are busy mobilising maintenance units so that after constructing a road, we then need to come and make sure that we do not have potholes and cracks developing on those roads. We are saying we would also need to beautify our roads. By beautifying, that is where we are also having the drainage system, solar system and the flowers themselves. This is the exercise that we will be partaking but I want to thank the Hon. Member that yes, it is also a responsibility of the citizens to make sure that we maintain our roads and we leave the roads in the state they were as we are rehabilitating them. Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Would it please the Minister to first and foremost deal with the expeditious completion of the 821 kilometres Plumtree-Mutare Highway in terms of signage, carriageway markings and roadside furniture as he has alluded to? The issue of carriageway markings is what is hampering most of the roads that have been completed long back in terms of travel. Would it please the Minister first and foremost before those signs are plundered, to make sure that they are completed, premised on the contract that has already been completed?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker, let me also thank the Hon. Member for the question and also to concur with Hon. Nduna that Mutare-Plumtree Road, the road which is topical, that yes it has some sections that need to have signage. The Hon. Member is aware we have adopted a similar programme across the SADC region in terms of signage, where we are saying you have to be compliant to the SADC protocol in terms of signage. This is exactly what we are going to do and to ensure that those obligations are actually met and for all other roads that we are rehabilitating.
Yes, it is true carriageway markings are important, especially as we are approaching the rain season, we make sure that we move with speed. Last week we started marking our roads and you will see the face of Harare changing since we are busy marking the roads. We have just started and we will continue with that trajectory.
HON. L. SIBANDA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I have heard what Hon. Nduna has just said. I am from Matabeleland North where there is the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road which has spent 41 years without completion. May it be the first preference?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the Hon. Member for that very important question. As I am seated here, I am sitting next to Hon. Prof. Ncube who was once in the Matebeleland region and he talked about this particular road. I am also glad to advise the House that we started working on this road in terms of the procurement. So you will be seeing us rehabilitating that road and putting the bridges that were the missing elements – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – When we say the President is a listening President, we mean he listens to your problems and takes action.
*HON. RAIDZA: My supplementary question is to do with overloading. Do we have plans to erect weighbridges on our roads? Heavy trucks are damaging roads, do we have plans to put systems so that we make sure these trucks that pass through this country carry proper loads?
*HON. MHONA: It is true that we do have people who are reckless when it comes to use of the roads. We are going to put weighbridges on roads that pass through mines and some of these areas. I urge you to spread this information that we should follow roads rules. Thank you.
*HON. SEWERA: Thank you Madam Speaker. On the issue of roads, I wanted to know the problem with traffic lights because some of them are not working and you find vendors who sell juice cards controlling cars. When will you solve this problem?
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): I would like to thank Hon. Sewera for the question. It is true that as Cabinet Ministers, it is our responsibility to solve the different challenges that are faced by the people of Zimbabwe. Some of these challenges fall under a different Ministry. For instance, when looking at traffic lights, we know that we have city fathers who are in the Ministry of Local Government. So we expect our municipal authorities to fix traffic lights. This means that at times some faults might be ascribed to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport yet they fall under municipal authorities.
For instance, ZUPCO buses do not fall under the Ministry of Transport but under the Ministry of Local Government. I am not blame shifting because we are Government together. It is important to understand that there is a Committee that was formed by His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa, which is responsible for putting order in our transport sector. I believe that the Ministry of Transport is one of the line ministries that are found in that taskforce.
So, I would like to promise you that regarding the different traffic lights which might be a burden to municipal authorities, we will take the onus upon us to fix such traffic lights and for those who are not trained to control traffic yet since controlling traffic is a risk, not only to them but to other road users. I would like to thank you Hon. Member but I would like to implore each and every one of us to take responsibility. After this august House, please may we give each other time to solve such issues and we are going to work on the traffic lights. I thank you for raising that point. Thank you.
(v)HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question to the Hon. Minister of Transport and his counterpart in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is; we are just eight years before Vision 2030 and the pace at which we are rehabilitating our roads and putting tarred roads in the country means that in some provinces, that Vision 2030 will not be realised. What measures are there to make sure that all provinces get tarred roads because in some districts, we do not even have a single road that is earmarked in the next $2 billion? So I am worried that Vision 2030 will arrive and we will be left behind and yet the President’s mantra is saying no one should be left behind. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker and let me thank Hon. Mayihlome for that follow up question. I did not hear clearly some parts of the question but I understand he is talking about some of the roads being tarred across the country to say what is the plan in place. I concur with him that the bitumen type of tar that we use is very expensive. As we are speaking, we also have other players in the industry who are coming up with alternative products especially to suit roads from our rural constituencies so that we do not usually grade our roads each and every year. This is something that is underway as we speak, through our Research and Development Department in the Ministry, to see exactly how we can rehabilitate our roads using other alternative products.
I can give you an example that on average a road would cost USD1.2 million per kilometre. One might say you are rehabilitating eight kilometers and you would hear another one saying - how can you celebrate to do eight kilometres, but if you do your numbers, by rehabilitating eight kilometres, that is almost close to USD9.6 million. It is not something that you can just pick from the street. Remember we are tapping from the fiscus and so, we are finding alternative methods of rehabilitating our roads so that they are sustainable and durable. This is something that we would also want the general citizenry to appreciate how we construct these roads. Thank you.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Would it please the Minister to bring to the House a catalogue of roads that have been constructed from scratch, in particular in the Second Republic and in the ERRP so that it can give us an opportunity to proffer solutions as to how the longevity of the roads can be preserved and also proffer and give other roads, in particular Chegutu/Mubaira Road or other roads like Chegutu/Chakari Road that can be included in the ERRP so that it is wholesome? Would it please the Minister to bring in a ministerial statement that encompasses the catalogue of all the roads that have been constructed, rehabilitated and maintained in the same period, in particular in the Second Republic so that we can give some solutions if it pleases the Minister?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Let me thank Hon. Nduna. If you go through the Ministry, one of our core values is to be accountable and we are accountable to the people of Zimbabwe. You do not need to be apologetic but you need to demand that kind of a compendium to say how have we used the money, who has constructed that road, how many kilometres and at what cost? So, this is exactly within our purview and I will be glad to present the same to the august House to say this has been done in the Second Republic. We have rehabilitated so many kilometres and we will table the same. So, I assure you Hon. Nduna and the august House that this is something that has to be demanded and be tabled. Thank you.
HON. KARUMAZONDO: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement. Hon. Minister, can you inform the House when you are expecting the deliveries of rig machines for drilling the boreholes in the country? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, WATER AND RURAL RESETLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): I thank the Hon. Member for the question. The question for the provision of water and water being a human right is critical to the Government of Zimbabwe and it is in this vein that we put up a plan to drill the 35 000 boreholes in 35 000 villages, 9 600 boreholes at 9600 schools, 1800 boreholes for youths in wards. The first two of these supper drilling rigs arrived on Friday. I expect the remainder, 48 of them to arrive before the end of the year.
May I take this advantage of having been asked this question to say that the President of the Republic will be launching this programme shortly. I thank you.
HON. TEKESHE: My question is directed to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. There is an advert which was flighted talking of service stations which are going to be using RTGS. I would like to know if the adverts are from the Minister’s office and if so, when are you likely to have that fuel in RTGS?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. MUSWERE) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT: Thank you Madam Speaker. That information is not coming from the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. Currently what is being developed is a framework whereby ZERA is working closely with the Central Bank and fuel suppliers and distributers to come up with a list which will then be published by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. I thank you.
HON. TEKESHE: Zvinongoratidza kuti Ministry iyi haisi yavo…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Tekeshe, can you withdraw that statement!
HON. TEKESHE: Hon. Speaker Ma’am, I withdraw. I just want to know if these service stations are not accessing money from the Government foreign currency programme. It looks like everybody is selling their fuel using USD, if so, why do you continue paying them when the Minister of Finance and Economic Development refuses that our currencies are not going to be dollarised. We are going to remain with RTGS and yet people are paying USD to access fuel.
HON. MUSWERE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am sure I responded to the question that modalities and frameworks are being developed currently. Last month, ZERA flighted an advert inviting fuel station owners and distributers who would like to participate in ZWL fuel supply facility. So far, 57 fuel station owners and distributers have responded and the first tranche of 15 distributers and fuel station owners are now working with ZERA and RBZ on modalities to ensure that it is water tight and that there are also conditions that should be attached to the distribution of the ZWL fuel facility. Part of those conditions includes the fact that all these fuel station owners should allow the National Fuel Management system to be installed at their service stations. Furthermore, the conditions also include the fact that there should be weekly reports, monitoring and evaluation in terms of the ZWL fuel facility.
This facility has been developed to take care of the motoring public, the farmers, Government ministries agencies and departments and also key strategic government contractors involved in dam construction et cetera. So, we are now working on the final piece of the modalities to ensure that we rollout the ZWL fuel facility. I thank you.
(v)*HON. CHINOTIMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker, my supplementary question is how many months is it going to take us working on modalities whilst people are suffering? We raised concerns over this issue when we were in Victoria Falls. We are not young children who can just be fed porridge, we are adults and Zimbabwean citizens who are using the local currency. It would be better for the Hon. Minister to tell people the truth with specific dates and within a certain time frame. It is important for us to have a specific timeframe than to continue speculating. This is affecting a lot of people who continuously hear about modalities that are being worked on.
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: We have heard you Honourable.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. DR. MUSWERE): Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank Hon. Chinotimba for his question. What I would like to assure him and this House is that before the end of this month, the Zimbabwean dollar fuel facility will be fully functional. I thank you.
*HON. NYABANI: My supplementary question to the Minister is that it is a good point you are making, but I would like to ask how you are going to manage the fuel prices of diesel because people will end up selling the diesel you gave them with Zimbabwean dollars for United States dollars.
HON. DR. MUSWERE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I think I indicated that part of the modalities and the conditions for any fuel station owner, the Ministry of Energy and Power Development through ZERA, will be in a position to deploy the National Fuel Management System. Currently, the Fuel Management System that we have is called Matsimba and that is one of the conditions that if you apply for this particular Zimbabwean dollar fuel facility, you should also accept the fact that the National Fuel Management System should be installed at this particular garage. In addition to that, there will be a financial monitoring mechanism. That is the framework I was talking about Madam Speaker, that ZERA will have the authority and access to receive weekly reports at each and every fuel station that will have participated in this facility. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. MARKHAM: Madam Speaker, my question goes to the previous RTGS 20 litre fuel coupons received here and also in the public that were sold to the public. A lot of those coupons have not been able to be remitted and they are now charged at 2:1. In other words, for a 20 litre coupon which you paid for you are now getting 10 litres. Is the Ministry aware of it and how is he going to solve this issue of people still sitting on old RTGS coupons? Thank you.
HON. DR. MUSWERE: Madam Speaker, I am sure that this is a specific question. What I will need to get from the Hon. Member is the specific company and particular organisation which sold these RTGS coupons and which particular organisation at the same time is dispensing 10 litres instead of 20 litres, then we will task our machinery to deal with the particular issue. Thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. I am sure Hon. Markham, you have taken note of that.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: My question is directed to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development. What is Government policy regarding reclamation of disused mine pits, those that would have been mined by companies and artisanal miners? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHITANDO): Madam Speaker, I will talk about the existing provisions of the law and then I will also talk about plans to enhance the provisions of the law. In terms of the existing provisions of the law, before any miner or mining activity starts, there are two processes which have to be fulfilled, the citing of works plan and secondly, environmental impact assessment which amongst other things addresses the issue of the environment and how it will be addressed on completion of the mining activity.
Having said that, Government recognises that there are potential loopholes or areas which need strengthening to ensure that environmental obligations are fulfilled and to that extent, the proposed amendments to the Environmental Management Act has a number of very specific provisions and obligations in terms of the requirements of all mining activities to undertake rehabilitation as and when mining takes places and completion of mining. I thank you.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: I want to thank the Hon. Minister for his response. When can we expect the amendment to the Environmental Management Act?
HON. CHITANDO: The principles for the amendments of the Environmental Management Act were passed in Cabinet in early October and they are now with the Attorney-General for the drafting of the proposed amendments and then due course will take place.
(v)HON. KASHIRI: In view of the disused mines of which most of them have got mercury deposits which pose a danger to livestock and humans in the communities, seeing that Zimbabwe is party to the Minamata Convention on the usage of mercury, how far have we gone as a country in terms of adhering to the convention?
HON. CHITANDO: I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question which I will answer in two parts. Firstly, whilst awaiting the amendments to the Act, the Ministry of Environment announced some initiatives which where necessary to undertake and intervene in the rehabilitation of some disused areas where the miners are no longer in place, which are old mining activities.
Secondly, there is a new initiative which again the Ministry of Environment is running with, in terms of compliance and the Minamata Convention.
HON. NDUNA: We have numerous dams that have been developed outside the dams that we have already that were planned from disused mine shafts and open cast mine areas. Would it please the Minister to bring into Parliament a catalogue of places which have adhered to the Environmental Impact Assessment Report that you would have received at inception or at the beginning of the operations of those big large scale miners and small scale miners so that we can interrogate it with the hope of making sure that there is adherence on the ground in the places that we come from because we now have dangerous places and it is a copious amount of them?
HON. CHITANDO: Probably, I may need some clarity from the question by the Hon. Member, whether he is referring to environmental impact assessment of all mining locations or of certain selected mining locations because if you are talking of all mining locations, you are probably talking of over 30 000. What exactly would the Hon. Member wish us to zero in on so that at least we can respond accordingly?
HON. NDUNA: I will just narrow it down to three big players in the mining industry. For chrome, it is ZIMASCO and secondly, platinum being centered on ZIMPLATS who seem, to a larger extent, to be adhering to the ethos and values and the gold sector, in particular the pith, core and heart of my argument is RioZim who in my view, if we can narrow it down to those three, we would certainly get to the heart of this challenge.
HON. CHITANDO: Again, if I could seek further clarity from the Hon. Member to say chrome – does the Hon. Member refer to all chrome concessions or only ZIMASCO concession and on gold specific to RioZim only? If I could get that clarity.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna, I advise you to put it in writing so that the Minister will bring the response.
HON. BUSHU: My question is directed to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, if he may please address the House regarding acting positions in the Public Service.
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. PROF. MAVIMA): I am assuming that the Hon. Member is saying that there are quite a number of positions where people act for too long, maybe Acting Director or Acting Chief Director and the like. From 2020 into 2021, we have been affected by COVID-19 in terms of filling those positions but we have seen quite a number of positions being filled since the relaxation of the COVID-19 protocols. We would like to hasten to say, that process of filling those positions affects performance of the specific positions because people who act may not have the confidence and authority to act as they should. I am glad that we have seen quite a movement in terms of filling those positions but we need to hasten the pace. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: Would it please the Minister to say how he hopes to navigate Section 316 of the Constitution that deals with agreements and contracts for substantive members in those positions; in particular, the accounting officers, which states that their continued existence and holding of that office is premised primarily…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna, please may you go straight to the point.
HON. NDUNA: Yes. It is premised primarily on the exercise and functions and the issue of whether they perform in that office. How does the Minister hope to navigate the area around Section 316 of the Constitution as it relates to those that are in an acting capacity?
HON. PROF. MAVIMA: Hon. Madam Speaker, I am not sure I got the sure purport of this question because if there is reference to the accounting officers, to my understanding, there is no accounting officer who is acting. All the accounting officers are substantive and have their performance contracts that are discussed within the Ministry itself but which they sign before the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet. So the performance accountability of accounting officers is not in question at all but as I indicated, the issue of acting in lower positions is also of concern and we would like as much as possible to fill up those positions as quickly as possible so that those accounting officers have subordinates they can work with who can then contribute to the overall performance of the Government department or the Ministry. I thank you Madam Speaker.
Questions without Notice were interrupted by the HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 68.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
BOREHOLES DRILLED UNDER THE COMMAND WATER HARVESTING PROGRAMME
- HON. MACHINGAUTA asked the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development to inform the House how many boreholes were drilled under the Command Water Harvesting Programme throughout the whole country and with specific reference to Budiriro Constituency.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, FISHERIES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I thank the Hon. Member for the question. Madam Speaker Ma’am, there is no Command Water Harvesting being implemented by the Ministry. However, the Ministry is aware of the acute need to enhance water availability for domestic, industrial and mining use, for cattle watering and irrigation throughout the country.
Initially, four priority boreholes were targeted in each constituency and a total of 411 boreholes were drilled since November, 2017 across the country. Additionally, 152 boreholes were drilled by ZINWA under the COVID-19 and drought interventions in 2020.
Madam Speaker, the new thrust by the Government under the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy and National Development Strategy 1, is to provide a borehole in each village by 2025. So 35 000 boreholes are planned in 35 000 villages. In addition, 9 600 boreholes for schools are also envisaged. Urban areas such as Budiriro will be considered under the Water Programme under the purview of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
The District Development Fund (DDF) under the office of the President and Cabinet also drills boreholes. The Government is under the process of procuring drilling rigs to augment the capacity of both ZINWA and DDF to drill boreholes to meet this expanded target for ZINWA and our Ministry primarily for the rural areas, for rural development. I thank you Madam Speaker.
DEBT OWED TO ZESA AND RECOVERY MEASURES
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House the amount of debt owed to ZESA to date and the measures taken to recover the money owed.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. MUSWERE) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The total debt owed to ZESA as at 30 September, 2021 was $15,888,834.158.27 of which the US$ component is US$63 813720.01 and the ZW$ 8,952, 632,167.73. Madam Speaker, I would like the House to take note that ZESA has since started implementing mitigation measures to recover the amount owed. There are various credit control measures that are being utilised by the utility in debt collection, which has seen collections increasing.
Currently, the revenue collection index is at 93% for the third quarter of 2021, being an improvement from 87.7% for the second quarter of 2021 and 119% for the month of September, 2021. Part of these measures Madam Speaker is;
Prepaid Meters, the clients on post-paid and load limit are gradually being enrolled onto the prepayment metering platform where debt is managed through a minimum deduction per month.
The utility is anticipating to unlock 100 000 prepaid meter facility that would enable it to clear the remaining post-paid meters and thus manage the debt through prepayment vending.
For clients already migrating to pre-paid metering, the debt is being recovered through the pre-payment meter at a minimum rate of 50%.
The second measure is the smart metering. Mr. Speaker Sir, the House should be advised that the utility is currently in pilot phase for smart metering with 2 455 meters currently in place and with 900 meters already installed. These smart meters are meant to manage the large and medium capacity customers. These smart meters are also being inserted with sim cards to enable them to communicate with the back-up system in the office and enable credit control measures to be effected timeously and remotely.
The third item is the timeous billing and dispatching of bills. The utility is endevouring to ensure that all customers are billed and the bills are dispatched timeously.
Number 4 is the payment plan. Payment plans are sometimes entertained with defaulting clients and strictly monitored to ensure that they fulfill the obligations.
Number 5 is the stop orders - farmers are being placed on stop orders where payment is received on the delivery of produce mostly through GMB.
Number 6 is client engagement, the defaulting clients are being engaged telephonically, virtually, physically as well as through other mediums in order to urge them to settle their bills.
Number 7 is the disconnection, the withdrawal of supply is utilised as a last resort where a client has failed to honour a payment plan.
Number 8 is meter separation, the strategy is mainly focusing on institutions who initially have a bulk meter and are not paying. The downstream individual clients are then placed on prepayment metering set off.
Number 9, the House should be advised that the debt for parastatals and local Government entities are being set off.
Number 10, the defaulting clients are being submitted for blacklisting if all avenues fail. So far 28 955 customers have been submitted for blacklisting.
Number 11, litigation, this has been employed as one of the last resort in order to ensure that ZESA recovers.
Number 12, the widening of payment auctions, the utility has widened its payment options from banking halls to the use of ICTs. Through ZETDC self service portal, clients are now able to inquire and pay their bills using mobile financial services.
Number 13, the lobbying of key sectors, the utility is also lobbying with key customer groups such as CZI, ZNCC, farmer organisations, et cetera in order to urge their members to settle their bills. Thank you.
(v)HON. I. NYONI: ZESA is being owed quite a substantial amount of money which would put the parastatals in good state if the recovery pace improves. Can the Minister inform the House the major debtors to date?
HON. DR. MUSWERE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The major debtors are local authorities, mining houses, other Government institutions, primary and secondary tertiary organisations, individual farmers, Government parastatals and other exporters.
HON. NYONI: Can the Hon. Minister give us a list?
HON. DR. MUSWERE: I am not sure about the list that he wants. I thought I had explained that the major contributors including local authorities, I am not sure, is it the individuals that the Hon. Member is interested on or the local authorities? Thank you.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Honourable, can you clarify your question?
HON. I. NYONI: We need the names of the local authorities, mining houses because I understand mining houses are making a lot of money but they are failing to settle their debts.
HON. DR. MUSWERE: Since this is quite specific, I would urge the Hon. Member to put his question in writing so that we can respond accordingly. Thank you.
REPLACEMENT OF TRANSFORMER IN WAVERLY KADOMA
- HON. CHINYANGANYA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House when the transformer in Waverly, Kadoma is going to be replaced since people have been living in darkness for quite some time.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. MUSWERE) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The response is that we would like to draw the House’s attention to the fact that the point in question requires 200 KVA transformer to replace the vandalised one and the utility is currently working on developing specifications for this particular transformer. However, there is an order that was placed by the utility for the transformers and it is expected to be delivered before the end of December this year 2021. It is from this order that the Waverley transformer will be allocated. Thank you.
REPAIRS AND UPGRADING OF MAWABENI-MBIZINGWE-OLD BULAWAYO ROAD
- HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House:
(a) Why the repairs and upgrading of the Mawabeni–Mbizingwe–Old Bulawayo Road end at a council boundary instead of connecting to the Old Bulawayo Road thereby bringing full economic benefits to the corridor as a whole;
(b) When will the upgrading of the Beitbridge–Victoria Falls Road commence.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MADIRO): Mr. Speaker Sir, as you may be aware, the Government in February, 2021 declared the state of all our roads a national disaster thereby initiating an incentive to the operationalisation of the 2nd Phase of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2. Under ERRP 2, the Government is targeting to rehabilitate 10 000 kilometres of roads countrywide. This initiative has seen the rehabilitation of major roads and highways throughout the country and efforts continue in a bid to ensure achievement of world class roads infrastructure in line with the National Vision 2030.
Mr. Speaker Sir, in terms of subsection (1) of Section 5 of the Roads Act, Chapter 13:18, the department of Roads shall have the power to construct, maintain and rehabilitate any regional primary and secondary road in accordance with road programmes approved by the road administration. Subsection (2) of Section 5 of the same Act states that, ‘every local road authority shall within the area of its jurisdiction have power to construct, maintain and rehabilitate every urban or tertiary road or road which is not a regional, primary or secondary road in accordance with road programmes approved by the road administration’.
The Mawabeni/Mbizingwe Old Bulawayo Road is 49 kilometres long with 24 kilometres under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development as it falls under the definition of a primary road, whereas the other 25 kilometres is under Umzingwani Rural District Council. The observed repairs and rehabilitation works are on the 24 kilometre section under my Ministry and terminate at the council boundary.
Beyond this boundary, the maintenance of the road is under Umzingwani Rural District Council in terms of Section 5 of the Roads Act. Notwithstanding these provisions, I concur that rehabilitation of the entire road is of paramount importance. To that effect, and in terms of Subsection (4) of Section 5 of the Road Act, wherein I may in consultation with the Road Administration, direct a local road authority to construct within such reasonable time as I may fix, any urban or tertiary road within its area of jurisdiction. My Ministry will superintend Umzingwani Rural District Council to timeously maintain its part of the road so that there is uniformity of road conditions beyond the boundary.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the second part of Hon. Mayihlome’s question was for the Minister to establish when the upgrading of Beitbridge/Victoria Falls Road would commence. In response, the Beitbridge/Victoria Falls Road Rehabilitation Project is being undertaken under a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement. What this means is that there is to exist a cooperative arrangement between the public and private sector built on the expertise of its partner which best meets clearly defined needs through the appropriate allocation of resources, risks and the wards. This entails a procurement method where Government invites the public sector for a contractual relationship in order to design, construct, finance, manage and take the operational risk of the public sector infrastructure facilities – in this case road infrastructure.
Public-Private-Partnerships are increasingly seen as a mechanism to develop infrastructure on a cost effective and sustainable basis and if properly managed, PPPs have a potential to unlock the much-needed financial resource to fund public projects. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has appointed a project proponent who is currently on the ground undertaking the feasibility study and the financial arrangement will be submitted to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency for their consideration and approval.
There is considerable progress and the project is on track. Allow me to share timelines of major milestones on the project. By December 2021, there will be the submission of the First Report of the Feasibility Study. By end of February 2022, the Final Report of the Feasibility Study will be submitted. Approval processes and financial closure will be done in not more than three months. Finally, by June 2022, construction will commence on the same road. I thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: My supplementary question to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development is that whilst these processes are going on in terms of feasibility and so forth, what are you doing to make sure that those roads are passable because the truth of the matter is that there are so many potholes yet these are busy roads, the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. I thank you.
HON. MADIRO: I want to take the Hon. Member’s valuable suggestion and proposal that whilst the processes I have outlined in terms of feasibility study, financial closure and so forth, the bad state of the road be attended to. We take that suggestion as it is. I thank you.
HON. GABBUZA: When you look at the timelines that the Hon. Minister is outlining, is it an indication that there is no capacity in this country? Can that time frame be reduced to half or even quarter of that length? What is causing so long timelines to do such small projects which can be done overnight?
HON. MADIRO: Thank you very much Hon Speaker Sir. With due respect to the contribution by the hon. Member, it is true that it is the wish of the Government and the people of Zimbabwe that the roads are fixed in the shortest possible time. I think we need to take care of the need to ensure visibility of such huge projects in terms of the feasibility to establish the business sense and the resources to be undertaken under such big projects.
The timelines have been affected to a great extent by the COVID-19 lockdown because feasibility also involves the need to take statics of the volume of vehicular volumes through that particular road. Given the lockdown which the Hon. Member is aware of, it was not possible to get the correct statistics over a very longtime and that affected the timelines as you would require them to be done. So, it is clearly because of the intervention of the situation which was beyond the control of the Ministry and the partners. I thank you.
COMPLETION OF INSTALLATION OF THE MZOLA BOOSTER IN LUPANE WEST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. M. KHUMALO asked the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services to inform the House when the Ministry will complete the installation of the Mzola Booster in Lupane West Constituency which has been outstanding since 2017, in view of the absence of communication network which adversely affects the entire Lupane Constituency and in particular schools and other institutions.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. DR. MUSWERE): Mzola site is under MBB3 development and works on the site are scheduled to start beginning of December 2021. The site commissioning is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of the year 2022. I thank you.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that Orders of the Day, Number 1 to 8 on Today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 9 has been disposed of.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Ninth order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential speech.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SAMSON: Thank you Mr. Speaker for affording me this opportunity. I want to support the motion and I want to put emphasis on the speech that was given by our President, His Excellency E. D. Mnangagwa. I want to talk about a few things he mentioned.
I want to talk about the issue of the road transport network, especially the Beitbridge-Chirundu Highway. It is a road that has undergone rehabilitation and is now at an advanced stage and very different from the way it was before rehabilitation. Also, that those who have dams that have been built in our nation, especially considering Tokwe-Mukorsi as one of the dams that were built and it assists in improving the lives of the people in the different communities that they live in and it also provides water for irrigation.
So we can see that with what the President has said, people have improved livelihoods and also the issue of unity that he mentioned, that when people are united there is development because development cannot take place where there is no peace.
I want to also say that on the issue of the livelihoods of the people and the settlement of people in different areas, the way people are settled has enhanced their sources of livelihood, especially when looking at the Pfumvudza Project, people are being given Presidential inputs so that they can contribute towards the food security of our nation. Once there is food security, there will not be any money required to buy food from outside the country.
With those few words Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the President for those words. I thank you.
(v)HON. MUPONORA: Thank you Mr. Speaker for allowing me to add my voice to this important debate on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, Cde E. D. Mnangagwa.
Let me hasten to say that the address was made as the nation was and is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, but this did not deter the Government from implementing strategies meant to achieve a middle income economy by the year 2030. On this note, it is imperative that I commend Government for coming up with programmes that ensure economic growth, though a bit retarded due to the effects of the pandemic.
Agriculture-wise, the introduction of the Pfumvudza Programme, coupled with good rains experienced over the 2020/2021 farming season meant the country experienced food sufficiency after such a long time. However, it is important that we ride on this wave of bumper harvest and ensure that inputs are delivered in time. I am therefore happy to commend Government for the early delivery of Presidential inputs to farmers in rural areas, including Mt Darwin North Constituency.
Let me move to the education sector where Government needs to be commended for ensuring that all schools are manned by qualified teachers, but in Mt Darwin North Constituency, most schools are under-staffed. Most teachers are shunning schools due to poor infrastructure in terms of staff accommodation and learning space. I therefore recommend that Government comes up with a schools’ infrastructure development programme.
In order to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, Government came up with e-learning in schools, but in rural schools such as in Mt. Darwin North, this has been an anathema as there is no access to technology. I therefore urge the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services to construct information centres in all rural constituencies.
His Excellency highlighted the strides Government is making to ensure availability of electricity. It is important that Government invests in solar energy. Mt. Darwin North has vast areas to put up solar farms, and electricity fed into the national grid because the sun is 24/7, 365 days of the year. It is also important to ensure that ZETDC is capacitated to ensure that they are able to maintain the available power lines as some in Mt. Darwin North turned into white elephants due to lack of use.
On infrastructure, Government is doing very well in terms of road construction but there are roads such as Mt. Darwin-Mukumbura Road which were under the Transitional Stabilisation Programme and have not been completed. They seem to be neglected. It is important that such projects be completed in order to improve trade within SADC. On the same note, infrastructure destroyed by Cyclone Eline way back such as Tsenga and Nyautande have not been rehabilitated.
Government has also excelled in dam construction and must be commended for this endeavour However, we have the drought prone Dande Valley which has poor catchment sites and water can be drawn from Zambezi River. This can turn the valley into a green belt.
Once again Mr. Speaker, thank you for affording me the opportunity to add my voice to the State of the Nation Address.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 18th November, 2021
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the House reverts to Order of the Day, Number 2 on today’s Order Paper.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RESTORATION OF MOTION ON THE REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE ON THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE HELD WITH THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE ORDER PAPER
HON. SHAMU: I move the motion standing in my name that the motion on the report of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the Virtual Conference held with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Republic of China which was superseded by the end of the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament be restored on the Order Paper in terms of Standing Order No. 77.
HON. MUNETSI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RESTORATION OF MOTION ON THE REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE ON THE 2020 FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORTS FOR THE MINISTRY ON THE ORDER PAPER
HON. SHAMU: I move the motion standing in my name that the motion on the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the 2020, First, Second, Third and Fourth Quarter Budget Performance Reports for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade which was superseded by the end of the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament be restored on the Order Paper in terms of Standing Order No. 77
HON. BUSHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
On the motion of HON TOGAREPI seconded by HON TEKESHE, the House adjourned at Thirteen Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 16th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
DEATH OF HON. SEN. SIMON KHAYA MOYO
THE HON PRESIDENT OF SENATE: It is with profound sorrow that I have to inform the Senate of the untimely death of Hon. Simon Khaya Moyo, Senator for Matabeleland South, on Sunday, 14th November, 2021.
I therefore invite Hon. Senators to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Senator.
All Hon. Senators stood and observed a minute of silence.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Madam President, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion moved by Sen. Kambizi, seconded by Sen. Mabika.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order Hon. Senator, can you switch on your mic please?
*HON. CHINAKE: I just have a few words to add because most of the things were already debated. The President said a lot of progressive issues. The importance of the President’s speech is that it addressed a lot of practical things such as road networks. What the President said when he took over the office was fulfilled, roads are now navigable.
The second thing is when we come to this House, we need to be united because we are the leaders. There is no need to make reference to things that show differences amongst us but we can all blend as Hon. Senators. Let us help the President to fix this country.
The third thing Hon. President, is that for more than two decades, this country has been in election mode. Can we for once stop the electioneering mode and focus on developmental issues so that we develop our country. If we continue being in electioneering mood, it is not good at all. It is detrimental to the future of our children. Each time we focus on elections, everything retreats. For this economy to progress, we need to be united., . There are a lot of people that have made reference to what I am saying. That shows that we are in support of each other, so let us proceed with that. There will be no progress if we continue fighting. Even the President has on several occasions talked about unity in order for us to restore the economy. Let us support him in order for us to realise progress. If you are always opposing the majority, it shows that you are lost. If we leave this place and we find that the people out there are experiencing hunger, it is because we are disunited. We need to unite and work together in order for us to create jobs and progress.
Yes, we come from different political parties but once we get here, we must be united because people do not care about what we do or where we come from. All they are concerned about is what we do and plan in this House. Let us unite and refer to one common issue so that we realise progress. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
*HON. SEN. MURONZI: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate on the motion raised by Hon. Sen. Kambizi, seconded by Hon. Sen. Mabika. I would like to make reference to agriculture that was referred to by the President in his speech, especially the smart agricultural programme. I would like to applaud the President for the Pfumvudza Programme because it solved the hunger crisis in this country. The Pfumvudza which refers to conservation agriculture was used in the past. Even our fathers used barbed wire for alignment of the holes that would be dug. The reason was that those holes conserve moisture in the event that we receive minimal rainfall and the holes would be in a straight line. If you were to cultivate, it would be effective; only small portions would have weeds. There were no herbicides by then. So the Pfumvudza Programme is good in developing people and reducing hunger. When we visited the irrigation schemes with the Gender Committee, people used to complain about delays in inputs distribution, now I am happy that many people have since received those inputs, including groundnuts. I appreciate that. People are happy that we are working because their complaints have since been addressed and they are now receiving inputs on time.
I would like to also applaud the President and it is important to appreciate and give credit where it is due. This programme is not discriminatory. Anyone who is capable to work qualifies. If you want to work on five plots, you will receive inputs enough for that. So that programme is meant for everyone and everyone will get the inputs regardless of belonging to any grouping. I would like to applaud the President very much for that. That is what exactly happens and unifies people. Wherever we are going we discover that everyone is getting access to the inputs. If you fail to get the inputs, it is now up to you but you will get those including groundnuts. I grow groundnuts and I get a lot of money from peanut butter.
I would like to refer to another aspect. The President said laws should be implemented, especially with reference to devolution. We need implementation of laws with regards to devolution. I grew up in Mutoko but I am saddened by the fact that we are not benefiting from those minerals. We have to ensure that devolution laws are put in place. The natural resources were given to us by the God and our ancestors. With these few words, I thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHIKWAKA: Thank you Mr. President. Firstly, I would like to bow in respect of the demise of the national hero, Hon. Sen. Simon Khaya Moyo. I am saddened by the untimely passing on of the Senator, may his soul rest in peace.
Secondly Mr. President, I would like to add a few words debating the motion raised by Hon. Sen. Kambizi and all those who have supported the motion. Indeed, they supported the fact that we also realised as traditional leaders, the President of this country is of the lineage of Chief Mapanzure - I thank him for those important words he said about this country on how we can fix this country as being witnessed by other people and not only Senators here but even the generality of the populace.
I would like to go back to his words. It has been long since we had a very principled leader who does not take advantage or discriminates against people basing on region or where one comes from. We would like to appreciate very much and would like to refer to his inaugural speech at the National Sports Stadium. He said I would like to restore and restore relations that had been eroded between this country and other countries. Any home that does not receive visitors or even kids is not a home at all and there is nothing interesting about that home.
Recently, the President was invited to talk about things that are disturbing the environment. This was after more than two decades. When he got there, he was awaited very much like bees in a beehive. They really wanted to disturb him. They said Australia and United States of America are advocating for same sex marriages or gays and lesbians. When we talk about same sex love relations and I am using words that do not refer to ordinary love but we are talking of gays and lesbian relationships or marriages. He strongly rejected that and he said I am here to deliver the message that a country is built by its own people, stone upon stone, brick upon brick. The President stood by the principles bestowed on him by this country as well as God.
Coming back home, the country was attacked by the COVID-19 pandemic and so many words were said by people but the President stood and said, I need to procure vaccines to stop the spread of this pandemic. Indeed, he procured a lot of vaccines to fight the pandemic. You cannot talk of any other development or construction of roads if you do not fight a pandemic. As we speak, we are all putting on masks because we are fighting COVID-19. So the President is God fearing and indeed, he respected the citizens of this country. God blessed him and this country was protected.
I would like to applaud his vision. All the roads leading out of this capital city, Harare are now navigable. That shows that he is a visionary leader. By the time we get to 2030, indeed this country will be very much advanced. This Parliament was constructed by the whites but he has now constructed his own Parliament as a way of restoring this country. Indeed, this puts this country on the map. Look at all the construction that he is doing, be it on roads and dams, the entire infrastructure that he is building.
If we look at it from a biblical perspective, this should be the Joseph that was sent to us. Joseph was a dream interpreter to King Pharaoh and he was significant for bringing relief to his people. Indeed, this is the same reference we give to our country because the Bible says there is nothing new that has not been experienced before. So the visionary leadership of Chief Mapanzure is very much applauded. Life is determined by God; but the life that we are living, we would like to applaud his vision and dream.
I would like to applaud the fact that in this country, everyone is getting enough food. As I stand here, I feel so proud because I am satisfied with the President’s vision. I would like to applaud the motion raised by Senator Kambizi. May God bless him abundantly even if He said He will not give any wisdom to someone after Solomon but we hereby ask God Almighty to give part of the wisdom that He gave to Solomon to President Mnangangwa to lead this country into progress. With these few words, allow me to take my seat Mr. President Sir.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKUMBE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to debate on the State of the Nation Address by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. As we open the Fourth Session, a lot would be said and people will say aah-ah to some of these things but we will never forget that we are the ones that are supposed to be building this nation. It is something that is known even by young children. They know the status quo of this country and who is supposed to build it. It means everyone in this country is receiving the message to say if we do not lead by example by building this nation, the things that we desire as a nation, no one will come forth to do that for us.
The President said a lot of things and the laws of this land that are upon these two Houses, the Lower and Upper House. There is work that is expected to be done by these two legislative Houses. It is wisdom that we actually expect from people to say we should come together and work on this issue. We would like to thank the Head of State and Government, President Mnangagwa – there are laws that we are going to scrutinise as the Lower and Upper House; we are using colonial laws. There are some laws that we are supposed to amend. We should come up with Zimbabwean laws that will help us to restore our culture and heritage.
Hon. Sen. Chief Chikwaka said something in this House – in other countries men are engaging in gay relationships. We want to make laws that reflect on us as Zimbabweans. In some instances, we go beyond the borders. Even if you go to Amsterdam, there is nothing as important as your own identity. When we look back at our forefathers, there is need for us to build our own country. We need wisdom so that we are able to undertake the task before us. It might be lawmaking and alignment of these laws – doing it knowing that we are doing it for Zimbabwe. We are doing it for the heritage of our children. We should not copy from others inasmuch as some of the things are good; we should stick to our own culture, heritage and identity. We were given an opportunity to assist His Excellency. If we are in this House, we are there to assist him by showing love to one another so that we help build this nation. Slowly, we are supposed to come up with a Zimbabwe that we desire to see. When this land was ruled by the colonial powers, the first grievance was land. Those who went to war, the first thing they were asked was the issue of land. Now that we are independent, the President is encouraging agriculture. His emphasis is on production. We should not engage in deforestation.
This country should be a marvel to the people who live in it. Let us come up with legislation that beautifies our country. As chiefs, we are very happy and as known by everyone, we were working on the Marriages Bill. We put our input and we are grateful to His Excellency’s action, of allowing us to contribute to this cause. We came together and worked together. Our encouragement in this House is what the President would have said – let us work on that and that will be seen by the results of the works that we do.
We are actually playing our role over the ‘Pfumvudza/Intwasa’ Programme. In Makumbe community, every village; we have about 400 headmen and 11 political wards. The President is going around the whole country and he is not selective. The task is on how we should assist him. We should look and work on things that bring unity amongst us. We do not go for disruptive things but nation building.
The President mentioned a lot of things regarding Bills that are coming through. We should have things moving smoothly in this country. We would like to thank His Excellency for the progress made on infrastructural development throughout the country. Everyone in this country now knows the President because of the works he is doing on the bridges and Karanda Hospital. I have been to Karanda with my relative and it was difficult to get there but now it is very easy. He is a man of action and we should compliment that action so that it is easy for him.
We were with the President in Chimanimani and the next day he was in Gokwe. This is the spirit we should have as people. One should ask himself or herself what one has done for the country. This is the lesson we are getting from His Excellency. As chiefs, we are respected. We get everything. We have no complaints. As we speak, all chiefs have cars. The country is getting into shape slowly. The owners of this country are doing their work. Let us support this cause by doing good things. We are only looking for good things as a nation. Elections came through and we should choose whom we desire. We should build this country brick by brick so that it is a marvel to those beyond the borders. They should know it because of the good works we have done.
We are thankful to the President because we now have the Mbuya Nehanda statue, a symbol of our heritage where we came from. We encourage him to keep on doing what he is doing. We should also come together as a people so that our country progresses. The amount of energy that we put into arguing against each other should be directed towards the development of our country so that our economy flourishes.
Agriculture is practiced everywhere, everyone is engaged in farming and our wealth is in the soil. We now know what we are supposed to do with the soil. The President has fixed irrigation schemes as well as dams and it is up to us to use these resources. We should make use of these resources so that we see progress.
The President spoke against corruption. Corruption is stealing from us. The spirit of selfishness should be gotten rid of, let us differentiate between individual possessions and those that belong to the nation. Even in our homes, if you eat a lot of food whilst the others lack food, it is not a good thing; inequality is not good.
I say to fellow Zimbabweans, let us support our President and say no to corruption. To everyone in leadership, including us the chiefs, we should deliver justice to our people. This is what is wanted by His Excellency the President. When people do their work, they should remember that they are working for their country. Before you think of yourself, think of this nation so that we move forward.
We have a lot of food in this country - there are a lot of tomatoes and other products in Mbare. We have a balanced diet from the food that we eat, we have everything that we desire. Even in Mt. Darwin there is a farm called Lead which is full of farm products. In Manicaland, there are a lot of farm products - this country has people who are working. Areas which used to be forests are now farms; this is what we expect from the people of Zimbabwe, to work hard for their livelihood.
I just spoke like any other chief who was given a task by His Excellency. We should work together with His Excellency the President; he should not be working on his own. We should be there to assist him. We should not just do lip service; we should walk the talk and do the work on the ground. What we talk about should come from our hearts, we should do our work with passion so that our actions show our identity, where we are going and where we are coming from. This is exactly how we can assist His Excellency the President. Even from where we stay, we should support His Excellency; we should show our true character to him. We should not smile at the President during the day and then frown at him in the evening.
As a people, we should know that when things become very tough and unbearable, we are approaching the good times, we are about to reach the promised land of Canaan. Let us build our nation according to the desires of His Excellency the President as portrayed in his speech. We should build this country slowly, brick by brick, we are very thankful to everything that the President is doing. We will stand by him and support his work. With these few words Hon. President, I say thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to debate on this motion so that our country can become a marvel. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Mr. President Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2121
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
INVITATION TO A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to inform the Senate that there will be a Roman Catholic Church Service tomorrow Wednesday, 17th November, 2021 at 1230 hours in the Senate Chamber. All Catholics and non-Catholic members are invited.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC-Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25 to 27 June, 2021.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second Mr. President.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the importance of a sound road network.
Question again proposed
HON. SEN. MABIKA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. HON. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
HON. CHIRONGOMA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MABIKA: I second Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENTOF SENATE: Order, order if you are going to second, you should press your microphone and stand up.
HON. MABIKA: I second Mr. President.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Honourable Senator Rejoice Timire.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MWONZORA: Thank you very much Mr. President Sir. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Khupe for bringing this very important motion …
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order you are not connected Hon. Sen. Mwonzora.
HON. SEN. MWONZORA: Thank you Mr. President. Mr. President Sir, I want to appreciate the bringing in of this motion by Hon. Sen. Khupe. I also want to appreciate the very wise appointment of Hon. Sen. Rejoice Timire as our Senator in this Parliament. Despite the fact that she had such a self-effacing nature, she actually had a very rich history.
Hon. Sen. Timire had a good and impressive education. In 1990, she was a businesswoman of repute. However, in 1998, she had a life-changing accident somewhere in Cape Town. However, that did not deter her as she started new work. She was the Executive Director of the Women’s Disabled Support Organisation; she was a Board Member of the Women’s Bureau; NASCO and WASN. She however, succumbed to COVID-19 on 10th August, 2021 but for the remainder of her life, she was fighting for justice and equality of people with disabilities.
Mr. President Sir on paper, Zimbabwe is very impressive on the Rights of People Living with Disabilities. It ratified the United Nations Convention of Persons with Disabilities that was passed in 2006 and Zimbabwe ratified it in 2013. This Convention changes the approach to disability by many nations. The traditional approach was to view persons with disabilities as objects of charity requiring medical treatment, sympathy and social protection. The new approach treats people with disabilities as subjects with rights and who are able to claim those rights, make their own decisions and make free choices. It treats people with disabilities as people who must enjoy all the Human Rights and fundamental freedoms. It also calls for adaptation to make sure that people living with disabilities enjoy their fundamental rights.
Although Zimbabwe ratified this convention, it has not domesticated. I am happy however, Mr. President to note that in the Disability Policy, the fundamental issues in the convention are captured. The Constitution of Zimbabwe Mr. President contains one of the most comprehensive Bills Of Rights on the African continent and these rights must be enjoyed by every Zimbabwean including persons with disabilities without discrimination. These include the Right to Life; Freedom of Speech and Expression; Labour Rights; Political Rights and the Rights Against Discrimination.
Section 83 of our Constitution Mr. President Sir, gives persons with disabilities the Right to Self-reliance, the right to live with their families and participate in the social, creative and recreational life of the community. They are also given the Right to Protection against exploitation and abuse. Again in terms of Section 38, they have the Right to Access Medical, Psychological and Functional treatment. Importantly, persons with disabilities have the Right to Special Educational facilities as well as fully State-funded education. This is important Mr. President; persons with disabilities have been given the Constitutional Right to pursue their education to any level that they want.
They can start from primary education up to post graduate, post PhD. They are allowed in terms of the Constitution. Mr. President, let me take this opportunity to thank Hon. Minister, Prof. Mavima, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare for coming up with the National Disability Policy. This policy is impressive Mr. President Sir. It emphasises the right to life for persons living with disabilities. It also gives economic empowerment and self reliance rights to persons with disabilities and makes sure that there is no discrimination in employment, hiring, employment retention, career advancement, safety and health of persons with disabilities.
It says that any discrimination is a criminal offence. The disability policy also says 15% of persons employed by the Public Service, private sector must be persons with disabilities. It also emphasises on satisfactory living conditions of persons with disabilities. The policy also provides the right of persons living with disabilities to fully participate in the cultural life, recreation and leisure in the community. It prohibits cultural and religious practices that affect persons with disabilities.
The policy goes on to say the music and sport for persons with disabilities must be promoted and goes on to say exploitation, violence and abuse of persons with disabilities must be a criminal offence. The disability policy goes on to say that persons with disabilities are entitled to free access to health. In other words, they must be treated for free. It provides for habitation and rehabilitation facilities for persons with disabilities. It emphasises that for persons with disabilities, education must be free and that they must be exempted from paying school fees.
The policy goes on to say that persons with disabilities are entitled to full sexual rights including the rights to reproductive health. It goes on to talk of older persons as a special group within the group of persons with disabilities. It goes on to say that these old persons must be free to live where they want. It is against the practice of taking older persons and dumping them at old people’s homes against their will. The policy also goes on to provide for assistive devices for personal mobility and communications of persons with disabilities. It also goes on to provide for equal access to schools, housing, medical facilities as well as workplaces. It talks of access to roads sidewalks which must provide facilities for persons with disabilities.
The policy Mr. President Sir, goes on to specifically mention children with disabilities who are given special facilities, including the right to free education and recreation. It goes on again to look at women with disabilities and gives them special rights. It talks of social protection and poverty reduction facilities for persons with disabilities. This is an impressive policy Mr. President Sir. I want to thank the Minister for coming up with that policy. The policy also talks of freedom against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment making it an offence to do those things to people with disabilities. It talks of protection of persons with disabilities against violation of their bodily integrity. It would be an offence to assault, or in any way to harass physically or psychologically persons with disabilities. It provides for access to justice, liberty and protection of privacy for these persons. In other words, disability can be obvious but it may not be so obvious as well, and they are given right to privacy.
The Minister, in the policy goes on to say, persons with disabilities must fully participate in the political affairs of the nation and can pursue public life as they wish without being subjected to any reprisals. He goes on to lastly talk about the need for awareness. More importantly, the policy says, all traditional leaders and all Members of Parliament must be trained on disability issues, especially how to handle human rights.
This is a very impressive policy. The Constitution is good, the Convention that we have ratified is good, the policy is good; however, policy is not law. So all that the Minister has provided in the policy must be reduced into law and must be actionable. The rights given under policy Mr. President Sir, are simply rights or agreements binding in honour. They are not enforceable. What the Minister should do is to make sure that we align the laws to the Constitution. In that regard, we need the new disability Act. We need the Disability Act to contain the rights that have been impressively put in the disability policy. As things stand Mr. President Sir, the persons with disabilities are the most excluded from opportunities to fully participate in the community life of Zimbabwe. They are also vulnerable to violence and exploitation. In this regard, children with disabilities are most affected. The policy realises that about 15% of Zimbabweans are people with disabilities and that transforms into 2 250 persons according to statistics but the figure could be more than that.
As legislators and as policy makers in Zimbabwe, we must learn from Sen. Timire’s life. She was an able-bodied beautiful woman until she met with an accident. This can happen to anyone. It can happen to anyone of us and because it can happen to anyone of us, we must make sure that we make policies that will protect these people. One of our constitutional duties is to make policies for the good and just governance of the people of Zimbabwe.
With these words, Mr. President, I want to thank once again Hon. Sen. Khupe for bringing this motion and to the Timire family, I want to express my condolences. She was a very friendly person to me and I always miss looking back because she always sat right behind me. We used to chat. I say that she fought a good fight and she was a conqueror in her life. She conquered in love and she departed in peace. Unfortunately, because it was COVID, we could not give her the befitting goodbye that we should have given her. With these words, I would like to end here Mr. President Sir. I thank you.
#HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE-KHUMALO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to express my condolences to the Timire family. I also would like to thank Senator Khupe for bringing this debate. Mr. President, I met Sen. Timire in the Sustainable Development Goals Committee. We all know that she was disabled but she did not only wait for us to discuss on disability issues each time we met but she discussed about these issues freely at any given time. She was just free to discuss these issues just like any free able able-bodied person.
Since you know that Committees get opportunities to tour different places, our Committees also used to make these tours, especially to primary and secondary schools. There are very few primary and secondary schools that have toilets that cater for disabled people. Most toilets if not all in schools can only accommodate able-bodied people but Senator Timire did not complain about using toilets that are not easily accessible to the disabled. She never complained about that at all.
We all know that our roads, especially in the rural areas are bumpy but Senator Timire in most cases used her own car on these roads and we could never get to where we were going before her. She would be the first to get to the destination. We will always remember her as someone who was so hard working. Thank you Mr. President.
(v)HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on challenges faced by children of incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA seconded by HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI, the Senate adjourned at Thirteen Minutes to Four o’clock. p. m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 16th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER
PETITON RECEIVED FROM SIKUMBUZO DHLODHLO
THE HON. SPEAKER: On 3rd November, 2021, Parliament received an inadmissible Petition from one Sikhumbuzo Dhlodhlo. The petitioner beseeched Parliament to assist him in reclaiming the Dhlodhlo Chieftainship. The petitioner’s prayer does not fall under the purview of Parliament, hence the inadmissibility. The petitioner has been notified accordingly.
I have a request by Hon. Watson to make a statement on a point of national interest.
(V)HON. WATSON: Thank you Mr. Speaker, my point of national interest relates to the rampant theft of ZESA copper cables which is affecting Zimbabweans. I request the Minister of Energy and Power Development and Home Affairs to bring statements to the House to inform the nation what they are doing about it because it has got to the point where citizens are buying the stolen cables. People are starting to point fingers at the security sector to say why are they not doing something at national level to stop this – [(v)HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -
THE HON. SPEKAER: Hon. Members on virtual, can you mute your gadgets. Hon. Watson, I suggest you raise that tomorrow under Questions Without Notice and if there is no satisfactory explanation, then we may proceed by asking for a Ministerial Statement.
HON. WATSON: Thank you Hon. Speaker.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that Orders of the Day Nos. 1 to 5, be stood over until Oder of the Day No. 6 has been disposed of.
HON. N. MGUNI: I second. Motion put and agreed to.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
+HON. MKANDHLA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to add few words on the Presidential Speech. We want to thank His Excellency for his visionary leadership. He felt that no one should be left behind. Indeed, we should not allow our people to be left behind. The President spoke of COVID-19 and we want to thank and appreciate that Zimbabwe was affected by COVID-19 but through his leadership and his colleagues in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, they made sure that they procured vaccines to protect Zimbabweans from COVID-19. Some people died and we encourage people to get vaccinated. I do not believe that there was an area which was left behind without vaccines. We want to thank the President for protecting us and we appreciate his efforts.
Coming to transport, our roads are being attended to; all that is through his wisdom. The Beitbridge-Harare Road is being rehabilitated, the Victoria Falls Road has not yet been rehabilitated but we do hope that it will also be rehabilitated. It is dilapidated and if rehabilitated, it will boost business. Going back to the Beitbridge-Harare Road, it used to have a lot of carnage but today there are no accidents anymore.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to talk about agriculture. There are places where people used to be poor because of drought but because of the President’s programme, for example Pfumvudza/Intwasa, people are experiencing good harvests. There is no drought in our area, most of our GMB silos are full. Where I come from, people do agriculture but it is not enough, we are in need of dams. Most of the dams in Matabeleland North Province are silted. We want these dams to be desilted. If these dams were in good state, we would venture into animal husbandry and crop farming, particularly in Hwange District....
Two Hon. Members having passed between the Chair and the Hon. Member speaking.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, you cannot cross in front of the Hon. Member debating. Please, may you reverse back.
+HON. MKANDHLA: Mr. Speaker Sir, the President also spoke about education, supporting our children to go to school. It is important for children to go to school. It is important for us as parents to educate them. When some children leave school they loiter and go into beer halls, they do not know the objective of going to school. Two blind persons cannot lead each other. In Hon. Omega Sibanda’s Constituency, a parent complains that they loiter around shops because children should be taught; if they are not educated they will end up engaging in prostitution and other things. Education is very important.
The President also talked about mining and I want to thank him for that. We are grateful for the Hwange mine that Units 7 and 8 and were increased. We appreciate as Hwange people that we are being remembered in Government programmes, we are not being left behind. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
*HON. PRISCILLA MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise to support the motion that was moved by Hon. Mutambisi, seconded by Hon. T. Moyo regarding what is happening in the country. I would like to thank, particularly this time where we are able to stand in this august House after getting vaccinated for COVID-19. The President made sure that the vaccine is available in the country and because of that, we are happy. The President procured vaccines for COVID-19 to prevent the nation from this pandemic.
I would want to look at other factors that affect people, for example gas which is needed most but let me say that because of the President’s vision, all these facilities are available. The road infrastructure in Zimbabwe, especially our roads in Masvingo are now good. It was difficult to move around in the country but now it is easy because of the President’s vision. I appreciate it and I thank him for that.
Our children were not able to go to school. They were seated at home and there were initiatives like e-learning which was useful for the urban based children. In rural areas, it was not possible for them to do that. This should be extended to rural areas. On the health sector, different hospitals were given vaccines and other medication so that they could be found in different localities around the country. This was done and we played our role as Hon. Members. It is a good thing that we worked together as a nation.
I would like to look at minerals. We are aware that minerals are found in different parts of the country. For example, where I come from in Mwenezi, there are a lot of minerals. I believe that His Excellency would make it a point that everyone has access to these minerals so that we succeed as a nation, just like other nations. There is also the Amarula plant which was opened in Mwenezi. We did not know that amarula fruits could be used in the distillation of beer.
When we grew up, we only knew that it was food for goats and young boys and girls. Now we find people collecting and harvesting amarula so that they can brew beer. Even looking at what is happening this year, there are a lot of amarula fruits. With that in mind, a lot of people are busy harvesting them so that they get livelihoods from it by producing what is called mukumbi through amarula. This is a good initiative which is coming out of different ideas that are found in the country. We also have Pfumvudza where I come from and it is a very dry area. A lot of our water is found in dams but when we receive rains it becomes handy.
Last year we had a successful Pfumvudza Project. There are some projects like poultry farming in our area. We had a bumper harvest. This will help us in taking our children to school. So, I would like to urge our people since they received inputs early before the rains, I believe that everyone has received these inputs and when the rains come, they will start planting different crops. These are ideas which were brought to the fore by researchers who know how this can be done, particularly in dry planting or through the Pfumvudza Project.
With that, I would like to thank His Excellency, President E. D. Mnanagwa for his vision and for uplifting the livelihood of the people of Zimbabwe so that we will be successful like other people. I would like to thank the President for the good relationship that he is building with other countries. This is a thorny issue which has been of concern for a long period of time and we believe that through his re-engagement, Zimbabwe would be found to be succeeding like other countries through building meaningful relationships and extracting mineral resources which will be processed and eventually sold after value addition. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for giving me this opportunity.
(v)HON. NDUNA: I rise on a point of privilege Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Points of privilege are put across at the beginning of the session.
+HON. M. NKOMO: Thank you Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to add my voice to the Motion on the State of the Nation Address by the President, which was raised by Hon. Mutambisi and seconded by Hon. T. Moyo. I would like to add by saying that the President said that no one should be left behind. Everyone should be where they are supposed to be and because of that, the President commenting on agriculture observed that most of our seed is taken to the people. However, there are corrupt activities being done and as a result, the seed does not end up being used properly. Therefore, the President said we should have Intwasa whereby people were advised to dig holes and apply that in their agricultural activities. As such, last season people realised good yields and were able to send their produce to the G.M.B. This resulted in many parents being able to fully pay their children’s school fees.
With the advent of COVID-19 which is still with us right now, His Excellency said people should be helped so that we do not have loss of lives. He encouraged people to get vaccinated and as a result, most of us have been vaccinated. The programme of COVID-19 vaccination is still ongoing so that everyone will be protected against this virus. The country is stable and there is peace. We are not afraid, of course deaths were recorded but they have since been reduced. People are now much alert on how to protect themselves against this deadly pandemic.
On education, His Excellency, the President observed that pupils should attend school but they should observe social distance. They should have educational programmes through the radio even though some areas have a challenge of network connectivity. Therefore some schools will not benefit from radio programmes. Right now, examinations are underway which is an indication that the President management to calm the situation during this COVID-19 era.
Coming to the issue of our roads; most of our roads are being rehabilitated. As a result of this, the amount of carnage on the roads has reduced and this shows that our President is concerned about the people’s lives. He wants people to live without any problems.
I also observed that in our constituency in Lupane, His Excellency has concerned for his people. He indicated that people should have a hospital because all along, we were relying on private hospitals. A government hospital has been built but it has not yet been officially opened, it is a provincial hospital catering for the people of Matabeleland North. I thank you.
*HON. MPAME: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for giving me the opportunity to support the motion raised by Hon. Mutambisi. Considering the issues addressed by His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa on the 7th October 2021, a lot was discussed in here.
The President brought in a lot of changes, there is infrastructural development especially in Zvishavane. Tarred roads have been constructed in Zvishavane which we had not seen for the past 40 years; from Muzvondiwa to Mabasa, roads are being constructed.
The Government of Zimbabwe promised us to continue the development of the nation despite the disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to proudly tell the House that in Zvishavane, everyone was vaccinated.
The land reform programme brought a lot of changes in this country. In Zvishavane Constituency, we have received inputs and we are now waiting for the rains. However, we are having a problem of inputs and tractors to cultivate the barren land. We are therefore, kindly asking for DDF to provide us with tractors so that farmers are able to plough their fields.
Zvishavane Constituency and Midlands have a lot of minerals, gold, platinum and especially gold. So, we are appealing to the Government and Parliament to put a law to appoint the land and Minerals Act so that they will have a programme on how to dig minerals for the gold panners and the owners of the land because we are now discovering that gold is available everywhere and the gold panners are digging in people’s farms. So I am kindly asking for the law to be passed for the gold panners and the cultivators. The gold panners must not dig for minerals in the rivers because this will destroy infrastructural development and the programme will be destroyed.
As I conclude, a lot of dams are now full with soil and we do not have machines to renovate the dams. May the Government give us money on this year’s budget so that each and every district may have dam scoopers so that we may remove the sandy soils from the rivers and that we can irrigate our crops with water from the dams? I do not have a lot to say, Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you for the time.
+THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you very much. I am very pleased that you all spoke. For all of you who spoke, indeed you bowed in line with our culture. Keep it up.
*HON. DR. NYASHANU: Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to support the State of the Nation Address which was given by His Excellency and to support the motion that was moved by Hon. Mutambisi and seconded by Hon. Moyo.
Let me thank His Excellency who spoke about the effort in making sure that the economy of Zimbabwe becomes a viable economy. We are aware that during the past three years we came across a number of challenges, starting with drought then Cyclone Idai and then eventually the pandemic that we are facing as a nation, COVID-19 which is a global pandemic. The Zimbabwe Government is doing its best to make sure that a lot of people are vaccinated so that we do not lose lives. We lost a number of people but the statistics are very encouraging compared to what was anticipated. So, I appreciate the efforts of the Government being led by His Excellency.
What touched me is that the land which was repossessed and redistributed to the black people of Zimbabwe is our heritage which should benefit the young. The young people should know that this is their heritage which should be used sustainably. This is quite important.
Looking at development in different communities, for instance in my constituency, there is quite a big programme which is the first of its kind since 1980, particularly the Rural Electrification Programme which is covering eight wards. This is a big project which is an initiative brought about by our Government. We have a number of dams from where I come from, Marovanyati. We appreciate that we have a dam but my plea is that there should be an income generating project, for example irrigation facilities should be installed.
The other concern is that as a nation, we need to be disciplined in economic issues. We find people looking at the different exchange rates but it is important that we enact laws which will be used so that people do not suffer because of economic challenges.
I do not have much to say Mr. Speaker Sir, but I wanted to add my voice to what my colleagues have just said, appreciating and commending the State of the Nation Address. I thank you.
(v)+HON. L. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for giving me this opportunity to debate. I would like to thank the President for the wise words. I would like to express concern over COVID-19 pandemic which has affected many countries including our own. Our Government rolled out a vaccination programme which seeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19; there is need for mitigation against the pandemic.
Let me also indicate that the President spoke about devolution of power Mr. Speaker Sir. Indeed, when we look at the devolution of power, the implementation of the devolution initiative has taken a long time. I would start by the road infrastructure, the Bulawayo to Nkayi Road is in a sorry state. The road is inaccessible and it is in disrepair. Of course, the Ministry of Transport has tried because in the past, it has deployed graders and other equipment for road rehabilitation but the road is still not good enough. I believe that it is important for the road to be tarred even if it is 5km or 10km, it would be better.
Let me also look at the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road which is also in a bad state and has culminated in business people shunning the road. Matabeleland is behind in terms of development Mr. Speaker Sir. This is the same situation which has been obtaining since independence. Our roads remain in a poor state, whether from Bulawayo or to any other part of Matabeleland.
The implementation of the devolution of power would be quite useful. For instance, Bulawayo to Victoria Falls Road is in a bad state because Ministers do not use these roads but they fly. There is Hwange Colliery which supplies the nation with coal and thermal power, a lot of haulage trucks ply this road and despite the damage that is done by these haulage trucks, there is no money that they leave for the communities. The transport companies are not contributing any toll fees towards the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo/Victoria Falls Road. Hwange is responsible for supplying coal and the proceeds from the sales are found to be developing and rehabilitating roads.
THE HON SPEAKER: What is development in your language?
HON. L. SIBANDA: Development is progress. Matabeleland did not produce pleasing academic results during the past year compared to other provinces because Government deployed teachers from other provinces who cannot communicate in local languages that are found in Matabeleland. You would find ECD pupils being taught by people who cannot speak in their mother languages. This has culminated in a situation where you find provinces having a zero pass rate in other areas. With that in mind, I would also like to talk about substance abuse in schools. The police are aware of such substance abuse and the source of drugs in schools, it is also not good for the police to allow the peddling of drugs which has resulted in crime rates soaring and in girls falling pregnant at an early age, some end up aborting. It is important for young people to be taught to shun drugs for posterity.
We need to agree that young people be allowed to seek medical assistance even at a tender age without the consent of an adult or guardian regarding reproductive issues.
(v)*HON. MUCHIMWE: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to thank His Excellency Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa and I would like to make reference to the prefix “ED”, which means economic development. He alighted from his aeroplane then drove to Chimanimani. Like I mentioned before, that his initials stand for economic development, this indicates that he is a true patriot who is committed to the development of this nation because if he was not, then he could have gone back to Harare before going to Chimanimani. In my opinion, His Excellency is a visionary leader and I honour his approach, imploring him to continue with such dedication and fortitude. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER
INVITATION TO A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that there will be a Roman Catholic Church Service tomorrow, Wednesday, 17th November 2021 at 1230hours in the Senate Chamber. All Catholics and Non Catholic members are invited.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. TEKESHE, the House adjourned at Eighteen Minutes past Three o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 15th March, 2017
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE
BIOMETRIC REGISTRATION SYSTEM AT
PARLIAMENT
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE (HON. SEN.
TAWENGWA): I would like to inform the Senate that our Security
Officers will be registering Hon. Senators for the Biometric Registration System next week from 21st to 23 March, 2017. They will be stationed in the Senate Lobby from 1430 hours every sitting day until adjournment of the Senate. Hon. Senators are urged to register on the system which will go live on 3rd April, 2017. Details on the system have been placed in the pigeon holes.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Mr. President, I move that Order of the Day, Number1 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. MARAVA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE
PRESIDENT
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the
State of the Nation Address.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MARAVA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the
Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. NYAMBUYA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MUSARURWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Mr. President, I move that Order of the Day, Number 4 be stood over until all the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. MARAVA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
ALIGNMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS BY
ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION (ZEC)
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on alignment of the
Electoral Act to the Constitution.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. BHEBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
SADC MODEL LAW ON ERADICATING EARLY CHILD
MARRIAGES
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on SADC Model law on eradicating Child Marriages.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: Thank you Mr. President for
giving me this opportunity to contribute on the motion moved by Hon.
Sen. Mohadi and seconded by Hon. Sen. Chipanga on child marriages.
Mr. President, I had the privilege to attend a conference in Norway in
- I was attending that conference on behalf of the National Chiefs Council of Zimbabwe. The conference was attended by participants from Europe, Asia and Africa. It was obvious to me that early child marriages only occur in countries that are poor like ourselves in the
SADC region. Also, it occurs in countries that are underdeveloped.
Mr. President, allowing children to marry under the age of 18 is against several United Nations Conventions and Zimbabwe is no exception to that because we are part and parcel to several United
Nations Conventions and also to SADC Conventions. In the 2013 Constitution, Section 78 (1) states that every person who has attained the age of 18 has the right to found a family but be that as it may, girls are getting married before they attain the age of 18, hence the concern of the Hon. Senators.
The marriage of a girl in our case to a much older person like myself or someone who is much older than me disturbs the girl’s childhood, her education and makes her have children before she has developed enough to have children. In many instances, she is not able to cope with the children because she is still an infant. Early marriages have attributed to a number of factors that include poverty, beliefs and a number of children’s rights have been breached in the process.
The conference I alluded to earlier on has come with several recommendations but the problem that we seem to be facing as poor nations is that most of these conferences that we attend are sponsored by donors. The outcome from those conferences, we do not know where they end. This is why we attend many conferences but we do not know the outcomes. Mr. President, in Zimbabwe we are lucky that the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe made a ruling last year, against child marriages. However, the problem we seem to be facing in this country is that, despite those good rulings that are made by the high courts, it takes us time to amend the relevant Acts to conform to the rulings or to the Constitution in this case. This is our major problem that we have, otherwise Zimbabwe has all the good laws but we lack implementation. Mr. President, with those few words, I would like to once again thank you for giving me the chance to contribute to the motion that was moved by Hon. Sen. Mohadi and seconded by Hon. Sen. Chipanga. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. MARAVA: Thank you Mr. President. I stood up to add my voice on this motion on early child marriages. This is a very big challenge, bigger than what the eye sees. The rights of the child is being infringed on a daily basis and there is no one to help. Even in this House, there are issues that we talk about in passing in order for us to make a follow up on what we have said. For example, we are saying that a girl should not be married at the age below 18 years, this is a very good issue but we also get to point out that the girl child should not be belittled below the age of 18. Those who are in the habit of doing that are people who know the law, they are mature and wealthy but everything is surpassing them.
Our law should be drafted such that it is applied from the point of puberty age and not to draft laws that will affect them after four years into puberty level. Men will be watching and they can see that she is now ripe but our law is silent on that when it comes to puberty age. At that age, the child is affected emotionally such that they will end up sleeping with men and the child is taken advantage of at that level. Does our law allow our children to have sex before 18 years and then get married at 18 years? I think we are ignoring our culture of testing the virginity of our young girls because it was very important. If it is found that they have lost their virginity, they would be asked and quizzed until they reveal the one who deflowered them. That person should be convicted because they will be aware that the children are still under age.
If we say people should be prosecuted when they commit crime at 18 years, to apply the laws is very difficult. A law which is not applicable is very difficult and that is not a law. The perpetrators will ask if a person is 18 years, she is supposed to get married but is no longer a virgin – they want to know. For example, in South Africa, the law says that the age of majority, even if it is 18 years, if a girl child is sexually active between 14 and 16 years, it means she is now in the age of majority. She cannot go back and become a child. Mr. President, I think those who draft the laws – I am happy that some of the people are here; they should draft these laws effectively because it touches each and every one of us. Right now, our answer in Zimbabwe was very simple because 75 percent of Zimbabwe are rural areas and each and every one is known there.
There are no addresses like in urban areas. They know each other. If you commit a crime against a rural girl, you will be caught. These people that are difficult to convict, who are they? As long as the big fish are allowed to temper around with the law – the big fish are not as many compared to the majority of Zimbabwe that are many. If we allow our girl child to grow up properly, we should not pay lip service to this law that they sleep around with men and not get married. We will be getting it wrong. We should nip this in the bud. We should go back to our rural ways which helped us to mould our culture. There is no one who can help us except the chiefs.
Our culture and tradition was very effective. Men were afraid of the girl child because they feared to be called to the chief’s court and be convicted of impregnating a girl. These days, men can even make arrangements to go and speak with the girl’s family. I know we once said that even those who accept lobola should be prosecuted but for someone to accept lobola, it means something wrong has been done. So why should we allow something wrong to happen. No one should bed a girl below the age of 18 years. If they do, they should face the music, get prosecuted and brought before the courts. They should prove themselves how they reasoned a 60 year old to have sex with a 13 year
old girl.
Mr. President, we should really look into this matter. We know that Government does not have money but if there is anything they can do in bringing back the role that was played by our aunts, let it be so. We know there are some areas where it is being practiced, for example the Shangani society in Chiredzi rural and in Binga there. The role of aunts is respected. If the Government is willing, it should improve that role and modernise it so that every girl child is respected. The girls should be taught how to behave infront of these rich people because they are not good.
These old people have their children and they do not want them to be messed around yet they want to mess around with other people’s children. This will come to an end if we go back to tradition and culture, to our chiefs and to our spirit mediums, because they are the ones who are in 70% control of Zimbabwe - that is the truth and reality. We should give them the powers. Already they are involved in solving these issues, so we are looking at a thing that we already have and we think that we do not have it.
Mr. President, I am pleading that the rights of the girl child should be looked into, not that we should put our name on the map but we should do what is practical. If it rains in Southern Africa and it does not rain in Zimbabwe, we cannot say it has rained in Zimbabwe. So this law should be looked at in the manner that I have talked about that all these old men should be investigated and looked into. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. GOTO: Thank you Mr. President. I do not have many words. I want to thank the movers of the motion Hon. Sen. Mohadi and Sen. Hon. Chipanga. This is a very pertinent issue which we should all be engaged in. It can be a laughable matter but all of us have to be involved. I have been touched by this model law, it is a very good law, and I think we should embrace and practice it. If we look into our tradition, children’s rights were not infringed and they were afraid of their elders and such a thing would not happen. If you are first born in your family all the children will say you have to be exemplary. So, what I am seeing is that our children, many of them get married early because if children do not proceed with their education and loiter in the streets doing nothing, they will think it is better for them to get a husband.
Long back if a child is going to school she will do ‘A’ Level and go to university and this will give them a chance to mature. Most of them would get married at 23 or 24 years because they will be going to school. Those who do not go to school will think that it is good for them to get married and there is nothing that they do in those homes. There are risks of engaging in early sex, it was a taboo for someone to get married at such an early age, if that happened they would have symptoms like those of HIV, then they would be taken by old ladies and given herbs. We are the ones who put these laws into place, we must put them in place and live by example. I have not come across many people who talk about it even the issue that it is us the elders; we should live by example and share that this is not good. Old women are taking young boys and old men are taking young girls. Long back girls were not allowed to put on brassieres - she would just wear a dress, their breasts were intact, meaning that they would still be virgins.
It was believed that if you wear brassieres it means that your breasts are no longer firm and it meant that you had started engaging in sex. People got married at a mature age and when they married after their first night eggs were given to the bride’s aunt as a symbol of virginity. These days you will find that even the father in law loves her daughter in law and these are the big guys that were being referred to by the Hon. Senator. I think for our children to perish, it is because of us, because parents are taking gifts brought by their children who are not employed. Even if the father asks, the mother will refuse. Normally we know that women are the ones who cover up. When a girl gets pregnant, it is the mother who is blamed because in most cases the mother will be away but as mothers, I think we should live an exemplary life. It is the same as child marriage but there is a difference in that you will find that a young girl will be going out with ‘sugar daddies’.
Let me tell you what happened yesterday. I lost a relative in Karoi, this girl had a boyfriend. She was only 20 years and had one child. She was going out with a ‘sugar daddy’. We were not happy because of this relationship and the girl was involved in an accident and they both died on the scene. Why not grow up and be mature and look for your own husband? I am saying yes, we can laugh but this is a very important law that we should embrace and implement in Zimbabwe. We should debate as mature people. The Chiefs are aware of our laws. Even the boys - the Chiefs would tell if a boy sleeps with girls. If we throw away our culture, there is nothing good to reap, thank you Mr. President for these few words.
*HON. SEN. CHIMHINI: Thank you Mr. President, I stand to
support this motion which we are debating in this Senate. I only have a few words to add. Firstly, the laws are there, they are made but I think our challenge is that of implementing these laws to show what whatever was put in place is applicable. After we have talked like this we want to know the monitoring follow up on how this law is being implemented. Still on that, I also urge Hon. Senators that we should look at the churches. We know the churches that have a challenge when it comes to child marriages.
I can refer to the apostolic sects. I once asked that when we are debating this we should get to a point of what we should do to these churches who marry off young girls so that when the law is being implemented, we would then know who married these young girls. They must probe those leaders in Marange church for the betterment of our country because if not it will remain like that because they will not be following the law. I think we should have plans on what to do next because we are aware of those churches which are marrying off young girls. I am very happy because I see the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education is here. I want to thank the Minister. Some of the girls are being abused by headmasters and teachers because of hunger. The headmaster or teacher responsible will quickly pay a bribe to the parents concerned. However, the Ministry is way ahead because if someone is caught on the wrong side, the perpetrator will be punished. We should not go back because in schools there is rampant abuse of children. I think when the law is finally in place, it will help us. Finally, Mr. President, the issue that we are talking about in this House is not new, but the challenge that we have is that we should have plans in place to follow up and ensure that this law is implemented and not remain on paper. Thank you Mr. President.
THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): I move that the debate do now
adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL SCHOOL PLEDGE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on advocating for unequivocal support for the National School Pledge by all Members of Parliament.
Question again proposed.
THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): I move that the debate do now
adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
MEASURES TO CURB VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY
POLITICAL PARTIES
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on violence that had become a socio-political way of life among the people of Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. KHUMALO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me
the opportunity to debate the issue of violence in our country. Violence is in different forms. We usually think that violence is only when people are having machetes or mabhembas to beat each other or the physical abuse which is done to women by husbands or other people and the abuse against children.
There is violence which is emotional. This is when people are together and see that certain issues are not addressed equally. I will start with the issue of education because the Hon. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education is with us. In most of our areas, for example in
Chipinge, Shangani always have teachers who cannot discuss in that language, that is violence, emotional violence, because they are not able to fight but the feeling is inside because they want their children to learn in their language and understand it but they are quite and dying inside, that is violence. The Nambyas in Binga always see other people, the Mashonas and Ndebeles going to teach there, when their own children are there, but they keep quite. That is emotional violence, which is being done to these people.
Therefore, we are saying, can we stop violence so that when training teachers, let us look at all areas so that we train teachers from Nambya speaking areas, Mashangani and so on so that they are able to express the language of those people. The Kalangas in Plumtree always see the employment of people who are not able to speak Kalanga, that is really violence, emotional violence. Can we address all the violence which this country seems to ignore? Everybody wants their children to speak their language properly. When the selection of teachers is being done, let us pick from everywhere…
HON. SEN. CHIPANGA: On a point of order Mr. President, I am lost. I thought we were debating on early marriages – [HON.
SENATORS: Inaudible interjections.] – sorry, political violence. When we now say I am deployed by the Ministry of Education to Binga because there are no teachers or enough teachers there and then that is termed violence, I get totally lost. Unless we are saying people in Binga who are qualified are being denied to teach their own people and then the Ministry takes people from Chipinge to go and teach there. All I know is that the Ministry does so because there are no qualified teachers in that particular area. I thank you.
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: She is taking
advantage of the Minister who is here today and she managed to sneak it in by using the word emotional violence. This is, according to part (d) of the motion; to challenge the executive to fulfill its constitutional obligation by respecting human rights in terms of Section 48-78 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. We have debated this before in this House that there are certain areas whereby in terms of languages, somebody may go there who speaks one language and there is that barrier in languages. However, I hope that one day the Hon. Minister will respond to that. That is the issue she is trying to raise. She has been very clever to actually sneak this issue in. May you please wind up your debate Hon. Sen. Khumalo.
HON. SEN. KHUMALO: Mr. President, we are debating the
violence issue here. So, I am bringing the other issues which we usually ignore as part of violence as we think violence is always physical. The motion here says socio-political violence, that is the socio part. Let me bring the political issues on violence. There are sometimes demonstrations, people want to say, this is what we want our country to be like. When people are demonstrating to say this is what our country should be like, you see the police beating them because they are saying you are not supposed to be on the road demonstrating that this is what you want – that is also part of what is called violence. You can see it in the media, the police beating the youths in the streets when there is a demonstration. I will give you an incident which I saw recently in the media. At a roadblock; an army man came there and he thought he had the right. If some of you managed to see it, the police at the roadblock wanted to beat this solder. You cannot beat someone like that. That is violence. We are saying in our country, can we be free and talk freely and not intimidate each other by beating each other instead of discussing. That is embarrassing to all of us. If we want our country to be recognised, we should follow the rights and the freedoms which are written in this Constitution which says, ‘if a person has done wrong, they must be arrested and not beaten. It is in the Constitution here.
However, what I saw that day in the media, at a roadblock, somebody was being beaten. We are saying arrest and let the courts do their job of looking at the issue. Let us stop cruelty and intimidation so that our country can have people who are free to exercise their rights.
Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHABUKA: Thank you Mr. President for according
me this opportunity to debate on this motion which was raised by Hon.
Sen. B. Sibanda. It is a very good motion but also very painful, if you think of violence that is taking place in our country.
Mr. President, if you look at violent cases in Zimbabwe, it is now like a disease; in the homes, at work places, in our daily lives, in politics, all those are now a challenge in our country. The violence that is taking place in our country, many a times we feel sorry for the disabled people but if we look closely; as children of Zimbabwe, we are the ones causing the influx of disabilities amongst ourselves because of violence.
We have children who are crying right now because of us, especially as the leaders of political parties, all of us, some from cell level, branches going up to the leaders of the political parties. I am not mentioning the names because all of us have political parties. We are perpetrators of violence; we are causing the disability of people because of politics. Right now, people are already dreading the elections which are forthcoming. They are afraid saying they have now started. Even the children are asking if those people are back now because of the political leaders.
I remember this other year, the leaders of political parties, all of us, we would stand on top of the mountains and we would start using derogatory terms when we were murdering leaders of other political parties which is a sad story. People have a right to say whatever they want, to follow any political party that they want as individuals but many a times we cause the destruction of our wealth; properties of people were destroyed and that is violence Mr. President.
As people of Zimbabwe, we should be able to build our country is peacefully. If we murder each other, whom will you rule. If we kill each other who are we going to rule? I think we should be able to lead by example like what other speakers have said. We should be in the forefront. Even if you want powers, you cannot get it by murdering someone, chopping off their hands or even burning other people’s homesteads. How can you lead a peaceful life when you would have caused havoc to other people’s lives? In the homes, there is no peace right now. I read a story on the social media of a child who had his eyes popped out by her stepmother. Probably his real mother ran away because of the violence and terror of the father. This child had his eyes removed because he had soiled the blankets. It is a very sad and painful story especially to us as mothers because if something bad happens to children, we really feel troubled. I think we should try to love one another. We should try to build our country on love and try to be a God fearing nation - 2018 is close. Surely, the Lord should have mercy so that we should not spill blood. We should copy other countries like South Africa that we should campaign together, freely and sell our ideas as political parties so that we move together without causing violence. There are a lot of mad people because of political parties and also a lot of graves out there because of political parties. So, I would like to thank Hon. Senator Sibanda because his motion is very important. We should debate about it because right now people are in the election fever and we are afraid that we will be burnt in our houses. We should not attack other leaders of political parties who have their own ideas on how to run the country so that we move together. I get very hurt when I think of next year’s elections, as leaders, I think we should ask the Lord to have mercy on us because one will be judged by their works. That is why we have an influx of insane people in our streets. This is being caused by us leaders and parents. We should have peace in our communities so that people will envy our political parties for the way we conduct our selves.
I thought I should contribute to this debate because it is very important.
Thank you.
*HON. SEN. MURONZI: Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity for me to add a few words on this motion which was raised by Hon. Sen. Sibanda and his seconder. This motion as I stand here trying to debate it, I am very hurting because I am one of the victims of violence. Firstly, I am against all the violence starting from domestic violence which will end up in them bringing witch hunters.
Violence in our homesteads is bad. We speak strongly against violence.
People should turn to God.
The other violence that I want to talk about is the violence that is happening in farms. During the Inclusive Government, I was a member of JOMIC. We travelled extensively in Mashonaland Central because of violence in the farms and this violence is being caused by those people who were left by the white farmers and those people who took over the farms. They cannot live amicably because the Government has not put plans in place on where to place those people and so there is a lot of violence that is going on in those places. Mr. President, it is very painful for violence to be exercised by one of your own. They are at each other’s throats. I think the Government should look for places to resettle those people.
Then coming to the other form of violence – if you find someone talking about violence and someone is denigrating, they are the very people who exercised that violence. There are people who live in peace because of the tears of other people. My house was burnt in 2001. I escaped by the grace of God. In 2001 I was alone at 2.00 am with only two children as my husband was out on duty, but then you find someone grumbling when someone is talking against violence. They are the very people who caused it. But we just ask for God to give us love so that we should not hate one another. Supporting the opposition is not a crime. I am hurt because I was a victim, but then you find someone wanting to sweep that under the carpet. If you hear someone bringing in point of orders when we are talking about violence, they are the very people who were practicing violence.
Coming to the chiefs, I am very hurt because you are a chief to everyone. When our homestead was burnt, there was no chief that put law in place. We know that long back, it was taboo for someone to burn someone’s home…
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Please
address the Chair.
*HON. SEN. MURONZI: Thank you Mr. President. I wanted to really look them in the face so that they would get it right. I become emotional because I really want to talk about it as it is. Mr. President, the chiefs, we support you here because we want to go back to our traditions so that you are given your powers back, but back at home when it is time for elections, you do not call your people and you tell them that you do not want violence, that if you see someone burning someone’s house, you pay a cow. I was one of the victims. In Mashonaland Central, I am pleading with the chiefs, Mr. President, that when it comes to election time, they should call all the headmen and they should tell people that we do not want any violence when it is election time.
My husband comes from a royal family from Mutumba. We approached Chief Mutumba and the chief said that he was also afraid. So, what I am saying is that violence during election time should be stopped. Power is sweet, but do not fight for power by burning other people’s houses and by murdering people. Let us have our elections peacefully. The people who burnt my house were tried before the court, but they did not pay because they know that they are basing on something. Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity.
*HON. SEN. BHOBHO: Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity to support this motion on violence which is being debated truthfully in this House. I want to thank you for bringing us back to the chiefs, but we should remind each other about violence and we should remember the person who brought an end to violence, the President of Zimbabwe. He is the one who brought violence to an end because blood was spilt in this country because of whites – [HON.
SENATORS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Order,
order please. She has the floor; she has the right to speak. I allowed those who had other views to speak.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: People were booing them.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: No one
was booing them. I stopped everyone who was booing. Hon. Sen.
Mlotshwa if you could please listen.
*HON. SENATOR BHOBHO: Thank you Mr. President. Let us remember the children of Zimbabwe, when we are talking like this that there is only one person who, up to now, speaks against violence, our President. He is a loving father who loves his people, who is prepared to die for the people, who suffered for his people. If only we could have his spirit, all this violence we are talking about will come to an end each and every time it arises.
HON. MLOTSHWA: On a point of order, Mr. President. This is not the time for accolades. The Hon. Senator should stick to the motion about violence and not accolades.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: She is
only giving an example of what she thinks we can achieve as a people, as a nation, by following someone’s example. This is all she is saying.
*HON. SEN. BHOBHO: We are talking as a family. I am just following the example of one of the Hon. Senators who was debating. I think we should give credit where it is due. For us to be in this House, it is because of the people who died. People put a stop to the violence that was perpetrated by the whites against the blacks and now we are helping each other on how we can stop violence starting from home up to political parties. So, what I am just saying is we should remember the person who advocated for stopping violence. We have peaceful elections in Zimbabwe. If we go to South Africa ...
*HON. SEN. MARAVA: On a point of order. We should agree
not to hurt other people and talk about things that are not factual because we should not touch our leaders. Let us leave them alone because if you look at what happened, it happened when those people were still in power. So, let us not hurt one other.
*HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA: On a point of order Mr. President.
Mr. President, each and every speaker, I think that the Member is referring to the reconciliation hand which was extended by the President.
So, I think that the Hon. Member should be given a chance to debate.
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I did not
understand your point of order but that is what she is pointing out that initially, the peacemaker had to fight a war against oppression, that is by the whites. So she is now saying, let us follow suit and that please, let us come together as a people. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. BHOBHO: Thank you Mr. President. We go to
South Africa and Zambia and if we compare those countries with ours, if you were in South Africa, by this time you would be rushing back to where you put up but here in Zimbabwe, we have peace. Even at night visitors can travel but in other countries, you cannot move about without your passport and if you are referred to as a foreigner, then it means that you are in trouble. So, our country is very good because we have not come across people being dumped at the border. Our country is peaceful and there may be a few areas where you need to look at, for example domestic violence or some issues amongst family members but generally as a country, we have the peace that comes from God. This is a beautiful country and we do not come across people fighting in the streets or even people fighting for husbands. People are living peacefully because of our President. So, let us live together in harmony and let us give each other words of wisdom but I want to remind you to look back and see the peace that we have in this country. Thank you Mr.
President.
*HON. SEN. MURWIRA: Thank you Mr. President for
according me this opportunity to add my voice to this motion on political violence which was raised by Hon. Sen. Sibanda. Firstly, I would want to thank Zimbabwe because our country is peaceful. If you compare it with other countries, blood is being spilt each and every day but here we are at peace. Here when we are debating, we speak as if someone is causing the violence but, when we are speaking we should refer to both sides. Even as we are fighting for power, if we do not address people well, they will become violent.
Mr. President, if there is a war going on; it means that there are two sides which are fighting each other. So we are saying is that there are no owners of violence but all the parties should practice peace. Even the President in all his addresses, he always speaks against violence because he does not want violence in Zimbabwe. Even this violence, it started in the Bible. If there was no violence in the Bible, there would not be the devil but only God. So when we are debating in this House, we should debate as mature people so that when you see someone debating and you interject him or her that is political violence. So, I am saying that, that is the beginning of political violence.
Mr. President, I am saying, if we respect one another, we will build peace. The reason why we are crying about 2018 elections is that we should brace for people to vote for us. If we do not have anything to
say, we should not bring fear because if we have people behind us, they will vote for us. If you see in this House someone interjecting, then what will happen out there – people will fight each other, so in here we should be mature people because people out there will emulate us.
Thank you Mr. President for the opportunity that you have given me.
*HON. SEN. MAKONE: Thank you Mr. President for according
me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion that we are debating. I would want to concur with the previous speaker on some of the issues that she talked about that in this House as mature people when we are debating, we should respect one another and not interject if you do not agree. But what she said at the end, I do not agree with her because we should give credit where it is due. I have said this because there are things that we do which are good and some that are bad. If a person has done a good thing, he/she should be respected for that.
There are a lot of good things that were done but if a bad thing happens and when we point to it, we should not say it is covered by the good that has happened. That is not what we are saying. The reason for us to debate before elections is to remind each other that where we came from, how bad it was – that is assessing where we are coming from and where we are going so that we put our house in order. We should not predict the people of Zimbabwe. If a person is good and when they get into that box peacefully, they will vote peacefully and that person will support other people without any violence. What I know Mr. President is that, because some people have skeletons in their cupboards, they are afraid that if tables turn, those people will come against them. Yes, I know that some people have grudges but it is not all people who can kill and they are not all people who can burn other people’s houses. There are some people who fear the living God who is in this House. You can appear as a good person but God knows that you are a bad person. You may appear to go along with what other people are saying, but God knows the truth in your heart. Let me give you an example of the police in Zimbabwe. When I was the Minister of Home Affairs, people were up in arms against me saying I should condemn them. I told them that most of these police officers are good and know their work. In Africa, our police surpass other nations. If you see where they go wrong, it is not them because they will be taking orders. They have to protect their work and have families to take care of. As a candidate in the rural areas, we encountered a problem and approached the police. They said they were afraid because it was a political issue. If police officers are afraid to carry out their duties, it means we have given precedence to the perpetrators. Someone should have told them not to take action if the issues are of political nature. Those who would have burnt houses, probably they would have done it out of fear of victimisation.
The chiefs and headmen whom we blame, it is not that they do not know that this is bad but if they regain their powers, we will have peaceful elections. The winners will win resoundingly but if our chiefs are afraid, it will be difficult. The chiefs are afraid of the situation because they do not know what will become of their future. Not everyone in the opposition is good and not everyone in your party is bad. Everyone has the good and the bad side. As the Senate, we should be the ones showing the light that people can work together even if they are from different political parties. We should say the truth in this House
and not lie to each other. We should agree that bad things are bad and not hold on to the bad. Let us talk about it and move forward.
I have debated in Shona so that we all understand what I am saying and if I could speak Ndebele, I could have debated in Ndebele. If you hear people from Matabeleland talking of injustice; as the Shona people we should not denigrate them, they will be talking what they know. They are reminding us of what happened before and that there should not be a repeat of the same. As a Shona person, I have to understand them. It does not mean that everyone in the MDC-T party started his or her political career there. I joined ZANU PF at the age of 20 and left this country getting into exile at the age of 21 and coming from jail, during the Smith regime. You can tell me about the liberation struggle – I did my part and I am happy with it.
When I come to a point where I say I do not agree with you, it does not mean that I do not love my country but we should agree to disagree. We should not fight but have to come up with a way we can resolve issues amicably than to suppress people when they want to talk. That is violence if you suppress people in order that they fear to talk about what is painful to them. In our political parties, there are times when we do not agree with other members in the party. If they suppress you to say out your views, that will be painful and that becomes a form of violence.
In Africa, Zimbabwe is known as a country of learned and intelligent people. Where does the barbaric tendency come from during elections? We should behave as learned people in Africa. We always say that Zimbabwe is a Christian country and everyone in here goes to church. We should show Christianity in the manner we conduct ourselves and in the manner we do our politics. When it comes to God, there is no debate. Intimidation does not help us. If it works, we will not be having other parties but if you show me love, probably I would consider joining your party. Violence and suppression to show me that next elections will not go well does not help us. As Senators, let us blaze the road for peace for the whole of Zimbabwe. Thank you Mr.
President.
*HON. SEN. MABUGU: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to add my voice on the motion on violence that happens during elections. Violence is painful but the perpetrators think it is good. In
Shona, they say chinokanganwa idemo asi muti haukanganwi. Violence is painful especially when we say the truth. We have to talk about it and come up with a solution. If we do not talk about it, when will it end? Violence is a game, each team has its own supporters but when we are in the game, there are those who will win and those who lose. If you know that you win, why do you want to use violence? People should be free to support people whom they want. We should have free and fair elections without engaging any activities of violence. We should talk about it and bring it open so that we find a way of ending it.
When it comes to elections, some people are happy because it is their time to score. We should use our Christian and cultural values. If something is bad, we should talk about it. Why should we use weapons? It is high time we should call a spade a spade. If we say bad is good, are we truthful in our hearts or that we only want to make other people happy. Let us talk about the bad things so that we correct it and live in peace and harmony. Thank you Mr. President.
Hon. Sen. Chimanikire having stood up to debate.
*THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Hon. Sen.
Chimanikire, you have debated before on this motion and you cannot debate again.
*HON. SEN. CHIMANIKIRE: Thank you, I had forgotten.
*HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA: Thank you Mr. President for
affording me this opportunity to debate on the motion which was raised by Hon. Sen. Sibanda. It was well written on this paper but it will only be spoiled by us who will become emotionally when we are debating. I am pleading that all forms of violence come to an end starting from domestic violence like what we have heard when we were talking about child marriages, that violence will hamper development for the children. We should not have violence in our country. If there is no unity and there is violence there is no development, I think that is what the Hon.
Senator who brought this motion had in mind.
When we engage in violence, development will be hampered.
When it comes to the issue of unity, I think we are in support of that. Another Hon. Senator said that the policemen should adhere to the rules of the nation and there is no one who should uphold violence like this woman who poked out the eyes of her child, the law should work as it is not selectively.
If I report the law should be activated because our Constitution is very clear on our rights. For us to come up with that Constitution which is the Bill of Rights; for sure, if those things are not in place, something must be done and we should talk about it that the law should be put in place. Hon. Senators, when it comes to political violence, I do not know where it comes from because I have not come across any leaders who come and give orders for people to be attacked. In our homes we should teach our children to follow what the President said because he is against violence but we find people engaging in violence.
Elections are won or lost, you cannot get into the mind of a person but you can change them through violence. Our elections are a secret ballot so, we should teach our children. As chiefs give us rules on how to live in our areas, I think also as parents in our homes we should give our children morals and laws, this applies to all parties. All parties are engaged in violence so, I am pleading with you that even as we talk, we should all advocate for the end of violence because violence can be found on both sides. I thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] -
*THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN.
TAWENGWA): This is what a debate must be like, agreeing with each other, irrespective of what party you belong to.
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MARAVA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
MOTION
PROMOTION OF POPULATION GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on Zimbabwe’s low population.
Motion again proposed.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Thank you Mr. President for giving
me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion that was brought in this Senate. Let me use English because it helps me to summarise what I want to talk about. I stand to support the motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Musaka that is trying to promote the growth of Zimbabwe so that at least we lure investors and have a market. When investors want to invest in a country, they look at the population and look at whether their products are going to have a market.
Mr. President, I want to contribute to it in this way, Government has a duty to make sure that there is peace in the country and also that the unemployment rate is not alarming, as it is now above 80% and also the policy inconsistencies affect the working couple and for you to make children in your bedroom after looking at all these statistics that I have talked about, it becomes very difficult. You cannot, because your mind is affected by the things that surround you day by day.
Mr. President, the atmosphere for bearing children must be conducive, the atmosphere must make the husband to look and see the wife and feel the wife is attractive. If your mind is burdened by all these things that I am talking about, then you do not even see the beauty in your wife or the handsome qualities in your husband because your husband is consumed by the issues that affect you and that stress you. In his motion Hon. Sen. Musaka said NGOs must support the making of
children.
When you look at the Children’s Homes, the report was put into this House and also the Minister was here last week doing his report. He looked at the support that is given to Children’s Homes. You would find that maybe that is why the NGOs would then advocate for birth control because they are seeing that so many children are being born and the country is not affording to assist; it strains their budget to try to accommodate all the children. This is because people do not have means to support the children and baby dumping will be rife. It is
Government’s duty to make sure that family values are adhered to because that is when couples can speak well to each other on whether it is good to have more children or not. If there are no family values, it becomes very difficult. The only avenue where family values can be promoted is through Government policies.
Mr. President, in China there was the policy of birth control, limiting it to two children. However, after they realised that their workforce was ageing and they were no longer being rated as number two in the world in terms of economic growth, they noted that there was need for their citizens to have more children. This motion by Hon. Musaka is not bad. It is good so that Government may have a relook at our population. For example, in 15 years, will the population manage to sustain the economy? I therefore applaud Hon. Musaka for moving this motion. Mr. President, large families can be encouraged in a country if its economy is adequate and the Executive has the capacity to propel the economy to glory. It is then that we can encourage people to have large families.
On the incentive to encourage more children, men have more children that their wives are not aware of. The motion encourages that families with at least eight children should be given an incentive, but if people were to count the number of children that men have outside of marriage, they will eventually qualify for the incentives. Your wives do not know that you have more than eight children outside of marriage.
Mr. President at one time in a certain country, a new Government came in to force and came up with a policy to promote growth of families. It was said that all those who had five children should present their birth certificates in order to receive an incentive. One man said to his wife, since we have four children here, I have another one that I did not tell you about – [Laughter.] – so can I go and fetch that child.
Knowing that there would be a benefit, she agreed to the arrangement. However, on returning back, the husband found out that the children were now three. He asked what happened and he was told that the father came and fetched his child – [Laughter.] – so in the home, you will be thinking that all the children are yours and yet they are not. That is what I am trying to say. Those children whom you are leaving scattered all over the country, you cannot go and claim custody because you are afraid. Mr. President, it is the Government’s duty and not the NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) as suggested in the motion, to promote the bearing of children. It is the Government which creates policies and it must make sure that they are implemented.
In addition Mr. President, the Government can appoint a sex Minister like in Spain. After realizing that people are no longer in love with each other, Spain appointed a sex minister this month. The Minister will deal with this particular case. Although you do not want to talk about it, it is the only ‘pot of cooking children,’ otherwise which other way do you think you can bear children if you do not have sex? So, Spain realised that people are busy with issues like austerity measures and so on and they are no longer attracted to their partners and they appointed a Minister. So, I think if we want to promote the same issues we can have that minister because we need to have a proper market for our investment. I thank you very much Mr. President.
+HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to add a few words on this motion moved by Hon. Sen. Musaka, which is very good. Yesterday, the Chief said we should get busy, but I just want to say, this motion is very good but I was thinking that in our country Zimbabwe, there are a lot of children. We have children abroad. This motion is very good if we start by reviving our economy. I note that if we revamp our economy, surely, we can increase our population.
However, as I am speaking right now, last week I received some photographs of children who were murdered in South Africa, not because they do not want to stay in Zimbabwe. As we sit here, when acts of xenophobic attacks begin to take place, all of us will not be at peace because we have children in South Africa. One will always be making imaginations to the effect that it could be their child who will be caught in between those streams of xenophobic violence. I have three children who are there in Cape Town. Your life and sleep is marred by thoughts of hearing one day that your own child may be attacked and displayed on Facebook. Sometimes I will be deep in thought that God, if one day you give your judgment, how will I be able to rescue my children? This is not because I do not want to live with my children in Zimbabwe; I wish we could revamp our economy so that our children can be here with us. It will be helpful to us.
There is no need for us to add another problem to the burdens we already carry. It was good for us to get busy Mr. President when we have made strides towards reviving our economy – [HON. SENATORS:
Hear, hear.] – I am not denying that there is need to get busy.
Hon. Sen. Moeketsi having been speaking to the gallery.
*THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Speak to the
Chair and get busy here Hon. Senator – [Laughter.] –
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Alright Mr. President, I will speak to the Chair. I am saying, this motion is very good, but we should work on reviving our economy, it will help us. I want to go back to the motion which was raised by Hon. Sen. Makore which pointed out that the Government cannot pay $15 to orphans who are in our centres. What I want to say is that this incentive should be extended to people who are already on the scheme because probably I have 10 orphans , I should get the incentive. We cannot have an incentive for those who do not yet have the orphans. I already have 10, so it should start with me rather than to look at those who have not started yet. It should come to me when my children are at one place so that one day when the Lord judges, I can say I have buried my child there not for a piece to be left in South Africa like what we have seen. It is very painful and it is because our economy is not right.
Mr. President, I just stood up to add my voice on this matter that let us understand each other because he raised this motion in good faith but right now, I do not think it is possible. Again, we have other laws that we pass in this House and they bind us later on.
Mr. President, I also want to say the Western culture has destroyed us. It has even killed our Chiefs. Some of the motions that are passed here, chiefs should say no! When it comes to family planning, the chiefs agreed it could not have passed in this House but it passed and now you cannot change it. The English way of life is killing us, we should retain our culture, and it is like our chiefs are coming short somehow. We are trying to help them so that we retain our culture to them, it will help us. Last week, a baby was dumped in the sewage in my constituency in Mutare, it is not that the parents were not there but due to economic hardships in our country, it is difficult for them. With these few words, I thank you.
*HON. SEN. MAKWARIMBA: Thank you Mr. President for the
time that you have accorded me to add my voice on the motion which was put forward by Hon. Sen. Musaka and his seconder. Mr. President, I see that this motion was brought in at a very opportune time because our economy is getting better now due to land reform. The question of black people living in harmony with the soil did not start now but that is how we were brought up. I can see that most of us got resettled under the Agrarian Reform and gave chance to those who remained in the rural areas to extend their farming land. So, many of us are engaged in farming these days. In the days of colonial rule, during the Smith regime, schools were very few. If you go to Mashonaland Central, there was only one secondary school, in Masvingo, there was also one secondary school and in Matabeleland there were very few but we would give birth to children without limit or birth control. If we had not given birth during that time, we would not have had children who went to fight in the liberation struggle. So, it means up to now, we would be still under the Smith regime. What we are saying about child bearing is not about those who are in this House and are off layers. We are talking of those who are in the rural areas. We want to talk about child bearing looking for future generations. We talked about soldiers; we are talking about the economy, how do we grow our economy and how can people invest with a very small population. I think what the Chief referred to that we should get busy in child bearing is very important.
Mr. President, we should follow this motion, as it will help us in a number of ways and will make us a people in the future. I have had some people referring to the policy of one child in China, they have now relaxed it. So, it is our duty Mr. President that we should see to it that the population of Zimbabwe increases.
HON. SEN. MASUKU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: I second Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 16th March, 2017.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MASUKU seconded by HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA, the Senate adjourned at Nineteen Minutes past
Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 11th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE ACTING SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE ACTING SPEAKER
INVITATION TO A TWENTY MINUTE THEATRE PLAY BY COMPLETE ARTS PROJECT TRUST
THE ACTING SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): I have to inform the House that the Complete Arts Project Trust is inviting all Hon. Members to a twenty-minute theatre play on the death penalty. The performance will be held in the Parliament Court Yard on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021 at 1000 hours. Hon. Members who are able to attend physically should be seated by 0950 Hours and the rest of the Members can follow the proceedings virtually
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 5 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 6 has been disposed of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. TONGOFA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to add my voice to the motion. Madam Speaker, I would like to start by saying that the President’s crafting of the vision as a starting point is the key and important aspect of our economy. Madam Speaker, a vision is a long-term audacious goal which will make people to rally behind it. Everyone in this country will rally behind that goal. Whether you are in the streets, doing whatever you are doing, you should be able to say I am doing this because I want to realise Vision 2030. That will ensure that everyone in this country will contribute towards one vision which we all make sure that our country will prosper. Madam Speaker, let me move into some of the issues that were raised by His Excellency – the issue of the financial sector.
The financial sector, Madam President, so far we have seen some stability in it. However, there are some issues that need to be looked at such as issues to do with savings. In our economy, we are seeing that most people are not having confidence in savings. They are not depositing their money into the bank accounts. That alone shows that there is no cohesion between the investors and the savers. We need our economy to save the money into their banks so that those people who want to take risks and go into businesses would do that by investing the money in riskier projects.
Madam Speaker, our informal sector will need to be harnessed because we have got a large informal sector. About 80% or more of the people in this country participating in the economy are in the informal sector. Therefore, we need to make sure the informal sector is also included in this agenda of achieving Vision 2030.
Madam Speaker, we have seen that the illegal sanctions have stifled efforts of the people and also crippled most people’s businesses in this country. That alone, is an issue that needs to be looked at. We have seen a lot of businesses running away from this country because they are afraid of the sanctions,
Madam Speaker, I will turn into agriculture. We have seen our agricultural sector providing a lot of hope to the nation. We have seen most people in the rural areas also participating in the agricultural sector. We need to continuously support horticultural projects through solar system driven irrigations. I have seen these working very well in Chivi, one of the driest areas in this country. It is an arid area which is Region 4 and 5 where there is very little rainfall but there are good water tables. Boreholes can be driven by the solar system also. I have seen so many people producing a lot of horticultural projects. I implore the Government to continue providing support on that front.
Madam Speaker, I have seen a lot of support going to the rural areas and recently, I have seen His Excellency the President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa opening a processing plant at Tabudirira Vocational Training Centre in Mutoko. That plant will enable a lot of young people and women to get a lot of markets close to their homes. Horticultural projects - most of them are perishable and need a ready market and by having such a plant in Mutoko, they are assured of a ready market which is close to their homes.
I also noted that the support for rural industrialisation is going on well. Recently in Rutenga, the President commissioned a plant for marula, the fruits that we normally do not consider very useful to the economy which we only see as a fruit used by the indigenous people but currently, the presence of this manufacturing plant will ensure that all the people will benefit through getting marula locally.
I also want to say we need to enhance the markets for agricultural products as we have seen that people in the sugarcane and tobacco industries continuously benefit through lead markets but other products in the agricultural sector do not have a ready market. As a result, most people shun going into such ventures but we are happy that this thrust is going to be followed and it will enhance more and more to go into these programmes.
There is need also to increase tillage through tractors in the rural areas because people in the rural areas do not have draught power and want that support. We would expect more and more support to DDF so that they would provide support to our people in the rural areas.
We have seen a lot of infrastructural development happening in the countryside, particularly let me mention the road in my constituency in Chivi District. The road goes from Shurugwi to Beitbridge. That road is very bad but half of it was really maintained and is now tarred, which is quite a commendable job that was done. We have seen the President commissioning that road in Chivi North Constituency.
Let me also talk about the devolution funds thrust which has seen the President commission a water pipeline in my constituency which covers about five wards. Most people are happy that the pipeline is commissioned and providing water to the people. Indeed, most people are relieved.
Let me wind up by talking about the need to look at the Bills in the health sector which will enhance access to health services. We need to have universal health coverage by having a national health insurance so that everybody will be able to access health services. I would not want to continue debating Madam Speaker, because there are so many issues that were covered during the speech, of which some of them have been covered by other speakers but let me say the Vision 2030 agenda is being pursued. We can see a lot of changes; even in our own communities, roads are being maintained. Electricity is not a very big challenge as it used to be before and we have also seen people now using rail to go to work. We have seen that the rail in Mufakose is now operational. The ZUPCO buses are still coming to ease the transport problems in the cities. I thank you.
HON. MADHUKU: Thank you very much Madam Speaker for giving me this time to also contribute to the SONA by His Excellency. I want to begin by thanking His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Dr. E.D. as he is affectionately known. I want to thank him as a great statesman, patriot and a great leader par-excellence. Like the biblical great Sermon on the Mount, His Excellency, in like manner began by exhorting the nation of Zimbabwe and calling for unity, peace, harmony, love and stability which are very critical pillars for national building and development. Without peace, there is no development in any country. So I want to applaud His Excellency for beginning by making a genuine appeal to Zimbabweans to uphold these virtues and values so that we can also achieve Vision 2030 which calls for no one to be left behind.
Like my other colleague Hon. Members who have made debates before me, they have also talked about the most important thing of devolution which is in our Constitution, which we happily applauded His Excellency for making sure that this was taken on board. Very important on this aspect of devolution is that we are talking about the equitable distribution of resources as opposed to equal sharing and this is very important because the resources are reaching the furthest end of the nation which could have been disadvantaged in the past.
By doing this, His Excellency is very much alive to some of the very important points which have been taken by other great scholars. For instance, in this case, Aristotle said that “poverty is the parent of revolution and crime”. So the President is basically making sure that all these vices are avoided by making resources available to many. Also, one author who once said “when wealth is centralised, the people are dispersed and when wealth is distributed, the people are brought together”. So, we applaud His Excellency for making sure that he brings the citizens of Zimbabwe together in unity because of the issue of sharing resources since when resources are not shared properly, equally and equitably, there is bound to be conflict.
Madam Speaker, I also want to applaud His Excellency the President for exerting the nation of Zimbabwe to keep clinging to the ethos, values and the culture of hard work. He appealed to us to ensure that we uphold these virtues of hard work as Zimbabweans, which we are known for worldwide because in the absence of hard work, we will do nothing. So I want to applaud him for preaching to us of all these things.
I would like to zero-in again on the mining sector where His Excellency said that this sector is expected to grow by 11% and we are alive to the call by the President, of the creation of the 20 billion in the mining sector by 2023, of which four billion is on gold production. He attributed this growth to increased exploration, value addition, beneficiation and the opening of other closed mines.
In order to meet this target, we also call for the expeditious conclusion of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act to solve so many issues which have arisen in the sector. For instance, we have a lot of farmer/miner conflicts because of the absence of the law which protects this. A speaker who spoke before me talked about the EPOs where we have vast tracts of land which are under EPOs and this is depriving other citizens – the artisanal and small scale miners land to do their mining. We are very much cognisant of the fact that in 2020, about 63% of gold production in the country came from these small and medium scale miners. This is a very important group which needs to be supported and capacitated. They also need claims and even tributes.
We are talking of very important people in our society, the youths and the women. Statistics given show that between the ages of 15-35 they make up to 62% of our youths and women 52%. These sectors are very critical in the development of the nation. We are appealing that these people also get their share of the mining claims or tributes.
On the issue of extractive industries, transparency initiative, we are calling upon the Government to expedite the registration and to be part of this very important body to ensure transparency, accountability and also to eliminate some of the vices like corruption and conflicts and also to alleviate poverty. It also deals with the awarding of licences and contracts; gender capacitation and issues of the environment which are very critical.
We are also talking about corporate social responsibility issues whereby if this Act is amended, it would address the issues of communities whose resources are being mined and end up not benefiting anything from the extraction of these resources. We end up having the resources scarce and this is very pathetic.
I would like to move on to the issue of patriotism which the President spoke about. His Excellency encouraged Zimbabweans to deliberately buy ‘proudly Zimbabwean’ products or brands which now dominate our shops. He also urged industrialists to broaden their research and development towards increasing a wide range and variety of ‘made in Zimbabwe’ products. This is very important. This is the clarion call by His Excellency, because the issue has to do with patriotism. We are happy that His Excellency the President is talking about this when we are also busy, like the Ministry of Education is busy with Education 5.0 whereby we have so many innovations in the country. We call for this to be a reality. We are calling upon the Government to continue capacitating industries in the form of their forex requirements so that they are able to produce and also compete against a lot of other goods which are coming into the country. Once they are capacitated to do this, the pricing regime versus the quality of the products is going to be competitive because no one will go and try to buy something produced in Zimbabwe if it is of a lesser quality.
The issue of us Zimbabweans going for our products ‘proudly Zimbabwean’, I have already alluded to the issue that this is patriotic whereby we are being called upon to have a relook into our attitudes, perceptions and mind-sets. Some people tend to value something which is alien, foreign or exotic as opposed to something which is indigenous. Our attitude, which are emotions, beliefs or behaviour which we have learnt in the past due to experience and our upbringing is a major problem here which His Excellency is trying to say that we have to take pride in products produced in our own country. This has nothing to do with bellicosity or xenophobia. These are ills or vices. We are talking about something to do with the pride of Zimbabwe – patriotism or Afrocentrism. These are the issues which His Excellency the President is urging all Zimbabweans to take note of.
On Afrocentrism, we are basically talking about a transformation of attitudes, beliefs and values about Zimbabweans so that we have love in our country. African centeredness - this is what we are talking about. Afrocentrism argues that when colonisation and saving of Africans by Europeans happened, the colonisers emerged and projected themselves as liberators of savages. The success of colonisation and slavery was not physical subjugation but it had to do with the mind – colonisation of the mind and fostering of slave mentality in Africans. Therefore, we took the coloniser as superior and us as inferior. On this note, this explains why we tend to hate ourselves and our country and look with an inferior complex on something which is locally made and going for something which is foreign. This is a result of colonisation.
I would like to applaud His Excellency the President for allowing us as Zimbabweans to introspect, look at our attitudes and perceptions, and do away with all those ills which are non-Zimbabwean and non-patriotic. This explains, as my colleagues have already debated in this House, the issues to do with sanctions. These sanctions were called upon by some of us to inflict harm on us and not knowing that they are actually inflicting harm on themselves and their relatives because of lack of patriotism, which is a great virtue.
My proposal Madam Speaker Ma’am is that for us, in view of what His Excellency the President has said on patriotism, we are calling upon all schools in Zimbabwe and tertiary institutions to ensure that their syllabi encompasses these very critical modules on patriotism. I think if we begin to do that, even from very early stages like Early Childhood Development (ECD), we will end up with a better Zimbabwe where people love their country and themselves even to ensure that where we have two options of products locally and imported, we will simply go for those locally made. Where prices and quality are the same, the President is calling upon us to go for the ‘proudly Zimbabwean’ products. Madam Speaker Ma’am, without further ado, I want to thank you very much for according me this opportunity to also say something in support of our President, a great Statesman and son of the soil. I thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. Allow me to add my voice to the motion that was moved by Hon. Mutambisi, seconded by Hon. T. Moyo on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. Allow me Hon. Speaker Ma’am, from the onset, to commend the Government of Zimbabwe through the able leadership of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa, for moving swiftly towards transforming our country’s infrastructure, particularly in Harare.
The ongoing Phase 2 of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme – you know in Harare, most of our roads, especially in the suburbs are not as good as they were before. The programme has seen us having 32 roads being rehabilitated or constructed and it is about 250kms. This has benefitted us a lot and I hope the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is going to extend that to all the suburbs because we have this problem.
In addition, I want to commend the Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. They have made efforts to boost the ZUPCO transport which has been dilapidated but the fleet has now been boosted. It has helped in our city and other cities as well. The issue that we have now is that, if they could increase more of these buses because we have the problem of mushikashikas. These mushikashika transport are causing problems in that some women are being raped and men and women are being robbed after having ridden in the mushikashikas on their way home. It is all because of shortage of transport., If ZUPCO could have more buses, I do not think anyone would want to pay more and travel in a small vehicle where you will be packed like sardines. People end up doing that because they do not have anything to use.
On the National Housing frontier, may I commend the Government through the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities for advancing the National Human Settlements Policy, which is a blue print for the implementation of the National Housing Delivery. It is my wish that this programme will see us regularising most of the suburbs not only in Harare, there are a lot of informal settlements around cities. It is not that people want to be called squatters or anything Madam Speaker, the issue is that some people will be renting one room and to date maybe they have more children and they are old enough to also have their own houses. What can we do? The only thing we can do is; if there is space, you might think, ‘if I can just construct something so that I can preserve my privacy and I can stay there without any interference.’
So, I am appealing to the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities and also our local authorities that they start building houses and not just parceling out land. Of late, I have noticed that all local authorities sell pieces of land instead of building. I think it is their duty as local authorities to make sure that they build houses, even two rooms then they make people live and extend their houses whilst they have somewhere to stay. As it is now, anyone who is just a worker, it is very difficult to own a house these days because when you are given land, you do not even have money to build that land. I am appealing to the Government through local government if they can facilitate that.
Of late, people have been speaking about devolution and I have realised that most councils are already using the money and yet the Bill is not yet here. So, as urged by His Excellency in his speech, that the Devolution Bill must come in among other Bills, I am urging our Local Government Ministry and maybe the Attorney-General to make sure that this Bill comes in. It is not good for us to be using money before the Bill comes.
I was happy because the President also mentioned the following Bills which I think we need to work hand-in-hand with the Provincial Councils’ Amendment Bill. Other pieces of legislation such as the Urban Councils Amendment Bill, Rural District Councils Amendment Bill, Regional Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill, Municipal Courts and Policy Bill, Liquor Licence Bill and the Traditional Leaders Amendment Bill should also be presented to Parliament in the coming year as pronounced by the President.
Finally Madam Speaker Ma’am, we all agree that there is Climate Change and we all know that the rains these days are unpredictable. So I am urging the Government to give more money to the Civil Protection Unit because in Shona they say, Hapana musha unochengetwa nababa vepa next door (you cannot have your household taken care of by a stranger) This means that we must be ready, even if we do not have anything. However, let us show the world that yes, we do not have money but from our National Budget, we have given so much for the civil protection because it is not something that is new. Everyone knows that there is likely to be floods and it is not something new that we might have some eventualities. Madam Speaker, you are well aware of Nhimbe and people always say kubudirira kwenhimbe mwene wayo. This means that if you ask people to help you in your field, you also have to be there, if you just brew your beer and ask people to work then you will get results that you did not want to have. So I am saying, as Zimbabweans and the Zimbabwean Government, I also appeal even to our companies – you know we have companies which only help in disaster situations. I am appealing to those companies to start working with Government before disasters happen so that we have other people helping us but as Zimbabweans, we will be working together. I thank you.
(V)*HON. MAKONI: Thank you Madam Speaker for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to this debate. I also want to thank Hon. Mutambisi for raising this pertinent motion on President Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa’s address which was supported by Hon. T. Moyo. I want to thank the President for uplifting the lives of the Zimbabweans through agriculture. The President of Zimbabwe supports the agriculture sector very much through various projects such as Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza. We also thank His Excellency for opening the tobacco sales floor in Marondera. We now sell our tobacco freely without fearing thieves. We plead with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to help women when they are seeking permission, paper work and mining sites. May the Ministry assist women so that they venture into the mining sector?
We thank the President of Zimbabwe for vibrant projects that are being carried out countrywide. Right now, the state of the roads is now good. His Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa worked very hard during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak which resulted in reduced numbers of mortality rate due to COVID-19 in the country. Even to date, the President is making significant strides in fighting against COVID-19.
Devolution is another significant developmental programme that was started by the President of Zimbabwe. Devolution funds are complementing very well the gap that was being left by the CDF funds. His Excellency is a listening leader who has taken into consideration issues to do with women when he gave them important posts.
On transportation, the President provided ZUPCO buses to ferry people. We plead with His Excellency to increase the number of these buses.
(V)*HON. E. NCUBE: Thank you, Madam Speaker for awarding me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion that was raised by Hon. Mutambisi and seconded by Hon. Moyo on the Presidential Speech. I want to start by thanking the President of our country, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa.
I want to speak focusing on Masvingo where I come from. This area was known by many people because of accidents that used to happen a lot in this road. Nowadays, people can testify that the state of the roads in our province has greatly improved. Right now, people travel freely from Beitbridge to Harare as the road has been refurbished. People from other countries are praising us because of the state of the roads. Our roads are now much better compared to roads of other countries. May Government erect perimeter security fences along the roads so that wild animals and livestock do not cause accidents? The issue of stray animals roaming on the roads is of great concern.
Still on the issue of roads, in towns, roads are now being refurbished under the Emergency Rehabilitation Road Programme. Many roads in towns were full of potholes. Many roads in locations are now being refurbished and the drainage systems are being cleaned or cleared. There were many water logged areas which ended up being breeding areas for mosquitoes and diseases that are caused by unhygienic environments. The maintenance of roads improved our livelihoods as Zimbabweans. In my constituency, there is a road that was refurbished from Chivi turn off to Shurugwi. People coming from Beitbridge and Masvingo are no longer avoiding this road since it is a short-cut road to Gweru and Shurugwi because the road is now in good state.
On agriculture, I want to thank the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa because of the Pfumvudza Programme and provision of agricultural inputs. At first people were a bit skeptical about the programme but once they realised that this programme helps in improving food security in the country, they began to take it seriously. May Government provide herbicides to farmers under the Pfumvudza Programme? These herbicides must tally with the area where the farmer has prepared for Pfumvudza. When rains come and weeds begin to germinate, and when the farmer uses the traditional way of weeding, they fill the pits which are meant to store moisture. May everyone be included in the Pfumvudza Programme? For the programme to be successful, people are supposed to have a certain area where they can dig holes and receive seed on time and also plant on time. There are some people who are just used to receiving, but this no longer requires ox-drawn ploughing but an individual to work. Let us not wait to say this is meant for the poor.
On the same note, I would like to thank the President for the devolution funds. Where I come from in Chivi, we have got a water project. It is called Shongo Piped Water Project. This project transformed the Chivi people so much that they now have a demonstration plot where they have various crops like maize, sorghum and roundnuts. The President actually toured the project and saw them. This demonstration plot is irrigated by this piped water. This water helped us a lot at our health facility in Chivi where we had water problems because now we have plenty of water. So we would like to appreciate that very much. If such projects continue to be implemented, they will transform people’s lives, but where that piped water is not available, I request that the boreholes be drilled in those places because everyone needs water close-by, whether it is from a tap or a borehole.
I would like to refer to the issue of health alluded to by the President. We had COVID-19 which is a very deadly pandemic. This deadly pandemic can only be underestimated by someone who never came across it in real life experience. I experienced it firsthand. It took away a loved one of mine. It is a very bad disease and I would like to applaud the President because he managed to suspend other important national programmes in order to look for medicines to prevent the disease, and protect the citizens of Zimbabwe in order to ensure that it only results in very few fatalities. Of course, it is not possible just like what happened to me, but such things happen. Everyone has their way of dying but when the President goes out of his way to source for medication for such a serious pandemic, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and listen to what the President is saying and follow his advice so that we will not regret in future.
Finally, I would like to talk about production. I would like to applaud the President who constructed another factory, the Amarula Processing Plant, where drinks that can be consumed by humans are being manufactured. I am not sure how I can put it but we are now innovative. We are thinking about how best we can utilise the available resources that we have. Therefore, we are fulfilling the President’s wish where he is encouraging us to utilise available resources to develop our economy, but I would like to say if resources were available, we have a lot of children in rural and urban areas who need to be trained in vocational skills for free so that if they were to go and look for money, be it at the Empowerment Bank whereby they are required to put forward project proposals, they will be knowledgeable of the venture they want to embark on because if they have knowledge, they will be able to manufacture good products that will be appreciated by many people.
So I would like to say there is need to set up a fund for children’s training centres before they can go and look for funding from banks, not the prevailing situation where they go to look for funding without any entrepreneurial skills. They will not be able to properly make use of those funds. They may end up abusing them because some of them might not have had access to such large sums of money, hence they will fail to fulfil the intended goal, but if they go through training, they will have good knowledge on how to handle a business venture.
With those few words, I would like to thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add a few words on these important words delivered by the President in the State of the Nation Address.
(v)+HON. MUDAU: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank Hon. Mutambisi and Hon. Moyo for moving this motion on our President, Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa. I would like to thank our President because in our province Matabeleland South, they have taught us to farm effectively, especially through ARDA.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank our President because our town which is Beitbridge, right now if you are to get there, you are likely going to get lost because of the positive changes that are there. The Beitbridge Border looks new because of the good job that has been done by the President in revamping it. Looking also at the Beitbridge-Harare Road, there is a great job that is being done such that if one is to drive along this road now, they are even tempted to sleep when driving because of the good state of the road...(Technical glitch)
THE ACTING SPEAKER: Hon. Mudau. I think we have lost her.
(v)LLHON. NGULUVHE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to air my views on the motion moved by Hon. Mutambisi and the seconder Hon. Moyo on the address by His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa. I will especially speak on a few issues which touch more on my Constituency, Beitbridge. First, I wanted to talk about the issue of Pfumvudza which was not common to us in our culture, especially the people of that area. For the first time, I want to report that we managed to get something. Beitbridge is known to be a very dry place where you will not harvest anything if you plough. However, since the introduction of Pfumvudza last year, we managed to secure something that almost three quarters of the wards did not need food assistance from Social Welfare. It is only now that we need the food. We want to applaud that move. As we are talking, Pfumvudza is on the ground again. They were busy distributing seed last week and I want to say we appreciate that. As our area is dry, I would say let us look at this Pfumvudza, I think it will do on small grains. If you give us maize where there is no irrigation, normally it does not do well. So maybe the Ministry of Agriculture should consider that.
Coming to infrastructure development, I will start with roads. Our main road, the Harare-Beitbridge was a dangerous road where a lot of accidents used to happen, especially as you enter Beitbridge. Now that road is one of the best in Africa. If you go again to the border post, that border is now the best in the world. It matches all other border posts in terms of standard. I want to thank the President that he stressed that nobody should be left behind. As I speak, I have a record that over 300 locals got employment at that border post and this should be accorded to the President.
I would also like to talk a bit about the rural roads. The road from Beitbridge to Chikwarakwara has never been repaired for the past 18 years but right now, through the President’s directive, that road is being repaired. It now makes it easy for people to travel between Chikwarakwara and Beitbridge. The bridge linkingus to Chiredzi South was washed away during Elnino but that road has made people to now travel easily. It used to cost us over R300 but now you can use only R160 to and from. Buses used to shun that road but currently the ZUPCO buses are there. I want to applaud the President for bringing in ZUPCO. The cost of travelling is now affordable in Beitbridge.
I want also to applaud the Government through the President that we had no other irrigation scheme in the entire Beitbridge East. The irrigation scheme in Chikwarakwara was last used 18 years ago but as I am speaking, we have started to plant. It was resuscitated. The Government played a role with an NGO. Again, I would like to thank the President on the issue of devolution. Initially, people did not understand what devolution involves and implies but now we are starting to realise the benefits, the fruits of devolution. What is lacking is for us the legislators to explain to the people the good work being done by His Excellency the President. They are giving us the funds; we identify the projects which must benefit the people.
I will also touch a bit on the issue of health. Beitbridge as an entry point, at one time we were afraid that we were all going to perish because everyone uses the border as they enter or leave the country. I am talking of COVID and I want to thank the Government for moving in quickly and established isolation centres. That has helped us as you are all aware that everyone passes through that border post. However, I want to appeal to the Ministry of Health that the hospital needs to be refurbished. It is not up to standard. There is no generator, the beds are not in good shape and must also remember that everyone uses that hospital, be it from SADC countries or from any part of this country. If you are injured on the bus, you need to be treated in that hospital. I am appealing to the Ministry of Health to look at that hospital and the town in general.
As I said, for the first time, they are building a fire station for us. They are going to put a new water reticulation system which is good. I want to talk on the issue of security. Because of COVID, I met a lot of security challenges at the Beitbridge border. Everyone who is in South Africa is coming down here and they are bringing weapons and the people are failing to travel at night and even during day time. However, I want to thank the security forces. They have quickly moved in and they are bringing in law and order. At least people are now seeing that the President cares for us all. With those few remarks, I want to say we appreciate the vision of the President and I am sure that we will achieve the Vision 2030. Thank you.
HON. KASHIRI: I move that the debate be adjourned.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 16th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. KASHIRI seconded by HON. TEKESHE, the House adjourned at Twenty-Seven Minutes past Three o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 16th November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 11th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
INVITATION TO A TWENTY-MINUTE THEATRE PLAY BY COMPLETE ARTS PROJECT TRUST
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I wish to inform the Senate that the Complete Arts Project Trust is inviting all Members of Parliament to a twenty-minute theatre play on the death penalty to be held on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021 at 1000 hours in the Parliament Court Yard. Hon. Senators who wish to attend physically should be seated by 0950 hours whilst those who want to watch the performance virtually may do so.
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I wish to inform the Senate that I have received apologies from the following Hon. Ministers:
Hon. General Rtd. Dr. C.G.N. Chiwenga –The Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care;
Hon. Dr. E. Ndlovu –The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education;
Hon. Sen. M. Mutsvangwa -The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services;
Hon. O.C.Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri – The Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs;
Hon. M. Ndlovu – The Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry;
Hon. Dr. Masuka – The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Resettlement;
Hon. Mhona – The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development;
Hon. Dr. K. Coventry – The Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation;
Hon. J. Moyo – The Minister of Local Government and Public Works;
Hon. Chitando – The Minister of Mines and Mining Development;
Hon. Dr. S. Nzenza – The Minister of Industry and Commerce;
Hon. Prof. Murwira – The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development;
Hon. Dr. Shava – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
Hon. D. Garwe - The Minister of Housing and Social Amenities;
Hon. C. Chiduwa – The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development;
Hon. M. Chombo – The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works;
Hon. P. Kambamura – The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development;
Hon. Haritatos – The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement
Hon. Karoro - The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement
Hon. M. Madiro – The Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development;
Hon. K. Kazembe – The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
I must say the list is very long and I do not know why.
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: On a point of order Mr. President. Thank you Mr. President. This is quite pathetic and very unfortunate for the people of Zimbabwe. This is one of the serious abuses which the Senate can endure. A few days ago, they could just absent themselves without giving any reason. After the Senate had made a vehement complaint against their behaviour, they have now found a solution and the solution is to simply send an apology. My question still stands Hon. President; can these Ministers give apologies on Tuesday when there is Cabinet, the answer is no because it is planned from the schedule of the year that every Tuesday they go to Cabinet.
It is also known according to our Constitution and our Parliamentary practice that every Wednesday and Thursday, Ministers do come for question and answer sessions, which therefore means they can put it on their plan as well. Their work plans should always leave out a day like Wednesday and Thursday. Surely, this means a lot as far as the value and importance of Senate is concerned. This means a lot when we look at ourselves and say why are we here, what are we doing yet the people outside there, the tax payers and ordinary people expect us to oversee Government activities but here today we have only four Ministers.
Hon. President, this is quite unfortunate and we have complained for a long time about this behaviour. In my view, it is a sheer waste of time to go through this session but however Hon. President, you have the final say.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Sen. Komichi. I totally agree with your sentiments. I feel the Senate is getting a raw deal from what is supposed to be a constitutional obligation. We will take it up with the relevant authorities. In the meantime, I suggest we go ahead with what we have. We have the Hon. Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Ziyambi; the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. Musabayana, the Deputy Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Hon. Simbanegavi and the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon. E. Moyo.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: Thank you Mr. President. I saw it fit that I contribute; if this was happening in our rural areas and if people are supposed to converge and drink beer in our rural areas and there are few relatives, we would cancel the whole event. My point is that this is a futile exercise for the few Cabinet Ministers who are here. I believe that theremight be need for the cancellation of the Question and Answer segment so that we demonstrate our seriousness.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I made a ruling pertaining to that Hon. Sen. Femai.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Leader of the House. The rain season is imminent and so what stage are we at especially during the Pfumvudza era?
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. President for that pertinent question which was asked by Hon. Sen. Chinake. Pfumvudza is an ongoing programme. Fertilizers and inputs have been distributed to different households who deserve to be given these inputs. The Grain Marketing Board is busy receiving and distributing Pfumvudza inputs to different parts of the country. The President also instructed GMB to take inputs from their depots to different wards. This is what is happening. We look forward to the completion of the distribution before the rains start falling so that our farmers would benefit. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President. My supplementary question is: I am glad to hear that GMB depots are distributing, but are they aware that there are agricultural extension workers who move around claiming monies from people? I thank you.
* HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. President and thank you Hon. Sen. Tongogara for that pertinent question. It is true according to the reports that we get from the Ministry of Agriculture, after their findings which led to the President engaging the Minister to discuss with GMB so that inputs are distributed to the people. This is a Presidential Input Scheme, which means that this scheme has no subsidiaries. It has no middlemen but the President is sending inputs to the GMB and from the GMB to different wards for collection so that beneficiaries can use scotch-carts and different forms of transport to ferry their inputs from their wards. It is true, the GMB is working on resolving any disputes regarding the distribution so that this is done according to the plan. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Health but during their absence, I will direct the question to the Leader of the House. In the past, our fore-fathers would treat ailments using allopathic medicines or indigenous knowledge systems which are found in our communities. So, through the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council under the Ministry of Health, what is Government’s plan regarding indigenous knowledge systems and the preservation of such indigenous knowledge systems? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. President. I would also like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu for his pertinent question in which he is seeking to understand the Government position regarding the use of indigenous knowledge systems to treat different ailments and those who are traditional healers, especially the preservation and protection of such traditional medicines. I would also like to take the Hon. Senator back, that at one point we came to this august House saying that there is a treaty in Africa which prescribes that we should examine African medicines. This treaty was given support and this is the stance that we are taking so that we look at our traditional medicines and how we can better them because they benefited our fore-fathers. They also benefited us when we were growing up. So, this is the stance that we are taking Hon. Sen. Chief so that if we are guided accordingly, we need the innovation hub to be found in Zimbabwe where different researches are going to be done regarding traditional medicines. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: Thank you Mr. President. We have noted that petrol and diesel is not available in RTGS and in local currency. We have expressed our concern but we are not getting any feedback. We were told that this is going to be corrected but so far there is no response. My issue today is that even gas which is now being used in most urban households is not found in local currency. We know that we are facing severe shortages of electricity and as a result, many people are using gas. Does it mean that the country is going to full dollarisation whilst workers are not getting salaries in USD? This has put a lot of pressure on our people, so what is the Government doing to better the people’s livelihoods? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Let me thank the Hon. Senator for his pertinent question regarding petrol and diesel charges which are now being pegged in USD whilst our local currency is not being applied to petroleum.
Our currency is the ZWL, it is no longer referred to as RTGS, so the Hon. Senator is saying that local currency is in short supply. He also mentioned that gas is not readily available. Let me say that petrol, diesel and gas in local currency are in short supply. So the biggest thing that we need to do as Zimbabweans is to eliminate corruption before pointing fingers at the Government. The total eradication of corruption, our RBZ and the Ministry of Finance are busy promulgating legislation and policies which seek to guide the nation on fiscal and monetary issues whilst people are busy engaging in corrupt activities.
May you allow me Mr. President Sir, that since the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development is in the House, he could respond to this issue? However, in short I would like to say as Government, we have got policies which support our currency but because of speculators and corrupt individuals, you will discover that our exports and foreign currency earnings compared to other countries, Zimbabwe is supposed to be one of the most stable currencies or economies. So we ask where this is coming from, the RBZ gives USD to Petroleum industry but people are engaging in deals instead of using those monies to procure fuel. The biggest thing that we need to do as Zimbabweans is to eliminate corruption because it is detrimental to the success of the economy.
We know that when a new policy is promulgated, there are people who seek to compromise that policy but the Hon. Minister of Finance’s team and the Governor of the RBZ are busy working on correcting these anomalies. Recently, they mentioned that we are seeking a way of guiding people in terms of money markets. Some of the things cannot be shared but Hon. Members of Parliament and Senators should take it upon themselves to educate people so that corruption is eradicated. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hon. Prof. M. Ncube, a question has been raised by one of the Hon. Senators concerning the fact that fuel now appears to be available in USD; there is no fuel which can be bought using our local currency.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): It is certainly true that if you go to most of the service stations, there are more of them that are selling fuel in USD and not in ZWL as they would have promised us. Some of these fuel operators would come to the auction to source USD to purchase fuel. They are successful in doing so but they go on to pay for this fuel but the condition is that they should sell in ZWL, they do not comply, they proceed to sell in USD. They also go further and pay the taxes as well which ought to have been paid in USD; they pay excise duty in ZWL. So, there are two offences here - depriving the public of ZWL fuel and then depriving the fiscus and the public of rightfully earning taxes.
That is an issue we are dealing with and we have decided to really narrow the space and put in a facility through NOIC so that it is part of the architecture of accessing the fuel in the first place, making sure that it is available in ZWL. It is our expectation that this will improve the availability in ZWL. The moment you have these kinds of Shenanigans, you also now have interplay between the fuel market and the parallel market feed into each other. People looking for arbitrage gaps, it is part of the game that they play but we are working hard to close that gap to make sure that the public are better treated by the fuel companies.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: Thank you Mr. President. We talked of petrol and diesel. After having said this, you have taken too long to solve the problem with these fuel companies and other companies have joined in to do the same practice, such as the company that sell the LP gas. You know the LP gas now is very important, it is being used by ordinary people. Now, people can no longer afford to buy this gas using the Zimbabwean dollars because the companies are saying they want to sell in US dollars. Have you put these companies under your list of investigation?
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Thank you Mr. President. Hon. SEn. Komichi has raised a very important issue and I wholly agree with his observation, that again there are some shenanigans coming out of the gas companies as well. Very similar to the fuel companies, we have put them definitely on our watch and investigation list. Again, we want to close that loophole where they access money from the auction in US dollars but then end up selling in US dollars when they should give the public relief and selling in Zimbabwean dollars. They are certainly on our investigation list. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President Sir for giving me this opportunity. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. My question pertains the border posts. When are you going to officially open the borders? As it is now, a lot of money is no more going to the fiscus because the rich and clever ones are no longer using the border but the illegal entries and they are looting in and out of the country. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Mohadi for the question. Firstly, there is the issue of porosity which is a multi-agents challenge. It involves the Police, President’s Office and ZIMRA, which falls directly under myself; we are working hard to deal with the issue of porous borders. One of the programmes that we are launching is a drones programme, which we are launching next month where we use drones to really make sure they move around the fences. It is not intimidating; they take pictures and send us the pictures. I even said that I want a screen in my office for goodness sake, just to make sure perhaps work goes on and other people are watching rather than just officials at the border. So we believe that will go a long way in stopping that kind of activity or at least lessening it. It is never easy to stop because of corruption.
Then the second thing is about just balancing lives and livelihoods. When we closed borders because of COVID-19, it was for a good reason. We were trying to make sure that we control the inflow of COVID-19 from other countries into our own territory but then the smugglers then moved in. So, that is always a delicate balance that we end up saying that if the intention is to protect lives, may be that is something we can leave but not for too long. So that is always difficult to have but we will deal with borders nonetheless.
There is the specific issue of Beitbridge Border Post. I am pleased that the commercial port; all the challenges that we were facing there have been overcome and the traffic is flowing again. So if anyone was circumventing that border because things were not going well and so forth, I think they should realise that things have improved and should get back to the normal commercial route. We will be rolling out similar programmes on other border posts so that they become more efficient in transacting public across borders better. We are certainly sure that we are going to become a more solid transit economy because that is what we are as these borders will not just save us Zimbabweans but our neighbours as well. So, for us to maximise on that transit economy, we need to invest in our borders. I thank you.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. Hon. President, may the Minister explain to this House, what are the programmes, projects and interventions by Government through his Ministry they are implementing to reduce extreme poverty on the generality of our people and also improve access to basic social services across the life cycle of the vulnerable groups in Zimbabwe?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. SEN. MATUKE): Thank you Mr. President Sir. I would like to thank the Hon. Sen. for that question. The Ministry is running quite a number of programmes. The first programme is dealing with vulnerable students where the Government is paying school fees through BEAM. The Ministry of Finance has deployed quite a big budget to cater for the students who cannot pay school fees. This is due to a number of factors. One of the factors is those kids who are vulnerable due to extreme poverty, where parents are there but do not have the money. We also have a number of kids who lost both parents, the Government is again paying.
We have since exhausted the backlog and would want to urge the Members of Parliament that if they have school kids in their constituencies who cannot afford to pay school fees, they should approach our offices at district level and get assistance from Government. We have a number of orphanage centres. A good example is Chambuta in Chiredzi. In every province, I am sure we have got a number of institutions that can accommodate a sizeable number of vulnerable children. In those places you would find those who have lost both parents and some are coming from the streets. The Government is taking care of that constituency. We are urging Hon. Senators that, if there are kids who are loitering around, we can take them to those centres and they can receive food and clothing. Government can pay school fees up to A’ Level.
Through our Social Welfare, the Government has set aside quite a huge budget to support the vulnerable families through food distribution. In the next few weeks, we are going to start distribution of food to vulnerable families. Usually, the councillor and the local leadership would identify the beneficiaries and they can receive the food items.
The other constituents that we look after as a Ministry are the disabled persons. Government will take care of wheel chairs, clutches and related items. Again, Government is responsible for providing that equipment. In case somebody is vulnerable and cannot meet hospital bills, the Ministry will take over the hospital bills and ensure that they pay for those vulnerable members of our community.
We are doing quite a number of projects in order to help our vulnerable members of community. I am trying to summarise but we would maybe request, through the President of Senate, that in future we bring a package of what the Government is doing to help the vulnerable members. Thank you.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President. I want to thank the Hon. Minister for a host of programmes that he has favoured this House with. However, I want to further investigate from the Minister what policy of Government is in relation to transport. In the rural areas, the food that you spoke about is coming but the vulnerable groups have to pay in excess of US$10 to access a 50kg bag of maize. Thank you Mr. President.
HON. MATUKE: It is Government policy that we should provide transport to the end user. I think the challenge we had is mostly when we get the payment for transport from Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, it is pegged today and maybe after six months, we will be using the same rate. In the process, the money can be eroded by inflation. It becomes a bit difficult now to keep the food at GMB. So, people would then take an initiative to try and subsidise the transporter in order to get the food. It is not Government policy. The policy is, Government should pay up to the end user. At times, release of transport cost can delay but we always try to insist that we make sure that we pay for the food and deliver it to the consumers without charging them. If there are specific areas where people are being over-charged, you can bring it to the attention of our Ministry and we can investigate.
*HON. SEN. RWAMBIWA: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. We are seeing the distribution of Pfumvudza inputs. What are the Government plans regarding the elderly who cannot dig holes for Pfumvudza? What is Government planning to do for the elderly who cannot do that on their own and because of that, they cannot receive input? Some of them have got cattle which they can use for tilling. Thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I would like to thank the Hon. Senator. If I got the question well, it is about the elderly. We know that the policy is that those who have dug holes for Pfumvudza are the only people who can receive inputs. Yes it is true, this is what has been happening. Like I said before, the Pfumvudza Programme is not for Agricultural Extension workers but it is the President’s programme. The President is distributing fertilisers and inputs to all the people. Whatever challenges people face, the President said that this is his initiative, so people should be given inputs so that they can take advantage of the initiative. If this information has not cascaded down to the beneficiaries, I believe that the Minister of Agriculture is busy disseminating that information so that all those who deserve to receive the inputs are going to receive them.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: Thank you Mr. President, my supplementary question is directed to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. For the first time in the history of this country, the Hon. Minister has admitted that there is corruption and the Government is working hard to eliminate it. He also acknowledged that corrupt individuals remain ahead. My question is that corrupt individuals who steal from the Government; because corruption is so rampant, it is not just corruption but it is also sabotage to the economy. As a Cabinet Minister responsible for legal issues, why not enact legislation that is deterrent enough so that perpetrators are incarcerated for 25 years so that individuals will not continue to do that? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. President, I want to thank Hon. Sen. Femai for his question which is proffering a solution. The eradication of corruption, I agree that we need to promulgate deterrent laws which will incarcerate the perpetrators of corrupt activities. Sometimes you would find that during budget time, we end up suffering because we are losing a lot through corruption. This is what we are doing right now. We are reviewing the different laws that apply to corruption because we want deterrent sentences like what we did on livestock. I thank you.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to ask my question. My question goes to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. I think it is Statutory Instrument 6 of 2016 - it allows companies to import capital equipment without paying duty and sometimes probably VAT. There are due processes which are laid down in the law that the applicant should apply to the relevant ministry which will then approve whether that person qualifies for tax rebate. My question is this process is working very well and the relevant ministries are not taking time to make that approval to try to make sure that people bring in equipment so that we turn around our industries.
The problem we have in your Ministry is that when the letters which have already been approved by these relevant ministries come to your Ministry, they stay there for good actually prejudicing the importer and also having them being asked to pay storage duties by ZIMRA. Does your Ministry have a policy of determining how long should a letter which has been approved by a relevant Minister spend in your office? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. President and I thank Hon. Sen. Dr. Mavetera for the question. He is alluding to a very important policy that is driving investment right across our industry which is that of providing a rebate on equipment that has been imported for purposes of bolstering production. I have noticed that there have been delays. The policy of rebates for imported equipment for investment purposes is a very good one. It is explained why our industrial sector has remained robust and progressive even in the face of some economic challenges we have experienced in the past. It is a policy that we want to see continue and it is certainly true that there has been some bureaucratic delays and I have received complaints personally.
We are putting in a policy that we should be able to clear any request like that within a period of 5 days. We have no reason to delay further than 5 days because we do this for a living. We know what qualifies and what does not very quickly where we should be able to access this, so we have a five-day rule now for turnaround of any such queries at request. I thank you.
HON. SEN. DR. MATEVERA: Thank you Mr. President, I want to thank the Minister for the response but my supplementary question is what sort of remedy should applicants take when this does not happen? Minister probably is talking about a policy but that policy Minister is not working. We have got applications which have been approved staying for more than two months in your Ministry right now as I speak. So, what are the remedies or the options when people face that hurdle? It is now you Minister breeding a lot of corruption, your officers now trying to say if you bring so much, I will now facilitate to have your letter approved quickly.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Thank you very much I thank again the Hon. Senator for the supplementary question. In the Ministry of Finance, I do not tolerate corruption but that is not to say that people never try but we do not tolerate corruption. This five-day policy is a new policy that I have put in place. Let us see how that is working and if it will result in the turnaround that we expect. We have, let me call it all dispensation in terms of modus operandi, we have abandoned, and we are now on this tide window of a week, with five working days for us to turnaround any of these applications. We know what to do, we do this for a living, we are so experienced, it should not take long. Let us see how this five-day rule works and let us assess it going forward, I think you.
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. I am lucky today because he hardly comes to this House unless he has some Bills. The Minister of Finance and Economic Development came here in April and requested for 144 million to assist in the rehabilitation of Hwange Power Station. Now, it is eight months down the line and the load shedding has actually increased. Are we progressing or we are regressing since the time we approved the loan? How far have you gone in terms of that project? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Those resources are now available, we have authorised them to use them but the implementation does not sit with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, it sits in the Ministry of Energy and its parastatals. I would like to dig further as well to understand how far they have gone in using those resources and what challenges they are facing so that this project is speeded up. I will have to check with them, the resources are available and we authorised them to use those resources. Thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SENATOR CHIEF CHARUMBIRA) in terms of Standing Order No. 67.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: Mr. President, I move that Questions Without Notice time be extended.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I second.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. There are people who have questions but they do not know who to ask. They are saying Mr. Strive Masiyiwa sold decoders and satellite dishes through Kwese and we decided to support him as one of our own but for some time now, we have been unable to use those Kwese decoders. So, people are asking why the decoders from Mr. Strive Masiyiwa are not functional.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): The question is directed to a specific issue but the matter was taken to court and the court gave judgement which was not in favour of Mr. Strive Masiyiwa. What it means is that what they had agreed on with his partners had not been sorted out. Thank you.
HON. SEN. SHUMBA: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. If we listen to the news, we understand that the COVID pandemic which we thought was now a thing of the past seems to be resurfacing. You find that abroad, people are dying and in schools such as Zvishavane and Masvingo, we have a number of COVID-19 cases reported. So, we are now approaching the festive season and the majority of the people come to spend the festive season with their families. What measures has the Government put in place to ensure that we avoid more cases of COVID surging in the country? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I want to thank the Senator for that question. It is true that in some countries, there is a surge in COVID cases and in English they say there is a fourth wave. She has highlighted that there are quite a number of COVID-19 cases. The awareness that the Government is giving us to protect ourselves is that the Ministry of Health is encouraging people to go and get vaccinated. The Government, through the Minister of Finance, is in the process of sourcing funds to ensure that we get vaccinations that will enable us to reach herd immunity. If we are able to go and encourage each other to be vaccinated, if the fourth wave eventually gets to us, our immune system will be able to fight it and it will not be affected much by the fourth wave. It can affect us but it will not be severe.
Secondly, Government is encouraging us that we should not relax but we should continue to adhere to COVID protocols like social distancing, washing of hands and sanitizing our hands. These are some of the measures that are being encouraged to curb the prevention of COVID-19. We are encouraged to do so as we approach the festive season. The most important issue is that we need to get vaccinated so that when it eventually strikes, our immune systems will be able to fight the severity of the virus. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage. In the rural areas where we come from, we are facing challenges of children who want to access birth certificates and I.Ds. The district offices that you gave us are working but in terms of human resources, there is limited distribution. There are about nine chiefs coming from nine communities where children have to go and get the important documents. My question is - what does Government have in place to ensure that there is decentralisation of the offices to ensure that people can access the services in rural areas and business centres where we come from?
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Mr. President. Let me thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu for his question. Yes, the issue of access of these identification documents is a challenge. There are people who are travelling long distances in order to get the documents. He said that we have limited human resource. In terms of decentralization, the Government, I believe last week we were in Guruve where we were officially opening one of the offices with the hope of opening in other districts. We opened the Guruve District and this reflects Government commitment.
We also opened in Chitungwiza and another office in Murambinda and we will be going to Hwedza in a few days. That is what we have put in place. It is the commitment of Government to take the services close to the people. So, we have those plans in place to ensure that people have access to these documents. It is also provided for in NDS 1. We are in line with getting services to the people. We again have a programme for mobile registration and before that, we were in Tsholotsho, Binga and Bikita with the same programme.
We are working well with the Minister of Finance and Economic Development and they are assisting us here and there. Our aim is to cover all areas. I think I said it when I was in Guruve, that our aim is to decentralise all areas to ensure our children get identification documents. It would be good for all people who have attained 18 years to be able to vote. So, we now have those mobile registration points.
We have computerisation and I think I mentioned it before that the Government is working together with the GP company to access technology which will also enhance decentralisation. It will enable people to apply using digital technology or online application. That is our plan as Government but this is already in the pipeline. The company is already in Zimbabwe and it is setting up and putting infrastructure in areas that they will be operating from. All this is in order to ensure that people get identification documents easily with the services close to their areas. I thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order No. 67.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 127 OF 2021
- HON. SEN. TONGOGARA asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to explain to the House the provisions of Statutory Instrument 127 of 2021 which seeks to regulate the foreign exchange market through the imposition of fines on individuals and companies that do not comply with the regulations.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. President. The Statutory Instrument 127 was introduced to deal with market indiscipline to make sure that companies and individuals comply with the law in terms of the pricing, access and allocation of foreign currency, that is what it was designed for. We are aware as well of the reaction from the market in terms of raising prices in USD once that SI was put in place. However, that impact has been subsided and we are enforcing the law through this SI, we have certain individuals who have spent a few nights behind bars because of breaking the law and companies have been fined so we are enforcing this SI. It has helped a lot in stabilising the market, the indiscipline that we saw, at least now we have a tool that we can make use of to deal with errant behaviour in the market. I thank you.
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW
- HON. SEN. TONGOGARA asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to inform the House;
- the number of individuals and companies who have failed to comply with the law,
- the penalties that have been put in place to remedy the situation, and
- why the parallel market rates continue to spiral on a daily basis,
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): In terms of the number of individuals and companies, I do not have the actual figure with me. I think they want a precise figure and I am happy to supply that in the subsequent few days.
Secondly, the type of penalties has come in a form of three types; are individuals and companies being barred from accessing the auction? Secondly, are individuals being fined for breaking the law selling their goods at prices that are not consistent with the auction rate? For those who have committed a more serious offence, we have even decided to take them to court where they have been arrested, put behind bars and will stand trial and probably fined further for their actions. So, we are very clear on that one in terms of the fines but if again the issue could be to provide more details in terms of the size of the fines under each category, I will be happy to provide a written response. This is an ongoing issue in any case, it was not a once off, it will always exist, I can always give a continuous update on it.
Finally, on the issue why the parallel market rates continue to spiral on a daily basis – I must say that in the last week or so, they have stopped spiraling on a daily basis because we took certain action. First of all, we had to try to understand why the parallel rate was going high and we increased the gap between the auction rate and the parallel rate. These reasons have nothing to do with macro-economic fundamentals but it is the reasons of arbitrage.
If you look at the fundamentals, they are very strong, I am not aware of any other country in Africa, in the middle of COVID-19 which is showing such strong growth in terms of recovery over 7% that is running a near balanced budgets as well, that has got a strict monetary targeting framework practiced by the central bank and that is also experiencing a balance if not a surplus on its current account position when you compare what is leaving the country in terms of capital and what is coming in. We have more coming in on a net basis than leaving the country. So, those fundamentals are what drive your currency. To add to that, when the rates started moving, we have just received SDR’s valued at about 1 billion USD. We did not have those before, so suddenly our reserves grew by 1 billion dollars just like that and then the rates started to move, clearly, that has nothing to do with fundamentals. So it is arbitrage opportunity, we know that companies come under pressure when they approach year end, they want to show good results so those results depend on the exchange rate that is coming out on the auction. So they want to use mechanisms to force the exchange rate that improves their profitability in ZWL terms.
Number 3, we also have the gap as well in the auction market causing further speculation and the Government is determined to close that gap. A few weeks ago, we managed to put in 70 million USD to close that gap and Treasury is every week putting in 15 million USD into the auction again to help close that gap and to fund the demand from the private sector. You can see we are doing everything and above all we have been enforcing SI 127 to make sure market indiscipline does not spread. All of that put together has managed us help to stabilise the rate and we believe that it should stay stable for a while but discipline is our challenge and arbitragers are always afoot and we have to work hard to deal with them. I thank you.
Questions with Notice were interrupted by the TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order No. 67.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I move that Orders of the Day No. 1 to 5 on Today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 6 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD) FOR THE SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE CLUSTER PROJECT (SACP)
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I move the motion standing in my name;
THAT WHEREAS, Subsection (3) of Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that an Agreement which is not an international treaty but which has been concluded or executed by the President or under the President’s authority with one or more foreign organisations or entities and imposes fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS, the Loan Agreement between Government of Zimbabwe and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP) concluded on 7 May 2021 with the following terms:
Loan Amount : US$35 700 000.00
Purpose of the Loan : To finance poor smallholder farmers in value Chains selected through stakeholder business planning and competitive matching grant mechanism and will be implemented in five out of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North (the “Project Area”). The Loan will be utilised for sustainable smallholder irrigation development, climate-smart agriculture and market access, promotion of COVID-sensitive production and productivity enhancement, increasing the availability of diverse and nutritious foods for household consumption, improvement of knowledge, attitudes and practices on health eating habits and care giving practices and improvement of performance of selected nutrition sensitive IFAD’s investments.
Agriculture is one of the economic pillars for Zimbabwe and the support for smallholder farming will go a long way in achieving the thrust of the National Development Strategy 1 of food security. The implementation of the project will result in the following benefits:-
- Sustainable smallholder irrigation development;
- Employment creation for the local communities;
- Capacity building for the local communities;
- Climate-smart agriculture and easy market access;
- Improved food nutrition and security;
- Increased household incomes;
- Improved resilience to climate change effects and economic shocks; and
- Increased production and productivity.
Conditions Precedent: Loan ratification by Parliament
Interest Rate: zero percent (0%)
Service Charge: 1.5% per annum
Tenor: 40 years
Grace Period: 10 years
Repayment Modalities: Repayment of principal and interest shall be made from the budget
Repayment Frequency: Principal and interest payments shall be made twice a year on 15 June and 15 December of each year.
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 (3) of the Constitution, this House resolves that the aforesaid Agreement be and is hereby approved.
Mr. President, according to our blue print, the NDS 1, which covers the period 2021 to 2025, Government has prioritised recovery production and productivity in our agricultural sector as an enabler of the economic growth towards achievement of the objectives of Vision 2030. So, the agricultural sector is important for the attainment of Vision 2030 objectives where we intend to grow the economy at an average rate growth of just over 5% and that will just do the trick for us in terms of attaining upper middle income status.
The agricultural sector is very crucial especially the small holder farmers who in terms of numbers are the bulky of our citizens who participate in the agriculture sector. Within this sector IFAD, International Fund for Agricultural Development which is based in Europe, it is an international institution has really come in handy to partner the Government of Zimbabwe to support small holder farmers. They have done it in three ways, first of all they gave us a grant in 2016 of about 25 million or so, and then they gave us another grant of 1 million which is administered by the International Research Centre in Matopo for the livestock sector. What I am bringing here today is a loan for 40 years, which has zero interest, which again is supporting our small holder farmers. It is in three different ways in which they are supporting us. As they do that, they bring in other financiers such as OFAD from the Middle East and of course, as Government we also chip in. Also the beneficiaries, in terms of small holder farmers, they are also chipping in, in terms of their time and labour. Everyone is involved but all for the benefit of our small holder farmers.
This project, I said they were three but today we are talking about one. The other two, I can elaborate on them so that you can see the total picture. This project called Small Agriculture Cluster Project is meant to benefit the poor small holder farmers in value chain so that they do not just sell their raw commodities but they seek to improve on the quality and value of their produce. They can only do so if they are clustered together; they work together as clusters. So, they are identified through business planning, business ideas and also what we call competitive matching grant mechanisms. Of course you do not expect a rural farmer to have their own matching capital. It is about what they will do, nemavoko avo (ngezandla zabo) to support the development of the specific project.
The project will be implemented in the following five out of the ten provinces of Zimbabwe: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North. This is considered to be the project area. I am sure someone from Matabeleland South is thinking, how about my province, I have been left out. You were not left out because you were included in the first project, in the grant. I will even tell you where you were. So no province has been left behind, in terms of the drier provinces especially. All of them are covered.
So, the goal of the project is to increase equitable small holder participation, market oriented and climate smart value chain. A lot of words but the issue is that we protect against climate because it is irrigation, you have assured water. Also, you will improve on the value of your project. The objective of the project is to realise increased household incomes and improved nutrition through sustainable transformation of the small holder farming sector. To support those programmes, as Government, we have negotiated and signed a loan agreement with the IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) on 7th May, 2021 for the small holder agriculture cluster project.
The loan will be utilised for sustainable small holder irrigation development, climate smart agriculture, access to market because they are now clustered. There is promotion of COVID-19 sensitive production and productivity enhancement, increasing the availability of diverse and nutritious foods for household consumption and improved knowledge. People will learn on their attitude and practices on healthy eating habits and care giving practices and improvement of performance of selected nutrition sensitive IFAD investment.
I will now proceed Mr. President, to read the more legalistic portion in terms of this motion. That whereas subsection 3 of Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that any agreement, which is not an international treaty but which has been concluded or executed by the President or under the President’s authority, with one or more foreign organisations or entities and imposes fiscal obligation on Zimbabwe, does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament.
And whereas the loan agreement between the Government of Zimbabwe and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP) concluded on 7th May, 2021 with the following terms:
Loan amount - US$35.7 million.
Purpose of the loan, to finance poor smallholder farmers in value chains and selected through stakeholder business planning and competitive matching grant mechanism and will be implemented in five out of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North, which is the project area.
The loan will be utilised for sustainable small holder irrigation development, climate smart agriculture and market access, promotion of COVID-19 sensitive production and productivity enhancement, increased availability of diverse and nutritious, full of health for consumption, improvement of knowledge, attitudes and practices on healthy eating habits and care giving practices and improvement of performance of several nutrition sensitive IFAD’s investments.
Agriculture is one of the economic pillars of Zimbabwe and support for smallholder farming will go a long way achieving the thrust of the National Development Strategy (NDS1) of food security and implementation of the project will result in the following benefits:
Sustainable small holder irrigation development;
Employment creation for the local communities;
Capacity building for the local communities;
Climate smart agriculture and easy access to markets;
Improved food nutrition and security;
Increased household incomes;
Increased resilience to climate change effects and economic shock and
Increased production and productivity.
There is a condition precedent to the loan, that the loan must be ratified by Parliament. So it has already gone through the National Assembly. It has come to the Upper House today. The interest is 0%. The service charge is 1½% per annum; we only have to pay for servicing the loan. Then the tenor is 40 years, there is a grace period before we start paying the premiums, which is 10 years. Then repayment modalities, repayment of principals and interest shall be made from the budget. We have resources to make loans paid. Repayment sequence, the principal and interest shall be made twice a year on 15th June and 15th December of each year.
Now, therefore, in terms of Section 327 (3) of the Constitution, this House resolves that the foresaid agreement be and is hereby approved. I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President. Allow me, through you Mr. President, to thank the Hon. Minister for bringing forth to this august House, the proposed loan. Mr. President, I think this is one of the few loans which are very secure and which does not burden the country and future generations but which has got a chance to catapult production within small holder farmers. The Minister has highlighted the areas to which the grant will be used, value chain addition but allow me through you Mr. President, that I would want to propose to the Minister that when this is being implemented, let us add a portion of creating small industries in rural communities which will actually turn and ensure that the farmers will actually have value for their produce rather than for them to export their products. I think that is one of the key things that I would propose that this loan be targeted industrialisation of rural communities. As we all know that Zimbabwe’s economy has always been supported by agriculture, this is the opportunity for us to resuscitate that industry, and make sure that we create employment.
Mr. President, I hope that this loan will be accessible to the intended people and also Government should put in measures to make sure they train and appraise the projects to which this loan is going to be used so that we do not end up with a scenario where after the said period, we have nothing to show. So I hope before the funds are disbursed, we have to make sure that the people and the community have been empowered to practice good business and to work as communities for the greater good. I thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President. I want to thank the Minister for what he has brought before this august Senate. This shows that those empowerment projects that bring sources of livelihoods were concentrated in urban centres. Those in rural areas experience more challenges and poverty than those in urban centres. I want to thank the Minister that today he has looked into their plight. We heard the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs talking about middlemen, that when something is done, they try and find ways in order to get some money. What we want to say to the Minister is that as this project is being rolled out, have you put measures to ensure that no middlemen come and steal from the rural population, in terms of what you have prepared for them and to enhance their sources of livelihood?
*HON. SEN. MABIKA: Thank you Mr. President. I want to thank the Minister on the issue he has brought into this House. We want to thank the Second Republic. We can see tangible developments that are happening in our country, most importantly the small holder irrigation and it is the way to go. We experience dry spells but with irrigation, you can harvest the whole year and look after your family.
There is also the issue of employment creation. That is an issue being addressed by this development. We also see that there is the issue of food nutrition and production. It gives us hope that we are in the right direction. So, Zimbabwe can once again be the breadbasket of Africa. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. President. I thank Hon. Sen. Mavetera for his intervention question. He began by appreciating the projects targeting the rural areas. He wanted to know to what extent the project will create rural enterprises so that we support industrialization and productivity in the rural areas. First of all, the project is expected to create 800 groupings in terms of clusters across the five provinces. We are calling them agricultural producer groups. Secondly, we aim to create 200 rural micro-enterprises right across the five provinces. Finally, we expect to create 40 leading value chain enterprises. These are the ones at the cutting edge of the value chain, whatever it is. Whether it is tomato paste manufacturing, we expect them to get to that stage as they process tomatoes in Mutoko, for example. This is what is envisaged in terms of enterprise development and rural industrialization.
You are so right in terms of targeting the right people and make sure they are not cheated. Hon. Sen. Tongogara talked about the issue of “makoronyera” in making sure our people are not shortchanged. Those are linked but in terms of targeting, the Ministry of Agriculture officials who are advisors to farmers in the first place will be involved on the ground. They will play that monitoring role to make sure that there is proper targeting. Each investment opportunity in terms of irrigation will be negotiated in any case. Government is involved, the Ministry of Agriculture is involved and the loan provider is also involved. That process will make sure there is targeting and we will weed out the “makoronyeras” who slip behind and take the benefit. The Agritex officials will ensure that this is minimized.
To add a little bit to that, there are specific districts that we want to target. In Matabeleland North for example, the Hwange area, Binga, Tsholotsho and Lupane districts, of course though broad but kind of narrow things down a bit. In Mashonaland West, we have Chegutu, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Sanyati districts. In Mashonaland Central, we have Rushinga, Mt Darwin, Muzarabani and Shamva districts. So that further narrows into specific districts. In Mashonaland East, we have Goromonzi, Murewa, Mutoko, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe districts. Finally in Midlands Province, we have Kwekwe and Chirumanzu districts. We are going into those districts, targeting citizens in those districts.
Coming back to Hon. Sen. Tongogara’s intervention, she welcomes the project or rather, the loan that will finance these projects. We will make sure that the Agritex officials do their job, minimize the role of these “makoronyeras” and close the opportunities that are available to make sure that the targeted citizens benefit to the full.
Hon. Sen. Mabika, you were grateful for the project that shows what the Second Republic is trying to do, targeting small holder farmers, climate proofing the agriculture, creating employment and also upgrading the quality of nutrition and production. This is exactly what this project will do. It is complementing the earlier projects which I mentioned, which were signed in 2016 and also to meet production of these targeted projects administered in Matabeleland South in the Matopo Research Station. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE), the Senate adjourned at Twenty-Five Minutes past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 16th November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 10th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have got a list of apologies from Hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers who have sought leave of absence from the House:
Hon. Dr. C. D. G. N. Chiwenga, Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care;
Hon. Dr. Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce;
Hon. Prof. Murwira, Minister of Higher Tertiary, Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development;
Hon. M. N Ndlovu, Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry;
Hon. M. Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services;
Hon. Mhona, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development;
Hon. J. Moyo, Minister of Local Government and Public Works;
Hon. Muswere, Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services;
Hon. Muchinguri-Kashiri, Minister of Defence and War Veterans; and
Hon. Dr. E. Ndlovu, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. Good afternoon to you Madam Speaker. I counted 10 Ministers who sent apologies and the Leader of Government Business is not here. Equally, there is no Minister appointed as Leader of Government Business - again, it has never happened. The truth of the matter is that it would be a waste of time to carry on. If there is anything, can we adjourn and get the Ministers here. Madam Speaker, we have to be serious about this. The whole world is watching. There are only ten Ministers and there are no Deputy Ministers. Where are they? The Leader of Government Business is not here. How can you transact parliamentary business when the Leader of Government Business is not here? It is beyond the Government Chief Whip. This is unacceptable, we cannot do this. The whole world is watching, 10 Ministers; where are the rest? Madam Speaker, you have the power to tell them to come here now so that we continue or else there is no point for Question time. Let it be known that Question time was postponed or was cancelled as a result of non-attendance by Ministers. The country must know that. We cannot hide this anymore. We cannot continue, where is the Leader of Government Business? He is appointed and there was not even mention of the Leader of Government Business. When he is here, some questions are referred to him, today he is not here. How can they insult this institution like this? Ten Ministers, absent with leave, the rest did not. We do not have appointed Leader of Government Business. How can Parliament transact Question time in such manner? It never happened before and may it be historic. There is no point of us proceeding.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, thank you for raising such a valid point. The Clerk is trying to get hold of the Leader of Government Business and other Ministers.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you.
(v)HON. C. MOYO: On a point of order. Can I be guided by you Madam Speaker? Is that the procedure that the Clerk of Parliament has to call the Leader of Government Business as well as other Ministers so that they can come to Parliament for business?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, it is not the procedure but the Clerk acts under the instruction of the Presiding Officer who will be in the Chair at that moment.
HON. MPARIWA: In view of the unusual, may I propose that perhaps we adjourn for 10 minutes just to allow the Ministers to be communicated to. We stand guided.
HON. TOGAREPI: With all due respect, looking at the issues being raised by other Hon. Members that they expected some Ministers to be here and they are not here, we already have four Ministers with us who can answer some of the questions. They have come here to take questions and during this time, as Government Chief Whip, I will contact these Ministers to see what could have been the challenge. For those who have given excuses, we should expect that because the Standing Rules and Orders provide for that. I think we will get from the Leader of Government Business, the details why so many of our Ministers are not here. Otherwise, for us to adjourn would be unnecessary if we have Ministers present. I think let us proceed with business – [HON. T. MLISWA: With what? Rules are simple, Leader of Government Business is not here. He cannot appoint somebody, it is the President who appoints. Hazvisi zveku PCC.] – and the rules –[HON. T. MLISWA: It is the President who appoints] I agree with what Hon. Mliswa is saying – [HON. T. MLISWA: It is procedural.] – The issue is, we have Ministers, unless we come here with specific Ministers that we want to ask questions but if it is a day for questions, we have Ministers who can answer questions. They are here; let us allow them to answer questions. I have questions to pose to the Ministers who are here and I cannot be denied to ask my questions while waiting for a Minister who is not here. Those Ministers will come. If they did not come here because of reasons that Parliament feels are not valid, Parliament will deal with that, but at the moment we have Ministers here. Allow those who want to ask questions to Ministers present to ask questions – [HON. T. MLISWA: This is not a ZANU PF PCC meeting. This is Rules, Standing Order Rules. Which rules are you referring to?] – Do we have rules to say the Leader of Government Business must be here? – [HON. T. MLISWA: Leader of Government Business must be appointed by the President. Haasi wekungonhongaka. Tine mitemo. Taku waster time.] –
HON. NDEBELE: I had risen to invite you to make a ruling on Hon. Mpariwa’s statement.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mpariwa, unfortunately we are not adjourning the House, we are going to proceed. Hon. Musabayana will be the Leader of Government Business.
HON. T. MLISWA: Things must be procedural. Leader of Government Business haangonhongwa kunge mukutamba chisveru. The President appoints. Makuita zveZANU PF zvekudzingana muchiisa uyu, aiwa. This House’s integrity is critical. It cannot be turned into a party. Hon. Musabayana vagara apa, sekuru vangu soko, vakunonyengedzana apa. Mangwana tinoenda ku court kuno challenger izvi. I am putting it on record that I will go and challenge these proceedings in court. Any violation of the Standing Rules and Orders, I am going to court to challenge mangwana and I am putting it on record.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, there is no violation of the Standing Rules and Orders.
HON. T. MLISWA: May you read the Standing Rules and Orders so that we are guided by them. Some of us do not know them but once such issues are raised, it is important that the law takes precedence and they are read to us. Which Standing Rules Madam Speaker, refers to the going ons here? – [HON. TOGAREPI: But do we have a Standing Rule that says business cannot proceed?] The Leader of Government Business is appointed and in his absence, what does the Standing Orders and Rules say and rules must be there.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, can we proceed.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, according to which rules of the Standing Orders? That is what I want to know. Clerk, assist Madam Speaker is reading the rules. It is important. She has been doing well and I do not want her reputation to be tarnished over incompetent Ministers.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, Deputy Ministers are Ministers – [HON. T. MLISWA: But who is the Leader of Government Business and who made the appointment?] – The Leader of Government Business is on his way but we can have an Acting Leader of Government Business who is Hon. Musabayana. – [HON. T. MLISWA: But can that be done over a phone call or caucus here? What is the procedure because if that is the case, then there is no point having the President appointing a Leader of Government Business?] – [HON. TOGAREPI: But is this the first time?] –
HON. T. MLISWA: No, you cannot get away with it. You need to do the right thing and that is why I am asking the Clerk to cite the Standing Rules. The Clerk has been in this Parliament for a long time and must advise on the rules, we are bound by rules just the same way ZANU PF and MDC are bound by rules. The Central Committee shall determine from time to time the course of the party outside Congress. When it is Congress, it is now the Congress in charge and not the Central Committee. The Politburo is the secretariat of the Central Committee and must rectify its decisions. I am giving you an example of the Constitution and what it does – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – That is why I am telling you. ZANU PF has a Constitution and that is why I am referring to all clauses of the Constitution. Here we also have rules.
HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Mliswa, you know all about ZANU PF and I do not know what you are waiting for. Come back to the party.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Madam Speaker, with due respect, the problem that Hon. Members have today is because the Leader of Government business is not here. Substantive Ministers are not here. The reason why when we ask questions and Ministers are not around and then the Leader of Government business responds is because he sits in Cabinet. Most of those issues are debated in Cabinet, so he would know the answers. Even Cabinet Ministers would know because they debate most of these issues. Unfortunately, today we have got Deputy Ministers who do not sit in Cabinet and they would not know some of these things. They would only know what pertains to their ministries. If there was a substantive Minister, we would be asking questions because we know that he will answer questions authoritatively because he sits in Cabinet.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I hear you Hon. Khupe. Deputy Ministers are Ministers. It is written here in the Standing Rules and Orders – the definition of Ministers; ‘Minister means a Minister of Government of Zimbabwe and includes a Deputy Minister’. Deputy Ministers can also answer to the questions which can be asked by Hon. Members. These questions are not Cabinet questions but they are on policy. I am sure Deputy Ministers are able to answer questions on policies of Government.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Yes, they can answer pertaining to their ministries but overally, they may not know some of the things. We want Ministers to do justice to questions –[HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Khupe, let us not assume.] – [HON. NDEBELE: In fact, they cannot answer for another Ministry.] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: If you are appointed an acting Leader of Government Business, you can – [HON. MEMBERS: The Minister of Finance is here and he can act as Leader of Government Business.]- The Hon. Minister of Finance will be our Acting Leader of Government business - [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order.....
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: What is it again Hon. Mliswa?
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, in order to help your work, I shall be moving a motion to hold in contempt all the Ministers who were absent without leave. May it be recorded? I will be moving that. I did not like what you went through today. You have been doing a good job and you are affected because of the incompetence of Ministers. Clerk of Parliament, we do not want a story. Ten ministers did that and the rest did not. We are going to go by your list unless there is any other list so that each time we come up with this motion, there is something that comes out to say by the deadline, they made the list.
Madam Speaker, you have been doing well together with your panel but now your office is in disrepute because of incompetent Ministers. May you use your power to deal with them? Do not feel sorry for them because the headline tomorrow will be ‘Parliament delay question time for 30 minutes because of non-attendance by Ministers’. I shall move the motion so that you know. Clerk, I will be coming to your office to collect the list of Ministers who did not proffer their apologies.
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I am also going to move a motion that Members of this House read the Standing Rules and Orders so that they understand the definition of officials that we deal with in this House. I will be moving a motion and if anyone will be found not reading or misleading this House, action must be taken – [HON. T. MLISWA: Inaudible interjection.] -
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. MUNETSI: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs.....
HON. NDEBELE: Madam Speaker, may you protect us from Hon. Munetsi. It has become his habit that he does not wear his mask properly...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Munetsi, may you please wear your mask properly.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you very much Hon. Ndebele for reminding me. My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs. What are the plans for registering births and identification documents (IDs) in rural constituencies? I thank you.
(v)HON. NDUNA: Madam Speaker Ma’am, I ask that you recognise me after this answer according to your promise yesterday.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: According to my promise yesterday, what did I promise you yesterday?
(v)HON. NDUNA: If I could ask the Minister of ICT…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Alright.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI): Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am and thank you Hon. Munetsi. The Ministry is actually doing that in rural areas although it is being done slowly because we do not have the resources which we are supposed to use. However, you will find that in rural areas, they are giving out those documents at a very slow pace. At times we usually get breakdown of machines. I want to announce that in December, probably we are going to move around the whole country. We are actually trying to get resources so that we can go out of urban areas to do the registering of those documents. I thank you.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: I thank you Madam Speaker. If they are not getting resources, why can they not approach Parliament to appeal that they need more resources and Parliament can make the necessary arrangement with the Ministry of Finance?
HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI: Thank you very much Hon. Mudarikwa. I think we do not need to approach Parliament because you know that we are from the Budget Session and we have been promised these resources. This is why I am saying by December, we are going to do that in full swing and we hope we would have received something. We have the Minister of Finance and Economic Development here and he promised us that he was going to give us some funds to do that exercise. However, we are saying for now, if you go to constituencies where we have these offices, they are actually giving out those documents. I thank you.
HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. My supplementary question relates to the issue of sequencing of issuance of national identity cards and voter registration and delimitation exercise. I see from the press reports or social media, snippets that were seen recently, that both exercises are taking place more or less at the same time. It certainly causes confusion, particularly in the region where I come from. I think for the past three years, we have been talking about the backlog on identity cards in the southern parts of the country because of the previous historical situations and that people migrate to neighbouring South Africa resulting in many children and even adults not having identity cards. So which programme is going to start and when? Is there proper sequencing with your counterparts in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs? I know voter registration is not in your purview but there seems to be confusion as to which is starting out there in the constituency. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Thank you Hon. Mayihlome. The sequencing, yes it is supposed to be done but what is happening now is that the registration of births is in the process. If you talk of Matebeleland South, we did a study of the process in Tsholotsho and the machinery and everything was there. I think when it comes to sequencing, we will do that but I have not heard from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that they have started registering whatever you are saying but as Home Affairs, we hope it will move very well as we have been promised something by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: We have the Minister of Finance and Economic Development with us. Is it true that this Ministry has exhausted all the resources that they have been allocated for the current budget period? If it is true, how are they going to get the money in December because what we are budgeting for is for next year? Let us hear from the Minister who is with us, have they exhausted their monies?
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. Thank you Hon. Togarepi for the follow-up question. The Ministry has not yet exhausted its 2021 budget and as the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage said, we will assist them in further draw-downs on their current budget so that they can meet the demands that are out there. It is necessary that everyone who needs to be registered and receive their birth certificates do so, so we will assist them and make sure they have the draw-downs and move with speed. Thank you very much.
(v)HON. MOKONE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to find out from the Deputy Minister, what extra measures have they put forward to decongest the registry offices, especially the southern part of Zimbabwe? We have seen that in towns, the offices are congested every day with no solution. So what extra measures have they come up with to decongest the offices. I would like to find out from the Ministry, what extra measures have they come up with? Thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Deputy Minister, did you hear the question?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI): Me Hon. Speaker?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, you were not listening.
HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI: I did not get the question.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Hon. Member is asking about measures you are taking to decongest the offices, especially in the southern part of the country – the Home Affairs offices.
HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI: Which offices Hon. Speaker Ma’am?
(v)HON. MOKONE: Madam Speaker, may I take the question again?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, please.
(v)HON. MOKONE: I was saying to the Hon. Deputy Minister, I would like to find out what extra measures has your Ministry come up with to decongest the offices in the urban areas? The question was mainly touching on the rural set up but what about the urban areas because the urban areas are always congested, especially the one in Gwanda Town, it is always congested and people are being turned down every day. Thank you.
HON. MAVHUNGA-MABOYI: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. I think we are going to consult the other Ministry pertaining the decongestion of part of the offices because we are also relying on the other Ministry. So we are to defer on that one, I cannot give an answer now. Thank you.
(v)HON. MKANDLA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am and good afternoon Hon. Speaker Ma’am.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good afternoon.
(v)+HON. MKANDLA: Hon. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development … - [(V) HON. NDUNA: Inaudible interjection.] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order, Hon. Nduna, please may you mute your gadget! Hon. Nduna!
(v)+HON. MKANDLA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. The stray cattle that are roaming around the main roads are a danger to motorists. What measures are in place to stop stray cattle from roaming on the main roads? We are encountering quite a number of accidents that are being caused by these cattle and as I speak, there are Hon. Members who encountered accidents due to stray cattle. Thank you.
+THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Madam Speaker, I have heard what Hon. Mkandla said. She is indicating on the danger that is caused by stray animals that are roaming around our main roads. The solution is to put perimeter fences that will protect these animals from wandering onto the main roads. Since she has indicated that this is dangerous, we will ensure that we work towards putting these perimeter fences in earnest because indeed those stray cattle are a danger to human life. Thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am, my question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. Hon. Minister, you advised the nation that Zimbabwe was going to reach herd immunity by October and we are now in November. In the same vein, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said they had procured enough vaccines. When are we likely to reach herd immunity as a country? I thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): Thank you Hon. Chair and thank you Hon. Khupe for the enquiry about when we are going to reach herd immunity. I must say that by year end, right now we are almost at 40% because the last two weeks we were at 38% and now we are almost at 40%.
In the same vein, we have said as Government, those between 16 and 17 can now be vaccinated and most of them are our Form Four to Upper Six students. These make a large number of our population - we all know that Zimbabwe’s population is mainly the young ones. So we are out to vaccinate these young people within the shortest space of time, maybe in the next two to three weeks, we are going to be going to schools to vaccinate them on site. As usual, our Outreach Programmes are still very effective and they are all out in full force. We have been holding meetings with Provincial Ministers, PMDs, church leaders, traditional leaders and everyone involved so that we target and reach our herd immunity this year end.
Also the vaccines are plenty-some; we still have enough to get us there. Next week, we are expecting to receive another million additional vaccines, which means we are on course. Every week, we have something prepared, bought by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development where we are expecting delivery. So I implore Members of the House to also go out in full force with us, be it Hon. Senators, Members of Parliament and Ministers, to make sure we achieve the herd immunity that we want, of 60%. I must remind Hon. Members that this pandemic is likely to be with us until maybe 2023/24. Other countries have started seeing the fourth wave now, so we are quite familiar that once the fourth wave starts somewhere, definitely it will come to us. So we want the fourth wave when we have done our best in terms of vaccination.
I want to thank the Hon. Member and want to encourage all Members of Parliament, councilors and everyone, that we all go out in full force to make sure we get vaccination and make sure that we are protected. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: Madam Speaker, may I kindly request that our Minister of Health and Child Care addresses himself to the question of the booster dose. What is the policy around the booster dose for some of us who got onto the vaccination gospel quite early? Are we due yet?
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: Thank you Madam Speaker. As usual, we are a nation that follows science and we will follow science. We are in the process of assessing people like him who have been vaccinated much earlier to see the level of their antibodies, their humoral immunity to see how far it is with the vaccines that we gave out at the beginning of the year much earlier.
So after this, we will make an announcement to say we may give booster doses or not because we are still going through the data and looking at people who got their vaccines much earlier and see what is happening, then we will make an announcement early to say people can go for their booster doses, but we are still looking at the cases since we need to sit down as scientists. We have an organisation or an organ, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe and our scientists. We need to look at this before we can make an announcement immediately. Thank you.
HON. MANDIWANZIRA: My follow up question is with regards to what is being referred to as vaccine passports. May the Hon. Minister clarify to the House and the nation, what is the attitude because my understanding is that if you have taken the sinovac and the sinopharm vaccines, European countries and other countries are rejecting that as vaccination passports? Could the Hon. Minister clarify what the position is with regards this vaccination passport? I thank you.
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I am sure this vaccine passport thing relates to particular and specific countries. The vaccine we are using is a vaccine that we assessed as a country through our scientists, our boards and our scientific councils and found that it is authentic. The World Health Organisation itself has endorsed these vaccines that we are using locally. Other countries also agreed to use the vaccines that they are using after assessment in their own countries. In our case, we stand by our vaccination to say it is authentic. When it comes to passports and crossing of borders, the regulations they have, I am sure the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will be in a position to answer about passports much better, but as far as I know, we are using an authentic vaccine approved by WHO. Our own scientific teams looked at these and were satisfied that we are using a vaccination that is authentic. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: My supplementary question is; may the Hon. Deputy Minister educate us on the third jabs which is being said is a booster. How necessary is it and are we going to get to the third jab? Has the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development procured the third jab? Thank you.
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: Thank you Madam Speaker. I said about the third jab, in other countries or anywhere else, it is a scientifically reached conclusion that people go through forms of investigations and authentication and making sure we are going in the right direction and when to give these. So what we are doing as a country, we are looking at those people who got their jabs much earlier to see how much of the antibodies that we provoked by giving the first jabs is still in their immunity. Their humoral immunity is something that we are still assessing to check whether we should give the third jab now or we can wait a bit. So we are doing those studies and as a nation that follows science, once we are satisfied that this is the time, we go ahead and give it out. So people must just be a bit patient while we go through the motion of making sure that we are giving the third jab vaccine at the correct time to the correct time gap and timelines. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Hon. Khupe’s question was in terms of herd immunity. Are we on track because scientifically if we are not on track, then there are repercussions in terms of the third jab? If you want to do science, then science is time. So, how sure are we that we will not get to a point where we have been overtaken by events because of the delay in herd immunity because Government must attain herd immunity and then when they do that, then they can go into investigations, but time is critical and these are the repercussions? Can we start doing science before we attain herd immunity and if any of those who are probably in the light side, have investigations started to see whether the situation is dire or not?
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: Thank you Hon. Speaker. The concern is whether we are going to get herd immunity. I said the past two weeks we were at about 38% of our herd immunity. We are aiming at 60% by year end. I also said the biggest chunk of our population is with the young ones. As Government, we have now said those 16 to 17 year olds who are mainly Form 4 to Form 6 are going to be vaccinated together with other adults who have not been vaccinated.
We are going to go out in full force, going to secondary schools, boarding and day to vaccinate those young ones. We are also saying we want Hon. Members of Parliament, Senators, church leaders, traditional leaders and everyone of us to make sure we contribute and participate in making sure that we achieve herd immunity by year end. Efforts are being made to reach herd immunity - 60% by year end if not more because in the near future, very soon we may also start discussing 12 year olds to 15 year olds but these studies and discussions are still going on. As a nation, before we give these, we talk to the paediatricians who are top specialists in children before we can announce anything. For now, 16 years to 17 year olds are being vaccinated. While we are doing this, we are doing things concurrently, checking the validity of the antibodies goes on continuously. It is an ongoing process. It is not that while we are injecting people to reach herd immunity we stop investigating science to say how far are the antibodies going. We started checking about the antibodies and tracking them from day one and we continuously do so. It is something that is done concurrently. It is not going to be separated. We are sure that within a short time, we will know and make an announcement if we are going to start the third jab in the near future.
(v)+HON. MUDAWU: My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government. What is Government planning to do with regards to uncompleted Government flats in different areas of the country?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker. If I got the question correctly, she was asking about what Government is doing about the unfinished Government flats. I am pleased to say that Government, through the Ministry of Finance has availed resources to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to complete most of the structures that were left abandoned for a very long time. That is now work in progress and we hope that most of the flats will be completed soon. You saw recently, His Excellency opened flats in Marimba that were completed by Government. We are also building some houses in Dzivarasekwa that had also been left for a long time. That is now work in progress and she should see work happening wherever she comes from if there are any such buildings that have been abandoned. I thank you.
HON. BRG, GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Hon. Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement, in relation to the distribution of farming inputs to resettlement and communal farmers. What is the position regarding the vulnerable families who cannot dig Intwasa holes? What is the position regarding transportation of grain inputs and their conveyance to the ward centres? Transporters out there are refusing to carry that grain because of the rates that Government is paying them. They are now asking communities and families to contribute towards transportation. We had communicated that all transportation is going to be paid for by Government. So it is giving conflicting statements and messages to the communities out there. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Mayihlome for a very important question. I want to start by saying that the Presidential Pfumvudza Input Scheme is a Presidential Scheme that the President is giving out to households to ensure that they are food self-sufficient. The President went on to ensure that GMB is given sufficient money for transportation to ensure that the inputs are transported to various wards collection points where households can pick them up and carry them to their homes. That issue has been addressed. Indeed, there was an issue whereby transporters were disgruntled by the amount of money that they were being offered to ferry the inputs. GMB was given some more funding through the Ministry of Finance and they have since raised the fees by 50%. Rest assured, going forward, you will see that most of the transporters will be carrying the inputs to ward levels. I do not think the 50% is sufficient to cushion them. I do not think we have had anything has risen by more than 50%.
Thirdly, Madam Speaker, as regards the issue that some individuals were being denied inputs like those that are not able to satisfy the requirements of Pfumvudza, again that has been addressed the President stressing that it is his scheme which he wants everyone who qualifies to benefit must be given those inputs. As a result, that requirement that you must have five plots has since been waivered. All those households that were getting those inputs prior to the introduction of that policy are now able to access the inputs. I hope the Minister of Agriculture will issue a statement to ensure that all the confusion is clarified. Let me assure the nation that transportation has been availed and that all the inputs will be distributed to all the households that are registered. I thank you.
HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: Now that the Leader of Government Business has said the Minister should write it, this week Agritex Provincial Officers have been writing letters to District Agritex Officers saying anyone without Pfumvudza/Intwasa holes must not be given, in contradiction with what the Head of State and President and Commander-in-Chief is saying. So this is the conflict we want clarified so that people out there know the truth. So, which is which?
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank Hon. Mayihlome for his second intervention, it is very correct - that has been happening. This Monday, I had the occasion of going to Murombedzi with the CEO of GMB and officials from AREX, indeed that has been happening. It is something that we are investigating so that we ensure that all the officials get the correct message as to the distribution of inputs.
HON. KASHIRI: I wanted to find out from the Hon. Minister if the money has been released by Treasury to GMB. It looks like on the ground GMB, does not have money to pay the transporters. Secondly, the transporters are saying if there is provision of diesel they would assist in carrying the inputs to the farmers. Can the Minister at least provide diesel for transporters to carry the inputs to the farmers while they are sorting the case or they can actually balance it out?
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank Hon. Kashiri for the follow up question. I indicated that money was released by Treasury and I am aware that last week, a further $350 million was released to GMB for transportation of inputs to ward level collection points. So, that has been sorted out. I am also aware there was disgruntlement as regards the amount of money that the transporters were getting. Again, that was solved by the 50% increment that was done. My appeal to Hon. Kashiri is that the transporters can approach the Ministry of Transport given that they are doing an essential service with a special dispensation so that they can also be considered for the Z$ fuel. As Government, what we have done is, we have satisfied the requirements of what the transporters were saying. We increased the fees that the transporters were charging. We ensured that money has been released to GMB so that they can ferry the inputs to ward collection points. I thank you.
*HON. SEWERA: I want find out in connection with seed, are you aware that those people who are under the Command Agriculture and were cleared by GMB that they do not have arrears but when they submit their documents or files to CBZ, CBZ says they are still in debt yet GMB says you have cleared. So we have so many people whose papers were returned and have been asked to pay money to clear the debt. It therefore means most people will not be able to engage in farming activities in time as the rains are upon us. What has Government to do with such a case?
*HON. ZIYAMBI: The question that Hon. Sewera asks pertains to the issue between the farmer, the bank and GMB with regards to the money that is retained by GMB according to the instruction given by the bank after a farmer has sent grain to GMB. That is a difficult question for me to answer for it requires the farmers to go to GMB and CBZ, and show them what their contracts say and how much was then deducted. Otherwise, I do not think we will be able to give a satisfactory response in here. I was also a victim but when I went there and showed them my documents, we came to an agreement and the issue was solved.
HON. T. MLISWA: Minister, are you aware that there are instructions from ZANU PF not to release inputs unless a ZANU PF official sign? I say so because I know ZANU PF does not do that but there are people now using the name of the party. It is important that you come out and make it very clear that it is not the position because it seems as if the inputs scheme is being politicised yet these are public funds that we voted for here. I therefore urge that a Ministerial Statement be issued so that these inputs are not politicised. There are presidential inputs for all Zimbabweans and GMB managers are scared to release them because they are saying tinodzingwa, mayouth emusangano ari kuuya.
Not only that, there are some of us legislators who are willing to give free transport to our farmers but again, there seems to be a group of rowdy youths who then demand money when these inputs are being offloaded. Can you also make sure that the police accompany these as Hon. Minister of Home Affairs is here because it would help? It is not giving the party and the Government a good name? Makoronyera anyanya, ndipo pavanowana mari muzita remusangano. Musangano ndouziva hauna mbavha, asi vanhu ndivo mbavha. I know the party and it is not corrupt but people are putting the party’s name into disrepute. Clear the party’s name by making an important statement.
* HON. ZIYAMBI: When I first stood up in this House, I clearly articulated that this programme is called Presidential Input Scheme. It does not need mediators. It involves the President, GMB and beneficiaries who are the farmers. GMB is given the list by villagers who are the farmers and councillors. There is no politics in that. This scheme does not need anyone to assist. No individual politician or any ordinary individual is expected to come in-between.
GMB should take inputs to wards in the country and then farmers collect from the wards. Farmers should know that there is a Presidential Scheme so that they are able to farm. It is a Presidential Scheme, I repeat. If there is a councillor who brings a lorry and wants to assist farmers, that is not allowed – no one is allowed to be part and parcel of the programme except for GMB, the President and the farmers. GMB and AREX officials are the only ones who are allowed to be seen being part of this process.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Given the economic situation prevailing in the country, what is Government policy with regards to the number of delegates from Zimbabwe attending an international conference?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Attendance at a conference is by invitation. If you have been invited, it means you have a part to play. Everyone who goes to a conference has an invitation. If you do not have an invitation, you are a stranger and you will not be allowed in.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: Can the Hon. Minister explain to us – the Conference held in Glasgow, Zimbabwe sent a delegation of about 130 people and yet other countries within the region sent far less or even 10% of that number. What justification for us as a country was there to send such a large delegation given the economic situation that Zimbabwe is in?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Madam Speaker, I request that Hon. Mushoriwa, since he is very privy to the specific people that attended the conference – may he forward that information and also a comparative list of the other countries that he is referring to and I will respond.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: I will bring that information tomorrow but I am not sure in which format it should be in.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Any format will do Hon. Member.
*HON. MATANGIRA: My question is directed to the Minister of Lands and Agriculture. What is Government policy on contractual conditions that farmers have? Where are we going even if we do not have contracts and the limit on hectarage that is being contracted between the 2021-22 season are as low as 31? I understand they have been reduced to five hectares in the rural areas. In rural areas, they do not have farms that are that big but because of the Pfumvudza Programme, the harvest improved. What are farmers going to do because of the nature of contracts? Those who have paid their bills with CBZ and those that have not are just the same – where are we going?
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Government came up with documentation that allows big and small farmers or those who are into commercial farming not to rush to Government to ask for inputs but to go to the banks or source own funds if they are able to do so in order to go and farm. On the issue of going to the banks, the Government gave itself up as the guarantor so that when our farmers go and apply for loans, the guarantor is the Government. If the farmer fails to pay, the Government will pay. So the Government policy is to support the farmer by ensuring that the environment of obtaining loans becomes flexible as the Government will be acting as the guarantor.
If there are serious problems inhibiting farmers from farming, that can be directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement so that it can be rectified. Communication has been given to the rightful banks to say if farmers have failed, we are the guarantor as Government. However, we encourage farmers to pay back what they owe after harvesting. Some of these farmers are evading payment through cheating. For example a farmer would give his nephew 30 tonnes of maize and pretend as if it were his nephew’s harvest to evade stop orders during payment. So we encourage the bank to make follow–ups to their clients before they can approach the guarantor for repayment. It is not for free and the only free inputs given to farmers by the Government is the Pfumvudza inputs. Command Agriculture is based on business and farmers are expected to pay what they owe. Our request to farmers is that all those involved in farming should be in a position to pay what they owe in terms of what they would have been given as assistance. Thank you Madam Speaker.
*HON. MATANGIRA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My supplementary question is: the people whom we are talking about have paid and were supposed to have received contractual forms for farming. They have not received anything. Nationwide, I do not think it is only in my province, I do not think people got these contractual forms. This was a very good programme if the Government says it was guaranteeing all the farmers.
As black people, we have leant that after being assisted, we should pay back what we owe. Even in the rural areas, they submitted a lot of grain to GMB. Yes, CBZ failed in some areas. What is the Government saying concerning farmers who have not yet received contract forms regardless of the fact that they paid and cleared their debts? In addition, the farmers are buying all their inputs in US$...
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, these are now two different questions.
*HON. MATANGIRA: My question is what is the Government doing about those who have not received forms but they paid up their loans. I think I am done. Thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank Hon. Matangira. His second question was specific. There are some farmers who paid their debts but they have not finished paying. If we have a number of those people who are paid up, they should approach the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to look into it. However, what I have answered on the first question is that we now want our farmers to be commercial farmers, they should be business minded, work within that mindset.
We have created an enabling environment where a farmer can actually approach the bank and get assistance. For the other issues he mentioned, maybe we need to look closely into what is happening so that it is rectified before we approach this coming farming season. I thank you.
*HON. CHINOTIMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Is the Minister aware of the interest rates that CBZ is charging on farmers? They are actually acting as loan sharks; they are using black market rates. How will the farmer be able to repay such loans with such high interest rates, whether they have a contract or not? Are you aware that 30 tonnes of fertilizer is being charged ZW$3 million? Is the Leader of Government Business aware of this? He is in possession of evidence to this effect. It is not only fertilizer Madam Speaker, this also includes seed and agro-chemicals and for a farmer to be able to return the money borrowed from CBZ as financial assistance, it means the price of maize grain should be pegged at $80 000 per tonne. Will the Government be able to purchase maize from the farmer at that price or people end up thinking that it is better for Zimbabweans not to do the farming? I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Hon. Chinotimba showed me the documents he is referring to and it is not a new case to me. Yes, I spoke to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development is also aware. We are interrogating that issue to work out on the price modalities so that the farmer can execute farming activities well. Thank you Madam Speaker.
(V)HON. KASHIRI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. My question goes to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. Madam Speaker, I wanted to find out from the Hon. Minister, in view of the power shortages we are currently experiencing in the country, what is the guarantee that industry, particularly the mining sector is going to have power continuously without stopping production? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am and I want to thank the Hon. Member for a very interesting question where the Hon. Member is seeking a guarantee over an unforeseen circumstance.
Let me attempt to answer it in two parts; the first part being that Government is on a drive to ensure that we have new sources of energy. We are going into solar sources of energy, we are building new stations in Hwange and we are adding new ones. Mindful of the fact that the new turbines that we are using were built a very long time ago and they are now susceptible to breakages, if that happens, it is the one that we are using. You cannot stand up and definitively give somebody a guarantee that you are driving an old Peugeot 404 and you say that the guarantee that I give is that you will get to Harare and you are coming from Chegutu even when it has broken down – that guarantee cannot be given.
What we are doing as Government is, we have expanded our power generation capacity in Kariba, we are building new power stations and encouraging individuals to come up with independent power stations that feed into ZESA. So we have a medium term plan but the long term plan is to build new and efficient power stations so that we will now be able to definitively answer that question to say, even if these units break down, we have so much back-up and we will be able to ensure that our industry will continue uninterrupted. I thank you.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: My supplementary question to the Hon. Leader of Government Business is that Hon. Kashiri specifically referred to the mining industry which is paying electricity in foreign currency. What it means is, they have paid electricity in foreign currency but they are not guaranteed to have electricity and yet the importation of electricity from neighbouring countries is paid in foreign currency. It is selling something to somebody, he pays and then you do not supply.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am ndichitenda vaMudarikwa. Madam Speaker, these are two unrelated points. It does not mean that if you pay in foreign currency, you have a guarantee of supply should a breakdown occur. Paying in foreign currency for mining companies only guarantees that if we are importing, we will then allocate what they pay to ZESA so that they can import that portion of electricity.
We must also be mindful that as we speak, in South Africa, Zambia and the region as a whole, they are also having power shortages. So the issue really is to holistically look at our energy sector and admit that we have old power generation units that need to be upgraded to an extent that once we have done that, we will be rest assured that should this unit breakdown, we have so many back-up. At that particular stage, we will be able now to definitively say that the probability of all our units breaking down is 1% but at the moment because of the age of our generation units, they breakdown randomly and you cannot definitively say once they breakdown, I am guaranteeing that this particular unit will be able to power us through while this one is being worked on.
So my answer still stands that, yes we are requesting our miners to pay in foreign currency so that we can pay for our imports but at the moment, the whole region is experiencing power shortages and that payment does not then translate to a guarantee that they will have continuous power supply. I thank you.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: Supplementary Madam Speaker!
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are only allowed to ask one supplementary question Hon. Mudarikwa.
(v)HON. MUDARIKWA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker.
HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. What is the position of Government on the implementation of Constitutional Amendment No. 2, especially on the election of youth Members of Parliament under the youth quota? I notice that we have already implemented some of the provisions of Amendment No. 2 except the youth quota.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): - [Laughter] -Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am, I am laughing because he is asking a question that he already has an answer to. When the General Election comes that particular provision will be implemented. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: On a point of clarity Madam Speaker! It might just be a question of diction Madam Speaker. What I wanted to check with the Hon. Minister is; when are we going to implement the youth quota? Is it before the next General Election or now before the elections?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. This is a proportional representation election and it cannot be applied in retrospect. So my initial response was; when we are going to the next General Election, we will now have party lists being submitted to ZEC for the 10 Proportional Representation seats for the youths in the same manner that we present the 60 proportional representation seats for women and those from the Senate. So this is a provision that will be applied in 2023 when we are going for general elections. We cannot use it for a by-election because when we did our general elections, there was no provision for that and we cannot apply it in retrospect. I thank you.
(v)*HON. MADZIVA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. What is Government policy on buildings that are not being renovated in the central business district such as painting or any other such related attention? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for that question but it is not clear whether the Hon. Member is referring to local authority buildings, hospitals or schools. Which buildings specifically? I am lost because right now the policy says wherever there is a report for the renovation of any building, the Ministry of Local Government is supposed to attend to that but maybe the Hon. Member should specifically refer to a particular building that is really dilapidated so that we can see how we can handle that. I thank you.
(v)*HON. MADZIVA: Supplementary question Hon. Speaker. I would like to refer to the urban areas. If you go into urban areas or city centres, you will see a lot of buildings that are dilapidated, some of them almost falling and that is what I am trying to refer to.
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister is asking which buildings are they. Is it public infrastructure or private buildings? Be specific which buildings you are referring to.
(v)*HON. MADZIVA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am referring to private buildings. Can they not refurbish or renovate those buildings so that they are up-to-date with what the President is referring to, by saying urban centres should be upgraded. I thank you.
*HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I have grasped the Hon. Member’s question. It is a very good question. Our urban areas should be very beautiful and buildings should be presentable, also they should be beautiful. So we will ask the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to look at local authority by-laws so that they ensure that the buildings are maintained well and are presentable. Yes, that is a very good question and I would like to thank the Hon. Member because indeed, our urban areas should be presentable and your buildings should also look good. I thank you.
(v)HON. GANDAWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. It is in relation to discussions that we at one time underwent to unlock value to our 99-Year Leases. I want to check with the Minister how far we have gone in that discussion.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as the Hon. Member alludes to, indeed discussions are underway as regards to the bankability of the 99-Year Leases. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement are doing that.
Over and above that, currently we have a facility where Government is giving out a guarantee to banks so that farmers can use the agro-yield facility from CBZ to access loans. So while negotiations are underway, there is also another window to use to ensure that farmers access funding. I thank you.
(v)HON. M. M. MPOFU: I asked a question that has not been responded to Madam Speaker. I directed my question to the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: So you still need the response Hon. Mpofu? Maybe if you can then repeat the question so that the Leader of the House would be able to respond.
(v)HON. M. M. MPOFU: No, my question is directed to the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services. The Minister has promised us village information centres, especially in my constituency in Silobela in 2019. Up to now, he has not done anything. I wanted to know the position where he is with these projects. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Mpofu, that is a specific question. You were supposed to put it in writing if it is relating to Silobela specifically, unless if you were going to be asking a policy question. May you kindly put it in writing because it is a specific question?
Questions without Notice were interrupted by the HON. TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 68.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
UPDATE ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE ZIMBABWE INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (ZIDA)
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Industry and Commerce to give an update to the House on the operations of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) taking into consideration that ZIDA is expected to play a major role in the implementation of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
THE TEMPORARY SPEAEKR: The question is redirected to the relevant Ministry which is the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): ZIDA, as the name suggests, is an investment development agency and that is what it is that they ought to drive. They are driving foreign direct investment into the country but also facilitating local investment into the country. They have developed guidelines on how investors can approach ZIDA in terms of company registration and all the documentary requirements including the different stages of whatever is being requested.
ZIDA is also in charge of the Act that governs the special economic zones, these are zones that allow investors to enjoy certain incentives around tax rebates, tax holidays so that they could then improve on their rate of return as they invest. So, they are playing their full role and I can assure you that they have done an excellent job so far in bringing forward projects for approval by Cabinet. Usually, the internal processes are such that the technical committee that approves these projects after processing is chaired by the secretary for Treasury and then is brought to the Ministry of Finance for final signature and for eventual submission to Cabinet.
One of the exciting projects to show that they are making a contribution is the development of the Pomona waste dump which will become a bio-gas producer, electricity producer and just help clean up the city. Once that project is successful which is a public private partnership between the local Government and foreign investor, it can then be rolled out to other cities as well. I am just highlighting one of the projects that will add value coming from the work of the ZIDA; they are playing their full role in terms of investment promotion. I thank you.
(v)HON. NYONI: My supplementary is on the processing of documentation for new businesses. Can the Minister comment as per any marked improvement and also the issue of decentralisation of ZIDA offices.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I thank the Hon. Member for that follow up question. Yes, indeed there has been a marked improvement in the speed and efficiency of processing of documents by investors. We also have a project under the ease of doing business and ZIDA is involved in that working with the Ministry of Justice as well to move to electronic system in terms of deeds search in terms of company registration.
So basically, while working on an electronic system for company registration for deeds search, this is a project for deeds search. This is a project under the ease of doing business overall of all Government projects led by the Minister of Justice. ZIDA is involved and I chair the Committee for the improvement of the ease of doing business conditions.
In terms of decentralisation of ZIDA, it is working on that already to decentralise its offices to various key places within Zimbabwe such as Bulawayo, Mutare and others. I thank you.
DISBURSEMENT OF DEVOLUTION FUNDS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
- 3. HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to inform the House how much of the devolution funds has been disbursed to local authorities to date.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): The amount so far is to the order of 7 billion ZWL and our target is about 14 billion by year end. So we are pushing hard to get there but we know that the full target in the budget was 19, 5 billion ZWL but due to both cash challenges and absorptive capacity at the local authority level and procurement challenges; those 3 factors impact the speed of disbursement of devolution funds. We think the best we can do by year end is about 14 billion but I must hasten to say that although that is below the budget target, devolution funds are making a huge difference on the ground right across the board, whether it is schools, clinics or roads. We will continue to allocate good resources as we go forward.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister. If I look at this question, it needs us to give the details. So, I think it will be good for you to be able to bring the report so that it can be recorded in the Hansard. Again, so that there is a projection which we will also be able to evaluate how much money has been disbursed, how much is left and how much is lacking. I thank you.
OPERATIONS OF THE VICTORIA FALLS STOCK MARKET
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to appraise the House on the operations of the Victoria Falls stock market and the number of companies that have been registered on the stock market so far.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): The Victoria Falls Stock Exchange had been launched - so far there are two listed companies. There is SEDCO as well as Cabenga. SEDCO, seed company, we allow it for our agriculture and then for Cabenga, they are involved in gold and in the crocodile farming business and so forth. Both of them are strong companies.
We are expecting a third company to come on board, which is New Caledonia, which again is a gold company which mines out of Matabeleland South, Blanket Mine but it also services on the New York Stock Exchange. We expect more companies to come on board over time. If this goes according to plan, we are targeting companies that are mainly forex earners in terms of their business. We want them to use foreign exchange to raise foreign currency capital as well as they expand their businesses.
So in the case of New Caledonia, this will be the first IPO, Initial Public Offering on both VFEX and ZFC considered together is the first kind of IPO in a very long time. So this is a positive development indeed and we expect this stock market to follow, going forward regarding investment, both into our economy and into the region. I thank you.
(v) HON. I NYONI: If I heard the Minister clearly, he indicated that at the moment, there are two companies and there is a third that is also going to be listed very soon. Can he inform this House, has the stock market been trading? If so, what volumes and is it a clear indication, considering that there are only three companies that are there now that this has a future or not?
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I thank the Hon. Member for the question. I assure this House that the stock market has a great future indeed. So if we have this number of companies being in new exchange, it is really a beatable record and there is trading on the Exchange. Just looking at the quality of these companies, if I will be buying these companies, certainly when I get a bit of money, I will – Cabenga is a quality company. Look at SEDCO, it is a quality company which also has a strong foreign ownership from French investment and indeed, New Caledonia is a global company. It is also listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. Then Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, in the near future, you will see volumes speak out. We are determined to make sure it works. More recently, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding through the Exchange and the Dubai Gold and Commodity to strengthen the commodity side, especially the hard metals. Whether we are looking at chrome, iron ore or copper, we want these to be quoted on that Exchange so that it then becomes a hub for these hard commodities as well; the US dollar priced commodities. I thank you.
(v) HON. MUDARIKWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to find out from the Hon. Minister of Finance, why is it that we do not have any of our parastatals that are earning foreign currency, not registered on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange? I thank you.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Thank you very much. We are currently having discussions with management of one our parastatals in the mining sector, which is to list on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange. It is my hope that we will be able to do so within the next three months. There are mining sectors and they are earning foreign currency. So this is going to happen.
POLICY REGARDING AGE OF CONSENT TO SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
- HON. TSUURA asked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to explain:
(a) What the Government policy is regarding the age of consent to sexual intercourse considering that the promised alignment of the (Criminal Law Codification and Reform) Act with the Constitution has not yet been tabled before Parliament.
(b) Whether or not the inconsistencies with the Constitution of the Act of Parliament as evidenced by the one that provides for an age of consent lower than the age prescribed in the supreme law of the land do not create confusion.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Tsuura for the question. Madam Speaker Ma’am, regarding the first part of the question, the current legal position as referred in Section 70 of the Criminal Law Code is that the age of consent to sexual activity is pegged at 16 years. That is the law. There is no international convention or treaty which provides for the age of consent to sex. So let us just be clear from the start that we do not have a standard age of consent across the board.
Our Constitution is also silent on the age of consent. However on Section 78, it sets out the age of consent to marriage at 18 years. It is necessary that I point out that there has never been in our law, a direct equation made between marriage and indulging in sexual activity. So it has never really stated that this is the age you must indulge in sex and we equate to age of marriage. It has never been in our law. That practice has never been there and we must not do so because marriage involves and requires more from a person as there are life commitments to consider including personal or proprietary and psychological as well, and we still stand by the position that 18 is the age of consent to marriage.
We do however, implore parents, custodians and guardians to educate and teach the children to refrain from sexual conduct at a young age. We cannot however, transfer this responsibility to the State, police and judiciary unless the sexual conduct involves matters such as rape, indecent assault and obtaining facts through inducement.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, there are proposals that the age of consent to sex should be raised to 18 years. Raising the age of consent to 18 years creates inevitable consequences. These include criminal records for children and a bar to access sexual healthcare. Dr. Labode can allude to that. Children are already engaging in sexual activities among themselves or with older people.
The age of consent being fixed at 16, recognises facts which the law cannot dictate. The facts are that at the age of 16, most children are mature, beyond their age nowadays and are already sexually active. Raising the age of consent to sex to 18 means children below the age of 18 having sexual intercourse will be criminalised. This results in children getting unwanted criminal records. So, our position is that as parents, guardians and society, we must teach our children morals as opposed to abrogating our responsibility to the State, to say criminalise this conduct.
In addition, Madam Speaker, our prisons will be filled with young children who will now be labeled as criminals for consensually engaging in sexual activity. Our judicial system will be clogged with these matters, resulting in resources being diverted from the real sexual crimes and other serious criminal offences.
If having intercourse becomes a criminal offence yet children are already indulging, this will deter these children from accessing sexual healthcare, since trying to access this healthcare is tantamount to admitting that one is guilty of a sexual offence. These are issues which need to be resolved but my Ministry will not make a unilateral decision without consulting. There shall be consultations with stakeholders and the general public so that we can take steps on age of consent to sex. However I repeat, let us deal with issues of morality as a society and not transfer that responsibility to our criminal courts.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, on alleged inconsistencies between the Criminal Law Code and the Constitution, let me hasten to say there are no inconsistencies between the two. The Constitution does not provide for age of consent to sexual intercourse. It provides for the age of consent to marriage in Section 78, which is set at 18 years of age.
I would also like to make it clear that there are laws against rape and indecent assault. And there are laws against obtaining sex by inducements such as using money, bribery, et cetera where such are considered criminal offences and offenders will be rightfully charged. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
POLICY REGARDING CURRENT RECRUITMENT OF HIGH COURT JUDGES
- 11. TSUURA asked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to inform the House what Government’s policy is towards the current recruitment of High Court Judges considering that pronouncements attributed to the Honourable Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on some of the disciplinary challenges in the judicial system stem from the recruitment process and to elaborate on whether the citizens should expect another constitutional amendment.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am for the opportunity. I want to thank Hon. Tsuura for the question. Let me start by indicating that Government policy on recruitment of judges is as provided for in the Constitution. The Constitution provides for the appointment of judges in Section 180. It is the supreme law of the country which is binding on the State. The Government will not stray out of the confines of the supreme law. I urge the Hon. Member to familiarise herself with that which gives us a clear guideline on what to do.
As for the disciplinary challenges that might be occurring at the High Court, those cannot be attributed to the appointment process. If there are disciplinary challenges, the Constitution makes provisions for what should be done. I must also add that every system, you find that there may be challenges in terms of discipline but it does not mean that you need to go back to the people and change the Constitution. You follow what is there to ensure that you will instill discipline using the relevant provisions.
I refer the Hon. Member to Section 187 of the Constitution, which clearly lays out grounds upon which a judge can be removed from office - among others, incompetency, inability to perform functions, gross misconduct. This is done by the President acting on the advice of the JSC. He sets up a tribunal to look into the question of the removal and he will act on that particular recommendation.
I believe that our laws cover all the areas that the Hon. Member asked in terms of appointment procedures and disciplinary issues. As a Government, we do not have powers to circumvent appointments and disciplinary procedures as they are laid out in the Constitution. I believe that whatever utterances that were attributed, they must be read within the confines of our law and the Constitution and interpreted likewise. Definitely, we do not have any amendment that may be said to be coming on our way. Thank you.
WRITTEN SUBMISSION TO QUESTION WITH NOTICE
CONSTRUCTION OF DONGAMUZI RURAL HEALTH CENTRE IN LUPANE WEST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. M. KHUMALO asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to inform the House when the construction of the Dongamuzi Rural Health Centre in Lupane West Constituency will commence considering that annual budget allocation have been provided over the year and yet no work has been done to date.
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): A private contractor had been secured to start work around mid-October 2021 but the Public Works Department advised the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Matabeleland North Province, not to engage a private contractor as the department is going to do the construction. Up to now, the Public Works Department has not commenced construction of the said clinic. The Ministry of Health and Child Care, Matabeleland North Provincial Director, will submit a full report on the matter.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I move that Order of the Day, Number 1 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 2 has been disposed of.
HON. KARUMAZONDO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
*HON. CHIBAGU: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to applaud the President for the current lifestyle we are living. In my Constituency Mbire, I am enjoying the great job that the President is doing. Right now we are counted amongst people. Firstly, he constructed and repaired roads, right now irrigation schemes are being constructed so much that the youths who were idle and busy stealing are now settled and working properly. There is irrigation at Kanyemba and our youths are working getting some remuneration, no matter how much they are getting. They have become responsible people living their lives from what they earn. There is irrigation at Mushumbi Pools that has been set up which we have never witnessed since we were born. Right now it employs more than 100 youths and they are happy working there. That means the President has people at heart. Whatever the President is doing is from God, he is a man of God.
I would also want to add that as it stands people of Mbire are very happy and enjoying life. We applaud the coming of Pfumvudza/Intwasa agriculture smart programme. We did not know about harvesting maize, but right now we are having good harvests. That includes crops like tobacco, sorghum and other crops. If you go to GMB Mushumbi, you will realise that there is bumper harvest. If you go to Kanyemba right now, you are able to see progress on youths. We used to witness idle youths just loitering but right now there is improvement in youths in our area. We now have doctors such Christmas Kachasu who is now leading the council. That shows that there is a lot of development taking place. Ever since we got our independence, the President has put Mbire on the map. We used to struggle but our lives have improved. If you look at Guruve, there is Eureka Mine which is now in place and those who used to live like vagabonds have since become responsible citizens earning livelihoods through working as well as irrigation schemes that are sources of livelihoods.
Looking at mines, there is a lot of improvement and people are benefiting from them – [AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjection.] – I have my mask on, please stop disturbing me. Right now Eureka Mine employs a lot of children. The rate of criminal offences has stopped including the drug abuse such as marauzani and other elicit liquors. All these things have since stopped; children can now go to school. Their lives have become orderly. That shows that the President is God sent to lead people.
I would like to thank the President for the Pfumvudza programme. All the Doma people have joined the programme. We are tilling our fields and there will be plenty of food. All the schools have been renovated including Mushumbi and Kanyemba. Our children are now interested in learning as opposed to what they used to do – they used to go for hunting and collecting wild fruits (masawu). That shows that we are an independent Zimbabwean nation. Our roads have been graded from Mbire to the Zambezi River and we are now paying less for the ZUPCO buses that are available. What else would you need? The President did a very good job. There is no divide and rule. He unites everyone. I would like to thank the President for that. As Members of Parliament and representatives of people, we would like to thank him very much for accepting our messages.
The First Lady is also very much appreciated because she also interacts with people. All those people who used to run away for fear of being labelled as inferior or primitive are now able to interact publicly with people. We are ripping benefits from mines and agriculture. I have nothing more to say except to thank His Excellency very much. I thank you.
(v)*HON. TSUURA: Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to debate on the President’s Speech on the State of the Nation Address raised by Hon. Mutambisi and supported by Hon. Moyo. I would like to refer to infrastructure development, especially roads. I am very happy because if you look at the state of our roads, they had become so bad that vehicles would break down but now most of our roads have been rehabilitated, including the roads that lead outside the country such as Masvingo but we still appeal that if possible, may the roads in the rural areas be rehabilitated. That would be a very splendid thing because in the rural areas, some roads are still inaccessible. So if they are repaired, that would be a great improvement. In urban areas, some people had lost their houses but right now houses have been constructed by the army and nurses have benefited from that. If people continue to get houses constructed for them, it will become easy for them.
I would also want to look at Pfumvudza/Intwasa, many people really appreciate that programme as it is a very good programme. I request that the programme be continued because there are some people who need such assistance. If there could be a way of ensuring that the vulnerable remain beneficiaries of that programme, I wish there could be a way of assisting them to dig those holes because they are not capable of doing so.
With regards to the health sector, the whole world was faced with the COVID pandemic, so the Government did very well in mitigating the pandemic. I hereby request that the Government continues treating people but I would like to refer to the hospitals and other health centres that need attention. They need refurbishment and we also need to have more medical centres so that people can easily access health facilities near them. May the facilities be well staffed?
With regards to transport, we know that our trains had stopped moving for a long time but right now, they have resumed and we have a lot of buses though they are not yet enough. We know that more are coming and it is a good thing to note that we have ZUPCO, both in urban and rural areas. We also know that we had very few aeroplanes but the fleet has been increased. So if only our country could continue on that trajectory of development so that we can continue living peacefully with our neighbours.
(v)*HON. MADZIVA: I also want to thank His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa. I want to thank him for the job he is doing in the country. I want to thank him firstly for the Mbuya Nehanda statue. We are very happy for honouring the spirit medium of the country. This shows that the President is very committed in returning the dignity of the country. I also want to thank the President for the refurbishment of the Robert Mugabe International Airport. Right now, it meets international standards.
Within this short period of time when His Excellency, Cde. E.D. Mnangagwa has been in charge as the President of the country, he has done many developmental projects like farming where people are being given inputs. We thank him very much for committing himself to build the country. We want to thank him for rehabilitating the roads which were in bad state for a long period of time but now the President is on the road to refurbish these roads. There were many potholes in the roads but the roads are now in a good state and people are no longer complaining.
We also want to thank His Excellency for availing ZUPCO buses to ferry people from one area to the other. He is a hardworking man who does not sit in the office but takes his time to go around monitoring all the projects being done and implemented within the country. The President at one point travelled from Harare to Gutu by road and from Masvingo to Rutenga by road in a bid to assess the state of the road network in the country.
I also want to thank the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa who took her time to teach the girl-child on issues to do with nhanga, gota and growing up. The kids now understand the family set up and our cultural heritage in the country. The First Lady does not select areas but she goes to all areas working with women and chiefs in uplifting the livelihoods of all the people. I have mentioned a lot of programmes being done by His Excellency, Cde. Mnangagwa. Thank you.
(v)HON. S. SITHOLE: I want to thank the Head of the State and Government, Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, our President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa on the SONA he delivered. Madam Speaker, on infrastructure development of roads – I would like to thank the President for that one. The President also emphasised that dams should be built around the time (Technical glitch). Road infrastructure is where people have access (Technical glitch)
Our President has been trying even on sanctions which are imposed on our country Zimbabwe for the issue to be finalised and he has said that any project which has started is supposed to be completed. I hope that people from Insiza South will have that facility for that road to be completed.
I would like to thank the President for the ‘Pfumvudza’ Programme that he put in place. He emphasised that transporting of inputs to the beneficiaries will be free.. This programme is aimed at beefing up our food security.
Where I come from Insiza South, there is a dam called Mzingwane. From Mawabeni up to Limpopo, just driving straight to Limpopo, there is no dam. I think that issue should be looked into so that there is a dam here and it will benefit not only Insiza or Gwanda. We will be hitting two birds with one stone.
On corruption, the President said everyone should play a role to eradicate corruption. We must put a law which will stop corruption. Do not quote me wrong – neither can we forget what people have done, then we say let us put laws and these laws will say when we do corruption again we are going to cut one hand. I think when we put laws which say no to corruption, I think the corruption will stop. (Technical glitch)
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. NDEBELE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 11th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. S. SITHOLE, the House adjourned at Twelve Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 10th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: I want to thank you for affording me this opportunity to add my voice on the Presidential Speech. I want to thank the mover of this motion, Hon. Sen. Kambizi. I thank the President for encouraging the young people to become farmers, which is very important. Mr. President, the farming that is taking place is not adequate, so we need to fill in that gap. There are so many things that we have derailed in this nation because such agricultural products are not being produced.
Mr. President, as I was growing up, I knew of Cashel Valley that makes baked beans and the breakfast coffee that was available in Zimbabwe. We do not see these products anymore. This is when we are now beginning to see the importance of farming because that is where our food and sustenance come from. If we produce wheat, even the price of bread will be reasonable because we will be producing the wheat. It is true the youth are the future leaders. They should engage in farming, which is more productive because we have come of age and no longer have the strength; I want to thank the President for that.
I also want to thank the President for availing inputs for people to engage in agriculture. He is ensuring that the majority of the people in the country get the inputs, although a few are unable to get them.
On the issue of corruption, some who distribute these farming inputs engage in corruption and yet the release of these inputs will be adequate for everyone, hence others do not benefit. In other areas where we have travelled, we were told that inputs arrive in the middle of the night and a lot happens. So people fail to get those inputs and what it means is that the people are unable to engage in productive agriculture because they cannot get the seed and fertilizer to enable them to engage in farming.
So where these inputs go, no one really knows and the next thing is that the President is troubled when people start saying we did not get inputs. I am sure he is disturbed by this because he will have released adequate inputs. There are people who are engaged in corruption, we need to plug these holes so that they do not derail progress in terms of agriculture in our nation. Corruption is a cancer and especially when it comes to distribution of farming inputs for agriculture because he will have done his best to ensure that people get the inputs.
I implore the Government to ensure that it puts in place measures to deal with corruption. If I am told to travel 10 kilometers to go and get grain, I am unable to do it because of my age. People need to be given inputs to produce food. The issue of agriculture is important because we can even produce tomato puree and most of the things that we are buying in the shops we are supposed to be producing them as a nation and not to be importing these products from other countries. By importing, we lose a lot of foreign currency to other countries and yet we can engage in farming and produce this on our own.
Farming is very important and I thank the President for encouraging people to engage in farming and that people should take farming as a business. People should do farming to ensure that the nation is safe in terms of food security. For those who cannot engage in farming, they depend on those who are able to farm. So, food security is important but once inputs do not get to the people, that is what disturbs our food security in the nation.
On the issue of sanctions, I want to say that sanctions should be removed in Zimbabwe because they are not only affecting the targeted but they are affecting the ordinary man in the street. Currently, a lot of services have been closed down and people say it is because of sanctions. There is no production in the industries because of these sanctions. As Zimbabweans, we are saying we should unite, not along party lines, let us push for the removal of those sanctions because politics does not give life to people out there. Those who are engaged in some work are affected by the sanctions. I appeal to those who have imposed sanctions in Zimbabwe to remove them. We do not want them anymore.
On the issue of the Women’s Bank, we are saying the bank is there and it is very important, but there is need to ensure that every woman is able to access finance from the bank. You can go with all the required documents and fail to get the money and yet others are accessing the loans. So we are saying that it needs to benefit the different groups of women. Those in business should be given those loans for them to be productive. We want everyone who is a woman to go and access the funds not to go and get it to buy biscuits. They should engage in productive businesses that will assist others. There are some who have a challenge that once they access loans, they are unable to be productive and end up buying food like meat. The money should be used for the intended purpose. The Women’s Bank should ensure that every woman has access to those funds for productive reasons. Thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Mr. President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 11th November, 2021.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC-Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25th to 27th June, 2021.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Mr. President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 11th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on a sound road network.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN.CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to add a few words on the motion that was raised by Hon. Sen. Mabika. It is a very important motion for us as a nation concerning road infrastructure in our nation. We are aware Mr. President, that for a country to develop, it should have a good road network to enable investors to come and invest as well as tourists who would want to visit our beautiful country. Some may decide not to use air transport and use road transport in order to have sight of our beautiful country.
We want to thank the New Dispensation led by His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangangwa for his commitment in ensuring that the road infrastructure is rehabilitated. We realised that there has been road rehabilitation for the Beitbridge Highway and we have seen that our country has good vegetation that you can see as you drive and you see this as a result of the good road infrastructure. This is also good in the sense that we are able to relate well with our neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. It also enables us to work together because some of the goods to those countries use that road network, so that strengthens our relations with these countries.
In Mt. Darwin Constituency we had Ndoda Road which is in Mt. Darwin, Mkumbura. When we were born it was just a dust road and we were content with what was there because we had that colonial mentality. We did not know that we had been left behind in terms of development. However, we are happy with the new dispensation led by President E. D. Mnangagwa and that road is now left with just 36 kilometers for it to be completed to the boarder. We want to thank the Government, it is a beautiful road even if you travel at night, and it also has reflectors. The people in Mt. Darwin are excited and they thank the President for that.
Let me hasten to say that the Government led by President Mnangagwa through the new dispensation, these road networks has made people appreciate the work that is being done by the dispensation. The tourists who are visiting will be able ambassadors to their various countries in terms of the beauty of the country as a result of good road infrastructure. We see that the Government has foresight that development is going to come. Already, we have made milestones in terms of development through the road rehabilitation.
Mr. President, let me say that we want to continue supporting our Government for unity and development only comes through when we are united. We are the ones who should ensure that there is development when we are united because our neighbors and friends outside will know that we are working together as Government. Even those who want to assist like the investors will do so because we will be speaking the same language and we will be applauding the work done by the Government. This is the only Government that we have, we do not have another government in Zimbabwe. We are the owners of that Government so we need to applaud them. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tomorrow, 11th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Sixth order read: Adjourned debate on motion on grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tomorrow, 11th November, 2021
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Hon. Sen. Rejoice Timire.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: I want to thank for the motion that was brought in by Hon. Sen. Khupe on the loss of Hon. Sen. Timire. As traditional leaders, we saw her as someone who had the people at heart. When we had requests from the constituencies where we come from she did not look at which constituency would have called her or even look at the race or tribe but she would make an effort to come to the area together with her daughter she used to travel with.
Secondly, when there was a need, she would not even look at her ability. We the different able bodied ones appeared to be the disabled because she would make an effort to get to the constituency. At one time we invited her in Hurungwe and we have about 9 traditional leaders and three headmen so we were about 12. I had requested her to come together with Hon. Sen. Malunga and Hon. Sen. Khupe but some were unable to attend because of other work commitments but she made a commitment that she would come. For sure she called me together with the leadership in Hurungwe we were able to mobilise all the children who were in need to meet in Magunje. She addressed all the differently able bodied people, those who needed wheelchairs, crutches and different types of disability aides.
The invited people gave their grievances and Hon. Sen. Timire took up the grievances to higher levels. Members of the constituencies from which these children came from testified that Hon. Sen. Timire had managed to secure wheel chairs and other equipment to use. This is the time when COVID-19 befell us.
Children with disabilities, once you talk to them, what they then expect is results. So they continued to come to us and check on progress. For us to tell them that there was COVID-19, they did not understand. So I gave Hon. Sen. Timire the number and she would phone and explain to them what was derailing progress. At the time when COVID-19 subsided, we were then told that Hon. Sen. Timire had passed away. So the work that she had started remains unfinished. Hon. Sen. Timire, rest in peace. The work that she left uncompleted should be supported and completed. We hope that the family that she left behind will be consoled. Parliament and the whole nation, we have been robbed of a hero. With those few words, may her soul rest in peace.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: Thank you Mr. President. I do not know much about Hon. Sen. Timire but that we worked together in the SDGs Committee. I saw commitment in her work. When we were going out on outreach programmes, she was always on time. She would even ask us the late comers what would have delayed us. Hon. Sen. Timire is someone whom I did not feel free to talk to at first but she always greeted me. Later I realised that I am the one who has a problem. She was someone who was very free and I saw her as someone who was close to me because of the greetings that she used to extend to me.
She was a brave woman in terms of her work. Wherever she went, she was able to mainstream issues of disability in the different areas we went to. When we visited schools, she asked how students who were visually impaired were learning. She even asked of those who were unable to walk, she asked on how they would access some of these services since there was no path to use their wheelchairs because she knew very well about the difficulties of disabled persons. She was committed to her constituency and when she contributed, you would feel that she knew what she was talking about.
The day that I learnt about her death, I was deeply pained and I asked myself, who is going to be greeting me by that corner because she always used to greet me. Love is important and I remember her because of the love that we shared. The tendency that I used to have, of not greeting each other was bad. It is important to find out how each and everyone is doing. If she had not continued greeting me, what memories would I have of her? Now, due to the effort that she put in greeting me and her gestures, I am able to see the gap that she left behind.
After a few days, we also heard that her husband also passed away, which means the husband found it difficult to live without his wife. Now because the pillar had fallen, which was Hon. Sen. Timire, he felt he could not make it without her. My deepest condolence is to the children for the loss of their mother. Even the daughter who used to travel with her mother, I am sure it is difficult for her to come to terms with the loss because she used to push her mother’s wheelchair everywhere.
Hon. Sen. Timire was brave and she used to work hard. Other people with disabilities are beggars in town. You will even notice that they do not have disabilities that restrict them from working for their livelihood. When you go beg for money in the streets, you do not get enough. With Hon. Sen. Timire, I noticed that she was a very committed and brave woman. She always did her work very diligently and she had her constituency at heart. I want to say Hon. Sen. Timire, rest in peace, together with Mr. Timire. I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 11th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on children with incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me the opportunity to support the motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. I would also want to thank the seconder. Mr. President, being incarcerated is a sad issue. It leaves someone with a troubled mind. Firstly, one can think of the dignity that a person would have lost before his or her kids or even the community that that person comes from.
In our country, most of our prisons were built by the colonialists and most of the people who were incarcerated were men. The jails were not built for the incarceration of women because at that time women did not commit crimes. Most of the men were being arrested for political reasons, not because they had committed crimes but because the colonialists did not want any Africans who engaged in politics to oppose them. When we attained independence, this did not change; it remained the same until women were also incarcerated for different crimes committed. In this country, we do not have a female prison. Males and females were being mixed in the same prison, and this is what I think the Government under the New Dispensation should address. We have the hope that prisons will be built for incarcerated women.
It is difficult for us as women that if you are breastfeeding, you cannot leave your child behind at home because that child requires the love of the mother. Even if the child falls sick, the mother knows that the child is sick and she knows the life of the child. So she cannot leave the baby at home whilst she serves her sentence. She takes her child to the prison and this presents a challenge to the inmate.
A child grows up as a prisoner, yet he or she has not committed a crime. Let me say that our women nowadays commit a lot of crimes. Sometimes they fail to express themselves in court because the court set up is not a friendly place. However, we look forward to the New Dispensation to address these issues. I think that incarcerated women are disciplined. I say so because I have not heard of incarcerated women attempting to flee, which means that they respect the laws of the land. If one is sentenced for three months, they complete their sentences and if it is a year, she can spend the whole year in prison, so there is a lot of discipline.
Mr. President, I also like the rehabilitation programme that is done by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services. If a woman is incarcerated without any form of empowerment, this is found in the prisons. We see inmates that are leaving the prisons with professional qualifications, something which they did not have when they entered into prison. Some are coming back into society with knowledge on how to run businesses and projects. We have seen a number of women who have served their sentence being better citizens in communities. We want to thank the Government for that. This assists the inmate so that when he or she goes home, she is able to look after herself. Being incarcerated is painful but when they come out of prison, they are empowered through the projects that they would have learnt during their time in prison. We want to thank the Government for such initiatives. This also enables the inmate to be re-integrated into society because she is able to look after herself and be productive. We want to thank the Government that the Government has come up with a good initiative to empower the inmates.
Let me say that as women, we will continue to encourage each other to live in harmony in rural areas because when a woman is incarcerated, there is a particular group that does not want these people to be re-integrated into the community in the rural areas. Even in families where one is married, some will not want to accept them. What we are saying is that our women in prison should be empowered so that they can look after their families. We hope that the Government will extend its services towards building of centres or blocks where women with babies can sleep with their children and look after their children well. This enables them to take care of their children. In the event that they fall sick, they also want to get medication and the children also need vaccines such as polio. They should be coming from proper homes.
Under the Vision 2030, the Government talks about health for all. We hope this will be addressed and that the incarcerated woman in the prison should be able to enjoy these rights. With these few words Mr. President, I want to thank you for this opportunity.
^^HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to just say a few words concerning the children that are put in jails with their mothers but also allow me to use my vernacular language. Children have committed no offence, the offenders are the parents, and sometimes the jailed mothers face a challenge that they do not have relatives that they can leave the children with whilst they are in jail. Some of them do not trust their relatives to an extent that they will be confident enough to leave children under their guidance. They fear that the children will be abused under the guidance of the relatives, hence they take a decision to go with their children to serve their sentences. When a woman is incarcerated, we need to really look into the issue because the child committed no crime and their rights would have been violated.
The child needs to go to preschool so that their lives are not disturbed. Another alternative is that community service be given for light offences for these women with small babies where they will be coming from home and have at least little time to spend and take care of their young babies. We know that life in prison is difficult. I am one of those people who toured Chikurubi Female Section and I witnessed challenges faced by women prisoners with babies. The children’s tomorrow would have been disturbed. It is my plea that the courts must first consider community service for women with babies and with small offences. It is my view also for women with babies to be put in open prisons with their children. If the children are left at home without their parents, they end up in the streets because they will not be any control from parents, no one will know where they sleep. Mr. President, with these few words, I would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to add my voice to this motion.
^HON. SEN. MALULEKE: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to debate on the issue of mothers being imprisoned whilst they have small babies. I also want to thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for raising this motion. This is very painful. Some women are in jail for crimes they did not committee because they do not understand the nature of the crimes that are charged against them. I still remember in the last Parliament, we went to Chikurubi and visited all the cells and lastly we visited the women’s cells. There were a number of children; some of them were supposed to be in school in ECD ‘A’ but they were in prison with their mothers.
It was very painful to witness this issue; though we also witnessed the smartness of the prisons. It did not go well with us because we know that these kids were not learning anything meaningful, they are supposed to learn in a proper home set up. There were not learning something which will help them in the future. Therefore, we are pleading under the Second Republic led by His Excellency the President, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa that we look into the issue of prisons. The First Lady, Amai Mnangagwa at one point visited the prisons where she encouraged that the cells be renovated. The issue of prisons is a very serious issue which needs to be looked into by us as the Upper House. When we go into our homes, we must go and teach women that when there is conflict, they must find better ways to resolve conflicts because at the end of the day, a child is going to suffer when they are incarcerated.
In the past when the mother commits a crime, a child was taken care of by the grandmother or other relatives but it is different nowadays. Sometimes there is no close relative to stay behind with the child whilst the mother goes to prison or the mother is a single parent and the whereabouts of the father is not known, hence the child has no one to stay with whilst the mother goes to prison. This issue is very painful to us as mothers because what these children are seeing in prison is going to affect them in the future even after the children are no longer in prison. Sometimes they go and imitate what they have seen.
Mr. President, I thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for raising this very important issue. Men must also take responsibility of taking care of their children when their mothers are in prison due to different crimes. For a child to be born, it takes two people hence the responsibility must fall on both parents. I encourage chiefs to look into the issue of men so that they take care of the children when their wives or girlfriends are in prison. We have not seen any man going to prison with a child; the whole burden is left for women. They must look into the issue and see who is wrong. This is against our culture that women go to prison with their children and these children are suffering from the crimes they did not commit. There is a song which says ‘ask yourself where you are, what are you going to do tomorrow’. These kids whom we are sending to prison with their mothers are going to blame us tomorrow. These kids are going to blame the mother but the father is there. We plead with you Hon. President on this issue. We want the Ministers to be in this House listening to our concerns. They do not come to the House to listen to our concerns. Why are they not coming? These issues mostly affect rural women although there are some women in towns who are also affected.
Hon. President, we are airing our concerns to you. Ministers were appointed by His Excellency the President. We want them to come so that we help each other. I also want to thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for raising this pertinent issue. It is difficult to carry a pregnancy for nine months and end up in prison with that child again. We must work together to solve this issue. Thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. DR. PARIRENYATWA: Thank you Mr. President and I would like to commend Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for moving a motion concerning incarcerated mothers. This is a serious issue which needs to be debated by this House. It is not the child’s fault but it is the mother’s fault. The child has rights which should be honoured and respected. It is important that this issue be looked at in depth. So, we need to know how many women are incarcerated and it is important that we understand the number of years of incarceration. In other countries, children of incarcerated mothers are not allowed to be in such institutions for a long time.
Hon. President, it is not easy to be incarcerated and it is worse for a child. Very few women can fall pregnant in jail because the conditions do not allow that. When they give birth, they go to maternity hospitals and eventually are sent back where they are incarcerated. We know that such children who grow up in prisons end up exhibiting emotional problems and even at school, such children are found to be very emotional. They are found engaging in fights and some are found to be breaking rules. It is as if they want to rebel. In schools, they normally perform poorly than other students.
Hon. President, it is important to look at this issue. I appreciate that this issue was brought into this august House so that we observe whether children’s rights are being observed or not. We need to ascertain what should be done to improve innocent children’s rights. So, I would like to appreciate this motion saying that such issues should find closure and there should be a proper conclusion. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 11th November, 2021.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE), the Senate adjourned at Nineteen Minutes to Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 9th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER
NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill [H. B. 4, 2021] and all Statutory Instruments published in the Government Gazette during the month of September and October 2021; except for Statutory Instrument 234 of 2021 which is still under consideration.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of national importance Madam Speaker. There is an excessive drug abuse across the country. It would be good for us to understand the measures Government is taking to curb that while there is unemployment and many other reasons that it has gotten to a level where it has become a way of life. My Constituency itself is a hotspot. Out of the three youths you come across, each of them is intoxicated and I am wondering what we should do. I am hoping that it must be declared a national disaster. It has to be declared a national disaster so that Government comes up with measures of ensuring that there are rehabilitation centres and hospitals to start taking care of them to see how best they can get out of this situation.
Madam Speaker, I see a situation, if Government does not move up the ladder with what is going on, we have no nation to talk about, no generation to talk about and it is costly. It is expensive and when they are intoxicated, they can do anything. They are stealing and you cannot report your child for stealing. So crime rate increases and abuse as well with other parties and so forth. So Madam Speaker, it is important that it is declared a national disaster and Government comes up with measures of curbing, it or else the situation as I have said, is totally out of hand. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Mliswa. Your point of national interest is valid. Sure, the issue of drug abuse has become a pandemic. I think we can ask the responsible Minister to come to this House with a Ministerial Statement so that Hon. Members of Parliament can have chances to interrogate the Minister on how the Government is intending to deal with this issue of drug abuse. Thank you.
HON. NDUNA: On a point of privilege Madam Speaker. Good afternoon Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good afternoon Hon. Nduna.
HON. NDUNA: Madam Speaker, my point of privilege is based on Information Communication Technology (ICT). I have just come from attending a lecture at the University of Zimbabwe which you ably proposed and gave me a recommendation to go and attend a Law First Degree. I have observed in the class of 350 kids that I am in, there was a question raised by the lecturer in particular, Prof. Stewart on ICT gadgets or laptops. How many children that were attending the Law School if at all had laptops with them and to that end Madam Speaker, only half of the class had sight of the laptop, used the laptop and the majority of the kids are coming from A’ level. My point exactly is that at university they do not use manual writing pads, they use laptops but some of these kids have never seen a laptop and do not own one, at least 50% of the 350 of them.
Whilst Government is conducting school computerisation programme and the community computer centres that are championed by the Minister of ICT, it is my clarion call and fervent view that for us to move with speed and expeditiously in that regard, would it please the Minister of ICT to roll-out that programme using the Members of Parliament, the 210 of them so that they can expeditiously computerise the schools and that when these children come from schools they can now be endowed with the attitude of computer learning so that we do not hamper their learning in information, communication and technology?
Having said that Madam Speaker, ICT is a low hanging fruit and if it can be embraced in the establishment of a gateway solution or systems that can be used as an accounting or auditing and billing platform for terminating international calls because there are trillion and trillions of dollars arising from ICT inclusion, I pray that the Minister of ICT comes to the House and presents a plan that includes Members of Parliament to give students ICT gadgets first and foremost, and also try and ameliorate the challenges that the Law School at the Law Faculty, children in the University of Zimbabwe have in providing them with ICT gadgets before Friday because they have got their first exam and they do not have ICT gadgets. Thank you
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna, on that issue, I advise you to ask the Minister of ICT tomorrow. Please, if you may ask it tomorrow to the Minister of ICT.
(v)HON. NDUNA: I thank you Madam Speaker, I am perennially indebted to your guidance.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: Madam Speaker, I rise on a matter of national importance. The Glasgow COP26 Conference has been topical both domestically and internationally. Zimbabwe has been part of the global event. I would wish if the Minister of Environment and Climate Change would come before this august House with a report or Ministerial Statement because we believe this is an important event, given the circumstances that we find ourselves in as Zimbabwe, you know the Cyclone Idai and other calamites that have fallen us as a nation. So, I kindly seek your indulgence Madam Speaker, to compel the Hon. Minister to bring us a Ministerial Statement.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Mushoriwa but my understanding is that the Minister is still in Scotland. I am not sure if he is back in the country but I will find out and convey the message. I am also being advised that we have a parliamentary delegation which is attending the conference. They will come with a report which they will present to the House and the Minister will also be able to answer to that report.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 4 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 5 has been disposed of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the
Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. My point of order is that today is Government Business. I remember the Speaker, when the Acting President was here, Vice President Chiwenga - he was very clear in defending that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the days that the Ministers must be here and it was a Thursday, but they have got a lot of work to do in terms of pushing Bills and so forth. Why are they not here to push Bills, because that is also important? The SONA in itself had about five Bills which have not seen the end of the day. So, I do not know how serious the Ministers are in terms of pushing Bills because they cannot like this. The First is going to elapse and then they are extended again to the next session. I do not know, maybe the Government Chief Whip can assist us. Did they all go with the President to Scotland on that 100 flight seater?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ministers, I am sure are attending a Cabinet meeting and I am sure they will be joining us after the Cabinet meeting. Thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I was going to say today is Government Business. The main person we expect for such a day is the Leader of Government business, otherwise the Hon. Member’s concern is misplaced though he is my friend – [HON. T. MLISWA: Inaudible interjection.] - The Leader of Government business is coming and the Ministers will come after Cabinet.
HON. H. MGUNI: Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am for also giving me the opportunity to contribute to the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa called upon all of us to heighten our definition with regards to continued vaccination in order to meet our desire to national herd immunity target. I welcome his call and plead with the people of Zimbabwe to vaccinate in order for the country to reach herd immunity and be able to live in the new normal.
His Excellency also discussed an upward growth trajectory of our economy with this year’s projection being at 7.8% economic growth and the higher prediction being based on a good 2021 agricultural season and international mineral commodity prices, stable inflation, exchange rate, as well as the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. I welcome this positive projection and urge business owners in various rural areas to continue to follow price regulations and not to drive up the prices of goods and adhere to the trade loans in order for us to bring fruits to the projected economic growth. I also urge the people of the country, especially those in rural areas to adhere to COVID-19 regulations that include and are not limited to wearing of masks and washing of hands in order to ensure containment of the pandemic and a successful agricultural business.
The President also reiterated on our call for the urgent and unconditional removal of sanctions against our beloved Zimbabwe that had an impact on our economy. I strongly support the reiteration of our call as this would experience even better economic growth without hindrances offered by the sanctions.
His Excellency also commended the rising number of young people undertaking farming businesses in the country. He stated that this new crop of young farmers show us that the land that we fought for will remain for posterity. He discussed the performance of two key crops, namely cumulative tobacco sales with export earnings surpassing US$598 000 and cotton production which also increased by 100% to 92 000 metric tonnes. Indeed, the land for which our war veterans so bravely fought for is in good hands. I encourage the youth around the country, especially in Mangwe, to take more interest in farming so that they can contribute to Zimbabwe’s agricultural exports and economic growth and help our beloved Zimbabwe to win back the title – the breadbasket of Africa.
His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa discussed Government’s effort to fix agriculture into perspective and stated that after two years, there will be real successes. Indeed, this has been a success in rural areas such as the Mangwe Constituency where families have grown their food and do not need hand-outs as much as they used to do. Some of the farmers who have converted into business people have begun production for gain. I encourage people all over the country and the people of Mangwe to continue with the entrepreneurship spirit that has been encouraged by His Excellency Cde Mnangagwa. I thank you.
HON. MANDIWANZIRA: Thank you Madam Speaker for allowing me to contribute to the motion on the State of the Nation address by His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. I would like to thank Hon. Mutambisi who raised the motion as well as Hon. T. Moyo who seconded the motion.
By just listening to His Excellency’s address, you cannot miss the clarity, vision, trajectory and the progress that the country is on under the New Dispensation. Clearly, the address by His Excellency demonstrated the Government’s commitment and serious determination for economic progress. Not only was the statement powerful in itself but it also had many examples of real milestones that the Government has achieved in taking the country forward, that the majority of the people in here would agree with me that we are moving from one point to another on an uphill trajectory.
I would like to first of all, in terms of the content, applaud His Excellency for highlighting the import substitution strategy as well as the local content policy. I believe this is an important area if we are going to see more development in our country and by highlighting it, His Excellency was very clear that this is the direction that we need to go; that we must see more local products that are being made by locals on the supermarket shelves. I believe that Zimbabweans in the private sector, politically active and non-politically active, if we unite in supporting this policy by the President, we can achieve far much more.
Madam Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to call upon the Government to support an aggressive implementation of this policy. Not only can we achieve success economically but we can substitute imports or substitute the exportation of dividends by ensuring that a lot of the products are being made locally. I am going to give you an example; I am a Member of Parliament for Nyanga South Constituency and in Nyanga South, we have some of the most attractive tourist destinations, among them the Troutbeck Resort and Montclair. I am sure most Hon. Members of Parliament have been there and enjoyed the hospitality. However, when you walk in there, they will give you water coming from Harare, purified Harare water, yet you will be in an area which probably has the most amount of natural springs in the country. Those natural springs produce pure water that has export value.
I believe that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, through the budget process, must make available resources for the importation of machinery for water bottling for every district that has those springs. How do we help the economy by doing that? We have a lot of big investors who have come from outside the country to bottle our water so we can drink it. They purify our Harare water, they sell it to us, when they get their profits, they change the money and ship those profits outside the country yet we can employ our young Zimbabweans in Nyanga and many other districts where we have water to produce water for consumption by Zimbabweans. I am sure we have water in every district.
Not only are we substituting imports, we are creating employment and make sure that we do not export foreign currency that is made by those who are profiteering. We have invested in water bottling in our country. However, for that to happen, I believe that the Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, can actually come up with a package that basically says, we are going to import for every district, a water bottling plant that must produce water that will be consumed by Members of Parliament when they are attending a workshop at Montclaire or Troutbeck Resort. I think it is embarrassing to have water coming from Harare so that the people in Nyanga can drink, yet we have the finest water that is reputed in the country. I believe that the President’s vision can be supported in this particular way.
The same applies to timber; we have huge forestry in Nyanga but we buy furniture in Harare, from China and South Africa. When you look at the price of some of the machinery to produce furniture, it is not expensive. When we look at the work that is being done by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education in terms training the skills that are able to use basic machinery to produce furniture and when you go to some of the most active industrial places here in Harare, you will see individuals making furniture. It will honestly be embarrassing that we are importing furniture.
Perhaps in support of the President’s vision, we need resources which are directly targeted at all districts where there is timber to produce locally and supply locally. Therefore, we will be supporting His Excellency’s vision which he spoke about in the State of the Nation Address, that we must continue the efforts towards import substitution and making sure that we are producing to avoid the continued outflow of foreign currency.
We have investors who have come in my district for instance, to cut timber. Locals are hiring equipment in order to cut that timber but I believe that we can, in support of His Excellency’s vision that he clearly articulated in the State of the Nation Address, make resources available to our young men and women who are in desperate need of employment to buy the machinery, make available the foreign currency in order for them to be able to import the machinery for the timber harvesting happening in these areas. I go back again to the point that some of these basic areas, if we allow foreigners to come and invest in them, it is their right to make the profits and ship them out of the country. However, this can be saved and we keep them in our country if we allow our locals to do that because this is not sophisticated investment. I believe that the President’s vision as articulated in his address can be supported through some of these strategies.
This policy can be super-successful because we have the skills. We have the resources that we are producing but we are not converting them and the link is not yet there between what the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education is doing and producing excellent human resources and the financing to make sure that those excellent human resources are employing themselves and being employed in industries in which we have the resources. I spoke of Nyanga but the timber industry can be promoted in Chimanimani District, in Matebeleland Region where we have hard wood timber which is huge in terms of the export market.
His Excellency the President, Cde. Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa spoke about how the Government is investing and scaling up power generation and this in line with the attraction of investment in our country. We must attract investment in Zimbabwe and if Zimbabwe is open for business, which it is as the President has made it very clear through that mantra, we must invest in infrastructure, which allows investment to be able to exist. So the President is not just talking, he is demonstrating that we were not just talking about being open for business. We are putting the building blocks to ensure that those who are coming to invest have access to the power that they require. We must applaud His Excellency the President and the Government for that effort. He mentioned in his address that investment is going into Hwange to make sure that we produce more thermal power because we have huge resources of coal and we still have the time to make use of our coal to generate the electricity that we require.
At the same time, the Government has also been promoting the use of solar energy and we must continue to support the Government and His Excellency on the need to use solar energy. Here lies another opportunity that we are missing which I believe all of us as Zimbabweans, Government, Parliamentarians and the private sector should actually take the lead in promoting. If we walk around to see who are the biggest importers of solar equipment, solar panels, batteries, lithium and gel batteries, they are non- Zimbabweans, they are investors who are coming from the countries where they are manufacturing that equipment.
So where is the opportunity in the solar value chain for locals? For sustainable development to take place and for us to support the President fully in his vision, I believe that we need to make sure that there are resources being directed either by the Government or by industry towards the support of domestic retail industry, particularly where you are retailing imported products.
Madam Speaker, I cannot understand why it is not possible to make sure that the banks are given a particular amount of money or a fund is put in place where young people, groups of women, able-bodied men are able to access those facilities in order to import the solar equipment and we roll-out a huge solar energy system in our country. Again, as long as we are going to allow those who manufacture in their countries to come and also retail them in our country, we are letting go the opportunity of keeping that foreign currency that they make as profit in this country – we are allowing it to leave the country. It is their right when they have invested in the country to take that foreign currency out, but we can avoid it because there is nothing sophisticated about selling solar panels and there is nothing sophisticated about selling lithium batteries. Our young people coming out of colleges and universities are able to do that but what they require is an enabling facility to be able to do that. I think that we can support His Excellency’s vision through that specific focus where funds, either through the budget or through incentives to the financial sector, are put in place to make sure that they are accessed by locals who want to be in this business of importing and deploying solar infrastructure.
Madam Speaker, the President must be applauded for he spoke during his State of the Nation Address about the growth of the mining industry. He spoke about the $12 billion mining industry that we are targeting and we are seeing a lot of the work that the President is doing, commissioning new mines that have been revived, new projects – Greenfield projects and Brownfield projects. So we must applaud the President and his Ministers for the work that is being done. As we do this, we must support the President by ensuring that this $12 billion economy in the mining sector is not only shared by the big investors who are coming from outside the country. The Zimbabweans in the communities where these resources are coming from must equally see and benefit from that $12 billion economy.
For many years, we have had this impression that building a school, putting up a road, power line, internet access and a clinic is community investment. This is self-interest investment because you find that the mining houses themselves benefit from that infrastructure, so they are doing it partially for themselves, and at the same time for the community. I believe, in support of His Excellency’s vision, we need to get to a point where we say, this is not recognised as community reinvestment but community reinvestment must be something that is sustainable. If you are extracting huge resources out of this country and making billions or hundreds and millions of dollars or tens of millions of dollars, we need to see something within the community that will be sustainable…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mandiwanzira, you are left with five minutes.
HON. MANDIWANZIRA: Thank you Madam Speaker. So I believe that we must then start to encourage the investment. As we are attracting this $12 billion, we must begin to see investment that is going towards building of dams and irrigation schemes. I was most impressed Madam Speaker, to see an initiative launched by His Excellency the President with Zimplats –a lot of cattle, that is sustainable community reinvestment. You can tell that the mine is not putting anything of self interest in the community; it is really empowering the community. I am saying that the opportunity is now.
Zimbabwe is an attractive destination because of the huge mineral resources that we have. When we have these huge mineral resources, this is the best time that we have to call for our pound of flesh nekuti munhu wese arikuda kuuya kuno uku Madam Speaker because arikuziva kuti tine coal ne lithium yakawanda. This is the time we must say, tirikuda zvakati, our price must go up. We must say, okay you can access our lithium but we are expecting you to build a dam in that area, you can access our lithium but we expect you to build a hospital and not just a small clinic because the hospital will always be there to assist the community.
Madam Speaker, in support of His Excellency’s vision, I believe the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development can also look at how we issue claims. How we allow people to access claims - I think it must be the right of locals to access claims easily but …
[Time Limit.]
HON. T. MOYO: On a point of Order Madam Speaker! My point of order arises from that fact that we want the Hon. Member to be given an additional five minutes on top of the five minutes that you had ruled.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. MANDIWANZIRA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I would also like to thank the Hon. Member for his gesture and the generosity that I be awarded more time. I really appreciate.
Madam Speaker, the point I was making is that when we are on top of the world in terms of resources and everybody is interested in what we have, it cannot be business as usual. We really need to put our price tag up so that we are benefiting in this time where we are on demand. If you are on demand or when a product is on demand, the price must go up. So in this particular case, I believe our price to the investors who are coming must be up so that our communities really get to benefit. Our price must be up so that our locals have the advantage - I was making the point around how mining claims are accessed.
I come from Nyanga. Two years ago, I went to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, a whole range that has potential gold had been pegged. I went to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and said, ‘I have not seen any mining activity in this area, who is mining?’ There was a company with a very foreign name and the officials confirmed that it was a non-Zimbabwean - two and a half years later, the place is still like that. It means that the potential answer is that they are speculating. I believe it is fair for Zimbabweans to speculate because it is their country but if we have foreigners who are coming to speculate, peg huge areas, do not allow locals to access that space, they go in just looking for other investors or to sell to others and no progress is taking place in the country. I think that it is an unfair advantage – it is disadvantaging our people.
I believe that when commodity prices are very high and are in demand as they are at the moment, perhaps the Minister may consider to support His Excellency’s vision to say, well for Zimbabweans, it is business as usual. If you want to peg an area, just do as you have always done, but if you are a foreigner because it is not the same anywhere else in the world to get a mining claim like it is easy to get a mining claim here for a foreigner, we must then say we are welcoming investors and we would like foreigners to come and get as much claims as possible in order for them to exploit it so that they do not speculate. We must also be able to put a system that says, put USD$250 000.00 in a secure deposit at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in order to get the licence to go and peg our ground. If they do not exploit that resource for three years, that is okay because their money is sitting at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and is being used to sustain our economy. It can only be done now when we are attractive.
I am suggesting Madam Speaker, that as we support His Excellency’s vision, clarity as expressed in his State of the Nation Address, we must take advantage of some of these opportunities that are being brought about by the attractiveness of our country as a result of the resources that we have. Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa spoke about the agricultural output, particularly the almost 210 million kgs of tobacco that has been produced by our farmers. We must applaud those farmers for doing a great job; they are earning the country a lot of foreign currency. It made me think about some complaints I have heard from industry where the complaints, whether justified or unjustified, that there is one company or there is one bank that has monopolised Command Agriculture and I am saying if there is foreign currency that can be made from tobacco, if our farmers, wherever they are, are able to produce 210kg of tobacco, why are we not having those who are interested to come in and start command tobacco farming? Put your own money there and earn the forex. So we have opportunities to support His Excellency’s vision through the private sector, through financial institutions and not complain about others, but to take our own space and occupy that space as Zimbabweans in support of the vision and clarity that His Excellency the President expressed through the State of the Nation Address.
So command tobacco is an opportunity, command soya beans is an opportunity. If we complain that so and so was given everything, why do we not go on to tobacco because I have not heard of command tobacco but it is said the forex is there. I think if we open and broaden our minds as Zimbabweans, we will see opportunities and we can take the country forward.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion and as I commend His Excellency’s State of the Nation Address and debate it, I would like to point out the fact that while a lot of this development is taking place, a lot of the foreign companies, foreign contractors will come and get opportunities in our country, which is fantastic. They will impart their skills and share their technologies with our local people. That is excellent. At the same time, we have also seen how the Government has demonstrated its commitment and belief in our local contractors, especially as we drive along the Harare-Masvingo to Beitbridge Road that the locals equally have the capacity and can do it. The Government must be applauded for that, but where foreigners are getting contracts, I believe it is important to support sustainable development that there must be a strict rule that a certain percentage of that value of the contract is spent on locals because it is very possible that a company from country X will be granted a contract to do a road. Everything on that road – equipment, Bitumen will come from that X country. We have seen examples of even food coming from that X country, and I am not talking about any particular individual country. It can be any country, but unless we put strict rules that say if you get a $100 million contract, 40% you have to spend on locals, you have a chance that the contractor will not look for an investor from X country who is making quarry so that they can buy from them. They will look for a local who is making quarry to buy from them and that way, we can achieve sustainable development. That is what I would like to encourage as I debate the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency the President.
Madam Speaker, as I end, I would like to thank His Excellency on the success of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out that this country has seen and experienced. That success is phenomenal and it is being celebrated everywhere. I believe Madam Speaker, something that has not been pointed out is the fact that it is the success of our foreign policy that has seen part of that successful roll-out. It is the relationship this Government has built with the People’s Republic of China why we have been able to access sinovac and sinopharm and for Zimbabweans, I think it is a reason to celebrate. China was the first country to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Coronavirus within its shores. I did not say it started in China, but I said China was the first country to publicly acknowledge, which means they have taken the time to understand this virus and develop vaccines that are able to deal significantly with this virus. Thus, we have been able to access these vaccines and roll-out to the extent that this Government has rolled out, is good reason to thank and celebrate the efforts of President, Cde Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. I thank you Madam Speaker.
(v)HON. MAPHOSA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would want to add my voice to the motion moved by Hon. Mutambisi seconded by Hon. T. Moyo, on the State of the Nation Address that was given to Parliament by His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa.
I would want to touch on a number of issues that the President raised in his speech that I think as a House, we should take note of and make sure that these things are solved once and for all or a solution is made to make sure that we try and solve them as Parliament.
The first one is on education. The President clearly said that we must attain proficiency in education, both in primary and higher education. Madam Speaker, while we appreciate and all look forward to this, I think there are some things that we should look at that hinder the country to have such education in Zimbabwe. For example, Madam Speaker, I went to our primary school where I stay. The teacher to pupil ratio is about 1 teacher to 60 pupils in a class. When I was growing up and was going to primary school, I learnt that we should have a good teacher rapport in every subject that a student is undertaking. My question Madam Speaker is, if a class has got 60 pupils, how does a teacher have a one on one rapport with a student?
My worry is that teachers’ colleges are training teachers each and every year and we have graduations where I attend as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education each and every day, but those teachers are not employed. What kind of a system do we have as a country? A system that trains, that encourages its own people and its own youths to go and train. They undergo training and some of them even sell whatever they have. Some of them work just to get money to train themselves and after that they are deemed unemployable in the same system that trained them. While they do not have jobs, the students in classrooms do not have teachers. It is food for thought Madam Speaker and as a country, we should start to be serious. If we are saying these people are now redundant and their education cannot fit in the country or in the direction we need to take as a country, then we must stop taking, and teaching them things that they will not use in their lives. So I want that point to be taken and the Ministry, when answering on this, to give us a response as to how do we train people that we deem are not useful to our country?
Secondly Madam Speaker, still on that, if we have 60 pupils in that classroom in this COVID era, what are we saying? We are saying we want to fight COVID yet we have children packed in a classroom like bags of potatoes. I think we are not serious. We should look in the inner depth of ourselves. I also acknowledge what the President talked about the issue of innovation for a knowledge driven economy. Madam Speaker, this is a very important aspect in our education system where we are now looking at heritage based and Education 5.0 which is taking us from the kind of education which we had into a more practical and a more visible way of learning where a student learns something that he can do or use in starting his or her own business. We welcome this type of education and we think that the country will put resources in innovation hubs and industrial parks to make sure that the vision that has been given by the Minister of Education attains its intended purpose so that we have an education system that will drive the economic growth of this country.
We have been in other countries like Turkey where we saw that their economy is driven by education. Whatever they sell or whatever they grow under agriculture is driven by their education system. You would find their colleges and universities working every day to try and come up with new technological ways. I always talk about Pfumvudza as a good initiative Madam Speaker but we are using backward system of farming. Whilst it is producing results, you labour hard to produce a tonne of maize and to me it is very backward. We are saying our education system should come up with innovations and new ways of doing our agriculture. We know that Zimbabwe is an agricultural country so we should bank on our education – [Technical glitch] – instead of the way we have been doing whereby somebody comes to the field without even wanting to go back, rather, it should be exciting and interesting. It should be something that somebody is looking forward to be doing tomorrow and we can attain that by investing more in our education system and looking more in the practical side of education.
Madam Speaker, the President also spoke about how youths are now being worn away by the issue of drug substance abuse. This has become a sad scenario especially in places where we stay. I stay in Gwanda, it is so sad that it has come in the eyes of the President that the drug substance abuse is taking away the livelihoods. My worry Madam Speaker is we now have barons, the rich people that are exploiting our children and our youths. These people are known in their areas and you just go and ask where can I go and get mutoriro. My worry is these people are not being arrested and brought to book. Whilst we must help the youths that are abusing drugs, we should also look at the root cause. How are they getting the drugs? If they were to import them from South Africa, the youths will not have money to do that but because they are buying them from their next door neighbours, they are accessible.
I would want to challenge the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police department to say why they are not arresting these people? Is there something we should know as parliamentarians or as a country that is feeding into the economy that makes these people not to be arrested. It is my plea and prayer that the issue of drug abuse should be put to an end by arresting the perpetrators that exploit our youths because they know that they are not employed, there are no industrial parks and industrial centres where they can go and train themselves. They have nothing to do but to abuse drugs.
Madam Speaker, I will also go to the issue of gender that was spoken by the President to a greater length. It is so sad that 21 years after independence, we are still talking about gender equality. By this time, we should be able to follow the Constitution and make sure that in whatever we do, in every organisation and wherever there is a structure, there is gender equality. If there is gender equality, we would be able to address some of the painful issues in our country such as gender based violence, sexual harassment and some violations. These things come because women are always seen as weaker people and vulnerable. If you are employed at a company with qualifications to become a manager, you will not get that position. For you to get that position, you will have to go through exploitation and abuse. As a woman, you have to go through difficult space to get a position that rightfully belongs to you. It is my plea that as Government and as a country, let us ensure that gender equality is attained at all times. Madam Speaker, I would not be able to speak about everything that I have, I would like to give time for others. Having said that, I thank you Madam Speaker and I rest my case.
(v)HON. MOKONE: Thank very much Madam Speaker. Good afternoon to you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good afternoon.
(v)HON. MOKONE: I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the State of the Nation Address by the President of Zimbabwe, Cde. Emmerson Mnangagwa. Madam Speaker, my point of departure would be the issue of digitalisation. The President spoke passionately about many Bills that are pending and still to be passed by Parliament. Amongst the Bills, we have a Media Bill that we are expecting to sail through in this Parliament. In line with this, I would like to passionately speak about the issue of digitalisation which is a topical issue these days. Madam Speaker, there is need for us to prioritise the issue of digitalisation so that it is completed. Let me bring to your attention that the digitalisation programme was started in 2015 and up to date, it has not been completed. This is affecting the communication system to citizens of this country, hence the need to speed up the digitalisation process.
Madam Speaker, let me move on the issue of health which the President also passionately spoke about. The President praised the health institutions for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. However, let me bring it to your attention that where I come from in Matabeleland South, COVID-19 exposed us greatly. Matabeleland South has got 13 districts and more than 160 wards. In those wards, there are no ward clinics. They only have major hospitals in the districts. As a stopgap measure, I would like to recommend to the august House that we have ward clinics. For instance, Gwanda town has a population of more than 11 000 people, but you will discover that Gwanda Town only has one major polyclinic which is Karama Polyclinic in the locations of Gwanda. So if that one clinic is the one that is serving more than eleven thousand people, I think it does not speak well of us as parliamentarians. There is need for us to actually invest in clinics in our wards. Recently in Matebeleland South, Manama Hospital had its roof taken by the wind. I think as this House, there is also need to speed up the repair of this hospital.
I move on to the issue of education. Let me give you a quote from Erasmus. Erasmus once said that “nothing but education defines the future of a person and of a nation”. There is need for us to actually invest in our education sector. The teachers are complaining that they are not paid well and our infrastructure is bad. There is need for us to remunerate the teachers very well so that they execute their duties in a proper manner. You will agree with me that COVID-19 actually meant that a lot of learners lost a lot of time because of the lockdowns. There is need for us to actually see to it that teachers are well remunerated so that they do not waste time going on strikes. There is also need again since everything is now done online, to actually have special courses for teachers because you will agree with me that some of the teachers that we have are not IT literate, so there is need for the Ministry to do refresher courses for the teachers that are not IT literate.
On the issue of mining, if we look at the province I come from, Matebeleland South, mining is the backbone of that province. The province is rich in gold, cement and other minerals. Therefore, there is need for us to invest in the small scale miners because the equipment is very expensive, so the miners need our help.
The economy of Matebeleland South is also agrarian in nature. The soils in Matebeleland South are very good but some would want to farm. There is need for us to invest in water reservoirs. There is a dam that is not yet complete, that is Tuli-Manyange. I am sure there is need for us to speed up that process so that we actually harvest water using that dam.
Madam Speaker, if I can also bring to your attention that I am one of the people who was actually vocal on the issue of drug abuse. There is need for this Government to see to it that our kids are protected from drug abuse.
My last point will be the issue of youths and women. There is need to actually see to it that these vulnerable groups are well catered for in everything, be it social or economical, there is need that we include them. I will also include another group of vulnerable people, which is the group of people living with disabilities. There is also need for us when we are doing our budget to include people with disabilities. Thank you.
(v) HON. NHAMBURO: I would like to start by thanking our President, His Excellency E. D. Mnangagwa, for the State of the Nation Address which was so good. I would like to thank him very much for being such a visionary and encouraging the majority of the citizenry and that helped the COVID-19 cases to be low. I would like to also appreciate and encourage the citizens and obey the rules that we are given to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I would like to applaud the leadership of President Mnangagwa that has seen the economy growing and thank him for ensuring that the economy grows by 7%. That has contributed to the development of this country.
I want to appreciate the SONA for also touching on the issue of the foreign currency system that has stabilised prices. Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza /Intwasa, the climate smart agriculture system has also led to the success of agriculture that has contributed to the improvement of people’s livelihood. We also would like to applaud that we had a bumper harvest which has seen export substitution, so that way we are saving foreign currency. That foreign currency can be channelled to other projects. I also would like to applaud the inter-ministerial committee that was set up by the President which is looking into the fight against drug abuse, especially by the youths and that shows that the President is very much worried about the future of this country. If we conquer that problem, then the future will be bright.
I also would to thank the President for the road rehabilitation and development going on, including in the rural areas. I would like to really applaud the President for this wonderful job he is doing as the rural areas are now accessible. Finally, I want to show my gratitude for the devolution agenda which has brought development in rural areas and infrastructure such as schools and health facilities. We are now building schools and medical facilities in rural areas which have brought so much joy to the citizens of Zimbabwe. Thank you.
(v)HON. M. M. MPOFU: Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important motion raised by Hon. Mutambisi and seconded by Hon. T. Moyo. May I take this golden opportunity to thank His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe for the SONA presented on 7th October, 2021 in this august House. The much anticipated address points to positively further move our developmental agenda forward as a peace loving and hardworking nation. Most people put their hopes in this Second Republic to improve our livelihoods.
Our President is an always visionary leader and his efforts need to be supported by all Zimbabweans for the Vision 2030. As people from a rural constituency, we have embraced the President’s speech and now want to move forward as indicated in the address. We acknowledge that the economy can be grown extensively when all resources such as gold are properly harnessed, as buttressed by the good rains last season and envisaged by the normal to above rainfall which will help in bolstering the agricultural sector, leading to the enhancement of food security and people’s livelihoods.
The President alluded to the fact that Government will avail inputs to all potential farmers in the country to maximise propagated hectarage. I would like to thank His Excellency for the gigantic efforts to ensure that sufficiency in the agriculture sector. However, there is a serious challenge of transporting the inputs to the intended beneficiaries because it is a fact that this year it has been loud and clear that no one should compel villagers to contribute towards transportation of inputs.
On the other hand, GMB does have enough trucks to withstand the pressure of the programme and there is a possibility that in some areas, inputs would be distributed late unless there is a prompt intervention by Government to ensure speedy transportation of these inputs. I am quite confident that whilst the inputs are in place on time, there will be a repeat of last year’s bumper harvest.
His Excellency said that payment of farmers has been enhanced and this will encourage more farmers in future to deliver their produce to GMB. However, on the ground, there is need for an improved payment system because GMB has been ordering people to go to towns to open bank accounts. This does not augur well with our rural constituencies with some farmers who ended up sending their produce to the parallel market which are paying cash in United Stated Dollars.
Allow me to thank the President for approving the IFAD and Government’s revitalisation of irrigation schemes. In Silobela where I come from, I have got two irrigation schemes; exchange irrigation schemes in Mayoka have been rehabilitated and for the first time in the history of this scheme, over 50 hectares have been put under irrigation. This will contribute immensely in reducing the wheat input bill by the Government of Zimbabwe.
Turning to the mining sector, I would like to thank His Excellency for being true to his word on the resuscitation of closed mines and injecting finances to align mining giants like in Silobela, Jena Mines has marginally increased gold and created more employment for our community. I hope and believe that increased gold output will ensure availability of foreign currency in our economy. There is a lot of leakages through unregistered hammer and ball mills which are all over the shore producing the precious mineral which eventually finds its way into the parallel market. Stern measures should be put in place to stop these leakages which are bleeding our economy.
On the availability of dipping chemicals for cattle – these are very essential and were distributed to the community but the other arms of Government should complement His Excellency’s vision by ensuring that water sources are also rehabilitated. Of late, water has been a huge challenge for watering and for domestic use. I hope devolution funds will go a long way in ensuring that tangible development is visible on the ground if they are utilised properly. A lot of livestock succumbed to January and tick-borne disease. Let us bear in mind that livestock is the main bank for our farmers, especially in our rural areas. Technical arms of Government should complement Government efforts to come up with recommended dipping regimes during the course of the year. At the present moment, technical backstopping is lacking in the rural areas but the Government employees who are tasked to work with the farmers are always available in the vicinity and offering lip service to the farmers.
Allow me to thank His Excellency for a job well done in combating the COVID-19 scourge which was threatening all humanity on this planet. The restrictive measures in the form of lockdowns, although they were painful, they worked very well in reducing infections and COVID-19 related diseases. May the Ministry of Health continue to avail vaccines so that people continue to be vaccinated because at the present moment, the process has slowed down and this will compromise our bid to rescue our expected target on the Vaccination Programme.
I would also like to support the President on the removal of sanctions. These sanctions are hurting us as a nation. I would also like to thank the President on the Road Rehabilitation Scheme. Our Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane Road was rehabilitated. This road was no longer trafficable but the President, according to his words, has rehabilitated that road. We are also looking forward to the Sogwala-Lahleka-Zhombe Road to be rehabilitated; the Python-Gove- Donso Road to be rehabilitated and also Mavoye Cross Road. We have bridges like Python-Somoza Bridge which needs to be attended to. We know that the President will do that. We do not have bridges that connect us to Loreto Hospital and we hope that the Ministry of Transport will also look at that and help us.
I heard our Minister of Health and Child Care, the Vice President saying that Silobela Hospital is one of the hospitals which are earmarked for rehabilitation this year. We are very thankful for that because our nurses and some staff were now using wards and mothers’ shelters as their bedrooms because of lack of accommodation. Thank you very much for allowing me to air my view on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe.
(V)HON. NDEBELE: On a point of order Madam Speaker. The President is the first citizen of this country. It is only in order for Members of Parliament to pronounce his second name properly. I have been following debates and so far about three members of the august House have been pronouncing his second name as Mnangarwa. This is a source of discomfort. More-so, if it is coming from members of the ruling party. I wish you would invite members to ensure that they pronounce the second name of the President correctly.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): I am sure that is noted. The name of His Excellency the President is E.D. Mnangagwa.
(V)HON. NDEBELE: Exactly and not Mnangarwa.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you for that, it is quite true and it is important for us to pronounce it the right way. With the Shona dialects, ‘gwa’ can be ‘rwa’ but for the first citizen, it is good for us to be pronouncing it correctly.
(V)HON. NDEBELE: It is unforgiveable, we cannot hide behind a finger.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I totally agree with you and I share the same sentiments. May Hon. Members please pronounce the President’s name correctly – Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. I am sure that Hon. Members have taken note.
(V)HON. MUSAKWA: I would like to contribute on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by His Excellency which was underpinned by the stability in the economy. The President mentioned that he was bode by the growth trajectory that is being exhibited in the economy of 7.8% which was underpinned mostly by agriculture where our tobacco earnings had surpassed 589.6 million by the time of the speech and also a remarkable growth in the mining sector. This shows the nation that His Excellency has got his hands fully on the wheel and the economy is in the right hands. This is evidenced by the growth that he mentioned.
I also want to commend the President on the manner in which he handled and is still handling the disease which has caused havoc globally. We have seen that through interventions of prevention, treatment as well as the massive Vaccination Programme; we have seen that the disease in Zimbabwe could have gone out of control but under his capable hands, it has been brought under control where we are now recording as low as 34 cases per day in a country of over 15 million people. This is quite remarkable and commendable.
I also want to commend the President on the efforts he is doing in infrastructure development, where it is evident that in the country there is a lot of road rehabilitation going on through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme through the national road construction like the Harare-Beitbridge, it is quite commendable. The State of the Nation emphasises the continued work by the Government to pull in this trajectory.
I also want to encourage the Government to stabilise power supplies which are a bit erratic at the moment but the President emphasised in his Speech that the Government will leave no stone unturned to make sure that coal-fired thermal stations are rehabilitated and new installations like Hwange 7 and 8 are going to be concluded in the near future. This shows the Government’s commitment to stabilise and improve the power sector which is a major catalyst in economic development and industrial growth. This is quite commendable as most industries are dependent on power.
In short, I would like to say that the President touched on everything from agriculture, mining, tourism and hospitality, the financial sector and it is quite commendable. I would like to commend him for that. I thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity so that I could air my views on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. I also want to thank the mover of the motion, Hon. Mutambisi, seconded by Hon. T. Moyo for this very important debate that we are conducting as a House.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, not since independence has it been more interesting and exciting to talk about nation-building in this country. When you listen to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) Speech by His Excellency, he galvanises the whole nation to recommit everyone to serve the motherland whole-heatedly towards improving the quality of life for all and lasting development which leaves no one and no place behind. Those are words of a statesman Madam Speaker Ma’am, words that can be equated to the transformation that took place in the People’s Republic of China during the Deng Xiaoping’s era that propelled China from a developing country to a world leader. I think this is the time for Zimbabweans wherever we are, to realise that this is an opportunity for us to propel the country forward in development.
I wish to applaud His Excellency for those profound words which actually resonate well with what is happening on the ground. The Second Republic is really showing that everybody in Zimbabwe is important and has to enjoy the fruits and benefits of independence. When the President says, no person and no place will be left behind, we feel proud that at last, places that have been previously marginalised and did not have network, radio and television signals, roads and have marginalised agriculture are going to see development coming their way. Places that have not had high pass rates – I come from a region and Constituency where, one month ago, there was an opportunity to send students to our National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and we looked around the entire district, we only found two students who could qualify to go to NUST, out of the more than 40 old schools. We are saying to ourselves, we are only good enough to produce only two students to go to the National University of Science and Technology.
This is the time that those who have been left behind previously now need to come on board and join the development that is for us all. Madam Speaker Ma’am, in my view, opportunities in those marginalised areas should come in the form of affirmative action both from tertiary institutions and also secondary schools. We need to assist everybody to come on board so that when we get to Vision 2030, no one is left behind so that everybody embraces this clarion call.
Coming to opportunities that the President and the new dispensation had given to the mining sector, the $12 billion economy, the previous speaker mentioned that the $12 billion needs to be visible on the ground. However, my emphasis that I want to make is that, while it has been noble to grant concessions and an Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs) to mining companies, the conditions under which they are operating in the communal and rural areas – they are sidelining our youths that have the capacity and potential to be miners as well. Where relationships are established between EPOs and miners, the lord-serf relationship of the Medieval Village times is coming into play where the tributary miners work virtually and literally for nothing except for the benefit of the EPO owner. We are saying these are the people whom we need to empower, not individual EPO holders. We need to ensure that our youths and women, get the opportunities to bag claims, mine and get these resources. This is the empowerment we can give if at all.
I would also like to applaud the President, Cde. E. D Mnangagwa on the issue of the alignment of laws. Given where we are coming from, only 42 laws remain to be aligned to the Constitution. This is a commendable fit given that we had a new Constitution only in 2013 and all these are planned to be aligned in the next Session of Parliament. Of importance to us as a Committee on Defence and Home Affairs are the laws that have to do with registration of birth and death in this country. This is a challenge in the Constituency where I come from, the majority of youngsters and old people do not have birth certificates. It is a nightmare to get birth certificates and we hope that when the new laws are realigned, they will make it easy and cheaper for people to get birth certificates from wherever they are, where they can get them online because currently, it is very costly for individuals to get birth certificates, travelling long distances only to be turned away at birth issuance centres and these sub offices need to be established in all parts of the country so that people have easy access to birth certificates. Undocumented people are a security risk and it is our clarion call or plea that the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage does all it can to ensure that births are recorded for every person in this country.
Then the issue of women’s youth and war veterans’ bank, Madam Speaker Ma’am, we want to applaud the Government for establishing these banks. However, the observation is that the lending conditions are still prohibitive for these groups of Zimbabweans. Our plea is for rates to be lowered, conditions to be more flexible and friendlier as well for the war veterans – what they prefer most are mortgages rather than loans because some of them really do not need loans. They do not need to get into business, all they need is to survive for the last days of their lives. They just require soft loans for immediate requirement and not difficult things where they will be forced to provide collateral security in terms of their own investments, i.e. houses.
The eagerly awaited Devolution Bill, I am glad is being given priority and this Bill comes with several amendments to several Bills, like the Urban Councils Amendment Bill, RDC Amendment Bill and so forth. This will facilitate and speed up the empowerment of local communities, particularly on issues of the resources that we have in our local communities. In mining, agriculture, water and development – we hope that this will be done in the current session so that when we go onto the 23 plebiscites, this is behind us because the nation is eagerly awaiting for resources to be properly allocated. Yes, admittedly, Government has been allocating devolution funds but this is not enough. We need laws that cover how these funds are used so that there is transparency and adequate accountability.
Finally Madam Speaker Ma’am, I would want to talk about the NSSA pensions. My plea is that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare needs to review these pensions. Yes, they reviewed them upwards from USD$15.00 to USD$45.00 and now they are going to be USD$60.00 per month per individual but who can live off with USD$60.00 a month? These are people who have contributed to the development of this country; worked hard all their lives, they toiled making major investments some of which is the pride of country or even not a pride of the region and to expect them to live off on USD$60.00 per month is really not being fair to them and to our seniors. My suggestion is that the pension should at least be reviewed upwards to a minimum of about USD$200.00 per month for all pensioners, including war veterans so that at least they have a decent life.
Let us honour them for what they did for this country, for looking after us, for bringing us to this world, then looking after us and building this country to what it is. Instead of them to live as paupers for all their lives and medication, housing and electricity is expensive – they cannot afford these things. So why not make them enjoy for the rest of their lives? Let the young people work hard. We have a lot of affluent people in this country who are splashing money everywhere but our pensioners, the people who really worked so hard are not benefiting at all. If people can build $500 000.00 million dollar homes – that money is obviously not coming through the banks. Those people must be taxed so that our pensioners are looked after, as well as pension funds and insurance companies – are the people who are making a lot of investments using money that was contributed by the pensioners? They drive nice cars and give themselves good salaries but the people who contributed and toiled are getting nothing; they are living in abject poverty. My plea is for these pensions to be reviewed upwards, let us look after our own. There is no one who will come from another country to look after our own Madam Speaker Ma’am.
Finally, there is the issue of rural development. I am glad that the Government has seen it important to change the nomenclature of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to end with rural development because that is what our people really want and that is where emphasis should be put. If we are going to be bringing everybody on board towards Vision 2030 – those are the people who need to be brought on board, not the urbanites because already they have some of the amenities but the people in the rural areas who do not have amenities like water, cooking facilities, electricity, roads, decent houses, let alone ablution facilities, these are the people who need to be brought on board and in their work places, agriculture in particular. We want industry to come to the party and develop agriculture, they must develop the tools.
Our old people are still being expected to use hoes that were used 100 years ago. Why not bring modern technology that is motorized or use electrical motors to till the land, cultivate the land or to spray the crops with chemicals? Industry is just watching. We see these things everywhere, why not get franchise manufacturing or assembling of these items which are manufactured or produced in China and India and bring them home here? Our industry is saying there is no business but the business is there, rural people are there – they cannot be using hoes when industry is there. What is industry doing? They need to come to the party and make sure that they support agriculture and mining. There is no reason why our mining equipment is still coming from China instead of being made locally. Our industry is just standing akimbo and the Chinese are bringing all that equipment and getting all the foreign currency.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, I look forward to a very fruitful Fourth Session of this House. I am so grateful that you gave me this opportunity to add my voice to the President’s State of the Nation Address. I rest my case. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. MUTAMBISI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. MUTAMBISI seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Four Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 9th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. S. K. MOYO: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: Thank you Mr. President. I take this as a privilege to start by praising and thanking the mover of this motion and the other Hon. Senators who have debated before me. As is always the case, I feel very proud and happy to debate this motion. I will not say much because some of the issues were dealt with by the previous speakers. What I want to say is that His. Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is a man of the people with Zimbabweans at heart.
Mr. President, it will not be an over estimation if it is declared today that according to me, His Excellency is the wisest citizen of Zimbabwe of all time. That is what I believe. I have got the reasons to do that. His Excellency did something which nobody expected that it can happen in this country. He surprised us and made us very happy, especially the disability community that for the first time, we have a Judge of the High Court who has visual impairment, Justice Samuel Deme. It has never happened and nobody expected that this will happen.
His Excellency, in June during the gathering of the disabled community, launched the disability policy. You remember that all along we have been clamouring for the establishment of the disability policy that would guide and also prove that disabled people are equal citizens. He came in person to launch that. It might not be as perfect as people may expect but whenever there are gaps, I hope and believe that this should be corrected as we go on. It is better to have something. Nothing is perfect in this world; we always improve in whatever we have. The Japanese say kaizen, meaning continuous improvement in whatever we do.
Lat month His Excellency was in Gweru to come and grace the Disability Expo. I was there and was one of the speakers. He was keen to see in person what disabled people there were doing because he had heard that they are manufacturing some products and so he wanted to see that. He went through the stands. In fact, it was a mini-trade fair which was held in Gweru. It is always rotating provincially but this time it was in Gweru.
During that period, His Excellency spoke about his visions. He reminded us what he had promised in 2018 on June 21 and also we agreed that some of the issues were moving and they were being dealt with. Having said that, we appear to be having a challenge that some of the Cabinet Ministers and Senior Government officials within the Cabinet or within Zimbabwe, appear to be sabotaging the intentions and visions of His Excellency.
The President says this and you go to those officials and you find people are behaving in a different manner. I think Government should take note of that. For example, when these monies which are given to disabled people, we have talked about some people in remote areas like Beitbridge, Plumtree, Mutoko and Muzarabani. I was in Muzarabani last month and also in Mudzi with these Budget Consultations. I discovered that in many areas there is no network and the money goes through the network. Those people are not getting that fund and Government had said okay, this is money but within the officials nobody is taking heed and nobody is taking action.
I think it is very bad and action needs to be taken. His Excellency also talked about some Bills which are going to be presented and he talked about the PVO Bill. I want to say sometime around 2005 - 2008, I am not sure, but I was also one of the board members with the Private Monitoring Act which was elected through that PVO Act. I can declare without any hesitation that Zimbabwe registrations of civil organisations is the easiest you can get anywhere.
I am a member of the Southern African Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD). Many countries are crying that their governments are not registered but in our country, if you satisfy certain conditions that you are not a criminal, you think that things are okay and your I. D. is there, you are mature and over 18 years and you want to use this organisation to push for development - it becomes easy for you to do that. I also know in this regard and that is why I want to support the intention to amend the PVO Act – that some people are using the registrations to push for some sinister agenda.
They have formed some organisations and they call them PVOs, Civil Society Organisations, churches - not all of them of course, some under traditional communities yet if you look at some of them, you find that they are simply tribalistic organisations formed to push for a tribal agenda or some agendas you may not understand. When the Bill comes here, people will have the opportunity to take what is right out of the present Act and throw away that which is not right. I think I support that the Bill be amended.
There is also the question of corruption. It looks like instead of corruption being reduced, it is actually becoming a nation on its own. If it was a person, we would say corruption is now ugogo, mbuya or sekuru. It now has grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is still giving birth to some siblings and if we allow it to go on like that, it will not end. The only challenge which I can see, that is according to me, is that when Government takes action and arrest people who are corrupt, there is an outcry of people saying there is abuse of people by police and that people are being arrested without any case. If you do not arrest those people and you do not take them to book, people start crying again saying Government is neglecting and it is allowing people to do their own.
So whatever the Government of Zimbabwe does, nobody accepts that it is doing anything right. It is blamed everywhere and I think His Excellency and his Cabinet should be bold enough to deal with issues and be frank with everybody that we are not going to relent. A crime should be taken to court, people should be arrested and it does not matter what type of a person he is.
There is a question of all these things like murder. I am on record speaking in this House sometime when an Hon. Member, a highly respected lawyer supported the removal of death sentence in the Constitution which was raised by an Hon. Sen. T. Makone. I am on record to say no, if we do that it is like we are rewarding murderers. There had been murderers in Murehwa recently and also in Mvuma, where somebody takes his lovely wife and the wife says we are going to the bush to look for something, and yet somebody wants to go and harvest a tongue from his wife and others. That person is arrested and he goes to court. You find people calling themselves lawyers and they want to go and represent that person and say no, you cannot kill him and you cannot arrest him. But, it is something which is clear that somebody murdered somebody.
To me, if I had the power – unfortunately I do not have and I am sure there are lawyers who are amongst us, I would say anyone who represents a murderer in court should be charged with defeating the course of justice because somebody has killed someone and you are saying no he has not killed when it is clear that he has murdered someone. So you are also an accomplice in that murder because of a USD, Rand and Pound and you want to go and represent a criminal.
Hon. President of Senate and Hon. Senators gathered here, let me repeat this. I am saying a lawyer who goes to court and represents a clear murderer should be charged with criminal case of defeating the course of justice because we are saying these murder cases should be taken to court and you say no, give him bail; you say a lot of things and things which do not work. We cannot have lawyers surviving on getting money they got through defeating the course of justice.
I want to repeat this - if someone has murdered somebody and it is clear – for example in Mvuma, you rape a pregnant woman and after that you shoot her and conceal all the statements and you are caught. The danger is that we make a mistake by thinking that when a properly investigated case and a murderer has been arrested, you say we cannot hang people. That person will not be a person by that time. It is a beast. Why do you want to keep the beast and feeding the beast? During that action, the person had temporarily ceased to be a person, he would have become an animal. So a beast cannot share the same home with human beings - it is dangerous.
I can talk and talk about this but I am still convinced that murderers should be hanged without any delay. With this debate, I wanted to say His Excellency is a star; he will always get my prayers that he does better. I also want to confess one thing also. Had it not been for the decisive action of the President and his Cabinet, I would have been dead. When the Vice President, Hon. Chiwenga came to present a document on the status of the country in terms of COVID, that is the time I became very convinced that I needed to be vaccinated. Therefore, when I got COVID on the 28th July, I was protected by the vaccine, hence I survived. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MWONZORA: I would like to join other Hon. Members in thanking the President of the Republic for the address that he made to the nation. There is a lot of convergence on most of the issues. We do agree for example, with some of the items on the legislative agenda.
Mr. President, today, I want to talk about two things, the first one is the thing that the President has spoken about over and over and his predecessor President Mugabe talked about this ad infinitum. Many Zimbabweans also talked about this thing and are still talking about it, that is the issue of sanctions. The issue of sanctions as a political issue in Zimbabwe was settled long back. In 2008, the major 3 political parties in this country concluded the Global Political Agreement which was facilitated by SADC and underwritten by the African Union. So, the serious men and women heading the three biggest political parties concluded the Global Political Agreement.
Article 4 of the Global Political Agreement provides that sanctions have to be removed. So it was agreed by the then President Mugabe, Prof. Mutambara and Morgan Tsvangirai that sanctions must go. On our first sitting as the National Assembly immediately after signing of the Global Political Agreement, we reduced that Global Political Agreement into Constitution form. We took that entire agreement and made it Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 19) and Article 4, now Section 4 of that Amendment No. 19 Provides for the removal of sanctions.
On the 4th March 2009, Morgan Tsvangirai addressed the National Assembly for the first time in his capacity as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. In his address among other things, he called for the lifting of the sanctions. After that, Morgan Tsvangirai travelled to New Zealand, Australia and addressed the international community and said the sanctions must be removed. Together with President Mugabe and Prof. Mutambara, they established a re-engagement Committee. This was a committee made up of key Ministers of Government and negotiators of the Global Political Agreement. For the sake of completeness, these ministers included, Hon. Chinamasa, Hon. Goche for ZANU PF, Hon. Welshmen Ncube, Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga for MDC Ncube, Hon. Tendai Bit and Hon. Mangoma for MDC-T. These Ministers traveled to Europe to ask the European Union and the International Community to remove sanctions.
However, Morgan Tsvangirai did not end there again, sometime in 2012, he wrote a direct letter to the British Prime Minister David Cameroon asking him to exercise influence over the European Union for the removal of sanctions. We saw as a direct result of those efforts that in 2013, almost all Zimbabweans who had been put on sanctions list of the European Union were removed with the exception of the late Robert Mugabe and the former first lady Grace Mugabe. They were the only 2 Zimbabweans who remained on the sanctions list of the European Union.
The other company that remained was the Zimbabwe Defence Industries. So, the European Union acted favorably towards the plea of Zimbabwe. Not only did Morgan Tsvangirai end there, even after losing the elections in 2013, he had a meeting in Magaliesburg in South Africa together with his standing committee to ZANU PF equivalent of a politburo, the very highest decision making body of the party. One of the strategic issues was to clamour for the removal of sanctions.
In 2014, the MDC had a congress and at that congress, there is a resolution for the removal of sanctions. Therefore, calling for sanctions to remain is un-MDC; the MDC has made its position clear. After Tsvangirai’s death, we are all very clear, that is why I am saying that this is a politically settled issue. The main sanctions that operate against Zimbabwe if we can go to the sanctions regime, it is the American sanctions brought by ZIDERA in2001. After ZIDERA, President George W. Bush signed executive orders, The first executive order was in 2003, the second was in 2005 and the third executive order was in 2008. In sanctions, in the executive orders, the sanctions targeted specific individuals and in the subsequent orders, they were targeting the individuals and the immediate members of their families together with people associated with them.
I would say that that extension was inherently unjust because it did not matter the political affiliation or behaviour of the member of the immediate family. We know that in families, we have people who belong to different political parties, for example my brother is a staunch ZANU PF supporter.
I am certainly not but we are from the same family. So if he was covered by sanctions, the same sanctions would affect me even if I was by definition innocent. Now, the targeted sanctions were extended to cover companies. The most important thing is that these companies were employers and therefore, some of them have folded, others downsized and the net effect was that the worker was affected.
I want to move away from the targeted sanctions, to the sanctions directed at Government. ZIDERA directs the sanctions not at particular individuals but at Government. Now, because of these sanctions targeted at Government, Zimbabwe does not have equal access to international credit. So, it cannot get credit from the IMF, IDA and other financial institutions. That is problem number one. Problem number two, because of the sanctions, Zimbabwe cannot have equal access to international markets. Let us accept it that the Government is the largest employer. So, if you sanction the employer, you ipso facto, sanction the employee.
As a result, we have sorry conditions of service for our civil servants. So these sanctions had an unintended consequence. These sanctions had too much collateral damage, accepting that the Government is the largest provider of services in health, education, road infrastructure, et cetera. Accepting that the Government is the largest provider of that service, sanctioning the Government means affecting the ability to provide those services. So, we saw health going into comatose, the education system, and so on.
In our respectful view, the people targeted by the sanctions are not the sufferers of the sanctions. The fact of the matter is that these sanctions have made the rich richer and the poor poorer. Therefore, they are not saving their purpose. Massive unemployment has resulted in Zimbabwe – actually 49% of the Zimbabweans live below the poverty datum line. That is unacceptable. The Zimbabwean economy is now smaller than it was in 2002. As a result of sanctions, criminals take advantage. Every situation breeds its own antithesis. So, where there is sanction, the antithesis is sanction busting. The late Ian Smith did that in a very smart way. He was fighting a war that was costing him about one million pounds a day and he was trading with the Soviet Union.
He knew that the Soviet Union was supporting ZAPU; he knew that the Soviet Union were supporting the liberation movements but he sold his chrome to the Soviet Union as a way of busting the sanctions. Now this current Government, we have a lot of top Government people who, under the guise of busting sanctions, are now smuggling gold through regular ports of entry. Those transactions cannot be traced because they are covered by secrecy anyway. So, sanctions breed corruption; make the rich richer and the poor poorer. So they must go. As a result of unemployment, there is a lot of drug abuse by our young people in the locations. They are drinking or smoking mutoriro and other substances. As a result, we have a preponderance of mental illnesses that we did not know.
As MDC, we think these sanctions have outlived their usefulness and they must go. Also because of the sanctions, there is a ready excuse for under performance. Sometimes, people fail to deliver and just blame sanctions. Sometimes, people fail to be fair in the rural areas – you give food to this one and you do not give food to that one and when people ask you why we are being deprived, the ready excuse is sanctions. So that excuse must go.
The MDC, after its congress, made it clear that it wanted to be, it was going to be an effective but responsible opposition. As a result, when the UN envoy came to this country, we led a delegation to the United Nations to see the special envoy. The very first thing that we did when we saw the envoy was to apologise on behalf of Zimbabwe. She had been abused on the social media. She had been called names; she had been treated to racialism by Black Zimbabweans and we think that was irresponsible. So we apologised on behalf of the nation. As a result of our efforts and efforts of others, the Special Envoy produced a preliminary report. In that preliminary report, she is calling for the removal of the sanctions, on the basis that they are affecting the unintended. They are affecting the poor.
If you go to Highfield today, you may not find a house under construction but if you go to Borrowdale, Glenlorne, Mount Pleasant, you will see skyscrapers being erected every day. The rich are getting richer; the poor are getting poorer and we need to redress that.
So this envoy says, the sanctions must go but she did not end there. She said Zimbabweans must engage in meaningful serious dialogue. As the MDC-T, we have said we must engage in dialogue, not for our sake. We must engage in dialogue to redress the issues of the Zimbabwean people. We must dialogue in the best interest of our people. We are fortified that dialogue is the way to go because of three things. The liberation war, which I take judicial notice that you were an active participant there at Lancaster House with a negotiation at Lancaster House. Yes, it came through the barrel of the gun but it also came through the mouth as well. People spoke at Lancaster House and negotiated the peace settlement, which culminated in independence; success of dialogue number one.
After independence, there was, to quote President of Mugabe, “moments of madness”, people were butchered in Matabeleland and the Midlands. Some innocent people lost their lives but at the end of the day, the protagonists sat down and concluded a peace treaty called the Unity Accord. It ended the bloodletting in Matabeleland, success of dialogue number two. Number three, in 2008, there is no secret that Morgan Tsvangirai won the elections overwhelmingly but we went to the run-off election and there was a lot of senseless bloodletting. In the MDC, we lost 300 of our finest youngsters because of political violence. After all that madness was said and done, people sat down and concluded a peace agreement called the Global Political Agreement Therefore, dialogue has worked in this country, hence dialogue has to be pursued with seriousness. This dialogue must not result in an elite pact where people reward one another because they are political leaders. We are not interested in the dialogue like that. We are interested in the dialogue that leads to the betterment of the lives of the Zimbabwean person. Every Zimbabwean must have a change in their lives and they have seen it before. It has worked before and it must be pursued. Among other things that we must dialogue upon is reduction of poverty; elimination of poverty. We must have policies that remove this endemic poverty. Zimbabweans were not created to be poor. That is why they have every mineral conceivable on this earth. You find it on this tournament called Zimbabwe. That is why it is endowed with hardworking men and women. It has a fine climate. It has a good road infrastructure, not to be confused with the quality of the road Mr. President but the road network is good. So we need to take our people out of poverty. This dialogue must lead to investment coming to Zimbabwe. We must neither look east, west, south nor north, Zimbabwe should be a friend of the world. People with their money must bring it to this country so that industries are revived, mines are revived, businesses thrive so that our people are employed and the quality of the lives of our people must change.
Through dialogue, we need to have an answer to uneven development, devolution. It is unfair for people who are living in Tongaland and along the Zambezi River. They are called poachers in the land of their birth, while fishing licences are given to people from outside their region. That is unfair, unjust and unconscionable and it has to be redressed – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – We have to look at the issues of equal access to national resources. Mr. President, if the Government is issuing mining licences, it must issue mining licences to every person who qualifies, irrespective of their political opinion or inclination. If you are giving mining licences to ZANU PF youths, please give to Ndonga youths, ZAPU youths and MDC T youths. There must not be discrimination in this country. In this country, we cannot tolerate black apartheid, discrimination of black on black. It defeats the whole purpose of fighting for liberation.
Mr. President, we want to dialogue on the re-engagement of Zimbabwe into the International Committee of Nations. It is sensible that Zimbabwe be re-admitted into the Commonwealth. It is sensible that Zimbabwe be an equal member of the international community but Zimbabwe has a responsibility for every movement, positive movement by the international community. Zimbabwe must also move positively in instituting key, social, political and economic reforms. We have to address the issue of de-industrialisation. We have lost investment to neighbouring countries; Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. We have lost investment. We want that investment back.
Mr. President, Zimbabwe has a perennial problem of contested legitimacy. We must find an answer to electoral disputes once and for all. What is most important Mr. President, if you listened to the presentation in Victoria Falls of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Reserve Bank, there is a phenomenal contribution by the diaspora to the GDP of this country. I am not so sure about the figure but I think it is over a billion, which is coming in this country from Zimbabweans in the diaspora. So they are discharging their national responsibility to Zimbabwe. Why should we have responsibilities and obligations without rights?
[Time Limit]
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: I move that the Hon. Senator’s time be extended by five minutes.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. SEN. MWONZORA: Thank you Mr. President. Zimbabweans in the diaspora have the right to vote. People from the Soviet Union vote in this country in Soviet elections. People from Malawi vote in this country in elections in Malawi. People from Mozambique vote in this country in elections in Mozambique. Why should Zimbabwe be different? We understand the argument that some Zimbabweans are not able to access the voters roll abroad. Mr. President, that is why we are saying let us have these sanctions removed. Let us refranchise the Zimbabweans in the diaspora.
Mr. President Sir, we need to dialogue seriously on war veterans. Mr. President, war veterans do not belong to one person, one group or one party. These are our war veterans. Tongogara is mine too, Chitepo is mine too, Takawira is my hero too, Mbuya Nehanda is my heroine too. In fact, she did not have a ZANU PF card. The point Mr. President is that these heroes deserve our reverence together. That is why we are saying that we need to review the conditions and pensions of the war veterans. I am aware of war veterans getting as little as ZWL18, 000. They board a bus from Mutoko to Harare and back and that money is finished. Why should we treat our veterans to that ignominy? We must review favourably the conditions of the war veterans. Some of them are over 60 years now and certain chronic diseases begin to come in. They need medication and we must care. When we take care of the war veterans, we are not re-inventing the wheel. In America, they have got a Veterans Act. They take care of their war veterans. When the British fought in Burma, the Rhodesian soldiers went to fight in Burma. They returned and were given their pensions. We need to review the pensions.
Many people complain that the traditional leaders are corrupt, they are being influenced and so on. However, let us look at the conditions of service of the traditional leaders. The conditions of service are poor – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – As a result of those poor conditions, they are always subjected to temptation. So, we want this country to make sure that the conditions of service of the traditional leaders are improved so that they dispense justice without fear or favour – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] -
Mr. President, our women and our youths - our women must be given their rightful place in society. Women are equal. They were there in the First Chimurenga. You were with them in the Second Chimurenga. They fought side by side with men; they must have equal rights. We also say it is not right to say the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. The youths are leaders of today. They must have places in Parliament, they must be there in the Cabinet, they must be there in business and everywhere because it is their country and they cannot wait for tomorrow because tomorrow may never come.
Mr. President, lastly we support the compensation for expropriated land that the Government is trying to do. However, this compensation is targeting former white farmers. It is saying very little about black farmers who lost their land. The locus classicus or the biggest example is Ndabaningi Sithole. He lost his investment, his Churu Farm as a result of fighting nationalistic grudges that were at play. Politics was at play. A black person lost his farm. They have to be compensated and they have to be given priority as well, so there must be derationalisation of compensation and not only that, thousands of black farm workers lost their jobs as a result of land reform, everybody knows that. They are not being compensated. They owned nothing except their labour power. When the programme came, they lost their jobs. Nobody is talking about compensating them. We call on this Government to compensate the black farm workers who lost their jobs. I am aware that there could be white farm workers as well. They ought to be compensated – the workers have to be compensated.
Mr. President, after everything is said and done, our pensions were eroded by inflation. So there is no social security in Zimbabwe. There is no social protection to talk about in Zimbabwe. These are some of the things that serious men and women in this country must sit down and talk about. I thank you.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL 49TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Mr. President Sir, I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC – Parliamentary Forum held virtually from 25th to 27th June 2021.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President, I will give a report of the 49th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held virtually from the 25th to the 27th June, 2021.
INTRODUCTION
The deliberations were aimed at consolidating Administrative and Financial matters of the Forum as well as to discuss issues of regional concern. The Plenary Assembly was held under the theme “Leveraging the AfCFTA for Post-COVID Economic Recovery in Southern Africa: The Role of SADC Parliamentary Forum and National Parliaments.”
Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, led the delegation which comprised the following Members of Parliament:
- Tambudzani Mohadi, Member of the Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Infrastructure;
- Goodlucky Kwaramba, Member of the Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development and Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus;
- Dought Ndiweni, Member of the Standing Committee on Democratization, Governance and Human Rights;
- Anele Ndebele, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment; and
- Paurina Mpariwa, Member of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes who took “Oath or Affirmation of Adherence in accordance with Article 7 of the SADC PF Constitution” .
OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY
The President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency, Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, was Guest of Honour and officially opened the Plenary Assembly. The President made a declaratory remark reiterating that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the key drivers that can position Africa as an economic powerhouse. President Masisi underscored the SADC Regional Integration Agenda as the necessary precursor to the true realisation of the AfCFTA.
The East Africa Legislative Assembly (EAALA) pledged to support the SADC Parliamentary Forum to realise its dream of transforming itself into a Legislative Assembly and urged SADC member Parliaments to enact the necessary legislation that encourage the ease of doing business in the region. The representative emphasised the need for harmonisation of immigration and customs services to spur the movement of African citizens, including goods and services on the Continent.
The Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC), called for the incremental roll out of COVID-19 vaccines and urged Parliaments to enthuse their Governments to find ways of encouraging engendered trading means aimed at achieving gender equality. There should be open markets for women and the ease of access to finance to enable women to realise their full potential in human capital development.
Hon. Christophe MBOSO N’KODIA PWANGA, SADC PF President and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo commented the Strategic Lobbying Mission Team led by Hon. Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe for its excellent and pointed Lobbying Missions on SADC PF Presiding Officers and currently on Heads of State and Governments. Consequently, the SADC Summit in August 2021 should see the Transformation of SADC PF into a Regional Parliament.
In proposing a vote of thanks, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Lesotho, Hon. Sephiri Motonyane, mourned the failure by the region to establish a regional Parliament. It is, thus, untoward to have a region that has historically strong antecedents and luminaries in Pan Africanism, but without a Legislative Assembly as envisaged in the Protocol establishing the Pan African Parliament. In this regard, the Hon. Speaker Motonyane invited the region to meet in Lesotho, the Kingdom in the sky to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the SADC Parliamentary Forum during the last quarter of 2021.
STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZIMBABWE, HON. ADVOCATE JACOB FRANCIS NZWIDAMILIMO MUDENDA PURSUANT T0 RULE 45 OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE
Hon. Jacob Francis Mudenda presented the summary report of the 142nd IPU Assembly held virtually under the overall theme “Overcoming the pandemic today and building a better tomorrow: the role of Parliaments” from 24 to 28 May 2021.
Among other resolutions, the report called for immediate and multilateral action to address climate change and mitigate its effects on international stability and security with the same urgency as the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. Accordingly, Parliaments were called to expedite and facilitate the ratification, domestication and implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The resolutions also called for mainstreaming digitalization and the circular economy to achieve the SDGs, particularly responsible consumption and production.
The Hon. Speaker Mudenda reported the unprecedented global impact of the COVID -19 pandemic, particularly as it exacerbated inequalities within and between countries and stalled socioeconomic progress on sustainable development, youth empowerment and gender equality. There is need for Parliamentary action at the national level and through multilateralism to resolve global challenges arising from COVID – 19’s unprecedented impact.
POSITION TAKEN BY THE ZIMBABWE DELEGATION ON THE THEME OF THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY
The Plenary Assembly received submissions on the theme, with facilitators calling for a revamp and harmonisation of customs and immigration formalities to suit the obtaining new reality of collapsing borders to ease trade among countries on the African Continent.
Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda made a passionate plea for the expeditious legal reforms for the harmonisation of customs and immigration services to ease the movement of goods and services on the Continent.
There is need for an African passport and the attendant collapse of stringent visa regimes on the Continent. Added to this, air connectivity should be improved through modernisation of airports and the establishment of less cumbersome routes in between African countries.
Industrialisation should be anchored on sustained value addition and beneficiation hence the need for pragmatic approaches to technology transfer, infrastructure development and rapid integration and modernisation of rail equipment. Africa should be alive to the growing wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and rapid digitalisation of modern economies.
Universities should be at the forefront in championing innovation and catch up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There is need to research on COVID-19 vaccines by local Universities and the mobilisation of domestic resources to spur economic growth post COVID -19 scare. Added to this is the need for full scale research on indigenous knowledge systems as a possible curative measure against COVID 19. A Marshal Plan is required to lift African economies out of impugned poverty.
Above all, leadership is required at both Government and Parliamentary level to achieve rapid economic growth and industrialisation.
ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE TREASURER’S REPORT
The Executive Committee tabled its report for consideration and adoption during the 49th Plenary Assembly meeting, which was duly adopted.
Plenary Assembly expressed profound appreciation to the National Assembly of the Botswana, through Hon. Speaker Phandu Chaha Skelemani, for hosting the 48th Plenary Assembly Session. The warm hospitality of the Batswana vibrated virtually to the whole region.
The Plenary Assembly implored the Secretariat to continue its research on the SADC PF structure as it prepares itself for the transformation into a Regional Parliament.
The Report urged the region to prepare itself to the obtaining regional challenges which include terrorism and the threat of neo-colonialism.
Plenary Assembly urged Secretariat to produce a harmonised budget showing the financial position of the SADC PF on both subscriptions and donor funding.
In the same vein, Plenary Assembly applauded all Parliaments that had paid their subscriptions and implored all those in arrears to pay up their dues.
MOTIONS ADOPTED DURING THE 48th PLENARY ASSEMBLY MEETINGS
Consideration of the Report of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment
The Plenary Assembly Session adopted a motion encouraging Member States to substantially harmonise the operations of One Stop Border Posts (OSBP) to ensure that there is seamless movement of goods and citizens in line with the common vision of the AfCFTA.
Motion on Harnessing Domestic Tourism In Times Of Pandemics: A Case Of The Covid 19 Pandemic: The Role Of Parliaments
Plenary Assembly urged Member States to support the implementation of the SADC Unified Visa regime to facilitate movement of tourists across the region. Added to this, there were calls for SADC Parliaments and Parliamentarians to advocate for COVID-19 relief funds and increased budgetary allocation to the tourism sector in order to accelerate recovery of the sector.
Motion on the Role of Parliament in Protecting Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law in Southern Africa: Prospects and Challenges
The Plenary Assembly encouraged Member Parliaments to promote and respect Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law as envisaged in their Constitutions.
Members of Parliament were encouraged to study and understand the provisions of their Constitutions. Zimbabwe for example has made a deliberate effort to translate the Constitution into all officially recognised languages in the country and encourages its widespread dissemination. Furthermore, the country requires the Constitution to be part of the curricula in both Schools and Public Institutions.
Motion on Post Covid in the SADC Region: Meeting Women’s Needs in a Context of Multiplied Challenges Consideration of the Report of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus
The adopted motion encouraged countries to craft measures that are aimed at cushioning women post- COVID 19 pandemic scourge.
Countries were urged to implement health budgets from a gender perspective and inclusive public health and safety measures. It was recommended that financial barriers such as health fees should be suspended or removed in order to offset potential difficulties for the most vulnerable patients, especially women and girls.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WAY FORWARD
Parliament of Zimbabwe to hold an All Stakeholder Workshop between the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (ZWPC) and the relevant Civic Society Organisations to map out the strategy to mitigate the effects of COVID 19. There is need to engage the Civil Society to ensure that women have access to justice and equity. SADC-PF should be at the fore in advocating for political accountability, the adherence to access to Primary Health Care, investment in Health Care Data Systems and ensure collaboration in vaccine research and investment in domestic financing in the health sector. The workshop is to be held by mid-September, 2021. I think this one has been overtaken by events as we were in the midst of COVID-19. People did not have a chance to meet. So as a result I think it is going to be a carry forward to the next Session.
Parliament of Zimbabwe notes and appreciates the attendant benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as one of the key drivers of development on the Continent. In this regard, Parliament calls on the Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce to hold an all stakeholder meeting to receive updates on the status of implementation regarding the AfCFTA.
Parliament of Zimbabwe stands ready to champion all measures aimed at restoring the full socio-political and economic recovery measures post-Covid 19 pandemic and stands ready to work with all institutions in the region that are geared towards these recovery mechanisms.
CONCLUSION
The Plenary Assembly concluded by requesting the SADC-PF and National Parliaments to leverage the AfCFTA for post-COVID economic recovery in Southern Africa. It is important for the region to adopt measures that are aimed at seamlessly encouraging intra African trade and the removal of barriers that impede the full implementation of the AfCFTA.
Parliament of Zimbabwe commits itself to the full implementation of the resolutions of the Plenary Assembly to be shared among all Members of Parliaments to facilitate action by different Portfolio Committees of Parliament once availed by the SADC PF Secretariat.
The next 50th Plenary Assembly of the SADC PF will be hosted by the Kingdom of Lesotho in the last quarter of 2021.
Parliament of Zimbabwe continues to champion the Transformation process in its role as the Chairperson of the Strategic Lobby Team of the Transformation of the Forum into a Regional Parliament.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I want to thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the report which was presented by Hon. Mohadi, which is the report of the Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, with the theme of Leveraging the Africa Continental Free Trade Area for Post-COVID Economic Recovery in Southern Africa and the generality of SADC in Parliamentary Forum and national Parliaments.
I want to thank the Speaker of the National Assembly for leading this high powered delegation and the selection which he did, of the Hon. Members who represent different Committees as we heard from the presenter. It is encouraging that Parliament of Zimbabwe continues to champion the transformation agenda into its role as holders of the chairmanship of the lobby team of the Hon. Speaker and the transformation of the forum into a SADC Regional Parliament.
Mr. President Sir, when the Speaker goes out, he works very hard and because of that, there is a statement which was read by him and in pursuant of Rule 45 of the rules of procedure, it reads - “Hon. Mudenda presented the summary Report of the 142nd IPU Assembly held virtually under the overall theme: “Overcoming the pandemic today and living a better tomorrow and the rule of Parliament from the 24th – 28th May, 2021”. Among other resolutions, the report called for immediate and multilateral action to address climate change and mitigate its effects on international stability and security with the same agencies as the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Accordingly, Parliament was called upon to expedite and facilitate the ratification, domestication and implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The resolutions also called for main streaming, digitalisation and a secular economy to achieve the SDG particularly responsible consumption and production.
The Hon. Speaker Adv. Mudenda reported the unprecedented global impact of COVID-19 pandemic particularly as it exacerbated inequalities within and between countries and stalled socio-economic progress on Sustainable Development, Youth Development and gender equality. Accordingly, there is need for Parliamentary action at national level and through multi-lateral means to resolve global challenges arising from COVID-19 unprecedented impact.
Mr. President, as I mentioned earlier on that when our Speaker of the National Assembly goes out, he works very hard. He also gave the position taken by Zimbabwe delegation on the theme of the Plenary Assembly. The Plenary Assembly received submissions on the theme with facilitators calling for a revamp and harmonisation of customs and immigration formalities to suit the obtaining new reality of collapsing boarders to ease trade among countries on the African Continent.
Hon. Adv Mudenda made a passionate plea for expeditious legal reforms for the harmonisation of customs and immigration services to ease the movement of goods and services on the continent. He pointed out that there is need for an African passport and the attendant collapse of stringent visa regimes on the continent. Added to this, air connectivity should be improved through modernisation of airports and the establishments of less cumbersome routes amongst African countries. Industrialisation should be echoed on sustaining value addition and the beneficiation hence the need for pragmatic approaches to technology transfer infrastructure development and rapid integration and modernisation of rail equipment. Africa should be alive to the growing wave of the fourth industrial revolution and rapid digitalisation of modern economies.
Universities should be at the forefront in championing innovation in order to catch up with the fourth industrial revolution. There is need to research on COVID-19 vaccines by local universities and the mobilisation of domestic resources to spare economic growth post the COVID-19 scare. Added to this is the need for full scale research on indigenisation, knowledge system as a possible curative measure against COVID -19. A marshal plan is required to lift African economies out of the implanted poverty. Above all leadership is required at both Government and Parliamentary level to achieve rapid economic growth and industrialisation through innovative leadership.
Mr. President, as I said earlier about the members of the delegation which went with the Speaker, it is of importance to note that we always talk about empowering women in whatever we do in our Government starting from the grassroots; that is the councils until we reach to the top. If we start from the councils, we will have a lot councillors, women councillors and that would help us to make sure that in leadership positions, we have women who are there to spearhead development. We all know that if you educate and empower women, it means you would have empowered the nation. So, it is very encouraging Mr. President that the women were also represented and there was this regional representation. It is important that when we have representation at a higher level which is the regional level and we have our representation here which is led by Hon. Kwaramba for Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus, at least we will achieve a lot to make sure that women are encouraged and supported to be in higher positions.
Mr. President, I want to thank the Zimbabwean Government because our Parliament was led by our esteemed Speaker. It was encouraged that Members of Parliament should study and understand the provision of their constitution. If as legislators we understand the Constitution, then we will be able to disseminate the information to the grassroots. It has been made easier for us because our Constitution has been translated into the local official languages and that help us to disseminate the information on our Constitution. When people know what the Constitution says, then it means that people will be empowered and they will know what is required. If there is something which is not in order, they will be able to ask and get assistance. You cannot ask for anything when you do not know about it. So, if our population knows about our Constitution, it will help them and us as a nation.
Mr. President, once again, I want to thank Hon. Mohadi for presenting this detailed report which will help us as Zimbabwean Parliamentarians and as a nation. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on a sound road network.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the grave and rapid environmental damage.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the untimely death of Hon. Sen. Rejoice Timire.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion which was moved by Hon. Khupe on the passing on of Senator Timire. I want to thank all those who contributed. The words that she brought into this House were very important because Senator Timire represented people living with disability. We are very sorry for the Timire family and also to the people who live with disability. We are very sorry for the loss of your representative.
Hon. Sen. Timire loved her job and she would fight for people living with disability. We were together in the Committee of Gender and Development; she was a person who participated immensely in that Committee. The Committee on Gender touches on a variety of things including issues of people living with disability. She was very vocal in support of issues of people living with disabilities.
Let me hasten to say that when we went for outreaches, we would always find her there. She was very punctual and time conscious. Some of us would get there late but we would find her waiting for us. Her contribution in the Committee was very useful. She was a very jovial person. We want the representatives of people living with disabilities to remember that there is a vacancy in the Senate, so that they would give us someone who will work together with Senator Khupe to look into the issues affecting people living with disabilities. That constituency is very large.
We want to thank her for the work that she did. We also want to remember Pamela her daughter, who used to accompany her every time. She needs to be comforted and consoled. The relatives should continue supporting her and giving her courage because it will take time for her to forget her mother. We just pray for the neighbours, relatives and friends to help her get out of it so that she will be able to look after the other family members. Hon. Sen. Timire, may you rest in peace. We will meet again in glory, I thank you.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: Thank you Mr. President Sir. Allow me to round off this debate today. In doing so, maybe there are some who were still eager to debate this motion but they are not here today. In view of the fact that…
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA): I am discussing and I am actually debating with her to say this motion is being wound up already, why? You have been advised to wind up but I was protesting that we have not been given enough time to debate. Like in my case, from Tuesday to Thursday last week, I was sitting here and I could not even debate. I was saying I will debate. I am sitting on the Chair and I cannot debate. This is too soon. You should have allowed more time. Can we ask you to do it next week so that other Hon. Senators have the opportunity to debate on the motion?.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: There is no harm Mr. President. I was also surprised because I got a call on Thursday to say, can you wind up your motion because a motion about the passing on of a person should not stay long.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can we leave it up to Wednesday next week?
HON. SEN. KHUPE: Thank you. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on children of incarcerated mothers.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 10th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA, seconded by HON. SEN. KHUPE, the Senate adjourned at Quarter past Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 4th November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD) FOR THE SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE CLUSTER PROJECT (SACP)
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): I move the motion standing in my name
THAT WHEREAS, subsection (3) of Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that an agreement which is not an international treaty but which has been concluded or executed by the President under the President’s authority with one or more foreign organisations or entities and imposes fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament.
AND WHEREAS, the loan agreement between the Government of Zimbabwe and the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD) for the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP) concluded on 7th May 2021 with the following terms:
Introduction
- According to Zimbabwe’s Economic Development Blueprint, the National Development Strategy I (NDS) 2021 to 2025, Government prioritises the recovery of the agricultural sector which is a key enabler to the country’s economic growth.
- The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP) increases agriculture production and productivity, especially by smallholder farmers which enhances food and nutrition security, income, increased opportunities for value addition and the development of agro-business value chains. To this end, Government secured a US$35.7 million loan from IFAD to enhance smallholder famers’ production and productivity.
The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project
- The project shall benefit poor smallholder farmers in value chains selected through stakeholder business planning and competitive matching grant mechanism. The project will be implemented in the following five, out of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North (the “Project Area”).
- The goal of the project is to increase equitable smallholder participation in market-oriented and climate-smart value chains.
- The objective of the project is to realise increased household incomes and improved nutrition, through sustainable transformation of the smallholder farming sector.
Project Financing and Loan Repayment
- To support the programme, Government negotiated and signed a US$35.7 million Loan with IFAD on 17 May 2021 for the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project.
- The loan will be utilised for sustainable smallholder irrigation development, climate-smart agriculture and market access, promotion of COVID-sensitive production and productivity enhancement, increasing the availability of diverse and nutritious foods for household consumption, improvement of knowledge, attitudes and practices on healthy eating habits and care giving practices and improvement of performance of selected nutrition sensitive IFAD’s investments.
- The IFAD loan has the following terms and conditions:-
Loan Amount : US$35 700 000.00;
Purpose of the Loan : To finance poor smallholder farmers in value chains selected through stakeholder business planning and competitive matching grant mechanism and will be implemented in five out of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North (the “Project Area”).
The project will support the following components:
- Inclusive Value Chain Development;
- Climate Proofed Value Chain Infrastructure;
- Policy and Institutional Support and Project Coordination; and
- Contingency Emergency Response.
Conditions Precedent : Loan ratification by Parliament
Interest Rate : zero percent (0%)
Service charge : 1.5% per annum;
Tenure : 40 Years;
Grace Period : 10 Years;
Repayment Modalities : Repayment of principal and interest shall be made from the budget;
Repayment Frequency : Principal and interest payments shall be made twice a year on 15 June and 15 December of each year.
Expected Benefits of the Project
- Agriculture is one of the economic pillars for Zimbabwe and the support for smallholder farming will go a long way in achieving the thrust of the National Development Strategy I of food security. The implementation of the project will result in the following benefits:-
- Sustainable smallholder irrigation development;
- Employment creation for the local communities;
- Capacity building for the local communities;
- Climate-smart agriculture and easy market access;
- Improved food nutrition and security;
- Increased household incomes;
- Improved resilience to climate change effects and economic shocks, and
- Increased production and productivity.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, it is indeed a welcome move in terms of the small holder farmer. The only thing that I think the Minister needs to clarify is that there are also places which do not really venture into the activities mentioned. Matabeleland is a good example. They do cattle rearing, goats - more or less livestock at the end of the day and the provinces that you mentioned - from climatic conditions, are well resourced. I did not really get which bank would be used for this.
Madam Speaker, you know we have got the Women’s Bank and we have got the Youth Bank. I would like to see the money going to those two institutions because already, women are good in terms of small holder. So there was no clarity from the Minister pertaining to which banks specifically this money will go to. For me, women have always been organised and we have just come from a Pre-budget Seminar where we have basically said that the Women’s Bank must get capital for it to start its activities. Usually when you loan women money, they always pay back. We all know how good they are at accounting and managing resources better than men. The youth as well must also be given a chance, and because of unemployment this gives them an opportunity.
Also whatever they are growing, is there a ready market because we do not want to come up with agricultural activities which have no ready market and it is important to know the off take of the produce which will be grown. Otherwise, it is a welcome move just coming from Pre-budget; let that find itself to the Women’s Bank and to the Youth Bank. Thank you very much Madam Speaker.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to say thank you to the Government of Zimbabwe for securing such a facility. It is a critical facility directed at developing agriculture which is a very critical sector for the people of Zimbabwe. The majority of our people are in agriculture and this facility, from what the Minister has read, is targeted at improving the capacity of our smallholder farmers where we get the majority of our people, as well the biggest quantity of our production in Zimbabwe comes from the smallholder farmers and capacitating them will really go a long way in improving agricultural knowledge for these people, also giving them enough capital to venture and for training. I saw that they also look at the health issues, like COVID because we are in a new environment where COVID is wreaking havoc throughout the world and this facility is looking at these things holistically. We are definitely going to benefit as a people of Zimbabwe. I therefore Madam Speaker, recommend that this House approves this facility. It is an important facility.
If you look at the regions that are going to benefit from this facility - they have a real need. If you look at the Mashonaland region, this is the breadbasket of Zimbabwe. That is where you get the biggest percentage in terms of production. If you go to Matabeleland North, they do a lot of cattle rearing but they also need the skills to look after their agricultural production because of low rainfall patterns there and this scheme is designed in such a way that it is going to help these farmers to be able to utilise their farming land and maybe their livestock. So definitely irrigation schemes are needed in those arid regions that have low rainfall patterns.
I hope this facility will leave us with a lot of experience, a lot of learning. After these five provinces have gone through this, the whole country will benefit by learning from whatever will have been learnt by our people in the five provinces, maybe then we can take that to other provinces that are not part of this facility. I really encourage Government to continue to look for such type of facilities that are very friendly, that have low interest rates.
The challenge that we have in Zimbabwe today is our financial institutions. They are blinkered. They will charge an arm and a leg for anyone who would want to borrow money and produce. They do not know that if you allow farmers to produce more, they will have more money coming into their account. They will impose service charges and so forth. They will make more money and loan out whatever excess money that is going to be put by the farmer in the bank, but if you just go there, you have already sacrificed the whole of your assets and income. They will destroy you.
Our banks today are not user friendly. They are not responsive to the needs and circumstances of our people, our farmers who would want to produce. We do not get facilities today in our banks that are as friendly as what we are seeing. I think they have learnt from this and try to design products that can be used by our farmers. So Madam Speaker, I really recommend that this facility be approved by this House for the good of our people, our farmers and I do not have any doubt that this is going to help on production. Like I said, I encourage that we look for more facilities like this, have the whole country included and then promote production in the agricultural sector.
HON. BRG. GEN. (RTD.) MAYIHLOME: I would like to add my voice on this very important issue about the loan facility for capacitating small scale agriculture. It is really coming at the right time for the country that is accelerating investment in agriculture and capacitating those farmers, but I just want to add a small twist to this debate Madam Speaker, in that I want to remind this House that Israel gets less rainfall than Matabeleland South and it has even less fertile soils than Matabeleland South.
I was actually shocked over the weekend during the people’s conference when I learnt that Mashonaland West delivers to GMB over 366 000 tonnes of maize. Matabeleland South delivered less than 2 000 tonnes and this is the poorest region in this country. So my appeal to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement when such facilities come, let us bring everybody on board. Let us not give to the rich always, those who have the means and the facilities, who are already high up there. Let us remember that Matabeleland South has vast tracts of land in Beitbridge, Matopo, Insiza and Bulilima; maybe there is not much land in Umzingwane but there are farmers there and they need to be capacitated. When we hear of smart agriculture, to us in Matabeleland South, it is a pipe dream. There is no farm without a center pivot in Mashonaland Province. Center pivots are things that they see everyday havachazivi kuti chii chavangaise because it is something that is so common now.
In our part of the world, we need drip irrigation, boreholes, dams and we need those farmers to be given capacity to construct dams. Just yesterday, there was an article circulating that those A2 farmers who are not providing infrastructure on their farms will have their farms being taken away but how do they produce when they were not given the facilities, when they were not given developmental loans? Farmers are being told now that they must construct infrastructure, dams and so forth but with what? I am saying Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, let us follow what the President is saying, no place should be left behind and no one should be left behind, consider Matabeleland South in future allocations. Let us bring Matabeleland South to the level of Mashonaland West. Otherwise I support this loan that it will bring a change and a breath of fresh air to the investment in this country. I rest my case Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. RAIDZA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. Good afternoon.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good afternoon.
HON. RAIDZA: I rise to add my voice to the motion moved by the Hon. Deputy Minister regarding the loan with IFAD. I have some few issues that I also want to shed light on and to applaud our Government for this particular loan especially when we look at the objectives of that loan. We are seeing that these are some of the areas that are very critical and have been lacking in our rural areas and in our small holder irrigation schemes.
The first one is the mechanisation of these gardens in our rural areas. At times we call them nutrition gardens where we find old people struggling to fetch water from the dams or from other water sources to irrigate their gardens. I think with this loan and the area that they have targeted it to achieve, it is going to help. We have seen some of the works that have been done in some of our gardens in our constituencies. We have realised that mechanising these gardens helps our poor people a lot because they have the desire and energy to work but the means for them to work becomes so difficult especially with their age groups. When it comes to access to markets, it is another challenge. These people work so hard and at times they spend the whole day from morning until evening still working in their gardens but after they have done everything that they can, still they cannot get the markets to sell their produce. So I think if this loan is properly deployed as indicated on the terms of the loan, I think it is going to help a lot of our people in terms of them accessing the markets because if they get proper markets, we will find that they will increase production. They are willing to work hard but where to sell their produce now becomes a challenge.
Recently, we saw in Mutoko, our President His Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa opening an industry that is going to do some value addition to the produce. We like such industries to be set across even in some of these provinces that were mentioned, particularly in the Midlands where I come from. If we see such industries, we know that is another way of making sure that the farmers will have somewhere to sell their produce.
When it comes to Covid issues, the way our poor people are irrigating their gardens in the rural areas, at times you pity them to say, really if Covid comes, how are these people going to survive? At times there are no observations of the Covid regulations. Why? Because the water source leaves people to be congested and at times it is not possible for them to observe Covid regulations. So I think this loan is really coming at the opportune time to support our poor communities in some of the rural areas to make sure that at least their desire to work and produce for their country is achieved through the support of loans such as this one.
I believe with a loan like this one, we are going to meet our target for food security for this country and will achieve the expectation of NDS1. I thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am and that was my contribution.
HON. T. MOYO: Madam Speaker Ma’am, good afternoon.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good afternoon.
HON. T. MOYO: I wish to add my voice to the motion that has been raised by the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development concerning a loan of USD$35 700 000.00. My contribution is that agriculture is a business and it affects livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe. We need to applaud the Government being led by our Commander Dr. Mnangagwa, for such a very good loan which attracts zero percent interest rate. What else would you need? Zero percent interest rate and the loan would be paid over a period of 40 years. I think we need to grab this opportunity and ensure that our farmers throughout Zimbabwe have benefited.
I want to subscribe to the notion that there must not be selective application of the loan – it should be spread to all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. Whoever is able to benefit should be allowed to do so because it will affect sustainable livelihoods of our people. Agriculture is very important in economic development; we have seen Britain industrialise on the basis of the agriculture revolution. This is another revolution that will lead to increased industrial activity, production and productivity in Zimbabwe. It is going to bring about boom in agriculture which will influence industry according to Hostos theory, that agriculture will act as a prelude to industrialisation. There will be food security in line with National Development Strategy 1.
This is very important because we also noticed in 1912 during the colonial era, where the British South Africa Company introduced the Land Bank Act – Land and Agricultural Bank which was established in 1912, where people were given zero percent interest rates. This is another way to boost our agriculture in independent Zimbabwe and that will also contribute to employment creation and food sustenance in Zimbabwe. That is my appeal and also I support the idea that we embrace this loan; it should not be selective in terms of its application. Thank you.
*HON. SHAMU: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate. I would like to thank the Government for borrowing a loan that we will repay in forty years; this will help us a long way. This money is supposed to support small holder farmers. I want the Minister of Finance to work with the Ministry of Agriculture to see to it that all protocols are observed and that genuine small scale farmers are catered for.
I am saying this because we have other Government programmes that are aimed at benefiting the poor or disadvantage but when you investigate, you find that these programmes are not benefiting the intended beneficiaries. There must be transparency; all stakeholders must be involved from councillor to cooperatives and irrigation schemes so that we support small scale farmers who are failing to produce more yet are on fertile and irrigable land.
Secondly, there must not be any delays in implementation of this programme because our money is losing value daily due to inflation. There are many areas where farmers would have irrigation facilities for agriculture production. The former white commercial farmers had irrigation. On being settled, people failed to continue with the irrigation programmes because of lack of knowledge and capital. If they are allocated US$5000, they will resuscitate the irrigation infrastructure. Let us use the US$35 million productively.
I call upon the Government to ensure that Hon. Dr. J. Gumbo, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in Charge of Implementation and Monitoring is involved. He must work together with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of SMEs and the Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture.
His Excellency the President Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, in delivering the SONA said that he was pleased to note that a lot of young people are engaging in farming activities. These young farmers need to be supported. We have a lot of irrigation facilities that need rehabilitation. Many examples are in Chegutu East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland North and Masvingo to mention but a few. There are small holder farmers needing financial assistance.
For the sake of transparency, the beneficiaries must be published in the media. We must use this money wisely because agriculture is the backbone of this country. This intervention was long overdue. I thank you.
(v) *HON. MUDARIKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you for allowing me to debate on the issue of money for assisting our small scale farmers. I want to thank Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa for sourcing funds for us. In Uzumba Constituency which stretches Mumhe River to Rhodes Katiyo River, we do not have any irrigation scheme. We do not have sprinklers and when our young ones see a sprinkler, they will run away thinking its a mhakure. This issue must be looked at very carefully in the rural areas, people should be involved in agriculture, especially irrigation. This will help us very much to achieve Vision 2030. If our farmers use mechanisation and work in agriculture, sometimes when people quarrel over water it will come to an end if we have these irrigation schemes. We should also move with times and mordenise our agricultural activities.
Our area is well known for growing tomatoes but we only use a small area. I thank the Government for putting that factory in Mutoko that processes tomatoes, it should indeed bring in a lot of benefits to us. Sometimes we hear a lot of projects being implemented but most of the times they are only done in provincial capitals, they do not go all the way to our areas. Recently, Government embarked on an audit of tractors, we realised that our area only has 10 and out of those 10, only three are operating. So it means only three people have tractors. We expect that our water problems will be done away with after getting access to such funding.
Most of the countries that are developed, it is because of agriculture but that type of agriculture involves machinery and mechanisation in order for it to be lucrative. So I would like to thank the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for sourcing such funds, keep on bringing such funds; debts do not kill, most of us here are beneficiaries of debts. The most important thing is, people should get access to funding as well as information because some of the people do not have adequate information and machinery to practice agriculture.
This vision shows that our agriculture is taking a very positive step. I think the Ministry of Finance should facilitate funding loans to rural areas so that we use on our livestock’s vaccinations because sometimes money only circulates amongst those people with money already. Those people in the rural areas need funding as well, we can only uplift the livelihoods of our people if we give them access to funding. I would like to applaud the President for this funding, indeed we have seen this funding, so it should be accessed by people.
We realise that sometimes we are not able to use facilities around us properly and in the environment, we are not able to exploit our resources. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: Allow me to give my input in English. I want to thank the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for bringing for ratification this loan facility, that the loan facility alone is a 14 year tenure on 0% interest and it is quite applaudable.
Small scale farmers in particular often have levels of attachment to the local landscape and to the ecosystems. The sustainable nature of their practices is based on such practices as organic agriculture which is admired by a lot of European countries; they want the organic manure and the output from our agricultural practices.
The other issue is the rotation that is expeditiously done by small scale miners because they are managing small pieces of land, I have given an example of the Pfumvudza, the Presidential Input Support Scheme by His Excellency, which grew from 400 000 households to a 1, 800 000. This is applaudable; it increases subsistence and reduces the dependency on OK, TM supermarkets and such other places and once we have a lot of people that have subsistence amongst one another, we certainly can reduce dependency and we can increase the issue of good subsistence.
I have also spoken about the integrated pests management system, it is also well managed; the permaculture, it relies on the wealth of the localities and their knowledge of the environment. So, this is a time where we should be supporting our small scale farmers. As a person who has always proposed and never has been a cry baby, I propose to augment and complement the efforts of the Minister of Finance and compliment the ratification of this loan agreement in two ways. We used to have what was called Community Share Ownership Trust, in some instances the mining houses only gave what was called seed capital, in particular ZIMPLATS gave US$10 million. If they had to pay a dividend of US$10 million per annum from where they started operating in 2011, they would pay about US$100 million by this day towards the local communities from where they are extracting that platinum. I ask that the Minister of Finance also looks into Community Share Ownership Trust that used to be around, whether we can still get the dividend.
The second issue which is a low hanging fruit is called gateway solutions or gateway systems. Gateway systems are meant to audit the incoming international calls where after they have been terminated, Zimbabwe benefits in terms of taxes. Government benefits in terms of the infrastructure that is used by ICT operators in the country, the taxes benefit from the gateways systems solutions. This platform can be used for accounting, auditing and for billing. Once we have a gateway solution or a termination place, we can now apply the auditing of the monies that Zimbabwe was supposed to get from the telecommunication sector in retrospect, assuming for 15 years in the International Telecommunication Union, they have the data of how much Zimbabwe was supposed to get but that money we are currently not getting because we do not have such a system. It takes about 65 million dollars to establish and it does not need Government capital outlay. It can be included in the PPPs. Once an agreement is set up, it takes about six months for it to start running. I ask that the Minister of Finance goes into agreement with such service providers and come to establish such a gateway in Chegutu West Constituency. It takes about 150 people employed and has a lot of downstream industry benefits and Zimbabwe stands to benefit nothing less than a US$ billion annually. That is nearly a quarter of our national GDP.
It is my clarion call and fervent hope that the Minister of Finance can take seriously these two proposals so that we can get what we want from what we have. If we include and involve ICT, we go away from “bbc”, archaic, moribund, antiquated, rudimentary, medieval and we start coordinating and cooperating and using the gateway solution to get what we want.
I thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice and also to applaud the Minister for bringing in this loan and applauding His Excellency the President, Cde E. D. Mnangagwa for availing Pfumvudza to our people. On Saturday, 6th November 2021, I am going with the Arex Officer Mr. Sengayi in Chegutu at Chestgate which is our first port of call, to go and distribute inputs to the small scale farmers in the urban sector. At 12 noon, we go to Chegutu Hall in the location and from there we go to Ward 12 in Kaguvi Phase 4 at 2 p.m.; to distribute inputs from His Excellency Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa. I applaud him for that and now small scale agriculture goes urban. I thank you.
(v)HON MOLOKELA-TSIYE: Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity to debate this proposed loan which has been presented to Parliament. That is my starting point to say that we applaud the Ministry for presenting the loan agreement to Parliament. We know that from previous experience, there have been instances where some loans were implemented without parliamentary processes. So, this is a step in the right direction and that is something that we continue to see.
My first point is that agriculture is one of the pillars of our economy and as such, whenever there is an opportunity to expand agriculture, we need to take that opportunity seriously. I want to encourage those who are in the agricultural sector to really maximise this opportunity. I am happy that it is targeting small scale farming and we hope that a lot of people will have access to this loan facility and have an opportunity to move away from poverty and go in a commercial and industrialised way.
I am happy to see that one of the traditionally marginalised provinces, Matabeleland North is actually listed as one of the five provinces. My concern is that it should have been better if Matabeleland South was included because historically and presently, both Matabeleland North and South are very marginalised especially from an agriculture point of view. I would like to encourage the Ministry to consider including Matabeleland South. Beyond the issues of Matabeleland, I want to encourage them that in future when they are coming up with such loans, it is always prudent and advisable to ensure that all the ten provinces are included and benefit in one way or the other. The only difference should be the level of access to the loan for each province but to exclude five of the ten provinces, I do not think it is a wise move. I would like to discourage the Ministry from such an approach in the future. We must include all the provinces. We must just differ on the type of access to the loan facility that each province has. We must include all the ten provinces.
I also want to hear whether the Ministry has a plan to link with other relevant issues because if you have to look at the value chain – before you go into agriculture, you need to consider the value composition and say that beyond the products that are expected from the farmers, where is their market, how are they going to benefit the rest of the economy especially when you look at it from a manufacturing industry - where is the link between this proposed outcome for this loan process? For example, Bulawayo has a manufacturing industry that has died over the years. Is there any way we can link the products from this small scale farmers with the revival of our industry, especially in such cities as Bulawayo where we know that historically, we used to have a productive manufacturing industry and it is lying idle?
There is need to have a bigger plan that feeds into this plan. Related to that, I would like to ask the Ministry to also consider working on existing plans. I know that in Matabeleland North, we have plans that are in place around the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and I will link again to this loan facility from an irrigation point of view with the Gwayi-Shangani Dam. Related to that, we also have the Zambezi Water Project which is a very historical project that has been forgotten over the years. When you read the document around the Zambezi Water Project, it talks about Matabeleland becoming a green belt through irrigation from piped water from the mighty Zambezi River. The project has not been on the forefront of late, but I would like to encourage the Ministry to find ways to harmonise this new small scale agricultural loan facility with the vision promoted by the Zambezi Water Project to have Matabeleland turned into a green belt to the hub of irrigation in terms of agriculture. So we need to see that linkage or symmetry between the existing proposal or projects and the proposed one. That then allows us to build on something rather than starting from zero.
I think it is important that we do that because it will help to address issues around poverty and make sure that our people benefit. We want to end the rural to urban migration and the best way to end the rural to urban migration challenge that we have in Zimbabwe today is to ensure that rural areas have their own economy and agriculture through small scale farming. Small scale farming is going to help to ensure that rural areas also have their own economy that they can rely on without necessarily going to big cities to look for new sources of life. So we need to encourage this investment to promote or to stop rural to urban migration.
I also wanted to talk about accountability. I think as Parliament, we need to improve and Government Ministries need to improve in terms of accountability when it comes to the implementation of these loans in terms of regular reports, regular updates. Even the relevant Portfolio Committees, I think we need to monitor. Once a loan agreement is done, we need to monitor whether we are paying the loan on time. Like this particular loan has got regular payments every December of the year. We need to make sure that the payments are done on time and with the adequate numbers or amounts and also in terms of the project implementation, we need to monitor and track and ensure that the project is able to achieve its intended goal. It will take about 40 years but during those 40 years, we need to see a significant impact that is going to change millions of lives, that is going to stop people from being reliant on subsistence farming and improve their lives. So I look forward to the implementation process and I want to encourage Parliament and the relevant Ministry to be more accountable when it comes to implementation. Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity to debate.
(v)*HON. NYABANI: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to also contribute briefly on this loan facility. You know that a lot of people’s livelihoods depend on agriculture, so this loan will contribute a lot to agriculture. This will contribute to development because now they are able to do agriculture on business lines. Agriculture is business for people and the people are supposed to benefit from that.
I would like to say briefly the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is sourcing funds for the farmers. Since these farmers who are supposed to benefit are supposed to do that as a business, they are supposed to ensure that they have a market for their crops for them to be able to repay these loans. For them to be able to be productive, all the facilities and the conditions should be looked into.
In the rural areas where they grow crops like tobacco, maize or groundnuts, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement should also consider the market for the crops like groundnuts. They should also consider the whole value chain of their crops because if we only consider the primary production of the value chain, it does not give much benefit. There should be change now. People should get training. They should also be able to conserve the environment instead of deforestation.
We should consider the methods of agriculture being practiced here that are encouraged. We should also look into all those things. If they are going to be availing funds, they should ensure that funding is availed to the rightful places, for example areas like Bulawayo. Those areas are for livestock, so they should be able to grow stock feeds. In areas like Rushinga, there are no dams, but if funding is put into dams, yes it is okay, but if you were going to pore in funding when there are no dams, it means that money will not come back. In order for them to repay, they should be able to grow crops all year round and the crops should be processed before they are taken to the market.
So the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should consider the value chain of ensuring that the farmers get maximum benefits. They should consider all the stages of value addition, the whole value chain from primary to secondary should be considered. Availing funds to the farmers themselves yet there will not be funding for the processing plants or processors means we will not be able to realise enough value. If there are plantations, some people will be able to venture into other agricultural businesses or ventures such as bee keeping or honey processing. We should also ensure that a particular area practices appropriate agriculture and according to the needs of that region or crops suitable to that region.
Let us use methods that will be beneficial, that will be lucrative to the people instead of just practicing agriculture that does not bring benefits or money. People should be able to get profits from agriculture. They should be able to work comfortably if you are in agriculture instead of making people struggle. So those loans should be facilitated and they should consider the whole value chain and the appropriate environment for the farmers to realise the benefits. I thank you.
(v)*HON. PETER MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I
would like to applaud the idea of availing funding by Government to farmers but the problem that we have is that of implementation. So I would like to know what measures has Government put in place to guard against people who may want to steal this money? What measures have been put in place to audit, for us to be able to see the funds that are allocated to Mberengwa and how many people have benefited?
We realised that sometimes Government programmes are hijacked by a political party, people who are perceived to belong to MDC or NDU may not benefit but only members of ZANU PF end up benefiting …
HON. TOGAREPI: On a point of order Madam Speaker! Madam Speaker, I think the good Hon. Member is misdirecting himself. We are not talking about political parties, we are talking about a loan to Government and the Government will deal with this loan. So bringing in the name of a political party, in particular ZANU PF, I think he is misdirecting himself, if he can revert to the real debate and focus on that.
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Hon. Moyo, you may proceed but stick to the motion at hand.
(v)*HON. PETER MOYO: Madam Speaker, let me continue and say let us not run away from the truth or from facts. We should not eat poison because we are ashamed. When something is bad, I would like to say that these are public funds and the DCC chairmen are responsible for distributing …
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, I had allowed you to continue but now that you are saying that DCC chairmen are the ones who distribute these inputs, have you seen them distributing? Do you have evidence to that effect? Let us not continue with such lies.
(v)*HON. PETER MOYO: I will not run away from the truth or facts, if you want me to bring a video to play here, I will do so. I do not want to diverge from the truth…
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, you are losing focus of the motion. If you want to bring that issue then you should bring it as a separate motion.
(V)*HON. PETER MOYO: I am saying, what measures are in place? These are facts that I am stating. When Government is sourcing funds, it is not sourcing for thieves. We should ensure that these funds do not end up in the wrong hands, be it the Pfumvudza Programme, it is not going well …
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, since you know where there are thieves, do you not know where the police are? Go and report the thieves to the police. Debate what is in accordance with the motion, if you do not know then you should stop debating.
(v)*HON. PETER MOYO: I am focusing on that loan and also to condemn any corruption that might take place. Recently, war veterans were demonstrating, was it not out of poverty? They are not getting the planned benefits…
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: It looks like you have your own motion that is different from what is being debated here.
(v)*HON. PETER MOYO: I am talking about corruption on that loan; my debate is relevant to that loan. Those are public funds and they are supposed to benefit everyone. We want security, what measures have been put in place to curb corruption?
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are misguided. Order, order Hon. Moyo! - [(v)HON. PETER MOYO: Inaudible interjection.] –
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, since he is on virtual, we do not know what he is eating because of the confusion that he is displaying – it may be that he has taken weed or something. I think you should allow him to rest and maybe bring in another motion on a particular day. Today, I think he has taken weed.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think he is no longer there.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. I would also like to add my voice to what the Minister brought before us and would like to support what Hon. Molokela stated, that loans have been taken but in the majority of cases, they do not come through Parliament. So I would like to thank the Hon. Minister for at least coming to Parliament so that he tells us that we have got this loan that we want to borrow, how should we use it? We are here today debating and giving our input on what we think the loan will be useful if it is taken.
Madame Speaker Ma’am, half of the food consumed in this country comes from a woman’s hand but women are suffering out there. They wake up early in the morning to till the land using primitive tools and they spend most of their time tilling that land, worse more if we do not have good rains, all their efforts go down the drain. I am raising this issue so that part of this loan is used to make sure that at least women are assisted through drip irrigation equipment because drip irrigation is one of the measures to climate proof the agricultural sector. So that even if we do not have rains, we know that we are going to get something out of it. I would propose that out of the 35 million, if ten million can be set aside for drip irrigation. What I know is that one drip irrigation will cost about US$10 thousand, 1 hectare, 100m by 100m by 100m, four thousand will buy the drip irrigation equipment. The other five thousand will be used to dig a borehole and buy a Jojo tank so that it becomes complete. That one hectare, if you grow maize, you will get between 7 to 10 tonnes of maize but if women till that land there, when rains are not good, they will only get about half a tonne or one tonne; not only women but everybody else who farms.
With drip irrigation, you are guaranteed of getting between 7 to 10 tonnes. The issue of hunger and poverty will be a thing of the past in this country once we do drip irrigation. With drip irrigation, we can do more than three crops per year. Whilst you harvest maize you can do cabbages, and tomatoes. So we will be able to deal with so many issues. You will deal with the issue of nutrition because you will be able to grow nutritious food to make sure that everyone has got food. So drip irrigation is very important. This is why I am proposing that at least 10 million be set aside and you will do 1000 drip irrigation. Let us try it Hon. Minister because trying is very good. If you fail, you fail and you will try again, but let us give it a trial because we have been saying this for a long time and no one wants to listen. Do like a pilot project and you will see it will do wonders because you will get a lot of food. People will get money at the end of the day, particularly women, they will get money to pay school fees for their children. They will be able to pay for their medicals, be able to build houses, put solar system on their own. The issue of hand-outs is going to be a thing of the past because they will be able to sustain a living on their own, hence while I am emphasising the point that part of this money honestly should be put towards drip irrigation because it is going to assist women, particularly in regards the time that they spend tilling the land. They will have time to do other things.
There are issues to do with cancers; the reason why women are dying in rural areas is because they do not go for check-ups, they will be busy tiling the land and doing other things. So with drip irrigation they will find time to go to a medical institution once they feel something unusual. It is going to deal with so many issues but so important, the issue to do with poverty and hunger, nutrition will be a thing of the past because drip irrigation does wonders. In drip irrigation, we use a small piece of land, little water but the yield is very high. I would like to plead with you so that you give it a thought and give it a trial but I know it will work.
+HON. M. KHUMALO: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I also want to add my voice on the loan facility scheme offered by the Government and would like to thank the Minister of Finance and all the other departments that they are working with. Hon. Speaker, there are three issues that I want to touch on. The first one is that each time a budget is passed, there is a last column that indicates loans taken that time. If you take a close look at that column you will realise that there are certain loans that would have been offered by Government but they will not have been paid by those that will have taken those loans.
Going to different provinces, you realise that those loans do not get to these provinces. All am saying is that the US$35 million offered under this facility should go to these beneficiary provinces, looking at places like Mashonaland East, West and Central; these are areas that receive good rains and they have good irrigation facilities. Therefore, if you take a loan combining these areas with places from Matabeleland, you will realise that you are not doing justice to these provinces.
If a loan is meant to facilitate irrigation purposes, it should be clear with regard to what it is meant for, whether livestock or for cropping. There is need for such loan facilities to be specific. Hon. Speaker, there is need for consultation from our leaders each time such monies come through because a loan is a loan, there is need for it to generate interest and to be retained.
I was asking myself when the Minister was saying, for example this loan is being given to Matabeleland South - he should be clear as to where exactly, there are so many districts. In farming activities, we carry out different activities. If it is given to Matabeleland North, there is need to indicate clearly which districts are supposed to be getting that money and what form of irrigation is going to be taking place in those districts. For the past 20 years as Matabeleland, they have not received yields that will be taken to Grain Marketing Board. Areas around Karoi and Bulawayo have full silos of Grain Marketing Board. If you look at that, you will realise that those areas like Karoi are maize producing areas, not areas like Lupane. So what I am saying is that our plea to the administration is that if this money is to be distributed to provinces, there is need to clearly indicate what this money is going to be used for.
So if we are to remove administration fee and workshop money from this figure, you will get less than US$800 000 and you share that amongst the seven districts, it has no impact but if you identify one district or two, that is why I do not agree with those who say it should have been distributed throughout the country because $35 million throughout the country does not make an impact. So, our plea to the Government is that before this money is distributed to the provinces, it should be clearly indicated what it is for.
The third issue is that when the distribution of the money comes, it normally starts here in Harare and you see Members of Parliament and other officials engaged on the loan targeted at farmers. There would be managers, directors and supervisors who are from Harare where the money would be coming from. So these people would be managing that fund in the districts yet they are not even aware of what the people want. Before it gets to the provinces, divide it into the 5 provinces so that when we are in Matabeleland North, and Mashonaland Central, we know how much is our share into that fund so that we plan accordingly. We should also know which category of people qualify for the fund because in most cases it ends up benefiting the wealthy when the intended beneficiaries are not benefiting anything yet we know that cheap loans are meant to benefit the less priviledged which are the disadvantaged farmers.
Lastly, I am worried about Government neglecting peri-urban farmers like here in Harare and Bulawayo, there are some farmers who are doing peri-urban agriculture, surely, can we also give them these cheap loans so that they can rear chickens and do small projects around towns.
Hon. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for giving us this loan fund so that it gives us positive impact. I am glad that Parliament has said in the CDF we must have impact projects and not just spread the funds. If I were the one distributing it, I would give it to one or two provinces so that it has an impact and we develop as a country. Thank you very much so that it has an impact and we develop as a country. I thank you.
HON. PRISCILLA MOYO: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Minister of Finance for the issue that he has brought into the House where he is going to source funds to assist the events that are supposed to happen in the country. When I look at the money, I think this is money that can make a difference in different provinces for example, Masvingo Province, there is a lot of water but it is not being harnessed, it is just going into the seas. Irrigation schemes are there but they are not operational. I think this money should be used to rehabilitate irrigation schemes and this can contribute towards food security.
On the Pfumvudza project, if possible funds permitting, when rehabilitation of irrigations is done, we need input to ensure that there is adequate production for food security of the nation. I want to agree with the last speaker that this money should be availed to provinces with districts who can utilise this money and deliverables that are evident with few districts. If this money is given to all areas, we will not achieve any results, it is just like Constituency Development Fund, we are given but we cannot really tell or see the progress because the money is very little. So my request is that this money should be availed to a few districts so that at the end of the day we have deliverables.
On the issue of drip irrigation, I believe if women are given one hectare and with the assistance of the agricultural extension officers, I see us increasing our yield in terms of production. If we look at the previous year, we got a lot of rainfall and for a place like Masvingo, we never used to harvest much but we experienced bumper harvest. However, we also experienced challenges. In other areas, the crops were affected by the locust and worms so because of this, they were unable to harvest. So, I think this money should be given to farmers so that they can source pesticides to avoid such disasters.
We also have areas in Masvingo that are into livestock production, we lost a lot of cattle and I think this money should also be availed to these farmers so that they can embark on re-stocking and in that way we will be able to have more meat on the market. I thank you.
(v) *HON. MAKONYA: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank the Minister for brining this issue into the House to assist the farmers in the rural areas. This is a very good project to enable them to get funds for farming.
Furthermore, subsistence farmers in the rural areas, most of them are women and they engage in farming and do not have the relevant inputs and implements to engage in productive farming. So, I want to thank the Minister for this project that it should focus more on women especially female headed households so that after accessing those funds, they can also assist with food security in the nation.
Most importantly, I would want to say that because of this money that was sourced, we should be wary of corruption. The intended beneficiaries should benefit not the priviledged. We hope that it will go to the disadvantaged groups. We would want this money to be distributed to the vulnerable group.
My request Mr. Speaker is that Agritex officers should be on the ground and should monitor and assist to ensure that the money that the money that was availed is adequate enough for the hectares that the farmers wants to plough. Others are availed this money and instead of engaging in productive activities, they use the money for something else. Agritex Officers should do their work and ensure that the farmers use it as per the prescribed purpose. We do not want any corruption in Jesus Name. People should learn that the money that they are given should be paid back and it should be a revolving fund so that other people can benefit. People should move away from this dependence syndrome of thinking that the Government will just give us all the time.
If we look at the white farmers, when they were engaged in farming in Zimbabwe, for them to be productive and sustainable, they took loans from the banks which they repaid and they would not continue getting loans. Once you continue getting loans year-in year-out, it means there is no profit. Once you get a loan it should provide an escape route for you not to continue borrowing.
The young people that we have should also be availed with these funds. They should also engage in farming as a source of their livelihoods. What we do not want is that those who already have and are privileged should continue getting those loans. The money will only be availed to few people who are privileged - that we do not want Mr. Speaker Sir.
(v)HON. MUSHORIWA: I want to join in the discussion pertaining to this loan agreement, the US$35.7 million that was signed in May 2021. I want to start by saying that Parliament as an institution of this country, is being taken for granted by the Ministry of Finance. Firstly, this loan agreement was done almost six months ago. It was gazetted in August when Parliament was not in session and today this is the day that in our emails as Members of Parliament we then manage to get the loan agreement which I believe is not right and good for the country.
Secondly, it is my view that scrutiny of loan agreements should be channeled through the relevant Portfolio Committees so that the House will be advised accordingly because one of the things that we know is that when you want to hide information from people, you put it in writing and it is the details that are there in the loan agreement that many people may not necessarily go through. There is nothing wrong in terms of wanting to get a loan. The problem is the conditions that are attached to the loan.
First and foremost, you get a feeling and looking at the loan agreement, it says that we are getting US$35.7 million for 40 years and we are being told that it is going to be on a concessional basis. We are being told that there will not be any interest but service charge which will be charged twice annually. What is lacking is that the service charge is not indicated in the loan agreement. We do not know how much money will be paid as a country twice annually. How much is the service charge because that information is important. Worse still if you go through this loan agreement, it then tells you that part of the loan agreement is governed by the fund’s general conditions. As we debate this loan agreement today, the fund general conditions have not been made public to Members of Parliament to actually understand and see whether we are getting into a deal which is beneficial to Zimbabwe or we are tying ourselves with a debt trap that we may also be in a very difficult position to move away from.
The other issue is that the Minister has not been forthcoming in terms of his articulation of this agreement. We understand that as Government, we are supposed to contribute US$5 million towards this amount. The Minister has not explained to us how this is going to be done and from which funds are we going to get this amount. To me, the most critical component is how this money is going to be managed. We are being told that the lead player is the Ministry of Agriculture but we know from the agreement that the people who signed for this agreement were the Minister of Finance and the Debt Office, to be precise. What we need is that when we get loans, no matter the intended reasons for getting the loans, it does not matter whether it is noble or otherwise, we always lack when it comes to implementation.
What the Minister was supposed to present in addition to bringing this loan agreement was then to come before this august House with a proper and clear statement on how the methodology upon this money is going to be utilised - if the money is going to be given to a bank or is it going to be given to organisations. I also realised that as Zimbabweans, we are very quick to put our signatures on a piece of paper. If you go through this loan agreement it tells you that the suppliers of this fund can actually withdraw this facility. For instance, if we as Zimbabwe decide to remove someone that has been managing this fund, and because we do not know who is going to be managing this fund, we do not know the mechanism, we do not know the structure that is going to be put in place but the lenders of the money are then saying if they are not happy with a position where an employee of the fund is removed, they can withdraw this offer. What does it mean? It means we are being put and given conditions which I believe are not good for this nation. You do not want to get a situation where you get a loan and you are then told that you cannot remove your accountant even if the accountant has been stealing. You have to seek approval from the person that has given you the loan. I think it is wrong Mr. Speaker Sir.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to emphasise that the Hon. Minister should do more to this Parliament. Let the Minister lay here before Parliament, the full terms and how Government intends to implement and bring this mechanism into play. The issue of the money, the $35.7 million is not a huge amount and more-so, if we listen to what the Hon. Speaker stated when you contributed. Trying to cover 10 provinces, we need to make sure that there is a clear paper that is presented before this august House. We do not want to hear a situation in five years, ten years from now that Zimbabwe owes $35.7 million or now that it is forty something million because service charges had not been paid over these years and yet we will not have a track record of saying where the money went to, which communal farmers in which district, in which constituency, in which province, who benefited from these funds.
Without that information Mr. Speaker Sir, then I will tell you we are getting into a serious debt trap and what we then want to do is to give the Minister of Finance and Economic Development a benefit of the doubt to then say Minister, can you supply Parliament with a paper so that we will appreciate and have the checks and balances so that we will then know when the money has arrived, how much money has been disbursed, who has been given and the loan repayment period so that we monitor this fund so that it becomes a revolving fund.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity.
HON. N. MGUNI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, for affording me this opportunity. I would want to thank the Minister for bringing this loan agreement to Parliament which is very constitutional. I stand here to urge the Minister; as I listened to Members of Parliament, I heard very positive contributions. So I stand here to ask the Minister to consider and take these very positive contributions. It is important for the Hon. Members of Parliament to contribute because they represent the people and I would want to believe that what they contribute here in Parliament is representative of the people that they represent. So I stand here to urge the Minister to take seriously the contributions and implement them and ask him as well, to then come back to Parliament and report to us as to what he has done so that the Parliamentarians can see that their contributions are worth, they are not just a talk show. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I think this was a very vibrant and healthy debate where we are looking at the loan agreement between the Government of Zimbabwe and IFAD. So I will try to go over all the submissions that have been done by the Hon. Members of Parliament and also try to provide the responses that are in line with the loan agreement. I think one of the areas that has been highlighted is maybe the short time that was given to the Hon. Members to go over the loan agreement because I think quite a number of issues that have been raised are actually contained in the loan agreement.
So let me start with the submission that has been provided by Hon. Mliswa. Hon. Mliswa welcomed the loan agreement and said the loan agreement is in line with Government policy and he applauded Treasury for coming to Parliament so that Parliament can play its oversight role and we are saying as Treasury, this is what we would want to do and also to lead by example, but he was concerned that why are we just looking at those few areas, the five provinces.
We have got a programme that is currently running under the Open Fund for International Development (OFID) and OFID is covering Matabeleland North, Masvingo and Manicaland. The fund is specifically looking at more or less the same areas. What we do is, as we get these facilities, we distribute and allocate the funds according to the needs that are already established in our policy blue prints. So there is no deliberate effort to marginalise areas but we allocate the resources as we get them. I would also like to applaud the Hon. Members, those who brought out the point that the $35.7 million may not be enough to spread in all the 10 provinces, so we were guided by that and also by the fact that we already have got funding facilities that are on the ground, especially for the three provinces that I have mentioned. OFID is also on the ground in those areas.
Then the disbursement modalities – the disbursement modalities are contained in the loan agreement. Most of the beneficiaries are not going to be individuals. Most of the beneficiaries are going to be in groups and this is contained in the loan agreement.
Then the deliberate effort to ensure that the women and youths benefit, this is something that is at the heart of His Excellency and even in terms of our policy trajectory, there is a deliberate effort to ensure that women and the youths are empowered. You have already made submissions towards the 2022 National Budget and there are provisions to ensure that all that is being submitted is going to be taken on board, especially when it comes to clear evidence based empowerment of women and youths. This loan is also going to take that deliberate effort to make sure that those who are defined in the criteria that they are poor, are women, the youth, the marginalised, they are going to be given the chance to benefit from the law.
Then Hon. Mliswa also mentioned the issue of the market to say, but we can have this facility. The women and the youth are going to be very productive, but we may not have the market. Looking at current activities that are on the ground, we have a deliberate effort to ensure that we have the markets. We are working with the Zimbabwe Agriculture Growth Development Programme, a programme that is providing markets for the rural produce. We are also having the IPVC which is the internal poultry value chain system and this is in addition to what is existing on the ground in terms of the markets. I am sure the marketing hubs that we are sponsoring; we have an ongoing programme that we have just started with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development which is again looking at the setting up of marketing hubs in all the provinces. So I am sure the outputs that are going to come from this programme will have a ready market. We are also looking at to what extent can we take the produce and export it. This again is something that we are working on together with ZIMTRADE and I can assure you that the market will be there.
Then I transition to the submissions by Hon. Togarepi. Hon. Togarepi applauded the facility and said that it is good for our farmers. It is very important that it is going to provide our farmers with a platform to improve their knowledge and get training and also shock proofing our agriculture towards pandemics like the COVID-19. He recommended this so there is not much of a question except for us as Treasury to say, we accept the positive comments that came from the Hon. Member. We will continue to look at those concessionary loans that we think are not going to burden the fiscus. The issue with these loans, as a country, we are already indebted. We have a debt that is up to $10.5billion and we are having challenges in repaying the debt. So whenever we go out to look for these facilities, we also look at our ability to pay. We also look at what extent are we mortgaging the future generations? So it is not a matter of just taking these loans, we would want to thank Hon. Togarepi for the submissions.
You also mentioned the issue of our banks not being responsive to the development agenda of the country. I think that is an issue that we have been discussing since last year. When we do discussions, banks are also saying that the operating environment is not conducive but at the same time when the Government is intervening, they then say, the Government is crowding out private investment but as a Government, we cannot just sit. We have said, in terms of the policy trajectory of the country, the National Development Strategy One, Vision 2030 is private sector alert but we also follow our principles as a country and as a Government to say, when you see that the market is going to fail, we are going to have intervention by the Government. This is why we have the Social Protection programmes but on this score, it is true, our banks need serious radical orientation in terms of contributing to the national agenda of the country.
Even now, if you check, you mention the issues of what banks are we going to use? We may end up with the whole fund being taken by banks and this is an issue that we have also deliberated on and I am sure we are going to make use of banks that are development friendly to our agenda. We are looking at the Land Bank, Women’s Bank and the Empower Bank; we will obviously be guided by our Reserve Bank. So in terms of the recommendation, you said that you recommend that we take on the loan because it is going to enhance production and aid to the development aspirations of the country in line with the National Development Strategy One.
Then the submissions by Hon. Mayihlome; he said that the loan agreement is coming at the right time – coming at a time when we are coming from Victoria Falls where we deliberated on issues to deal with the 2022 national budget. He also said that when it comes to facilities like this, let us try to ensure that there is equity. I am sure in terms of equity, as a Government, there is clarity in terms of where we are going – the issue of inclusivity. There is no deliberate effort to marginalise anyone or any geographic regions – all the regions are considered and I alluded to this point to say, we already have IFAD and programmes that are sponsored under OFID. I specifically mentioned Matabeleland North, Manicaland and Masvingo – they are already benefiting.
In terms of the responsibility that we have as Treasury, having consulted we also said, we have these three that are already benefiting. Why can we not include the other five? As we get the national resources, we allocate them like that but there is a point that was mentioned that why does it appear like we left out Matabeleland South? I mentioned that we have quite a number of programmes that are coming in terms of what we are currently doing in Matabeleland South. I would like to give you an example of what we are doing with regards to the greening of Matabeleland South.
There is Zhovhe Dam, we already have plans and we start rolling out that plan from next year - the pipeline from Zhovhe Dam up to Beitbridge. Along the pipeline, we are saying; as we take the pipeline and take water from Zhovhe Dam up to Beitbridge, there should be agricultural activities and there is that plan to ensure that we are going to create a green belt. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - We have also made a presentation here regarding the construction of Thuli-Manyange Dam. Thuli-Manyange Dam, we classified it as an emotional project, a project that is supposed to get priority funding. It is unfortunate that in terms of the development aspirations that we were assigned by His Excellency, we were assigned by His Excellency and he said, “By December, 2021, I would want to see Gwayi-Shangani Dam completed”- [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
This is a project that we have worked on and by December, Gwayi-Shangani Dam will be completed. This is a project that we started hearing about when we were still children. He also directed us that by December, 2022, he would want to open a tap of water from Gwayi-Shangani Dam which is the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project. So by December, 2022 in terms of the resource allocation, His Excellency should commission the completion of the whole project and opening water in Bulawayo next year. So this is where we are and in terms of the implementation, already we have selected six contractors who are already dealing with the pipeline as we complete the dam. So this is running concurrently but the end is not in water. The end is in economic activities along the pipeline.
Already the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement is working on the plans to ensure that, for us what we want is what we are going to use the water for and not just the water. We have an integrated system where, as we do these activities, completion of the dam and pipeline, we are also working on the grand plan of the activities that are going to take place along the pipeline. This is where we are and I can assure you that by December, we have already checked the activities where we are now we will be done with the Gwai-Shangai Dam. We are saying by November/December next year, we will also be done with the pipelines. On these issues, it is very critical that Parliament will continue to play its oversight role. We are very happy that you monitor us in terms of what we say here in Parliament and given the implementation that is on the ground, I can assure you that what we are saying here is what we will deliver.
Hon. Raidza mentioned the issue of mechanisation of small holder farmers; he alluded to the positivity of the loan agreement as it will add to production. Of importance, is where he said there is need for us to ensure that there is access to the market. I would want to give you an example of the Mutoko Rural Market that was really commissioned by His Excellency. This is an example of what is going to follow in most of our districts. So in terms of the access to markets, I have already mentioned ZIMTRADE, Zimbabwe ARDA Development Programme, IPVC, all these are going to assist us in terms of coming up with the markets.
Submissions by Hon. Moyo; very critical, this has been presented here in Parliament by the Hon. Minister of Agriculture where he said agriculture is a business and this is what has been submitted by Hon. Moyo, that we should take agriculture as an evolution. This is a revolution where this loan is going to promote production and when you promote production, this is going to assist us in terms of industrialisation. He quoted some books, I did not follow the exact book that he referred to but what is very critical is for us to know that even the countries that are industrialised today, they lived from agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of our country in terms of growth, employment figures and in terms of where you are going as a country. With regards to beneficiation, we benefit resources that are from agriculture.
The revolution that he was talking about, he mentioned the issue of food security. Surely, we would need a robust agricultural system to ensure that there is food security.
He mentioned the issue of employment, again if you check agriculture is the largest contributor. Then the development of value chains, I have already mentioned this, that the development of value chains where the inputs will be coming from agriculture - so this is very commendable contribution from Hon. Moyo. He said this will lead to food sustenance and he supports that we should ratify it as Parliament.
Contributions from Hon. Shamu, he said money will help us especially children and youths, but he wants us to make sure that what has been said here is put into practice. I mentioned that Parliament will do its oversight roles. What we have discussed here, I am sure the Portfolio Committee that oversees agriculture will make sure that they do follow ups. On transparency, there is what we call Project Management Unit, the lead Ministry is the Ministry of Lands but there is also Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Youths and Ministry of Women. This is at national level then we go down to districts. One of the conditions is that there must be no corruption, it is written as one of the loan agreements. If there is corruption, IFAD will withdraw the loan. So I am sure that there are checks and balances. There must be no delays. For those who read the loan agreement, it is written that upon signing within six months we will have started implementation. On monitoring and evaluation, he mentioned the involvement of the office that is responsible for implementation, this is obvious. They will be there to see that all Government programmes are implemented as agreed.
On Hon. Simbaneuta’s contribution, he mentioned that the loan agreement will buttress and enhance the President’s vision. We all know the vision of His Excellency the President is that as a country, we want to be prosperous and be an empowered upper middle income economy by 2030. He always says that the country is built by its own people. However in doing so, no one must remain behind. This is the policy of inclusivity where we live no one and no place behind.
Our farmers must have tractors, we want factories, and if we use the Mutoko prototype when we finish there, we will go to other districts. Some funds that we released we utilized them in provincial capitals, I think the criterion is there in the loan agreement. We are going to the rural poor and the marginalised. This criterion is the one that is going to be used and will be guided by the Project Management Unit that I have alluded to. It will be monitoring if we are considering disadvantaged groups like women and youths because they are the intended beneficiaries. I hope that this will not end in provincial capitals.
If you read the loan agreement, it is saying that implementation is going to be done at ward level, so we are going down to the wards. This loan means that our project will prosper. I want Hon. Members to remember the policy that is there now of rural industrialisation. The thrust of the Government is to take development to the rural areas. Taking development to the rural areas where the policy of decentralisation and devolution is taking centre stage using what we have, he said that this is what we call Zimbabwe and we agree with him.
On the submission by Hon. Nduna, obviously for Hon. Nduna, he will be speaking of his people from Chegutu. He said small holder farmers have an attachment to their places but the important point that he wanted to bring is the importance of organic farming. He said if we provide resources to our farmers, the farmers that have got this emotional attachment to their places and they have got an emotional attachment to their farming methods wherein now he mentioned the issue of organic farming. This organic farming can actually be a game changer in terms of exportation where we export agricultural produce that are organically produced. Obviously again, it is something that is supposed to come out in terms of loan plan.
He mentioned the issue of reducing dependency; again it is something which has been mentioned by the Hon. Members that if we are going to empower our people, this is going to reduce dependency.
The other issues, I do not know if they were in line with our debates here; he mentioned the issue of gateway in communication in order for us to be able to finance our operations. He also mentioned the issue of the community share ownership schemes where he said they started in 2011. If we are to take 10 million from each of those community share ownership schemes over the number of years, we are going to get quite some money. Maybe he wanted to mention the issue of alternative sources of funding but I am acknowledging what he submitted.
Hon. Molokela, he made very important contributions. He started off by applauding the Ministry for presenting the loan agreement to Parliament especially in terms of what is expected of us as Treasury not to just come up with these agreements, sign in our offices and then later on come here for condonation. Now, we are saying we should lead by example. We came here to Parliament so that you can play your role.
He mentioned that agriculture is one of the important pillars of the economy and we should take it seriously. Out of the 14 pillars of the National Development Strategy 1, the pillar on food security and nutrition is the one that is covering agriculture and it is an important pillar in our development agenda. So, I totally agree with Hon. Molokela on that point. However, he went on to say that we were supposed to include Matabeleland North and I have already mentioned that in terms of coverage, we look at quite a number of factors. There are some areas that are already lagging behind in terms of development, they get first priority. Matabeleland South, as I have mentioned already, we have got a programme that is running. I also have mentioned that in terms of the greening of Matabeleland South, I mentioned the programme that we have for Zhove Dam and the construction of Thuli-Manyange. In addition to these, we are also having other programmes that are coming on board.
He also mentioned the point that we should have plans for value chains. If you check under the loan agreement, we have got four components and we have got a component for value chains so that one is already taken care of. The links which he also said - to what extent are we going to link the new production hubs that are coming from the rural areas to the already existing markets and he gave an example of Bulawayo. Obviously, as we develop our value chains, these are value chains that are supposed to be all inclusive and all the places where there is a market are going to be considered.
He mentioned that let us work on what currently exists and this is where I said we have got Gwayi-Shangani and Thuli-Manyange. Find ways to link existing projects and let us build on what is there and let us try to use this to stop rural urban migration. Again, this is in line with the rural industrialisation strategy where if development is taking place in the rural areas, there may not be need for people to migrate from rural areas to urban centres.
He mentioned the issue of accountability which is very important. We need to deal with the problem of corruption and it is provided for in the loan agreement. Where there are any tendencies for corruption, it is one condition that will lead to the withdrawal of the loan. So, I think this is a very important point that we are taking on board to ensure that there is accountability. I have mentioned that we are going to set up what is called the Programme Management Unit at national level which will cascade up to the district level. In terms of accountability, again we need to ensure that the portfolio committee is going to play its part of oversight.
He mentioned the issue of being in a position to monitor impact, obviously for us, we should be able to at the rural communities before the project implementation and after. From there, we should be able to see if there are any changes.
Hon. Nyabani said we should grow crops that have a market. That is what I have said that we are following the prototype that was done by His Excellency in Mutoko. We have markets that are being done by ZimTrade. It was also said that as we engaged in farming, let us remember that there are machines that are needed for value addition and beneficiation. It is a component that is within the loan agreement that we will also engage in value addition. As we engage in farming, we need to conserve our environment. This is one of the pillars of NDS1 on environmental management and planet management.
Hon. Peter Moyo requested to know what measures the Government has put in place to ensure that no corruption takes place and whether we are looking into the issues of gender. I think these are issues that I have already addressed. I said there is a Project Management Unit and in the loan agreement, it is stated that if there is any evidence of corruption or fraud, the programme will be terminated. So that is included from the Joint Monitoring and the Project Implementation Unit right down to district level. So those measures are in place at district level. So that programme is there.
I transition to a submission made by Hon. Khupe. Again this is a point that was made wherein the Ministry of Finance is being applauded for coming to Parliament. Thank you Hon. Khupe. We might have missed this in the past but as I have alluded to earlier, we would want to lead by example and ensure that Parliament plays its oversight role. We will continue to bring these agreements here so that you give us advice in terms of how we should move forward on resource allocation.
Taking into account the geo-weather conditions existing in different regions, Hon. Khupe mentioned that part of this loan should be focused towards the development of drip irrigation infrastructure. In line with that, she pleaded with Treasury to ensure we set aside specifically ten million dollars for drip irrigation. She suggested that we promote drip irrigation not only for the huge harvest that we are going to get but that it will also create time for women to look after themselves. I could not agree with hermore. This is a proposal that we are going to consider but I would also want to implore on you to check the loan agreement because there is a breakdown that is there. When I checked it as you were making your submission, yes it is not specific to say drip irrigation, but there is an amount which is actually more than the ten million which is targeted towards infrastructure. I think the test is going to be on implementation but the ten million is provided for under the items that are in the loan agreement.
Hon. Khumalo, I tried to pick what you were saying in siNdebele. You mentioned three issues where you said some loans are not passing through Parliament and this is the issue that I am talking about - in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, all the loans should pass through Parliament and this is why I am here. Already we have the plans that are coming from provinces and it was based on the needs assessment that were done. The allocations were based on the needs that were done and it was seen that for now, we allocate to those five provinces.
On the issue concerning how we are going to cover the seven districts in Matabeleland North and the districts are different; he also proposed that we come up with something that is targeted so that we have got maximum impact. He also wanted to know the amount for each province and what we are doing about the peri-urban farmers who should also benefit from this loan. It is true especially if you do the mathematics that he was doing here and where he came up with an average of US$800 000 for each district. On this one, I would need to consult further because as you have rightly mentioned, if we are going to spread it like that, then we may not have the desired impact. Obviously if we are going to check in the loan agreement, already the groups are set but what I would want to check is the distribution on whether they are covering all the districts. The groups are there and the number of beneficiaries per group are already there. I would need to find out if it is spread like that to cover every district. What we want from this loan is to ensure that there is maximum impact.
In terms of those in the peri-urban, as long as they meet the criteria, they are supposed to be coming from that targeted and then they meet the criteria of being poor, marginalised, the women, disabled and the youth. We are not going to say if you stay in an urban area or you are in a peri-urban, then you do not benefit. The target is for the specific provinces.
Hon. Moyo said that the fund should be used to rehabilitate the irrigation schemes and that we should support our women. He specifically mentioned Masvingo Province and I can tell you that Masvingo has other projects which are ongoing that are funded by IFAD. If you look at the components of the agreement, there is a section on climate proofing agriculture. That is what goes hand-in-hand with what you have said. We could have selected all the provinces but we did only five due to the minor details in the loan agreement.
I transition to Hon. Makonya. She said that money should cascade to grassroots level. She also went to say an Agritex Officer should be on the ground and we should target the poor women and the disabled. I think this is what we have been saying the whole afternoon. It is true that Agritex Officers are part of the project management unit.
Hon. Mushoriwa said Parliament is being taken for granted. Specifically, he mentioned the issue of timing where the signing of the agreement was done in May and he is saying he only saw the loan agreement yesterday. I think this is an area where we can do better. There is need for scrutiny on all loan agreements so that we are able to read the finer details and he proposed the loan agreement was supposed to be channeled through the Portfolio Committee. I think this is for Hon Speaker to guide us in terms of the procedures.
He went further to mention the issues on accountability and ensuring that there is no corruption. How should we ensure that there is no corruption? We will manage the loan. How will the money be utilised? Accountability and there is also a provision that funders can withdraw the loan. We need to understand the full terms of the agreement and its implementation. I think as he rightly mentioned that maybe he had no time to go through the finer details of the loan agreement, all these issues are covered in the loan agreement. I would want to pick the point on accountability and corruption. Corruption is explicitly mentioned that in the event that there is corruption, it will lead and result in the withdrawal of the agreement. Then there is the issue of who is going to manage. The lead institution is the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and then we have got the Project Management Unit which I mentioned already and then we also have the Joint Monitoring Committee. All these are part of ensuring that there is accountability.
Then the full terms of the agreement and implementation plan. All the full terms of the agreement are in the loan agreement, unless if Parliament would want us as Treasury to come up with an abridged version because he mentioned that you should supply us a paper on who benefits. The beneficiaries are explicitly stated in the loan agreement.
Hon. Mguni then mentioned that - can you please consider the positive contributions that have been submitted by Hon. Members. We are going to consider all the contributions and this is why we brought this motion to Parliament so that we will stand guided by Parliament because Parliament is the one which has got an oversight role. It is the one that is going to authorise Treasury to take the loan on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe. So, all the contributions are going to be considered. Thank you Hon. Speaker. I move that the motion be adopted.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): Mr Speaker Sir, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 2 to 5 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 6 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I do not second because as you would know, the lockdown was extended by another two weeks and Parliament is supposed to adjourn at 4.55 p.m. I am saying this not because of us, but because of staff members who stay far away. We are supposed to knock off on time so that they are able to prepare and get to their homes before the curfew is there. So we cannot be going on and on. I think people can debate next week.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, I am advised that the curfew has been extended up to 9.00 p.m., so we can adjourn around 6.55 p.m., it is okay.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, FISHERIES AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT ON THE CASE OF THE ELUSIVE US28.2 MILLION DISTRIBUTED BY THE RBZ TO THE GRAIN MILLERS ASSOCIATION
HON. WADYAJENA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement on the Case of the Elusive US$28.2 million distributed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) for Wheat Imports.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
HON. WADYAJENA:
Foreword
This report is presented against a background of high-profile corruption revelations in a number of sectors involving both senior members of the Government and eminent members of society, and asserts that Parliamentary Portfolio Committees, as one of the primary expressions of the people's will, also have a primary duty to fight corruption and table well investigated reports that help other arms of the State to secure outright convictions.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe sanctions the State to adopt and implement policies and legislation that develop efficiency, competence, accountability, transparency, personal integrity and financial probity in all institutions and agencies of Government at every level and in every public institution and, for its part, Parliament is assigned the role of oversight to ensure compliance therein. This assertion is emboldened by section 119 within the Constitution which provides that Parliament has power to ensure compliance with the Constitution of the land and for that purpose; ALL institutions and agencies of the State and Government at EVERY LEVEL are accountable to it. Consequently, Parliament has a crucial role to play in promoting good governance by exposing, combating and eradicating all forms of corruption and abuse of power by public officials and political elite.
The fight against corruption presents a myriad of challenges as its beneficiaries and masterminds have an infinite base of resources to evade justice, be it politically or legally. Additionally, on account of the economic transformation the country is undergoing and the austerity this has entailed, opportunities open up even for Members of Parliament themselves to aid in the corruption by receiving bribes and inducements for favorable reports or to ‘see, hear and say nothing’.
The citizenry is not blind to these affairs and has an entrenched perception that grand corruption is perpetrated by the political elites who are themselves some of the biggest beneficiaries of this brazen corruption, with institutions now being perceived in bad light, known more for the ‘catch and release’ of perceived ‘big fish’, and their failure to adequately protect whistleblowers. This leaves the well-meaning and ethical participants of these processes exposed, demoralised and distrusting of national institutions and systems of justice. Under these conditions, it proves difficult to incentivise whistleblowers, who are instrumental in alerting authorities of corrupt activities in the public and private spheres. Their fear of exposure and subsequent victimisation arises from a perception that they will not be afforded the protections to which they are entitled. It is in this context that this Committee has diligently sought to investigate the mystery and suspected impropriety surrounding the US$28.2 million disbursement by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) for wheat imports.
The pursuit of truth is not without its costs. As Chairperson, members of my Portfolio Committee and myself have come to learn, directly, some of the consequences of seeking to advance justice. We have endured a campaign of cyber-bullying, intimidation, mudslinging and smearing in local broadsheets, digital and broadcast media, all intended to damage our credibility. These despicable efforts have been spearheaded by both GMAZ as a body and by one of the individuals at the center of this probe, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, following their highly contentious testimonies which commenced in 2019.
Notwithstanding, the Committee pursued its mission steadfastly, never backing down in the face of intimidation and threats. It is my most sincere hope, as Chairperson, that none of the persons who participated in this process will become victims or collateral damage of the rot we seek to uncover, as this report tackles and exposes well organized syndicates that bleed the economy of our country.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In recent years, Zimbabwe has been the unfortunate victim of adverse effects of climate change. In 2019, the eastern parts of the country were ravaged by Cyclone Idai, severely slowing down the national economy, and more broadly, we have experienced devastating successive droughts that have threatened national food security. The population has, at a number of points, been on the verge of starvation on this account, and had to rely heavily on imports for necessities such as maize, wheat and other crucial commodities.
In response to some of these events, the Government of His Excellency, Cde ED Mnangagwa, developed a dedicated facility under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development administered by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to allocate the scarce foreign currency at a rate of 1 United States of America Dollar To 1 Zimbabwe Dollar. This facility was meant to allow the importation of crucial commodities using the controlled bank rate, making products like bread affordable to the majority of the citizenry, particularly the economically disadvantaged while guaranteeing stability in the bread industry.
1.1 In spite of this Government intervention, the country went on to experience shortages of bread. This is one of the factors that motivated the necessity for this inquiry. Other factors included the lack of clarity of the exact nature and extent of GMAZ participation in this facility. Specifically, the question of whether GMAZ held a clear mandate in the administration and allocation of the US$28.2 million. Thirdly, disturbing reports of unfair and murky distribution of wheat allocations to a selected few millers and finally, the persistent well publicized demands by GMAZ, which bordered on threats, for more forex allocations brought to bear the question of the nexus between GMAZ and the Government.
These issues gave basis for the pursuit of an investigation by means of oral and written submissions of evidence by related stakeholders.
In accordance with its mandate to examine the administration and policies of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement, and matters falling under its jurisdiction, the Committee embarked on an enquiry to establish the extent of these claims. To this end, in launching its investigations, the Committee set out to achieve the following objectives:
- To determine if indeed GMAZ received forex allocations from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe between the years 2017 and 2019 at rate of 1ZWL:1US$
- To establish whether the forex allocations were used for the purposes for which they were disbursed; and
- To ascertain if GMAZ itself imported any wheat into the country.
This Committee Report is a culmination of observations emanating from the investigation. It presents:
- Background on forex allocations for the wheat industry;
- An outline of issues linked to the failure by GMAZ to import wheat into the country;
- Disclosure of efforts by GMAZ, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, Drostky and Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners to try and manipulate legal processes to derail investigations and to blackmail the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee;
- Summary and outcomes of Oral Evidence gathered;
- Committee findings;
- Recommendations and;
2.0 BACKGROUND
Zimbabwe's agricultural sector is critical in providing livelihoods to approximately 70% of the population, contributing between 10% and 15% of GDP and providing 40% of export earnings and supplying 63% of agro-industrial raw materials. (GoZ, 2011; Zimstat, 2012).
It is therefore a critical strategic cog in the design of strategies and policies around economic growth, poverty reduction, food security and overall national prosperity.
Wheat is the second most important food security crop in Zimbabwe after maize and has become a staple crop given the high demand for bread by the urban population. Wheat farming is a major cropping activity, contributing about 4% to the GDP of Zimbabwe (RBZ, 2009). The immediate wheat products are flour, the main ingredient for making bread and other confectionaries consumed daily by mostly urban Zimbabweans, and wheat bran which is mainly used in the stock-feeds manufacturing sector. Since domestic produced wheat has poor quality for bread making because it is too soft, hard wheat imports are required to improve the glistening of the local wheat product.
The wheat value chain is comprised of: - 1) input suppliers 2) farmers, 3) traders, 4) millers and 5) consumers and the structure varies from being dominated by monopolies selling to several farmers in the input markets, to many farmers selling to GMB and the major millers. Local production of wheat has been decreasing over years on account of the perception that it is simply not profitable enough and therefore traders also import wheat flour to satisfy domestic demand. At every level of the value chain, there is competition with imports creating a significant import bill for the national Government.
2.2 VISION 2030
The Constitution of the Government under the New Dispensation on 24 November, 2017 provided renewed hope for a better life for all Zimbabweans premised on a vision for realisation of rapid economic growth and development. The national development blueprint seeks to fundamentally transform Zimbabwe to an upper middle income economy, with a per capita Gross National Income of over US$5000 in real terms by 2030, from the current US$1 440. It also seeks to reduce the Poverty Rate to below 25 percent of the population from 62.5 percent (2012), consistent with upper middle income economies. Revitalisation of the agricultural sector through a number of interventions around land utilisation, farmer incubation, financing, agri-marketing and several others all work towards this end.
Ultimately, vision 2030 demands the creation of a self-sufficient and food surplus economy that will see the re-emergence of Zimbabwe as the ‘Bread Basket’ of Africa.
2.3 TSP
Vision 2030 will be realised through the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (2018-2020) and two successive Five-Year National Development Strategies; NDS1 (2021-2025) and NDS 2 (2026-2030). The main goal of TSP was stabilising the economy and creating a solid foundation for the Medium Term Plans, namely NDS1 and NDS2. To date, notable progress has been made in the implementation of the TSP, including fiscal consolidation, exchange rate stability and a number of achievements in various pillars.
2.4 NDS1
Zimbabwe’s next step towards Vision 2030 is the Five-year National Development Strategy of 2021-2025 (NDS1). The NDS1 is the successor to the TSP and will be underpinned by five annual National Budgets. The NDS1 contains strategies, programmes & projects aimed at eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods of the poor, women and youth empowerment and providing support to people living with disabilities, in line with Vision 2030. The emphasis of the NDS1 is on Bold Strategies that will change the status quo.
The NDS1 aims to build on the successes realised under the TSP, as well as addressing the TSP challenges and unfinished business, particularly consolidating macroeconomic stability. With respect to Food Security and Nutrition Security (a key thematic area), the major objectives under Food Security and Nutrition Security are to improve food self-sufficiency and to retain the regional breadbasket status; increase food self-sufficiency from the current level of 45% to 100%; reduce food insecurity from the high of 59% recorded in 2020 to less than 10% by 2025; increase maize production from 907 629 tonnes in 2020 to 3 million tonnes by 2025; and increase beef production from 49 115 tonnes in 2020 to 110 000 tonnes by 2025.
In light of the central place that agriculture occupies both traditionally and in the future of national development, transparency and accountability across this sector is vital, in particular in the implementation of all Government policy. This enquiry, then, is of strategic national importance, and outcomes drawing from it will have lasting national ramifications.
3.0 METHODOLOGY
In undertaking this enquiry, the Committee adopted traditionally used methodologies by Parliament that foster the highest levels of transparency and therefore contribute to the report’s overall credibility and reliability.
3.1 Oral Evidence Sessions
The Committee held Oral Evidence sessions on the 19th March, 2019 with the following key stakeholders:-
Mr. T. Musarara - Chairperson, Grain Millers Association
Mr. G. Murdock - Grain and Oil Seed Traders Association
Mr. C. Nheta - National Foods, Vice Chairperson GMAZ
Mr. O. Zvamaunganira- Managing Director, Manica Zimbabwe
Mr. M. Dzomba - Millers from Matabeleland Region
Mr. U. Khamal - General Manager, Blue Ribbon Foods
3.2 Written Submissions
The Committee received written submissions and communications from;
- The Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe;
- The Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority;
- Metbank;
- Ecobank;
- Drostky Private Limited;
- Grain Miller’s Association of Zimbabwe;
- Wintertons Legal Practitioners; and
- Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practioners.
4.0 ORAL SUBMISSIONS TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE INITIAL MEETING
4.1 GMAZ Executive
The Executive and some members of GMAZ appeared before the Committee on 19 March, 2019. The Chairperson of GMAZ, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, informed the Committee that GMAZ was a fully constituted body, availed its constitution and further stated that GMAZ received from RBZ an amount of US$26.2 million (Twenty Six Million, Two Hundred Thousand United States Of America Dollars). He further informed the Committee that they had brought with them proof of how the funds were utilized and submitted what he termed ‘acquittal documents’ for the US$26.2m allocated to GMAZ by RBZ.
4.1.2 The Chairperson of GMAZ, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara highlighted to the Committee that his Secretariat was in South Africa attending a Fortification Conference and could not avail some of the requested documentation to the Committee on time. The Committee rescheduled the meeting to the 2nd of April, 2019 to allow GMAZ the opportunity to compile and submit all requested information.
4.1.3 Parliament went on an unscheduled recess and GMAZ was accordingly notified of the postponement of the meeting to a later date which was to be announced. It must however be noted that despite prior warning of the postponement, GMAZ turned up on the 2nd of April without invitation and held a press conference addressed by Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and their attorney, Advocate T. Magwaliba, on the precinct of Parliament, just outside the Senate Chamber. Several questions arose as to how they were able to access Parliamentary premises without requisite security clearances.
5.0 Meeting with GMAZ members
The Committee held Oral Evidence hearings with GMAZ Members to clarify what they received under the US$28.2 million allocation from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
WITNESSES
- Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ)
Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara – GMAZ Chairperson
Mr. M. Dzomba – Vice Chairman GMAZ and CEO Blue Ram Milling
Mr. G. Chaunza – PR GMAZ
Mrs. L. Vheremu – General Manager
- Blue Ribbon Foods
Mr. U. Khamal - General Manager
- National Foods
Mr. M. Lashbrook – CEO
- 4. Continental Millers
Mr. N. Kulumuzi - Managing Director
GMAZ presentation
The Chairperson commenced the meeting (excerpts as captured by Parliament’s Hansard Recording) by inquiring from Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara if they (Chairperson and Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara) shared any type of relationship to which Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara responded by saying;
- MUSARARA: No, we do not have relationships outside this Committee.
THE CHAIRPERSON: Have I ever sought a bribe from you?
- MUSARARA: From me? No, you have not.
This was meant to address various media reports that emanated from Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara suggesting that the Chairperson had a personal gripe with Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and that this placed him in conflict and compromised his ability to conduct his duties fairly.
GMAZ confirmed that they had imported all wheat in their name. They presented letters from five milling companies confirming receipt of wheat delivered by GMAZ. Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara proceeded to present Bill of Entries, several letters on GMAZ letterhead and various bankers’ communications claiming that all acquittals were done in accordance with the law and all funds were accounted for.
The other five GMAZ members who attended the meeting confirmed that they received the wheat from GMAZ after paying funds into a local GMAZ account.
LETTER FROM GMAZ REQUESTING RECUSAL OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON FROM PROCEEDINGS
GMAZ, through its lawyers, wrote a letter to the Clerk of Parliament making two requests, citing unfair treatment and bias;
- The recusal of Hon. J.M. Wadyajena from Chairing the inquiry; and
- Termination of Hon. J.M. Wadyajena’s membership of the Committee.
5.1 Letter from Parliament
The Clerk of Parliament responded to Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara seeking evidence and information on the unfair treatment and bias.
5.1.2 Clerk’s meeting with Mr. Musarara
The Clerk of Parliament, Counsel to Parliament and GMAZ and their lawyers held a round table meeting to discuss their request to have Hon. J.M. Wadyajena recused from the Committee and they were advised that since they had brought in fresh allegations of conflict of interest, it was incumbent upon them to furnish Parliament with proof of the said conflict of interest, or at least substantiate the allegations in order for Parliament to take action.
5.1.3 Letter from Wintertons Legal Practioners (Wintertons)
GMAZ legal practitioners Wintertons wrote to Parliament stating that their client would not avail themselves before the Committee unless the Chairperson was recused.
5.1.4 Parliament Response
It must be noted the Committee spent almost a year in back and forth communication with GMAZ showing and expressing their unwillingness to appear before the Committee. Parliament wrote several letters of invitation to Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara who stated unequivocally that he would not appear before the Committee. The Committee resolved to invoke provisions of the Standing Orders which were duly approved by the Head of Parliament, Advocate J.F. Mudenda and dispatched officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police to deliver summonses at Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara’s known places of location, stating that he was legally required to avail himself before the Committee.
7.0 HIGH COURT APPLICATION
After being served with summonses, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara instructed Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners to make an urgent High Court application seeking authority for their client to appear before the Committee in the company of a legal practitioner of their choice.
Clerk of Parliament and Counsel to Parliament held a round table meeting with his lawyers and a position was agreed that Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara would be able to attend to the Oral Evidence session in the company of any legal representation of his choice. The meeting resolved to the withdrawal of the High Court application as it no longer served any purpose.
21st May, 2020
Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara appeared before the Committee representing Drostky Private Limited, a company he had earlier advised the Committee that he both owned and that was responsible for importing the wheat on behalf of the GMAZ millers.
In attendance was Advocate Lewis Uriri instructed by a legal practitioner from Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners. At the very beginning of the hearing, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara indicated that he had held a meeting with the Clerk of Parliament who assured him that his lawyers would be able to respond to issues on his behalf.
Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara presented a letter from the Clerk of Parliament. After a careful perusal of the letter, Committee interpreted it differently from Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and his legal team.
OBSERVATIONS
Counsel to Parliament attended the meeting of the 21st March, 2020 and interpreted the letter which clearly stated that Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara was permitted to bring with him any lawyer but stated clearly that “he will be responsible for responding to all issues raised by the Committee” while he was also at liberty to consult his legal team on any subject matter.
Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and his legal team chose to abstain from the meeting and elected to proceed with the court application which they had misrepresented to the Clerk of Parliament being that it was agreed this application would be withdrawn before Committee meeting.
FINDINGS
- Throughout the enquiry, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara demonstrated an unwillingness to assist the Committee in its investigations, obfuscating and out rightly refusing to produce documentation pertinent to this inquiry.
- Tafadzwa Musarara notified the Committee that GMAZ had imported wheat valued at US$26.2 million yet RBZ advised and availed documents to the Committee that the accessed funds totaled US$28.2 million.
- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) wrote to the Committee and clearly stated that for a period between January 2018 and May 2020, GMAZ did not import any wheat into Zimbabwe “...Please be advised there are no wheat imports for GMAZ in our records for the mentioned period of January 2018 to August 2019...” (direct quote from ZIMRA letter.)
- After being provided with confirmation letters from ZIMRA, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara later conceded to the Committee that in actual fact, GMAZ never imported any wheat but that it was a private company that he owns in his personal capacity called Drostky Private Limited that imported the wheat instead. His previous statements which were given under oath were then revealed to be perjurious which itself is contempt of parliament.
- ZIMRA further advised the Committee that for a period between January 2018 and May 2020, Drostky imported wheat totaling US$24.2 million into the country but it must be highlighted that Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara had advised the Committee that his private entity Drostky, was in the business of importing its own wheat like other Millers and when asked to provide evidence in any form that the US$24.2 million belonged to GMAZ’s RBZ funds, he failed to provide the evidence and also failed to provide evidence of the authority by regulatory authorities to use third parties.
- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe provided the Committee with proof that GMAZ authorized its local bankers Metbank and Ecobank to transfer US$28.2 million as advance payment to Holbud of United Kingdom for wheat purchase and there are no acquittals for any portion of those funds. This makes whole amount of US$28.2 million unaccounted for.
- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe further submitted acquittals totaling US$24.2million. The acquittals listed Drostky as the Consignee on the Bills of Entry not GMAZ whom they had given the funds to.
- There was no resolution of GMAZ authorizing Mr. Musarara to use his company Drostky as a vehicle to import wheat on behalf of Wheat Millers and additionally, the Committee noted invoices from Holbud clearly indicated GMAZ as the customer, not Drostky.
- The Committee noted that Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara drafted and wrote letters on behalf of all millers as evidenced by the letters which confirmed millers received their wheat allocations in full. When Committee inquired why all letters from the various companies bore an uncanny resemblance, the representatives advised the Committee that GMAZ called and simply gave them written letters for their signatures and letterheads.
- The Committee was left bewildered as to how GMAZ could successfully complete all international telegraphic transfers of US$28.2 million to Holbud, but then fail to receive the goods in their name. The Committee asked National Foods and other millers what they benefited in using Drostky (a competitor) instead of their own name but failed to get clear answers from all millers and none were able to confirm that they mandated Mr. Musarara to use his personal company.
- The violation of our tax laws (Tax evasion, Tax returns, income tax, VAT returns from January 2018-March 2020) cannot be ruled out given the inconsistencies in the account of the US$28.2 million.
- Despite changing his story and now insisting Drostky imported wheat for US$24.2million on behalf of GMAZ, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara failed to provide the proof of a Ministerial waiver or instrument authorizing such transaction so it was not considered a sale to other millers.
- Asked to explain the difference in numbers, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara attempted to claim part of the money was for previous debt yet RBZ released funds for advance payments and bank transfers completed by GMAZ clearly indicated the funds were advance payments against current invoices.
- The use of Drostky (Private) Limited to transact GMAZ business indicates a serious lack of corporate governance within the ranks of GMAZ. It appears, Mr. Musarara might have abused his position of Chair of the same to use his company without the relevant consent by all stakeholders. No resolutions were availed to prove otherwise.
- The Ministry of Finance entrusted with the national purse failed and/or neglected to bring GMAZ and its Chairperson to account. Why has it taken Parliament to unravel the misappropriation of funds yet they had all the information before them to take appropriate action against GMAZ. There is a real possibility of externalization of foreign currency here by the GMAZ Chairperson.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission must investigate the GMAZ transaction, and ascertain the whereabouts of the US$28.2 Million which was not accounted for by Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and GMAZ.
- ZACC must investigate circumstances that led to Drotsky being the vehicle used to import wheat on behalf of Wheat Millers and additionally, when GMAZ processed Telegraphic Transfers to Holbud from its own accounts with the invoices from Holburd clearly indicating GMAZ as the customer, not Drostky.
- ZIMRA must investigate the tax affairs of Drostky and GMAZ including instituting a lifestyle audit on Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara for a period between January 2018 and March 2020 zeroing on the US$28.2 million availed by RBZ. ZIMRA must report to the Committee within 60 days of tabling this report;
- The ZRP must investigate, take appropriate action where there are anomalies and issue a statement within 30 days of this directive on progress regarding the externalization of funds meant for wheat purchases by GMAZ;
- The Law Society of Zimbabwe must investigate Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners for unethical conduct in trying to deceive the High Court of Zimbabwe by purportedly withdrawing a matter (HC2407/20) that had already been dismissed by a High Court Judge; and
- Parliament must charge the GMAZ Chairperson for contempt in that he deliberately lied under oath to defeat the objective of the Committee’s inquiry. This is to ensure that the sacrosanct oversight role of Parliament is respected.
CONCLUSION
The promises that the Government makes to citizens of Zimbabwe, as well as the confidence the citizens hold in the Government cannot be taken for granted and must be honoured and safeguarded, always. This inquiry brought to light damning evidence of misrepresentation, manipulation, externalization, embezzlement, forgery, perjury, theft, contempt of Parliament, dishonesty among other serious crimes committed by Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, the Executives of the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe, Drostky and their attorneys, Rubaya and Chatambudza against the people of Zimbabwe.
The institutions created to fight corruption must be seen to be transparent, honest and just but are themselves not doing nearly enough to protect the interests of the citizens and the nation. Furthermore, it is these very institutions that are accused by citizens of shielding suspected perpetrators of corruption by demanding an unreasonable threshold of proof from whistleblowers, while failing to perform their role as the investigators, and while it is a well-known fact that corruption is often a web of complexities and opaque machinations.
In conclusion, now that the Committee has done its work and laid bare irrefutable proof of misleadings by Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara and GMAZ, Zimbabweans expect the responsible authorities to take bold and decisive actions in response. In order to restore the confidence of the nation that the fight against corruption is real and not just a game of ‘catch and release’, related and consequent investigations and prosecutions must result in clear penalties to indicate that crime at the people’s expense is simply not to be tolerated and is not in keeping with values of the New Dispensation. The onus, therefore, now sits with these authorities to prove to the nation that our corruption fighting agencies are not captured by the very cartels we seek to root out. I thank you.
HON. JAMES SITHOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker for giving me the opportunity to also add my voice in support of the report as given by the Chairperson of the Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Hon. Wadyajena. I am also a member of the Committee who also participated in this inquiry. I must also highlight the issue of non-cooperation with the Committee by GMAZ Chairperson Mr. Musarara during the inquiry which contributed to a lengthy process and made the work of the Committee difficult.
His actions were a clear attempt to undermine the work of the Committee, a precedence that must not be allowed by Parliament. However, Mr. Speaker Sir, let me not waste time and go straight to some of the findings as reported. Finding number 1 shows that there is a US$2m which GMAZ could not account for. Recommendation number 3, ZIMRA also confirmed to the Committee that there were no imports as claimed by GMAZ between the period January 2018 and May 2020. Finding number 4, when RBZ allocated money to GMAZ for the import of wheat, it is so disturbing how and why would the Chairperson of GMAZ Mr. Musarara opt to use his personal company called Drostky Limited, this is clearly against good cooperate governance principles, in fact it is criminal.
Finding number 5, ZIMRA confirmed that it is Drostky that imported wheat at a value of $24.2 million during the same period leaving a variance of $4 million which could not be accounted for. Primsey informed the Committee to the effect that the $24.2 million that Drostky used were his personal funds yet these are funds that were allocated by RBZ. Finding number 6, the RBZ gave the Committee proof that GMAZ authorised its local (network failure debate inaudible.)...United Kingdom for wheat purchases yet they were no acquittals for any portion in those funds. This makes the whole amount of $28.2 million unaccounted for and this is US dollars.
Finding number 8, there was no resolution of GMAZ authorising Mr. Musarara to use his company Drostky as a vehicle to import wheat on behalf of wheat millers. Finding number 11, there is a possibility of violating of tax laws, tax evasion, tax returns, income tax, VAT returns from January 2018 to March 2020, that cannot be ruled out as given even the inconsistence in the account of $28.2 million. I wish to end up by seconding all the recommendations as given in the report from No. 1 to 6. This is an opportunity to show the world how serious or how likely the Government of Zimbabwe and its law institutions such as ZRP, Parliament and the courts considers the issue of corruption. Taking corrective action will send a clear message that corruption is not tolerated in this country, while failure to act will send a message to the contrary.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the findings are very serious and therefore this matter must be given the serious attention that it deserves. I thank you.
HON. KASHAMBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for allowing me to add my voice on this pertinent issue regarding GMAZ. Unfortunately, I am asking that we go through this report so that we can debate it fully and with well informed information and details from the report. We have just received this report 5 minutes ago from the Committee Clerk.
HON. PETER MOYO: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 9th November, 2021.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Seventh order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for according me this opportunity to debate on the State of the Nation Address given by His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa on 7th October 2021, which date coincided with the Opening of the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it is encouraging to know that His Excellency, President E.D Mnangagwa gave credit to the resourcefulness of our people in combating the COVID 19 pandemic, notwithstanding the crippling illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the Western countries. Indeed, this is a testimony to the fact that as Zimbabweans we rally together in times of need, hence we were able to fight this unprecedented attach on our health status.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I am pleased to note that while Chiredzi District where I come from was one of the hotspots during the second and third COVID 19 waves, we have benefited immensely from the massive vaccine roll out by the Government and our COVID 19 statistics have subsequently reduced very significantly. This again bears testimony to the priorities that His Excellency put on the table when the COVID 19 pandemic broke, he said he would put the health of the people in front of everything else and this bears testimony to that.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the visionary leadership provided by His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa enabled our action to effectively utillise the good rains in 2021 resulting in an excellent agriculture season which has underpinned the impressive projected economic growth of 7,8%. It is encouraging that the agricultural sector which anchors our economy grew by 34% against a budget of 11%, subsequent to the good 2021 agricultural season. All this was enabled by the way His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa is providing leadership to Government. The good rains on their own without a proper management structure would not have resulted in the good season we have noticed agriculture wise.
Mr. Speaker Sir, introduction of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme by the Government was a master stroke as it massively improved food, nutrition and livelihood security at household levels. Smallholder farmers on Pfumvudza/Intwasa plots average 5,28 tonnes per hectare of maize against 1,16 tonnes per hectare on conventional tillage. No further proof is required to show that indeed the programme introduced by President E. D. Mnangagwa’s Government has borne fruit
Mr. Speaker Sir in 2020, Zimbabwe was the largest importer of maize from South Africa at 20% of the 2, 6 million tonnes of maize exported by that country. We as a country utilised 298 million USD on maize imports in 2020. This year our maize production stands at 2,7 million tonnes which is 3 times higher than the 2020 production. Our production gives us 1,5 times cover against our national annual consumption of 1,8 million tonnes for our population of 4,65 million and our livestock requirement of 0,35 million tonnes.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it is important to note that this is the first time in 3 years that our strategic grain reserve has exceeded 500 000 tonnes. Government has now set the reserve at 1,5 millions tonnes. In May 2021, Government banned maize imports, resulting in a saving of 300 million USD that can now be directed to developmental programmes. Again this is testimony to the quality of leadership in Government provided by His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa. Had we gone another year importing close to 300 million dollars worth of food, all the developmental projects that are on the table targeting 2030 would come to nothing.
I would like to thank the Government for putting in place the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme timeously coupled with subsidies on inputs such incentivized massive planting on two million hectares of maize. It must however, be noted that our average yield is still very low at 1, 4 tonnes of maize per hectare compared to 5,9 tonnes per hectare in South Africa. There is therefore, need for more effort to go into climate proofing initiative such as Intwasa which I have just shown as having performed much better than the conventional tillage. There is also need for major investment in precision farming techniques, including supplementary irrigation. The session we had earlier on, ably demonstrated the importance of committing a lot more resources to irrigated agriculture as we battle climate change. Mr. Speaker Sir, allow me to thank Government for according sugarcane the strategic crop status. This is a crop which underpins the economy of Chiredzi District where I come from and in fact, the economy of Masvingo Province as a whole. In his former address, the President emphasised the importance of the redoubling of efforts to complete commissioning of Unit 7 and 8 at Hwange Power Station. This is very important to sugarcane production because a lot of the movement of water is underpinned by dependents on irrigation which uses a lot of power.
We are encouraged by the vision shown by His Excellency that not only should we be using coal to generate power. We just had the climate change conference in Glasgow and one of the initiatives that His Excellency has put across is the inclusive approach to solar power generation countrywide. Where I come from – Chiredzi has plenty of sunshine throughout the year and there are opportunities for solar power investment in that area.
Another key crop which is important to our national economy is cotton. It supports close to 400 000 households. Production in 2021 has hit a five-year high output of 92 000 tonnes with the good rains we experienced in 2020. It must however be stated that a lot of farmers have migrated from cotton production to other crops because of the poor pricing structure. His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa made reference to the fact and I quote that, “my guys are consistently availing adequate resources to expedite payment to our farmers for crop deliveries. This strategy is envisaged to guarantee enhanced productivity and profitability of farm operations along the farming as a business philosophy”. It is important that the Ministry of Finance, working in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, needs to do a lot more to ensure that our cotton farmers are paid timeously. Earlier on we had Hon. Nyabani making reference to this issue. As I am talking, we still have cotton farmers that have not been paid for last year’s production. Cotton is one of those crops that have major potential to value add. We should not be importing clothes in Zimbabwe, instead we should actually be exporting clothes and not raw lint. If we do not pay our farmers properly, it is not going to be easy for us to maintain our status as a major cotton producer and yet our climate and soils lend themselves to us being a major cotton producer.
Let me conclude my contribution by thanking His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa for prioritising the need to do capital spending. This last year, 34% of the total expenditure of the budget to date has been earmarked for infrastructure development. Masvingo Province where I come from currently, has a GDP of only US$1.8 billion. In the context of Vision 2030, the budget of Masvingo can grow to US$8 billion. This is underpinned by the scope that there is capacity for us to do 77 000 ha or more irrigation. This will entail massive infrastructure development and I am confident with the thrust that is shown by His Excellency to do 80% production and 20% politics, we will be able to deliver on this and in the process contribute as Masvingo Province towards attainment of Vision 2030. Thank you for the time you have given to me.
(v)*HON. R. R. NYATHI: Mr. Speaker Sir, I also want to add my voice on this very important debate on the SONA presented on 7th October, 2021, by His Excellency Cde. Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe. He focused on the most important issues which were an eye opener to us. His main call was on what it is that we need to do for our country to be progressive. I will dwell on those few issues which other Members who debated did not speak on.
The President went on to speak about COVID-19 and thanked the whole populace for doing extremely well in terms of adhering to all COVID-19 protocols. However, even though we were thanked as a country, the one who should be given all the credit is our President Cde. Mnangagwa, for doing an amazing job. When COVID-19 started around November, it got to Zimbabwe in February/March but he was proactive and quickly started educating all the Zimbabweans on the dangers associated with COVID-19 through doctors, village health workers, radio and television. That is why I think as a country we are indebted to the President; we did not lose many lives because of his visionary leadership.
He also touched on a man’s realistic state, that is our healthcare, education and infrastructure development. He touched on Vision 2030 envisioning the future life he wishes for his people with everyone being employed and living a better life. The President also spoke on road reconstruction and if this had started in 1980, we would have been one of the countries with a very good road infrastructure. A lot has been done towards road reconstruction and rehabilitation during this Second Dispensation. The President also thanked Zimbabweans for being peace loving and doing things in unity. He said as a nation, we should maintain our ubuntu despite whatever might happen and continue to dialogue as one.
The other thing that he said which was of importance to me was the management of foreign currency or our financial sector pertaining to stability of our currency. He also spoke about the financial sector, especially the foreign currency issue. He explained measures of stabilising the currency, as well as the foreign currency auction system and how it performs or works.
He also explained the measures that are meant to reduce inflation and all the measures put in place by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to safeguard the currency, as well as ensuring that prices remain affordable. One other important thing that he spoke of which I feel is very important to the citizenry is the issue of illegal economic sanctions imposed on the country by our enemies. They are meant to stop any developments that we may think of. Many countries have since realised that indeed these sanctions are not good for us; hence, they joined us in the call for the removal of sanctions because they are not justified. We did not wrong anyone but they are fighting us and disturbing our sovereignty.
The other thing is our country’s development is underpinned by agriculture, so those efforts or measures that are put in place are meant for that, such as the conservation agriculture techniques that are being used. They are meant to enhance productivity and improve the livelihoods of people so that we get food security, as well as, income to take our kids to school, pay fees for them and have enough food. If anyone starves, it should be optional. It should be out of fasting and not out of poverty.
The other thing that His Excellency spoke about is that we should be very much aware of climate change. We should come to a point where we really talk about climate change and analyse how it affects us. This is because it may give some problems to our people. I thank the President very much for giving us such a warning. We should open our eyes and be conscious of all those things. To rural farmers, it is also important that for the Ministry of Agriculture, especially the department of Agritex, people should be taught how to preserve land. I was looking at another clip whereby water flowed and swept away a field. We should use the contour ridges to preserve the washing away of soil in our fields.
The President also spoke about the emergency needs of our society, the safety nets. They also hinder development. I was very much happy because the President spoke about a very important issue. He spoke about the welfare of Parliamentarians. He said there should be an amendment to the Parliamentary Pensions Act so that we consider how Parliamentarians can get pensions. I would like to quote what he said, “With regards to the welfare of our Parliamentarians, the proposed amendments to the Parliamentary Pensions Act should address deficiencies identified in the present Act.” I realised that the President wants to ensure that the representatives of the people’s welfare is taken into account so that we also have a better life after retirement.
The final thing I would like to talk about is I realised that the President is very kind. Amongst the laws that need to be worked on is to do with addressing the welfare of people living with disabilities. It should address the issue of disability rights. The rights of those people should be protected by the law, so the President is not discriminatory but looks at everyone in society to ensure that their welfare is well-looked after. I am very happy Mr. Speaker and I would like to thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion on the State of the Nation Address. I thank you very much.
HON. T. MOYO: Hon. Speaker Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 9th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. T. MOYO, seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Five Minutes to Six o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 9th November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 4th November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA): Before we proceed to Questions Without Notice, we have received apologies from the following Ministers: Hon. Gen. Rtd. Dr. C. G. D. N. Chiwenga, Minister of Health and Child Care;
Hon. Prof. Mavima, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare;
Hon. Ziyambi, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs;
Hon. Prof. Murwira, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development;
Hon. Dr. Coventry, Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation;
Hon. Dr. Shava, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
Hon. Dr. M.N. Ndlovu, Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry;
Hon. Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development;
Hon. Dr. Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce;
Hon. Kambamura, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development;
Here present, we have Hon. Sen. Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services;
Hon. Madiro, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development;
Hon. Dr. Musabayana, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
Hon. E. Moyo, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. However, in his absence, I will kindly direct my question to the Leader of the House and Government Business. Mr. President, the rain season is fast approaching with disasters that are associated with it. These disasters have been taking place year in year out. To mention a few areas that have been affected, we have Mbire, Muzarabani, Chiredzi, Nyanga and Chipinge. May the Hon. Minister favour this august Senate by explaining stages and programmes that the Ministry is implementing as to indicate the preparedness of disaster risk management in order to avoid fire fighting that we seem to be associated with year in year out?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Mr. President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Kambizi for that comprehensive question. What I would like to say as policy of Government, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has a department of CPU. You know there have been a lot of interventions they have been doing and a lot of work has been done to make sure that they avoid some of the disasters which are associated with heavy rains.
I know they had a workshop in Bulawayo and Harare. I was talking with the Minister, Hon. July Moyo, they have put aside a budget. But as he rightly asked, what I am going to ask my colleague Minister is to provide this august Senate with that explanation of the strategy, the programmes which they have to make sure that we do not react. I will ask the Minister, Hon. July Moyo to bring a paper outlining their strategy.
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Minister, I was advised as you were concluding that you were not connected but it was too late to ask you to connect. Maybe from what I heard, the Minister was suggesting a Ministerial Statement on the issue of preparedness on disasters by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works.
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to direct my question to the Leader of the House. Last year, we had farmers who planted cotton. When they sold their cotton, they were paid with groceries. This year, we also hear that they are going to be paid with groceries. How do the farmers prepare for the coming cropping season?
*THE HON. MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Hon. President of the Senate. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chinake for the question concerning cotton farmers. There was a period where they were saying they were being paid for their cotton through groceries. This is a very sensitive issue to us as Government and we strongly believe that when farmers have brought in their produce, they should be paid adequately. Through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, funds were disbursed so that these farmers are paid. It might be a slow process, they are being paid in batches, they are not being paid in groceries but in monetary terms using money.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF NGEZI: Thank you very much Mr. President. My question goes to the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage. What programme is there regarding shrines? We have got graves for Sekuru Kaguvi – some heritage sites are being mined, there is vandalism and even if you tell the police, no action is taken. People may have problems in future to recognise or understand where Sekuru Kaguvi is buried. I will continue to say these things every day. What we want is clarity from the Hon. Minister to say what will happen then. We want these heritage sites to be safeguarded.
*THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you very much Mr. President. I would like to thank the Hon. Senator for his question. This is a very important question. This issue is actually troubling us as a Ministry. We were given a task by His Excellency the President, as Home Affairs, for us to identify such sites and ensure that all these places are well taken care of. We have a department led by Dr. Mahachi which is responsible for looking after those sites. They have come up with a Strategy Paper on how these sites can be safeguarded and this paper has been submitted to Cabinet for approval. If it is approved, then we will carry on with our work. We are not only focusing on places within Zimbabwe but all those places beyond the borders where our freedom fighters were buried are included.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHIKWAKA: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to ask for permission to give a bit of a background to my question so that the Hon. Minister can understand fully.
*THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: The law requires you to ask your question and in the event that there is need for explanation, then you can put your question in writing so that the responsible Minister can respond accordingly.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHIKWAKA: I will try to put across the question and if it is difficult to understand, I will put it in writing as advised. My question is directed to the Leader of Government Business and it is with regards to the new law that was brought in and mentioned by the Minister of Agriculture to those who would have been allocated farms, that they should build a home 30 days after having been allocated the farm and employ a farm manager. My question is; is this law in support of our farmers? Are we not now fighting against black farmers who do not have the capacity or resources to set up such requirements within that stipulated timeframe? We are actually viewing this law as inhibiting farmers from development. That is my question to the Minister.
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Mr. President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chikwaka for that question. As Government policy, farms were given and there is no reversal to that programme. Those who were given farms should utilise them – the President is on record of saying, farming is a business and people should be working. We are seeing the Government working hard through the distribution of agricultural resources in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Tractors have been purchased together with the Presidential Inputs Scheme and the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, which is a strategy to encourage all those who were given farms to have a starting point. Everyone who has been allocated a farm should make use of that opportunity. We do not want absentees, those people who are never at their farms. On this issue of a circular that is said to be going around, that they should build a home within a certain number of days, I will ask Hon. Sen. Chief Chikwaka to put the question in writing so that he can get a comprehensive answer from the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.
+HON. SEN. M. NDLOVU: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs. We do not have a police station in my Constituency but we applied for a piece of land from the City Council and they gave us. What should we do so that a police station can be constructed?
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: That is not a policy question, I think if you put it in writing, research can be done. The Minister can answer it here politically without the facts on the ground. I know that he might want to respond so I will allow him.
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (HON. KAZEMBE): I will kindly ask the Hon. Senator to put the question in writing so that we can look at that particular case and be able to respond to that particular issue.
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Let me announce that more Ministers have joined us. We have the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Hon. Chombo and the Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. Matuke.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development but in his absence, I will direct it to the Leader of the House.
For our national currency to be accepted, Zimbabweans need to have confidence in their currency. What measures are being put in place to bring back confidence in our currency?
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I know the Minister can tackle anything as long as it has to do with the Government of Zimbabwe but I am just coming from the Victoria Falls Budget Seminar where these issues where deeply canvassed.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA):I think these are issues, as the Hon. President has said, which were debated at length at Victoria Falls at the Pre-Budget Workshop. Both the Minister Hon. Prof. Mthuli Ncube and the Reserve Bank Governor, Dr. Mangudya went at length explaining what they are doing from the fiscal and monetary side.
What is important to note is that there is no country in the world which has developed without its own local currency. I think the Minister was on record to say the local currency is our transaction currency. The issue of confidence is not an overnight thing and as such, we know that in 2008 we dollarised our economy and that meant that we were only using US dollars. The introduction of the local currency has been brought about by the Second Republic and it has been working well. Of course, there are unscrupulous people, corporate companies and individuals who have been constantly doing some tricks to play around with our currency and this was clearly said by both the Minister of Finance and the RBZ Governor that they are dealing with it. IFU is also dealing with it and there are investigations happening. There will be nobody who will be left without being penalised if they are found guilty. There is also the introduction of the auction at bank rate which has made a lot of companies and corporate companies to be able to acquire foreign currency for whatever inputs they need in the production of whatever they are producing. That has also helped the SMEs to be able to get foreign currency so that at least they can continue with their business activities. The parallel market which is affecting prices bringing run away increases in prices of our goods and this is what is being investigated – those found wanting will be penalised.
*HON. SEN. RWAMBIWA: My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. We are very grateful for the Pfumvudza Programme. We have people who are coming back to ask uswhy they are being asked to pay for what they received as transport money. Is that the requirement?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): The Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme is under the Presidential Inputs Scheme. These inputs are seed and fertiliser and they come from the President’s office. They are given to farmers for free by Government. We may need the full details of where this is happening. These inputs are from the President and are given to the farmer. It does not matter who this farmer is. The Government is assisting all the farmers. People who are working hard and doing what is requested are given the seeds.
The Minister of Agriculture may explain further because we might have different scenarios because of location but let us acknowledge and understand that this is a Presidential Scheme, Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme. Every farmer in this country is being given the opportunity.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to pose my question to the Leader of Government Business. The world at the moment is fighting to try to ban coal as a source of power. I want to find out whether the Government of Zimbabwe is a signatory to that club? If so, what is Government doing to provide alternative source of power to the country as we all know that we are dependent on Hwange and also the communities and towns depend on Hwange as a source of employment?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank the Hon. Sen. Dr Mavetera for his question which is very topical at the moment. We have just come back from the airport to receive His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa who was attending COP26 in Glasgow in Scotland and these are the issues he reported back on his arrival. He said there were more than 193 countries and the resolution they came up with on the issue of banning coal in Africa, Asia and Latin America cannot be done immediately. The western countries have used coal for all this time and caused those problems leading to climate change and this has brought us all these challenges. So, as reported by the President, these western countries promised to give money to Africa, Asia and Latin American countries to ensure that the transition cannot be abrupt and the expectation cannot be that we can suddenly just move away from coal. We need the money so that we move into hydro-power, biogas and solar but that transition has to be smooth. We are however all agreeing that we need to eventually move out.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President. What measures have been taken by the Government to make sure that people are well versed with the issues of climate change?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you very much Mr. President. I would like to thank the Senator for asking a question on the Government’s position. So far we have had the first, second and third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each wave killed a lot of people and made a many very sick. We are now looking at the fourth wave and with the experience of other countries, when it becomes very cold, we have a lot of cases. From September to November, the numbers have gone down and the average number of confirmed cases are about 40 to 45. The number of deaths has also considerably gone down to 1 or 2. All the precautions that we have put in place to prevent and fight the pandemic are yielding results. We must not relax thinking we are out of the woods but we should continue being cautious. We have about 20 million vaccinations in stock which should see us vaccinating about 60% of the population of Zimbabwe. As leaders in your constituencies, continue to educate and conscientise people on the need to be vaccinated so as to lessen the impact of the disease. Government is communicating through the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We should make sure that we have vaccines and protective clothing. The Vice President, who is also the Minister of Health and the Ministers of State are involved in weekly meetings, having discussions on this particular issue so that we are always on guard against this pandemic. We should continue to follow all the COVID-19 regulations. That way we can safeguard ourselves. Even this fourth wave that is being mentioned, let it find us well prepared with ventilators and oxygen which is being made in our country. The Ministry of Health is making sure that they have HDUs and ICUs but the most important thing for us to know as a nation is that we are on level 2 with restrictions a bit relaxed and the curfew starts after 10pm. People should be tested, vaccinated and move around with their vaccination cards. Schools are following the COVID-19 protocols to safeguard children from the pandemic. As a country, we have not relaxed or turned a blind eye to this pandemic. We do not know what lies ahead of us, so we will continue to safeguard ourselves as a nation. I thank you.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: Thank you Mr. President. I wanted to direct my question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. What is the Government doing to mitigate brain drain in the health sector? What measures are in place to retain the remaining skilled work force? Thank you very much.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I want to thank Hon. Sen. Dube for that very important question. In the last Cabinet, this was a very topical issue, the issue to stem brain drain in the health sector. What the Ministry and Government are doing is coming up with non-monetary incentives to make sure that our health workers are provided with loans to buy their own private cars. Also, there has been a resolution to buy buses to make sure there are buses which are allocated to health workers. The issue of also providing institutional accommodation has been one of those measures being taken by Government. Also, the issue of re-training our health workers, meaning there is going to be a school where every health worker and all civil servants are trained. People are going to be trained as Zimbabweans how to serve your own country and how important it is to be patriotic.
More-so, we all know that all those who are leaving are looking for greener pastures. We may not be competitive with all those countries where they are being absorbed. Certainly, as a country, we are going to do everything possible to make sure that we retain our health workers. They are important. We do not want Zimbabwe to be a training ground and then everyone goes at the end of the day and our people are not treated. There is a lot of work and strategies which the Ministry of Health and Child Care are coming up with to make sure that we stem the brain drain of our health workers. I thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you very much Mr. President. We were given tractors that were sent to DDF. We would want to understand how they are going to be distributed as they are meant farmers and how they were distributed amongst provinces. Are they going to assist farmers?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would want to thank you Hon. President of the Senate. I would also want to thank Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for the question. DDF is doing a lot of work. It is working on roads and drilling boreholes for people to have access to water. As DDF, they have their own representatives from the provinces to the districts. All this is done so that it assists farmers. I kindly ask Hon. Sen. Chirongoma to get in touch with those from the DDF and Agritex. These organisations work together and you should be able to get assistance from these offices. Thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order No. 62.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I move that Order of the Day, Number 1 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY
HON. SEN. MABIKA: I move the motion standing in my name
That this House;
COGNISANT that a sound road network is the nerve centre of economic development;
NOTING with concern that the Chipinge Mt Selinda Road right up to Espungabera Border Post has not been attended to, resulting in its current state of disrepair;
ANTICIPATING the huge benefits that can be accrued to the country if this road and other similar roads countrywide could be given a facelift;
ALSO NOTING that the Border post at Mt Selinda has the potential of being developed as an investment centre and the shortest route to the port of Beira from Zimbabwe, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business in the country;
NOW, THEREFORE this House,
- Calls upon the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to avail, through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, adequate funding for the construction, upgrading and rehabilitation of the road network in the country
- Applauds the Second Republic for the commendable efforts taken to fulfil the aspirations of the people by embarking on tangible developmental programmes that have become the order of the day country wide
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: I second.
HON. SEN. MABIKA: Thank you Mr. President. I acknowledge that there are many roads that need rehabilitation in Zimbabwe, but I will proceed by way of starting with an example of Chipinge to Mt. Selinda/ Espungabera Border Post Road. Please note that the road from Mutare to Chipinge is usable, it is the last leg of the road that needs to be maintained.
I shall start off by giving a brief description of the nearest town, which is Chipinge. Chipinge is traditionally an agricultural service town whose economic activities depend significantly on farming activities in the region. It is an agro-based district. Typical agricultural products from the area include but are not limited to tea, avocado, macadamia nuts, bananas and coffee. Most notable estates or plantations are Zona, Jersey, Tanganda and Makandi.
The main access road to these estates including many A1 and A2 flourishing family owned commercial farms is the Chipinge to Mt. Selinda/ Espungabeira Road. These farms are experiencing significant inconveniences in their transportation of goods and provision of services as a result of the state of the access road from Chipinge to Mt. Selinda/ Espungabeira Border Post. This has resulted in very high transport costs for farmers in the area by way of high hiring costs and vehicle maintenance costs.
At Mt. Selinda, which is the nearest settlement towards the Mozambique Border, there are several activities of high social and economic impact. These are; the biggest boarding school in the area, Nurses Training Centre, Hospital, significant shopping centre and most notable, the Chirinda Forest.
There are socio-economic benefits and opportunities if we upgrade the Chipinge/Mt. Selinda/Espungabera Border Post Road;
- Commercial farmers’ exports will no longer need to travel the extra 200kms to Forbes Border Post in Mutare. This will make agricultural products for the area very competitive due to the extra freight cost saved.
- Since Beira Post is nearest through Espungabera from most parts of Zimbabwe, delivery times to export markets will improve, besides the lower cost.
- With the insurgents in Mozambique, the current state of the road is a security threat on its own, since it seriously compromises reaction period should need arise to safeguard our Eastern border.
- Easy access to Mt. Selinda Border Post will decongest Forbes Border Post where trucks are queuing for several kilometres to access Forbes Border Post.
- Chipinge is an export processing zone, exporting companies are losing revenue through high transport costs of plus 200kms to Forbes Border Post when they can access the border which is a stone’s throw away.
- With ease of doing business adopted by the Second Republic, the upgrading of Chipinge/Mt. Selinda Road will also improve the flow in and out of the country.
- Freight for mineral exports such as coal, Platinum, chrome and now potentially steel will have the shortest route to Xai Xai and Beira Port through Espungabera.
- Selinda Border Post is a sleeping giant. From Chipinge town, the road is only about 39.7kms to the border.
- Mozambique has already repaired and upgraded their roads from Espungabera to Beira, Maputo and so on and all that is required from our end is to fix our side of the roads to connect to the international export ports of Mozambique. This is a key factor of the whole economy and industrialisation.
- Mozambique is currently building a new deep sea port, North of Beira, at Mangoena. They are also building an international airport capable of handling heavy cargo at Xai Xai. In addition, the South Africans are building a road from South Africa all the way to Xai Xai area for the deep sea port usage.
By establishing a good and wide road network from Espungabera to Chipinge, we will be preparing ourselves to becoming a significant player in the Southern Africa transport web. Cargo to and from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, South Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa can pass through Espungabera if the road is well prepared. This is massive revenue for the country which will be able to significantly counter Kazungula Border Post which is threatening Beit Bridge revenues.
Socio-economic Border Town benefits and potential if roads are good
Although we are a landlocked country, which is considered to be a disadvantage by many, it is actually a big potential for revenues through transit traffic, since we are sitting in the middle of Southern African region. To take advantage of this opportunity, we will need to make our border towns and border posts as attractive as possible in terms of usability, convenience and service. However, it all starts with a good access road and up market border posts. The service market does not have to be limited to port services only.
An example to illustrate the benefits and opportunities lying at our border towns would be that of Mt. Selinda. The benefits of improving the road from Chipinge to Mt. Selinda are as follows
- The mission hospital at Mt. Selinda is the only affordable and reliable alternative medical facility in Chipinge District as well as for the Mozambican settlements near the Espungabeira Border Post. Improving the road to Mt. Selinda from Chipinge to Espungabera Border Post will go a long way in shortening time to alternative medical attention if anything goes amiss at the Chipinge District Hospital which is in Chipinge Town. This requirement was most highly noticeable during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may still be with us for an unknown period of time.
- Service delivery to the hospital, school, shopping centre and nursing home will also be easier and faster to deliver.
- Zimbabwean education is much sought after service in Africa. There is a great potential of attracting Mozambicans from Espungabera, Chimoio and beyond to attend high school, nursing school and any other tertiary education that can be created at Mt. Selinda. This is a potential revenue inflow.
- Establishing bonded warehouses at border post could see all the towns close to our borders becoming high volumes outlets for “Made in Zimbabwe goods” to other neighbouring countries.
- Chirinda Forest is one of the oldest known tourism attraction in the centre of Chirinda Forest area with its famous Big Tree measuring 65 metres tall, 51/4 metres in diameter, which was last measured in 1986. Improving the access road to Mt. Selinda will see the place attracting private players to construct up-to-standard facilities at Mt. Selinda or in Chipinge, thus bringing more revenue, employment, self esteem and other services to the area of outstanding natural beauty.
Establish service centres for the Zimbabwe side of the border with scope for going across to provide the same services has got enormous potential, for example car and refrigerator repairs and irrigation systems. This is best done closer to the border like at Espungabeira. With time, our service personnel can penetrate deeper as their brands grow.
Geological surveys and agricultural extension services are another set of services that can be established at the border towns. There are so many minerals around Chipinge and on the other side of the border. We can economically conquer that Espungabeira side of Mozambique by simply extending geological and agricultural services across the border from Mt Selinda. If the geologists get involved in the concession ownership as a form of payment, we can end up having ownership of many mineral sites in that part of Mozambique.
Creating a glitter for neighbours to be attracted to Zimbabwe – what is crucial for Zimbabwe is bigger markets than our population and the most immediate markets are our neighbours. If they see our border towns shining, they will be more attracted to Zimbabwe and its products and services than the current situation. This is very critical. Even in the history of Zimbabwe, our main market has always been the entire region not just domestic market. These border towns must be one of our ignition points into the greater region. The Lever Brothers and Olivine of yesteryear were all dependent on a larger market than Zimbabwe for them to attain economies of scale. This would help in reducing both domestic and export prices for products.
What is most important for the development of border towns is that the majority of the investment, if not all the investment, is by private players. The main enabler is a good road network to the place and everything else will evolve.
I am confident that this request can be achieved and I would like to applaud the Second Republic for the road infrastructure development programme where we have examples of roads like the Beitbridge to Harare Road with 242 kilometres already open to traffic out of 580 kilometres; the advanced work on Harare Chitungwiza Road; Masiapambili Road in Bulawayo scheduled for completion very soon. Cyclone Idai washed away roads in Chimanimani and Chipinge which was the epi-centre of Idai reconstruction and rehabilitation of the road network (build better and resilient) for example Skyline to Ngangu through Machongwe/Nyahode to Kopa Road then the recently completed Kopa/Jopa Road which is to be commissioned by His Excellency soon; Kumbirai Kangai and Magamba Road in Mutare; Mbudzi interchange detours commencing this year and many other road works in both urban and rural areas. All this is being done using our own resources under sanctions. Hon. Senators here will agree with me that the Second Republic’s major thrust in every province has road network taking place.
Zimbabwe is a land locked country which does not have the advantage of sea-freight based conveniences. However, the disadvantage can be turned into an advantage using the centrality of geography in the Southern Africa region by becoming the most convenient transit country for both inbound and outbound cargo in the region. Yes, our location is a critical asset.
To effectively achieve the “convenient transit country” status, our road and rail networks infrastructure are of paramount importance. Our road networks have got to be of international standards or better. The quality of the “last mile” of the majority of our road networks towards border posts is poor to terrible. We have about 16/32 official border posts and of these, less than 25% of the roads are in reasonable shape but these are the doorways to significant national revenue streams ranging from port fees, tollgates, customs and freight business to other socio-economic services such as tourism, education, health care, general trading and so on. Market access to the immediate region can be through border posts. Border towns have had the minimum of attention in majority of infrastructure development, save for Beitbridge. These ports have got a wide impact on rural economies around the entire border length of the country. Bringing revenue to those many remote households depends on good road networks reaching those places. Kanyemba is an example of a success story in the making. I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me the chance to debate in support of the motion raised by Hon. Sen. Mabika, a motion that I feel is not only developmental but very essential to nearly all our roads that link Zimbabwe to the neighbouring countries. Some of the roads I am making reference to are:
Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road; Harare-Chinhoyi-Chirundu Road; Harare-Guruve-Mbire-Kanyemba Road; Harare-Mutoko-Nyamapanda Road; Bulawayo-Plumtree Road and Chipinge-Mt. Selinda-Espungabeira Road. All these roads link to border posts where we do our trade with neighbouring countries. These roads link Zimbabwe to our neighbouring countries namely Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa through designated official border posts but the usefulness of the border posts can only be realised if the roads are in good shape and are highly accessible.
Transport has become an important subject matter in the region and the world in general and Zimbabwe in particular for two reasons;
It is a significant human activity with a spatial component (not comparable); and
It is an important fact influencing the spatial variation of many other social and economic activities.
Transport is the means by which people and commodities are moved from one place to another by a number of physical modes that include roads, water, railways, airlines and pipelines. So transport in one way or another is a basic and very essential part of the daily rhythm of life throughout the inhabited world.
The transport system can be likened to the blood circulation system in a living organism. Without it, the organism dies. Transport is considered an essential feature of all modern economies. In general terms, as an economy grows and develops, it becomes more dependent on its transport sector. It is considered to be the most important factor in national, regional economies and social development because it has an important role in increasing production, reducing travel times, increasing employment and improving accessibility. It also reduces regional disparities and improving competitiveness of regions by facilitating trade, movement of labour and economies of scale.
The relationship between transportation infrastructure and economic development has been the focus of increasing analysis, discussion and interest during the past decade. Development of transport road network for all our roads linking this country to its neighbours plays a very important role in the economic development of this country. Such linking roads as Harare-Masvingo-Beit Bridge Road, Harare-Chinhoyi-Chirundu Road, Bulawayo-Plumtree Road and Harare-Mutare-Beira Roads come to mind. However, there are other linking roads that need to be looked at and developed, e.g Chipinge-Mt Selinda-Espungabera Road and Harare-Guruve-Mbire-Kanyemba Road.
The proper development of transport, road network not only reduces the cost of transportation both in terms of money and time but also helps in the integration of various regions within the country and affords better understanding of neighbouring countries with whom trade is carried out. A practical example is that of Chipinge-Mt. Selinda-Espungabera Road. The road is in a very bad state causing the community that needs to export goods to nearby Mozambique to move an extra 200km to take their goods to Forbes Border Post in Mutare, yet Mt. Selinda is the shortest route to Mozambique. This tends to erode the would-be profit due to high transport costs.
Another example is that of Harare-Guruve-Mbire-Kanyemba Road. This road is going to be a game changer in that the haulage trucks going into the interior of Africa using the Beit Bridge-Masvingo-Harare-Chinhoyi-Chirundu Road will then be using the much shorter Harare-Guruve-Mbire-Kanyemba-Zambia/Mozambique Road. Thumbs up to the Second Republic, this road is receiving attention and it is under construction as I speak.
I am very pleased that the Harare-Masvingo-Beit Bridge Highway is being rehabilitated to world standards. It is however, the Chipinge-Mt Selinda-Espungabera Road that needs urgent attention. Allow me to make a clarion call to the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance to consider the above mentioned road in Manicaland for rehabilitation.
In conclusion, transport is indispensible to economic and social development of any country, be it a developed or developing country like Zimbabwe. About 5% of Zimbabwe’s road network is classified as primary roads and has some of the most trafficked arterials that link Zimbabwe with its neighbours. These are the roads that need rehabilitation to allow accessibility to the border posts and allow trade to be done smoothly. I rest my case Mr. President Sir.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LAWS THAT CULMINATE IN DETERRENT SENTENCES BEING METED OUT TO CULPRITS FOUND COMMITTING CRIMES THAT DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you Mr. President. I move the motion in my namethat this House-
CONCERNED with the grave and rapid environmental damage arising from high levels of pollution, wanton destruction of forests due to uncontrolled veld fires, desertification, siltation of water bodies, including the mighty Zambezi River, its tributaries and Lake Kariba;
ALSO CONCERNED that the unabated damage to the environment has far reaching consequences and ramifications to the economic development of the country, particularly as it affects livestock, game, flora and fauna and crops in general;
MINDFUL that the country`s water bodies are the backbone of our economic development and need to be jealously guarded and preserved at all times in order to create a legacy for generations to come;
NOW, THEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, resolves that Parliament;
(a) Enacts laws that culminate in deterrent sentences being meted out to all culprits found committing crimes that damage the environment;
(b) Calls upon the Executive to liaise with neighbouring countries on issues that relate to the preservation of water bodies such as the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers so that practical measures are put in place to avert environmental disasters arising from pollution and siltation which in most cases are caused by human beings;
(c) Urges the parent Ministry to embark on a massive educational campaign countrywide, on the need to preserve the country`s gift of nature, the environment and its natural resources.
HON. A. DUBE: I second.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Mr. President, it is without doubt that Zimbabwe’s economic model is based on the extraction of our natural resources and ordinarily results in a lot of environmental degradation and a lot of waste generation. To that end, we are confronted by many environmental challenges of our time in the fold of climate change, pollution of our land, water and air resources, deforestation, veld fires, land degradation and waste management in general.
Mr. President, it is disturbing to note that air and water pollution have reached alarming levels in Zimbabwe and have no one to blame but ourselves for it. Our water sources are constantly being made unbearable by pollutants from our unfriendly mining operations by illegal gold miners scattered across the country. These illegal miners use dangerous chemicals to humans and animals like cyanide and mercury in their activities. When these chemicals enter our water bodies, the water becomes unusable for agriculture and domestic purposes for communities downstream. In their mining activities, they carry huge loads of sand to the rivers for washing, thereby silting the rivers and increasing droughts. As the normal channels are blocked by the silt and water storage space reduced, floods occur destroying our property, fields, livestock and even loss of life.
Furthermore, they leave behind open pits unattended in which our livestock fall into and you are all aware of the importance of our livestock in our culture, as a source of wealth, food, draught power, pride and so on. The activities of the illegal miner are causing too many farmer to miner conflicts to deal with affecting peace and development in the country side. An example that comes to mind is the cyanide poisoning that claimed 23 herd of cattle in Selous a few years back, various gold panning activities in Matopos and Ingwiza of Matabeleland South and along Mazowe River in Mashonaland Central province only to mention but a few. Also, the women and children exposed to mercury contamination in Shurugwi at some mines are clear examples.
Mr. President, the exponential increase in veld fires by 85% this year is alarming and has not only resulted in the avoidable loss of five human lives, productive property valued at more than US$230,000 and also 750,000 ha of forest land lost and foreign currency generating plantations destroyed, making it the single most significant threat to national recovery plans. The causes of these fires include land clearing, arson, illegal mining activities, children playing with fire and poor ashes disposal in the country.
Mr. President, the indiscriminate cutting down of trees and deforestation is also on the spiral and noted as the major driver of land degradation. Our forests are finished. This cutting down of trees strips the land bare, exposing it to all weather agents leading to massive soil erosion, which ends up silting our water sources and disrupting the movement and storage of our water. Deforestation also results in the loss of biodiversity, habitat losses for many animals, big and small, loss of aesthetic value and shockingly in excess of 330,000 ha of forests are lost annually to this monster. Tobacco curing, wood fuel for the many households and land clearing for various land uses to include settlements have been blamed mostly for deforestation in the country.
Mr. President, it is important to note that Zimbabwe boasts regionally and internationally of a robust legal and policy framework governing environmental management but lacks frantically in implementation and enforcement. There are also gaps on alignment with Constitution provisions, particularly on access to information, participation and protection of vulnerable gender groups and around lack of an integrated approach that require redress.
Mr. President, in conclusion, in an effort to manage, protect and conserve the environment sustainably and avert the looming disaster, I recommend;
That local traditional leadership use their powers to put in place and effect strict penalties for cutting down trees, burning forests or illegal mining in their areas;
That Parliament ensures that the Ministry puts in place relevant policies for sustainable management of the environment as a matter of urgency which among other things, give incentives like inputs to communities involved in the restoration of bad lands like gullies;
That there be prioritisation of environmental crimes in our courts which can be made feasible by establishing stand alone environmental courts in our judicial system that put very punitive measures that are deterrent enough to illegal miners, those who start veld fires and those who cut trees willy-nilly.
That communities participate in tree planting activities to restore forests cut and or burnt. Massive educational campaigns and rollouts across the country and assisting with tools in the community based projects should be implemented;
Communities should come together with their traditional leaders and engage in community-based projects like dam scooping, contour pegging, closure of mine dumps and so on like in the olden days. Thank you.
+HON. SEN. A. DUBE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to second the motion that was brought by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. It is a very important motion that happens in the areas where there is relocation, especially in all parts of Zimbabwe.
I thank you for this motion because it is very important. Where there is land, that is where our wealth is as Zimbabweans. The main problem is that people are not taking care of these resources that we have. You now realise that everywhere, you find environment degradation which in turn becomes hazardous to the livestock and even our children. This is because of the small scale miners. The minerals that they mine are very important but they should mine according to the laws. There is a lot of land degradation. When they dig these tunnels, they go to rivers where they start screening the minerals and the same soil they remove from the minerals end up causing siltation in the rivers. This is very important because most of our dams have been silted.
There is also an increase in crimes, murders and so on because these miners are now living like animals. Those who are lawful miners no longer have access to rightful mining. There are also veld fires almost everywhere where these small scale miners are found. Someone just smoke and throw the cigarette away, thereby causing veld fires. We are appealing that there should be laws which will ensure that everyone is accountable for causing veld fires. The laws will ensure that we return to the days when our environment and land was well preserved.
Mr. President, today we are losing a lot of lives as there are people who are burnt in their houses due to veld fires because people are not punished for such acts and they are not following the law. The issue of artisanal mining has caused a lot of damage to our environment and this has also caused a lot of crimes in those areas. Those who are licenced are failing to mine in those areas because they are afraid. I am grateful for the motion that has been moved by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma that there should be laws for artisanal miners which will enable them to mine under licences by the Government.
They should be grouped and assisted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development so that they can lawfully mine and be educated to preserve our environment. Mining activities are causing a lot of deaths in the communities. I am appealing that our law enforcement agents go and enforce our laws in these mining areas because these artisanal miners are causing a lot of harm in our communities.
Some of these miners are facing a lot of calamities during their mining activities. We have had a lot of misfortunes as these miners just enter into old and closed mines to try and mine and they end up being trapped and losing lives in those mines. So, if it becomes a law that old mines should be assessed first before anyone can be given an opportunity to do any mining activities, lives can be saved. We are losing a lot of lives and we should try to ban such activities.
Mr. President, when I checked how our environment has been degraded, you will realise that the next generation will not have an inheritance because there is a lot of siltation in most of our water sources. Hon. Sen. Chirongoma said that these artisanal miners sometimes use poisonous chemicals which may be hazardous to human lives and livestock in our villages. For example, some use the cyanide chemical which causes a lot of damage and loss of lives in the community. We know that people are hustling for their survival but we are saying they should be alert and be considerate to our environment. If we can have laws so that our law enforcement agents move around taking to account everyone involved in these illegal mining activities.
Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to second this motion which is addressing a number of challenges in the community, especially veld fires and land degradation which is a problem in most of our communities. It may be difficult for the Government to oversee our surroundings, but we should try to manage our environment so that our land is sustainable. We should feel proud that our land is still usable and our environment can be inherited by our next generation.
+HON. SEN. A. DUBE (SPKNG) ... inherited by our next generation. Most people in the rural areas will be afraid to mention who would have caused the veld fires because they do not want to come forth. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 9th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA, seconded by HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI, the Senate adjourned at Fourteen Minutes past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 9th November, 2021.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 3rd November, 2021
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER
CHANGES TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House of the following changes to the membership of Portfolio Committees:
- Bhuda Masara has moved from the Portfolio Committee on Media and Broadcasting Services to the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education;
- Markham will serve on the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development; and
- Dr. Labode will serve on the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education.
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have received apologies from Hon. Ministers in respect of the National Assembly sitting on 3rd November, 2021.
-Hon. Gen. (Rtd.) Dr. C. G. G. N Chiwenga – Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care,
-Hon. E. Ndlovu – The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education;
-Hon. M. M. Ndlovu – The Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry,
-Hon. K. Coventry – The Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation,
-Hon. W. Chitando – The Minister of Mines and Mining Development,
-Hon Dr. Nzenza – The Minister of Industry and Commerce,
-Hon Prof Mavima – The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare,
-Hon Prof Murwira – The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development,
-Hon. Z. Ziyambi – The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs,
-Hon D. Garwe – The Minister of Housing and Social Amenities,
-Hon O. Ncube – The Minister of State Security,
-Hon. F. Shava – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade,
-Hon. K. Kazembe – The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage…
(v)HON. S. BANDA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. IT, do not shut me out - I said on a point of order.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: They are shutting you out because on Wednesday it was ruled that we will not have points of order.
(v)HON. S. BANDA: Madam Speaker, when she was supposed to be somewhere, she decided to come to Parliament and that is very commendable.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. S. Banda.
(v)HON. WADYAJENA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. I have been raising my hand since quarter past. I want to give a notice of motion.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: But we have already passed that stage Hon. Wadyajena.
(v)HON. WADYAJENA: My hand has been up Madam Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Okay Hon. Wadyajena, you can go ahead.
(v)HON. WADYAJENA: As you can see, I am in Scotland Madam Speaker. I wish you were here.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, I can see that Honourable. I wish I was there also.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to direct my question to the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education and in his absence, to the Acting Leader of Government Business. Why is it that when people make applications for certain courses, they are told that some subjects which they sat for during O’ Level are not considered as part of subjects to be enrolled in a certain course? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to thank Hon. Munetsi for that question which is highly technical. I think that is something that needs a very comprehensive answer. I advise that he puts it in writing.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Sen. Mutsvangwa. I am sure Hon. Munetsi, you have taken note of that. Put your question in writing.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Am I allowed to ask the question next week?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: A different question?
HON. MUNETSI: This one.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, just put it in writing like I said.
HON. MUNETSI: It will take time to be answered.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, it will not.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you.
(v)HON. NDIWENI: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. In his absence, the Leader of Government Business can assist. My question is on the policy of people’s shops. What happened to the people’s shops that we were promising people when we were campaigning because those people’s shops made life easy for the people because they used to get things that were affordable in terms of prices and of late, we do not see any of the amounts within the GMB system? So what happened to the policy of having the People’s Shops?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I think a Cabinet decision was taken. The policy is that the shops should be there. In terms of implementation, I will go back to my colleague Minister to update this House as to how far that has gone. Thank you.
(v)HON. MUCHIMWE: As you can see, I am in a motor vehicle. We have no offices in our constituency. Anyway, my question is directed to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development. In Manicaland, Chiadzwa Diamonds, there are workers who are mostly outsiders. What is Government policy in regards to people of a particular area to benefit from their natural resources? Manicaland has numerous graduates but not even one is employed in Chiadzwa Diamonds. My people are suffering. Thank you Hon. Speaker.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I did not get to understand the whole question but the gist of the question, I hope you can help me Madam Speaker, was to say how people can benefit from the economic activities within their community.
I just wanted to say the Second Republic is very much concerned about not leaving any space, any place or any person behind and as such, the devolution which in the past has been more of a talk show has become a reality. The Second Republic has put money into devolution and all points of this policy is to make sure that every Zimbabwean participates actively in economic activities in their own communities. We are also seeing local companies getting involved in corporate social responsibilities and also making sure that where they are, whether they are exploiting the minerals, they are also giving back to the community around that area and also making sure they include the people in those communities. Thank you.
(v)*HON. MUCHIMWE: Supplementary question. What should I say to my people, supposing I meet them today or tomorrow about the Chiadzwa scenario?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Did you get the question Hon. Leader of Government Business?
(v)*HON. MUCHIMWE: I said, what promise can I give to my people as of today or tomorrow when I engage them in a meeting about the scenario at Chiadzwa?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Muchimwe who is particularly concerned about the people in his constituency in Mutare West and I happen to be the Senator of that area. I know the concerns coming from the people that they have not benefited much in terms of corporate social responsibility.
We all know what is happening in Chiadzwa and we know Government continues to engage with mining companies. There is ZCDC now which was reported by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development that it has started doing very well and that they will be able to increase production of diamonds. Also, we know the Government is fighting against corruption. The other thing is; as Zimbabweans, we have been shouting and calling for the removal of sanctions. We know that would also help in terms of companies that are exploiting diamonds in that area so that they are able to do business for their corresponding banks worldwide.
So there is need for the people to understand that Government is very much concerned about the populace in Chiadzwa. Chiadzwa is a dry area and it hardly rains and God in some way gave Chiadzwa diamonds and the people can actually survive if the exploiting companies that are there are making sure that they are bringing the communities on board. There is more that people are looking forward to; the roads, it is very difficult to criss-cross around that area. Some of the companies like ZCDC for example, have been working to upgrade some of the clinics around that area and some of the schools. We implore that all those companies that are exploiting diamonds in that area get involved in upgrading the lives of the people in that area.
The other issue that there has been an outcry on is that they are also complaining that most of the jobs are being taken by people from areas that are far away. Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is making sure that the communities, at least for those low level jobs, are offered to the locals in those communities. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Hon. Minister, you alluded to the point of companies doing corporate social responsibility but with the suspension of the Indigenisation Empowerment Act, how can you compel them to do it because there was a law that said 10% community, 10% the workers and 31% would go into the Sovereign Wealth Fund? Now that law is no longer there. How can companies be compelled to do that without a law? Thank you.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam Speaker and I want to thank Hon. Mliswa for that supplementary question. The removal of that law does not necessarily mean that the indigenous people are no longer being considered. The legislation that was there is being looked into to make sure that everybody gets a piece of what they deserve.
In Chiadzwa, for example, communities have …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order, Hon. Minister. It seems you are not connected.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Am I connected now Madam Speaker?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, you are.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you. Madam Speaker, I was saying that I would like to thank Hon. Mliswa for that supplementary question. The issue of legislation which was there is being looked into, it was not completely removed because the Government is very much aware and alive to the fact that the community has to benefit from companies that are exploiting in their communities. As we speak, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development has been to Chiadzwa so many times, talking to the community and making sure that they become part of the activities that are happening in their backyard. Thank you.
HON. GONESE: On a point of order Madam Speaker – [HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, on a point of clarity…]
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, order. What is your point of order Hon. Gonese?
(v)HON. GONESE: Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. It appears that there are Hon. Members whose gadgets are not muted whilst on virtual and it makes it difficult for us to follow proceedings on virtual.
I was going to ask the Hon. Chair to advise the ICT Department to ensure that those who do not have the floor are muted and also to appeal to Hon. Members on virtual to ensure that their gadgets are on mute because as it is, I could not even hear what the Hon. Minister was saying. I think that it is incumbent upon us as Hon. Members to ensure that we put our gadgets on mute and also for the ICT Department to assist because some Members are not disciplined enough to ensure that they adhere to those directions. That is my point of order Madam Speaker because those of us on virtual end up not being able to follow the proceedings.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Gonese. I have already requested the ICT to mute those Hon. Members who will not be on the floor.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the Minister responded saying that the companies will be doing something in the communities. Then I said but there is no law, the law that used to compel them to do this is no longer there. What guarantee is there that they will be doing that corporate social responsibility? Even when the law was there, they were not complying.
There is no law which compels them to do that and because of that, even the Chinese are not doing the 10% to the local community, to the workers and 31% to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, saka hapana mutemo and ndeupi mutemo unoita kuti vanhu ava vaite basa irori? Kana muchiti muchaudzosa, bvumai muti tichaudzosa mutemo wacho, takakanganisa kuubvisa.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker, I want to thank Hon. Mliswa who is very passionate about the legislation in terms of making sure that companies carry out their corporate social responsibilities.
Madam Speaker, this is an issue that the Government is very seized with, that is why I informed you about how the Minister of Mines and Mining Development had been to Chiadzwa several times talking to the community and making sure that the companies that are exploiting diamonds in the Chiadzwa area actually carry out that social responsibility. In this country, every company that comes to invest adheres to Government’s instructions and policies. – [HON. T. MLISWA: There is no law, handichada kukunetsai tete, muchagadzirisa zvenyu.] –
(v)*HON. SHAVA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question goes to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. What plans do you have about the Harare-tBulawayo Road? We do not have humps where pedestrians cross especially school children. I am saying this because we are witnessing a lot of accidents in those areas. I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): I thank you Hon. Speaker and I thank the Hon. Member for her question. It is true we are losing a lot of lives on our highways. I would however want to say that we cannot put humps on highways because this will be dangerous. We do put rambles so that motorists will reduce speed when approaching those areas. This is not the major problem; the major problem is that we are not following rules and regulations on the road. A lot 0f people are driving whilst drunk so it is my plea that drivers must exercise caution when driving.
We must keep on reminding each other that no matter how well we repair our roads, it is the responsibility of every driver to follow the rules and regulations on the road. Most accidents are caused by drivers. If you have places that you know are dangerous Hon. Member, you are free to alert us so that we see how we can move forward.
(v)HON. GONESE: Thank you Madam Speaker. My supplementary question is that in most of the highways, we do not have speed traps and secondly we have not invested in technology so that motorists who break the law can be apprehended using technology? What plans is the Ministry putting in place to ensure that enforcement and adherence can be done by motorists in view of the transgressions which we see on daily basis?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I also thank Hon. Gonese for the follow up question. It is true that the synchronisation of our monitoring and evaluation when it comes to monitoring our roads is of paramount importance. This calls for stakeholder engagement in terms of service providers where we are talking of Home Affairs, Department of VID, CVR where our systems are supposed to speak to each other. I am glad to announce to this House that we have what we call Zimbabwe Management Transport Information System (ZIMTIS) which is trying to consolidate so that the moment you pass through a red robot that number is captured and the Vehicle Theft Squad will know that so and so has passed through a red robot.
Similarly, that information will also be retrieved from Central Vehicle Registration. So this is the synchronisation that I am talking about and as Government, we are accelerating the implementation of these modules so that whoever is actually using our roads will know that if you are exceeding the prescribed speed limit, that is going to be captured. The good scenario is for one to get a ticket through normal processes. In other jurisdictions, the moment you actually break the law, soon after that you will get a message on your phone to say you have got a ticket. So I am glad that we are working closely with ICT and my department that we come up with a robust and vibrant system whereby those offenders are captured at source so that we do not wait for someone to stray and when you are actually renewing your motor vehicle licence, you are supposed to get all the tickets appearing. Hon. Member, I do agree and concur that what you have enunciated is exactly what the second republic has perceived.
(v)HON. T. MLISWA: My supplementary is, Minister what are you doing to extend the infrastructure? There are more cars in the country but you are not extending the infrastructure. Kana vana vawanda mumba unounza ndiro or else vanodyira mundiro one. That is where the problem is and I would like to know what you are doing to extend the roads, the dual carriage system? When people are late at those toll gates, they will be in a rush and that is when they start to overtake. If there is dual carriage, it will alleviate accidents. What are your plans?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker, let me thank Hon. Temba Peter Mliswa for that very important question where you are asking what we are supposed to do to our infrastructure. You are very right that the design of our infrastructure was designed may be for vehicles less than 500. As we speak in terms of the population of the vehicles plying our roads, we are talking of about 1.5m. You can actually see that the 1.5 million we are talking about now is not designed to ply the roads that we have which then calls for the immediate and the need to expand our infrastructure and you see the bottle necks as you approach the toll gates whereby you are having two lanes instead of may be 4 and in other areas when you are approaching the toll gate, you will be having 6 lanes.
Basically, as much as we try to improve on toll gates and failing to expand the infrastructure, as a Ministry, we are seized with trying to expand the lanes as we approach a toll gate so we are coming before Parliament in the near future where we are saying, we are constructing new tollgates and you will be seeing in the next two or so weeks where we have actually secured a financial institution to work with, rehabilitate and expand our tollgates so that we then manage and decongest our roads. I also plead with the august House for adequate funding to the Ministry as we debate our budget. Let us have adequate budget to cater for our infrastructure which will then enable the Ministry to expand the current infrastructure that is inadequate as we speak. I thank you.
(v)HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker. The host, as I was speaking, did mute me. Please ask him not to mute. My supplementary question is to what extend is the Minister in so far as his chatting to his counterpart in the Ministry of Mines, in terms of rehabilitating and reconstructing of roads that are in the mining areas by large scale miners. How far is the Minister in rehabilitating and reconstruction of the roads by large scale miners so that we can ameliorate the scourge of infrastructure dilapidation?
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me also thank Hon. Nduna for that question. Rehabilitation of our roads especially in the mining communities is of paramount importance, but as we speak, there is no law that would force those companies to rehabilitate the roads. However, we engage them all as we pursue especially some of the people to do with corporate social responsibility that was being talked about here to encourage them so that they partake in the exercise of rehabilitating infrastructure.
I also remember very well that Hon. Mliswa raised the issue of those companies damaging some of our roads. It was then agreed that we need weighbridges so that as they pass through those roads, if they have got excess in terms of inputs that they are feeding into their various plants and mines, then they are accountable. So I want to thank Hon. Nduna that yes, we want to work closely with various mining companies to also join the Government in trying to rehabilitate our roads.
However, above all, we have got to oblige them to say they must be mandated to partake in the exercise of rehabilitating the roads but humbly appeal to them to also know that they are the users and beneficiaries of those roads, so they also need to upgrade those roads.
HON. NDUNA: On a point of order! I am requesting that the Minister of Transport and infrastructural Development brings in a Ministerial Statement that speaks to and about these mining entities that are supposed to rehabilitate. Section 13 (4) of the Constitution mandates these mining houses to rehabilitate, reconstruct the areas from where they are mining these minerals. They are supposed to develop the localities from where they are mining. Would it please the Minister of Transport to bring in the list of names - which mines and which big mining houses are plundering our resources without any ploughing back to the community so that we can use the supreme of the land to bring them to account?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker, let me also with your indulgence revisit the section that my colleague has cited, Section 13 (4) does not talk about mining companies. It talks about communities benefiting from the resources within their locality not with specific reference to mines. We are saying whatever resources are available in a community, the masses of that particular community must benefit.
We are saying we do not have a particular law. Remember we are saying ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ and we are saying there is no law that forces mining companies to rehabilitate roads but we are saying let us use moral suasion, engage them because they use the road, so that we are on equal footing. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Why are you asking farmers to pay a dollar for Pfumbvudza when they can have a stop order to collect that dollar at the end of the season?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank Hon. Mliswa for that question concerning the payment issue. I think this is not a policy question but the policy from where I understand, is that Presidential inputs should be availed to the people. So in terms of this, I will ask the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Climate on what exactly is happening.
HON. NDUNA: What is it as a follow up on Government policy in so far as it relates to distribution of Pfumvudza in urban areas, aware that Pfumvudza is only enough for ‘point 4’ of a hectare and also aware that there is more than 38 000 households in Chegutu West alone? It is equal to gardens close to boreholes in our urban areas because it is AN50 D50 and 10kg seed, so it is point 4 of a hectare.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank Hon. Nduna for that supplementary question. The Presidential Input and Pfumvudza inputs should be given to anyone, anywhere who has dug holes.
HON. MAVETERA: We have the Pfumvudza Programme and Command Agriculture and I would like to know how the farmers that are in between the two programmes can benefit from Government programmes?
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: I would like to thank Hon. Mavetera for that supplementary where she wants to understand those farmers who are have between five hectares. I want to say this Pfumvudza/Intwasa is given free of charge, the President is giving inputs to farmers of this country who can actually have up to five plots - either you have a small one or five, you will be entitled to Pfumvudza inputs. As for the Command Agriculture, that is real business and there is a lot of paperwork which needs to be done. You are almost getting a loan so that you can farm. I suggest that those farmers with five hectares should go through the Agritex officers who will advise them properly because what we want at the end of the day is that we want all the land to be utilised. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: My point of recommendation to the Hon. Members of Parliament is that they can approach the Agritex officers in the various areas and they will be well supported. That is my point of recommendation. I thank you.
(v)HON. I. NYONI: My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Firstly, we have the Mbudzi Interchange Project that is in the pipeline. I would like to find out from the Minister what other long term plans has he got for the Bulawayo-Harare roundabout so that logjams are treated holistically considering that we have traffic congestion resulting in some people driving against the flow of traffic.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON MHONA): Thank you Hon. Member for that question. He is very right. We are not going to dwell on Mbudzi Interchange alone as we decongest the city and allow connectivity on our roads. We have cited Harare-Bulawayo where we have Kuwadzana roundabout which is a nightmare. As we rehabilitate Mbudzi, we are going to have other interchange so as to offload traffic from that interchange. We are also going to look at Mabvuku turnoff so that we have filter lanes.
The problem is that the way the roundabout is designed will also lead to the congestion that we are witnessing whereby if we do not have the filter lanes, for instance if someone is proceeding straight he will have to pass through the roundabout but if you intend to turn whether to the left or right, you do not need to go through the roundabout. At the moment, everyone goes through the roundabout which is something that is problematic and as a Ministry, we are working on correcting that.
As we work on the Mbudzi roundabout and other diversions, we are going to address all those anomalies so that we allow trafficability of our roads.
*HON. R. MAKONI: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Most of the local authorities in Zimbabwe are charging their rates in RTGS yet they buy their fuel in US dollars. What plans does Government have so that councils can access fuel in RTGS?
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): About two weeks ago, we all heard what was happening at the RBZ auction system whereby some oil companies were abusing the facility. The apex bank moved in and suspended all gas and oil companies because they could afford to access the foreign currency on their own. As a Ministry, we then designated NOIC to import fuel using their own duty in RTGS. That fuel which is being imported by NOIC is the one that is given to local authorities and Government departments for use in their day to day programmes. Right now, we are making sure that there are service stations that can sell fuel in RTGS to local authorities.
*HON. T. MLISWA: So why did you not arrest them?
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA):Thank you Hon. Mliswa for your question. It is true we have several companies that we realise were getting forex but abusing it. However, following the violations that took place, we have civil penalties in place. The financial intelligence unit is carrying out audits. The Minister of Energy and Power Development is here. He might give us the statistics if he has them at hand, but the audits are being carried out by the Financial Intelligence Unit and the RBZ. All those found guilty, some of them will be charged penalties while some will have their accounts closed. Some were now involved in money laundering but the penalties that we have are just civil penalties and not criminal penalties.
*HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, I was requesting that we do our work diligently. I would like the Minister to bring a list of all the companies that were involved so that we know them.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, you are not connected?
HON. T. MLISWA: I am connected through Hon. Mutsvangwa. Madam Speaker, I am saying this is good news to this Parliament. May the culprits, the list of all those who violated the regulations be brought to this august House so that we can know who they are and exercise our oversight.
*HON. CHIDUWA: As Treasury, we set precedence when we published some names, but we once published some names of those companies. If you check on the previous list that we released, you will see that those companies are listed there. The list also includes those companies that sell fuel. I do not think that there is anything wrong in us bringing the list to Parliament, but we stand to be guided by the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
HON. GONESE: Supplementary question Madam Speaker. Thank you very much Hon. Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development. My supplementary question emanates from the fact that there is a disparity between the auction rate and the parallel market rate. Are we not likely to see a scenario where people are going to buy fuel at those designated service stations in Zimbabwean dollars and then resell the fuel at a profit in United States dollar terms because we are not tackling the root cause of the problem which is the growing disparity between the two rates of exchange and the other trying to deal simply with the symptoms because arresting people does not seem to be solving the problem, Hon. Deputy Minister.
HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Hon. Gonese. Our problem especially with regard to the disparity between the official rate and the parallel market rate, yes, inasmuch as we are saying arresting people is not a solution but I think it is largely a behavioural problem which also requires some of these enforcement measures. Yes, we have got the economics to deal with. Quite a number of people think flouting the exchange rate is a solution. It may not necessarily be a solution as long as we have got people that have got behaviour that is not consistent with rational economic agents.
So with regards to the issue where you are saying it is likely to be abuse because of the disparity that is there between the exchange rates, we are going to be guided by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. All those service stations that are going to be given the right to sell fuel in RTGS are supposed to have a fuel management system. The fuel management system is the one that we are going to use to ensure that we reduce cases of corruption and cases of abuse of the system. So that is our fallback position. The fuel management system which we hope is going to assist us in curbing abuse and corruption. Thank you.
(v)*HON. MAFUTA: My question is directed to the Acting Leader of the House. What measures are in place pertaining to some mining companies that are refusing rentals in local currency in preference to United States Dollars?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I also want to thank Hon. Mafuta for her question about mine workers who are paying rentals in United States Dollars whereas our country is using multi-currency. So people should not be deterred from using local currency because our policy is that we are using multi-currency. I thank you.
HON. M. KHUMALO: My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. It is in connection with the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation in the country. We are approaching the rain season and the planned roads on that programme have not been attended to. I think we have travelled throughout the country and a lot of roads are still not passable. What is the Ministry going to do to attend to that problem because deliveries of grain and seed for planting will not take place in those areas where roads are bad? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am. Let me also thank Hon. Khumalo for that important question on Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.
Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am, let me share with the august House that this programme is running for three years until February 2024. What it means is that it is an ongoing programme. As we speak and maybe to allay the fears of Hon. Members and the citizenry, some roads are even constructed during the rain season and those roads are even stronger than the roads that we construct during the normal period. So I want to allay the fears of Hon. Khumalo that yes, we are approaching the rain season and there is something that we are going to be doing during this time.
Also to say that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development superintends over a number of road authorities, inter alia the Department of Roads that falls under its purview. We also have local authorities, rural district councils and DDF. So at times, it is not in the public domain to say who owns this road but like I always say, at the end of the day, it comes to the Minister but there are road authorities mandated to look and manage their own roads. In particular, if you then go especially to the rural constituencies, some are under DDF rural district councils.
What happened during the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme was to take roads but it is so sad Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am that some of the local authorities, even after having received funding from ZINARA have not used that funding. I will come before this august House with a report of whatever went through to a local authority, rural district council, DDF and how they utilised that money towards road rehabilitation. You will find that in other areas, the money is seated, as we speak, in their accounts - which is quite sad. The motive behind, you will be wondering why because we have not taken all the roads as the Ministry, we have earmarked certain roads and I am sure the august House can concur that tremendous work has been done on some of the roads. We cannot rehabilitate all roads.
The assumption is that funding that was coming from ZINARA was supposed to go to the local authorities and rural district councils so that they take their day to day programmes of rehabilitating roads and of late, some were not doing that. So I urge even to work closely with Parliament over the oversight role to say, those who were given funding, why are they not using that funding, which is something to me that is contrary to the public expectation. This is something that we are also going to be doing. I want to thank Hon. Khumalo that yes, the noble idea by His Excellency, Hon. Mnangagwa to declare a State of Disaster was for us to then move with speed in trying to rehabilitate our roads. This is the only initiative and reason why we are here so that we rehabilitate and promote passability on our roads. I thank you.
HON. MAVETERA: My supplementary question is on the ERRP to say, what is Government’s policy in terms of the stray animals that we see, that are always on the highways and cause a lot of accidents?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Your microphone is off Hon. Member.
HON. MAVETERA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. My question is on the ERRP to say, what is Government’s policy in terms of what it wants to do with stray animals that are coming on the highways and causing accidents? What plan does the Government have in line with that?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am, let me also thank Hon. Mavetera for that very important question which then also addresses the issue of the precious lives that we are losing on our roads.
It is true Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am that we have stray animals crossing our roads and for those who remember from Gweru going to Bulawayo area, we had a fence along the highway. Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am, it is also my humble plea to the people of Zimbabwe, our mindset, that fence was vandalised and stolen where we were protecting stray animals not to cross our roads. This was an initiative that was taken and by now we should have done all the trunk roads in terms of securing and fencing. So this is something that we will also come again to the august House to plead for budget support for us to start fencing our highways, which is very important Hon. Madam Speaker Ma’am so that we do not see animals crossing the roads and at the end of the day, we lose precious lives. It is a very important development that yes, our roads must be fenced from both sides so that we do not have accidents. Yes, we can charge the owners of those stray animals but it will not add value, we would have lost precious lives.
It is also my humble plea as we then erect fencing along the highways so as to protect that fence ourselves because there is no one who is going to monitor a 100 or 200km fence to see that no one is vandalizing it. So it also comes back to the issue of mindset to say, if we have our infrastructure, we are the owners of the infrastructure. We must protect and jealously safeguard the infrastructure that we construct. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Hon. Madam Speaker, my supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is; you have alluded to the fact that local authorities are being given money and they are not using it, and not only that but some of them have been given money and they have not completed some of these roads. Norton is a good example of that. Why do you not just fix the roads? Do not give them the responsibility, it is taking a long of time, there is also corruption in terms of procurement, tenders and all that.
Why do you not just do the work because it saves everybody and at the end of the day, you will do it? So why does your Ministry not just go on and do these roads with good companies in the local authorities and the rural as well because we can talk about DDF and authorities. They do not just have the capacity and the engineers again, it is not only about doing the roads, it is about the due diligence of the engineers but they do not have the engineers to do that. This is why you see the roads in the local authorities always have potholes and all that, take over so that we do not have any problems Hon. Minister. Why can you not take over? Norton will be your first point of call for you to come and finish off with the money from ZINARA. I thank you.
HON. MHONA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Let me also hasten to thank Hon. T. Mliswa for being prophetic in terms of his contribution which is exactly what we are actually contemplating as a Ministry and he has cited a good example of Norton. I am actually here to say it is one of the most problematic local authorities. They were given funding, they could not account for it and use it. They could sit on that funding, and we had to recall that funding from them.
The suggestions that we have proffered; those road authorities that were given funding, if we then look and rank them, whatever we are doing as a department of Roads, we are excelling and which then calls for the idea and the suggesting that if we then continue ourselves, we can do it better. We then have to see but if other local authorities get the funding, they are not doing it and so the element of sabotage cannot be ruled out. Where we are saying we are giving funding to road authorities, they are not moving with speed as anticipated by the Ministry. So, I do concur with you to say let us run with the project ourselves and yes, the Minister is mandated to take over neglected roads.
We are saying what we have witnessed especially during this ERRP2, some of the local authorities, rural district councils are not playing their role for reasons better known to them. So we are saying yes, and especially when it is coming from the legislative agenda and from the legislators themselves, it is something that we can run with and we are happy to have such kind of suggestions so that we run and take charge of these roads. I thank you.
(v)HON. RAIDZA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. My supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is on the issue of the competence of some of these contractors that get appointed by the roads authorities. From the information that we are hearing, at times road authorities take someone who is having the lowest bid in terms of price requirements. What plans do they have to make sure they appoint contractors with equipment that is needed for the road works? I thank you.
HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir, let me also thank Hon. Raidza for that very important question which was part of Hon. T. Mliswa’s question again. Competence is not only to the contractors but even the local authorities themselves lack that competence in terms of the engineers and that is why you are asking why they are not utilising the money. Some are not even familiar with the procurement process. If you go back to the question posed by Hon. Raidza, the issue of competence for contractors, we are actually seized as we speak Hon. Speaker, cancelling some of the contracts that were awarded to some of these contractors.
They bid at a lower price and then get the joband as soon as they are asked to mobilise, they will fail. So these are some of the issues that are actually hindering progress. As we speak, I can cite a good example. They have contracted over 80 companies to do our roads countrywide and some of them have failed. As much as we are saying we want to empower ourselves but some of the programmes that we are undertaking as Government, as much as we want to empower our locals, some are even failing to perform.
The moment you then cancel, we have to retender and wait again. So the essence of time is not being taken into account. These are some of the issues and it goes back to the legislature to say, there are gaps in the Procurement Regulatory Authority where we are saying that piece of legislation that empowered PRAZ to superintend over the procurement issues, how can we then plug those gaps because we have got time wasters. They come, they bid lowly and they get the contract but they cannot perform, so they must be punished and that can be actually covered. At times they know that it is not punitive in terms of the measures if they fail to perform. So, I thank Hon. Raidza for raising that. Even to the contractors, yes we can blacklist them but they would have wasted our time as a nation.
HON. MAVETERA: What is Government policy in terms of how they engage these contractors? Do they pay upfront or wit until they finish all the work?
HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir and let me also thank Hon. T. Mavetera. It is very true, in terms of the contractors, when we classify and categorise these contractors, some are small and others are big. We actually ask them to proffer guarantees so that as they then start the work, if they default, we will actually resort to that guarantee. We do not pay them in advance when they go on site but if they had actually given a lower price, they find it difficult to perform. The moment you pay them in advance, for you then to start recovering that money will be problematic.
HON. BRIG. GEN. (RTD) MAYIHLOME: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My supplementary question is on the position given by the Hon. Minister, that some of the contractors are just time wasters, they bid for what they fail to perform. What kind of due diligence do you do to these contractors who fail to do Government work? Certainly, if someone has stolen a briefcase before, such companies should not be found on the Government list.
HON. MHONA: Hon. Speaker Sir, the element of due diligence is of paramount importance and the way we do our procurement has been that procurement is done at provincial level and they can actually forward to head office. However, that mandate, it is true as you then procure, you are supposed to bid and see even the type of plant and equipment the contractor has. In some cases, it is prone to human elements that they know that these visits will be conducted and one can organise for the sake of getting a contract.
When one has actually been given that contract for him or her to get mobilising title, that is when you then see these gaps that one is not even equipped. We are saying some might not be four companies, others might be three companies but the fact that they just want to get the tenders, they bid lowly and fail to perform or they will then say it is not making business sense to continue with that contract. So, it is not only about them failing to perform but others would now see that there are some variables that have changed, according to the nature of contract.
Above all, that is why you find that those companies that are known are prone to get more contracts because of the experience that we go through. For example, we have got a company repairing Rwenya Bridge which boarders Manicaland and Mashonaland East. When we called for site visits, we got 5 companies and one won that contact and for that company to perform, they could not even mobilise. So, at times we are then forced to do direct procurement to those companies that are known that do have capacity so that we do not waste the nation’s time that we have in terms of racing against rehabilitating our roads and infrastructure. I thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. Looking at the fact that we are now approaching the rainy season, what measures have you put in place to harvest water because during the rainy season, there is a lot of runaway water such that if that water is harvested, it will be very useful for irrigation and drinking. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to thank Hon. Khupe for that very important question. Yes, water is life and it is important to harvest water both for irrigation, human consumption and livestock consumption. The Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is working hard to make sure that the dams are repaired, new dams are being built; to also make sure that irrigation schemes are rehabilitated. So there is a lot of work that is being done to make sure that we harvest water.
HON. T. MLISWA: The question raised by Hon. Dr. Khupe is relevant. We cannot reduce Parliament to a talk show; when is it going to be done? It is not the first time the Hon. Member has asked that question, she has been saying it for a long time. Can we therefore, have a list of all the dams that require that and we can interrogate as to what is needed and how much is needed so that when we are debating the budget, we give you these answers.
It is important that we create a list of those dams, interrogate them further and we hear the progress because water is very important. There is no water for human consumption yet they get enough to get crops harvested but how can you harvest crops when there is no drinking water? You do not cook Sadza without water. So that is important for us especially in Harare and Bulawayo.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Mliswa who is very passionate about issues which will certainly make this country a better country. What he is asking is in order. You can ask the Ministry of Agriculture to come to this august House with a list of dams which have been built, repaired and irrigation schemes which are being rehabilitated. I thank you.
HON. SACCO: My supplementary question is, where does the budget money lie for the de-siltation of our water bodies? In Chimanimani during Cyclone Idai most of our water bodies were silted but if you approach DDF, they say go to ZINWA and if you go to ZINWA, you are told to go to Mechanisation. Can you please clarify where the money lies, where the capacity is because we are losing millions of litres of water every year?
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank Hon. Sacco who is concerned about the de-siltation of water bodies especially in his constituency. I am alive to those problems as a Senator in that constituency. I have already clarified that I will ask the Minister who is in charge of Agriculture, Water to come to this august House with the dams which are being built, which have been built, which are being repaired and irrigation schemes which are being rehabilitated. I thank you.
*HON. MPARIWA: Firstly, I would like to commend Government for the great work that they are doing in repairing most of our roads. My question is, if you travel along the highway you can never tell how much distance you have covered and how many kilometers you are left with. Long back there used to be road signs and kilometer pegs along the major highways. Is Government going to incorporate this aspect in the new roads that they are constructing?
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): I want to thank Hon Mpariwa for her sentiments regarding the great work that we are doing in rehabilitating our roads. In responding to her question, let me say that we used to have these roads signs dotted all over but some of these road signs were vandalised during election campaign periods. Some political parties have abused these road signs by painting their graffiti there. Some road signs were vandalised by people looking for scrap metal. This goes back to what I said earlier on that it us who are responsible for destroying or building our country.
As a Ministry, for us to certify that a road has been properly constructed, it should have proper signage, road markings and lay byes. All the new roads that we are constructing will bear these features. Our Traffic Safety Council will also ensure that our roads are properly marked as per the protocol by SADC countries. I want to assure you that I will instruct our Traffic Safety Council to make sure that all our roads are properly marked and have the correct signage.
HON. T. MLISWA: I want to give credit to the Leader of Government Business today. She is being honest. If we empower our women, the country can move forward. Musha mukadzi, nyika vakadzi. My question is - are we going to see ducts being included in the new road infrastructure so that there is no wanton digging up of roads?
HON. MHONA: Let me thank Hon. Mliswa for yet another suggestion which is very important, that surely soon after constructing a road you then find someone from ZESA trying to put a cable and another from ICT trying to put another cable where we do not have ducts in order to accommodate all those service providers. I concur with your request to say it is high time that we do construct a duct and currently this is what we are doing at Robert Gabriel International Airport where we have said whether is it Wi-Fi connections, power supply or water, let us have one duct that will accommodate all the service providers so that we do not have a scenario where we start digging up and trying to install. It is a good initiative.
This is what we encourage from Parliament to say instead of us interrogating or doing your oversight role over ministries, to come up with such brilliant ideas. I thank you.
*HON. MAVETERA: My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. You will realise that some crops did not do well in some areas due to low rainfall, what measures are being put in place by Government to make sure that such places have enough rainfall so that there is a bumper harvest?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for her question with regards to ways of improving our harvest. Farming is about deadlines and the Ministry of Agriculture work hand in glove with the Ministry of Tourism in making weather forecasts. All the predictions are pointing to the fact we will have above normal rainfall this season and as such, we encourage our farmers to plant early so that their crops may have enough moisture. Farming is about deadlines and making sure that crops are planted at the right time. I thank you.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister of Government Business, I have a request. This Ministry is very busy these days. There are three Ministers. Surely, we request that at least one of them comes to attend to questions.
HON. T. MLISWA: I think it is highly recommended because the aspect of cloud seeding that Hon. Mavetera spoke about is a great intervention and basically what she is saying is, when there is no rain, what are we doing to invest in it so that it rains? While we have planted on time, there is a stage where there is drought Mr. Speaker. So cloud seeding is needed so that it rains. We need a Ministerial Statement on that one because it is critical for us to alleviate the drought and hunger that we are likely to get and so forth, especially as we are going towards elections, you do not want hunger for some of our people. For us it is okay, but when there is hunger, people do not vote correctly. So when they go for elections, they go on full stomachs because I would like all the MPs to come back. So please make sure that there is enough investment in cloud seeding.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: I would like to thank Hon. Mliswa for his supplementary question in regards to what Government would be doing. Even in-between, as much as we may get a lot of rains in terms of cloud seeding, there are also other interventions to make sure that we have a bumper harvest. I was just saying the issues of food security are very close to the Second Republic and this is why the introduction of Pfumvudza/Intwasa has actually raised our yields of grains from a mere 925 000 metric tonnes to almost 3.7 million metric tonnes. So we are moving. This is why the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement is criss-crossing all the ten provinces of the country, to make sure that we come in with all these interventions for all the crops which we are planting to at least reach maturity. Yes, I agree with him. The Minister together with that Ministerial report on dams and all that, we can also talk to the issues of the interventions like cloud seeding, what available resources do they have. Cloud seeding requires quite a bit of money. So I will ask the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to come to this august House with that report. I thank you.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. It is a bit wiser, I do not know the procedure that is taken to ensure that Ministers get these questions and respond to them, but it is like they are all not here. So I do not know why there is this arbitration in terms of the Ministers responding to this. It is a bit worrisome. It is like children who do not know there is school tomorrow and they do not come. I am really worried on what procedure. Are we doing something wrong or what because Ministers are not coming here to respond. They are not here to respond and we are here. We are just going into the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament coming from a Third Parliament Session which really was terrible in terms of the performance of the Ministers, but they continue.
The Deputy Ministers, some of them are here but others are not here. All the ZANU-PF provincial elections have been done. Some are not coming back, they are getting lost in their constituencies and in their districts. Maybe they are still mourning from that, I do not know but this is sad, to be honest with you. We have just come from the Pre-Budget Seminar where we were all energised to come and deliver, but we defer again, we keep deferring. It is not that warm in this place today. It is a bit chilly. So some of us, pneumonia will hit us while we are here at work when others are by their heaters keeping warm. Where are they Mr. Speaker Sir? Where are your Ministers?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. M. KHUMALO): Thank you Hon. Mliswa, I think you will recall that there were almost 16 apologies from Ministers. So it follows that the questions that relate to those ministries will not be attended to but also let us be reminded that this is a new session and a lot of questions are new, probably we should expect vibrancy beginning the next two or so weeks. I do not condone the absence of Ministers who are not at work but most of them apologised. Can we proceed and defer those questions that do not have responses?
(v)*HON. GONESE: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir, I have noted the observations made by Hon. Mliswa and I note that several Ministers are not in the House. When it comes to Oral Answers to Questions with Notice Mr. Speaker Sir, my point of order is that these are questions that had been submitted by us and we have got ministry officials who can prepare the responses.
In the past, we used to have a practice Mr. Speaker Sir, where other Ministers who are available answer the questions on behalf of the Ministers or Deputy Ministers who are unable to avail themselves. I believe that the Executive is doing us a disservice by failing to adhere to this rule of practice which enables the Executive to deal with written questions. When they are written, the ministry officials, if they do their job, prepare the responses and the Ministers should be able to coordinate and liaise amongst themselves so that even if you are an Hon. Minister and you are unable to physically present yourself, then a colleague can actually answer the question instead of us wasting the tax payer’s money and deferring so many questions on the Order Paper, particularly those that had already been submitted in advance.
I would implore your office Hon. Speaker, to ensure that it is still brought to the attention of the Leader of Government Business so that there is better coordination amongst members of the Executive so that we do not continuously have this scenario where questions that are on the Order Paper have to be continuously deferred.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Gonese … - [HON. PETER MOYO: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir!] – Yes, let me first respond to Hon. Gonese’s point of order. Thank you Hon. Gonese, I think your observation is noted … - [HON. PETER MOYO: Will you also recognize me on virtual Mr. Speaker Sir?] – Hon. Moyo, wait a bit please, I am attending to another point of order. – [HON. PETER MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.] – Thank you.
I think Hon. Gonese your points have been noted. We hope Parliament Administration together with the Leader of Government Business is going to attend to that. It is very sad today, I do not even have any Minister, even those Ministers who were here have left and could not answer to their questions. I hope that this is not going to be repeated in future.
(v)HON. PETER MOYO: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of order is about the absence of Ministers today because yesterday we were advised that Ministers are compelled to come on Wednesday and Thursday. Today is a Wednesday, Question Time and they did not turn up in flagrant violation of the Constitution and laid down procedures that they should adhere to. The Government cannot move forward without Ministers.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that today’s business should stop. We adjourn until the Ministers come and answer questions. Whenever Ministers come and answer questions, if they do not come, we adjourn and this must be reported to the President because they are in contempt of Parliament. Therefore, Mr. Speaker Sir, I propose that we adjourn the House in protest of Ministers who did not turn up to respond to questions that were submitted to them two to three weeks ago and some about a month ago. I thank you. – [HON. C. MOYO: I second Hon. Moyo!] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Moyo, our proceedings today also include Orders of the Day that may not require Ministers. So I cannot just adjourn the House because of non-attendance by Ministers. There are other issues that do not require Ministers. We will proceed but let me defer all Oral Answers with Notices from Question Number 12 to 16.
(V)HON. PETER MOYO: Point of clarity Mr. Speaker Sir! The entire Business of the House has been halted by the Ministers and not us. It does not matter whether we have other issues that have nothing to do with Ministers, the Ministers did not turn up. Therefore, we have to adjourn the House in protest; it does not matter whether we have other important business. All Business of the House is very important especially when Ministers are supposed to come and answer to questions. Therefore, I do not submit to what you are saying that we have other issues, other issues for what? Today the Ministers were supposed to come and answer questions; it is as simple as that. Therefore, we have to adjourn the House in protest, we are protesting against the Ministers who do not want to come to Parliament.
Hon. Mliswa has been saying this for the past two years since I joined Parliament but no action has been taken; no Minister has been relieved of his/her duties and they are continuously enjoying the perks of Government at the expense of tax payers. We cannot continue to come when tax payers want to hear us making progress. The President gave us about 41 Bills that are supposed to come before Parliament. How are we going to do it when Ministers are not coming to Parliament for the same purpose?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Moyo but be reminded that today is Private Members day. So oral questions have their time, there are other orders that are coming. Please, we are going to proceed. So we are deferring Questions 12 to 16. – [HON. MAVETERA: Hon. Speaker Sir, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage wants to respond to Question Number 12.] - Question Number 12? Let me see if the Hon. Member is there. Hon. Tsuura, are you there? – [HON. TSUURA: Yes, I am here Mr. Speaker Sir!] –
MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO CURB CORRUPTION AT BEITBRIDGE BORDER POST
- HON. TSUURA asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to inform the House on measures taken by Government to curb corruption at Beitbridge Border Post.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MABOYI): Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. We do have measures to curb corruption. Acts of corruption are not witnessed at Beitbridge Border Post alone. What we have done as a Ministry is that, we have taken some measures by making sure that the security personnel, immigration officers, police and customs must rotate. We have installed CCTV cameras; they are monitored on what they are doing on a daily basis. The other one is auditing, we are trying to make sure that…
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, can you put your gadget away.
HON. MABOYI: Which gadget is making noise? I do not think it is my gadget. Going back to my presentation, we made sure that we rotate our personnel after a month. If we get information that the group which is there is not doing well, even after two weeks we rotate them. We installed CCTV cameras; this helped as well because some people have been arrested. We made sure that the Anti Corruption Commission deployed people there in order to make sure that they curb corruption. We are also making sure that work is being audited weekly. I thank you.
MEASURES TO CURB STOCK THEFT IN MATEBELELAND SOUTH
- HON. MOKONE asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to inform the House what measures have been put in place to curb stock theft in Matabeleland South.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE: (HON. MABOYI): I am happy to announce that the Ministry of Home Affairs worked very well in curbing stock theft. We had problems and people were always talking about stock theft, they even said police were involved. We deployed a very strong and energetic group of the ‘black boots’, tables were turned upside down. I am very happy to announce that we did it. We really managed to make sure that those who were stealing and those who were collaborating were arrested. So that is the plan.
HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for her first response. In as far as the Beitbridge Border Post corruption is concerned and then the stock theft, I will request Hon. Speaker, that the Minister brings a Ministerial Statement which tabulates how many people have been arrested for stock theft, how many people have been arrested in Beitbridge for corruption because just telling us that measures have been put in place and people were arrested without giving us figures will not assist. If you bring figures here, even those who attempt to commit offences of that nature will not do it because they know that so many people have been arrested. So can the Hon. Minister give us details of those people who have been arrested? I thank you.
HON. MABOYI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you Hon. Member, we will bring those figures to make sure that you are aware of what is happening on the ground. I thank you.
RESIDENTIAL PATROLS BY THE POLICE
- HON. TSUURA asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to inform the House whether police conduct residential patrols in residential areas considering a spike in cases of armed robberies in residential areas.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MABOYI): Let me start by asserting that it is common knowledge that police have a constitutional mandate to prevent, investigate and detect crime among other functions. Patrols in all areas where crimes are committed or may be perpetrated, rank among the key time-honoured, tried and tested strategies that police employ to prevent crime. For this reason, police continue to conduct patrols in all such areas and residential areas are no exception.
Since August 2021, 28 709 patrols have been conducted across the country and a number of armed robbers have been accounted for. May I take this opportunity to call upon our citizens to collaborate police efforts through the supply of information on crime among other illegal activities. We must also bear in mind that crime is perpetuated against the community. I am therefore, calling upon everyone to take collective responsibility for the creation of safe neighbourhoods and residential areas.
AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE FOR FERRYING BODIES OF PEOPLE WHO DIE AT HOMES
16 HON. TSUURA asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to inform the House the relevant authority responsible for ferrying bodies of people who die at their homes to mortuaries for post-mortems and other services and to state why the police have since stopped to provide this service.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MABOYI): I wish to inform the Hon. Member that in cases of deaths where foul play is suspected, police investigations become a necessity. As a result, police have a legal duty to ferry such bodies to mortuaries for post mortems whose results are key to police investigations.
So in all such cases, police have not stopped ferrying bodies. Any failures to do so can only be as a consequence of resource inadequacy in certain circumstances. For the avoidance of doubt, let me reiterate that post mortems are an integral part of the crime investigations process wherever foul play is suspected. Equally, let me also emphasise that in all cases where no foul play is suspected, police are not legally bound to ferry the bodies. Should they do so, it would be purely in pursuit of the fulfillment of a moral obligation and community assistance. I thank you.
HON. DR. KHUPE: My supplementary to the Hon. Minister is - do the police have rapid responses such that when theft is reported or if a person dies in their homes, the police need to attend to those areas immediately? Yes, I understand that they do not have vehicles but I am thinking that once they have vehicles, they must make sure that they have vehicles which are on standby to make sure that the public is attended to once they have reported such cases.
HON. MABOYI: Yes, we do but it is not all the stations which have those rapid responses. You find that as I have said, if a person passes on whilst at their residential home about 120 km from Beitbridge and that body needs to be carried to the mortuary, I must admit that the vehicles are not there. So, this is when police ask for assistance nearby. I thank you.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, kindly clarify this question; the Hon. Member talks about a person who needs postmortem. Remember, they cannot attend to that person if they are not sure what the cause of death is, so they need police to arrive on site. What do people do in that case if a body is not attended to and is not collected for postmortem by the police?
HON. MABOYI: We have police posts in rural areas; usually they will be 5 km away from homesteads. However, I was referring to the carrying of the body to Beitbridge like to a mortuary or even a person who dies and was not feeling well, they need to be put in the mortuary first; you cannot just bury. That is where our problems come in but in terms of police to go and investigate, I think we have good police bases which are 5km apart.
WRITTEN SUBMISSION TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
DISBURSEMENT AND UTILISATION OF DEVOLUTION FUNDS IN HARARE METROPOLITAN PROVINCE
- MACHINGAUTA asked the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to inform the House how much of the devolution funds were disbursed to Harare Metropolitan Province and how they were utilised, particularly in Wards 33 and 43
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. CHOMBO): Harare Metropolitan Province received a total of ZWL$232 132,494.00 under devolution. Harare City Council, under which Wards 33 and 43 as per Hon. Machingauta’s question fall, received a total of ZWL$95 759 504.00. In line with the Government’s thrust to upgrade and rehabilitate WASH infrastructure, the funds were largely targeted towards rehabilitation of Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Works as well as repair works at Crowborough sewer works, among other deliverables. As such, Wards 33 and 44 benefit on the downstream since these works are targeted to improving WASH services for the entirety of Harare City. Suffice to say though, that council comes up with its priority list of areas that require urgent attention, so long as these projects fall within the Ministry’s and indeed Government’s priority expectations.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
First Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech
Question again proposed.
HON. MAVETERA: Let me start by thanking the mover of this motion Hon. Mutambisi, seconded by Hon T. Moyo. Let me thank the President, His Excellency Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa for setting the tone for this Parliament. Let me also thank His Excellency for recognising the efforts that young people are doing, especially in terms of agriculture. His Excellency was so clear because he mentioned that young people must venture into agriculture which is the backbone of our economy. I really want to applaud him because he mentioned the importance of young people. Right now there is great need for us to conclude on the issue of land redistribution especially to the young people. I wish the Minister of Agriculture could come to this House and let us know how many young people have managed to access the land.
Right now we have the Agricultural Bank which has been rebranded to make sure that one person can go with the land. The Minister of Agriculture was quite clear the other day that there is no more land, however he also mentioned the issue of land audit that they are going to find out if there are any other areas that can offer land for redistribution. For young people of Zimbabwe, it is quite critical for us to be able to access this land. We are calling on the Minister of Agriculture to come to this House and furnish us with these numbers because we need to know how many young people have accessed this land.
His Excellency also mentioned the issue of the mining sector. I would like to say we really appreciate the efforts that have been done in terms of making sure that we access the mining claims. However, the question then comes the same, as young people, we also feel that we need to expedite this process so that young people can contribute towards the $12 billion economy which is quite pivotal for us to achieve Vision 2030. I truly believe that we have the three pillars which are quite pivotal in the revival of our economy and these are agriculture, mining and tourism. When it comes to mining, we are saying the young people should also be able to access the mining claims. We need to get funding from the Women’s Bank or Empower Bank and look with a clear eye to say, it is not only a matter of them saying we have funding which is pro-agriculture but they also need to look at mining so that the young people can be able to access machinery and this can go a long way in reviving our economy.
We also want to thank the efforts that are being done by the Minister of Finance to make sure that the financial sector is stable. We know the auction system is there and we believe that a lot of SMEs will also be able to access foreign currency. I go on and say as much as it is there, we really appreciate that but we need to look at the SMEs and say what really needs to be done. Right now there is Mbare Siyaso which is there and we need to emphasise on the formalisation of the people that are working there in Mbare so that they can contribute more towards Vision 2030. People in Mbare, who are paying their licences but there is more need for the Minister of Local Government to formalise their entities so that they can contribute more to the economy instead of having a situation where the police come in and disturb the work that they are doing.
Let me also commend what His Excellency said about SMEDCO. They need to capacitate this group. Yes, like what we requested at the Pre-Budget Seminar, I think they need to have a certain allocation that they reserve for young women. The community development fund is there but there is need for it to be publicised to the highest level so that everyone will know that there is community development fund. There is need for that awareness so that some young women can also be able to access the fund. SMEDCO was allocated $500 million in the last Budget and we are hoping that we are going to get more so that we can see more young women contributing to the economic development of this country.
Let me also commend Zimbabweans in terms of vaccination. Yes, His Excellency mentioned on the issue of frontline workers when he thanked them for their selfless sacrifice towards COVID-19. I think we really need to thank the efforts that Zimbabwe has done. In Southern Africa, I think we are one of the top countries in terms of vaccination. The Minister of Finance at the Pre-Budget Seminar mentioned that there is a fund which is there and they have the vaccinations which are enough for us to be vaccinated as a country. This is worth applauding. This is very great and I believe that in terms of vaccination, we are moving in the right direction and we need to applaud this. The efforts that are being done are tremendous and I believe other countries need to take a leaf from what Zimbabwe is doing. We also need to applaud the Minister of Health and Child Care. Just a few days ago the rate of infection ISalso going down.
Let me also be able to mention what His Excellency said whereby there is need for us to expedite payments to farmers, this is very important. This will be able to motivate farmers and even in terms of infrastructural development, we really need to appreciate the efforts that are being done by the second Republic. Indeed right now today we were commenting even when we were getting into the House. We were applauding what the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development is also doing that, you could see that at least there are great efforts being done in terms of the ERRP.
I think ERRP is very important and we need to be thankful to Government. Again we also need to look, the moment that we are going to go on the structural development trajectory; this will also help farmers find it easier for them to transport their goods. Right now we are in the farming season. It is quite important. We have mentioned the issue of interventions that needs to be done in terms of climate change possibilities that are coming in. Right now we have had a lot of interventions that have been coming from the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, but I think more needs to be done.
Last year inasmuch as we had a lot of rain there are certain farmers - I will tell you some crop that I had, I did not manage to sell on time because there were no interventions that had been done in terms of making sure that at least they were able to go towards heavy intervention in line with the climate change that has been experienced globally. There is great need to look at these interventions. We talked about cloud seeding and we may also expect more even in terms of irrigation. There is need for quite a big budget when it comes to irrigation. So why can you not also look for other alternative ways so that at least that farmer will also be able to contribute to national development? That farmer will be able to contribute towards food security, also even at household level, it is quite important for us to look at this.
Let me also look at the legislative agenda. I would like to thank His Excellency for mentioning the issue of ensuring the Pensions Commission Bill which I believe is supposed to empower the elderly. This is a very important Bill. I remember the other day Hon. Dr. Khupe went on and mentioned this issue and said there is great need for us to look very carefully on issues to do with pensions. It is very important for us as a country to look towards their welfare. It is quite sad because these people would have worked so much to even be able to bring back to people like myself. Here I am, but they do not have the same energy that we have as the youth of Zimbabwe. They would have done their part but I think it is important for us to look at interventions that we can take so that at least if they are resting, they will be able to also rest in peace. Not only rest in peace, because they are dead but rest in peace because they are actually at that point in time whereby they are resting, and of course they would also have done their part.
We are happy that I heard the Minister also mentioning that they are going to look at the welfare of even war veterans and they said that they are going to make sure they will at least dolarise their pension. This is quite critical and this is very important. The amount that they will be looking at is just an amount which was quite needed so that at least it can either be in United States dollars like what the Hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Development said. This is important and we need to applaud this because this is quite important.
The other Bill that I thought was also important is the Traditional Leaders Amendment Bill. To be honest with you, there area lot of young traditional leaders that are coming up but they are a bit on the limited side. When it comes to women, I think there are only two women chiefs in this country. So what I am saying is that there is great need for us to also have a gender sensitive approach when it comes to chiefs, when electing or appointing chiefs. It is quite important, I know it is a matter of looking at dynasties, it is more about the family line, but we need to also come up with a certain way that which will make sure that at least we are going to be having chiefs. We also have a lot of female chiefs in this country. So even when it comes to us and we are talking of having gender sensitive policies they will not be there when it comes to local level. So there is great need to look at it very much when it comes to these traditional leaders. We need to have a very clear look at it so that at least we have got young leaders getting there and young chiefs. We also want female chiefs to be also considered there. So there is also that gender sensitive approach that we are calling upon.
Let there be a clarion call - we need grants to be reintroduced. There is great need to look at this. We are having many university students who are failing to finish. They will be so brilliant but now they will not be able to achieve because they do not have the capacity. So I think there is great need to look at and reintroduce this grant. We want these grants to be reintroduced so that at least people may go to tertiary institutions and they go to universities just like what all of you did. Where did they go, we want them back.
Finally the medical service amendment Bill, I do not want to lie to you, I do not want to mention any names but there are some medical aids which are not doing anything right now. You will pay even half of your salary but for you to get the services, they are not there. What is happening when it comes to medical aid? There is great need for us to really look at it. We need to look at it and say to ourselves on the medical aid services, they need to be given penalties. If it means they are not providing the services. We are paying money each and every single month and nothing is being done.
So Mr. Speaker Sir, this is just my call that we are saying that all these Bills as they come we are going to come and interrogate them in this august House and we need to bring some sanity when it comes to medical aid societies. Why are they there when people are not getting services? They need to make sure that at least whatever one pays for they will get their services. Can we be living in a country whereby people can be just doing things willy-nilly? I think there is great corruption when looking at medical aid. When we are going through the Medical Aid Societies Bill they have to start to be getting serious. If they are not going to be serious some of them are going to be deregistered. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.
(v)HON. M. DUBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise to add my voice to the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Opening of the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe on 7th October, 2021. I am alluding to the fact that Zimbabwe is not only learning to stand on its feet even as the pandemic is yet to be defeated.
In his speech, the President pointed increased production, productivity, innovation and possible ingenuity as factors that inspired many, especially young people to work harder to reach their fullest goal - the ultimatum prosperity of our nation. This is not only a reflection of what our people have done but it is also a statement to urge us to continue moving on and on.
In the province of Matabeleland North where I come from Mr. Speaker Sir, huge projects of national economic and social importance have continued to take shape. The five megawatt Mabale Solar Plant is complete and awaits switching on to the national grid to inject power. This is a project that was originated, executed and managed by young people in Zimbabwe. They are a testimony of the provision of enabling environment by the Government to those who want to seize opportunities. Our young engineers are also involved in steering jobs at Hwange Unit Seven and Eight Expansion Project – a joint venture between ZPC and the Chinese.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it would be unfair not to mention the Gwayi-Shangani Project whose completion will bring exciting opportunity for our young people in Matabeleland North besides ending the perennial water woes in Bulawayo. If we cannot be excited, what will excite us? The project that has weathered Covid storms is a testimony that this Government cares not only for its citizens, but also is committed to fulfill its promise of the middle income economy by 2030. We are moving under the guidance of prudent leadership of President Mnangagwa and if only all of us could realise and harness these abundant opportunities. I challenge our young people even more; recently, the President was at the Bubi-Lupane irrigation scheme where a beautiful wheat crop is now being harvested. Families involved in this project which is being run in conjunction with ARDA will share proceeds of harvests; in short, this is a story of good bye to poverty and welcome to prosperity.
In our rural community, it is a success story that beneficiaries will give credit to President Mnangagwa and his Government as they look forward to yet another promising rain season. I am convinced Mr. Speaker Sir, that this Government will not miss the projected 7.8% economic growth of our economy with the way in which it is paying attention to fund our agriculture. This excellent funding model gets a thumbs up because of its attention to the ordinary men and women in our villages who have always historically delivered more to the national granary. These communal farmers are our pride and our Government is on point to support them in all their agricultural endevour.
I am more than grateful Mr. Speaker Sir, for the distribution of tick grease and locally produced January disease vaccines to our livestock. Livestock is our people’s traditional bank, they have always known. Their worth and pride are staged in their herds. The efforts to support this cause are noble coupled with farm mechanisation and agriculture modernisation which continues to be high on the priority list of the Second Republic assisted by the District Development Fund and other agencies that are assisting with tillage programmes for various categories of farmers. One can only say, long live to this Government of President E. D. Mnangagwa.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I would not have done justice to my contribution if I do not make reference to Government prioritisation after spending 84% of floater expenditure to date having earmarked infrastructure development. The ongoing phase two of Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme is indeed transformational across all provinces, districts, cities and towns. As the President said in his speech, the very important fighting road in Lupane which stretches from the provincial capital all the way to Midlands has been rehabilitated. It is looking good and assisting movement in the area. There can be no better way of facilitating development for our people that is more critical than ensuring road connectivity.
Mr. Speaker Sir, awarding Victoria Falls a city status is also paying good dividends. There is exciting investor confidence in our tourism sector. The Victoria Falls stock exchange is also poised to be an important player in our economy. We are living in exciting times even as I imagine what our provincial GDP will be five years from now. These are the factors that this Government has deemed necessary for the prosperity of our country … - [Technical recording challenges.] - even as Covid is here, the private sector, Government, local authorities and other stakeholders have demonstrated a united purpose. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Madam Speaker, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 4th November, 2021.
On the motion of HON. MUNETSI, seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Fourteen Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 3rd November, 2021
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 3 has been disposed of.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
+HON. SEN. MKWEBU: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice on the Presidential Speech. The motion was tabled in this House by Hon. Sen. Kambizi, seconded by Hon. Sen. Mabika.
Madam President Ma’am, I will touch on farming which was highlighted by the President. He encouraged people to work hard. I will talk about the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme. The President is encouraging everyone to concentrate on farming and try to improve so that they do not depend on donors every time. There are some who managed to make this programme a success and some were unable to do it well. Some highlighted challenges of lack of rain in their areas. However, in areas that are dry, they are asking that the Government should assist, especially in areas that are in Region 5, which is Matabeleland. There are some areas where they received enough rainfall and other areas did not, for example Gwanda up to Plumtree. There are so many people who could not harvest anything.
They were given seeds under the Presidential Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme but they were not able to harvest anything because of the little rains they received. Also, they are not given enough advice from the agronomists. Some of them stay far away from Agritex offices. It is therefore my wish that we should have Agritex offices in all the areas so that they assist all the farmers in their day to day farming activities.
The President encouraged that people should try and do their best in farming so that they can alleviate the challenges of drought and not depend on donors. Government should assist all the A2 farmers, especially those in dry regions or the ones who concentrate on cattle ranging. They should be assisted with dams that will in turn assist the farmers, especially in Matabeleland area. It is a dry region Madam President. It is our wish that we do irrigation projects. If the Government assists by construction of many dams, we can get something that can enable us to feed our families.
Secondly Madam President, I will touch on mining, concentrating on gold and other minerals that we have in this country. Gold is one of the minerals that we are benefiting from as a nation, especially on our economy. Here and there, the Government assists by giving the miners foreign currency but I realised that the scheme is only benefitting those who have big mining companies. It is my wish that we also consider the ones who are still new into the field, especially the artisanal miners. The Government should try to concentrate on artisanal miners and assist them in getting foreign currency to buy the equipment they might need in extracting gold.
The other problem in mining relates to issues on mining disputes. There are so many disputes that we have had, someone would have registered his/her mine and another comes to extract gold from there. Before you even try to negotiate, you realise that the one whom you will be having disputes with will take the issue to court and once it is there, the court will derail and take close to 17 years without solving the matter. It is therefore my plea Mr. President, that the department that is handling mining issues should have a look at this because so many miners are suffering from this.
There is also need to check on what the Government is getting, there are so many loopholes when we look at issues to do with gold. I therefore urge the Government to put tight security measures, especially on leakages to do with minerals. We might have security in our banks or other means that we use to secure our minerals, especially the minerals that are improving our economy. This is one of the minerals that we have as a country which is boosting our economy and people are supposed to treasure it.
Mr. President Ma’am, as I touch on the issue of corruption that is there in our country, you will realise that the President does not expect that to date, we are still struggling with corruption. This is an issue that has been highlighted on and the President indicated that he is not happy about corruption and is trying to encourage everyone to desist from any corrupt activities.
In every dispute to do with minerals such as gold, you realise that police officers are the ones who are involved whilst they are supposed to be law enforcers. You therefore ask yourself, ‘who is going to help you settle that if the law enforcement officers are the ones imposing on who is supposed to mine even if it is your gold claim. Whatever means you try, you realise that you will be intimidated and this has brought so much fear on people who are into mining.
Our country is known for peace loving but you realise that in mining areas in the rural areas where there are a lot of mining activities, there are so many cases of murder. Sometimes they come and take everything that you have, including any equipment that you use in mining. All those murders or anyone committing crime – these are people who are well known by the law enforcement officers. People are living in fear, especially in Gwanda because of these people who are always stealing gold from those who would have mined it. With these few words Mr. President, I would like to thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to debate on the Presidential Speech. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Kambizi and Hon. Sen. Mabika who introduced this motion to the House. We were happy to hear the words from His Excellency that we must unite for the same purpose so that the country can develop and remove all obstacles. Those are very profound words.
His Excellency also emphasised that we work hard so that the country moves forward and increase production. The President also encouraged people to work hard so that we can achieve Vision 2030 and that our country can reach the status of a middle income economy by the year 2030.
I would also like to thank the President for his work towards stabilising the currency. His Excellency managed to sit down with the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to find solutions of the escalating parallel market exchange rates and stabilisation was achieved. There were those who were dealing in illicit money deals using ecocash and other banking facilities; it was all stopped and our economy began to move forward.
I would also like to thank His Excellency - on food security, we used to have problems where we were importing food from other countries but now we no longer have this problem since the introduction of the Pfumvudza Programme under the Minister of Agriculture. Pfumvudza helped a lot, last year everyone received inputs and God provided us with good rains and we had a bumper harvest. We also managed to get some extra maize grain and it was distributed to the Grain Marketing Board. We thank the President for all those initiatives, we managed to see how important it is to practice farming. All the people who delivered their grains to the GMB were paid within a period of two weeks. This encouraged people to deliver their grains to GMB since they were timeously paid.
His Excellency also talked about the issue of livestock. We faced the problem of diseases in our animals but the Government provided tick grease which helped a lot. This reduced the death of our livestock.
The District Development Fund was given many machines, including tractors to farm for people. This shows that the Government and His Excellency’s commitment to improve the country. DDF also assisted in rehabilitation and sinking of new boreholes in the country to make sure that people have water. The main roads which link the Harare city were refurbished. Small roads were also refurbished. Council roads are also being refurbished. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development is working hard to improve the state of our roads. We applaud our President Cde. E.D. Mnangagwa for the developmental projects that are being done in the country.
We have seen and received many buses from our friends from Belarus and other countries. The issue of transport challenges especially in town has been alleviated because buses were disbursed in different cities. People are now moving freely. The issue of shortage of transport has been resolved.
His Excellency is also focussing on the refurbishment of our airports – Robert Mugabe and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airports. A lot of refurbishment has been done to facelift these airports. Our small airports like Kariba and Buffalo Range, which is also being refurbished so that the issue of transport is also solved.
When COVID-19 started, most of us did not take it seriously. When people were encouraged to get vaccinated, they did not take it seriously. We ended up in lock-downs. Most people did not take the lock-down seriously. We moved forward and many people began to die because of the pandemic. We lost our loved ones, Government officials and some Parliamentarians we know died because of this pandemic. We are devastated by this issue of death.
We also thank His Excellency for sourcing vaccines from countries like China, India and other countries. It shows that His Excellency’s re-engagement with other countries is bearing fruits. We thank these countries that have provided us with these vaccines. We would like to thank our frontline workers who were on the frontline in wards, districts, provincial and national hospitals, fighting COVID-19. If it was possible, their names must be compiled Province by Province so that we know that these are the people who stood by the country fighting for us. Even if we do not give them anything but respect and appreciation is a good thing.
We want to thank our Minister of Health and Child Care, Vice President Cde. Chiwenga for the job well done during the pandemic. Yes, we agree that this pandemic is not yet over. Let us continue to follow the WHO guidelines in protection against COVID-19.
Our President mentioned the issue of our defence forces, the soldiers who are doing a great job in preserving peace and security in the country.
In conclusion, I would like to thank Parliament of Zimbabwe which made the law for War Veterans so that the issue of war veterans is accepted, to enable them to get what they fought for in the liberation struggle. We applaud the War Veterans Act because it has helped a lot. We thank the President for putting the liberators of our country first and we expect that the money that they need is going to be given to them. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to debate and say a few words on the Presidential speech delivered by His Excellency Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa to mark the Opening of the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament..
Before I start my debate, I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Kambizi for a well researched and detailed debate that he tabled in this august House. I also want to thank the seconder, Hon. Sen. Mabika.
As Senators, we are really humbled by the speech that set the tone for the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament. The Third Session was not easy for all of us because of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. We lost some of our gallant sons and daughters of the soil in this august House. May their souls rest in peace.
We are grateful to our President and his Government for managing this monster COVID-19 through various interventions despite sanctions and the people of Zimbabwe have resisted them left right and centre. The President saluted the people and urged them to get vaccinated. I urge fellow Zimbabweans that have not been vaccinated to get vaccinated for the country to reach herd immunity. I also think that those that requested for sanctions and the countries that imposed them are now ashamed because they have failed to achieve what they thought was going to be achieved by the illegal sanctions, which is regime change. Now is the time for us all Zimbabweans to unite and speak with one voice for the unconditional removal of these so-called sanctions.
On agriculture, I would like to commend His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa for providing a number of interventions to assist our farmers; programmes like Command agriculture, Pfumvudza/Intwasa, the cotton scheme, the tick grease scheme, the grain protection scheme, the rural horticulture scheme, the community fisheries scheme, the rural poultry scheme, the rural goat pass on scheme, the tractors and combine harvesters to support our farmers and many others. The President went on to say, no space and no one should be left behind, meaning everybody must benefit to achieve Vision 2030. This is highly commendable from our listening President. It is now left to us the people of Zimbabwe to support our President’s vision in order to achieve Vision 2030. Some of the issues have been taken care of by fellow Hon. Members.
Before I conclude, there is this issue of outstanding Bills. Can our Hon. Ministers take this business seriously and make sure they expedite the bringing of these Bills to this august House so that we can deal with them. Mr. President, on engagement and re-engagement, it is bearing fruits and as I stand here today in this august House, our President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces yesterday addressed other world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. This is an achievement because for the past 25 years, no leader from this country ever visited the UK.
Lastly, I hope and trust that everybody in this august House will get a chance to debate this very important motion. I thank you Hon. President Sir.
HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I second
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 4th November 2021.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. REJOICE TIMIRE
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move the motion standing in my name:
That this House expresses its profound sorrow on the untimely death on Tuesday, 10th August 2021, of the late Honourable Senator Rejoice Timire who was representing persons with disabilities;
PLACES on record its appreciation for the service which the late Hon. Member rendered to Parliament and the nation at large and;
RESOLVES that its profound sympathies be conveyed to the Timire family, relatives and the entire nation.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I second.
HON. SEN KHUPE: It is a motion which triggers some painful experience. It is a motion about the untimely death of a former fellow Senator, the late Hon. Sen Rejoice Msiza Timire, who passed away on 10th August 2021. Those who read the Hansard and those who may be online right now, may want to know who Rejoice Timire was. Hon. Sen Rejoice Timire was born in 1959 in Mberengwa. She was a Senator representing persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe. She became a Senator as soon as the harmonised elections were concluded in 2018. She was an advocate of the rights of persons with disabilities. Her death shook the disability community, the stakeholders and all Zimbabweans were shocked by the announcement of the passing on of Senator Timire. Personally, I had worked with Sen. Timire for a number of years as soon as she became a person with disabilities. She was quite fit, strong, agile and athletic mother until 1998 when she became involved in a nearly fatal accident in Cape Town. From thereon, she was in hospital for so many months and by the time she was discharged, she was unable to stand but her mind was still strong.
She joined the disability movement rising to become a leader in an organisation called Disabled Women Support Foundation. She worked for that organisation and was also involved in capacity building for children with disabilities, specifically girls and women. She never lost hope as a result of disability. In fact according to her, she told me that she actually worked harder than she ever had done before.
She was a family woman, married to a man called Mr. Timire, a former police officer who also passed on a few days before her untimely death. The family had five children. When she became disabled in 1998, she and the husband had actually been blessed with their last born. She decided to take disability rights activism head on and she achieved.
What she told me that she learnt about disability was that when we talk about disability inclusion and adjusting our buildings so that disabled persons have access also to those buildings, she never thought that one day she would also demand that. Before that, she was strong and as I said, very athletic but we plan and the final planner is God.
We worked together in Parliament. As you will remember Hon. Members, she was a member of the Thematic Committee on SDGs and Gender Development. She rarely spoke but when she opened her mouth, she would talk nicely, authoritatively and with knowledge. My assessment is that she was a person who had good grooming in her family.
She went to Musume Secondary School, which is run by the Lutheran Church in Mberengwa. From there, she did a number of courses. She respected the elders and family structures. She was a strong Christian and when she was laid to rest, I know that because of COVID-19, a lot of us were not able to say good day, goodbye and good night because things were tough by then.
Having said this, I pass my condolences in my personal name and also on behalf of other persons with disabilities. I also do that in mind that as Senators in the Parliament of Zimbabwe, we all lost a comrade and an advocate. Certainly, the Senate will not be the same until maybe elections are done to replace her. We may also get somebody with a sharp and progressive mind, with a strong zeal to defend the terrain and the gains which the Government of Zimbabwe assisted several people to gain in terms of disability inclusion. We did a lot. In some ways, things are good but on paper, there are a lot of things as disabled people, together with Hon. Timire, which we persuaded the Government to pass on. There is the disability policy which was launched by the Government. Right now we are about to come up with the Disabled Persons Act. All those policies are being pushed because of some of the people who put their input on that, including the late Senator Timire.
With these few words, Hon. President of the Senate and all Senators, I want to say may the soul of the late compatriot, freedom fighter, the disability activist, mother and sister called Rejoice Timire rest in peace. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for awarding me this opportunity to debate the motion on the passing on of Hon. Sen. Rejoice Timire. Mr. President, I want to start by thanking Hon. Sen. Khupe for bringing this motion in this House so that we remember our Hon. Senator who passed on due to COVID-19. Mr. President, all of us know Hon. Sen. Timire coming into the Senate on a wheel chair. She was one of the Hon. Senators who was representing people living with disability.
I want to thank those who selected Hon. Sen. Timire to come to Parliament to represent people with disabilities because she was doing her job whole heartedly. I remember Mr. President, we were in the same Thematic Committee on SDGs. We travelled a lot to different areas, even those areas with bad roads. She always travelled ahead. She travelled with her car and she would always be there in time. She did not select any area, saying that I am disabled I cannot go to this area but she was found everywhere where there was a programme.
Mr. President, we cherish her commitment in working to represent the people with disabilities. She did not select or sit down thinking about her condition but she was dedicated in her job of representing the people. I want to say we have lost a hardworking cadre, a dedicated person and I want to say to the Timire family, may God console you and may the Holy Spirit comfort you. Death is the law of God. Yes, we need our colleague to be here but it is the decision of God for someone to live or die but we really need our beloved ones to stay with us. I say may her dear soul rest in peace. Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I would like to say a few words on the late Hon. Sen. Timire. I understand a lot from what Hon. Sen. Khupe said. I remember the Shona saying which reads, ‘seka urema wafa,’ meaning that we might be born without any disabilities but we do not know what might happen later on in life.
The late Hon. Sen. Timire was able to work with others very well. I knew her well as we raised motions in the House, she would later say, ‘Hon. Sen. Muzenda, you do not know me but I knew your parents, may their souls rest in peace’. It is difficult to accept when your parents pass on, even if you are of age, it is a painful experience for the rest of one’s life.
When Hon. Sen. Timire passed on, it was very painful that a few days after her departure, her husband also passed on. This shows that her husband failed to accept the departure of his wife. When two people are married and are in love, that is what usually happens. On behalf of the Senate, I would also like to thank the Timire family because we worked very well with Hon. Sen. Timire. I expect that the family which was left behind will be well taken care of as it was her wish.
As mentioned by Hon. Sen. Tongogara, she was someone who was very dedicated in her work. Even when we travelled to other areas with bad roads, she was always there and she would be the first one at the venue ahead of us who are able-bodied. She was dedicated toher work of representing the people.
I would also want to thank the Women’s Caucus and all Hon. Members who were able to help and the Zimbabwe Women’s Coalition as they managed to collect a substantial amount of money towards helping the bereaved family. This shows that Hon. Sen. Timire worked with others very well. I implore all Hon. Members to remember her and her family in our prayers. It would be good to liaise with Hon. Sen. Khupe so that we are able to visit the bereaved family from time to time. I say, Hon. Timire and your Husband, may you continue to rest in peace until we meet again as we are not immortal beings.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: May her soul rest in peace. I thank you.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 4th November, 2021.
MOTION
ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION THAT UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN PRISONS
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House:
COGNIZANT that Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) provides for inalienable fundamental human rights and freedom;
EMPHATICALLY NOTING that the State and every person, including juristic persons and every institution and agency of its government at every level have an obligation to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights and freedom as provided in the Constitution;
DISTURBED by the challenges faced by the forgotten victims in prisons, namely children accompanying their incarcerated mothers who unavoidably find themselves serving time alongside their parents in violation of their rights and freedom;
NOTING with disdain that the criminal conviction of a mother should not in any way diminish the rights and undermine the freedom of children;
FURTHER NOTING that the children accompanying their incarcerated mothers in Zimbabwe end up suffering more than the offenders as they are exposed to poor, unhealthy and overcrowded prison conditions which are detrimental to the development of the children;
NOW, THEREFORE; calls upon the State to enact legislation that upholds the rights and welfare of children accompanying their incarcerated mothers in various prisons throughout the country -
- Implores the Government to adopt child focused programming in budgeting and policy planning and to come up with alternative sentences to female offenders who may be having infants at the time of their incarceration.
- Urges the Executive to come up with policies that are in the best interest of the children that accompany their incarcerated mothers and these should not infringe upon their fundamental rights and freedom as provided in the Constitution.
- Calls upon the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to align the Prisons Act with the Constitution and international best practices on incarceration of female prisons.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: The increasing number of women offenders has left the Government in a dilemma as to how to handle some challenging cases involving mothers with infants or pregnant mothers at the time at the time of sentencing of mothers. It is a fact that the children accompanying their mothers or born in prison have not committed any crime and as such, the Government has a special responsibility to ensure that the children’s rights and welfare needs are maintained during their stay in prison with their mothers. It should be recognised that a criminal conviction of a mother should in no way diminish or undermine the rights of the child. It is worrisome to note that prisoners and their children are at the periphery of Government business and their rights as human beings are often forgotten and overlooked. Our prison system has become synonymous with a host of challenges such as overcrowding, abusive and vile living conditions, deficits of good governance, inadequate food and proper clothing, funding and other resources which can have detrimental effects on the lives of the children residing with their incarcerated mothers.
It is important to note that the prison infrastructure in Zimbabwe is specifically built to accommodate male prisoners and this alone makes the prison conditions unbearable and discriminatory to the female offenders, especially given that sometimes they are accompanied by their children. Regrettably, the prison conditions in Zimbabwe are still far from meeting the basic human rights need of the female offenders themselves and worse still, meeting the human rights need of the children accompanying their mothers. It is estimated that as of December 2017, more than 50 children were accompanying their mothers in Zimbabwe’s prisons across the country after more than 60 children were released together with their mothers under a Presidential amnesty in 2014 and the majority of the children were less than two years old. Children below the age of five years are expected to grow in a natural environment that allows for their early childhood development which is essential to their future outcomes and competencies. These children are said to be in the most critical stage of development whereby brain development is taking place, hence the decision to have the children reside in the prison system when parents are incarcerated has both negative and positive consequences on the child’s well-being and development.
Scientists and doctors have identified the first three years of life as a time when children have the most “fertile minds”, therefore efforts to invest in children during these early years is a prerequisite and most fruitful. Thus, the children born and living in prison with their mothers should not be forgotten in policy planning and/or decision making, given that they fall amongst the most vulnerable group in society and their neglect is a ticking time bomb and nightmare any society would ever want to be faced with in the long run.
Madam President, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an unavoidable starting point for any discussion of the legal rights of children because it outlines the civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights entitled to children regardless of their circumstances. However, in order to contextualize the children’s rights from an African perspective, the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) adopted the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), which goes a step further than the UNCRC by calling for special provisions to be made to ensure that women prisoners maintain meaningful contacts with their children. In short, the ACRWC calls upon State parties to ensure the provision of non-custodial sentences, alternative measures to institutional confinement, the establishment of alternative institutions to hold such mothers, or that the mother shall not be imprisoned with her child and that the mothers shall not face a death sentence. Thus, this provision makes the ACRWC unique in mandating African countries, Zimbabwe included, to make provisions in the justice system that take into account the best interest of the child at all costs when sentencing mothers.
As we are all aware, the legislative and policy framework in Zimbabwe is premised on primarily the UNCRC and the ACRWC, while the prison system in Zimbabwe is guided by the various international rules and regulations namely; the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMRs) and the Bangkok Rules, among others, which must be domesticated through the Constitution and the various pieces of legislation, including the Prisons Act [Chapter 7:11] administered by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).
Thus, the laws in Zimbabwe allow the admission of infants into prison with their mothers and the Government has an obligation to provide for the rights and welfare needs of the children during their stay in prison so that they develop to their full potential. At the outset, Sections 19 and 81 of the Constitution have key provisions that relate to the rights of every child in Zimbabwe including children living with their mothers in prison. In addition to that, Section 58 of the Prisons Act [Chapter 7:11] clearly stipulate that infant children may accompany their mothers in prison for a certain period, upon which when the child turns two years, it is removed to stay with relatives or institutional home. Section 58 further stipulates that the child “…may be supplied with clothing and necessities at the public expense …” Thus, the provision ensures that children received into prison with their mothers have the right to be provided by the State with the necessities of life for their wellbeing, namely: food and nutrition, proper and safe shelter, clothing and health, education among other necessities.
Madam President, the rights of children living in prison with their mothers mainly relate to having access to the necessities of life such as the right to health, education, clothing and shelter, food and nutrition, which are essential for their life, survival and development, as stipulated under Article 6 of the UNCRC, Article 5 of the ACRWC and Section 81 of the Constitution. Thus the UNCRC, the ACRWC and the Constitution place an obligation on the Government of Zimbabwe to play a critical role in ensuring that the children accompanying their mothers in prison have access to the necessities of life essential for the child to develop to its full potential physically, mentally, spiritually, morally and socially. The Committee on the Rights of the Child describes children’s rights as supreme rights which must be honoured at all costs by the State parties.
Our prisons in Zimbabwe remain overcrowded with poor water and sanitation, inadequate food and medical facilities, non-availability of transport, education resources and clothing. The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service is unable to provide for the necessities of the infant children of convicted mothers. The Human Rights Bulletin further indicated that the rations distributed in prisons are specifically for prisoners, thereby implying a denial of access to basic rights to the child accompanying its mother to prison.
The young children living with their mothers in prison must have the benefit of suitable facilities and care for their life, survival and development. The ideal situation is that the prison conditions consist of child friendly facilities aimed at meeting the basic needs of the children accompanying their mothers in prison. In addition to that, where infants are allowed to stay in prison with a parent, special provisions shall be made for nursery and crèche, staffed by qualified persons, where the infants shall be placed when the mother is involved in routine activities.
While it is commendable that the Government of Zimbabwe has taken a step further in establishing child-friendly facilities such as a nursery and a crèche within the prison structures to accommodate such children, it is sad to note that such infrastructure is only available at selected prisons such as Chikurubi Female Prison. Other female prisons do not have such facilities. A report by the Portfolio Committee on Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development (2016) highlighted that the children accompanying their mothers in prison continue to be side-lined in policy making as in most cases they do not have access to the basic necessities of life, such as warm clothing, food and nutrition, water and sanitation, education and health.
Madam President, many studies have revealed that early childhood malnutrition is irreversible and inter-generational. While the introduction of the Statutory Instrument on the ‘Dietary Scale for Children’ by the ZPCS in 2014 may be applauded, the implementation of the Instrument remains underfunded by the Treasury, while the donor support has grossly declined, thereby worsening the situation for children.
The children’s right to clothing is also seriously undermined in Zimbabwe prisons given that the Government continues to make provisions for the inmates’ uniforms only and nothing for the children. In the event that a mother is admitted into prison without any changing clothes for the child, the child is not given any clothing by the Government. According to the prison standards, an inmate upon admission is entitled to five blankets and another three blankets for the child. However, due to shortages, this has not been possible as only blankets for the inmates are available and nothing for the children. Therefore, there is great need for the Government to re-think its role of the Welfare State, especially for children from such difficult circumstances.
In short, it can be argued that the children living with their mothers in prison tend to suffer more than the offenders because the prison environment is not ideal for children. While the Government has a responsibility to create an environment conducive and ideal for child development whilst in prison, it is sad to note that the children rarely have access to nutritious food, clothing, health and education, given the constrained fiscal space.
On a daily basis, the mothers and children barely get by and rely heavily upon unreliable well-wishers who visit the prisons to donate mostly food, clothing and toys. The donations from well-wishers and non-state actors has been positive and greatly boosted the food and nutrition, clothing, health and education needs of the children. However, from a child rights programming perspective, the over-reliance on the donor community is not sustainable as it exposes the children to hunger, ill-health and the harsh weather when the donations are not readily available.
Madam President, in conclusion, in an effort to observe the rights of the children accompanying their incarcerated mothers, I recommend that:-
Government adopts child programming in their budgeting in order to meet the basic needs of children in difficult circumstances;
Develops and implements clear guidelines on the admission of children with their incarcerated mothers, outlining the conditions that are appropriate for the children’s well-being;
Prioritises supporting and establishing income-generating projects in prisons as a means towards resource mobilisation so that the prison farms are fully capitalised and be productive to produce food enough for the inmates and the children;
Considers alternative sentencing options, such as avoiding pre-trial detention and imposing non-custodial sentences (community service or the open prison system) to deserving female offenders with caring responsibilities as stipulated in the ACRWC, the UNSMRs and the Bangkok Rules as measures to reduce the fiscal burden while at the same time considering the BIC principle.
There is need for the Government to continuously look at emerging issues relating to children’s welfare so that the rights of the children across the board are protected. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you very much Hon. President for giving me this opportunity. We are saying youths should have their needs fulfilled because they are tomorrow’s leaders. For them to reach that stage where they are called youths, they start as babies until they grow up to that age where they are weaned and named youths.
The biggest challenge we have Mr. President is that we are now witnessing a lot of ladies who are committing crimes. We understand that prisons back in the day were known for men only and women were left behind at home. However, now we are seeing a change in that. We are seeing both sexes being found in prison. The problems that we are witnessing these days because of colonisation is we no longer see the extended family. We no longer witness the scenario of an extended family. When a child is born, it is everyone’s child in the family. We have seen a sharp change in culture. We used to experience unity in families but we no longer see that. People are now isolating themselves from the extended family and keeping to themselves. They no longer communicate or share love and relationships with other family members. When the husband is imprisoned, the wife is left at home without anyone taking care of them. This is where traditional leaders come in, that is their rightful role to act.
Women are committing crimes and children are imprisoned at a very tender age. What should we do to fix such anomalies? If a woman commits a crime, the children should not go through life in jail with their mother. Children are exposed to other inmates. Should this be their way of living and upbringing? There are a lot of things which happen in prisons, there is no food and we expect the children to be given supplementary food but there is nothing like that. These children are experiencing serious challenges as they reside in prison with their mothers. As a country, we should make sure that we assist these children. They get sick in prison whilst there is no medication and supplementary feeding. During bad weather conditions, there is no appropriate clothing for the children to keep warm; they suffer because there are no such provisions in prison.
I understand that some prisons have children’s nurseries but for some, it is just a name as there is nothing appropriate happening to help the children develop in terms of elementary education classes. Mr. President, I think that as Government, through the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the issue to do with children should be treated as very important because it is also a very painful issue. We should make sure that these children’s upbringing is improved and make sure that they are not mocked for their parents’ crimes. They should be protected from bullying by their peers because of the experience they would have gone through and the lifestyle their parents would have been subjected to, that of prison life.
I would like to acknowledge the programme of ‘Open Prisons’ that was pioneered by the late Commissioner Gen. Zimondi. The concept was a good one. These women should not just sit, they should be given an opportunity to start sustainable projects. If it is tailoring, they should be assisted to look for a market where these things are sold so that the income can assist them and their children can live well. If it is possible, these women should get punishment in the form of community service. I have seen others from my area who went to court and were charged to do community service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a local clinic, police station or any other place. This will assist them so that when they complete a day’s community service, they go back home to their families. Regardless of the fact that they will not be home all day, at least they are able to sleep with their children at home and lead a decent life.
There are things that the children experience; later in life these children will always emulate those things as good when they grow up. Even at home, if there is violence, children will always think that it is the correct thing to do when they grow up, they will never be able to tell between wrong or right. Hon. President, it is very important to give children a positive upbringing so that they are protected from anything negative in this world. It is possible that children reach the school going age without proper preparation.
The President mentioned the Prisons Act [Chapter 7:11] which provides for the staying of children in jail with their mothers but when they reach the age of two, they are transferred to an institution. Let it be an institution which is well furnished with all the resources and make sure that it provides for a positive upbringing for these children. It should not just be an institution with no adequate facilities for the proper upkeep of children. If not well taken care of, you then see the children filling up the streets as ‘street kids.’ The main reason behind these street kids should be pointed out as troubled backgrounds. These children should get a better upbringing. I think we should have done that as a Government Mr. President.
We always say our children are the future leaders because we would have provided them with a dignified and proper foundation. Some of them are indeed future leaders but some of them are now indulging in illicit drugs which damage their future. It is our fault as parents because we are unable to provide a better upbringing for them. There are some who display delinquent behaviour, and if you talk to them they do not listen. We do give them advice but they are adamant, they fail to listen. As legislators, let us closely look at this and use the best way to put it across to them so that we help our children. We are doing this for the betterment of our children’s upbringing as future leaders. Thank you very much Mr. President.
+HON. SEN. D. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Hon. President for the time you have given me to add my voice on the issue on behalf of the children who are incarcerated together with their mothers and cannot think for themselves. Thank you Hon. Sen. Chirongoma for bringing up this motion.
It is very painful for children to live with their parents in prison because they see what they are not supposed to see. Some children are given horrible names because they were living with their parents in prisons. These names stereotype and discriminate them. This demonises the child. This makes the child to always be angry at everyone. He or she becomes a fighter every time as he or she tries to defend him or herself. If there is any way of improving life for such children, they can be taken away from their mother in prison and be taken care of by responsible people and then given back to their mothers after having served the sentence.
Like what the Hon. Sen. Said, that in prison, there are things that are happening which we cannot say here. We are told that they end up being homosexual in prison and children will be seeing all that, which is a disadvantage to the child because our laws do not allow a man to have sexual intercourse with another man or a woman to marry another woman. This is so disheartening because children will be seeing all these happenings in prison. We wish this motion to be taken into consideration by our Government. What has been brought by the legislators must be put into law.
We are appealing to mothers who have knowledge of how to care and nurture a child to support this motion so that it becomes law. If this is made into law, this motion will protect the future of Zimbabwe and also keep these children in safe hands. We are also appealing to other women who want to assist those in problems – they should not get to the extent of them being imprisoned because they have failed to restrain themselves. I am referring to an incident that was highlighted by Hon. Sen. Chirongoma. I am very grateful for his motion. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: I would like to thank the mover of this motion and the seconder. This is a very good motion which shows that people are so much interested in the future. If we could all acknowledge that we will die and leave behind the young generation, we would not have any challenges.
There are a lot of people in this country who work with the Zimbabwe Prisons Services. There is no Prison Officer who desires or wishes to take their child to prison because they know the environment is not good. There is no one who works at the Prisons Services who expects their grandchild or child to go to work at the prison because they know that there are a lot of diseases. Firstly, these days there is COVID-19 and children are easily affected when the mother is affected. If you go to prisons and take a video – during the 60s and 70s, we were once taken to prison for political issues. You come across lice in prison and they are so detrimental to one’s health that in two days, you will be in a bad shape. What more a young child? There are so many mosquitoes such that they do not even make noise and you just experience biting. There are a lot of insects that bite you in prison. One of the biggest challenges is the blankets used in prison. They smell and they are very dirty because you cannot wash them yourself. Toilets will be inside and the children experience a very bad upbringing. I would like to thank those who moved this motion. It was my wish that the Government would move this motion and look at it closely. I also hope that we establish a law that will free these children so that they do not grow up in prison together with their parents.
Most of these mothers who go to prison will be trying to fend for their children, that is when they commit crimes which result in them getting 5year sentences in prison. Instead of giving these children a better life, they expose these children to a poor upbringing. It is difficult to bring up children and you end up doing some of the most terrible things for their survival. It is just the same with animals; even birds will feed their little ones from a farmers plot just for their survival. The children go to prison when they are not supposed to be there because of the crimes of their parents. If women have children or they are pregnant, I think there should be a law that defers their sentence to maybe after six months when they can leave their children outside prison. Government should see to the welfare of these children wherever they will be kept.
We see a lot of nurses going outside the country to take care of the aged in homes abroad. Why not arrange that these children are sent to a home where these people can take care of the children whose mothers will be in prison. This will help the children grow up in a proper family set up and not on the streets. When you have reached the budget period, we should look at allocating money towards welfare. A lot of funding should be channelled towards the upkeep of these children. These are the future leaders of tomorrow. There should be equality on the upbringing of these children. When these mothers are discharged from prison, there should be a fund to cater for the children’s upbringing and welfare. Some of the laws that we have were left behind by the colonial regime – the Smith regime and these are the same laws we are still carrying to this day. Long back, there was no woman who was put in jail but it started during the colonial era. You find that even women were sentenced for execution. We have the likes of Mbuya Nehanda who never threw a stone, a spear or a gun. Because she was a spirit medium, she was killed. We have 40 years after independence but we are still carrying on with these laws. These women carry the future of our country. We have situations where children are found in prisons. These children have not committed any offences. Such laws should be removed. After serving for two years, women should be put in open prisons so that they look after their children. Those who have committed serious crimes should serve their terms but Government should look after their minor children through the Social Welfare Department. We must amend such laws as a country.
*THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA): Hon. Senator, your debate is quite interesting but you are left with five minutes.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: Thank you very much Mr. President. I was talking about countries that have developed better than Zimbabwe. It is my plea that these issues that I have mentioned be implemented. We should safeguard the children’s rights. Thank you Mr. President.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA, seconded by HON. SEN. MATHUTHU, the Senate adjourned at Twenty-Two Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.